This video has over 8 million views on YouTube, so I’m sure you’ve already seen it. But if not, take a look – it brought tears to my eyes both times I watched it. Plus, the girl in the red dress and cowboy boots reminds me of my little sister who is a fabulous dancer. Enjoy!
My honey and I discovered these Honest Trailers on Youtube this week and couldn’t stop laughing.
FAIR WARNING: This video is a bit racy and contains a bleeped out f-bomb and another cuss word. Parental discretion advised.
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The Happy Birthday Simply Fulfilled Giveaway Winner is:
Lauren V.
Congratulations! Watch for an email from me to get details on your customization.
Before I was a mother, few things scared me more than having to change a #2 diaper. My gross-out threshold has gone way up since having children, even more so since I started cloth diapering. More on that later.
Probably the most important thing about using cloth diapers is being able to get them clean. REALLY clean. If you don’t, your baby can end up with rashes or infections or just general smelliness.
When I first started with cloth, I thought that any old “free & clear” detergent would be fine — like Dreft, because that’s what we use for newborn babies’ clothes, right? WRONG!
I washed my first set of pocket diapers in Greenworks free & clear detergent from Wal-Mart, and my daughter proceeded to get horrendous rashes after only a few hours. So I researched. And researched. And researched. (This is something I’m good at… or I just waste a lot of time reading the same stuff over and over. Whatever.)
I came across Rockin’ Green detergent at the suggestion of a friend (Thanks Amber!). First I had to strip all the old detergent buildup out of the diapers by washing them on hot several times with some dawn dish soap. After “rockin’ a soak” or two, diaper rash was no longer an issue for my little gal. Phew!
That was my experience, but what are the “rules” for washing cloth diapers? There are more than you think.
As you can tell from my story above, it is extremely important to choose the right detergent for your cloth diapers. You can avoid diaper rashes and help your diapers last as long as possible.
So far, I’ve only tried two different cloth diaper detergents (besides the horrible Wal-Mart one):
Rockin’ Green – This is a dry detergent (most liquid detergents aren’t good for cloth diapers) that is made from only biodegradable ingredients and are scented naturally. They have several different types to choose from depending on where you live and what type of water you have–Hard Rock for hard water, Soft Rock for soft water, and Classic Rock for in-between water. They also have a product called Funk Rock that is supposed to battle ammonia smells (which happen sometimes after you’ve used your diapers for awhile – it’s a result storing urine soaked diapers in too tight of a container for too long… or at least that’s what happened to me!).
Other cloth diaper detergents that friend have recommended include:
The other good news is that you can use your cloth diaper detergent on regular clothes as well. They are especially great for getting super soft newborn clothes super clean with a natural detergent that won’t irritate that teeny baby velvety skin.
Now that you have your cloth diapers and your detergent, the first step is prepping (pre-washing)–which may consist of one hot wash or boiling your cotton diapers. Click here for more info on prepping.
I have a top load washing machine, which is much easier to get diapers clean than a front loader. If you already have a front loader, you can still use and wash cloth diapers in your own machine, but you may have to follow a slightly different routine. If you are thinking of purchasing a new washing machine and want to cloth diaper, a top loader is the way to go. My high efficiency top loader is still able to soak diapers when needed and use the Super size even with only a few items, but a low H2O washer may have trouble with this. But don’t take my word for it, do your research and figure out what’s best for you!
Here is my regular wash routine:
From time to time (like once every two months), I “strip” my diapers, meaning scrubbing clean diapers with a drop or two of dawn dish soap and washing and rinsing on the hottest setting possible over and over and over until there are no more bubbles.
An alternative to stripping is doing an overnight soak with Rockin’ Green. See the instructions here.
See? It’s not so bad! You can do it!
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Stay tuned for more posts on cloth diapers. There is so much to know, and any cloth diapering mom loves talking about it! If you have any questions that you’d like to see answered in future posts, please contact me.
For more information on which diaper is right for you, see Let’s Talk about Cloth, Baby: Getting Started
For information on prepping your new cloth diapers, see Let’s Talk about Cloth, Baby: Prepping
No matter what type of diapers you chose, it’s a good idea to pre-wash them because you want only the cleanest fabric possible next to your baby’s sensitive areas.
Depending on which type of diapers you purchase, you may need to “prep” (pre-wash or boil) your diapers to achieve maximum absorbancy.
Synthetic fibers–such as microfiber inserts–just need one hot wash with a cloth-friendly detergent, and you’re good to go!
Natural fibers–such as cotton flats or prefolds–will need to be washed at least 3-5 times on the hottest setting possible.
An alternative to all those wash cycles is to boil them, like this:
This method also works for stripping diapers after they’ve been used for awhile and are retaining smells.
Pocket diapers, All-in-One diapers, and diaper covers–follow the manufacturers instructions, usually just one hot wash.
For more information on which diaper is right for you, see Let’s Talk about Cloth, Baby: Getting Started
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Some days I just need a smack in the face. That’s what Mother Teresa’s Humility List is. I found this over the weekend and cried because I know I am not as humble as God wants me to be. I believe that He puts things like this in my life (even on a blog!) to remind me of what’s important. To shake me awake from my routines, to dump a cold bucket of water over me spiritually. Maybe Mother Teresa’s words can be your wake up call this morning too.
I’ve blogged a little bit about humility before, but I’m no expert and have a lot of work to do on myself.
I found this list via Pinterest on Truth & Charity - The post “The Humble Pie Challenge” is based on Mother Teresa’s words. Head on over there for some amazing reflections on this list and how each part applies to the married vocation. Mother Teresa was incredibly humble and loving, and her entire life is an awesome role model for all Christians today.
Mother Teresa’s Humility List
1. Speak as little as possible about yourself.
2. Keep busy with your own affairs and not those of others.
3. Avoid curiosity.
4. Do not interfere in the affairs of others.
5. Accept small irritations with good humor.
6. Do not dwell on the faults of others.
7. Accept censures even if unmerited.
8. Give in to the will of others.
9. Accept insults and injuries.
10. Accept contempt, being forgotten and disregarded.
11. Be courteous and delicate even when provoked by someone.
12. Do not seek to be admired and loved.
13. Do not protect yourself behind your own dignity.
14. Give in, in discussions, even when you are right.
15. Choose always the more difficult task.
I wish all of you peace on this Monday morning, and Happy Birthday to my little Peach!
Last Wednesday, my big boy had his last day of preschool. It’s so hard to believe that in three short months, he’ll be riding the bus to kindergarten every day. A year ago I couldn’t imagine how he’d survive in Kindergarten without me, but now that he’s got another year of preschool under his belt, I’m confident that he’s going to be just fine.
His preschool had a “Fun Fest” on the last day where several parents volunteered to help with the different stations – I did spin art and it. was. awesome! The kids got to throw water balloons at a brick wall and play with giant bubble wands outside. Overall, the day was a complete success.
TT and I also presented both his teachers with gifts (designed by me!) that were a big hit. I designed these, printed them out on my photo printer, matted and framed them. It turned out to be a cute and memorable gift for some wonderful preschool teachers. The gray type at the bottom says “Thank you for helping me grow. Love, [TT]. [School Name] 2012″
Don't mind the whirly-birds on the bottom, I wanted to get good outside lighting so they are leaning up against the garage!
I also was able to add a little more color and de-clutter my kitchen a bit this week. As you can see from the “before” picture, my refrigerator was getting a little crazy with Christmas cards and art projects, and the table next to it needed some cleaning and a little pizzazz.
I found the cute table runner at K-Mart, and it’s the exact color I’ve been trying to bring in to my kitchen. I have a tea kettle and kitchen towels that are this springy green color.
We have several peony plants in our yard, so all I had to do was grab a vase and start cutting! I think the pink of the flowers looks great with the green.
See how great that fridge looks! I finally got it cleared off… for now!
Have a great weekend everyone, and don’t forget to enter our
So I’ve been meaning to post this for a long time, but am just getting around to it now. Because that’s how I roll.
Anyway, this Friday’s post is TOTALLY B.A. because in March we paid of my last student loan. I cannot tell you how good it felt to get this letter in the mail (sensitive stuff blurred out obviously):
Tyler and I completed Financial Peace University (FPU), a personal finance class designed by Dave Ramsey and put on by volunteers, two years ago. In the class we learned Dave’s “baby steps” for being at peace with your finances, and our list goes like this:
I think the giving part is the one I’m most excited about – how amazing will it be to donate to worthwhile causes and really be able to make a difference in people’s lives?
Let’s talk about the “debt snowball” we used to pay off our debt. Using this method, I feel like anyone could become debt free with enough hard work and discipline.
First, list your debts from smallest amount to largest amount (don’t worry about interest rates for now!). Then put all extra cash toward paying off the smallest debt while only making minimum payments on the rest. When you are done paying off the first smallest loan, apply what you were paying toward that to the next loan on that list in addition to the minimum payment you were already making.
See how the first payment “rolled over” onto the next loan? Then when you pay off the second loan, apply everything you were paying to that loan (the first loan’s payment, second loan’s payment, plus any extra cash) to the third loan on the list in addition to that minimum payment. And keep going and going till it’s all paid off.
So Tyler and I are on the third item in our list – save up 3-6 months of expenses. We are actually going for the high end of this because we’ve got kids are living on only one regular income. We WILL have 6 months worth of expenses saved up in a little less than a year.
Besides just the whole “how to take control of your finances” aspect, Tyler and I really learned to communicate about money instead of just sweeping things under the rug. We have a budget that we talk about and work on together (most of the time!).
We learned that we really need a PLAN if we are going to accomplish our financial goals (purchase or build a larger home to accommodate our growing family, retire someday, send all of our kids to college with no debt, and give generously). As Dave Ramsey says,
“A goal without a plan is just a dream.”
Another big thing we learned is that it’s okay to have money, use money, and be a good steward of everything God gives us. In the Bible, the love of money is the sin that’s most mentioned, not just having it, but loving it. Do I let my mind think only of money, do I love money? No! But we are working hard to get in a better financial position and be good stewards of our money.
Living simply is a big part of our lives out of necessity right now. We must budget every dollar or we won’t accomplish our long-term goals. A big part of this is being able to differentiate between needs and wants. I’ve talked a little bit about this before, but it’s always a topic of controversy.
For example, I’ve heard people say, “Well, I need to be happy, and buying that (whatever) will make me happy, so I need it.”
Wrong! Buying that “thing” might make you happy for two seconds, but then you realize you’ve blown your budget, you’ll be depressed.
Okay, that’s my whole spiel on finances for today.
Because who doesn’t want free stuff? Six days left to enter! Have a great weekend everyone!
*Please note that I’m no financial expert, just a girl who is trying to be smart with her money. Obviously, no one should make make big financial decisions based on a random blog post.
It was one year ago today that I started this blog over for the third time and regularly started posting, so I’m countin’ TODAY as Simply Fulfilled’s birthday.
To celebrate, I’m having a giveaway!
You can win a digital file designed by me* that you can print out for personal use only. You may choose ONE from three different options (see below):
To enter, please comment on this page with something like, “I want to win!” or “Happy Birthday Simply Fulfilled!”
For another entry, “Like” our Facebook page, share it with your friends, AND comment on the link to this post.
For a third entry, follow me on Twitter AND tweet something to me so I know you want to win.
Maximum number of entries per person: 3. If I receive more than 100 entries total, two winners will be chosen! The winner or winners will be chosen by random.org.
You must enter by 11:59 P.M. on Thursday, May 24 and the winner will be revealed Friday, May 25 at noon. Enter today!
Here are some examples of what you can win!
Baby Girl Art - 8"x10" Designed to be printed, framed and hung in baby's room
Baby Boy Art - 8"x10" Designed to be printed, framed, and hung in baby's room
Teacher gift - 8"x10" Designed to be printed and framed
Invitations - 8.5"x5.5" Half sheet size, designed to be printed on 8.5"x11" cardstock and cut in half. Will be delivered in easy printable format.
All of these designs can be personalized for you – colors, names, etc. The graduation invitation can be converted to birthday, baby or wedding shower, or whatever you need! Comment for your chance to win!
*These are all my original designs, © 2012 Bryn Peters Design. I watermarked them for a reason. Please don’t steal them. Thank you! 
In the past few months, I have had several friends ask about cloth diapering. I have been cloth diapering off and on for about the last two years, so I’m no expert, but with all the crazy cloth diapering websites out there, it may be helpful to at least one of my 24 pregnant friends (yes! 24!) to read about cloth diapering in plain old English.
The first question to ask when thinking about cloth is:
This is different for everyone. Cloth diapering has come a long, LONG way since our mothers cloth diapered us with diaper pins and rubber pants. Today, the options are adorable, easy, and so soft! Today I’ll talk about four main types of cloth.*
BumGenius Elemental AIO diaper. Photo credit: http://www.clothandcarry.com
This is exactly what you think. It actually looks like a regular disposable except made of an outer layer of soft waterproof material (PUL), several inner layers of absorbent microfiber, and a layer of super soft microfleece or suedecloth (which is a polyester fabric that feels like a very fine fleece) – this inner layer is designed to keep baby’s skin dry. Instead of a sticky tab like disposables have to fasten, these use either snaps or hook & loop (like Velcro, but softer). Newer versions of AIOs are a bit easier to clean with absorbent layers that flip out but are still attached (like BumGenius Elemental, shown at right).
Pros:
Cons:
V's first day in cloth at two months old. This is a one-size pocket diaper snapped to the smallest setting.
Pocket diapers look like AIOs at first glance, but they are actually just the outer waterproof layer and the stay-dry inner (microfleece, suedecloth, or velour) with a pocket for stuffing absorbent material. These also use hook & loop or snaps as fasteners.
Pros:
Cons:
Many pocket diapers and AIOs are “one-size” meaning they are advertised to fit your baby from birth until potty training. I find that they don’t quite fit right at birth for my babies when they have those skinny chicken legs. They started fitting well at about two months through potty training.
Kissaluvs brand fitted diaper with snaps. Photo credit: http://www.jilliansdrawers.com/
Fitted diapers are diapers that are shaped the same as disposables, except they are only the absorbent material and need a waterproof cover (see below). Many people use fitteds full time or just for overnights because they are very very absorbent.
Pros:
Cons:
Unbleached indian prefold diapers. Photo credit: http://www.bumritediapers.com
Prefold, flat, and contour diapers all look different from one another, but they all work in mostly the same way.
Prefold diapers are usually either Indian or Chinese cotton (read about the difference between these two here). This type of diaper is also sold as a “burp cloth” and is a rectangle with more layers in the center third and fewer layers on the outer thirds. Prefold diapers must be used with a waterproof cover (see below) and can be trifolded and laid in a tight cover or pinned or “snappied” on. So what is a Snappi? See below for more information.
Flat diapers are large squares of Indian or Chinese cotton that can be folded in several different ways to achieve optimal absorbancy where your baby needs it. Because they are only one layer of cotton, they dry quickly.
Contour diapers are shaped like a disposable except they don’t have elastic or snaps or hook & loop and are also not as fluffy as fitteds. They can be laid in a tight waterproof cover or pinned or snappied on with a waterproof cover over top.
Pros:
Cons:
Thirsties Duo Wrap PUL diaper cover. Photo credit: http://www.clothandcarry.com
Waterproof diaper covers are necessary when using fitteds, prefolds, flats, or contour diapers. There are several very reliable brands such as Bummis, Flip, and Woolybottoms. They come in all sorts of super cute fabrics and patterns, so you can use the diaper as part of your child’s outfit. You can also reuse them throughout the day as long as they don’t get too soiled by changing the inner absorbent diaper.
Diaper covers must be waterproof, and there are several options in materials for waterproof covers. A very common material for covers is polyurethane laminated fabric (PUL) which is a soft fabric with a laminated waterproof backing. The only drawback to this type of fabric is that after years of use (maybe through one or more children) they can “delaminate” — when the waterproof backing starts to deteriorate and the diaper cover is no longer waterproof. You can prevent delamination by line drying pocket and plain diaper covers and only drying them in the dryer occasionally (sometimes the dryer can melt the polyurethane back together a little bit too).
Another material for diaper covers is wool. I know you are thinking of the scratchy wool sweater you had when you were a kid, but these soft wool covers are amazingly breathable and perfect for summer months in the heat. Many wool covers are made to put in the washing machine, but they don’t need to be washed unless they get really dirty. Read more about wool here.
Fleece is also a good option for summer months because it’s breathable. Both wool and fleece tend to be MORE waterproof than PUL because PUL just keeps the moisture in while wool and fleece absorb moisture too. I only have a few diapers with fleece, but they are overnight diapers when PUL won’t cut it.
Diaper covers can be the pull-on style (pull on like underwear) or wrap style (like disposables) that use snaps or hook & loop (aka Velcro) to fasten.
Snappi on a contour diaper - Photo credit: http://www.snappibaby.com
The Snappi is THE modern day alternative to diaper pins. It’s a flexible plastic fastener with three arms that have little teeth on the end to grip the diaper. They won’t poke baby’s skin and are very easy to use. See the picture at right. Read more about the Snappi here.
The wet bag is a must have for cloth diapering moms. If you are cloth diapering on the go, you will want a wet bag for your diaper bag so the soiled diaper doesn’t get everything wet and stink up your bag.
I also use a large wet bag at home. It contains the smells and is a great place to keep wet diapers between washes.
This is not a necessity, but I’m sure it’d be nice to have, especially as your baby gets older. This is a sprayer that attaches to your toilet and sprays a strong stream of water to get excess poo off your cloth diaper so you don’t have to swish it in the toilet. We don’t actually have one of these, but like I said, it’d be nice!
If you are in my local area (or even if you’re not!), check out Cloth and Carry. Shipping is free to the local area and Sara, the owner, is amazingly helpful when getting started on cloth diapering. She also offers any accessories you’d need as well as baby carriers. It’s always a great experience at Cloth and Carry.**
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I hope this was a good introduction to cloth diapering. It all seemed overwhelming to me at first. Once I got started, it was not as bad as it sounds. I’ll be discussing laundry routines, where to shop for cloth diapers, expenses, terms used in cloth diapering, and other frequently asked questions about cloth diapers in future posts over the next couple weeks. Stay tuned.
Moms who already cloth diaper their children: what info am I forgetting? What else should I be sure to include in future posts?
Moms thinking about cloth diapering: what questions do you have?
*Please note: The pros and cons are all my own personal opinion or experiences. A lot of people purchase several different types of diapers and see what works best for their baby.
**I have no affiliation with Cloth and Carry, I just love this online store! Thanks for the photos too!
