Missouri 2012

I took the last week off from blogging because we spent an extra long weekend in Missouri. We had a fun-filled five days, and it was really nice to get away as a family and spend some quality time. I left my nice camera at home, so please excuse the phone camera shots, but here are a few cute ones.

We spent one night in St. Louis visiting with friends. We took Penny to the Magic House, which is St. Louis' Children's Museum. It is HUGE, and she had a blast. We covered maybe 5-10% of it in 2 hours. It was similar to the one in Philadelphia that I blogged about earlier this year. If ours was like one of those, I would definitely get a membership.

We met up with friends in STL. Here is Penny high-fiving little Arlo, the son of a blogger friend. Don't you love the matching Kleen Kanteen sippy cups? Gotta love a fellow eco-friendly mom!

We took Penny to her first regular season baseball game (she attended a spring training game in 2011). How fitting that it was Cardinals-Phillies. I managed to get her in a Phillies shirt, but she tends to clap with the crowd, so she sort of sent mixed signals. The Cards won the game, but the Phils took the series. She was way more entertained by a cup of ice than the game.

In our hotel room, Penny had a blast trying on our clothes and playing with the phone. I think she was trying to order room service.

Josh's parents live out in rural Missouri, so Penny had a blast playing with the dogs, swimming, and exploring nature.

She had her first fishing excursion and caught 5 fish in the span of 10 minutes. We named them Giggle, Mike, Creamsicle, Andre, and Pat. (We only name fish that we don't eat.) She must be a natural. When we tell the story back, she yells "Pat! Pat!". I'm not sure if she's referring to the fish she named Pat or the fact that she got to pat the fish.

Of course all of this fishing took place in a checkered ladybug dress. Work it, Penny.

In case you were wondering (and because this is a cloth diaper blog), I packed our flats and some covers, and we washed diapers at my in-laws'. We looked into using a diaper service, but there isn't one to service rural Missouri. Each time I use flats, I like them more and more. They dry super, super fast and are really low-maintenance in laundering. They also pack well, as they don't take up tons of room like pockets, and they're really absorbent. They are my favorite travel diapers for sure, and I even think they'd be great for everyday use. They are a very affordable way to start a stash, round out your stash in conjunction with fancier dipes, or even just to be your laundry-day backup.

I have these flats from Swaddlebees and just use a pad fold with covers (basically fold them in sixths one way and half the other way, resulting in a long skinny rectangle). I prefer them to prefolds, as I'm able to get a skinnier rectangle in my padfold, which fits better in the cover. I have no affiliation with Swaddlebees, but they did provide my flats for free last year when I participated in the Flats & Handwashing Challenge. I think that was pretty cool of them, but my continuing to rave about them now is purely out of my personal fondness for their company and products!

Hope you all had a nice Memorial Day weekend!

Greenwashing

I have been wanting to write this post for a long time, so I'm happy to finally get around to it. Have you all heard of the term "greenwashing"? It basically refers to advertising that makes a product seem eco-friendly, "green", environmentally conscious, natural, healthy, etc. when it's really NOT. Being eco-friendly is gaining popularity (yay!), and those of us who are dedicated to being kind citizens of the planet and keeping our families' exposure to toxic chemicals to a minimum are sometimes willing to pay more money for products that are "green" (safe, healthy, clean, pure, kind). Well, don't underestimate those big companies. They smell money, and they're all over wanting a piece of it. Except that instead of actually changing their habits, they decide that it's easier to just seem that way and try to confuse us by throwing around words like "natural". I had heard about this phenomenon awhile back, but it took me awhile to really understand it. Reading things like "companies try to confuse you by making false claims" just made me feel exasperated. Ok, so what do I do? How do I not fall prey to their tactics? One really great resource is the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. It ranks tens of thousands of products according to the concerns/risks of individual ingredients. The only problem is that once you start looking through it, you may be overwhelmed by just how many products are harmful. That happened to me about 3 years ago, but keep in mind that these changes take time. And sometimes we don't get the chance to look through the database. You're standing in Target and your kid is about to lose it, you need to get something, so you might need a few more tricks up your sleeve. I'm going to share what I've learned about avoiding the greenwashing trap and show you some examples.

#1. Ignore the front of the bottle, and instead look at the ingredients. By the way, this goes for pretty much every kind of product, be it beauty products, hygiene products, or even foods. They can basically write whatever the heck they want on the front of the package: natural, organic, healthy, etc. It's all marketing, so just don't even read it. Just flip to the back and read the ingredients. If it has a bunch of crap that you don't recognize, it's probably greenwashing. Aveeno baby sunscreen is a perfect example of greenwashing. Look at this bottle of Aveeno baby sunblock:

Natural, pediatrician recommended, mild as water. Ooooooh, ahhhh, must be so nice. Ok, now look at the ingredients:

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene, Oxybenzone
Inactive Ingredients: Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Behenyl Alcohol, BHT, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Caprylyl Methicone, Diethylhexyl 2 6 Naphthalate, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Ethylhexl Glycerin, Ethylparaben, Glyceryl Stearate, Methylparaben, PEG 100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Silica, Sodium Polyacrylate, Styrene Acrylates Copolymer, Trideceth 6, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, VP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Water, Xanthan Gum

Just glancing through this list, I think I can assume that the average person has no idea what most of this crap is. Ok, oat flour, we understand that, and water. But there is a boatload of other gobbledygook in here. If you're accustomed to reading labels, the root "paraben" may be familiar to you– I see that three times here. Parabens have been identified as endocrine disruptors and are seen in breast cancer tumors. Not only that, but methylparaben, one of the ingredients here, has actually been shown through research (journals: Toxicology; Chemical Research in Toxicology) to lead to increased skin aging and DNA damage (i.e. cancer) when applied to the skin and exposed to UVB rays. Why the heck would that be in a sunscreen? A BABY sunscreen?!!! I'm not going to go into all of the ingredients here, but if you see a label with all kinds of stuff like this, you might want to avoid it. I will say that the EWG's skin deep cosmetics database lists this particular product as a 7 on their scale from 0-10, which falls in the "high hazard" category with the following high, medium, and low concerns:
HIGH concerns: Endocrine disruption, Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Contamination concerns, Occupational hazards, Biochemical or cellular level changes
MODERATE concerns: Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
LOW concerns: Ecotoxicology, Data gaps, Enhanced skin absorption

#2. Consider the parent company. If it's a fortune 500 company, you probably want to stay away. Aveeno is made by Johnson & Johnson. In fact, the Aveeno baby wash ingredient list and formula is nearly identical to the classic Johnson's baby wash. Aveeno costs more, but it's basically the same stuff. Greenwashing. Companies that are really making green products are generally smaller and have a company-wide commitment to being green.

#3.Consider the store. I pretty much only shop at Whole Foods, even for body & household products (unless I make them). That's because I trust that Whole Foods has done diligent research for me and only chooses to carry products that are safe, healthy, and kind. It's worth it to me to pay a bit more for that convenience and to support a store that supports good companies. They also have an awesome guarantee that if you aren't happy with a product, they will give you store credit to try something else, even once the package is open. This makes me more willing to try out something new. If you're at Target or Walmart, or whatever big box store, you can sometimes still find good products, but it will probably take some more digging and more time. Many cloth diaper stores are starting to carry more natural body products, especially baby-oriented products. Baby Junk, my local CD store, has a few. You might also look around online, especially if you find a brand that you like and want to get the best price.

#4. Beware of unsubstantiated claims. On the Aveeno bottle discussed above, claims of "natural", "pediatrician recommended", etc were made, but there was nothing to back up these claims. Now let's look at a product that I think is a relatively good one. Here's the front of the bottle:

You'll see the word "organic" a few times. You also see a few other high-impact phrases like "non-irritating", "free of harsh ingredients", etc. But the difference is that this company backs up its claims. Look at the back:

The organic ingredients are certified organic, and the company spells out exactly which ingredients are organic and the total percentage of organic ingredients. In that white box, you'll see a comprehensive outline of chemicals/problematic ingredients that this company has kept out of their products. So this company claims that the product is organic and natural on the front of the bottle, and explains why on the back. That is important. And while you're looking at this picture, I'll harken back to point #1 and point out that the ingredients here are mostly recognizable. Lemon, basil, orange peel oil, etc. These are plants and things that we recognize. Yes, there are a few strange ingredients, and I'm not saying this is the perfect product–just pointing out some things to look for. We actually switched to baby bar soap from a local vendor at the farmer's market in order to limit our plastic trash from bottles like these.

#5. Plan ahead. When you're rushed, you will be tempted to just grab the product you've always reached for. If you think about how you'll replace X product before it runs out, you will have the time to do the proper research. I started switching out household and body products 3 years ago, and I'm still not completely there, so remember that these things take time. But every time you spend money, you are making a choice about which companies to support. You're making a statement with those dollars as to what is a priority in your life.

Does this make your head spin? Me too! And have you seen the price tags on some of these more natural products? They are not cheap, my friends. Well, sometimes maybe. But that is why I think it is doubly important to make sure that when you do shell out extra money for better products that you are really, actually getting better products, and not just better marketing! It is also why I am making more and more products myself (it is easier than you might think!) and figuring out what I can go without. Paring down your product list and making some yourself has the extra bonus of helping to reduce your waste and might free up a little money in the budget for the more expensive products that you can't make or do without.

What other strategies do you use for choosing products? Which are your favorite body products?

Our Garden

The previous owners of our home were very avid gardeners and did some beautiful landscaping. It seems that we constantly have something in bloom all spring due to their smart planting and staggering plants with different bloom months. We left the landscaping alone, but Josh did built a raised bed so that we could plant some vegetables. Here are some shots of our vegetable garden and a few favorite spring blooms.

 We planted lettuce, swiss chard, brussel sprouts, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, basil, cilantro, rainbow carrots, tomatoes, and green beans. We also planted a little pumpkin patch in a different part of the yard. I have wanted a pumpkin patch for a long time, so when I found out we were moving to Nebraska, I thought I better take advantage of the opportunity to plant pumpkins. I tried planting them in a window box one year when we lived in an apartment, but they never bore fruit. Long vines and big orange flowers, but no pumpkins. Strange, huh?

 I have always loved irises, but the huge bearded ones are absolutely my favorite. The only thing I don't like is that they are so fleeting. During iris season, I just soak them up.

Peonies are another of my faves. I got a big gorgeous bouquet of them for Mother's Day, and the fragrance positively fills the house.
We had lilacs too (my other favorite), but they are gone now, and I didn't get any shots of them.

What's in your garden?

GCDC 2012

The Great Cloth Diaper Change broke the Guinness Book record again this year! Over 8,000 diapers were changed simultaneously, which basically blew the old record of 5,000ish out of the water. Woo hoo for cloth! Were you there?

On another note, I just purchased a sweet little Flip training pack from Baby Junk, and it is just the cutest. I got the "Dazzle" color, which is purple. Penny has fun pulling them on and off, and she is starting to make a bit of a move back towards using the potty. I started dappling with Elimination Communication when she was 4-5 months old, and we sort of go through phases of on again/off again. She's been in an off phase for the last few months, but she's showing more interest lately. I try to follow her lead in this respect, offering her the chance to sit on the potty but not pushing it and definitely not making it a battle ground. She seems to think it's kind of cool lately, and she especially loves to pull the toilet paper off the roll and flush the toilet, which I only let her do if she actually goes. She usually sits on the potty for a few minutes in the morning and at bathtime, and we read books or play while she sits. We have a big trip coming up in August, and I would love love love to have her using the potty by then, but we will see. I don't believe in forcing potty learning, but I do believe in encouraging it and providing opportunities for success. Can you all believe that in 1950, 90% of kids were out of diapers by age 2.5, and now it is 25%? Cuh-razy! What is the deal? I don't think kids are getting dumber. Are parents busier? Is it another drawback of "disposable" diapers? Is it diaper company advertising encouraging parents to postpone potty learning? Who knows, but this is one milestone I would love to see early. And, yes, I am one of those moms who says potty learning instead of potty training. This is a skill my child will learn, not something she needs to be trained to do like a dog. Happy weekend, folks!

Plastic

I recently saw the movie Bag It, and it had a big impact on me. It's on Netflix streaming if you have that, or you can rent it through Amazon for $3.99. Some libraries may have it also since it's a documentary.

Some information in the film was stuff that I was already familiar with–the toxic chemicals in plastic and many household products, the impact that that can have on our bodies, exponentially so in children and fetuses, etc. This was actually presented medically/scientifically in the film, as the filmaker had his blood tested before and after using typical household products. I also knew that plastic (unlike aluminum or glass which can be recycled infinitely) can only be recycled once, going from #1 or #2 to one of the higher numbers. This film reminds us that recycling is the third "R" of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Choosing to reduce or reuse, especially when it comes to plastic, is always a better choices than relying on recycling alone.

But there were also some things that surprised me. I knew about the giant trash pits in all of our oceans (the biggest of which is in the Pacific and is the size of the whole US), but I did not know that most of the plastic in the ocean is small shards, fragments, and "plastic soup". I didn't know that there is more plastic in our ocean than plankton, that species of animals are dying because they are ingesting plastic thinking it's food. As the oceans go, so goes the food chain and the planet. I never thought before about how much petroleum goes into making plastic, that it is essentially impossible to completely avoid plastic in today's world, and how cavalier we are about using "disposable" single-use items purely for our own convenience at the expense of so many things.

This film made me want to take more steps on my green journey, and this website gave me so many ideas for how to do so. It can actually be quite overwhelming, and I have to keep reminding myself to take it one step at a time. My goal right now cannot be to eliminate my plastic consumption because it's just too overwhelming. Instead, I am focusing on smaller goals, making better choices in each situation I'm faced with, and choosing plastic-free as much as possible, as I need to replace things and make purchases. Here are some changes I've made, some long ago, some recently, to reduce my plastic consumption and landfill footprint, and also some things I'm working towards:

• Bringing my own shopping bags. I have enough so that I always have some in the car while some are in the laundry or in case I forget to put them back in the car right away after using them. This habit is so ingrained by now that I almost never forget to bring them in the store with me, and I use them at all stores, not just the grocery store. If I do forget, I forgo a bag and just put my purchases back in the cart and load them into the car in the parking lot. My favorite are canvas bags like the ones from Trader Joe's.
• Forgoing produce bags. I do have some reusable ones, but I usually just don't use produce bags at all. The food was grown outside and in dirt, and I always spray my produce with vinegar before eating it, so I'm not worried about it getting dirty. I'm not really sure why we need produce bags.
• I stopped wearing makeup. This probably happened when I was pregnant and started freaking out about chemicals. Cosmetics are full of all kinds of crap, and the all natural stuff is so expensive that I couldn't justify buying it–especially buying it online sight unseen. I never wore a lot of makeup anyway, but I found that when I would wear it, I would get congested and feel kind of crummy, so for all of these reasons, I just stopped. I don't really care if I look beautiful to the world. I have a husband already, and he thinks I am beautiful even without makeup, so it works for me. I do use Burt's Bees chapstick, but I would like to experiment with making my own sometime.
• I started making my own deodorant and toothpaste (in progress/still tweaking). I hope to make more products like moisturizer, sunscreen, maybe soap? As these things run out, I am trying to think more about how to make the greenest decisions I can. Although, it gets tricky because the ingredients used to make these things also come in packaging, so I need to think about getting the most product for the least amount of packaging.
• Using bar shampoo, conditioner and soap instead of liquid. Our farmer's market sells bar soap, so I can get it cut straight from the huge, homemade chunk without any packaging. Perfect. Our Whole Foods also sells Indigo Wild soap without packaging. Lush sells bar shampoo and conditioner which is sold in tins that can be reused. I was given the Lush bar shampoo and conditioner as a gift last year and loved it. Sorry, I'm not bold enough for the "no poo" method, but it is interesting.
• Storing leftovers in glass. I bought glasslock containers when I was pregnant and worried about plastic chemicals. The plastic ziplock or tupperware containers that so many people use are made from plastic #1, which is meant for one-time use. The containers are marketed as throw-away containers, but I know many, many people reuse them many times. Plastic #1 is notorious for leaching after repeated use, so think carefully about that. Although my glasslocks do have plastic lids, the food doesn't often touch the lid, and the containers are meant for longterm use, so at least they aren't meant to be disposed. I have also started storing food in used glass jars (i.e. spaghetti sauce jars). We can't recycle glass in Omaha (I even tried driving to the "dropoff" sites, and they turned me away), so I keep my glass jars and use them for all sorts of things.
• Buying from the bulk bins with my own containers. I have started doing this more and more, but I have a long ways to go. Sometimes it is just a matter of remembering to look there. At our Whole Foods, they have a huge selection of flours, grains, beans, even candy, cookies, dried fruit, nuts. I could really do better with this and start buying many of these things in the bulk bins rather than from Costco. It'll take a little cost comparison as well. I know that buying from the bins at WF costs less than buying prepackaed at WF, but I'm not sure about WF bins vs. Costco. Stay tuned.
• Cloth diapering, obviously. And cloth wipes–saves on plastic wipes packaging as well as the wipes themselves.
• No disposable plastic bottles. I always carry my own water bottle (even when traveling) and fill it at home or at drinking fountains. It becomes second-nature at a certain point, just like with everything else. We don't drink soda or juice. We do buy seltzer sometimes but only in cans or glass, and I would love to get one of those soda stream machines, but we need to do more research on how much the cartridges cost.
• Carrying my own utensils, cups, napkins, etc. This is a relatively new one for me. I'm trying to get more organized about it, but I've started keeping travel coffee cups in the car (love my Contigos!) for the occasional coffee or tea splurge when out, and I am also trying to be better about bringing my own silverware packs to restaurants that use plastic throw-away utensils and napkins. I love this idea and am planning to make some of these with real silverware to have handy to take out the door with me or leave in the car. The only restaurant that we really go to that doesn't use silverware is Chipotle, but every little bit helps. I'm also trying to take my own to-go containers when we dine out. We almost always have leftovers.
• Purchased some stainless steel straws from Mulled Mind on Etsy, and they are fabulous! I try to remember to take them to restaurants as well, but I'm finding that I also need to remind the waiters that I don't need a straw and to stop bringing me refills with new straws! I love to drink out of a straw, and this is a fun little indulgence for me at home, especially with smoothies and anything with ice.

• Shopping at the farmer's market. When I buy produce at Costco or Trader Joe's, almost everything is wrapped in plastic or at least some kind of packaging, whereas at the farmer's market, it's just produce.
• Making homemade. The more things I learn to make myself, the less I need to rely on packaged food. I make my own granola, pizza dough, pasta sauce, many baked goods, etc. I would love to learn to make crackers, pretzels, bread, almond milk, nut butters, condiments, and more sauces. I would love to check out this book.
• Returning packaging for reuse. I am vigilant about returning egg cartons, berry containers, and plant containers to the farmer's market. The vendors are thrilled to take them back for reuse, and sometimes they will even give free goodies for our efforts. We got free spinach last week.
• Charlie's soap refills. My local cloth diaper/natural baby store, Baby Junk, recently started offering refills of Charlie's soap, which is what I'm using as my laundry detergent. I can bring my Charlie's container in and get it refilled at a discounted rate. I know a lot of people make their own detergent, but I love Charlie's and am not willing to risk messing around with my CD routine.
• Reusable snack bags
• Composting. Our compost waste itself isn't plastic, but we go through a LOT of fruit & vegetable peels, so whatever goes in the composter isn't going into our trash cans, which means we fill up the trash bags less frequently, saving plastic in trash bags. We will also save plastic by having our own compost rather than buying compost soil in plastic bags.
• forgoing bathroom trash liners. Who needs 'em? We just put bathroom trash right into the bathroom trash cans and then empty them into the kitchen trash or a large trash bag when they get filled.
• DivaCup. I am no longer using any disposable menstrual products. My Diva cup did take a little getting used to, but I love that it prevents so much trash and is a healthier option for me at the same time. Disposable menstrual products are full of many of the same chemicals that turned me off from disposable diapers, and I wonder whether this contributed to my difficulty getting pregnant.
• Buying used. For the most part, I try to find used products before considering new ones, whether it's clothing or household items or whatever. I do need more work in this area for sure, but I am trying. Buying used takes more patience and time, which I am often short on.
• No gum. Did you know all gum contains plastic? It is actually IN the gum, not just in the packaging. Gross.
• I use many homemade cleaners with ingredients like vinegar, rubbing alcohol, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, essential oils etc. I put them in leftover spray bottles or other repurposed containers.
• Freecycle. When I start purging things from my house and reducing clutter, I can almost always find someone on freecycle.org to take my old stuff. To save myself time/hassle, I usually post a "grab bag" and insist that one person take the whole lot. I also stipulate that the taker must either use, find someone to use, or find a way to recycle everything in the lot (i.e. nothing can be thrown away).
• Paper Karma. This is an app that helps reduce junk mail. Check it out. It was free and featured on Earth Day, and I am loving it! Not sure whether it is always free or not.
• Upcycling/sewing/repairing clothing that is old/outdated/worn.

That's all I can think of right now, but actually seeing it all written out makes me feel like I've come a long way. Some days I am overwhelmed by all of the waste we are still producing, but it's a journey and it takes time, and there is value in striving. Here are a few more disposable and/or plastic things that I'd like to eliminate or reduce

• shaving with throw-away razors–looking for some kind of old school razor.
• toilet paper & tissues (switch to cloth)
• shipping/packaging supplies, especially in my Etsy shop
• plastic toys & baby/toddler food/drink items. This is a tough one–I definitely need to do more research on this front.
• plastic garbage bags–looking for an eco-friendly alternative or a way to go without.

What about you? Have you seen the film? Have you made any changes to reduce your waste and/or plastic? Does this list give you any ideas? What other ideas do you have for me?

Ruthie Pearl "Baby Got Back" Leggings

Lauren from Ruthie Pearl recently sent me her adorable "Baby Got Back" pattern for leggings specially-designed for cloth diapered bums. How cool is that?! I am so used to buying Penny's pants in the next size up to accommodate her fluffy bottom, so it was really fun to make these for her knowing that they would work with her cloth dipes. And fit they do! Oh my goodness, there is plenty of room in the bottom. I made the size 12-18 mos, and if anything, I think Penny will be able to wear these even past 18 mos (she's 16 now). They were very easy to make and didn't take long at all. I will certainly be stitching up a few more pairs for next fall. You can make them out of any knit or even by upcycling a t-shirt or old turtleneck. I actually made a sample pair first out of a grey t-shirt, and I'll be scouting out my local thrift stores looking for cute-patterned items I might be able to upcycle into more baby leggings. Aren't leggings just the best? Especially jeggings. Stop. Just stop. I love how versatile they are, and this pattern allows you lots of variations (capri length, applique, ruching, ruffles...). Here are a few shots of the pair I made for Miss P.

 

You can see in some of the close-ups that I used pink contrast stitching to girlie them up a little. I couldn't help myself. If you love these, go check out the pattern page to see more about this pattern and some other variations. Oh, and if you know me in real life and you have a little girl, don't be surprised if your daughter gets a pair of these for her next birthday!

Super Easy Granola Recipe

For the longest time I was intimidated to attempt making my own granola. And now, I'm not sure why because it is one of the easiest things to make. I promise you can do this no matter what your kitchen competency is. Granola is expensive. I eat it like cereal, so a little bitty bag from Whole Foods wouldn't even last me a week and easily costs $8-10. I would always hope to find good granola at Costco, but everything they sell seems to be drowning in sugar. Here's the recipe I've developed, but granola is extremely forgiving. You can basically throw whatever you want in there and it will turn out.

Ingredients:
4 cups rolled oats
5 cups assorted other ingredients in whatever combination you want. Suggestions include unsweetened coconut, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, chopped walnuts, chopped pecans, slivered almonds, cashews. I usually do 1 cup each of coconut, almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds, plus a half cup each of flax and chia seeds, but seriously put in whatever you like or whatever is in your pantry.
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or whatever kind of oil you like/have)
4 oz honey*
2 tsp cinnamon
sea salt to taste
2 cups dried fruit–whatever you like/have in any combination. Suggestions include raisins, cherries, dates, cranberries, etc. I usually do 1 cup each of raisins and cranberries because I always have those on hand.

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
Mix everything except the dried fruit together in a large bowl. If your honey is sort of solid, you might cut it in chunks. It will all melt in the oven, so don't worry about getting it too well-mixed. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. When you take it out of the oven, try to mix it together on the sheet a bit to ensure that the melted honey is evenly spread through the granola. Allow to cool. Once cool, mix in the dried fruit and store in an airtight container.

Yum! I eat it with unsweetened coconut or almond milk and sometimes throw in some fresh fruit. Penny also loves to eat it with a little splash of almond milk or just dry. It is super filling and a great breakfast or snack.

It makes a great hostess gift or gift for neighbors, teachers, etc. I love to give homemade gifts and/or healthy food as gifts–this combines both! Making your own granola can also help you reduce your eco-footprint. By buying from bulk bins with your own container, you can reduce your packaging consumption.

This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free (unless your oats are contaminated), and can easily be adapted to a paleo diet by leaving out the oats and substituting with more nuts/seeds. It can also be made vegan by using maple syrup or agave in place of honey.

*I recommend purchasing honey from a reputable, local, source. Farmers markets, health food stores, and Whole Foods typically sell local honey. Not only will it help with seasonal allergies, but small-scale honey operations are much more likely to use sustainable and humane practices. I read an article that most "honey" sold in supermarkets and big box stores is not actually honey at all, but just flavored corn syrup. In order to be considered actual honey, it should contain pollen, which is destroyed in the processing that happens in most major brands.

Crafty Family: toddler towels

I'm featuring another crafty family post today. This time from my mother-in-law. She made these adorable hooded towels for Penny and her cousins. I think she used a full-size towel and a coordinating handtowel for each one, and then added her own creative embellishments.

I especially love the bunny (I think because it's pink), but the monkey is so sweet also. Penny loves to sign monkey and say "ee ee!"

The hood of the pink one is fully lined, and the back has this pleat to make it wrap nicely around little bodies.

Nana made a princess one for Penny's older girl cousin, and I'm not sure what animals for the boys. It is hard to find hooded towels for after the baby stage, and these are full-sized towels, which are perfect for toddlers and older kids.

Here are a few tutorials online if you want to try to make some like these. The first one looks the most similar to Penny's.
Designs By Sessa
KdBuggie Boutique
Lu Bird Baby
Fireflies and Jellybeans (poncho style)

How to prepare for TTCing

This post is for women who want kids "some day", maybe not now. Maybe you're engaged or newly married. Maybe you are totally single but know that you want kids some time in the future. Or maybe you aren't even sure whether you want kids, but it doesn't hurt to be informed. This is my list (in order of priority) of what to do way before you want kids in order to make the whole process healthier, less stressful and easier to cope with. Please share with women you know who may fit this bill. I sure wish I had had this list when I got married.

1. Plan for a full calendar year of trying to conceive (TTCing). If you have a wedding or vacation that you definitely do not want to be pregnant for, start your year after that point. On the other end, if you really want to be pregnant by the time you are 30 or whatever age, count backwards from that point. If you have events on both ends that conflict and don't give you a whole calendar year in between, decide in advance which to prioritize. Yes, maybe you will get pregnant right away, but even with nothing wrong, the average is 5 months, so thinking in terms of a whole year of TTCing may serve to ease some of the stress that can come along with this. I know, we're all taught in middle school health class that it's super easy to get pregnant, but it just depends.

2. Get off of hormonal birth control (the pill, the shot, the ring, etc.). Now that you have your full year of TTCing, count at least another year backwards and get your body off of artificial hormones by that point. Many, many women have difficulty with regulation of cycles after using hormonal birth control. Some women bounce right back and ovulate right away, but more and more women (myself included) seem to be having cycle irregularities, even if they were regular before going on the pill. This is completely under-emphasized in my opinion in the OB offices, and it seems as though the docs don't really have an answer as to why. You'd think if they're going to prescribe this medication, they would be able to explain this, but here we are. And there is lot that is unknown about how these hormones affect our bodies. There are plenty of other options for birth control. If your guy isn't willing to use a barrier method, you may need to think about whether this is someone you really want to have children with. In parenthood, there are times that you need to do things that aren't always your first choice. If he won't wear a condom, is he going to help change diapers and get up with the baby at night? Is he going to compromise on who goes back to work and who stays home, or who gives up their dream to take the job with health insurance? Just something to think about. Sometimes sacrifices need to be made for the good of the other person or the good of the couple/family. This can potentially save you months or years of tough times. It is hard to understand how difficult it can be until you go through it, so take my word for it, or go read through some of these blogs. And remember, if you really want to prevent pregnancy, you need two forms of BC. The sympto-thermal method is a fantastic choice for this pre-TTCing stage of life because it will get you more involved in what's happening in your body and help you to identify ahead of time whether you might anticipate any problems. See Taking Charge of Your Fertility for more info on that. In order to have two forms of BC with the sympto-thermal method as one, you can use abstinence during your fertile times and a barrier method during your non-fertile times. There you have it–two methods, no hormones. Spermicide might be another option, but I have no experience with this, so find your info on that elsewhere.  I will also tell you that if you want to get some kind of indication as to how your body will do when stopping the pill, you might take a month or two off from your hormonal BC and see how quickly your cycles come back. If they come back right away, that probably indicates that you're someone whose body will do okay ovulating after the pill. If it takes awhile to get your period, that's probably a red flag for you. Again, make sure to use other methods to prevent pregnancy during this time.

3. Nutrition: start to explore a whole foods diet by cutting out processed foods, packaged foods, and foods with crazy, unpronounceable ingredients. I believe that it is especially important to choose grass-fed (pastured), hormone-free, antibiotic-free meat, eggs, and dairy. Organic produce is great too, but if you have to prioritize, choose the animal foods. Most areas of the US have access to sustainable family farms who have it as part of their mission to raise animals in such a way that is best for the earth, the animals, and your health. Many of them will deliver to homes or dropoff sites in various neighborhoods/towns. Your local farmer's market is a great place to start your search. Of course, colorful fruits and vegetables are essential as well. If you think about it, cells are constantly dying and being born in your body. They are made from the foods and drinks we ingest and the air we breathe. Healthy nourishment will make healthy cells, which make up a healthy body, which will be more likely to get pregnant. Starting now will also help you to have a healthier pregnancy and will set the stage for a family of healthy eaters once you have kids.

4. Reduce your chemical load. In today's world of plastic-overload and consumerism, we are positively being poisoned by innumerable sources of toxicity. From our shampoo to our room fresheners, to our laundry detergent, to our cosmetics, deodorant, toothpaste, plastic packaging, BPA in canned goods, and the list goes on and on and on. I'm not saying you need to cut off all contact with civilization and go off the grid, but I do think it's important to at least take stock of what is in your house and immediate environment and start to at least become cognizant of just how many chemicals we are all exposed to on a daily basis. There are some serious flaws in the way our government handles this issue. For one, in the US, chemicals are "innocent until proven guilty" so to speak. In order for a chemical to be banned, it must be proven harmful. Whereas in most other countries, chemicals are only allowed in products once they are proven safe. Additionally, the toxic load allowed for products is based on single products only. So your moisturizer may be under the harmful threshold, but when you use toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, foundation, lip gloss, sunscreen, and hand sanitizer (as many of us do), you could easily be 10 times beyond the safe limit for carcinogens and harmful chemicals. The load is exponentially heavier on fetuses and infants (ADHD? Autism?), and some of these chemicals can impact your ability to conceive. It's just something to think about while you have plenty of time before becoming pregnant. As you run out of certain products, you might look at it as an opportunity to search for a homemade version or a more natural/organic version. The documentary "Bag It" is a fantastic resource on this subject. It's on Netflix or Amazon. There's also something about becoming pregnant that makes the "mama bear" gene kick in. It made me just want to protect my baby with my whole being, which included protecting the womb from harmful chemicals. If you have a year or so to make the transition, it might save you from frantically running through your house throwing things away. I'm just sayin'...

5. Medications. If you're taking any medications, consider how they might impact pregnancy. It is my belief that many health problems can be cured or managed with dietary/lifestyle changes, but it takes time and commitment. Time is on your side now, so it's something to think about. For example, allergy medication seems to be used quite frequently these days. Raw, local honey can help fight seasonal allergies, as can avoiding cow's milk.

6. Chiropractic care. I never really heard about chiropractic care before moving to Omaha. It seems to be more popular in certain regions, but I've been blown away by how fabulous it is. Of course, you want someone reputable and experienced, but they can really help to give you a healthy nervous system, which impacts overall health and every system in the whole body. I feel awesome since starting chiropractic care and acupuncture, which is also done by my chiropractor, and it is all covered by insurance.

I guess that's about all I can think of for now. Do you readers have more suggestions?

Penelope: Sixteen Month Edition

I haven't given a Penny update in awhile, and since she turned 16 months today, I'm going to gush about my little girl. You've been warned.

Penny continues to be a curious and active child. She pushes boundaries, but she isn't hyper and is able to entertain herself very well. She loves to explore outside and play with other kids, and she really loves when she commands the attention of a whole room. She loves music and dancing. She sometimes gets both feet off the ground when she jumps, and she has pretty much mastered going up and down the stairs on her own.

The biggest change that we've seen over the last couple months has been in developing language. I am blown away by her language skills every day. She has well over 100 words at this point–probably closer to 200, as she uses new words every day and is speaking in 1-3 word utterances. She asks for a variety of foods and activities, she knows the names and sounds of countless animals, she has lots of social words, body part words, and she loves to point out objects she knows. Some of my favorite animals she's learned lately include "bussabye" (butterfly) and "bugabug" (lady bug). So cute! She is very adventurous with language–attempting to repeat new words even if she can't get them exactly right. She also has excellent articulation and can even say some more advanced sounds like "sh" and "ch".

Our schedule is pretty much the same as it was the last time I talked about it. We have a morning activity every day around 9:30 or 10, then home for lunch, an afternoon nap of 2-3 hours and then sometimes a quick trip to the park before dinner or she plays with our babysitter while I work in the sewing room or run errands. Two mornings/week, Penny goes to "nursery school" while I have yoga or book club. She loves going to the nursery and doesn't want to leave when I pick her up!

Penny is going to bed slightly later than she used to (maybe 8/8:30ish), but she is sleeping through the night (Alleluia!) and wakes up around 6:30 or 7. Around 12 months, she was down to just 1 wakeup most nights around 4 or 5am, and then we'd bring her to bed with us to get another couple of hours. At 15 months, we took the rail off the side of her crib and put another mattress down on the floor next to hers so that one of us could lay with her to fall asleep. Once we did that, she thought it was just the coolest thing that she could get in and out of bed on her own, and then she promptly dropped that early am wakeup. Who knows what sleep holds for us in the future, but for now it is awesome.

Penny recently cut her first molar, and the second is on its way in. Molars suck. They took a month to come through and were especially horrible the last week or so. I can't believe we have so many to go, and I can't believe how swollen her gums got. Poor kiddo. But we toughed it out with lots of homemade popsicles, chamomile, and homeopathic tables and a little ibuprofen here and there.

Penny loves to chase bubbles, feed her baby and stuffed animals, stack/build, and read books. She doesn't watch tv–we are following AAP recommendations of no tv under age 2. Even then, I think the rec is only 30 minutes/day, and it seems that most kids Penny's age watch more than that even now, but I doubt she'll even watch that much at 2. If she's entertained by her toys, I don't see what the rush is to introduce tv. Instead, we usually have music playing in the house, and she even sings along to some songs.

Penny nurses about 3 times/day on average (maybe more if she's sick or her teeth hurt) for about 10 minutes/session. I am thinking of weaning soon, but she really loves nursing, so I have some guilt about it. I think if left up to her, she would nurse for years, but I know I won't be able to tandem nurse based on my supply issues the first time around, so I need to think about it. But for now it's still working for us. She also drinks almond or coconut milk and eats lots of healthy foods: whole grains, fruits and veggies, cheese, eggs, and mostly whatever we offer. Still no sugar or sweets unless they are fruit-sweetened, but even then not too often. I figure, if she's not asking for it, why give it to her? And anyway, she thinks fresh fruit is about the best thing she could eat, so we go with it.

Overall, I love this age. I love that Penny is learning to communicate more and more and is able to enjoy and participate in more activities. I feel so blessed to be home with her and able to provide her a loving, safe, and stable home.

New Baby Gifts

There are just so many new babies in my life. Is it just me, or is it giving anyone else baby fever? But what a fun excuse to do some cute baby sewing. Is there anything better than cute baby sewing? Baby William lives in Philadelphia and comes from a long line of Phillies fans, so he got this cute lil baby gown upcycled from an old shirt of mine and one that I hijacked from Josh's goodwill pile. I used this tutorial, but I added a couple inches here and there because baby William was almost 10 pounds at birth! Unfortunately, we missed meeting baby William by one day when we visited Philadelphia in April, but we hope to meet him soon.

Who doesn't love little newborn baby mittens? So sweet. It was a little tricky to figure out these mittens, but otherwise, the tutorial was pretty easy.

Baby Eliza gets this sweet little cuddle minkie toy. I used the tutorial from Mama and Baby Love, but I didn't put any crinkle on the inside.

It's cotton on one side and super soft minkie on the other with different textured ribbons and rick rack to keep baby entertained. This is a really easy project. If you're intimidated by sewing, try this. Seriously, so simple. And it's a great way to use up ribbon bits and fabric scraps. I always scour the remnant bins at fabric stores (50% off, yes please!), and I almost always find something. Both of these fabrics were remnants. If I ever see minkie, I snatch it right up. There are many cute baby projects for minkie, and it always seems that there are endless new babies to sew for.

What are your favorite things to sew for new babies? Or, if you don't sew, what are your favorite new baby gifts?