Fewer decisions, fuller joy {5 Favorite books for simple & intentional living}

So, as we're moving merrily along with our selections in flooring for the new house (we've successfully narrowed it down to a very manageable number of decisions, mostly minor, like which of the 50 shades of gray tan we'd like out of the brand of carpet we selected).

Sorry, Julia, that's about as much of that one as we could afford...

But, even with those (major) decisions under our belts, I've still found with a discernible undercurrent of feeling overwhelmed.  Overall, (thanks be to God) life is very good.  I really have no reason to complain but yet I have this nagging sense of stress.  As I sat and reflected last night, I came to realize that I just feel so cluttered - both homes, all of our possessions, and even mentally.  So many things to think, to do, to see, to deal with, to clean, to move, and to keep out of the baby's increasingly accurate roll & reach pattern.

Clutter.  Ultimately, so much stuff (physical and otherwise) is clamoring for our attention that we find ourselves spinning as the roads diverge in the yellow wood - but here, not two roads, but a seemingly infinite number of choices of what to do, where to put things, what to eat, what to wear, and what to read.  I'm using the royal "we" because I know I'm not the only one feeling lost in the sea of daily choices.

My situation is amplified right now because of the renovations and the juggling of the two houses, but I know even in "normal" times, modern life has an exceptional number of choices.  And so many choices - embodied by the 10 housekeeping chores (only one of which can be reasonably completed in a nap time), by the carpet strewn with toys (most of which you're not exactly sure where to keep), and the exploding Pinterest boards (many of which you'll never complete, even though you just keep pinning) - make the day seem almost claustrophobic.  And the necessity of too many decisions short-circuits our brain and we end up doing nothing.  We turn to the Internet as a distraction from the disorder, feeding our mental clutter and inhibiting our ability to control the physical mess that's encroaching from all sides.

I know I've been harping on this simplicity thing, but I'm becoming increasingly convinced that our culture is building a world that is quickly becoming suffocating, and if we don't stop the madness, well, no one will.  The craziness of the world is intruding in our homes, stealing peace and joy from the place that should be our family haven.

I think that if we can find a way to put some of ordinary life on autopilot, we can be fully present in the extraordinary.

The extraordinary here, of course, isn't a trip to Paris, but the belly laugh from the toddler and the chunky rolls on the baby's leg and the fuzzy caterpillar crawling across the porch while you sit and read for a quiet minute.

Fewer decisions about when and how to do things, where to store things, and less to think about in general: less physical clutter, less schedule clutter, less mental clutter means that our days can be more intentional, more productive, and more joyful.  A simpler lifestyle means that we have room to breathe - room to enjoy the extraordinary, even the beauty of the mundane.

If you, like me, want to make a change and need some wisdom on where to start, I highly recommend the following books:

(1) Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids  (Kim John Payne & Lisa M. Ross)

I am only one chapter in to this book, but am so incredibly impressed by the observations and suggestions (just in the introduction!) that I am confident that I should recommend it for all parents.  I list it first because I think it's the most important reminder - this simple living thing isn't just for pretty pictures of all-white kitchens.  It's the foundation for our children's understanding of the world, and if they grow up in cluttered chaos, that can't bode well for their emotional health as they grow.

(2) The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up  (Marie Kondo)

This Japanese cleaning consultant has some very poignant observations and an extremely useful process for purging - I had to wade through some ideology with which I didn't quite agree, but overall her ideas and tips are well worth the read.  (And you will be SHOCKED by how many items you find yourself dropping off at the Goodwill).

(3) A Mother's Rule of Life: How to Bring Order to Your Home and Peace to Your Soul (Holly Pierlot) 

This has more to do with the simplicity and intentionality of schedule and time, but I think that reducing that type of clutter is just as important as physical clutter.

(4) Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living (Tsh Oxenrider)

This is equal parts "why" and "how" in terms of intentional, simple living.  More in my post HERE.

(5) Anything written before (or written about times before) the Internet.

I think our modern age is such an anomaly in terms of information overload that it can be really inspiring and didactic to read something written about/during times that were - by default - less cluttered (at least in terms of mental clutter, and often in terms of physical clutter, as well).

As a bonus, I'll give a nod again to my friend Rachel's book Minimize the Mess: A Mother's Guide to Simplifying Your Home  and I'm linking up with her today for 5 Favorites!


What are your favorite resources for simplifying?  I'd love to hear what you think about these books...and others that you have to recommend!

5 Favorites: Anecdotes to SAHM burn-out

Hello and welcome to anyone joining me from Rosie's blog (and a big thanks to her for the sweet shout-out!)

I tend to reflect a lot on motherhood, homemaking, and the lessons we can learn to manage the inevitable stresses than come from a job description whose first and primary point is to selflessly love and serve tiny {irrational, exceedingly energetic, unable to control all body functions} {beautiful, wonderful, amazing} human beings (insert the appropriate adjectives depending on the day/last five minutes).

In trying to stay ahead of the frustrations and be the best mom I can be (for the new people, constant house/home/self improvement is the theme), I've been thinking about some of the anecdotes to the challenges of being  stay-at-home-mom, and trying to implement them.  Some of these are direct answers to the problems I've identified, and others just help with the overall atmosphere (I'm sure you've heard that saying "if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."

And so, I bring you my 5 (current) Favorite Anecdotes to SAHM burn-out, in case anyone else out there has husbands with long hours and driveways with too much ice to get the minivan out:

1) Activities (kid variety).  I tend to find it tiring to generically "play" with Anna, but I love to do projects with her.  We can both funnel our energy into something creative (play-doh, paint, miscellaneous crafts, etc), and the mess is contained (usually) to the kitchen table rather than the typical toy tornado.

Paint is messy, but not THIS messy:

And, bonus, I tend to always* get a little awesome-mom self-esteem kick when we finish up a project together.

*Note: there are still times when you pat yourself on the back for doing something fun, only to have your toddler sprawl on the ice on the back patio while the dog eats the bird-seed covered bagel from her hand that you had just made together to hang on the Christmas tree that you finally decided to take down and move outside.  Ahem.

2) Craft projects (mommy variety).  One of the recurring themes of frustration is how fleeting our tasks seem and how quickly done things are undone.  I find it immensely refreshing to work on something (anything!) more permanent in the evening, whether it be crocheting, sewing, or even blogging.  It's always tempting to just passively read blogs, but I always feel a lot more renewed if I muster the energy to work on something.

I've got several projects in the works, so look out, Ana, I'm coming for your link-up ;)

3) Sunshine in pill form (aka, Vitamin D).  I'm solar-powered, or at least my husband claims that to be true.  I do notice I'm a lot more content on sunshine-y days, and I'm thankful that our current house has lots of beautiful windows to maximize the sunshine when we're not getting outside (after all, you heard what happened when Anna and I ventured 5 feet outside the backdoor for the first time this week).  My doctor in Ithaca recommended that us northerners take a Vitamin D supplement, and it might just be a placebo, but I call it my happy pill, and I think it really makes a difference.

(Sunshine in non-pill form makes me happy, too).

4) Pretty nails.  It turns out that my disappointment at not getting to dress up everyday is assuaged fairly readily by my recent discovery of Jamberry nails - just one little step to feel pulled together.  And believe everything you've heard about how long they last.  It's seriously impressive that they can still look perfect after 2 weeks of dish-washing/post-diaper-hand-washing/cleaning/scrubbing/etc.

Low quality photo, high quality manicure!
(Cute baby photo-bomb and crafty background ;) )

5) The Rosary.  Over the last year, I've been trying to be a lot better about saying a daily rosary, and I've begun to crave those quiet minutes of reflection, rather than feeling a nagging obligation to pull out my beads again.  Focusing on each mystery provides so much strength and reassurance - the hope that God will see us through our times of waiting as we wait with Jesus in the garden, the joy that the Holy Spirit is always with us as we stand in awe at Pentecost, and the faith in this wondrous and surprising love as we run to the empty tomb after the Resurrection.  (Note, see my old post on the Joyful Mysteries, "They could have been the 'Stressful Mysteries.'")

P.S. If you're one of my (16!) pregnant friends, I try to offer my rosary prayers for your intentions and for all moms :)


So...feeling blue?  A crafty manicure and a sunny rosary ought to cheer you up ;)

Linking up late to the 5 Favorites party with Jenna.

Five Favorites - the week in my life edition

One of my favorite things about reading blogs is all of the great recommendations & reviews I've read.  I can't keep track of how many tips and tricks, recipes, and products I've found through the suggestion of other bloggers.  In our modern world where few of us actually have another mom across the backyard fence to recommend a new laundry detergent while we're out hanging laundry, this is a pretty good substitute, I guess.  Here's 5 of my favorite things recently, which I will wholeheartedly recommend.  I wrote this post (in my head, of course!) last week since it gives you a pretty good picture of a week in my life right now ;)

You'll have to excuse the low quality pictures (or lack thereof).  If I wait until I get good shots of all these things, I'll never post it.

-1-

Anna got this Fisher-Price My First Dollhouse for her birthday, and she plays with it non-stop.  The first words out of her mouth 9 mornings out of 10 are "I ready to play dollhouse now," and almost every night when we tell her it's time for bed she asks, "play dollhouse a few minutes?"  I am always so impressed by how long she'll actually play with it, and Justin and I love to watch the scenarios she creates and the things she has the people say (it's hilarious the observations she has made about our own family that come out during her play!)

Anyway, if you have a 2 year old girl on your Christmas shopping list, I highly recommend this!  I originally wanted a fancy all-wood dollhouse, but I'm glad I went with this one.  Just a tip, don't buy it new - the price for the house itself isn't bad, but the different room sets are astronomical.  I found a great deal on eBay for the whole set.  Oh- apparently it makes sounds, but ours doesn't work, and I'm happier that way (and Anna hasn't missed any noises!)

-2-

I just looked through 12 months of photo files and I can't believe I don't have a picture of Anna reading these...but in the toddler gift department, I can't recommend the Highlights Hello magazine enough.  My mom has gotten the subscription for Anna for her last two birthdays, and I can tell you that they have been loved and well worth every penny that she generously spent!

The magazines are really well done - cute poems, stories, pictures.  They also have all sorts of smart features like non-rip/waterproof pages, rounded edges, no staples, etc.  You can transfer your subscription to the two other Highlights magazines intended for older kids whenever they're ready.  I switched Anna's because she met all the readiness suggestions they had for the next level, but she goes back to her Hello magazines far more often than she looks at the new ones, so I sort of wish I'd waited.  She loves, loves, loves these things, though - she has most of the contents memorized and can look at the cover and tell you what story is inside (I don't remember half the time what story she's even talking about, but she'll say "read itty bitty baby" and go to the shelf and find the right one!)

-3-

And in the mommy category, my current favorite toy is my Eureka cordless vacuum.  I have to wage a serious battle with dog hair now since our house-sitting gig includes a pet-sitting component.  This vacuum keeps me sane - because it's easy enough to use that I actually do it and not just let the dog hair tumbleweed drive me nuts!  It's ridiculous to say, but if I had to plug something in, I'd do it far less often.  I can just grab this and zip around the kitchen (even one-handed while holding Julia).  It does a good job picking up the hair and small crumbs.  It's not strong enough for larger crumbs (like a dropped raisin or piece of pretzel, for example) but I still recommend it.


I bought the one with 2 batteries so I can just swap them out and always have one charged.

Bonus: it's apparently fun for toddlers, and I figure she's sort of like one of those random automatic room vacs.  (This photo situation is deteriorating quickly - I had a shot of Anna using it but now I can't find it!)

-4-

I have finally found the perfect water bottle.  Especially with nursing, I like to call myself a "heavy drinker" (of water, of course).  Actually, that's my biggest tip for successful nursing that I share with my new mom friends.  Drink a ton of water.  And then drink some more.  (You'll realize how important it is when you empty the trashcan full of diapers and realize that all of that water weight has come through you!)  I'm pretty sure that the times I've had mastitis (which Justin describes as the worst shape he's ever seen me in, labor included) were times when I got out of routine and didn't drink enough water.

Anyway, the perfect water bottle: doesn't spill, can be operated one-handed, doesn't have a straw (personal preference), and holds enough for my heavy drinking standards.

I bought three (theoretically - one upstairs, one downstairs, and one in my purse, although it's more likely to be wherever I was last sitting, wherever Justin was last sitting, and behind whatever furniture Anna decided to hide one).

Tangentially related bonus favorite - I won't elaborate for the sake of my male readership, but nursing mamas, check THESE out.  Worth the (steep) price and far better than anything you'll find in a panic at Target.

-5-

Finally, a shout-out to my Ergo baby carrier.  I seriously don't know how moms of more than one kids do it if they don't ever wear a baby!  Actually, I'm not sure how moms of one do it without a carrier!  (That's probably why I ended up sitting on the couch frustrated that I couldn't do ANYTHING for so long with Anna ...we didn't end up getting this carrier until she was about 9 months old).  I wear Julia a lot while cooking, at night when she's fussy (Justin will also wear her and stand at the kitchen counter grading if she just wants to be bounced), whenever we go outside or out in public, to Mass....etc, etc, etc.  Bonus - it's really comfortable (far more so than pregnancy, at least in my case! ;))

Throwback photo to little Anna picking apples last year.

I was going to crop this picture, and then I noticed that my beloved water bottle made the shot ;)

Visit Jenna at Call Her Happy for some more favorites :)

With gratitude

So after all the ice buckets, it seems like the next big thing on Facebook is to challenge friends to do a little "count your blessings" exercise, listing 3 things for which you're thankful everyday for 5 days.  When I was challenged, I felt a little awkward about posting it on Facebook, but it somehow feels different to do it here (you all knew this site was going to be very Emily-centric when you clicked on over, but you didn't necessarily bargain for that in your newsfeed).  I'm going to morph the rules a bit and write a gratitude post of 15 things, rather than 5 different Facebook updates.

Incidentally, I was having a rough morning when I decided that I should do this.  It was one of those days when I seemed to wake up with less energy than I went to sleep with, and I couldn't help but look down at my ticking time-bomb of a belly and wonder how in the world I'd ever get things settled before the baby makes her arrival.  (Side note, I was further progressed at my 36 week check-up yesterday than I was at 39 weeks with Anna.  This probably doesn't mean anything besides this isn't my first baby....but the knowledge that I'm already beginning to move towards delivery isn't exactly comforting when absolutely nothing is ready!)

Anyway, I thought about the challenge, and started to wonder if I would participate by listing my blessings.  This was before I decided to do a blog post, so it was mostly a thought experiment since I felt awkward about the whole Facebook thing.  I thought of a thing or two, and suddenly I had a flood of ideas.  And with the ideas, true gratitude and a brand-new wave of energy and enthusiasm.  It was such a cliche moment, but I started to realize that all of the things that were stressing me out were minor side effects to major blessings - blessings that many people would love to have.

We can all check the news and give a sort of superficial "oh, I'm so thankful for my nice life" but until you actually make yourself stop and think - but for the grace of God, there am I - it's hard to acknowledge that we COULD be the ones stranded on a mountain and being persecuted, or the ones dying of incurable diseases, or the ones struggling to decide between payments life-saving drugs or food for the family.

There are obviously so many more blessings in my life than could fit in a 15-point list.  Some of the things (ice cream, Emily, really?) are not nearly as important as others that I left out (not being persecuted, for one), but this isn't an exhaustive list, nor is the order particularly relevant.  But one thing's for sure - it's all things I'm very glad I have, and the big - and little - joys in life that, when I remember to keep them in perspective, really turn a bad day around.

(1)

That I have thus far been able to conceive, carry, and deliver healthy babies.  I know that the minor discomforts of pregnancy are nothing compared to the crosses of infertility and miscarriage, crosses that so many people have to carry.

(2) 

As I strive to create a comfortable and loving home, I recognize all the more what an incredible blessing it was to grow up in a home that was exactly that.  Unlike so many of our peers, my siblings and I never had to wonder if my parents loved each other or us.  And my parents are still amazing and will do things like drive 5 hours each way to spend the entire weekend running a carpet cleaner and carrying things up 2 flights of stairs.

(3)

This incredible man deserves a bullet point all of his own, but I also couldn't help but reflect on the amazing blessing of marriage in general.  Justin and I will often note how thankful we are - both that we don't have to go to the trouble of searching for someone, but also to have the security of each other's love and the knowledge that, come what may, we will be have someone by our side to weather those storms.  After discovering Marie Miller's song "6'2" in quick take posts last week, I can't stop listening to it.  It touches me with a haunting remembrance of the time of longing and of uncertainty, of wondering if my wonderful prince charming would ever come along.  (Spoiler alert, he did).

(4)

Justin often jokes that I'm solar-powered, and I am definitely very affected by the presence (or lack thereof) of sunlight.  I'm thankful for the glorious windows in this house, including a 2-story wall of windows in the living room, and this beautiful patch of sun where Anna and I get to eat lunch and watch our birdie friends dine outside.

(bonus picture - Justin would sometimes take me to the growth chamber in his lab at Cornell, which was basically a big, wonderful box of sunlight intended primarily for growing plants but also very effective for wife mood improvement on grumpy winter days)

(5)

This is one of my favorite pictures, ever.

Sometimes I just stop and reflect on how many amazing people who have come into our lives over the years.  We have some incredible family and friends, spanning childhood, high school, college, career, Ithaca, etc.  I've had the moments where I stop and think - "wow, these people really want to spend time with ME?!"  

(6)

It's hard to fathom the blessing that Jesus Christ is present - body, blood, soul, and divinity - to us in the Eucharist.  And, what a comfort to know that in every Catholic Church in the world, a little red candle burns, reminding us that there He waits in the Tabernacle.  Our new parish is right at the end of the road into our neighborhood, and so I pass it every time I drive anywhere, and I find just driving by Him to be a blessing.

(Photo from my incredible friend (see #5) Meg's site - go here to read her awesome reflections on the Eucharist, all of which have helped me to grow in my understanding and appreciation of this gift!)

(7)

Yesterday, both Anna and I had check-ups at the "dod-dors off-ice" and it reminded me how thankful I am that we have access to quality healthcare, and that we have been able to find pediatricians and OB-GYNs both here and in Ithaca that we really like.

(8)

It's been a joy to see Justin embark on a job that he loves and one where he absolutely excels.  (He'll tell you he's still just figuring out how this whole professor thing works, but I can tell that this is truly his vocation and that his gifts are perfectly aligned in this position.)  

Side note - he does not regularly drink champagne in the classroom, but this picture (from his PhD defense) is the only relevant picture I have.  Second side note / secondary benefit - I do not complain about how handsome he looks everyday all dressed up for work :)

(9)

ICE KEEM!!

My thoughts exactly, Anna.

(10)

(Of the thousands of hours I've logged, apparently this is the only photographic proof of me having ever used a computer)

It can be a distraction and a temptation to waste time, but more often than not I'm grateful for the Internet and all it does to keep me connected to family and friends - and even new friends.  Skype lessens the blow of Anna being hours away from her grandparents, and seeing even quick status updates from friends across the country makes it feel like they're not thousands of miles away.

(11)

Pictured here: my new Eucharistic devotion medal (#6) that I ordered from Etsy (#11) with the gift card that the lovely ladies  (#5) from our mom's group in Ithaca gave me as a going away present.

The ability to buy everything we need (and most of the things we want).  After a grocery trip, I'm amazed by the bounty of opening the refrigerator.  And with pregnancy + toddler + economically depressed town, I've become (more) dependent on online shopping - thank you, Amazon...and sorry, Mr. Postman.

(12)

It is so amazing to watch Anna learn and develop.  In the last month, her verbal abilities have just exploded, and having a window into her little brain has been so much fun.  She was SO excited about her second birthday this week, and it was fun to be able to celebrate with her and know that she understood what was happening (I still hear her wishing herself "Happy Birfday, Anna!" from her crib as she falls asleep at night).  Hearing her count to ten for the first time was an incredible moment.  I'm thankful both for her development, and for having a front-row seat to watch it all.

(13)

We might not have everything set-up yet, but we've already reaped a lot of benefits from the house where we're staying for this year (like this beautiful view from the front porch).  I feel like I'm living in the lap of luxury with a garage, a garbage disposal, and a master bathroom.  We might be spoiled after this year!

(14)

I have to admit that I'm easily annoyed (at least internally) by people who are (by choice rather than health) extremely picky eaters.  I'm thankful that - first of all - none of us have any food allergies, but also that Justin (and, for the most part, Anna) is an adventurous eater who honestly enjoys everything, including fish, vegetables, beans, meat, salad, etc.  It makes certainly makes cooking healthy meals a lot easier (and more fun).

(Back story about that photo - it was from the first time I made dinner (granted, it was just frozen chicken fillets and steamed broccoli with some reheated potato casserole that someone had generously brought to us) after Anna was born, and I absolutely felt on top of the world).

(15)

My creative hobbies - from sewing to home renovation - bring me a lot of enjoyment, have saved us money on things like curtains and decor (savings probably negated by my extensive stash of unfinished projects), and have resulted in a lot of neat finished products for ourselves and for gifts.  I'm grateful that my mom passed along the interest and the know-how of working with my hands.

Bonus gratitude: my awesome mother-in-law is currently visiting, so Anna will have grandma time tomorrow morning while exhausted mama and daddy sleep in and I don't have to feel guilty about how long this post took me to write and how late I (accidentally) just stayed up!

---

I guess part of this thing is that I'm also supposed to nominate some people to count their blessings.  It honestly was a really worthwhile use of my time and gave me a much needed "attitude adjustment."  So - I encourage everyone to take some time and do it.  Any one else want to write a post?  My blog-friends in similarly crazy stages in life (when - I know - it's easier to lose track of this big picture)?  Mandy?  Ellen?  Rosie?  Rachel?

P.S. Thanks, Maria, for the challenge :)

Cloth Diapers

This post has absolutely nothing to do with the move (in fact, the packing/traveling/new place has caused us to go for the longest stretch ever in disposable diapers) but I've been meaning to post my thoughts about cloth diapers on the blog for a while now.  I was about to say that this topic doesn't have a whole lot to do with my blog theme of making a home, but then again - let's be honest about the amount of diaper changing that goes into raising the little people at home!  I initially wrote most of this information in an email over a year ago, and have since been asked about our cloth diaper routine by friends or friends-of-friends several more times, so I keep updating the email.  Another friend just asked recently, which gave me the kick-in-the-pants to finally organize this well enough to be a blog post instead of a really wordy and overwhelming email :)

Choosing cloth

Living in Ithaca (which we affectionately refer to as a very "crunchy granola" kind of town), cloth diapers were extremely popular.  Almost all of my friends (and we weren't even the "crunchy" crowd) used cloth diapers at least some of the time.  For Justin and I, cloth diapers seemed like a natural (ha) choice because we're green enough to balk at the thought of hundreds of pounds of diapers going into the landfills over the course of our young family's lifetime and cheap enough to balk at the hundreds of dollars required to keep the babies' bums covered in disposable diapers.  Sure, there's an upfront cost and some carrying costs (mostly in time to wash them, although some for detergent and water), but that seemed (and proved to be) worth it for us.  I also (probably weirdly) think that disposable diapers (the clean kind!) have a really funky smell and I was happy to avoid that.

Bonus: cloth diapers are way cuter than disposable ones, and if you make sure to have an orange one (and some black construction paper) in your stash, you can delight grandparents with this Halloween photo-op.

Building your stash

From everyone we've talked to, deciding WHICH cloth diapers to use is far more labor-intensive and difficult than choosing WHETHER or not to use cloth diapers.

As you've probably seen, there are tons of variations of diapers on the market.  Some parents choose to have a stash of a variety of types (or try out a variety before committing).  There was a great store in Ithaca (Jillian's Drawers) that has a trial system, which you can also do by mail.  Personally, I wanted to have the deciding (and the acquiring) finished before Anna arrived, but I think the trial system has gotten great reviews.  I think it's also somewhat popular to have a "stash" filled with various types/styles/etc, but my personal preference is to have consistency and simplicity, so I decided to research just one type of diapers and completely commit.

We use Bum Genius diapers, which I initially learned about from a home improvement blog I follow (Young House Love) (cloth diaper post here).  The bloggers are very good at doing a lot of research in advance, so I trusted them to do some of the leg work for me in term of initially selecting a brand.  The additional research I did confirmed that Bum Genius is one of the consistently highest rated diapers out there.  Granted, they're also one of the most expensive, but I have learned (through reviews, our friends' experiences, and our own experiences) that you get what you pay for.  It was better in our opinion to spend the money upfront to have high quality diapers that really work, and that will last through several children's diaper days.

The diapers we decided on are the Bum Genius 4.0.  These ones come with 2 inserts (a thick and a thin).  We like this for two reasons: 1) the inserts can be dried in the dryer and the outer shells on the drying rack (meaning that the snaps don't get beat up in the dryer, and they last longer), and 2) we can vary the amount of absorbency (we put in 2 pads overnight).  We have the snap version, which I also highly recommend over the velcro.  We have 14 diapers.  Once Anna got a lot bigger and was sleeping a lot longer, we purchased some hemp inserts to use overnight (the two regular Bum Genius inserts were no longer absorbent enough for a full night's worth).  

We started out with the Bum Genius Newborn diapers because the "all-in-ones" don't fit consistently until the baby is 12ish pounds. I haven't decided yet if I'm glad we had those ones or not.  They leaked for us a lot, but I think that's because Anna is a pretty heavy wetter (she needed the heavy pad in the larger diaper as soon as they fit her).  We had a bunch of newborn/size 1 disposables that we'd received as gifts, so we used them a lot.  With Julia, I'll probably be more inclined to use the newborn reusables because I'm familiar with the wash routine and whatnot, but I'm on the fence as to whether or not I'd recommend them, though.

As for the all-in-ones, I don't have a single complaint.  They've been fantastic.  They're super easy to put on, they've held up really well, and compared to the times she's worn a disposable, they're much better at containing the mess.  I think she's had a major blow-out just about every time she's in a disposable [this was written a while ago, when disposables were very rare!], but has had I think only 2 blow-outs in the Bum Genius in the 4 months that she's worn the all-in-ones.  (Update, I'm still very happy with the all-in-ones, and they still look almost new after 20+ months of constant use).

Washing

 I wash them approximately every other day.  We store the dirty diapers in PlanetWise wet bags which have been remarkably successful at containing both moisture and smell.  We have a few different sizes (one in her room, one in the bathroom, one for the diaper bag).  When it's time to wash (typically when there are 2 clean ones left), I dump the dirty diapers into the washing machine (often followed by the bag if it's messy), run a large load with cold water and no detergent, then a large load with hot water and 1 scoop of Charlies Soap.   Apparently, this detergent actually voids the warranty of the diapers, but I learned that after it was too late (the local store recommends it as the first thing to try with washing diapers).  It's been successful for me so far, and Anna hasn't had any reactions to it (I've read that there's been some kids who get a rash).  So, it may be worth doing some additional research on the detergent selection, although what we're doing has worked for us.  Once a month (around the 3rd, since that's when she was born and it's easy to remember), I add 1/4 cup of bleach to the cold cycle.  I dry the inserts in the dryer and the shells on the drying rack (although in a pinch I've thrown 1 or 2 in the dryer to get them ready quickly).  Just before the move, I was starting to notice that the diapers weren't smelling clean, even after a wash cycle.  I think it was mostly because we had started potty training and she wasn't going through the stash as quickly as before (and I was leaving them dirty longer than I should have).  I purchased this "stripper" and was happy with the results (but be prepared for LOTS and LOTS of rinse cycles!)

Oh!  I almost forgot - we also have the toilet sprayer, which is an ABSOLUTE necessity once baby starts solids.  In fact, we've abandoned cloth diapers while traveling/visiting families since they don't have the sprayers (trying to scrape a dirty diaper with a plastic spoon into the toilet only had to happen once for me to call that done!), although we did successfully travel with cloth diapers until she was 6 months or so.  (If baby is exclusively breast-fed, the dirty diapers are still water soluble and don't really need sprayed before washing).  If you get a sprayer, DO NOT EVER FORGET TO TURN IT OFF.

What about wipes?

We also use cloth wipes (we just wet them with warm water if necessary, or use them dry).  These wipes has been great, although I know plenty of people who use disposable wipes with their reusable diapers.  I just prefer the ease of putting everything together in the wet bag, rather than separating dirty wipes for the trash from the dirty diapers for the laundry.  I have dabbled in research for DIY wipe solutions and thought about keeping a spray bottle of water near the changing table (and I will probably ramp this up before Julia's arrival) because needing to run into the bathroom to wet a wipe does make the whole process a bit annoying.

Also, you can't use rash cream (like Desitin) if it will touch the diapers directly (it can mess up the absorbency or something like that).  She very rarely gets diaper rash, and if she does it often clears up on its own in a few hours.  If we do need to use Desitin, we use the Bum Genius fleece liners as a barrier.  They have to be washed separately from the diapers (and I've found that they never get completely clean) but they do the job at keeping the diapers clean & baby's skin healthy with the ointment!  (Update: I later got very annoyed by the liners and basically just switched to disposable on the rare occasions she needed diaper rash treatment).

Other resources

Jillian's Drawers (the store I mentioned in Ithaca) has a lot of the products, as well as some helpful online resources as you do your diaper research: http://www.jilliansdrawers.com/. 

Bum Genius FAQs (including the official washing instructions): http://www.bumgenius.com/help.php

Cotton Babies (website that sells a variety of cloth diapers; I bought ours here, and they often have good sales (buy so many and get one free, etc).  They also have package deals (6, 12, etc) where the price is better than purchasing the diapers individually.  http://www.cottonbabies.com/index.php

We've been happy with these cloth training pants for the potty-training stage (although that process has also been derailed by the whole moving thing!)

I hope all of this makes sense!  Feel free to ask any questions to clarify!  For those of you who already use cloth, talk to me with your wipe wisdom :)  (Or share your favorite cloth diaper advice in the comments!)

Just call me Billy Mays

I can't help myself - every time I use this stuff, I want to host an infomercial.

You should be impressed by this amazing stuff, and also by the fact that I figured out how to take a picture NOT on automatic mode!

It is seriously so, so awesome.  There have been many an instance when I think there is permanent damage or corrosion on a faucet and then I remember I have this stuff and with a few squirts & a few minutes of elbow grease it's as good as new.

My infomercial would obviously be much more effective if you saw the dismal state of this faucet before....but that finished gleam should win you over.  In true it's-the-little-things style, cleaning the gunk out from around the faucet joint has made my day, and probably my week.  It definitely helps that there's bright sunlight streaming in through the windows, and that it's a balmy 20 degrees outside today!  (It's been so cold it seemed like Anna would get frostbite just looking outside the past few days, so needless to say we've been a little cooped up).

Since I didn't do a 5 Favorites post yesterday, and I'm in infomercial mode anyway, I'll share the other amazing discovery of this week.

Did you know you can turn off the notifications on a specific picture or comment thread on facebook?  Maybe I'm the last person to realize this...but I was always hesitant to add a "congratulations" to an engagement announcement or pregnancy announcement because then I'd get 35 emails over the next week telling me that Susie So-and-so I never met also commented.  Well...ell..elll....click that little "turn off notifications" button on the specific picture, and you can gush your excitement for your friend's big news without being flooded with everyone else's gushing.

Life changing, I tell you.

Did you know life could even get this exciting?

Oh, no that's right, because I haven't given you your daily dose of Anna sweetness.

Boom.  It doesn't get better than this.

5 Favorites: More random things I like

This week's random assortment of things I like!  (Don't forget to hum "My favorite things..." as you read along, and check out more favorites at Hallie's).

-1-

January, and being back in routine.

I didn't realize how important my routine (and general discipline) was important until it was totally abandoned for a month.  After Thanksgiving, we had a nasty cold, then Christmas preparations, then travel, then recovering from traveling, and it feels like I am just now feeling at the point that the house is not a (total) disaster, I'm getting things done, and I feel so much better.  (Who would have guessed that throwing exercise, healthy eating, and normal sleep out the window for a month could make a person feel so lousy?, not to mention living in a constant state of disarray!)

Sometimes, I think we (especially moms) can feel guilty about doing things that are important for our own physical and emotional well-being.  Or, we feel that making our homes run smoothly or look nice is superfluous or even selfish.  I've definitely struggled with that from time to time, wondering if I'm going down the wrong (selfish) path by trying to discipline myself physically (taking time to exercise, going to bed on time, refusing another scoop(s) of ice cream) and in terms of housekeeping.

The other day, though, I read this quote in the Magnificat (daily prayer book) that really hit home:

All creation sings praise to God simply by being fully what the Creator intended.

I believe that God has asked of me to be a good wife and mother.  It's not selfish to take care of things within this realm, it's the appropriate response as caretaker of the gifts I've been given, including my own body.  Surely, I could take it to a selfish end and ignore the needs of my family or the larger world by focusing too much on these internal things...but the basic care and upkeep - of body, mind, home, etc - is a living out of what God intended me to be.  I think being off-schedule (and not feeling as well emotionally or physically as I would like) after that crazy month has hit this point home - living to our full potential, being fully what God asked of us is a much better way to live.

My posts always get philosophical when I least expect it....now on to more shallow favorites of the week!

-2-

My new garlic tool

My mom and I found these nifty gadgets during some after-Christmas shopping, and I'm loving it!  I had a more standard garlic press, but I often just resorted to garlic powder because I was annoyed by having to clean the press (despite its "self cleaning" reverse press) and by how much garlic got wasted.

With this one, you tap the garlic a few times to get the skin loose, then pop the peeled cloves in the center, twist the two sides together, and it's neatly minced.  It all comes out, and it's easy to clean.  It makes me feel like a gourmet chef to be back using real garlic!

-3-

A French Whisk

"If you Give a Mouse A Cookie" style, that favorite reminded me of another must-have kitchen tool

When I received this as a wedding gift, I had never seen it before - and I'm surprised by how many friends or family have been over for dinner and wondered what it is.  I seriously don't know how I would cook without it.  A regular whisk is so much bulkier, for one thing, and this whisk also has a flat bottom, so when you're making a pan sauce, or mixing up pudding, or any other number of things, you can effectively scrape the bottom of the pan while you're whisking.  

-4-

Caulk!

After I caulked the seam between the wall and the trim in Anna's room, I've been going from room to room and fixing all of the seams.  I was trying to remember back to when we renovated each room, and I can't remember if I didn't know you were supposed to caulk, or if I just skipped it because we were so excited to get the paint done and carpet installed so we could move upstairs.  Things might have looked so much better than the "before" that I didn't even notice the slight imperfections until we were out of the house honeymoon phase.  Most likely, I just figured I'd do it in a few days (which turned in to years!)  Either way, it has made an amazing difference in the house looking finished, or as Justin says, from making it look like it was renovated by someone other than two kids who didn't entirely know what they were doing.

Before (see the gaps between the trim and the ceiling, and in the corner?)

After (I had trouble making it look as impressive on camera as it does in real life; but walking into a room and no longer having 20 spots and cracks calling for your attention looks SO much nicer!)

If you have an old house and you want an instant (and pretty easy) fix-up, definitely go for the caulk!  Preferably now and not 3 years from now, so that the crazy seams don't have to taunt you every day.

Before

This spot needs some touch-up paint, but isn't it already so much easier on your eyeballs?!

-5-

Toddler activities

A friend of mine recently posted a link on Facebook for Productive Parenting, which is a website that is full of fun (and simple) activities for kids.  You can browse right on their website, or you can also enter your child's birth date and receive daily (or weekly) emails with a quick idea for what to do that day.  Usually, reading sites like this make me feel either vastly inferior (for not concocting a new playdough recipe every day) or really bored (do people really have to be told that reading books is a good idea??)  There have been a few days where the daily activity has been something I thought to be really obvious, but generally they've been fun and simple things that I could do with Anna, like making a path of string and having her follow it, or focusing on "stop" and "go" all day long and calling it out when we stop and go in the car or when she's walking around the house.  (Probably I could  have thought of those, and might have eventually, but getting a quick email each morning makes it easy!)  I especially like that they're tailored to Anna's age, and that you don't need complicated supplies (I've only come across one so far that requested something I didn't have in the house).  Worth your few clicks to check it out, I'd say.

I'm also just loving that Anna is growing increasingly able to focus on an activity, and playing with her feels more like we're, well, playing together and less like I'm trying to grab her attention by shaking a toy while she runs off to dump a different basket.

We tried her new paints (a Christmas present) for the first time yesterday, and it was lots of fun!  I see lots of crafting in our future (although Anna's preferred medium is solidly stickers, and not paint!)

** Bonus favorite to my new camera, which makes blogging a lot more fun (even though I think I have a ways to go, I no longer feel the urge to add a PLEASE IGNORE MY PHOTO INEPTITUDE disclaimer under each picture!)

5 favorites: Discipline edition

The irony is not lost on me that I'm writing a post about self-discipline for a link-up that occurred yesterday in a state of exhaustion from having stayed up WAY past my bedtime for two nights running.

But - just because I haven't completely figured out how to implement all of the self-discipline into my life, that doesn't negate the many "a-ha" moments I've had recently about how discipline - in all areas - really is the key to growing in happiness and holiness.

-1-

Image source

Daily chore assignments (and sweet vintage embroidery patterns).  I've had a theoretical schedule for the last year or more, but it has typically fallen apart around starting the laundry on Monday, and most other things have gotten back-burnered until some company was coming.  For the past three weeks, I've been sticking (more closely) to my schedule, and it's both freeing and motivating.  I wake up in the morning knowing what actually needs to be done, I don't feel overwhelmed by everything all at once (den is really dusty?  that's OK, I'll get to it Thursday), and - because there's a set list of things to accomplish each day - I can, at least theoretically, finish working for the day and transition into more relaxing activities in the evening without feeling guilty.  I'm starting to see why those vintage day-of-the-week embroidery patterns were so popular!  I want to work on the set above because I think they're pretty charming.

-2- 

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred work-out video.  I've seen a lot of people mention that they've done Jillian's videos (usually with oh-my-gosh-I-can't-move-today disclaimers), so I decided to try one (with some trepidation about my next day's mobility) - and I really liked it!  I've done a moderate amount of running over the summer (plus repetitive lifting of a squirming 23-pounder), but I needed something to fill the gap as the weather gets colder, as well as a little cross-training action.  I appreciate that it is very efficient - strength, cardio, and abs (and warm-up and cool-down), all in only 30 minutes of precious nap time!  Also, I appreciate that you don't have to do any one exercise for more than maybe 90 seconds.  (Does that sound weird coming from someone whose exercise has been exclusively running for the last several months??)  

-3-

Image source

Daily prayer.  My mom gave me a copy of the October edition of Magnificat, and I have enjoyed it enough that I purchased a subscription.  I've attempted to do the daily readings in the past, but (this is shameful) having to flip around between one book and then to different pages in the Bible ended up being a barrier to doing it as regularly as I wanted to or should have.  The Magnificat has morning prayer, the daily Mass parts and readings, evening prayer, a daily reflection, and saint-of-the-day biographies.  And I can read it all in one little book without any flipping, which has translated into me doing it much more often, and (naturally) more prayer time is always a good thing.

-4-

This will come as a surprise to everyone who knows me, but MORNINGS!  Obviously this doesn't apply to days like the past few when I've stayed up way too late, but I've started to get up much earlier, and I've been loving it.  Anna often wants to eat around 5:30 or 6:00 and then go back to sleep for a few hours, so that's been a good alarm clock for me to stay up.  My whole life, I've thought that I was a night owl, but it turns out I'm just a morning person with poor self-control and who doesn't want to miss anything (thus staying up far later).  But I have discovered that I'm significantly more productive, optimistic, and less grumpy in the morning, and not only then but throughout the whole day when I get up early.  Of course the challenge is to then also go to bed on time so that I can keep the cycle going.  It's a work in progress.

-5- 

Inspiring reading.  Has it ever happened to you where you learn a new word, and then suddenly you read & hear it 3 times in the next day?  I feel like that is happening to me now that I've realized discipline is such an important concept for me to focus on right now.  I'm sure that's why it was my key take-away from the Light of Love movie.  

At any one time, I have six or eight books on my nightstand that I am reading - not necessarily from front to back.  I sort of flip through and read snippets each night before bed.  Here's two that stuck out recently as I flipped around:

From Gretchen Rubin's Happier at Home:  

Routine doesn't deserve its bad reputation.  It's true that novelty and challenge bring happiness, and that people who break their routines, try new things, and go to new places are happier, but routine can also bring happiness  The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked.  The things I do every day take on a certain beauty and provide a kind of invisible architecture to my life.  Andy Warhol wrote, "Either once only, or every day.  If you do something once it's exciting, and if you do it every days it's exciting.  But if you do it, say, twice or just almost every day, it's not good any more."

This resonated with me in relation to the routine-setting I've been doing.  In addition to the weekly repetitions, I've been trying to instill more daily routine, as well, like sweeping the entranceway rug each night after tidying the toys, and it's been surprisingly satisfying - both in that there's less outside dirt being perpetually tracked into the rest of the house, but also in a comforting "this is how we close-up shop" night-time routine sense - exciting, as the quote says.  I'm still at a-few-times-a-week, not every-single-night, but it's still been a positive improvement!

From Matthew Kelly's Rediscover Catholicism:

The philosophy of Christ is based on discipline, and it is discipline that our modern culture abhors and has rejected with all its strength.

[...]

Discipline is the faithful friend who will introduce you to your true self.  Discipline is the worthy protector who will defend you from your lesser self.  And discipline is the extraordinary mentor who will challenge you to become the-best-version-of-yourself and all God created you to be.

If that's not a call to action to keep on keeping-on with the things I've listed above, I don't know what is!

I hope that in reading this, you realize how much of a work-in-progress I still am.  I've learned these things intellectually - but as we all know "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."  (Matthew 26:40).  I put them out there on the blog, though, because of the incredible encouragement I've received from reading other people's writings on all sorts of subjects.  I always hope that someone reading my posts will have a little "me too" moment and somehow find it useful.

Linking up (a day late and a dollar short) with Jenny for this week's 5 Favorites.  Oh, and as a bonus, read her post HERE.  Her blog is new-to-me, and when I read through her most recent posts, I thought this one was just fabulous.  A good reminder that it's not just about self-discipline...sacrifice is necessary!

P.S. Don't worry, part three of the sewing series is coming...(and parts 4, 5, etc, if the collective you has things you want to know.  Leave me comments with sewing questions and I'll answer them if I can).