My Favorite Over Night Diaper (WAHM Update)

I absolutely love our decision to cloth diaper.  Especially now that we are over 3 months in.  I look back at all the money we have already saved and I smile with glee.

But....

Cloth diapering comes with a learning curve.  I had to figure out a lot of things.  But the toughest thing was how to prevent leaking.  It honestly didn't take long to get that straightened out, but over night was another story.  At first, when she was only sleeping 3-5 hours at a time we had quite a few diapers with decent absorbency.  But then she started sleeping around 8-12 hours (up once to nurse...but not really awake so I only change her if she is pooped).  The number of diapers that would last that long without leaking shrunk significantly. 

Right now I have 3.  But only 1 of those is guaranteed to not leak....ever...  Every once in awhile the other two give me issues if she has a really long or really wet night.  So what diaper is my saving grace???

My giraffe print pocket diaper from Elly Diapers!!  

True Love <3  See my original review here.

Even though it happens super rarely over night any more, the double gussets keep any messes contained.  And the bamboo velour is stay-dry!  Which I actually didn't realize until I went back to her shop recently.  It is the perfect diaper for overnight.

The inserts are so absorbent that I actually had her set up a custom order of just inserts for me.  We use them in our covers and in other pocket diapers.  I highly, highly prefer them over any other inserts.  In fact, lately it seems like our little lady has been peeing more and the other inserts we have are just don't seem to cut the mustard.  We've had a lot more leaks lately...but never with the inserts from Elly Diapers.

The Elly inserts are made to be doubled.  This is the comparison in length to the Alva bamboo inserts I have.

Compared to AppleCheecks stay-dry insert.

The Elly insert is folded in half for this one.  AppleCheeks again.

This shows how much the insert will shrink after being dried on low (the one dried is on the bottom).

And this shows what happens when you accidentally dry on high.  Oops!  Great thing is though - JUST as absorbent.

If you are looking for extra absorbency or a new overnight solution you will definitely want to head over to the Etsy shop (the inserts are a steal at only $4 a piece!).  And, if you have a minute, head on over and tell Annelise from Elly Diapers hello on her Facebook page.

**By the way....can you tell I have a giraffe obsession??  hehe.  

Goodbye to our Pink Kitchen & Cover Plug Review

We have been in our house for a year now (+ a month or so).  And our kitchen still has pink walls...or it did....until Monday.  Originally it had pink carpet, pinks walls, and pink counters.  The carpet we replaced shortly after moving in (because it really needed it) with laminate that we found at Ollie's Bargain Outlet for a steal!  Then we got paint this past summer...but with me being fairly pregnant and having a million other things to get done before baby, we just never got to it.  We finally decided this weekend that something must be done.  And we got to work!

Here is my lovely pink kitchen:

Okay....so the pink isn't horribly obvious, but it doesn't exactly go with the flow...

Nice right?

For our new paint, we chose a green color called Spanish Olive.  And here are the results:

Love, love, LOVE!

We have had the primer over spots on the  pink for a looong time...it desperately needed paint.  Much better right?

I am in love with how it makes the cupboards look so much nicer.  I feel like I have a brand new kitchen!  :D  Now we just have to work on those counter tops...

Here is a neat little extra tid bit in our remodeling process: The Cover Plug.

Each box comes with two covers in an ivory color (like most outlets).

The first thing that I love about the CoverPlug is that it is made in the USA!

And the second thing I love is that it is a wonderful alternative to putting those silly plastic things in open outlets.  This looks so much nicer!

Here is a view of the back so you can see how it inserts into the outlet:

Two pegs insert into the bottom holes in the outlets.

The last thing that I really love about the CoverPlug is that it can be painted!!  So even though I can clearly see something is there, it blends into the wall and makes it less noticeable for little eyes and hands.  And much less of an eye sore!  There is an outlet in the kitchen that we never use, so this was the perfect solution!

...and now it's green...or...um...I mean Spanish Olive!

Painting  it was fairly easy since you can hold the prongs on the back.  It did need two coats.  But with a really good brush, that might not be necessary.  I do feel like it might chip easy, but I don't foresee the need to be taking it on and off too much.

Here is how it looks in action:

Noticeable but not super noticeable.  :)

The CoverPlug

The great thing?  Our nursery is the same color as the kitchen, so I painted both the CoverPlugs this weekend and I have one for when we move the crib out and expose an unused outlet in that room.  Making it safe for an exploring little one.  Out of sight, out of mind.

I definitely recommend the CoverPlug.  It is a pretty neat product!

You can find out more about CoverPlug at the following locations:

Facebook

Twitter

CoverPlug Website

You can also purchase the CoverPlug at multiple locations including Etsy, Sears, or Amazong where it is only $8.50.

Why We Like All-In-Ones (WAHM Review)

If you didn't already know - there are quite a few different types of cloth diapers.  From covers to AIO's (All-in-Ones) to AI2's to Fitteds and soooo many more. It was very confusing for me at first.  But I am super glad that someone told me to not get all of the same kind or same brand.  When I thought I would prefer pockets, I ended up actually preferring covers.  But there is a special place in our stash for AIO's.

Why?

They are SO easy to use!  They are exactly like disposables.  Put the diaper on baby.  Once it is soiled (pee or poo), you change the diaper.  Since it is all one piece there is no un-stuffing or stuffing.  Easy peasy!  This is especially nice for Hubby, grandparents, babysitters, day care, the church nursery, or for anyone else who might be changing baby and isn't a connoisseur with cloth diapers.

We really loved AIO's when Aelah was a newborn for a couple of reasons.  One, because we were just learning this whole cloth diapering thing first hand and, two, because we had to change her so often.  But once she grew out of her newborn dipes, we didn't have any more AIO's.

Until I discovered Bubba Bee Cloth (formerly known as Kushy Tooshy)!

I received free product in exchange for an open & honest review.  No other compensation was given.  All opinions are my own.

After Kylie and her husband had their baby boy Sylas, they realized they were spending WAY too much money on disposable diapers and decided to look into cloth diapering.  However, at the time, a single cloth diaper seemed like a big purchase and it would have cost quite a bit to get a complete stash.  So Kylie started making her own diapers!  And when she realized she could do so afford-ably, she wanted to make affordable, high-quality diapers to share with other families on a tight budget!

What I think makes Bubba Bee Cloth so unique is that she makes almost every single type of diaper, starting at just $9.99: AIO's, AI2's, Pockets, Covers, AND Fitteds!  And she makes them each with the option of a detachable ruffle!  Since we already had a bunch of pockets and covers, I thought trying a One-Size (OS) AIO would be nice.

And we, of course, got the detachable ruffle to make it girly!

I absolutely cannot wait for the Fourth of July to get here!!  Super cute photo ideas for then!!  But until that....here is a peak at our cutie patootie! 

Love, love, LOVE ,the ruffles!!!  And the fact that without the ruffles, this diaper can still work for a boy!

The diaper is OS but I'm not sure it would have fit Baby Girl before now since we have it on the smallest setting.  She is probably 14 pounds now and it fits well....but that is a guess since we don't have a scale and I haven't weighed her in a couple weeks... I did find out, however, that the OS pattern that Kylie is using is still in the testing phase.  So it will continue to get better!

Here is the smallest and the largest setting.

While not as absorbent as my pockets, this still lasts us a couple of hours and definitely contains poo well!  I actually intended to write this review a week ago but every time I would put it on Aelah, she decided it was time to poo....within minutes.  I think it happened 4 or 5 times.  Uncanny!

You can see where the insert is sewn in....

One feature that I really love about this Bubba Bee Cloth diaper is the way she puts the snaps.  They are angled much more than any other diaper I have.  This is extremely nice for us because of Aelah's body type right now.  She's got chunky thighs but her belly isn't keeping up with that chunk.  This results in me snapping the top snaps on her diaper one more snap in than the bottom snaps.  I don't have to do that with this diaper!

Hopefully you can see what I mean here...

If you are looking to try a variety of types of diapers, I highly recommend Bubba Bee Cloth!  It is a one stop WAHM shop for each type!  Pretty neat!  She also carries other "crunchy" items like "momma cloth," infinity scarves (for nursing), and reusable nursing pads.

This is her Crunchy Cloth Bundle...pretty neat! (photo courtesy of Bubba Bee Cloth)

Be sure to follow Bubba Bee Cloth on your favorite social media:

Etsy

Facebook

Twitter

They are also working on updating their website with the new name change.  It is currently under maintenance but it looks like it will be absolutely adorable.  Check it out here.

What type of cloth diaper is your favorite and why?

Natural Remedy for Acid Reflux & Growth Spurts (WAHM Review + Giveaway) *CLOSED*

Our little Miss Aelah has had some interesting little quirks in her short time here already.  

First, we dealt with a moderate case of colic.  We could bank on her being awake ever night from 9 until sometimes 2 in the morning.  Crying, crying, crying...  After about 6 weeks, I started doing some research.  Since we aren't big proponents of pharmaceuticals I wanted something natural.  And the chiropractor was the answer.  We went on a Monday and it eased up...she was asleep by 11 or 12 with only a couple hours of crying.  And then we went again on Friday and she hasn't had an issue since.  Definitely recommend the chiropractor!  If you get a little squeamish at the thoughts of an infant being cracked and popped, it isn't like that at all.  It is a very gentle process.  She slept through most of the 1st appointment and smiled through the 2nd.  Not a fuss at all....

We also knew she had some acid reflux issues.  She gets hiccup-burps pretty often, which her Daddy also gets.  And, as he knows, they are painful.  She can tolerate them for a little bit, but always gets pretty fussy if they persist.

On top of that, she would have moments the past couple of months where she would just start screaming and crying like she was hurt.  It would last for 20-45 minutes and then be over with.  The first time it happened, I was crying...couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.  Nothing helped.  Not nursing, not skin-to-skin, not laying on her belly....nothing.  After doing some research, I learned that it was quite possible that she was having growing pains or that it was related to acid reflux.

I really didn't want to give her any medications, so I started doing my research again.  Amber necklaces are supposed to help with teething and we tried that when she got her shots (inflammation) and it worked like a charm!  Well, it turns out that hazelwood is supposed to do for acid reflux what amber does for teething and inflammation.

I received free product in exchange for an open & honest review.  No other compensation was given.  All opinions are my own.

Which is how I discovered Amber & Haze.  It is a beautiful little shop run by a few different work at home moms.  Emmalee - a cloth diapering, home birthing, breastfeeding (7 years straight) momma began Amber & Haze.  Because of the high quality of her products and a wonderful customer community, the business grew beyond her own capabilities.  So she has two other moms helping her out now!

I told Emmalee why I was looking for hazelwood and explained some of the other issues Aelah was dealing with.  She recommended doing hazelwood in her super calm girly style.  It also includes a few other things, like Lepidolite which, among many other things, is supposed to help with growing pains!!

This picture does not do it justice....it is SO cute!

My cutie pie!

This gives you a better peek at the colors and the Lepidolite...

The safety tension clasp is an upgrade for just $1!

We have noticed that her hiccups have subsided a little and she hasn't had any random screaming/supper fussy moments.  So I do feel like it is helping.  But since she is so small there is no way for me to really know.  But, it makes me feel better knowing I'm doing something to try and help her.  And it seems to be working!

Amber & Haze sells quite a few different types of natural jewelry and has a fantastic collection of different amber teething necklaces which you can see here.

She also carries nursing necklaces, cloth diaper safe rash cream, gum rub, and more!

Another thing to note is that all of the Amber & Haze necklaces are homemade, hand strung, and pre-stretched.  Which is apparently not the case with most sellers....even on Etsy.

Thanks for the discount code Emmalee!

As a thank you and to make sure you don't miss any of her awesome pieces follow Amber & Haze on your favorite social media:

Etsy

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Tumblr

Emmalee has also offered to give one reader a wonderful little gift set!  It will include:

• Teething Necklace
• Diaper Rash Cream (safe for cloth)
• NEW Gum Rub - they grew the main ingredient themselves (the toothache plant!).  It will also include chamomile, vanilla beans, and baltic amber.  You can get it with or without clove oil.

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The Truth: Ignorant Fools

Sometimes in life, I act like a fool.  I can be rude & ignorant, brutish, or just downright stupid.  And usually, that side of me comes out around my family.  Mostly because, at the end of the day, they are still going to love me.  Even at my worst, my family still loves me.  Unfortunately, I know that isn't the case for some.  That when you act like an ignorant fool, your family leaves you in the dust.  But I have an amazing truth to share with you:

No matter how completely stupid you may act in this life God will never leave you in the dust.  He will only hold you closer.  Even at your worst, He will still love you.

Psalm 73: 21-24

21 When my heart was embittered
And I was pierced within,
22 Then I was senseless and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.
24 With Your counsel You will guide me,
And afterward receive me to glory.

This Psalmist had been there.  He had completely been a fool before God.  He had looked around at the world and decided that it was completely unfair.  The unrighteous had so many great things going for them - money, power, food, and so much more.  They seemed so blessed compared to the righteous, to those that loved the Lord (sounds familiar doesn't it?).  And God saw his heart in those moments.  He was like a beast before the Lord.  The Hebrew for "senseless" is baa'ar meaning, "stupid, brutish, like cattle" (Strong's H1198).  

Yep, that's a cow...

I have been brutish before the Lord, as dumb as a cow...    I have come to Him in anger, demanding that he heal a loved one.  I have yelled at Him and told Him it wasn't fair.  But, nevertheless, He was continually with me.  He took hold of my hand and pulled me close.  I have been at my wits end, about to fall away, like the Psalmist, "He had all but lost his hold of God; but though his feet had almost gone astray, his hand had been grasped by God, and that strong hold had kept him from utterly falling (Expositor's Commentary).  After all, our safety in temptation and our victory over it is not from "our own wisdom, for we are foolish and ignorant, but [from] the gracious presence of God with us" (Henry).

I also believe that the Psalmist realized that God, as Romans 8:28 states, was using his temptations, his trials and tribulations, for good.  Take a look at the word pierced in verse 21.  The Psalmist's heart was angry and he was pierced within.  The Hebrew for pierced means "to sharpen" (Strong's H8150).  To sharpen something is to make it better, right?  I don't sharpen a knife to make it worse.  And I don't sharpen a knife that is already sharp.  I sharpen a knife so that it can be the best knife it is capable of being.  God sharpens us in much the same way.  He doesn't sharpen us to hurt us and He doesn't sharpen us when we don't need sharpening.  We are sharpened so that we can be the best children of God that we are capable of being.

Lastly, the Psalmist notes that with Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory.  Even though God uses tough times for good and even though He remains through all of our foolishness, there still remains a responsibility on our part.  We have a responsibility to follow the counsel the Lord has given.  And what is that counsel?  His word and His spirit.  His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:05).  And ...we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit, who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God... (1 Corinthians 2:12).  God is offering us guidance every single day and we must utilize what we have been given, for "if we make God's glory the end we aim at, He will make our glory with Him the end we shall for ever be happy in" (Henry).

In conclusion, there are a few things to remember when we are tempted and tried - even when we are acting foolish and ignorant, God is holding our hand and working behind the scenes to bring about good from all the bad.  However, we are still responsible for following the guidance and counsel He has given us.  And if we do, we shall forever be with Him in glory.

Beautiful isn't it?

Baby Gift: First Holiday Stickers

I'm a big fan of firsts.  And I think they should be celebrated appropriately!  :)

Yes, I am already planning Miss Aelah's 1st birthday part.  But that's for another day...

Today, we're talkin' holidays!  And today is Aelah's very first Groundhog's Day!!  Wooo-hoooo!!  Big deal right?  haha.  Well, I might be stepping on a land-mine since we live just 30 minutes from the actual groundhog but I could really skip this holiday and not care.  :P

However, I got these gorgeous first holiday stickers from ICustomLabel and they actually included Groundhog's Day - which, admittedly, I thought was kind of cute.  And it gave me an excuse to have a fun photo shoot with Little Miss.

She's only happy because she has no clue what 6 more weeks of winter means.....

I absolutely love these stickers!!  I have similar ones for each month (1 month, 2 months, etc.) that we were given when Aelah was born...but they are kind of stiff.  I tried wearing one all day long, but it just got caught on everything and kept falling off.  They are made for photo shoots (which is awesome!) but they aren't great for wearing more than an hour or so.  The ICustomLabel stickers are perfect for wearing for longer periods!  Which is super fun!  That means we can wear them to church, to the store, to a friend's house, wherever we might be headed during Baby Girl's first holidays!!  However, since they are just thin stickers, they do show the wear:

This was taken about half way through the day when we had to make an outfit change.  Definitely won't be using it again....

They are bright, colorful, and super fun!  I especially like the Father's Day one - a mustache!!  hehe.

New Year's, Groundhog's Day,
Valentine's Day, St. Patty's Day

Easter, Mom's Day,
Dad's Day, Birthday

4th of July, Halloween,
Thanksgiving, Christmas

I was a little bummed that we didn't have these for the major holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.).  But...I got to thinkin' - I still love scrapbooking old school style (yep, that's right...with paper, not on shutterfly).  The stickers I didn't get a chance to use for pictures can most definitely be used in a scrapbook!!  Yeah!

The best part??  You can get a set of these stickers for only $10 here!  These would make a tremendous gift for a baby shower or other baby gift!

What's your favorite first holiday with baby??

Save Money on Groceries - No Coupons Needed!

Who likes to save money??  I know I sure do!  And now that we are down to one income I have been on the lookout to save even more than we already do!

During my searches for work-from-home opportunities and ways to make a little extra money here & there, I discovered Ibotta!  And I love it!

I probably won't strike it rich, but I will make some money with little effort.  And who doesn't love that?  You are definitely going to want to check this out.

So how can Ibotta (pronounced I bought a....) save me money on groceries??  Here is how it works:

There are a couple of ways to earn money.  

1. You can shop online through Ibotta and get cash back, much like Ebates.

2. You can submit (scan) a receipt or link your loyalty card and get cash back for certain purchases.

It's actually kind of fun!  I ran to Walmart to grab a few essentials the other day: milk, bread, eggs, etc.  Came home, scanned a few things (may have taken me 5 minutes) and I made $1.25!  It takes me longer than that to clip coupons.

The neat part?  You can work with your team to earn more!  Ibotta can connect to your Facebook to start building team (this is pretty neat) but you can also invite people to join your team.  The bigger your team, the faster you earn.

So I'm asking you all - do you want to start earning money back on your groceries??  Join my team!  You can go here to sign up or you can download the app and use the referral code: tyjrokq.

As a thank you for joining my team, I'm hosting a fun little giveaway.  One reader who joins my Ibotta team will win a surprise gift from me that will arrive at an unknown (surprise) time during 2015.  Don't you just love surprises?!?

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