Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

While sitting here thinking about ways to become more ecologically friendly I decided to think over all the ways we have already, and here is my list:

*Organic gardening
*Composting (CHICKENS!!)
*Breastfeeding (no bottles, no supplementing)
*Natural Family Planning
*Reusable food storage containers
*Reusing the ziploc bags we do have and any grocery bags we might have
*Using cloth grocery bags (this one we need to do more often)
*Cloth diapers and cloth wipes
*Cutting down on paper towels (at least 50%!)
*Carpooling when possible
*Using our own homemade laundry and dishwasher detergent
*Cutting out commerical beauty supplies
*No more commerical cleaners. Vinegar is my best friend!
*Choosing to fill our recycling container over the trash container

And now for ideas that I've either been experimenting with or that interest me:

*No commerical shampoo or conditioner. I'm trying to find the right balance for using baking soda, vinegar, and coconut oil instead.
*Mama cloth.
*Finding natural cleaners for face washing. I've read that Castor Oil can be good for this and want to give it a try.
*Looking for natural baby wash, but haven't been successful yet.

A site I love for making your own mama cloth, diapers, slings, etc http://crafts.sleepingbaby.net/PADS.html

Potty Training: Day Three!

Oh my goodness, I am so very happy with the way this has went the past three days! By the end of the day Kade has been telling me he needs to go pee BEFORE he does it! And he even went poop, well, not in the potty, but he told me as soon as he did it and wanted to sit on the potty (he did it ON a pair of pants on the floor in the living room). And it wasn't explosive! Woohoo!! And his skin looks so good now. No more blisters!!

I think the plan is to just keep doing what we are doing. We are even going out and about and as long as I am taking him frequently (before leaving one place and upon arriving at the next and a few times in between) he's able to keep his pants dry. Maybe next week I'll be able to officially say he's out of diapers! (Well, for during daytime and naps, anyway.)

I'm so very, very, very proud of Kade. My big boy!!

Potty Training: Day Two

Today went fabulous! Only one miss and the rest of the time all potty-ness. No poop yet still, but I imagine tomorrow there will be. We shall see how that goes. I am only hoping there isn't a massive eruption or explosion of feces that covers everything within a 5 ft. radius of where he is standing/sitting when it happens. Thinking all the good pooping-in-the-potty thoughts I have.

Again, I am so very proud of Kade!

GOT GOAT'S MILK?

I knew there had to be something about the benefits of goat milk vs. cow milk and after doing a bit of research here is what Dr. Sears has to say about it...

*Different fat

*Different protein

*Different nutrients

and more! Check out the article!

GOT GOAT'S MILK?

Raw Milk, Goat Milk

We have recently tried goat milk. I'm not talking from a can or from the grocery store, I'm talking goat milk fresh that morning from the goat farm. And it's gooooood. I don't think I want to go back to cow milk for my regular milk drinking needs! If only it weren't $5/half gallon. *Sigh* I like goat milk. And the boys do too!

Next is to try the raw milk. The milk we bought was pasturized, as we had never tried goat milk before and thought we'd take slow steps, in case we didn't like..and raw is a $1 more. So yes, you have to sign a waiver in able to buy raw milk saying you don't hold the local farm liable in case you get a number of serious or nonserious illnesses. I find it amusing. Anyway, yes, adventure on!

Oh! Oh! Before I forget, they also make lotion and soap out of the milk and I will update on how amazing those products are soon. And we had a great time teaching the boys about the goats while watching the buggers play about. It was wonderful!

ETA: For more local info about buying goat milk or milk products check out http://www.drakefamilyfarms.com/

January: No tv in the mornings except for on the weekends: Week Two

The month is halfway over and we are doing great! Some days are harder than others, especially if Trent had an active night meaning I am utterly exhausted in the morning, but we are doing good. It's funny how this weekend the boys aren't even that excited for their 2 hours of Qubo like they used to be. They'd rather be reading books, playing trains, or helping create something new with the sewing machine.

Potty Training: Day One

Today we started Day One of the three days of potty training. We'll see where we are at on Day Three if Kade is actually ready, or if his poor skin got a much needed healing time. See, I know Kade isn't really ready for potty training as he doesn't tell me when he has to go, he wakes up sopping wet and could sit in it for a long while (longer though if in disposables), I strongly doubt he recognizes the urge to go pee or poop until the moment it's about to happen, and he can't go more than 30 minutes without needing to pee. Although in his defense he can get his pants down by himself and can get himself to the toilet by himself...just not ON the toilet. So why start potty training? Because his poor skin is so sensitive and needs a break from needing bum cream on all the time.

Now, how did he do today? GREAT! He went on the toilet many times today...I think no less than 13ish times. He had one miss and that was when we were at the optometrist. Yes, we even left the house to go to taekwondo, optometrist, pay a bill, and then over to Gramma's House. Only one miss, and wasn't even all the way wet to the pants, just enough to wet his underwear. We have yet to ever experience a poop on the potty, and for that I am nervous, but we'll see how tomorrow goes.

Today, I am so proud! Go Kade!