Day 1 of the Flats & Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry

 Have you heard of the Flats & Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry?

"This event aims to bring awareness and educate cloth diapering families and beyond about the benefits and feasibility of using flat cloth diapers, the most basic of all diapers, and handwashing. Why? Because there are families who struggle everyday with diaper need. There are no federal or state funded assistance programs to help families buy diapers. This can result in babies being left in diapers too long or families reusing disposable diapers; both options pose serious health risks for the baby. My goal has always been to prove that, when necessary, a small number of flat cloth diapers, covers, and a simple bucket washer or tub can be all a family needs to provide clean and sanitary diapers."

--Kim Rosas of Dirty Diaper Laundry

This is my second time participating in the Flats Challenge. I choose to participate because I whole-heartedly believe that cloth diapering is the best choice for baby, environment & budget. I wish I had known that cloth diapering was a doable thing with babies #1 & #2. I wasted so much money & polluted the Earth so much because I didn't know washing was possible in a washer- & dryer-less apartment situation. I want people to know it is possible to cloth diaper on a tight budget & without modern washing machines.

Our first Flats Challenge! My tiny 2 month old.

Our second Flats Challenge. My 14 month old runner!

I'm linking up here. I hope you'll click over!

Happiness is...(Week 19)

The boy is still a bed hog. His little wooly butt in the air makes me giggle.

 A pair of very scuffed shoes got glittered.

 I enjoyed some quiet time, mother's milk tea & foot soak with my 5 year old to try and shake the sickness that has been bothering me for over a week.

 This shirt!

 Natural mamas & mama milk to the rescue when W wouldn't settle down for bed at 11PM.

I'm linking up with Lisa over at Crazy Adventures in Parenting.

Happiness is...(Week 18)

This has been a tough week for me. So, I'll start with the happy, give you a little glimpse of the bad and end with some good that stemmed from the bad.

 

54 ounces of milk found a new home and I have a new baby to pump for regularly.

I find it easier when I know that the milk has a home before I sterilize all my pump parts, do the surgical scrub & bribe the girls with candy & a movie.

  

Finding my lost (for 1 minute) baby cleaning my shower.

 

Being sweet & helping brother eat.

 

This little cutie hanging out waiting for daddy's plane to land.

 

Releasing our Painted Lady Butterflies that we raised from caterpillars.

This sweet little sleeper. I hate waking him up in the morning because we have to take Mina to school.

Now THIS is the cause of my unhappiness for the week. This stupid termite infested fence. It blew down on Sunday night. Which would have been fine if the neighbors dog hadn't then come into my yard broken into my chicken coop and killed all 5 of my beautiful laying ladies. So instead of my husband packing for his trip to Washington on Monday morning he got to dig chicken graves at 10pm.

 We loved our chickens and the girls were not handling their deaths well so we decided that getting new chickens as soon as possible was the best solution.

 Meet Spider Man & Scarlett, or her tushy. They are Rhode Island Reds.

 

 This is Sapphire the Ameraucana (though I have a feeling she may actually be an Easter Egger.)

 This little fluffer is Poppy the Buff Orpington.

 And finally Jenna, the Golden Sex-Link, who already laid me an egg! Oh and Scarlett's head.


 Well I'm a day late but still linking up at Crazy Adventures in Parenting.

Just a random post of a setimental girl

It;s Thursday, almost Friday, & I am feeling a lot of gratitude for the life I'm living. My children are happy & beautiful. My house is mine. My fabric is plentiful. My support system is great. My only regrets are that Rachel, Lisa, Stef & Gabrielle are so darn far away. You women inspire and elevate me so much. I love you girls HARD! Rock it out! XOXO

Happiness is...(Week 17)

At first I was thinking that I didn't have too much happy in the last week but after going through my pictures I realize it was a great week, I'm just stuck on the 2 lows. Time to let it go!

Making a new bapron for my baby boy

Making a Spider Man romper for this little girl.

Watching our caterpillars turn into chrysalises.

Crock pot honey sesame chicken with broccoli.

My little bird watcher.

My ginormous baby! I'm 68" tall, he is 32"!

Wearing a rainbow on a cloudy morning.

The reflection in the shadow of my little puddle stomper.

I'm linking up at Crazy Adventures in Parenting.