Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Low Waste Baby- What did I actually buy and need?

If you read my blog before, you might remember my plans before baby to have a "minimalist" approach this time around with my second child.
Now that he has been here for six weeks, I decided to take inventory of what I bought new, second hand, and got for free and what I actually use.

What I Bought New:

1.)  Baby Bath Sponge - $7.19

I got this to go in the kitchen sink when I wash him. The little tubs in my opinion are not needed. I could have skipped this and used a towel, but it does make bathing in the kitchen sink a bit easier, and was not expensive.

2.) Cloth Diapers/Wipes/Diaper Sprayer - $275.00

I bought half of my cloth diapers used, the other half new. Once again, I probably could have bought them all used, but this kit came with an attachment for the toilet to spray them off, plus cloth wipes. Fancy stuff I *could* have done without. ( And my loving husband has yet to attach the sprayer, go figure.)

3.) Wet Bags $20.00

A Large one and a small one- I use these in lieu of a diaper pail to hold dirty diapers. The whole thing goes in the washing machine. These are awesome! I also carry one in the diaper bag.

4.) Sheet for co-sleeper- $16.00

5.) Nursing Pads - $20.00

6.) Stroller - $179.99

I had not planned on getting a stroller, but it is compatible with his car seat and makes walking to the bus stop everyday with older son easier.

7.) Nursing Pillow - $12.00

Impulse purchase. I do use it but I think regular pillows are fine.

Total for New Items : $530.18

What I got Second Hand:

8.) Car seat- My sister had a baby last year, and he out grew his infant car seat and she passed it on to me, along with a winter car seat cover. - Free

9.) Bouncy Chair- Leftover from first kid- Free

10.) Bottles- a friend of mine gave me a box of glass Dr. Brown's bottles she was done with. - Free

11.) Clothes- all hand me downs. - Free

12.) Baby K'tan  Carrier- bought on Ebay- $30.00
I use this a lot!

13.) Cloth Diapers- I purchased some second hand cloth diapers on ebay, a lot cheaper than new. - $80.00

Total Second Hand: $110.00

Gifts:

I received a lot of baby gifts. While I did not really need anything, people really like to buy baby stuff.

14.) Blankets- I already have a ton of blankets and received more as gifts.

15.) Co-Sleeper- my parents bought this as a baby gift, I asked for it. I am torn on this, so far the baby is 6 weeks old and has yet to actually sleep in it- he sleeps with me in the bed. But, it does give me peace of mind that if he were to somehow roll over out of the bed, he would roll into the co sleeper. Although, I do not think one needs to spend $200.00 on a co sleeper when a bed rail would probably suffice. I know not everyone is into co-sleeping, but I sleep better knowing he is near me, and it is quite convenient for nursing. Our first son slept with us until he was about 5. Given a choice, he would prefer us all to have a giant family bed :)

16.) Pacifiers/Soap/Toiletries- a lot of people gave me these things.

Total Gifts: $0.00

Grand Total: $640.18 <-- Not too bad, and a lot of that stuff I really did not even need.

So, you really don't need to buy much stuff for a baby, and if you have friends and family, you will receive a lot of gifts. Especially clothes. And blankets.

What were essential purchases in my humble opinion? Well, cloth diapers and wet bags. The baby bath sponge. The Baby K'tan carrier. Oh, and nursing pads if you are breastfeeding!!


                                              "I love my Fuzzibunz!"

Katie

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

New Years Plans and a New Direction

It's that time again- the New Year is coming up and most people around this time start to take stock and decide what they want to change in their life.

I usually set some goals, but in the past have failed because I tried to do too much at once, got discouraged, and reverted back to my former ways (which happens often to me as I suspect it does to other people). Having a new baby has forced me to slow down a bit. (For me, adjusting to having 2 kids from 7 years with 1 has been very difficult).

So, I am only going to attempt a few things, and I am giving myself the whole year.

The first is to read the Bible in a year. I am Christian and love religious stuff (all religions, really. I would be a religion scholar if money were not a thang). Religion tends to make people feel uncomfortable (see here :)

The biggest one is that I have decided I am going to do the "compact".

If you do not know what the compact is, it is a group that buys nothing new (except food, toiletries, etc.) I have been interested in this for a while, but have yet to "take the leap". I will add that only I am doing it, I will not force my husband or children too (although I would like them too!). We already buy most of our stuff used anyway, but I really wanted to kick it up a notch.

 The perfect motivation is that I am on unpaid leave from my job for 10 months to take care of my babe. So even though I wasn't exactly raking in the dough before, our income has been cut and I need to find ways to make ends meet. Buying nothing new will definitely cut down on spending, especially impulse purchases (which even I succumb to, even if it is to things like nursing pillows.)

My husband is self employed- he is a musician and music teacher, so income is already sparse and unpredictable. I would not have it any other way. My husband does something he loves and is passionate about (there is no way I could stop him from creating music), he is also a very active father and husband. My kids get to have their life full of music and quality time with us. What is better than that?

My dream has always been to be a stay at home mom, I love the art of homemaking, I just did not think we would ever be able to afford for me to do so - and we might not. I do enjoy my job in the early childhood education field as well.

So, along with the compact I am going to keep a monthly tally of our expenses to see how little we can live on and still lead a happy life. I think it will be an interesting experiment. I love the challenge of spending as little as possible. How low can we go? :)

I am taking inspiration from many other bloggers, such as:

The Non-Consumer Advocate
Early Retirement Extreme
Living Simply Free
http://moneysavingmom.com/

I will be keeping a weekly tally of my purchases/expenses starting in January with a monthly wrap up.

Hope to see you and hear your thoughts along my journey!

Katie


Wednesday, December 4, 2013

A Simple Holiday


The winter holiday season is upon us, and while I am Christian and celebrate Christmas, I am open to all holidays. The area we live in is primarily Christian and Jewish, although I think we have a larger Jewish population that most of the United States, as I grew up thinking everyone was either Christan or Jewish, and the determining factor was whether or not you hung Christmas lights or had a menorah (yes, I was a bright kid.)

Everyone seems to be talking about "simplifying" the holidays, and really I have found it isn't hard, even if you have kids. This year I have been forced to simplify, because of having a newborn.


To get into the advent season and foster the spirit of giving, we are reading a daily book called Charlie and Noel with our older son. We also talk about how the true spirit of Christmas is giving, and we will be doing a gift drive through my son's school.

I personally am reading "Let's Go Straight to Bethlehem" . I have needed a lot of prayer as of late.

What do gifts look like for us? Well, the good news is my 7 year old son has never gotten very many presents, as we started off as broke college students (and now we are just broke 30 somethings :) So his standards are not terribly high. We have a second hand toy store nearby, so that is the first stop for gifts like Lego's. I do think it is good to have at least one item on his "wish list" for him to receive from Santa - (fact, before I had kids I thought Santa was dumb and I wasn't planning on doing the "Santa" thing, but oh how kids change us). My general response is "make a list, but remember Santa cannot get you everything on your list." I also reiterate that 3 gifts were what Jesus received, so 3 gifts is what you will receive (although we do tend to buy more than 3.) We do a toy (this year is is a video game), a book (this year we are giving God's Dream by Desmond Tutu and Whoever you Are by Mem Fox, a game ( this year I am thinking Apples to Apples Junior, and Super Mario pajamas.
My husband and I don't exchange gifts. We do get something we both want, usually a game or something for the house. ( I actually asked for a new dust pan and a pair of slippers. I live the high life :)

I will do absolutely 0 shopping outside the home- my husband will hit the thrift stores and the rest will be ordered online.

Oh yes, and we have an artificial tree. Another concession I have made in my adult life, I was a die hard real tree enthusiast, my husband grew up with artificial. 



What holidays do you celebrate? How do you celebrate them?

Katie


Friday, November 29, 2013

Do What You Can at Any Given Moment

A ways back I was really into yoga, and that was one of the mantras I learned from one of my instructors. I still like yoga, although my aspiration of being a yoga instructor have taken a backseat to these things called my kids (ha ha). It is hard to find your "zen" when your family room is full of trains/Lego's/diapers/etc. Stepping on Lego's during your practice? Not so relaxing.

But that's not the point, the point is that "do what you can at any given moment" has stuck with me. And although I am in a survival mode right now ( I have not had more than 2 hour blocks of sleep in over 2 weeks! I might be certifiable) and am making concessions on many things, I still try to do what I can at any given moment.

It is slightly ironic I just had a post on homemade cleaners, and right now my bathroom is decked out with anything but. I have outsourced that job to The Honest Company, a natural company that delivers right to your door. Ahem, exactly what I need.

But one thing I am still doing (because I do what I can at any given moment) is making my own laundry detergent, even if it is just to send it with my husband/mother to actually do the laundry with (outsourcing, my friends). Making laundry detergent is just something I find really easy to do. That, and forgoing paper products- (except for cleaning the toilet ( and toilet paper). I do that with recycled toilet paper. What does everyone else clean  their toilet with?) Oh yeah, and I haven't started cloth diapering yet- but after going through 7 diapers in one night, I am holding off for now.

What's in my laundry detergent you might ask? Well it's simple. Borax, washing soda, and grated soap. That's it. I don't even really measure it any more, I just dump it in a container. But, if you want a more solid recipe, I started out with this one. And, for when I am feeling especially lazy, I just order soap flakes and then I don't even have to grate the soap. I just use about a tablespoon per load so it lasts a long while too :)




Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Low Sleep Living



Anyone who has been reading my blog might have guessed my absence is due to my having a baby a few weeks ago.

I have an older child who is 7, but it has been a while since I've done the "baby" thing- and let me tell you, only sleeping in 2 hour chunks makes "low waste/zero waste" living take a backseat on the "things to do" list.

I am using disposable diapers and wipes (I can't go up and down the stairs yet- the washer is in the basement!) among other things. I have not given into paper towels yet :) :) But who knows?

My self righteous environmentally conscious somewhat judgmental self has been humbled- I will no longer judge the mom who is formula feeding and using disposables (although I did bottle feed my first born, that is a tale for another day) because I get it- sometimes life puts you into survival mode, and all you can do is use a disposable diaper/eat at McDonalds/drink a bottled water/fill in the blank because it is all you can handle.

Not to say you should do it all the time, but we all need some grace and encouragement, not judgment.

I am not sure what the next step for this blog is, I still am focused on living and environmentally sound life, but I am not sure the spark to write about it is still here.

And even though I am not commenting on blogs, I am still reading (when I can, got to love the kindle for late night reading while nursing).

Happy Holidays to All, maybe I'll talk to you soon-

Katie

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Everything you Need to Make Homemade Cleaners- Plus recipes to clean your Bathroom

This is actually taken from my old blog, which was a home organization blog that to be honest I got bored with. (I am just never going to be that organized.)

So, what do you need to make all your own homemade cleaning products?

1.) Baking Soda
Baking soda is awesome. It is non toxic (you can eat it) and it scours like nobodies business.

2.) White vinegar
a natural disinfectant. spray it on mildew, wait, and wash it scrub away.

3.) Borax
20 mule team borax. Find it in the laundry aisle. (This you CANNOT eat. It will make you sick. or possibly worse).

3.) Washing soda
also in the laundry aisle.

4.) Hydrogen Peroxide
Located with the first aid supplies. You can actually gargle with this stuff.

5.) Fels napa laundry soap or ivory (depends what is cheaper)

6.) Dr. Bronner's liquid castile soap
(The most expensive ingredient. I buy this on amazon.com.)

And, that's it. Those are all the things I use to clean my entire house. I decided to give you the recipes for all my bathroom cleaners today, because my whole bathroom is cleaned by homemade products.
I have tried a lot of different recipes, and sometimes it is frustrating because not everything works. Sometimes you have to tweak the recipe a little bit. And, sometimes you have to let it go and try something new altogether. But, here are what I use to clean my bathroom (we only have one! the HGTV people would have a coronary!* )




Shower Cleaner:
1 part Hydrogen peroxide to 3 parts water

Mix in spray bottle and shake. Spray on offending tile/surface/tub rings. Wait a little bit and scrub. Voila! If my tub ring is really bad, I scour it with baking soda!

I use this mixture to wash my sink counter too. I used to use white vinegar and water, but my husband is extremely offended by the smell of vinegar.






Glass/Mirror Cleaner:

1 part vinegar to 3 parts water

Mix in spray bottle, shake, and you're ready to spray. If you have old newspaper, you can wipe away your mirror with this. I know, it sounds weird, newspaper to clean a mirror? But it really works and it's streak free!



Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
Baking Soda
Vinegar

Sprinkle baking soda around inside of toilet bowl. Then pour vinegar over it. Enjoy volcano effect. Then, scrub with toilet brush

Really Dirty Toilet:
use borax instead of baking soda.


We didn't have a toilet paper roll holder, so rather than buy something my husband built this nifty rack with a magazine holder and hand towel holder. You can see my favorite bathroom reads, any "Calvin and Hobbes" collections. :)

Bathroom Floor Cleaner: ( I have a tile floor)

Bucket of water. Shot glass of vinegar.
Mop floor.



That's it! If you want a homemade recipe for anything, I would recommend Homemade by Reader's Digest. While I do not use all the recipes in here (I do not use anything with ammonia or bleach) It has a lot of useful recipes in it.

Well, there it is. Homemade cleaning for your bathroom. How do I organize this? I have a cupboard over the toilet (Yard sale find for $5!) that I store my homemade sprays in. I mark them with a sharpie so I know what they are!

Katie

* we do have a gross scary toilet in the basement.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Photo Friday #6 Home Tour 1

Whenever I see home tours on blogs (which I love, especially tiny houses, and minimalist houses), it always makes me look around my house and think "jeez, what do these people do? my place is a mess!" Is it because I live with 2 males? I don't know. Then I thought hm, maybe the pictures make the houses look cleaner than they are, and maybe if I take pictures of my house, it will look nice and clean and fresh (wishful thinking?)
So, without picking up first, I took some pictures and thought I would give you an "authentic" tour of some of my house.

A little background- we live in a carriage house- about 900 sq feet. The living space is upstairs, and underneath are 4 "unfinished" carriage bays- which house my husband's studio, a laundry room, and a powder room, and junk.


This is what you see when you open the door at the top of the steps. Straight ahead looks into the family room, or "the big room" as we call it here, since it is the biggest room in the house. My son fills this room with toys.




If you look right, you see where we hang coats and things. And further right, are the 2 bedrooms and bathroom, which we will not be visiting today.

 
To the right is an "L" shaped dining room and living room with a galley kitchen.


At the far right you can see a little table that is a catch-all for crap stuff like mail, etc.

And if we keep walking we can see the kitchen:




Hello kitchen! Nothing to shout about, but it gets the job done.



Standing by the table you see the small living room area, that's our "creative space"- easel, bookcase, piano, etc.



A rope rocker and a baby seat, getting ready for the new baby due in (gasp) 10 days....


The view when sitting in the rocker- you can see over the by the table was a crafty thing I made that I was proud of- a hanging clothesline to display my son's artwork. :)

It's funny, looking at pictures actually helps me see the areas I need to declutter (what's with all the bags laying on the floor? oh right, baby gifts. and that random fishnet??)

Stay tuned for the rest..

Do you like looking at other people's home tours? 

Katie



Wednesday, October 30, 2013

I tried it! - Homemade Dishsoap

I make a lot of homemade cleaning products, and I am always looking to find things that fit this criteria:

1.) All Natural
2.) Cheap
3.) Effective (as in, they work!)

Dish Soap was something I hadn't tried yet- it just seemed complicated to make anything "liquid", so up until now I have been buying Seventh Generation Dish Soap, which unfortunately comes in a plastic squeeze bottle.

I have been reading a lot of one of my new favorite websites, Trash Backwards, and found they had a list of 100 Things you Never Need to Buy (be still my beating heart). Lists like that get me excited. I love not buying! One of the things on there was dish soap, and the recipe was ridiculously easy : baking soda and essential oil ( I used a few drops of lavender). Baking soda comes in a cardboard box, and essential oil in a glass vile, so we have plastic-free dish soap!

I was skeptical, I didn't think it would work. My husband even said, "If baking soda cleans dishes, why are people spending all this money on dish soap?" to that my response was, "marketing?".

I didn't even have to nail holes into a jar lid as she recommended, because I had an old glass paremsan container just waiting to become a dish soap container.







The verdict? Holy guacamole! This stuff works! Even I was surprised, with a sprinkling of this and a scrub  brush my oatmeal pot (pictured at left) was clean! An you know what it's like to scrub gummy oatmeal...

That just made my day. I love finding cheap, natural cleaning recipes that work : )

Do you make your own cleaning products? Would you try this?

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Photo Friday #5 Morning Visitor

Once again, Friday came and went without my "photo friday". How the time gets away from me!


The quality of the photo is bad, I know. But I was having trouble getting a clear shot of this visitor I had sitting in my backyard. I took it from inside, these buddies will charge at you and I wasn't going to take any chances. Check out those horns.

We frequently get groups of 10 + deer in our backyard, but usually they are women and children. I guess this fellow just needed to take a break.

Have a great weekend!

Katie

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Inspirational Quotes- Children Learn What they Live

I love inspirational quotes. My husband always brings them to me when he finds one he knows I like, even though he thinks they are silly. I just love hearing all the great things people say.

Here is something I have hanging in my kitchen-

Children Learn What they Live

If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with ridicule,
he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame,
he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance,
he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement,
he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise,
he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness,
he learns to be just.
If a child lives with security,
he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval,
he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,
he learns to find love in the world.


And  I read it when I stagger into the kitchen in the morning, while I am waiting for the coffee to brew.
And I try to be the best parent I can be everyday.


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Becoming Habit

I was having a conversation the other day when the subject turned to laundry detergent (I know, don't be jealous, I lead a very exciting life.)

It got to how we mentioned we can't use the smelly stuff, because it gives us headaches, and I mentioned I make my own laundry detergent. "Oh," my friend said "I could never do that. To much work and time. I just buy free and clear."

I thought about it, and to be honest, I really don't think it takes much time to make laundry detergent. I have been doing it for so long it's just part of my routine. Then, I got to thinking of other "low waste" activities in my life, and how to someone totally unaccustomed to this type of "lifestyle" (if you want to call it that), it may seem time consuming.

But, once it becomes habit, it doesn't.

I haven't bought paper towels in over a year. At first, it was a pain in the butt to get use to the "rag" system, but now I don't even blink. It's not something I even think about. I just do it

I try to remind myself every time I begin a new low-waste endeavor, that while it may seem like a lot of work now, eventually it will become part of my routine (I am hoping this is the case with cloth diapers!)

Although, I have to emphasize, that the point of a low waste (or zero waste) lifestyle is not that it's easier, or convenient (although I find not having to buy lots of beauty products is a lot easier for me, personally), but I do it because I feel passionate about being the best steward I can of the (abundant) resources I have been given.

What's the most tedious housework/low waste/environmental change you've made? Mine would be cleaning the tub/shower. I don't just spray bleach on it anymore. I make homemade soft scrub, and I actually have to scrub.


Saturday, October 19, 2013

Photo Friday #4 Autumn Sunrise

The numbering of photo posts seemed really boring so I thought I'd give this one a name. And, I am so clever I am calling it "Autumn Sunrise". I do realize it is Saturday, I had a busy day at work and then took my son to celebrate his school's 50th birthday, I was so tired I got in bed at about 8 last night. These last couple weeks of pregnancy have been a doozy. I'm quite moody :)
I woke up to see the sunrise ( I don't sleep for very long these days ), brewed my coveted pumpkin coffee, and headed out to the deck to take a picture and enjoy the view.




We have a second story deck so that's why you see the tree tops. The sky started out an orange color and then turned to this pinkish purple. It is very pretty, but I couldn't stay out for long because the morning temperature was 43 * F. Too chilly for my tastes.

The sunrise is a really great time to pause, take a deep breath, and clear your head for the new day. I try to acknowledge my negative feelings, and then let them go to make space for a new day. I tend to hang out to thoughts and stew, so this is a good way to "clean house" for the new day.

Have a great weekend!

Katie

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

True Confessions: Low Waste Fails, and Giving Myself Grace

Hello all. I am in week 36 of my pregnancy, and I am large, tired, and cranky. Not much longer to go.

And I have to confess. I have not been diligently living a low waste lifestyle.

I have been too tired to making yogurt, and resorted to buying it in a plastic tub.

My dryer is running. It is cold a damp and I took the easy route.

I have not made the 14 mile trek to the bulk foods store. We are eating cereal out of a box* and almonds in a plastic bag.

*(The box is cardboard, and the bag is wax paper. I reuse the wax bag for other things around the kitchen, and the cardboard gets recycled).

I feel like a failure. I am upset with myself. But, I am trying not to drag myself down with guilt and showing myself a little grace.

This stage of life isn't forever, and I am trying to do what I can at any given moment.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Photo Friday #3







Ah, once again the week has gotten away from me. Between working a shift at the CSA farm we belong to, (splitting garlic, my large pregnant self is no good for farm work), and a church volunteer function, I have tuckered myself out. Being 8 months pregnant will do that to you :)

The weather here has been rain, rain, and more rain. So I thought I'd pull out a picture (s) from vacation. Last summer we went to Cape Cod, and rode out on the ferry boat to Martha's Vineyard (which I think Joy @ JoyfullyGreen went on a similar vacation this summer..)  It was one place I went snap happy with my camera. The beauty of Cape Cod; one minute you are at an ocean beach, and 10 minutes away you can go to a beautiful lake beach. Not to mention you have great hiking. As a lover of the outdoors, I thoroughly enjoyed myself (other than the car ride to get there!) These pictures were taken on the ferry ride leaving Cape Cod.


Have a great weekend!

Katie




Saturday, October 5, 2013

Low Waste Gift Idea

Yesterday was my Grandma's 92nd birthday. She's still going strong, living in her own house and driving.
Today we are having a party for her, and I have been thinking a lot about what to give her. She always says she does not need anything, (and you can imagine, after 92 years of living and accumulating things, my grandma does not need any more stuff). So I decided on a delicious, decadent fudge recipe that is super easy to make. Food is a good gift to give/receive, it allows you the pleasure of giving something, and then not having to store anything (once you eat it up!)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

(It is Gluten free, but by no means healthy. This is a rich treat, or as we say in our house, a "sometimes food". :)

Ingredients:

1 pound of butter (2 sticks)
3 heaping tablespoons of smooth peanut butter
1 pound of confectioner's sugar
3 heaping tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:

Melt butter and peanut butter together.

Mix powdered sugar and cocoa in bowl.

Pour melted butter/peanut mixture into sugar/cocoa mix.

Add vanilla and stir.

Spread into an 8 x 8 dish.

Refrigerate until firm.


That's it, easy peasy lemon squeezy. I then cut it up into squares and put it in a tin/container. I save containers if they are cute so I have something to give my food gifts in.

Do you make homemade/low waste gifts? Please share your ideas!

Katie

Friday, October 4, 2013

Photo Friday #2

I was hoping to have another post out before Photo Friday, but unfortunately I have spent the week battling a nasty cold. Cold + 34 weeks pregnant = blah. So, my free time was spent resting, not blog post writing. (It beats when I had whooping cough (pertussis) during my second trimester, which is a story for another day).

The picture this week wasn't taken by me, but it is a photo of my family for anyone out there for a burning desire to know what we look like.


I am the lone female, Mike (who gave me permission to use his name) my husband, and the boy. So, there we are. This was taken at my son's preschool graduation, which was June 2012. We are obviously due for an updated portrait, but I figure we might as well wait until the new little guy joins the family.

Have a great weekend everybody!!

Katie

Friday, September 27, 2013

Photo Friday

Hello all!

Happy Friday! I have to confess, I am a horrible picture-taker. No, I don't take bad pictures. I just don't take any pictures at all.

The last birthday album I made for my son was for his 1rst birthday. He's 7. (I do have some pictures on the computer..)

And my blogger profile picture? I think that's about 5 years old, conveniently the mug is blocking half of my face. (I am not a fan of having my picture taken.) M and I like to say we "live the moments" rather than "record them". ;)

I don't have aspirations to become a photographer, or even a scrapbooker but, I am challenging myself to take at least one photo a week, and post it here. Because there is some really great stuff out there to take pictures of.



There's my clothesline, sporting some second hand pocket diapers I picked up for our future baby (due in about a month). I thought the little cloth diapers looked so cute hanging on the line! ( I have to say, despite what the er, hold, I find cloth diapers to be extremely adorable.)

This is the view from my deck. Not to shabby if you discount the ramshackle fence. Ah well, were not all perfect :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Katie

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Autmnal Equinox, or Hello Autumn

"Today is the autumnal equinox," my husband (M) said to me.
"Yeah, it's officially fall," was my response.
"What is an equinox Kate?"
"Oh, you know, it's something with the sun and how it's not summer anymore."
"Yes I know, but, what, exactly?"

Then I realized that I really did not know the specifics of the equinox, and neither did my husband, and shouldn't we know something like that? I am grateful for my husband's child like questions (not saying he is childish or meant in a negative, just that he is always curious and wanting to learn knew things.)

So, in normal course of our partnership, M puts out the questions, and K (that's me) searches for the answers. (I admit to making one up for him time to time when I do not know the answer. Usually he can tell).

And for those who are just as ignorant as us, the Autumnal Equinox is the day when the Earth's equator passes the center of the sun, and the axis neither points toward nor away from it. Now, because it is the autumnal equinox, my part of the world (The United States) will start to point away from the sun, and it will get cooler, and eventually become winter.

I live in Pennsylvania, where we have 4 distinct seasons. The Fall weather is my favorite. The mornings are chilly (it is 45 this morning), and a sweatshirt and a hot beverage are in order. The afternoons are warm (75) and one can shed their sweatshirt and be comfortable in short sleeves. Then, when night falls, it gets chilly again. To me, this is just perfect.

I look at fall a beautiful disaster. The leaves become magnificent shades of orange, red, and yellow. The tree lined streets become wondrous works of art.

But, behind the beauty, the leaves are actually dying, which is actually sort of depressing. I can remember in my early days this was a time when sadness would settle over me.
Now, as an adult, I embrace it. Because I know just around the corner (after the darkness of winter) is the Vernal Equinox, and soon enough I'll be singing the praises of spring.


So, M and I got our answers. These are the kind of things I wish I had learned in school. And now I'm off to research M's next question about evergreen trees.

Have a beautiful fall day! :)

Katie

Friday, September 20, 2013

The Liebster Award

The lovely blogger Joy of Joyfully Green has been nominated for a Liebster award, and has graciously acknowledged me in her blog nominees. I feel honored! Joy's blog is wonderful if you have not read it yet. She writes from my home state of  New Jersey, where she will make you rethink every negative stereotype you ever had about the state. She blogs about green things, takes beautiful pictures, and she has great book recommendations, especially green books for children.

Part of the Liebster nomination is answering a set of questions asked by Joy. Without further ado, here they are.

1.) Knowing what you know, what advice would you give your 13 year old self?

It gets better! You will not be here forever. You won't always have braces and frizzy hair. You will not care what those girls think of you. And you will score yourself the cute (and kind) guy in 5 years. :)

2.) What is your idea of perfect bliss?

Hmm, I have a lot of ideas. Laying on the beach with my feet buried in the sand. Floating on my back in the lake. Getting in bed at night and knowing I don't have to get up for anything the next day. Drinking chardonnay and eating chocolate and curling up with a good book.

3.) What books have been the most influential/inspiring to you?

Alan Watts- The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

Howard Zinn- A People's History of the United States

Toni Weschler- Taking Charge of Your Fertility

Beth Terry- Plastic Free

4.) What's the biggest lesson you've learned about life? About blogging?

Things always change!! Nothing stays the same. The world can be a beautiful place if you let yourself see it that way.
Blogging is probably not going to by my career. I can't make money advertising on a blog that is anti-consumerist. I blog simply for the need to write and ship my ideas into the world.

5.) What single quality do you appreciate most in people?

Forgiveness. We all make mistakes.

6.) What or who is underrated? What or who is overrated?

Underrated-
the Library, aka my favorite place. Come on, it's a place you go and take a whole bunch of books and leave without paying for them. And then bring them back for new ones. Did I mention it's free??

Nurses- in my experience nurses run the show. I think they are under appreciated. I have had so many excellent nurses take care of me.

Teachers- had to throw this one in there.

Overrated-
Facebook, Twitter, variations there of.
I'll throw smart phones in there too.
Sometimes I just want to be alone, and not have anyone be able to contact me. (Have I mentioned I'm an introvert?)

Reality TV. Dancing with the Stars and variations there of. I really don't understand the interest in celebrities lives. They are just people who pretend to be other people for a living.

7.) What do you avoid at all costs?

Places like Chuck E Cheese. Long Lines, screaming children...

8.) What's your guiltiest pleasure?

Long, hot baths. I know it's a waste of water,  but boy does it ever feel good. When I am sick or have had a long stressful day I love to get into a nice hot bubble bath with a glass of wine and a good book. (Not while pregnant, of course).

9.) What do people say about you after the leave the room?

"Hello, she needs a filter. I really didn't need to hear about her bowel disorder!"
Hopefully that I am a nice, interesting, intelligent person who contributes to society...

10.) What's your favorite post that you have written?

Probably something about babies  Low Waste Baby

I've got a lot of posts in my head that I haven't had the guts to publish that I like better though.


To conclude this Liebster nomination, we are supposed to nominate lesser known bloggers and add our own set of questions for them. I think most of the blogs I read are written by bloggers more popular than me, so I will just give a couple links of my favorite blogs that you may (or may not) already be reading.

 Live to List

My Journey to Ithaca

Living Simply Free




 Here are my questions for them:

1.) What's your favorite thing to make for dinner?

2.) What was your childhood dream career?

3.)What are the top 3 places you would like to see/ travel too (if money were no object)?

4.) What is your favorite fiction book? Non-fiction book?

5.) What inspired you to start a blog?






  • Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your 13-year-old self?
  • What is your idea of perfect bliss?
  • What books have been the most influential or inspiring to you?
  • What's the biggest lesson you've learned about life? About blogging? (A two-parter!)
  • What single quality do you most appreciate in people?
  • What or who is under-rated? What or who is over-rated? (Another two-parter!)
  • What do you avoid at all costs?
  • What's your guiltiest pleasure?
  • What do you want people to say about you after you leave the room?
  • What's your favorite post that you've written? (Link, please!)
  • - See more at: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/2013/09/spreading-the-words.html#sthash.L70xMsj6.dpuf







  • Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your 13-year-old self?
  • What is your idea of perfect bliss?
  • What books have been the most influential or inspiring to you?
  • What's the biggest lesson you've learned about life? About blogging? (A two-parter!)
  • What single quality do you most appreciate in people?
  • What or who is under-rated? What or who is over-rated? (Another two-parter!)
  • What do you avoid at all costs?
  • What's your guiltiest pleasure?
  • What do you want people to say about you after you leave the room?
  • What's your favorite post that you've written? (Link, please!)
  • - See more at: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/2013/09/spreading-the-words.html#sthash.L70xMsj6.dpuf

    Wednesday, September 18, 2013

    Thoughts on Medical Waste

    My son had surgery on Monday. Nothing serious, it went well, and he is doing great.

    But, sitting in the waiting room at the hospital got me thinking about all the trash that generates from the medical field.

    It's a lot.

    I would love to hear every one's opinions on this, because as far as I can see a lot of medical waste cannot be avoided, and that is one area I'm willing to let slide.

    I was looking at his IV bag and tubing, what could be a replacement for that? Hm, maybe the bag could be something else that they reuse. But, the flexible tubing that connects to the IV needle- I'm not sure what could replace that. And I don't know that I'd want it re-used.

    The medical instruments used for the surgery are reused. They are mostly metal (I'm assuming?) and sterilized in the enclave sterilizer. At least they aren't disposable (yet).

    He had to wear special surgery pajamas the hospital provided. To my surprise, the hospital takes them back and cleans them for the next patient. (My son was disappointed, he wanted to keep his surgery pajamas.)

    The prescription bottles are an easy fix. They could be glass, washed, and refilled. Or, we could save our plastic prescription bottles and bring them in to be refilled. Especially if you have a drug you take regularly. Does anybody do this? I have yet to find a pharmacy that does this. My son's albuterol comes in single doses in plastic viles. That's an easy fix. Put the liquid in one big bottle and measure it out. ( I should get my letter to the company started).

    All in all I was actually impressed at the minimal waste in this particular hospital (and of course how well they did with my son, we are blessed to live near the best Children's Hospital in the country (CHOP).

    What are your thoughts on Medical/Hospital waste? Do you think it is inevitable?

    Katie






    Saturday, September 14, 2013

    The August No Electric Dryer Outcome

    For the month of August I finally stopped using my clothes dryer. I wanted to see how much electricity/money I could save (I explained in this post). Our electric bill was outrageous in June ($134.00).

    My husband hung some rope we use when we camp to hang out clothes, and my mom had a container of clothes pins I was able to snag. So, the cost of the line drying operation was free.

    Between the thermostat being turned down 2 degrees (this post) and not using the clothes dryer, my electric bill was $90.00 this month. But, most of the savings was from turning up the air conditioner.
    The dryer only saved about $10. $10.00 is $120/year, which is better than nothing!

    Even know it wasn't a big chunk of change, hanging wash out on the line is surprisingly cathartic. I like being outside, and being out there hanging clothes gave me time to just be. Finding beauty in the everyday is so amazing. I would take my time to stare at the sky, feel the grass in my toes. Things I don't normally do, especially when just shoving clothes in the dryer.

    I plan on hanging my wash outside until the weather is no longer suitable, and then I will hang it inside (I hang all the undies inside. I'm not there yet). But, I know once the baby comes I might be turning on the dryer.

    Do you line dry your clothes?

    Katie

    Tuesday, September 10, 2013

    September 2-8 Plastic Waste Tally



    This is all my plastic waste I saved from last week. A total of 11 items, all of them food related except for 1- I received a Vegetarian Times magazine wrapped in plastic in the mail (I have cancelled the subscription). But, seriously folks, do we have to shrink wrap a magazine in plastic? I mean, really?

    Not pictured are 2 meat wrappers (bacteria!) and 2 cups (one from Panera bread, and one from King Smoothie). The cups could have easily been avoided. I could have said no or brought my own.

    I need help refusing things.

    The food waste is a bread bag, a corn chip bag, flaxseed bag, rice bag, lentil bag, 2 produce bags, and a deli cheese bag. Oh, and a cup of Ritz Bits. Someone gave them to my son, and I am sorry to say, I ate them. (Yeah, yeah, they're not good for you).

    I know all of this stuff could be avoided. The nearest Bulk Food Store to me is 12 miles, and I have plenty of Grocery Stores/Farm Markets in walking / biking distance. It is a constant toss up- waste gas or waste plastic? Right now I choose to waste plastic, because I just don't feel like driving.

    Did you participate in Zero Waste Week?

    Katie

    Wednesday, September 4, 2013

    Zero Waste Actions So Far This Week

    I have been very conscious of my waste this week for Zero Waste Week. Here are some things I have done :

    1.) Made yogurt out of milk that was past it's sell by date.
    (didn't smell funky, but no one really wanted to drink it. voila, yogurt!)

    2.) Put some tired apples in my homemade cinnamon apple oatmeal.

    Tired fruits and vegetables (which is what I call mushy wilting things but are not moldy yet) are a lot more appealing cooked. And, it tasted great!

    3.) Re used a plastic bread bag to pack a sandwich for my son.

    4.) Packed a zero waste snack for me- a banana! Bananas are such a great snack, they come in their own package!

    5.) Just received my order of Econobums cloth diapers for baby.

    (I had to watch a you tube tutorial of how to put them on and practice on a doll, I am embarrassed to admit.)

    I am also still reading Garbagology by Edward Humes. I am taking a long time to get through it (especially since we all just started back to school!!)

    Are you participating in Zero Waste Week?

    Katie

    Saturday, August 31, 2013

    Zero Waste Week

    This week is Zero Waste Week. Head on over here to sign up!

    I am taking this week to re-examine all my waste. It is very easy to become complacent with the amount of waste we consume and giving in to convenience. I know I am guilty of this.

    We are all headed back to school next week, so letting go of convenience for less waste options becomes more common when my husband and I aren't home like we are in the summer.

    I will be setting up our compost bin this week and keeping track of all the plastic waste I consume. I will share the results end of next week!

    Katie

    Friday, August 30, 2013

    Low Waste Baby- What I have so far

    It seems every where you go you hear about how expensive it is to have babies. That's why for me it is always refreshing to see articles like this one :What do babies really need?
    We got a lot of unneeded stuff with our first child, and we had an over abundance even though we were financially challenged.
    So, this time around I plan on have a "low waste/minimalist" baby. This is what I have acquired so far:

    1.) Clothing
    I lucked out- my sister had a baby boy in January and has bagged up his clothes as he out grows them and given them to me. If this wasn't the case, I would scout out friends, free cycle, craigslist, and yard sales for baby clothes before I bought anything. People seem to be happy to give you their baby clothes they no longer need anymore.
    Cost: Free

    2.) Food
    I plan on nursing so I haven't actually bought any food. But, I am preparing myself in the event nursing is difficult (as it was for me with my first). A friend gave me a box of glass baby bottles she no longer needed anymore which made me super excited! I wanted to use plastic-free bottles. Once again, if I had not gotten these from a friend, I would have scouted the Internet for second hand glass bottles.
    Cost: Free
    Nursing pillow- this is one thing I bought and I don't know why. I bought it when I was first pregnant on impulse- (no one's perfect right?) We'll see how this works out.
    Cost: $12.00

    3.) Shelter/Bed
    We currently live in a 900 square foot carriage house and have no plans on moving, so no additional cost there. My older son's crib has since been recalled, so we are debating the sleeping situation. My first son never slept in his crib (he slept in his pack and play or our bed), so we are looking at pack and play and mini crib options. My older son really wants a bunk bed for him and his brother- we'll see about that down the road!!
    Cost: estimated between $60-$100

    4.) Diapers
    I plan on cloth diapering. So far the least expensive yet not total pain in the butt option I've seen is the pre folds with covers. I am purchasing this econobums sample pack and possibly a couple of pocket diapers, just because they get a lot of good reviews. I am flexible to find something that works for me.
    Cost: $100-$300

    5.) Car Seat
    We will get a car seat- but I am still driving my 2002 Passat and my husband has a 1998 Camry. The Camry just keeps on truckin'. Word to Toyota. Anyway, you do not all the sudden need a 7 passenger SUV when you have 2 kids. With 3 kids, sometimes a mini van is necessary because 3 car seats don't always fit in a sedan.
    I still scouting out family and friends for a car seat, but if not we will buy one.
    Cost: around $100

    6.) Baby Seat- Leftover from first son. I am not buying any swings or seats unless I know this baby really wants to sit in them. A blanket spread out on the floor with some toys is usually just as fun for baby. My older son hated the swing!
    Cost: Free

    So that's it so far. I know I might need to adjust once he arrives and I adjust, but there isn't much you really need for baby.

    What do you think?

    Katie

    Tuesday, August 20, 2013

    Better for the Environment and Your Wallet

    I tend to put saving the environment above saving money. Not because I love to spend money or anything, (spending actually tends to make me nervous) but you know, good planets are hard to find.

    I attribute this also to my strong INFJ Meyers Briggs, ( This postwhere Jacob from ERE describes "NF" personalities and their "save the planet/save the animals stop consuming " describes me to a T.)

    But I know you're like okay, get to the point. I have been experimenting to lower my energy usage while simultaneously lowering my outrageously high electric bill of $134.00.  So last month (July) I took it upon myself to push it to the limit of how far we could go temperature wise. My family was not totally cool (pun intended) with letting go of our window box air conditioner (for reference, I live in Southeastern Pennsylvania, temperatures around here in July are usually between 85*F-95*F and loads of humidity). But, our air conditioners do have thermostats, which have been set at 80. I bumped them up to 82*F for the month of July.

    It wasn't very comfortable at first, but surprisingly the new normal becomes comfortable quite fast (especially coming inside on a day it is 90 out with 100% humidity.) My already wild curly hair rivals a crazy rodent's nest.

    But, my electric bill was $35.00 less this month (and I was still using the clothes dryer in July in case you were wondering, I stopped using it August 1.) I consider this a definite win.

    Plus I consumed less, so it wasn't just a win for me, but a win for the environment. Score!

    P.S. What's your Meyers Briggs?

    Thursday, August 15, 2013

    Do you live in the moment?

    I'll confess, I have a really hard time living in the moment. I am a forward thinker, and a natural worrier. I am always thinking about the next meal, the next day, heck, the next 5 years.

    This isn't always a bad thing. I attribute this type of thinking the reason why we have a healthy savings account (we can't buy that! we need to save that money!) and in turn curbing any wasteful spending (well, do I need this? will I used this tomorrow, next week, next decade?) and my concern for the environment (this plastic's gonna be here longer than me!)

    But, I will admit it does take away from say, savoring moments with my child when I am constantly thinking of what's next. And they grow fast! So I want to savor those moments.

    I have found yoga and meditation to be helpful with training myself to live in the moment. The constant focus on your body, your breathing, really allows me to slow down.

    My husband is the opposite. He is a "live in the now" person. He frequently gets lost in what he is doing, unaware of the time passing by. When I ask him what he wants to do at a later date, I don't get much of an answer- "how am I supposed to know where will be in 5 years?" I think of the John Lennon quote, "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." -He's living, I'm planning. Maybe this has something do to with being a musician? They ability to live in the moment, savor the music.

    I think we compliment each other- each grounding the other to a happy medium somewhere on the life spectrum.

    What kind of person are you ?

    Tuesday, August 13, 2013

    Project 333 Update

    I thought I would give you an update of how my "Project 333" is going.

    It is going great! At first I thought it might be hard, I might run out of clothes, but really it has made my life so much easier. Here are some of the benefits:

    1.) I have no problem finding something to wear in the morning.

    This may seem counter intuitive because I have less clothes to wear. But, all of the clothes are things I want to wear, and for the most part are mix and match. I open my closet, pick a top and bottom in less than a few seconds and bam! I'm dressed.

    2.) I actually do LESS laundry.

     Also may see counter intuitive - but all my clothes only equal about 1 load- I do about 1 load of laundry (for my clothes) a week. Sweet!

    3.) I look nicer than I used to, because I don't default to sweats.

    I probably wear less than my 33, as I am now in full on maternity clothes ( I had a few non-maternity stragglers I was still squeezing into). When I have time I will trade these clothes out and add new ones in.

    Are you interested in trying Project 333? Check it out:
    Project 333



    Sunday, August 11, 2013

    Weekend Reading

    It's Sunday, which means the weekend is mostly over. But, I thought I'd share what I've been reading this weekend.

    How being frugal means going green

    You don't have to buy anything to start being more environmental friendly.

    Share your money saving tips

    Tips from one of my favorite blogs, "The Non-Consumer Advocate".

    If you really want a lot of things to read, check out Friday Faves at "Living Simply Free".

    Have a great weekend!

    Katie

    Wednesday, August 7, 2013

    Inspiration from a Bumper Sticker?

    While on vacation I spotted a bumper sticker that said, "The best things in life aren't things". This got me thinking. Which isn't normal, (ha) because bumper stickers usually make me think "ah, look at that dumb bumper sticker. bumper stickers are dumb." (Profound thoughts.)

    But, I got to thinking how that is true, the best things in life aren't things. I've noticed I've gone through kind of a developmental process when it comes to "things".

    See, I grew up middle class so I never knew a life with true needs. My parents didn't indulge me silly, but I was quite privileged (not trying to brag, just stating as is.) I don't think I thought much about material possessions, they were there, I had them, I enjoyed them.

    When we got out own our own, my husband and I had a baby real young, (i. e. no money) and we are both in fields of the not high earning type (arts and education). So, in the beginning (and still currently), we don't have a lot of money. This has meant we have had to forgo things.

    In the beginning, I can remember thinking about all the baby stuff and adult stuff I would like to buy if we had money. I didn't buy it because I didn't have the money to (at one point we didn't even have the internet, as we could not afford it). My parents instilled a very "anti-debt" sentiment in me, so I wasn't going to go into debt for these things I wanted, but I still wanted them. I wanted to drive a more appropriate "mom" car, not my old Volkswagen Jetta. I wanted fancy jeans, not thrift store jeans. I wanted to "fit in" . Somehow I thought I wanted to define my personality through these things.

    Then, as time wore on, and I developed more as a person, (and had my journey to minimalism) I came to a revelation: even if I had the money, I wouldn't want to buy these things. Who I am isn't defined by a collection of things I own(or don't own). My stuff isn't my personality, it is just tools I need for survival. My pants keep me decent. My car gets me from point A to point B.  I mean, of course I want good food and decent shelter, but beyond that, happiness doesn't come from a better car, a bigger house, or snazzy clothes. My happiness comes from the time spent with my family, the evening walks, the board games, the wading in the creek. The discussions in bed late morning with my husband and son about what we dreamed the night before. The things that are not things.

    I don't have a ton of money now. I have traded money right now for time - time to be a mom (my most favorite job). But, even if I had a million bucks, you'd still see me in thrift store jeans.

    Because really, the best things in life aren't things. All that from a bumper sticker.

    Katie

    Tuesday, August 6, 2013

    No Clothes Dryer August

    One of my guilty pleasures is the dryer. I hesitate to even call it a pleasure, because it's not like I love using it. It's just what I have always done. I know it's bad, and it's been sheer laziness (and the awful humidity, I tell myself) I haven't sought out other options.

    But, getting my electric bill last month ($134!!!) (combined with this article) was the kick in the pants I needed.

    My husband actually got us this drying rack for Christmas (we're romantic like that) and the time has come for us to use it.

    I am rigging some rope up outside (from our camping stuff) and borrowing a bag of clothespins from my mom (total cost of outdoor laundry line: free). If my neighbors are offended by my unmentionables, I will pull out the trusty by laws of our association, which ALLOWS laundry lines. Luckily I don't live in a snooty neighborhood, so I don't anticipate complaints (but have heard stories of people receiving them elsewhere!!)

    My hope is that this will have some impact on our outrageous electric bill by the end of this month. That, and thankfully the temperatures here are no longer in the mid 90's (Fahrenheit) with 80% humidity and I no longer need to run my window box air conditioners. (They were clicking on constantly even set at 81*F last month. Really enjoying the more mild weather now.)

    I anticipate clothes drying to be like my other habits I've developed, maybe slightly annoying to do the extra step first, but soon to be ingrained into my normal repertoire. (Just like reaching for a rag instead of a paper towel :)

    I will report the electric bill next month and let you know my savings.

    Katie

    Sunday, August 4, 2013

    Vacation and a Break from Thought

    My family has been on a lovely vacation this week at a lake house with my parents, sisters and their families in the beautiful state of Vermont. I have enjoyed the week and being "away from it all", the slow summer days, watching my son play and swim in the lake with his cousins, having bonfires and making smores at night.

    I really needed this time away, lately my thoughts have been bringing me down. I have been in the midst of reading "Garbagology" by Edward Humes, and while very informative, this book has really been bringing me down. I feel that even if I make an effort to reduce my waste, everywhere I look around me it is astounding to see the amount of waste going on. It really is astronomical. I found myself being irritated by every giant SUV I see, every plastic water bottle. " Don't these people care at all?" I think in despair to myself. But, this kind of thinking does not bring me anywhere but down.

    I am trying to live and find ways to make positive impact in and outside myself, but it was very nice to be away and not think about the waste in the world for a week.

    Friday, July 26, 2013

    Weekend Reading

    I have been reading the blog "Mr Money Mustache" from the beginning recently (very entertaining) and through that blog found the website Equal Shared Parenting. I was excited to find this website! This is what my husband and I have been doing for the past 6 years since our son was born. We both have been working part time, and sharing his care. It is awesome to see other people doing the same and being advocates for this cause!

    My husband loves being able to be such a big part in our son's life! I'd say our main area that needs work is the housework -I still do most of the housework. But sites like this give me the motivation to keep at it!

    When I give birth to baby #2, I will be leaving work for a little bit, but I plan on going back 2-3 days a week when baby is almost a year. We are planning to work out a schedule between the 2 of us.

    I am also blessed to have my parents and sisters all within 20 minutes, along with my husband's family. (one our reasons for staying in this high cost of living area!) and they are extremely helpful to have around!

    Obviously if you are a single parent this set up would not work, but for couples, how do you feel about Equal Shared Parenting?

    Katie

    Tuesday, July 23, 2013

    How I found minimalism or how minimalism found me.. Part 2

    So after my debacle of being sick, I moved home with my parents to convalesce. I had a lot of time in between sleeping/taking medicine, and during this time I felt motivated to go through all of my stuff. I organized my closet and drawers in my room, and got rid of a lot. At the time I wasn't even conscious I was downsizing. I just was surrounded by the stuff from my life and didn't want there to be so much of it.

    2 months later I had another set back when I got Lyme's disease. I can laugh about it now, after being so sick I get a tick bite and Lyme's disease. More medication etc. Luckily, I healed quickly from this.

    And then, a month after that, I got pregnant.

    That was a surprise. My doctors were surprised after my whole situation I even got pregnant. My boyfriend (now husband and I were surprised, as I was on birth control. But, nothing is ever 100%.

    We decided if we were having a baby, we might as well get married now (as opposed to later). My parents had money set aside ear marked for my wedding fund. We had a decision to make. Wedding, or save the money for our future (2 young people not out of college raising a baby).
    We chose to have a small wedding with family and close friends at a local park. Total cost: $500.00
    I have no regrets about this. While I didn't have a traditional wedding, we had a beautiful day celebrating our love and didn't go broke.

    And having a little cushion when starting out in the world with a small family and no job really made  a difference.

    When we had our baby, some of my minimalist ways I developed after I was sick went out the window. I became caught up in the modern baby "stuff" culture.

    My husband was the voice of reason through all this. He was actually the one who pushed for minimal television and less toys. I guess he had the foresight to know his college degree (music performance) was not one in sync with the "Keep up with the Jone's" culture.

    Never have been living on a low budget, I soon realized what it took to be creative and survive on a low income. We went through 3 rentals before we found the current home we live in now (about 900 square feet, not tiny, but small.) I can remember during these times feeling very discouraged, the "when am I going to get to live in a 2,000 square foot house and drive an SUV/ mini van like all the other moms?"

    The changing point was a monumental shift in attitude, that stemmed from reading this article
    Simple Mom- the opulent ability to give. Once you look outside yourself, and your realize how large problems are the world, how many people have less than you, all the sudden all of the other stuff becomes stupid. It took my back to where I was after I was sick, thinking about the people with so much less than me, and I got to a place where I was like "who gives a @#$ if my house is small? SUVS are horrible for the environment! I embrace my small car! I have a place to live with a working toilet, I am damn lucky."

    And when you stop focusing on stuff and all the unimportant stuff gets falls out of the way, you realize what really matters in life. Minimalism allows my husband to have his dream career even if it is not high paying, and allows me to work less and spend time raising my kids. Because we don't spend a lot of money on stuff we don't need, we don't need to make as much. It's still a work in progress, but we're getting there and we're happy.



    Monday, July 22, 2013

    How I found Minimalism (or how Minimalism found me) Part 1

    I wasn't always into simple living. Isn't that how it goes for most of us? We're living in the world of "average American" (for me at least, because I am in the US) and then something shocks us out of our stupor.

    Well, I'll save you a lot of time by summing up the first part of my life in a nutshell. I had a great childhood. I lived in suburbia with middle class family. I have great parents, and my mom was a stay at home mom. My parents loved me and (still do) took care of me. I had no wants.

    Although my  dad made a decent living, my parents were very anti-debt, anti-credit card etc., so while not minimalists, they were both raised by depression-era parents, and instilled good financial values in me. (I was a later in life baby :) )

    Fast forward to me being 20 years old, and away at college. I went away to a college in an inner city, and it was a stressful environment, especially for someone like me who had never been exposed to poverty. This was my first experience in an environment nothing like I was used to.

    Until I got sick. It started with inconsistent diarrhea for 2 weeks, and culminated to me passing bloody mucus and diarrhea upwards of 60 times a day. Obviously at this point something was very wrong, and for some reason I didn't tell my roommate (I don't know why. Was I embarrassed? Really? Why are people so embarrassed by bowel functions? Everyone has them). I was only an hour away, so my dad picked me up and took me to the hospital.

    Over the course of 4 months, I was admitted to one hospital 3 times, and because they couldn't help me, I was eventually transferred to another hospital (via ambulance) and spent a total of 40 days in the hospital. I was diagnosed with colitis, put on anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids. But, I still wasn't getting better.

    Then, I was also diagnosed with a bacterial infection call clostridium difficile. I took antibiotics. I seemed to be getting better, then I would relapse. I could not digest any food. I had track marks to rival your neighborhood addict, and eventually I had a pic line sewn into my arm, where I was administered parental nutrition (because I could not eat). I lost 30 pounds. I had to drop out of college.

    When I was finally released the last time, I moved back home with my parents, where I was on a regiment of medication and an extremely strict diet.

    I want to tell you now that that was 8 years ago, and other than having irritable bowel syndrome, I have made a full recovery and I have not had another bout of colitis or infection.

    This was the first life changing event that made me rethink my priorities in life. When you spend your days in a hospital bed, unable to eat, you start really thinking about your life and what you want out of it. You start to realize $50 spent on jeans is stupid, and that validity of the statement "your health is the most important thing".

    Having this experience at such a young age was actually beneficial, because it forced me to step back and say, "what is important? what do I want?" when I think for a lot of people this does not happen until they are older.

    To Be Continued..

    Friday, July 19, 2013

    Low Waste Baby

    I have mentioned before that I am pregnant. 5 1/2 months along, with boy #2.
    Being low waste is harder with kids. It is. It is a lot easier to control my waste than that of someone else.

    Right now I want to talk about low waste babies. In the baby and toddler years, you pretty much have control of everything going in and out of your little one's life. When I was pregnant with Boy 1, I was really young (21) and so was husband (24). To say we had no clue is probably an understatement. We were just to college kids embarking on having our own kid. Scary.

    So, when I was pregnant with Boy 1, I went along with the flow of things. My family threw me a baby shower. I remember walking into Babies "R" Us to make a registry, wielding that scan wand thingie at everything the people told me I would need. Bottles, bottle warmer, bottle sterilizer, plastic tub, basically any plastic junk marketed toward baby. Cloth diapers were not even on my radar.

    I got a lot of it. Unfortunately, most of it turned out to be plastic junk that I really did not need. At the time I swore I would never have another kid, but if I did,  I was not doing it this way again.

    And now, 7 years later, I am pregnant again, but older and wiser. I will not be stepping foot into Babies "R" us. I am not under the delusion there will be no waste, but I am shooting for minimalist/low waste baby.

    In the coming months, I plan on sharing what we will do (and get), and what works (and what doesn't).

    As of right now I plan on cloth diapering, nursing, and using cloth wipes. Clothes are all coming used from family members and friends with babies. We have not yet figured out our sleeping situation. Boy 1 never slept in his crib, we pretty much co-slept until he was 5 (unintentionally), but I am thinking we will get some type of sleeping apparatus for Boy 2.

    Stay tuned for my chronicles of raising baby minimalist/ low waste! Have you been successful in minimalist/low waste child rearing?

    Katie

    Sunday, July 14, 2013

    Things that seem normal to us but has friends and family members thinking we're not..

    Over the course of time my husband and I have made changes in our lives. These were due to budget concerns, environmental concerns, etc. They have become normal and routine for us, but I find friends and extended family members think we are a little "off". Here are just a few.

    1.) No television

    We own a television. It is hooked up to a vcr (yes, we still have one) and a dvd player. But, we have no channels. We used to have the basic channels, but when things went digital, our 1995 model tv no longer broadcasted them (and we were to lazy to get a converter. No regrets.) My son watches shows on the computer (and so do we), and we rent dvds from the library. This seems totally routine for us, but often I get, "you don't have cable?" "no." "Basic channels?"  "No". "??"

    We do have and pay for the internet, that was non-negotiable (except when we couldn't afford it, and we didn't).

    2.) As long as were on technology, neither one of us has a smart phone. Or a GPS. We each have a cell phone (and we have a family ipad). We survive with the phone and maps. Really. We do.

    3.) Paper towels

    I stopped buying paper towels about a year or so ago. I had an old flannel sheet that I cut up into rags. Is it gross? Yeah, sometimes it's gross. But you get over it and get used to it, and now I refuse to spend money on a paper towel when I can use a regular towel just fine. We have a "rag bag" system in our kitchen, there is a clean bag of rags, and a dirty bag of rags. When the dirty bag is full, I wash them.

    4.) Tissues

    Once again, like paper towels, I use a hanky. If our snots are really bad, we use a roll of recycled toilet paper. It works fine.

    5.) Homemade yogurt.

    Yogurt is like the gateway to making things from scratch. Once you've made yogurt, you get the "heck, I could make anything!" feeling going. The funny thing is, it is pretty easy to make, and cheap/ I make a half gallon of yogurt for $2.50 (the cost of a half gallon of local farm fresh hormone free milk sold in returnable glass bottle).

    Do you have things that you do that have become routine but have people thinking your a little off when you tell them?

    Katie

    Saturday, July 13, 2013

    Week 1 Plastic Tally

    About 2 weeks ago, I saved every all of my plastic trash that I used for a week. It includes everything I used, and things that my family used that I used too. It does not include just things my husband and son used. I am also posting it here Show your plastic.

    So, without further ado :



    I filled 1 plastic grocery bag with plastic trash. Just for a week! It is hard not to feel discouraged, although I will say that most of this plastic is from things I bought before I got on board with the plastic free/low plastic lifestyle. Most of my plastic waste is from food products :





    And much to my dismay my nearest loose bulk food store is 12 miles away, which is discouraging when I like in biking distance to a town less than a mile away with plenty of stores. My nearest Whole foods is a 45 drive (uh).

    Followed by bath products :




    The hair products are an easy fix. I am going to try some shampoo bars, as there is no bulk shampoo near me, and the baking soda/apple cider vinegar thing made my thick curly hair a nightmare. The other thing is a floss pick (guess I only flossed once that week, oops!) which, so far I have not found any replacement for dental floss. I tried thread, and that was a nightmare.

    Lastly is my junk mail plastic envelopes:

    I have listed my name on all the stop junk mail websites. Hopefully this will help.

    I have to say participating in this challenge has depressed me. I am hyper aware of all the plastic waste around me. Every time I see someone slugging a plastic water bottle I cringe, and I just want to cry. It feels like one person's reduction isn't going to make up for the millions of others.

    But, I keep on, with that classic Gandhi quote, "you need to be the change you wish to see in the world." It's a start.

    Katie