Cloth Diapering: What We've Decided

As I've mentioned a couple of times before, Nick and I have decided to cloth diaper our little one. It was an easy decision for us because of the amount of money it will save us in the long run! However, the initial cost of cloth diapers is a HUGE investment so we decided to start stocking up on them early! Today's post is going to discuss what we've decided to go with and why. I hope to make a video about this that goes into more detail later on in my pregnancy but this will give you a quick overview!First of all, we decided to go with two different types of systems. The pocket system and the all in two system. The pocket system is one of the easiest systems because it is very similar to a disposable diaper. All you have to do is put a liner in the pocket and put the diaper on the baby! The all in two system is just a tad bit more complicated. Instead of having a pocket to put the liner in, you have to place the liner on top of the diaper. The nice thing about the all in two system is that the liners can be replaced so that you can reuse the shell over and over! I really hope this makes sense. If not, I'll make sure to clarify it in my video.Here are the pocket diapers we chose:We went with the FuzziBunz one size pocket diaper. The one size diapers are nice because they can adjust to the size of your baby as it grows. They don't usually fit newborns well but once the baby weighs about 12 pounds, they work great!
I love the colors that these diapers come in! They range from brights, to pastels, to primary!
The FuzziBunz have an adjustable leg elastic that is great for babies with skinny and chunky legs!


The second pocket diaper we decided to go with were the one size BumGenius! diapers! Again, these won't fit newborns but should work once the baby hits 12 pounds.
I was a little disappointed with the color selections for this diaper but with all of the fantastic reviews I've read on it, we couldn't NOT try them out! :)This diaper is adjustable in rise. There are a series of snaps that you use to adjust the fit.

Here are the all in two diapers we chose:
The first brand we chose were the SoftBums diapers! I have heard nothing but fabulous things about this diaper and I have been super impressed with the quality of them! These diapers are also one size but they will fit newborn babies! They have a very soft shell as well as a nice soft lining.
If you look at the diagram, you can see that the lining for these diapers is removable so that you can reuse the shell over and over. The lining is a nice cloth that just snaps in and folds over. The size of this diaper is adjusted through an ingenious elastic drawstring that tightens or losens the leg gussets as the child grows!
The second all in two diapers that we chose were the gDiapers. This is a very different type of diaper because it fits into the hybrid category. With this diaper you can choose to use cloth liners or disposable/flush-able liners! These diapers are sized which means they will not grow with the baby. However, because they are sized, they have a much trimmer fit than most one size diapers.The inside of this diaper has a plastic snap in "hammock" which holds the two different types of liners. Once the liner is wet or dirty, all you need to do is pull it out, wash off the plastic, and replace with a new liner! How easy!

As you can see, we have a variety of options! I did not go with one type of diaper because of the fact that I do not know what will work best for my baby. There are certain circumstances when these two different types of diapers will be handier. For example, when we are traveling, we plan on bringing the all in two diapers so that we do not need to carry as many shells with us. When we are hanging around the house, the pocket diapers will be handy so that Nick won't have any troubles changing the baby himself!

I am so excited about cloth diapering and will continue to post about our experiences. I hope to share some of the cloth diapering accessories that we plan on using as well as how to care for them. I really hope that you enjoy learning about cloth diapering with me!

Nursery Dilemmas (Part 2)!

Onto our next set of nursery dilemma! :) Actually, this really isn't so much a dilemma as indecisiveness. So today's dilemma deals with crib bedding and nursery decor.

I found this amazing ebay store called "Children's Mart" and they sell some of the cutest bedding I have seen yet at fantastic prices! All of the sets sell for $49.99! Each set I will show you is a 13 piece set and everything except the mobile and lamp will be included in these package deals.

So here are our options...

If we have a girl.

I'm leaning towards the pink set. What do you think?

If we have a boy.I can't decide which of these I like more! They are both so cute!

So give me your input! Which sets do you like? Keep in mind that these will probably be used as the baby's bedding once it grows out of the crib too!

Nursery Dilemmas (Part 1)!

So one thing that I've been doing A LOT lately is researching and looking for good deals on nursery furniture. The one place that I've been finding amazing deals is Wal-Mart. So what's the problem? The problem is that I like the deals but I also like the furniture to look nice! I keep checking Craig's List and Ebay but seem to keep striking out in those two areas. However, I keep thinking "What if?" Who knows if something huge might come up later right? Help me out here!

Ok...so here are some of the sets that we have picked out. Maybe you can give me guidance!This first set is SUPER CHEAP! $240 with free shipping! It's a great 3 piece set and even though it may not be the best quality, it has received some awesome reviews! "So what's the problem?" you ask. The bed is not convertible. Is it necessary to have a convertible bed? I get mixed answers and I have mixed feelings about it. That's the only problem we are finding. If it were convertible, this set would be a no-brainer for us!Here is the second set we've been looking at. Also VERY CHEAP! This set is $250 with free shipping! It is also a 3 piece set that has received fabulous reviews. I can't decide if I like this bed more than the other style BUT, this bed is convertible. The problem we are facing with this set is that the dresser is dinky. Is that a big deal now? Probably not. Will it be in the future when our child gets bigger? Possibly.Now onto our third option. Here is a two piece set that is GORGEOUS! It's a very reliable brand (Storkcraft) and is very well made. I love that the dresser can be used as a changing table but I have decided that I want a separate changing table since we are going to be cloth diapering and need all the storage we can get. Here lies the problem, this set is very expensive and getting the matching changing table would just be an additional cost! This set costs $336 and the matching table costs $118.

So what would you do? I know it's still early but we were kind of hoping to get this part of the nursery done before we found out the gender (on the 31st). So should we wait a little bit longer or should we go ahead and make a decision? Any advice that you could give would be great!

Oh, as a little side note, I should mention that my parents have offered to help us buy the furniture but that doesn't mean I really want to spend tons of money.

I'm Pregnant!

Wowza! It's been months since I've posted anything! I'll try to fix that, I promise! :)

So do you want to know where I've been? I've been getting ready for a baby! That's right! I'M PREGNANT! After 15 months of trying, we finally did it! Hallelujah!

I am currently 18 weeks along and my due date is January 20th!

One thing we've been horrible with is making sure to take pictures of my growing baby bump and let me tell you...IT'S GROWING! I get so many comments about how big I'm getting and that makes me SO happy! I can't tell you how long I've waited for this belly of mine to finally pop out! It's just so much fun!

Well, here's a video that has kind of been a recap of the past few months. It will be easier for you to watch the video than for me to type everything out. Sorry for my laziness...it comes with the pregnancy! Haha!

It's Tuesday...

And I am sitting here at school...knitting...and blogging. Don't worry though, I am on my lunch break. No rules are being broken. At least I don't think they are! :) Anyway, I was trying to decide what to do for a blog post and realized that, yeah, I don't have much to say. Who knows what I may end up rambling off during this blog post.

So want to know what my week is going to look like? Well, today is my last day of school for the week. I took Wednesday and Thursday off. I have 14 1/2 personal days to use up, remember? Anyway, I took the rest of this week off for a couple of reasons. First of all, I seriously need to think about what I am going to do this next year and that includes possibly looking for a new job. Second of all, we are taking our youth group to a youth event called "Aquire the Fire" this Friday and Saturday. We need to make plans for it and I also need to mentally prepare myself for it and that includes getting my house work done BEFORE we go! :) We probably won't be getting home until REALLY LATE Saturday night and then we get to wake up bright and early the next morning to go to church and have a potluck. Can anyone say "Bad timing"? We are going to be exhausted come Sunday afternoon!

I did find out a new piece of information regarding my job yesterday. I have many, many parents behind me, supporting me. Some are from this year's class and others are from my past years of teaching. I was pretty shocked by that. They are willing to do almost anything to help me out. That kind of support really makes a person feel good about themselves and that is something that I definitely needed. I have had such a great school year. I love my kids (most of the time) and I really enjoyed getting to know this group of parents. They have been, probably, my most supportive group yet!

Anyway, told you I'd end up rambling! That's what happens when you don't have anything specific to talk about. At least I posted though, right? :) Hopefully I can post something tomorrow that has a little better flow!

Here are some things that I have been knitting lately. They can be found in my Etsy store now.

I can't wait to show you my latest projects! I am SO excited about them! Stay tuned!

Sharing my heart...

So I know a lot of you are dying to know what has been on my heart lately since I keep mentioning it but haven't explained it. Well I think it's time I shared.
Here goes...I lost my job.

Yup, there it is. My position here at the school has been terminated due to budget cuts. Our district received a HUGE cut this year and after trying to cut corners as much as possible, they decided they had not other choice but to start cutting teachers. Since I am one of the newest teachers and still probationary (I would have been tenure after May), I was one of the first to get let go. It's sad, but true.

Seriously though? What is wrong with our government? Anyway, I'm not going to go into that right now.

First of all, I want everyone to know that I am at peace about it now. It was a very difficult time for me at first. I was feeling a lot of hurt and betrayal but the Lord is good and has really brought comfort into my life. I do not know how I would have gotten through this month without Him and my VERY supportive husband. I am still unsure of quite a few factors that I really don't want to get into but I know that this is going to be for the best and, to be honest, I'm kind of looking forward to the future!

My husband and I have done some budgeting and we have decided that we can easily make it with his two salaries and have no difficulties. I am probably going to take at least a year off from teaching and there are a couple of reasons why. First of all, there are no local job openings because every district is in the same situation that mine is. Second of all, since we are in the process of trying to start a family, we are praying that God's timing is right in this. If it is, I am going to be a stay at home mom and I couldn't be more thrilled about that! It was always something that we dreamed about but we were never sure how to go about it with me having a job. Now that I don't have one, we feel like maybe this is in God's plan. Something else I have always wanted to do is homeschooling. I really feel strongly about homeschooling as does my husband, especially since I have a degree in teaching anyway! We are thrilled to be able to raise Godly children and I am so looking forward to having the freedom to teach what I want in my own home!

As of now, we are not planning on moving back to our home state of Iowa but of course that option is never completely thrown out. We are going to put our land and possibly even our house on the market to see if they will sell (since Nick says EVERYTHING is for sale at the right price, haha) but we are not too concerned if they don't sell right away. We aren't too hopeful with the economy as it is, but I guess we never know until we try! Nick is hopeful that if we can sell our house, we may be able to begin building our own home!

Anyway, all that said, I guess not having a job (and currently no children) means that I am going to have a lot more free time. I am already really excited about being able to keep a clean house and organizing the rooms I haven't had time to touch since we moved in. Besides that though, I really look forward to enjoying all things crafty! I have been knitting, making jewelry, and sewing a lot lately and really look forward to jumping back into the paper crafting world!
In other good news, there are currently 20 days of school left and I LITERALLY have 14 1/2 personal days left that I need to use! I was saving them for a possible maternity leave and now that I won't be coming back, I somehow have to figure out a way to use them! Haha! I plan on taking off MOST of them but I really don't feel right using all of them because that would mean I only have 5 1/2 days of school left this year! I couldn't abandon my kiddos like that. However, I am taking at least one day a week off and and will see what else comes up!

Well that's it for my sad story. Thanks for sticking with me. I suppose I will grace you with a picture now! :) Look what we got this weekend. YUCK!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you have a WONDERFUL MONDAY! :)

Wonderful News About Your Sponsored Child!

We received an email yesterday with the title "Wonderful News About Your Sponsored Child!" Ah...I LOVE that kind of an email title. Why? Because I know exactly what it means. It means our child received a special kind of gift...adoption. You see, almost 4 years ago my husband and I decided to sponsor a child through Holt International.
So what is Holt International? Here is a short synopsis of what they are. This quote is taken directly from their website:Orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children around the world need love; they need belonging and security. At Holt International Children’s Services, we believe that families meet these needs better than any alternative. Holt International, a Christian organization founded over 50 years ago, continues to be a world leader in international adoption and child welfare programs that enable children to have families of their own. Holt International is dedicated to carrying out God’s plan for every child to have a permanent, loving family. So tell me. Who wouldn't want to take part in a program like that? Since we began sponsoring our very first little girl, Angelina, we have had 4 children get adopted with our help. We are now waiting to hear who our fifth little one is and we are so excited! :)

Check out these sweet children who still need to be adopted. Would you be willing to help a child find a loving family?

What Am I Getting Into?

I decided to try my hand at making jewelry and let me tell you, it's been VERY addictive.

Here's the story.

Years ago, when I was still in high school, I worked at a craft store that really sparked my creative juices. I got into almost every type of craft thinkable! :) Well one of those crafts was jewelry making and I soon discovered that it is not a hobby you can truly master unless you plan on getting some kind of income from it. The reason for this is that it is EXTREMELY expensive. I will not mention just how expensive the tools can be nor how pricey the beads are! Just take a look at your nearest craft store and you will see exactly what I mean. Anyway, I was a stubborn youth and decided I was going to try it either way. I think I made two bracelets and gave up. Haha! My interest level died down quickly when I realized that you can only so many with just a few bead choices.

Well the other day, I was working in my craft room when I discovered the remnants of the hobby in a box. I bought a little bead sorter and proceeded to sort out the beads. Much to my delight, I realized that I could attempt to make some more jewelry and see if my interest in it had changed. Boy was it! I haven't been able to stop making jewelry and I even went back to Hobby Lobby this weekend (they were having some wicked sales) to purchase MORE beads and wire in the hopes that I can possibly create a business from it.

I don't have pictures of all the jewelry I've made but here are a few things that I have.

I think the easiest piece of jewelry to make is a bracelet like this one. It just requires a few tools, some wire, beads, a clasp, a couple of crimps and Ta-Da! A cute and simple bracelet!


I have also LOVED learning how to make these little bird's nest necklaces. I am a self-taught learner when it comes to these so who knows if I am making them correctly. All I know is that I am really enjoying the results and apparently others are too!


I decided to post them to my Etsy shop and see what happens so last night I took a few pictures and uploaded them to my computer.


Well wasn't I shocked to get an email this afternoon from a buyer requesting I make one for her! Woohoo! I was beyond thrilled! :) I hope this is a sign for future business!


Wouldn't these make the cutest Mother's Day presents? My original plan was to attempt to make them for my mom and Nick's mom as gifts. I then wondered if other moms might enjoy them as well! I have started custom designing them according to how many kids are in each family. For example, my mom has 2 kids so her nest would have 2 eggs. Now obviously there are going to be limitations to how many eggs I can put in a nest but for the most part, I think my plan should work great! :)

SO...if you are interested, of course you can check out my Etsy shop or send me an email! It's never too late to shop! :D I still have a lot of work to do on my shop's home page but soon I will get it looking nice!

Oh and mom, if you are reading this, act surprised when you open your Mother's Day gift! Haha!

Fabulous Deals on gDiapers!

As I have already mentioned mutliple times, Nick and I plan on cloth diapering our future children and we feel that it is never too early to start preparing for them! We have looked at many different cloth diapering companies and felt that what would work best for us is cloth diapering with an occasional hybrid twist. What I mean is, we are leaning towards always using straight cloth unless we are traveling (which we do occasionally). Since our family is in Iowa, we tend to be stuck in the car for long road trips about 3 times a year. Originally we had planned on just doing disposables during these 13 hour trips but then I stumbled upon the gDiapers. The gDiapers not only have the full cloth option but they also have disposable liners that you can actually flush down the toilet! WOAH! We decided that this option was one we were definitely going to check into. Now, the problem with the disposable liners is that the can be quite expensive but, in reality, not much more than a case of disposable diapers. We would mainly use gDiapers as a cloth diapering system anyway so there is no need to buy tons of disposables if we are only going to use them when we are on the road.

Anyway, I never planned on buying diapers this early but then I stumbled upon a deal that I literally could not pass up!
Yes, you read that right. Diapers.com has an amazing sale happening right now! 6 gDiapers with cloth liners AND a case of disposable liners for only $89.99! WHAT? I know. Get this though, if you are a first time buyer through diapers.com you will get $10.00 off if you use the code DEJX9488 and they also provide a $10.00 mail in rebate if you spend over $75.00. Just print and mail this rebate sheet. Now how is that for savings?

There is one other deal they have if you are not interested in the disposable liners and you just want to only use regular cloth inserts.


There is also a package of 6 cloth diapers with the cloth inserts for only $59.99 right now too! The $10.00 off applies to this package too!

Well, are you curious as to what I purchased? I ended up buying the first set in both smalls and mediums and they are due to arrive at my door on Monday! Now that's some crazy fast shipping! :) I will try to share some pictures of them as soon as they get here!

Until later, have a great night!

A not so Wordless Wednesday...

Great. She's hit again. Why in the world is it so hard for me to get pregnant? Seriously? Does it really take over 14 months to make a baby? I thought for sure I would have already had one popped out by now. Figures.

Life could be worse, I know that now. This month sucked...BIG TIME. Don't get me wrong, we had some good times this month. Having both sides of our family out was amazing and much needed but everything else was basically the pits. I know that most of you are still in the dark as to what in the world I am talking about and I am sorry for that. I will tell you soon, I promise. It is not something that I can quickly type up and explain though. It's going to take time and thought...and potentially quite a few tears, but I promise it will be shared.

Anyway, what started out as a possible Wordless Wednesday has turned out to be a cry session, sorry about that. I just look at this picture and remember that I am loved by two amazing beings: my husband and the Lord. Ah how they have helped me through this month. The Lord never ceases to amaze me. He can bring light into any dark place and I have been there quite a few times recently. He will never leave us or forsake us. He will not give us more than we can bear. He gives hope to the hopeless. We hear these things over and over again but it didn't hit home until I was broken. I am still broken and I will be broken for a while. My prayer recently has originated from Hillsong's "Hosanna" song. The line "break my heart for what breaks Yours" is so powerful and meaningful to me. It's what I want. I want to be broken because it means that I am not this women of control that I thought I was. That is a good thing.

Pray for me if you would. I could really use it. Thanks for stopping by and more importantly, thanks for listening! It means the world to me!

My sweet baby bunny...er...puppy! :)

Doesn't he look thrilled? Haha! Over the Easter weekend we had Nick's family here for a visit. His dad, mom, sister, brother-in-law, two nieces, and nephew were all here for about 5 days. We had such a blast with them and hated to see them leave. I will try to share some more pictures from our weekend over the next few days. Nick took over 300 pictures! :D Anyway, they decided it would be cute to put some bunny ears on Trip and being the sweet hearted boy that Trip is, he sat there and let them do it! He was so well-behaved that he let Nick snap a few slightly embarrassing pictures too! It wasn't too long after this picture was taken that he got the ears worked off and they were in his mouth where he could properly destroy...I mean dispose of them! :) Don't worry though, the bunny ears were spared just in time!