Wash Routine

Different people have different wash routines and I get tired of looking through everyone's opinions online about what works and doesn't. This page is dedicated to telling you exactly what I do and why. This won't work for everyone. A lot depends on the water in your city - and water hardness/softness can vary even then.

What to do with Pee and Poo Diapers
When baby pees, the diaper and insert are thrown into a wet bag (inside a trash can with a lid). If he went poo, then I rinse the poo out with a diaper sprayer down the toilet (many times the poo just falls off into the toilet without the sprayer). That poo diaper goes into my wet bag also.

Wash Cycles
You must wash your diapers at least every 3 days.
First, I do a cold wash/cold rinse cycle.

• This can be done with or without detergent. 
• Using hot water will lock the smell and poo stains into your inserts. 
• You want to dilute the pee out of your diapers. 
• In the least do a cold soak.

I followup with a hot wash/warm rinse cycle.

• Add detergent here. 
• The hot water cleans your diapers. 
• The warm water is great for washing away any extra stuck on messes.

Load Size
I don't overfill my washer. If I have a few diapers, I do a mini-load. If I have 3 days worth (which is still not too many because I only have one child in diapers), I do a medium load.

Detergent
I use a homemade detergent (suitable for cloth diapers, not regular laundry). If you don't want to make your own, do some online searches - most detergents shouldn't be used on cloth diapers. See if your regular detergent can be found on this chart that gives a detailed rating for cloth diaper friendliness. I use the recipe found on this mama's blog.

Drying & Fabric Softeners
I dry on medium...and I put everything in there together (you should really hang dry your covers though because the elastic will break down over time). DO NOT use fabric softeners. Instead get wool dryer balls, tennis balls, some other natural alternative or nothing at all.

Common Issues:
We just started solids and this poo isn't just "falling off" into the toilet like I read it would.
This is referred to as peanut butter poo. Buy a spatula from the dollar store and keep it by your toilet brush. Yum. This stage will probably pass quickly and soon you'll be able to just give your diapers a little shake.

My diapers are giving baby bad diaper rash. I don't know if they're really getting clean.
Strip them first (wash a bunch of times in super hot water - the first time with detergent and about 6-10 more times without). Be sure that you have enough water in your washing machine (front loaders are notorious for not adding enough water because they are trying to be eco-friendly, you may need to do it manually if you can't change the setting on the machine). Also double check that no fabric softeners are being used.

Can I use cloth diapers even in the first day when dealing with meconium?
Yes! As a matter of fact, if you exclusively breastfeed (no formula, no food), then you don't even have to rinse your diapers before tossing them into the wash. Woohoo for you, Natural Mama!

Types and Sizes of Cloth Diapers

Types of Cloth Diapers (CDs):

All-in-One (AIO) - Insert (the part that absorbs pee) is sewn between the inner and outer fabrics.

• Wrap, snap and go! Easy to put on right out of the dryer.
• They can take too long to dry, depending on how thick the insert is OR
• They need to be changed more often because the insert is so thin (faster drying = less absorption).

All-in-Two (AI2) - Insert sewn, snapped, or layed on top of the inner fabric.

• Normally stays put together throughout wash cycle so you can have a thicker insert, but it's still ready to go out of the dryer.
• Looser poo gets under insert and is messier to clean up. 

Pocket - Insert is stuffed into a pocket opening between the inner and outer fabrics.

• You can stuff a HUGE insert(s) into a pocket diaper for a long-lasting diaper.
• You have to stuff these every time they come out of the dryer - ummm...that's a pain.
• You can find these relatively inexpensive, and they are cute!

Prefold, Flat, Fitted - These must be covered with a diaper cover. They are NOT waterproof.

• Prefolds are the cloth diapers you get from the store and use as burp rags.
• Flats are large squares of fabric that can be folded any variety of ways to wrap up baby.
• Fitteds are diapers with elastic and all, but they don't have the waterproof layer.

Covers - Use over prefolds, flats, and fitteds. This is the waterproof part.

• Normally one layer of PUL (the waterproof fabric).

Sizes of Cloth Diapers (CDs):

One-Size (OS)

• Snap adjustments are placed vertically (in columns) on the diaper.
• These are advertised as being for "birth to potty-training".
• They normally don't work for birth to potty-training, depending on your child.
• If they are small enough at birth, they won't be big enough at potty-training.
• If they are too big at birth, they'll probably fit through potty-training.

Duo-Size

• Provide more use of a diaper without looking HUGE (like the OS do at first on newborns).
• Newborn-Small: Pair this with a one-size diaper system (unless you have a whopper like my baby)
• Sizes vary depending on maker (i.e. NB-S, S-M, M-L, L-XL) 

Sized

• These diapers fit baby "just right", and (in my opinion) are cuter when you want to show off your baby's diaper to the world. :)

Cloth Diaper Quick Start

This page is here if you are looking for a simplified start to cloth diapering. This is what I would recommend if you don't want to do (what can feel like) never-ending research. This is also probably one of the most inexpensive ways to start CDing.

You'll need:
- 24 prefolds    (absorbs the pee)
- 4-5 covers     (keeps you and everything the baby touches from getting wet)
- diaper pail      (holds the diapers, can be a trashcan)
- pail liner        (keeps the diaper pail dry, made of same fabric as covers)
- wetbag          (like a pail liner for your diaper bag)
- Snappis        (fastener to keep the prefold wrapped around baby)

You can find all of these items new, here and used prefolds and covers, here. If you have a new baby, I recommend buying small (yellow-edge, if you're purchasing from these sites) prefolds. You can wrap and fasten them together with a Snappi and once they are outgrown, you simply trifold them and extend their use into the toddler years. Don't stress over finding "the perfect" diaper cover for your baby. Every baby is different, so you're just going to have to guess which one you want and hope for the best. Get a couple different brands.

Wipes
You can use disposable or cloth wipes. Surprise, disposable wipes can actually be thrown into the diaper pail with a dirty diaper, washed, and thrown away after drying. They don't disintegrate in the washer.

Cloth wipes can be extraordinarily good at getting poo off of a bootie - much more efficient than disposable ones. For cloth wipes you will need a wipes solution. You can use just water or (my favorite) a bottle filled with water, a tablespoon of olive oil, a squirt of baby soap, and a couple drops of tea tree oil.

Detergent
There is a lot of conflicting information about what detergents can and cannot be used. It all comes down to your water and your washing machine. Tide Original works for me. All Free & Clear works for me. A homemade mix of OxiClean, Borax, and washing soda works for me. I say start with the easiest thing and work your way through other detergent options if you begin to have laundry issues.

You basically want to steer clear of enzymes, brighteners, dyes, fragrances, softeners, and bleach (yes, I know that is all the good stuff that makes your clothes feel clean and happy on you). DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENERS ON YOUR DIAPERS.

Alright! I'm going to stop now or this is going to become a little deeper than a simple start for you! You WILL have more questions. Ask your friends, ask your mom, ask me! Thanks for letting me help you.

Finding a Blessing in Obamacare

While there are many things to complain about regarding Obamacare, I've come to appreciate some little-known facts that help me find a blessing in all of it. Here, I present to you a handful of things to be thankful for when you find yourself frustrated with our health system:

1. Free breast pump and lactation consultant services - When my baby girl was 7 months old, I stumbled on a website that mentioned this coverage. I called my insurance the next day, got connected to the medical supply company that I was approved to use, and had a brand new pump within a week. I only wish I had known about this when she was first born so I could utilize a free appointment to help encourage my breastfeeding journey! 

   

   By the way, the pump my insurance provided was an
   Ameda Purely Yours double breast pump*.
   While it's not the best pump on the market,
   it was perfect for my needs and definitely not a cheap-o. 

2. No co-pays at wellness visits - I was so excited when the receptionist told me she didn't need a payment at Baby Girl's 9 month checkup! The ACA just saved me $20 at every routine visit. In fact, your insurance covers 50 routine screenings* that you shouldn't be paying for out-of-pocket.

   

   This is seriously how I felt that day...
   if you've ever followed the routine newborn check-up
   schedule, you know how it feels like you're at the doctor
   every other week.

3. Children's dental, vision, and medical all rolled into one - Dependents, 19 and younger, get 2 visits to the dentist, an eye exam, and glasses or contacts every year. That's automatic* - no additional payments, no extra enrollment. I haven't utilized this perk yet, but it's just waiting to remind me of how blessed I am one day while I sit in a smelly, fluoride-filled waiting room.
4. Medical cost-sharing programs - If you seriously loathe all things Obamacare and you really want to find a way out of it, there is another option for you. If you enroll in a cost-sharing program (ministry), you are exempt from the whole "get unaffordable insurance or be fined for not being able to afford your affordable insurance" catch 22. Medical cost-sharing kind of takes the whole idea of "the church caring for one another" to another level. You send in money (not considered a premium) every month, and it is distributed among the members with medical costs. Obviously, it's not that cut-and-dry, but it's a valid option to look into. There are three main companies in this arena that I've heard good things about: Christian Healthcare Ministries, Samaritan Ministries, and Medi-Share.

There you have it! Some little blessings buried in the 11,000 pages of confusion that now regulate our health-care system. Hopefully you or someone you know can enjoy at least one of them!

*Be sure to talk with your insurance provider to find out specifics on your coverage. While all of this is part of the law, many of the regulations are vague and therefore subject to interpretation by your individual carrier.

An Anniversary

The cold weather came pretty quickly this year. At the beginning of the month I knew it was already time to go through Samuel's winter clothes to see what would fit.

As we piled up shirt after shirt I came to one that stopped me in my tracks. For some seemingly morbid reason I felt the need to put it on him. And then I cried. Our box of hand-me-downs contained a staunch reminder of the worst day of my life. It was the shirt my Samuel wore the day of his accident.

I have a terrible need to put some things "down on paper", and for some reason I also want to share them with someone. I really wanted to do something to mark this occasion for him. I wanted him to see what God has done in his life, but he's a little too young to relive all this yet so I'm just purging all my pent-up feelings here.

To my friends who have lost their little ones, you may not want to "go there" with me. That's okay, I understand. I'm so sorry the ending to your baby's story didn't turn out the same as Samuel's. By God's grace we'll all share in the same eternal ending. 

I knew Samuel was special from the start. It wasn't long after I was married that I quit using birth control. It didn't work well with my hormones so we decided it best to just trust God's timing for having a baby. Of course, if everything's functioning normally, a baby should eventually be in the picture. As month after month passed, Satan whispered in my ear how I had cursed my own womb. I had been so enthralled with adoption when I was a kid that I had always said I didn't need "children of my own. I would be perfectly happy adopting." As I grew in God, I learned the power that words have and - you know the Father of Lies - he knows how to play on your weaknesses, even using Godly knowledge to manipulate your emotions! I'm not doing the math now, but it had at least been a couple years since I had done anything to prevent myself from having a baby, so why wasn't I pregnant yet? God gently spoke to me to stop listening to that devil. Later that day hubby and I made an official decision to actually "start trying", and lo and behold I was already a few days pregnant (I have done that math). Samuel was conceived first in the heart of God, and in His perfect plan He whispered into our ears that "now is the time". Obviously, God had a great plan for this one!

Fast forward two years to November 14th. My guys were napping at the house. I had run to the store, and when I returned home someone was parked blocking our driveway. We had a vehicle for sale, and they had briefly pulled in to check it out. I decided to park just off the road, we could move the truck later. I spoke with the interested buyer, and when the guys woke up they came out to join us. He decided to take it for a test drive. While he was gone we thought to tidy up the front porch since it was littered with baby gear. 

Noe jotted over to the truck to back into the driveway, and I grabbed the stroller to pop it in the trunk of the car. Samuel was at the trunk with me. And then he wasn't. I heard a car honk and turned around to see Samuel rolling. On the ground. Under the truck. All the way under. As soon as I screamed Noe knew what had happened. Have you ever had a nightmare about something bad happening to your helpless baby? That doesn't hold a candle to it actually happening. Take that feeling of waking up from a dream that felt so real you woke up sobbing and multiply it by 10...or 100. That may begin to describe terror. 

Blood was spilling from my son's head and ear. Do I hold him up? Do I lay him down? The only thing to press up against his head is a towel used to dry a dog house that had just been cleaned. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. That was the name that escaped my mouth as we sped to the hospital. My stomach is turning just typing through the memory. 

At the hospital there was screaming for doors to be opened, hoping that they realize that my son needs immediate attention and not a temperature taken while a photocopy of our insurance card is made. Too many people surrounded Samuel for me to even fit in the room where they led us so I left. I asked a nurse if he was going to be okay, and she wouldn't say anything. I begged her just to lie and tell me everything would be fine, but she wouldn't. My hope is still in Christ, but tragedies happen all the time. His blood started to dry on my clothes, and all I wanted to do was take them off. I could barely write down my mom's phone number for the receptionist to call. I asked her to tell my mom what happened so I wouldn't have to say it out loud yet, but she couldn't do it. She just told her to come right away. Mom called everyone. 

I was pregnant so Noe went alone with him for X-rays. My poor baby.

The police officer and chaplain met with me to find out what happened, and then friends and family started showing up at the hospital. A doctor quickly tells me that life-flight has been called for him - they won't take any chances with children, but he'll also have to travel alone. 

Finally, the peace of God rises from my spirit. I don't need to finish watching the helicopter take off. I'm ready to go home, grab a shirt and rush to Houston to meet my baby. From there on out there were nerves and health scares, but oh, how the peace of God surpasses all understanding. 

When we arrived at the hospital Samweli was somewhat alert and watching a movie they had set up right above his face. He was so excited he had ridden in a helicopter! His uncle and aunt had been close by already so they were waiting on him as soon as he arrived. Other friends actually beat us to the waiting room. We got reports of lacerations, multiple fractures to the skull, more scans and x-rays needed. 

I don't know if God gave Samweli his big head just to protect him in this situation (if you know us well, you know we've always joked about his big head) or maybe he was protected from serious injury during the accident. I feel like believing that he was healed in our truck on the way to the hospital. 

When we call on the name of Jesus, we. are. saved. 

His injuries were so minimal that, had he not been a young child, they would've forgone the general anesthesia and surgery to strap him down and sew him up right there in the ER. We initially spent about 24 hours in that hospital before we were discharged. We landed back in the hospital less than a week later, but his neurosurgeon just wanted to keep him under observation for safety's sake. We left the hospital for the last time on Thanksgiving Day. 

After being run over by a truck Samuel's notable injuries were:  a laceration to his head, a break in one of his ear bones (the best kind of break you can have), and a break in his skull (with no shifting that meant no surgery was required). 

Last Year                                        Today

I'm so thankful for God's mercy. 

If you remember anything I said during the days surrounding this terrible accident, I hope it is that.

Because God is good no matter if Samweli lived or died. 

Because God has a plan for all his little ones, even those whose lives come to an end way to early. 

Because God encamps his angels around all those he loves and cares for. 

I celebrate today because God is merciful. What the devil meant to use for my son's destruction, God has used for his good. 

Nursing Mama Projects

Are you breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed your baby? This week I've done a few super-fun, super-easy projects that are just for the nursing mama.

Since before Cassidy was born, I've been eyeing these very awesome nursing tanks. Being the cheap person I am though, I didn't want to pay $25 for 1 nursing top - especially living in Texas where you sweat in the summer and need a serious full change of clothes everyday! I knew there had to be another solution that I could do myself. I found quite a few funny tutorials online about how to keep all your stomach flab hidden while nursing. A nursing cover really only makes sure your chest stays covered and (regardless of how skinny you are) after having a c-section you're bound to have some lumps and bumps all over your tummy for quite a while during your post-partum adjustment. Back to the point, I came across this tutorial from RefashionMama. Amazing. It taught me how to take my 3 Worthington tank tops that I already love (which, by the way, were only $8 each on sale) and with 5 minutes, a couple snips and a few stitches make them into nursing tops that actually work for me.

Her tutorial is near perfect, so check it out (it's linked to her name above). Here are some snapshots of my tops and the few little tips that would've made her directions even better for me!

1) See the brown tank (at the top)? That was my first loop. I did it backwards. In the tutorial, she has you turn your shirt inside out,
so I suggest turning it right-side out and double checking that you're sewing your loop the correct way.
2) I also think the ones that are more loopy (like the black one on the bottom) will work better. You can sew it so that it's more of a loop.
My straps preferred to lay themselves one on top of the other so I had to work a little to get it stay loopy while I sewed.
3) When you make the loop with your strap, let the portion connected to the front of the tank be the outer side of the loop.
It helps cover your bra better. I hope these tips make sense or at least the close-up helps.

A couple side notes for those of you who haven't breastfed a baby yet. Side Note #1: There is a huge difference between feeling free to breastfeed uncovered in public and wanting to breastfeed uncovered in public. I want to be covered, COMPLETELY. If you don't care, then that's great for you. Side Note #2: At Target and Walmart you can find inexpensive nursing tanks, but they have shelf bras, and they really don't give that great of support to even my "little ladies". So I can wear those at home, but I'd prefer a real bra when I go out. I also don't want to have layers on layers of clothing on my chest when I am out in the Texas heat so these tanks are great for me!

My next project, naturally, was a nursing cover. I had some from when I nursed Samweli, but they were pretty worn down because I used them for so long. I didn't want to bother with such a large project (it's not advanced sewing or anything, but it was still too big of an undertaking for a mom with a newborn and two-year old) so I decided to use some pacifier clips that I had in a box and some lengths of ribbon to rig up my oversized receiving blankets for when I go out. My receiving blankets were another project from before Cassidy was born. You basically get about a yard or large square of flannel and finish the edges (by either serging or folding the edges over a couple times and top-stitching). Then, voila, you have a receiving blanket that is big enough to swaddle in (as compared to the ones that are just a tad too annoyingly small that you buy from the store - those are good for other uses). It was super simple and although I don't have the awesome boning (the plastic strip that keeps the cover open so you can see down to your baby hands free) I'm very happy with the result I got out of 5 minutes of my time. :)

Samuel wanted one too, so the short one on the top is his. :)

On a real nursing cover, the wavy part between the clips would have the plastic boning.

I don't know if it would be the same for every mama, but I cut an 18" length of ribbon and thread 1 and 1/2" inches through each side. I turned the ribbon twice and sewed it down. This length has worked great for me so far, but I've only done test runs at home with it. If you want to make a real nursing cover, check out this tutorial from Prudent Baby.

Samuel's is shorter, but we've already discovered two great uses for it:

Make-shift Bib (which he's obviously too old for,
can you tell he thinks so too?)

Super-hero Cape (that's an old dish towel)
He likes to play with it this way much better!

And a few more shots of super-hero fun:

Cloth Diapering a Newborn

Over a year before my daughter was born I got a chance to sew a newborn stash for a Mama friend of mine. It was at that moment that I began looking forward to cloth diapering my own newborn. With all the zeal I had for cloth, I encouraged everyone I knew to give it a try, and a few did. Those that I knew didn't follow through - at least for the newborn stage. I had to wonder, why?

Fast forward to now (April 23, 2013 to be exact), to the birth of my beautiful, perfect, precious daughter, Cassidy Ann. A couple of the Mama friends that I helped sew newborn stashes for gifted their own back to me to use for my daughter. I didn't have to make her anything new. (Phew...I have to tell you that as excited as I get about sewing cloth diapers, it's a lot of work for me!) I decided that with all my other special requests at the hospital (re: eye ointment, Vit K, Hep B, and the vernix) that I wouldn't want to look any crazier and ask them to let me only use cloth. The plan was for Cassidy to be in hospital-provided Pampers until we got home. On our first night, I spent 20 minutes trying on different diaper and cover combos, only to finally give up on all the bulk and stick one of those Pampers on her (it's okay, it was leftover from the hospital, haha). This was when I realized the initial challenge that stands up against a new mom when trying to use cloth for such a small babe.

With Samweli being born at 9lbs, 7oz, he was never in newborn diapers. He went straight to size 1. That should tell you how big he was and why I never imagined that 2 tiny pieces of flannel sewn together could possibly look so huge on even the tiniest full-term baby. Day 2 at home brought it's own challenges - like having a big brother around. This made anything that was more than "basic" difficult. Luckily my amazing mom came and picked him up for a while, and I was able to work at re-sorting my stash. Now that I had a little one to size them up to I had a better idea of which ones would work best on her.

Here is a look at what's in my newborn stash:

I chose to do fitteds and covers for the newborn stage. Fitteds are just absorbent fabric so they need the waterproof covers to go over them. Covers don't really need washed unless they get poo on them so I let them air dry above the changing station on my "clothesline" between uses.

I have a variety of fitteds made from free patterns that anyone can access online. Most are just flannel, but in a few of them I included a stay dry layer or used a more absorbent fabric. Here's a breakdown of what I have pictured (there are more of the same kinds of these in the wash):

1. The column on the left are all QSFW (Quick Snap Flat Wrap) with elastic added. 
2. In the center column at the very bottom there are 2- and 4-layer flannel fitteds made with the "Arfy" pattern (I'm not sure that the pattern actually has a name yet, but that's the creator's screen name). 
3. Above those are extra diaper covers that were part of the "baby boy" stash I made. I don't plan to use these as much, but they are all different patterns and may fit better than the ones I have hanging at some point in time. 
4. At the top center is a row of 5 diapers; these are all EZDipes. I used extra absorbent fabrics on these and added a stay dry layer to the camo ones so I can use them at night time without worrying about Cassidy feeling wet if she sleeps a long stretch (which she does, so I'm glad I have them). 
5. The right column (starting at the bottom) are diapers purchased by another Mama second-hand so I have no clue what they are, but they are bulky, and I'm guessing pretty absorbent. I don't really have plans to use these unless I run out of my others. 
6. Above those are the Shar's Newborn Umbilical Scoop Pocket Nappies. I don't like pockets, but had included them in my "baby boy" stash so his Mama could get a feel for that diaper style. I'll use the two camo on top at night also because they have a stay dry layer as well. 
7. Not pictured are my 3 Bumgenius all-in-ones (for the diaper bag) and my wool longies (because they were being worn). BG's are not mama-made, but are easiest for out and about. These are one of the most popular type of diapers due to ease of use, but they're also expensive.

Cassidy in her wool longies. These were also made for the "baby boy" stash, but I'll be using them anyway. 
The greatness of wool deserves a blog post all its own...and one day it may get one. ;)

We've been home for a few days now, and I can't explain how happy I am to be in the swing of things with my cloth diapers (although the Vicodin may be able to vouch for that). We're still pulling out a Pamper here and there, but the majority of the last few days has been cloth. I love everything about my little Cassidy Ann - from her tiny squeals to the poo I get to wipe off her tushie. Love, love, love.

Cloth diapering is really more fun than you can imagine! For links to some of my favorite resources, click here.

Fasting Devotion - Types of Fasts (Day 5)

This is an abbreviated chapter from a book I'm studying out of:  Gordon Lindsay's Prayer & Fasting. Everything in today's devotion comes from him; I'm just putting it in my own words.

There are a few different kinds of fasts in the Bible:

• supernatural fasting
• total fasting,
• what we commonly refer to as the Daniel fast, and
• the non-total fast.

The Supernatural Fast

There are few times that we see God call someone to a supernatural fast - one without food or water, but that is exactly what He called Moses to when he gave the Mosaic covenant to Israel (see Ex. 34:27, 28). Naturally, the body needs food and water to live, so unless divinely inspired and well-practiced in fasting, we should not attempt this for any length of time. Esther fasted food and water for only 3 days before breaking the law and going to the king to plead for her people (Est. 4:16). When Moses left the glory of God after his fast of 40 days and 40 nights, even his face shown a physical glow resulting from having been in the presence of Almighty God (Ex. 34:35). 

The Total Fast

Ordinary fasting excludes any eating but includes drinking water. Our bodies are 80% water, and it is essential to life. This fast must be weaned into and out of. If at the end of the first day, you are too physically weak to function, then you should take a little nourishment. By the second or third day, your body will be more acclimated to not having the food. When ending the fast, you should start with only juices for 2-3 days, followed by a diet of light fruit, and then gradually include heavier foods. If your body is not functioning even enough to pray, then how can you expect spiritual fruit to come from your fast? Do not be condemned if you have to condition your body for the total fast!

"No Pleasant Food":  The Daniel Fast

In Daniel 10:3, the prophet says, "I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth". He didn't stop eating altogether, but he gave up choice foods. We want to be able to fast and pray effectively so that we experience victory in our fast instead of defeat from a total fast that we are not physically prepared or spiritually mature enough for. 

The Non-Total Fast <---That's a funny name for a fast, but that's what he calls it in the book. :)

For those who can fast totally, God bless them. Many people must still have sustenance to complete their normal daily work though, and a total fast is impossible for them to do - at least at the beginning of their practice of prayer and fasting. Be encouraged that when you come up against battles that can only be won by prayer and fasting, you can do the non-total fast. [I would like to insert here that I believe a non-total fast can include any-thing, but Gordon Lindsay's book still only refers to fasts of food.] The non-total fast is simply drinking juices. They have enough minerals and vitamins to supply the body with some nourishment, but still allow your body to get into the true state of a fast. The juice fast can also be broken in a shorter period of time than a total fast. 

The Key to Fasting:  Prayer

Prayer is the key to fasting - whether you simply "pray without ceasing" or are able to devote greater lengths of time in audible prayer. Gradually the spirit of intercession should become as natural as breathing. Fasting with prayer is the master key to making the impossible possible!

Fasting Devotion - Declaring Your Fast (Day 4)

So many times we can choose to fast and once arriving into the throes of our fasting, get weak. The summer we lived in Brazil, we fasted ALL.THE.TIME. The church we worked with was a fasting and praying church. It's one of the things I remember best about the congregation.

Unfortunately for me, Brazil also has the best smoothies I've ever tasted - rich, "healthy", and best of all you drank them through a straw. Can you see where I'm going yet? Every time we fasted I would wake up thinking, "I'm not going to eat anything until sunset". That was a typical fast for the church. But by the time lunch came around, my stomach was screaming to go to the cafe next door for (are your ready for this?)...a drink. I'm not saying that your fast can't include juices or smoothies, but mine definitely should not have in those days. I was just weak, and my mind started justifying.

We have so many examples in Scripture that encourage us in how to not fall into this temptation though. Look at Jonah 3:7:  the king "issued a proclamation and it said, 'In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles; Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water.'" If we declare our fast to God before beginning, I have no doubt that we would be much more successful in seeing it through.

In Brazil, I had simply said "I'm not going to eat." That left a door open for me to fall into temptation. It was better for me to tell God, "Today, I'm not going to have anything but water until sundown." This didn't leave me any wiggle room and when my flesh grew weary, I would have had a more specific word to stand on.

Today, I encourage you that if you've had difficulty keeping to your fast in the past, declare it before you begin it. Give a specific word to God of what you will not have in order to humble yourself before Him - to say that He is more important than whatever you choose to be lacking.

Fasting Devotion - The Question I Hate (Day 2)

"It is not the fasting that changes God's mind, but it is what that fasting demonstrates."
---from Responding to God in Fasting by Tim Temple

Here is the question I hate - "What are you fasting for?"

Every time I hear it, I get the heck confused out of me. Not because I don't understand what they're saying, but because there's a word play on that simple three letter word, "for". I have told a few people:  I'm well-taught in fasting, just not very well-learned. What I mean is that I've received a lot of teaching, read a lot of books, but still have not received that rhema revelation and passion for the practice in my life. Basically, all I'm saying is that even though I understand a lot of aspects of fasting, it's sure easy to get me off-track with it, because there's a disconnect between my head and my heart.

Often times when hearing the question I hate, I (and I believe many in the Church) automatically think of receiving something for what we are doing. What that comes down to is earning it. I'm fasting for an answer to prayer or to see God move. The connotation is that what I'm doing (fasting) earns the result (answered prayer).

Let's look at it from the other direction - the way it's meant to be understood. When hearing the question I hate (what are you fasting for?) and wrapping my head around it before responding in my heart, I can clearly understand that no matter what I do I can't earn anything from God. The nature of God is to give. All our gifts are given freely from Him and I could never do enough to earn them anyway. So, it is still true to say that I'm fasting for an answer to prayer or to see God move, which is exactly what I said in the previous paragraph, it was just in the wrong context.

It may seem to you that I've just talked myself in a circle, and I probably did. But if you're in the same place as me, you'll get what I'm saying. We must pray for a heart-to-head connect. We must pray that what we know in our minds (the logos word of God) would become revelation to our hearts (the rhema word of God). While fasting, our minds can get cloudy. We're not eating, we're probably not sleeping that well, and all our bodies can think about is that which we are lacking. So while I fast, I'm going to make it my purpose to study about it, at least until I really "get it" - until this question doesn't throw me into a tail-spin every time I think about it. I pray that as we meditate on God's Word that revelation would come to our hearts.

***Please forgive me for not including any Scripture references or editing my loads of run-on sentences, but Samweli's already awake and ready to start the rest of his day! Blessings to your family!

Fasting Devotion - Some Basics (Day 1)

From The Nelson Study Bible

fasting - [Heb. trum] [Est. 4:16; 2 Sam. 12:23] Strong's #6684

The Hebrew root word simply means "to abstain from food." At times fasting meant abstaining from:

• drinking, 
• bathing, 
• anointing with oil, or 
• sexual intercourse as well. 

In essence, fasting acknowledges human frailty before God and appeals to His mercy. 

Fasting was a common practice in the ancient world, associated with:

• mourning for the dead (2 Sam. 12:21, 22),
• intercessory prayer (Est. 4:3, 16),
• repentance and contrition for sin (Jer. 36:9; Jon. 3:5),
• and times of distress (Judg. 20:26; Neh. 1:4).

Fasting was required for the Day of Atonement (see the phrase "afflict your souls" in Lev. 16:31). There were also four fast days that commemorated the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians (Zech. 8:19). Fasts varied in length from one day (1 Sam. 14:24; Dan. 6:18) to seven days (1 Sam. 31:13) and could even last up to forty days on extraordinary occasions (Ex. 34:28). The strict fasts lasted from sunset to sunset, whereas the more lenient fasts lasted from sunrise to sunset.

But no matter what type of fasting was performed, the prophet Isaiah admonished his people to participate in acts of righteousness and social justice with their fasting (Is. 58:3-9).

I encourage you to go back through this word study and look up the Scriptures listed. Some of the references would require you to read the context around each verse to receive a full understanding of each meaning.

Allow God to guide you in deciding what to fast, why you are fasting, and for what time.

Living Naturally - Just a Start

I'm always eager to learn a few easy steps to going natural and freeing myself of unneeded (and really, unwanted) chemicals, pharmaceuticals and waste in my everyday life. Most of the time I feel like it's kinda hard to find something that's cheap and easy though. I'm just beginning my journey, but I thought you may want to join me too!

There are a few things that you can start doing that don't cost tons of money. You may not like every suggestion I have for you, but even if you take just a couple here or there you'll end up making a big impact on your life! Here are a couple tips to get you started living naturally:

1. Begin using "unpaper towels" in your kitchen and/or bathroom.
2. Take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar every day.
3. Switch your toothpaste to something fluoride-free.

Unpaper Towels

     I have some fabric that I've been meaning to serge into unpaper towels (basically cloth squares) for months now. I just never seem to find the time to do it, so we still have paper towels for big messes in the kitchen and the hand drying towel (that in reality only gets changed about 2-3 times a week, please don't get too grossed out) in the bathroom. <---This is dirty. Germs live in places that stay wet. That's why having something to use once and throw in a laundry bin is soooo much better.

     Ultimately I would love to make my kitchen unpaper towels with terry cloth on one side, quilter's flannel on the other, and strategically place my little plastic snaps on the corners so that they can unroll just like a real paper towel! BUT that would require me to actually choose a fabric, cut and sew. That just isn't happening fast enough. My ideal fabric (at least I think it is) for my bathroom napkins (I really don't know what to call them, that was the best I could come up with, sorry) is birdseye, also called diaper cloth at Jo-Ann Fabrics. After using a single-use napkin, you can wipe up the counter to keep it dry. Did you know that the germiest place in your bathroom is the sink because it stays wet? At least that's what the internet says. :P

     Fortunately, Walmart has a wonderful, quick fix for me. There is, and has been for the past couple years, a package of 18 washrags for $4 - all white or white and multi-colored, you choose. I finally bought some, and you can too. Easy peasy and not too hard on your pocketbook (although I bought 3 packs, hehe).

Apple Cider Vinegar

     This vinegar reportedly helps with soooo many ailments as well as weight loss. Just google it, and you'll find tons of information. There's, of course, not much scientific proof to back up anyone's claims because there's just not that much money in making vinegar, but read all the testimonies online and ask around to see if your friends have ever heard about it. I'll bet you can find someone you trust that gives it due credit.

     For general health the most common "prescription" I've found in my searching is to take 1 tablespoon per day diluted in 8 ounces of water. It's also been suggested that you drink the required amount of water you need for each day in order for your body to process correctly while taking it (64 oz. on average, but it's really based on your lifestyle). 

     You don't want to take ACV straight because it can ruin your teeth or burn a hole in your esophagus (please believe me - I took a shot of it straight the first day and really thought I might catch on fire). Another important note is to buy a good brand. One that you can see "the mother" in. Bragg's is the most recommended by far.

Fluoride-Free

     I don't know much about fluoride, but I know it's been at the center of some great debates, and I don't really want to get into all that now. I do know that the majority of people who "live naturally" do so without fluoride, so I figure there's probably something to that. Also, fluoride is added to my water already, so I don't really need it in my toothpaste, right?

     So here are your options:  1) this is not the option for you because you loooove all that fluoride that you every-once-in-a-while accidentally swallow while hollering at the kids with a toothbrush in your mouth, 2) can buy a fluoride-free toothpaste for a good bit more money from the grocery store, or 3) make your own toothpaste just because you want to be a little crunchy (that's just modern day hippie-talk which means natural).

     I chose option 3. So here's the recipe I'm giving a try from my new online natural role model, Crunchy Betty (and please don't give up trying natural alternatives after just a couple days, there's an adjustment period to everything). 3 tablespoons coconut oil + 3 tablespoons baking soda + 25 drops peppermint essential oil. You can also use just coconut oil (which is what I've been doing for a few days) or just baking soda and water or you can go all out and add a packet of stevia to the mix to sweeten it up! 

Give it a whirl. Try just one of these easy ways to change up your routine and live more naturally. I think you'll find that you enjoy it. If there's any more information you want, just ask. I may have already scoured the internet myself, but just didn't want to bore you with any more details if you weren't interested.

And, as always, I'm not promising anything, but maybe next week I can give you another new tip to keep you coming over to the "crunchy" side of life along with an update on how these are playing out in my own!

First Art Project

I find great ideas on Pinterest all the time. I was really excited to actually DO one the other day! Here's Samweli's first art project. He was so cute working on his painting. We used condensed milk and food coloring to make a less runny paint. The paint ended up being runnier than I thought it would though, so we quickly added some newsprint under his canvas. :) 

And since we hardly used any of the milk, we got to enjoy one of his Daddy's favorite treats later - sliced peaches covered with sweetened condensed milk, yummy! 

Here's a few other internet finds that I've enjoyed lately:
Paper Bag Popcorn - I like this article I linked, but my favorite way to make it is to only use 1/4 c. popcorn and add in 1/2 tsp. olive oil along with the popcorn salt before popping.
The Peaceful Mom - I am really into this blog. I've especially enjoyed her recipes and meal planning sections along with her "Brain in a Binder" which I just can't say enough about how well it's helping me organize my life.
Soap Clouds - These are great for times when dirty kids just do not want to get into the bathtub.

Have a blessed week!

Independence Day

They're a little late, but here are some pictures from our 4th of July celebrations.

I didn't make too many plans ahead of time because Noe was going to work in the evening. We hung out at the house most of the day, and Noe did some mowing. Samweli had to be involved of course, and ended up pushing this mower around the yard a little. Noe ended up turning it on and helping him over the rough spots. He is such a beast of a man! I can't believe how strong he is! <---I'm talking about Samweli. :)

Samweli is full of independence himself these days. We went to Letulle Park for the city's July 4th celebration. There weren't too many people there, but that was perfect for my son because he had plenty of room to roam around wherever he pleased. There were prizes (my friends won a trip to Schlitterbahn!), free bouncy houses, water slides, great bands, and the most exciting part...pin wheels:

The last "band" was a barbershop quartet that covered our favorite patriotic songs and led into the fireworks show, which was Samweli's first ever. He loved it!

I would just like to say that Bay City did an AMAZING job putting together our Independence Day celebration. The fireworks show was the biggest in our history (so I'm told), the kids' activities were free, and the park was sprayed for mosquitos. For our little town, I'm pretty proud. Even though there wasn't a huge turnout, I hope they do it again next year. We'd definitely be there!

Kitchen Redo - House Pics Post 2

So, my kitchen isn't finished yet, but it's close enough for me to share pictures. Here we go:

BEFORE:

^^^Please notice the HUMONGOUS slatted doors over the pantry^^^

(left picture)

and the crumbling yellow tile countertop and backsplash (right picture)

along with the mismatched "wood" laminate. 

Did you notice the smoke-stained vent-hood 

and the gaudy, retro knobs on all the cabinetry...

...or should I mention those things too?

AFTER:

We sanded and painted the cabinet doors and replaced the hardware. I couldn't salvage any hinges (although I did try), but I was able to save a TON of money by resurrecting some old cabinet pulls. My mom bought the pulls for me at a garage sale ($7 for 40 pulls). We cleaned, spray painted and lacquered them, and they turned out great! The originals sell on ebay for $7 a piece. We just took off the ugly plate on the back that was making them look so dated!

I took off the bifold doors that covered the pantry because they were poorly hung and falling apart. I opted to leave it open and *try* to keep my food stuffs looking neat and organized on the shelf. I picked up some clear canisters at a garage sale (14/$10) and had a few of my own already. 

It helps to keep everything looking somewhat unified.

Here is our breakfast nook. I still need to pick out fabric, make cushions, refinish the bottom cabinet doors, and do something with the window, but it's coming along. (Samweli enjoyed running through some hanging streamers at a party we went to, so I thought I could set some up in the door to keep him busy while I was getting my kitchen set back up.)

Did you notice that we moved the oven? That's because my wonderful hubby got me a dishwasher! Hmmm...I wonder if he thinks that counts as "helping" with the dishes.

There's still a LOT more to be done, but the bulk of the job is over. Maybe we'll get it finished before we've lived in the house a year, but if not, that's okay. I'm just blessed to have such a functional place to cook.

I know colors don't come across computer screens like they ought to, but if you want to check out my kitchen colors, try these from Sherman Williams (but wait until it goes on sale, of course):

Compatible Cream (walls)

Navajo White (cabinetry)

Dover White (trim)

As usual, I've updated the Fluff Gallery and Family Photos sections with new projects and pictures. Please feel free to take a look and enjoy my family and my fabrics! Just click on the tabs at the top of the page.

Green Bean Garden

Kimberly, myself, and our row and a half of
freshly planted veggies.

We have a garden! This is the first one I've ever done. My mom, sister, and I are all working together on it. We have been blessed with good rain this year, so we haven't had to water it even once! Let's take a moment and thank God for that blessing. Thank you, Lord!

A retired gentleman opened up his property to the community. He tilled all the soil. All we had to do was decide what to plant. We didn't want too much of any one thing, so we chose to make a row of green beans and then a few carrots, cucumbers, and radishes.

We've just started harvesting our green beans, and my mom has gotten quite a few radishes. I'm going out tomorrow to pick up the 4th round of grown green beans. Honestly, I don't really even know what I'm doing, but the green beans have been super-easy. Plant beans 6 inches apart, about 2 inches down (like to your knuckle). Water. Grow. Pick.

We didn't want to mess with canning and were delighted to find out that we can just vacuum seal and freeze them. (Thank you, Aunt Peggy.) I might try blanching the next batch before I freeze them, but with this group, all I did was:

This is only HALF of our second crop of green beans!

1. Cut off ends.
2. Wash in vinegar water to kill bacteria.
3. Rinse in clear water.
4. Dry overnight.
5. Package and freeze.

Even Samweli was able to get in on the fun when I packaged them!



*Note:  My green beans were delicious when I boiled them without letting them thaw first. If you thaw or microwave them, I don't really know if they'll turn out as good.

A few extras:

The garden is extremely wet! Look at all that mud!!
Can you tell which ones are my legs? LOL!
My legs really are that white.

Here's my beautiful Rose Begonia at my house.
I just really like it and wanted to share. :)

The Mother of all Garage Sales

I love a good garage sale, and this weekend my neighbors had the mother of all garage sales. I just have to share some of my finds!

Let's start with the toys:

All these look like they just came out of the box,
as a matter of fact, one set is still IN the box!

Did you notice the duck rocker chair all the toys are sitting in? We found that at a resale shop for $20! I don't know if that's a good deal because it's homemade, but it's just precious and Samweli loves it.

This rocker chair matches Noe's old homemade toybox
that is now in Samweli's room.

I got this lawn furniture for $5 a chair (including the cushions).

Samweli's infant carseat is now neatly tucked away in our shed awaiting it's next use, but while he fit in it, we always thought it'd be nice to have a 2nd base for another car. Noe found these camo Wolverine boots too. Sure, they aren't the newest model, but they are the right size for Noe. :)

Car seat base, new=$90, our price=$10
Wolverine boots, new=$90-$115, our price=$1

Noe also found 2 fishing rods for 50 cents each. The All-Star brand isn't anything too special, and one was broken. I wouldn't have known, but All-Star has a lifetime guarantee which means that Noe will get a brand new rod for the broken one. What a deal!

My favorite find was this vintage Winnie the Pooh bag made by Sears. I fell in love with it as soon as I laid eyes on it...and then even more when I saw the sticker price, $1. <--- Insert sigh of sweet bliss here. I'm just so happy. Hehe.

The most amazing part of all of this is that these are just some of the deals we found this weekend! I hope you enjoyed seeing all my great finds and got to share in the excitement with me.

Happy Garage-saling!

Samweli's Room - House Pics Post 1

To be honest, before we got our 16-week ultrasound, I was positive I was going to give birth to a precious girl. I really didn't care if our baby was a boy or a girl, I was just very sure I already knew - girl.period.girl. I guess my mother's intuition needed a little more maturing. I was very clearly wrong. We had planned to go shopping that afternoon to register for all things baby in celebration of our little one. Unfortunately, I had the baby blues and picked more of a gender neutral theme than Samweli's daddy would have preferred:

As you can see, it's cute, but it doesn't really scream BOY. Samweli now has a room that his daddy can be proud of, and he loves it! By "he" I mean Samuel, but you could take it as "Noe" if you want. They are both in Baby Boy Heaven.

Here is Samweli's new Hunting Room:

***Caution - if you are against the hunting of animals, don't continue on. My husband loves -  and my son will soon love - to shoot things.***

This is his room looking from the door. We found a great camo rug on clearance,
and the camo blanket was actually a shower gift from a friend, Jolene.
She recently started selling her ultra-plush blankets since everyone
LOVES them. You can check them out here.
I found this awesome wood sign with a bear on it and decided to incorporate bears
along with the ducks and deer I had originally planned on doing.
And the framed "art" idea came together thanks to Emily.
(They are just those vinyl wall stickers put on white paper.
Don't tell anyone though, they look like prints.)

Noe and I both found these metal signs which
I think look really cool in his little boy room. :)
The deer antler sign over the dresser says "HUNTING".
He knows what each animal on his wall is.
I still need to get a plain green changing pad cover,
and you can't see it, but the lamp shade has ducks on it too.

My mom got the light switch plate in Tennessee
and the (fake) antlers were a perfect spot to hang
his camo jacket.

"Little Bear" ended up being the perfect addition
to his bedroom. It's a tree carving from Tennessee
that was picked out by his Grandma, Babu, Bibi,
and Aunt Stacey. It's the one thing in his room
that's too heavy for him to push around,
but he loves giving him hugs. So sweet!

There's one more corner of his room that needs finished, but I have ideas for it. I've just got to decide how to mount the Benjamin that Samweli's Pop gave him to hang in his room.

Well, that's one room in the house finished. Only the rest of the house to go! That doesn't sound too overwhelming, does it?