Cloth Diapers...what was I thinking..

So when you have a baby there are two things right off the bat that empty the wallet: formula and diapers. When people cringe and say, "We can't afford a baby!" they are most likely thinking of the ridiculous cost of keeping a kid full and the pee off the couch. When I told the husband I wanted a baby, my "business proposal" contained the stipulation that I would use cloth diapers, because my Mom used them on me, they are good for the environment, keep diaper rash at bay, and save you money if you diaper more than one child. He looked at me like, "you're gonna put poop in our washer?" But since I would be master-diaperer he thought it sounded good. I got a newborn cloth diaper stockpile from a friend who was in between kids; I didn't want to invest until I was sure I could do it.

Well baby came and those cloth diapers sat in a box. I had diapers as shower gifts and some earth-friendly ones I got on sale (for outings and road trips) and I got sucked in by how easy it was. Take it off, in the trash it goes along with the nasty wipes too. I was running on empty: the only laundry that got done was my husband's uniforms, and I was lucky to shower. So I convinced myself I would start cloth diapering once I had the time to actually wash them. Then D-Day arrived: Tabitha started sleeping through the night. We were rested and now I had no excuse. I pull out the box of cloth diapers and........none of them fit! I had waited too long. Oh well, disposables, welcome back! Well then my greenness kicked in...........

I knew it was awful to be putting all these diapers into the landfill, with poop in them for God's sake, and I'd read about all of the chemicals in the diapers and so on, and I just told myself that like it or not I needed to cloth diaper. I met with a mom from Craigslist and got a variety or cloth diapers to see which kinds I liked: all-in-ones, all-in-twos, prefold, pocket, I'm-an-origami-magician whatever. My husband waits in the car while I haggle; when I get in with my bag full-o-diapers and my pockets empty, he flips. He can't believe that I've just spent a buck fifty on cloth diapers that will require me to touch poop and pee, and even worse, require him to touch poop and pee. We get home and after initial stripping and washing, I begin.

What was I thinking? I can't get the stupid things to fit her right because she is super skinny, and the elastic doesn't get tight enough around her legs so there is pee everywhere, and I assume there isn't enough absorption going on so I pad it some more..nope that doesn't help. What sucks is that they really are beautiful things: they have cute prints, and the fleece wicks moisture away from the bum so it's like she is sitting on a fluffy cloud. But I am dunking poop-covered diapers into the toilet, and the stuff isn't coming off because thanks to starting cereal this kid is excreting glue. I am determined though, because as a wife I will not let my husband say, "I told you so." Tabitha spends her days in her colorful cloth nappies, covered by shorts or pants so I can easily tell when she has wet through...oh yea, and I have to warn people who pick her up. But I really do love not having to run to the store for diapers. Dear Earth, you'd better be happy.....

The Woes of College Textbooks

I am playing a bit of catch up when it comes to school, and this fall I will be taking 18 hours. That is six classes at the junior and senior level. And I have 21 required books! Insane yes, because not only is that a lot of dough out of my pocket, but I have to manage to read all 21 books in one semester. I figured I would start ordering now so I could get a jump start on the reading, at least the novels. I got on to my school's bookstore site to get the new and used prices of all the books I needed. Then I researched prices on the internet and found most of my books at exceptional prices on sites such as Ebay and TextbooksRUs. I did have a hefty order at AbeBooks, but they cancelled my order without explanation after all of that searching and comparing, so I won't be dealing with them again. A few suggestions I have for the college book bonanza are:

• Always note the publisher, year, and edition: some editions have extra inserts that you might need
• Don't buy from your school bookstore unless it is a new edition with an required online component; they will always be overpriced
• Don't mind the condition of the books; I used a book that someone had dropped in the tub, but it was still readable and was dirt cheap
• Look for books with notes in the margin; the previous owner might have made a good point that you didn't think of
• Check Craigslist.org for students in your area getting rid of their books; they also are a great source of information if they had the same professor as you
• When ordering from online sites, always go through Ebates to get some cash back
• Keep all receipts in case it is the wrong book

A Little Rearranging...

Last Christmas we were blessed through Freecycle when a lovely lady a few towns away gave us all of her Christmas decorations. There had been many many years of collected items that were dear to her heart, and she delivered them to our doorstep to our young family. This year as we were unpacking the boxes we realized we had something for every room! It was great....I'm really glad that people still think of others :)

I usually have trouble finding table centerpieces because of my trecherous kittens. I had some leftover glass ornaments that I do not dare put on the tree, so I decided to place them on a serving plate with some votives left over from our wedding and here it is.....

I also wanted to share a picture of a Ninja Turtles stocking that I found at a rummage sale for $.25. This is my husband's stocking because he is feeling goofy this year...

I hope everyone is getting into the holiday spirit. As I drive through our neighborhood I see all of the Christmas lights going up, and it makes me all warm inside.... :)