Thursday, July 28, 2011

barfhouse farms

Don't for a minute think that this brand of juice is just as yummy as the Trader Joe's or Whole Foods varieties.  What's hiding behind this label is a rotten trick.

This one, unfortunately, tastes JUST like carrots:



...and this one tastes a lot like dogfood:


And what sucks the most is that the dogfood juice bottle is still mostly full. 
And so it shall remain that way.

R.I.P. Bolthouse Farms. 
Forever.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Saving Money: Part Deuce

We'll be taking a short break from food-talk today to talk about the other end of the spectrum: poop.  And how to dispose of the baby variety in a cost-effective manner, as the good wife to a frugal husband with whom I share said pre-potty trained baby. 

The way we have decided to go about this is to cloth-diaper.  Cloth-diapering was something that I considered when I was pregnant with our first child but never followed through on because I thought it would be a hassle.  But when I became pregnant with our second child I was determined to reconsider, as I was looking for any possible way to cut expenses now that we had another sweet little mouth to feed.  I did gobs of research (again) and even attended a class to learn about the different styles that are on the market today.  I was SO sold.  I was confident that this was something I could get Eric on board with this time around. 

And here we are, 18 months into the process and we've survived thus far.  It's easy, actually, and truthfully I feel like an idiot for not doing it with our first child!  It's really a great option if you have a baby and are looking for ways to cut costs.

We were (SO!) blessed to receive most of our cloth diapers as gifts.  We purchased a few more diapers on our own, bought a wet bag to store the dirties, and we received a diaper sprayer from a very sweet friend who cloth-diapers her little girls.  I also made a bunch of 8"x8" cloth wipes using a couple yards of cotton flannel material.  All in all, we spent about $140 in diapers and supplies and received the rest in gifts.  Compare that to the $1300+ we spent for disposable diapers, wipes, Diaper Genie liners, etc., for our first child and you can see what a huge savings that is.  It's crazy how it adds up-- and all ends up in the trash anyway. Which is totally gross from an environmental perspective as well as a financial perspective.  I might as well have been wiping his butt with dollar bills!

I am also excited about the brand of diaper I chose.  Most of my stash is compiled of the BumGenius Elemental diapers, but I also have a few Flip Organic diapers and I just purchased a 3-pack of Econobum diapers.  These are seriously awesome diapers!

As a sidenote, these diapers were created by the owners of a local small business, Cotton Babies, which is a retail store with 2 locations in our area and 1 store in Vancouver, WA.  They sell natural, earth-friendly products, employ local designers, and donate their products in various community and worldwide charitable endeavors.  How cool is that?!  I know of the owners as they attend our church but I'm pretty sure they probably don't know me from Bob.  I'm writing this simply because I love these diapers, I love how they have saved our family so much money, and I stalk their website like a freak because I love their products.

What are some creative and/or practical ways you have saved your family money?  Please share your ideas!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

meal list thursday: standby

Well, this week's meal list isn't going to win any awards for presentation or creativity, but perhaps it will garner slight attention for simplicity and good old-fashioned reliability.

And that's what I'm all about.  It's a blog-eat-blog world as my husband likes to joke, and y'all know I'm not much of a player.  I'm just trying to keep it real.  I done know I can't compete with my fancier cohorts so I'll just be content to hang out in the middle and hope that nobody notices how nerdy I am. 

Too.  Late.

Pan-grilled Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Sauteed Broccoli
Hotdogs, Side Salad, and Potato Chips (You don't need a recipe, do you?)
Bruschetta Pizza with Cornmeal Pizza Crust

Recipes, here.  Remember, these recipes will yield quantities enough for two meals for 2+ adults!

Monday, July 11, 2011

why weekends are awesome

humidity making hazy photographs: kind of awesome.



mud puddles and nightcrawlers: definitely awesome.



afternoon snack: also awesome.



backyard play-time: the awesomest.