Leftovers!

I have a lot of leftover turkey from Christmas dinner. Let's just say that the turkey wasn't ready for dinner so there was an entire turkey that needed to be divied out to various households. I was trying to come up with a recipe to use up some of that turkey. I combined a few recipes and came up with a decent casserole recipe. This isn't the most amazing recipe I have ever made but it serves it's purpose and I thought it was pretty darn tasty. Hubby and baby enjoyed it too!

Leftover Turkey Casserole

1 cup skim milk
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups part skim cheese
1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup peas
2 cups diced turkey breast
1/2 onion (optional...I didn't use any onion because we didn't have any but it would be a good addition).
4 cups brown rice (cooked)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine 1 cup skim milk with cornstarch in a saucepan on medium heat. Stir until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add 1 cup of cheese and 1/2 cup of yogurt. Salt and pepper to taste. In the microwave, team the carrots and peas until tender. Combine the veggies, rice, and sauce in a 9x13 casserole dish. Cover with remaining cheese and bake on 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

I am not impressed.

Hello readers! I have been MIA for a few weeks now. Why you ask? Well I have been super busy with school, work, the holidays, all day "morning sickness" and other first trimester pregnancy woes. Yes folks, you read that correctly...oops we did it again. :) Baby S. #2 is due to arrive in July. We are excited, scared out of our minds, but excited. Two kids under two will be a challenge but you know me...I like me a good challenge.

I have a confession to make. I am less than impressed with my commitment to health and wellness right now. I used to be so dedicated to healthy, clean, safe food for my family and I. Not so much anymore. I used to make my own mayonnaise for crying out loud. I don't know if it's the lack of time, the reality of life with kids or what but my health aspirations have greatly dwindled in the past months. I think it's pretty funny that now that I have a baby and I am currently pregnant I wouldn't be more concerned with eating healthy, minimally processed foods. All I want is processed food. I bought mayo the other day and I am slapping it on everything. I crave salty snacky food. I ate so much junk food over the holidays that I could literally vomit thinking about cookies or frosting covered treats.

I need a game plan people. I need a plan that will really work and that I can stick to. I am going to sit down with my eat clean book and start fresh. Will I be 100%? Nope. I won't. I really don't have the time or energy to make everything from scratch. But I can do better than this. I think that in the past my problem has been an all or nothing mentality. I feel if I can't do clean eating 100% then I should just throw in the towel. So not true. I can do 80%. Anyone can do 80%.  I don't want to be a family that lives on Mac and Cheese (although I will say it's at least Annie's natural brand so I feel a smidge better about it). I want to be the family that thrives on healthy food.

My plan right now is to get back into the groove of making crock pot meals and casseroles at the beginning of the week. I need something easy and healthy to grab and pack for lunches, serve for quick healthy dinners etc. I am also going to make some freezer meals. Some healthy homemade burritos, or homemade microwave meals that the hubby and kid can munch on when I am not home.

Substitutions I am starting. right. now.

• Flavored greek yogurt --- Plain greek yogurt with honey or fruit
• Clif bars --- Homemade granola bars, trail mix, almonds
• Flavored coffee creamer --- Almond milk in my coffee
• Goldfish crackers --- Natural cheese with whole grain crackers
• No veggies --- VEGGIES! I am so bad at veggies. I just don't incorporate a lot. 
• Buying my lunch --- Packing a healthy delicious lunch that I WANT to eat. This has been a big problem for me lately. I never want to eat what I make. 

I am ashamed to say that I already own this book and that I haven't cracked it open since having kids. That seems silly because I specifically bought it knowing that it would come in handy when I had kiddos running around. 

Walk of cloth diaper shame...

The following post makes me feel a little like a cloth diaper traitor! You guys know how I feel about cloth. I love it. I love the fluffy stuff but I have a confession to make. I hate cloth diapering at night. Yes hate is a strong word but it is a fitting word because I really do hate it.

Lets start off by going over my history with cloth at night. We started out using AIO (all in one) diapers at night. They worked fine when she was really little because we would change her a few times during the night. When she started sleeping longer stretches of time we realized we needed to come up with a new system to keep the leaks at bay.

Enter wool. Man I love wool. I am pretty sure that wool or "sweater pants" as the hubs calls them are pretty much the cutest things ever. Wool is great. You throw on a fitted diaper and cover with wool and you are leak free for HOURS. Wool is warm and soft and breathable. Love it. It was nice to be leak free! The sheets were dry every morning but I still wasn't happy.

One of the things I dislike about using cloth at night was how bulky the night diapers are. I have to use multiple inserts to keep her dry all night so she literally looked like J-LO at bedtime. It is so bad that sometimes she has trouble crawling because the diaper is just too huge. I try trimmer options but that just leads to leaks.

How would you feel if you had to sleep in a soaking wet cold diaper all night? Gross and uncomfortable right? I hate changing her diaper in the morning and feeling how heavy it is. Her little bum is be red and cold. Morning diapers are the worst part about cloth diapering. The smell they emit is God awful. I would rinse them out in the morning and they would STILL stink. Quite frustrating.

So...what am I getting at you say? I am saying that I have been using disposable diapers at night (insert gasp here). I struggled with this for a bit. I wanted to stick to my guns. I committed to cloth diapers and I didn't want to flake out. I gush about my love for cloth and I am a total advocate for it so how could I use anything but? I still feel a little guilty even talking about it but whatever. I made this choice for my kiddo. No more red bum in the morning. No more horrendous smelling night diapers. She's not cold and soaked underneath her wool covers. Her sheets stay dry. She can move around easier without the added padding of the bulky diaper.

I still love my cloth diapers. I think that they are great for the most part and I feel really good for what I am doing for the environment and for our wallets. BUT I also really like using disposable diapers at night. I guess I will need to learn to accept that different things work for different people.

Recipe Extravaganza!

I know it has been weeks since I last posted. Ooops! Don't fret dear friends, I have ooodles of recipes to share with you. Some of these recipes are DELISH. Some are terrible. I'll let you guess which ones are which. Just kidding...I will tell you.

I will share two of my fave recipes in this post Nom nom nom nom! My favorite was black bean and sweet potato chili. God I love the crockpot. I found this recipe on heandsheeatclean.com and I made a few additions/changes in my recipe. Make this.


Black Bean and Sweet potato Chili (original recipe from heandsheeatclean.com)

Ingredients:

1 small yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes 

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with chilies

1 15 oz can black beans

1 15 oz can low sodium kidney beans

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 lb turkey breast, ground

3/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp coarse grind pepper

2 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1.5 cup chicken or veggie broth

Directions:

1. Put vegetables and beans in the bottom of the crock pot.

2. Layer ground turkey breast, spices, seasoning and broth.

3. Place lid on crock pot and cook on low for eight hours or high on four.

4. Carefully remove lid and stir chili. Adjust seasonings to taste.

5. Replace lid, cook for an additional 20-30 minutes on low. Serve.

This next recipe was also very good. I have a go to pizza crust that I ALWAYS make. I was feeling daring so I decided to branch out this time and try something new. This was hands down the best crust ever. It was so light and fluffy. This might just be my new go to pizza crust. 

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup unbleached flour
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup warm water

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp agave nectar

Directions

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Stir until dough is formed. Knead dough with hands for five minutes. Form dough into a ball, place back in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes- 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Remove dough from bowl. Knead for 1 more minute and roll out dough onto greased pizza pan. Cover with desired toppings and bake for 12-15 minutes. 

Stay tuned for the gross recipes. Just in case you feel like making something that no one will want to eat. 

Soup-er recipe!

I am a bit obsessed with the ole crock pot as of late. I really love soup, guys. I want to eat soup all the time. I know that some of you might find that odd. I live in Phoenix. It's 100+ degrees. Leave me alone. Soup is delicious and it's one of the few things that I can eat for "lunch" at work at 2am that doesn't make me feel slow and sleepy. I have also been sick lately. Something is wrong with my immune system and I am constantly under the weather. Soup is a source of comfort.

I try to make a BIG crockpot recipe, casserole, or the like every Sunday so that the hubby and I have something to take for lunch during the week. The hubs and I had date night at Postinos (I am going to go off on a tangent but you should TOTALLY go to Postinos if you live in the Phoenix area. So yummy.) and we had a delicious bowl of pasta fagioli. I decided at that moment that my next crock pot venture would be a big pot of delicious pasta soup goodness.

Pasta Fagioli

1 onion diced
1 lb ground turkey (you can use lean ground beef if you prefer)
1 clove garlic
1 cup carrots diced
1 zucchini diced ( I am unforts allergic to squash so I omitted this but I love squash so you should add it!) 
2 stalks of celery diced
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of white beans
1 jar of clean pasta sauce (I used light ragu- no sugar added)
4 cups vegetable broth (many recipes call for beef broth so you can do that if you want)
1 cup of pasta (I used whole wheat elbow noodles)
pinch of oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Brown the ground turkey with the diced onion and garlic. In the meantime, throw everything in the crock pot. When the turkey is done....throw that in there too! I cooked the soup on high for 4 1/2 hours (until the veggies are tender) and then I added in the cup of pasta. Cook for an additional 1 hour and enjoy! Nom nom nom!

Article roundup!

There are a few great articles that I have come across over the past few weeks that I have been meaning to share. All of them are from Babble.com. If you haven't checked out Babble, you need to! STAT! There are always interesting, helpful, eye opening articles that ALSO find a way to be entertaining. Sometimes ya just want to read an article that gives you some good info and makes ya laugh!

This first article speaks to me. This is exactly how I feel in regards to eating clean right now. I used to be a clean machine...but that takes time and effort and right now I just want a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Alright...here are a few more great articles that I found funny, enlightening, or just good info to file away!

Rock Your Pot Belly and 12 Other Life Lessons for my Daughter

Not According to Birth Plan

The Cure for Mom Guilt

Feeling Overwhelmed with Protecting your Children from Toxins? You're not Alone.  

Is there More to Organic than Just the Label?

Yummy Recipe!

I will be the first to admit that I don't really cook much in the Summer (sorry Hubs). This is a sad fact because I actually love cooking. I have good intentions of creating some yummy clean meals for the fam but when push comes to shove, slaving over a hot stove in 120 degrees just doesn't sound appealing.

Don't panic everyone! There is a solution to this problem. Well one solution is to make a lot of salads. But as we all know...salads can get a little old. There are only so many variations you can try. The REAL solution to this problem is the crock pot. Oh the crockpot...only the best invention EVER. One of my favorite things in the entire world is Chicken Tortilla Soup. Soup in Summer? Sure...why not? Hot spicy soup, garnished with cool avocado, shredded cheese (soy cheese? hmmm...maybe no cheese for me) and tortilla chips sounds pretty darn delicious! I drummed up this recipe for a delicious soup that, in my humble opinion, is fabulous and a perfect meal for a Summer evening.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Courtesy of: http://www.honeybearlane.com

Ingredients

• 1 Can Black beans ( I use no salt added organic beans)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can corn (I use one bag of frozen corn)
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 chicken breasts
• 1 can green chiles
• 2 cans fat free chicken broth ( I use low sodium organic broth)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. chile powder
• Dash of any hot sauce you like
• Cheddar cheese, tortilla strips, avocado slices (for garnish)

Avoooocado. Mmmmm

I love avocado. I REALLY love whipped avocado. How did I happen to try whipped avocado you ask? I was making baby food. I decided to really puree up some avocado for the babe. I tasted some and I wanted to eat it all. It was so GOOOOOD! It has to have something to do with the whipping action.

I was on an avocado kick so I decided to try adding some to my protein shake. I recently bought a protein powder from herbalife. I have a friend who sells their products and they offer an allergen free vanilla flavor. I have to stay away from dairy right now for the kiddo so I wanted something easy on my tummy and on hers! My friend told me it tasted like cake batter and I have to agree. I found this recipe via a quick google search (funny that the recipe actually used herbalife brand protein). This shake was good, guys. Reaaaally good. I used about 1/4 of an avocado and almond milk instead of skim. Yum Yum.

I have a sweet circuit workout to share with you! I like this workout because it has a lot of variety and you can do it at the gym or at home. I did circuit 1 and it took me about 30 minutes. I am already feeling a little sore so it musta been a good one!

Workin' on my fitness

So remember how I said that we were going to turn our den into a workout room? Well after much deliberation we changed our minds. ha! The truth is..we both love the gym. I have just decided to make a commitment to go at least 3x/week. It shouldn't be too tough during the Summer months because it is WAY tooooo hot to drag Em out in the stroller to run.

I have been pretty pleased with my workouts lately. I have been kicking my own butt and I am already seeing results. I am lucky (I guess some might not think this is lucky but I do!) that I build muscle REALLY fast. Like insanely fast. So I see lots of muscle definition which is nice and it keeps me motivated. I have started adding in some protein shakes again and really working on eating clean. Some changes I have made lately....
1) No creamer in my coffee. Waaaaaaa! I use almond milk. This is one of the hardest changes for me to make for some reason. But whatever. I'll get used to it.
2) I am kinda veggie right now. I guess I am more of a pescatarian as I don't have a problem eating fish. All other meat sources make me barfy. I am not sure why but whatever...I'm going with it.
3) I am forcing water. FORCING IT. I have been really bad about water.
4) Making my own salad dressing!
5) HITT workouts. The last two times I worked out I almost threw up. I also can't sit on the toilet or really get out of bed unless I log roll. All of these things equal an A+ on my workout grading scale.

It has definitely taken me a while to get back into the swing of things. I still don't feel like I can dedicate as much time to working out and cooking clean meals as I could before but I can do my best!


Here is a workout that I have put together and have been doing this past week. I use anywhere from 5-10lb dumbbells but you don't have to use any weight and still get a good workout. Do each move for 60 seconds. Don't take a break between exercises if possible. After you are done with one circuit take a 1-2 minute break and do the circuit again (and again! For a total of 3x). You are welcome. :)

Jump squats
dumbbell t- pushups
jumping jacks with toe touch
deadlift hammer curls
plie pulse jump squats with weight - This video shows regular pulse jump squats. To do plie squats spread your legs out a little more than hip width and turn your feet outward (like a plie).
superman reverse flyes
burpee plank rows

Green ( and CHEAP) Craftin'

Every once in a while I will get into a big time craft mode. I love to make things but sometimes I just can't seem to find the time to really settle in and do some crafting! Well...this last week I have found that time and it has been fun!

I have spent a few hours (or many many many hours) browsing pinterest and other websites to find ideas of what to do with some extra supplies I have lying around. I have been in love with a few ideas and I was so excited that the hubby was able to help me (AKA do all the work himself while I supervised). I love sprucing up the house but I hate spending tons of money on stuff that may or may not be knocked over or eaten by my brood of cats.

My favorite project as of late is the pallet furniture that hubby made for our patio. I saw the idea on pinterest (Oh how I love thee pinterest...) and I showed it to him. He said he could throw it together rather easily...and he DID! We got the pallets for free which was awesome! We just had to purchase the pillows/cushions! Please ignore the messy patio...it's not quite done but you get the idea!

While we are talking about projects that use wood I will show you a few other things we are working on right now. Hubby is making me a "headboard" out of planks. I put headboard in quotes because I feel like it's more of a piece of art ha! He is also going to make a frame for our bed to match. It's so nice to have such a handy man around! While he is working on the big stuff...I am going to try to make myself some rustic looking picture frames with some leftover wood we have from the pallet furniture.

I have a lot of extra scrapbook paper. Like....really...a lot. I decided that I would do some sweet decorating by framing some of the prettier sheets of paper. I took it a step further by using leftover paper (that I could trim to about standard printer size) to print really cute vintage graphics on. I don't know how I have lived my life without knowing about graphics fairy! This site is so cute. I love vintage prints. It's a simple way to use up that extra scrapbook paper and create some really cute things for the house.

It's funny how you can find lots of uses for things you never thought you would use! I have a plethora of mason jars leftover from our wedding. I decided to fill one of the jars with coffee. Decaf almond toffee coffee. It sounds like it would be good but it tastes weird AND it's decaf. Nobody in this house has time for decaf. I put a vanilla candle on top of the coffee and now when I burn the candle it smells like the most delicious coffee shop! I decided to re-purpose a curtain rod that we weren't using on our windows. Curtains are a silly waste of time for us as they are seen as "cat toys". Hubby hung the curtain rod on the wall and I created a little picture display that I am pretty proud of!

I still have some crafting in my so I have a few other projects in the works that I will post about when they are finished!

New Mom Challenge...

I realize that it has been awhile since I have posted an update about the New Mom Challenge. I won't lie...I am still struggling some weeks but I feel like I am making progress. I am back to my pre-baby weight. I can fit into all my pre-baby jeans...just in time for 120 degrees! I might look like I am back to my old self but I don't feel like I am. I feel run down, exhausted, constantly in need of a nap ha. I think that my problem is I don't sleep well and I am still not eating as clean as I should be. I think I need to revamp the diet a bit and also I need to work on making sleep a priority. That should be easy working night shift with a 6 month old...right? :/ I am working on it though...and I really am pleased with the progress I have made!

The hubs and I decided that we are going to cancel our gym memberships. Our gym is beautiful. I love it. I love the classes (that I never go to) and the pool (that we never swim in) and the locker rooms that have wooden cabinets and granite countertops. Needless to say we pay big bucks for the membership and I have only gone...once *cough cough* since Em was born. I find it much easier to workout at home or go running/walking outside. We are going to turn our den into a workout room! I am actually really excited! Now I was leery at first. I didn't want our den to be a gym because I didn't want our "grown up" house to look stupid. Well...whatever. Anyone who knows me would expect me to have a gym in my house. So...why the heck not? We will be saving money BIG TIME by not paying for the gym.

On the subject of fitness...I know that I have talked about this site before...but I love Fitnessblender! I think this might be the best home fitness website EVER. There are so many choices and you really have no excuse. Some of the workouts are as short as 5 minutes. Everyone has 5 minutes. Yes...even you...oh busy busy person...has 5 minutes. My favorite workouts on the site are the "when I say jump" and "red light green light" workouts! They are really fun. Don't get me wrong...they are ridiculously hard. Like RIDICULOUSLY hard. I swear the entire time (under my breath of course). But they are kind of like a game. You workout really hard (green light) then randomly get a break (red light). Or you do one cardio move and then randomly jump up or do a burpee (you are prompted by the trainer). It just makes the workout speed by. If you haven't checked the site out yet...do it! You won't be disappointed. :)

Uh...Oh...I have a problem...

Everyone who knows me knows that I have a bit of a diaper hoarding problem right now. Well...(dear husband...don't read this). I have a new obsession. A wonderful obsession...it's called WOOL! I was afraid of wool diaper covers for the longest time. A very wise group of women schooled me on why wool is actually pretty amazing. Now I want my entire diaper stash to be comprised of wool. Sigh.

I have thrown around the idea of selling off at least 1/2 of my stash to fund my wool habit. Is that crazy? Maybe. Am I still going to do it? Maybe. Don't judge me...people. I am a human being...and I have flaws. :)

Just in case you too are afraid of wool...don't be! Read up on why it's awesome, not hard to care for and super comfy for baby! Click on the links for some great articles and videos to help you decide if wool might be right for you!

http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/real-diaper-news/quarterly_article_sanders_diaper-covers-why-wools-cool.htm

http://www.zoolikins.com/wool-diaper-cover-information.html

http://christadovel.hubpages.com/hub/Wool-Diapercovers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXUEADmQ3QU&noredirect=1

Product Review!

It's time for another round of product reviews/updates! I really love doing this. A) It gives me an excuse to shop. B) Well...I don't really need a B. I just like trying out new things so there ya have it!
I have a few new products but I also have a few updates on some older products.

Do you remember a few posts back when I mentioned I bought two outfits from Kinderstuff? They are a new little company that sells organic kids clothing and you can send back the sutff that your kiddo grows out of to get discounts on future purchases. I loved the concept so I decided to try it out. The clothes I ordered were so soft, super well made, very cute! As you can see below...Em loved her onesie!

Alright...don't be distracted by my deliciously cute baby. Back to the point at hand. Chris from Kinderstuff actually contacted me the other day and wrote me such a nice email. Thanking me for being a customer, asking me how I liked the products and what my suggestions would be for the future. I LOVE LOVE LOVE feeling like a valued customer. They even sent me ANOTHER coupon to use. I am a customer for life! Seriously! I emailed him back and he replied AGAIN! I just love it when companies take care of their customers. Check out the site! Kinderstuff.ushttps://www.kinderstuff.us/

Moving on...beauty products. I love The Honest Company...you guys know that. I have decided that while it does take a bit of effort to rub in...I like the sunscreen. Most sunscreens turn me into one huge zit. I have really sensitive skin and I feel like pretty much anything can set off flares of acne that would rival any 13 yr old boy. I am pleased with the sunscreen thus far. No zits and no sunburns. That is all I ask for people. It is also working out great for Em. Winning!

I recently purchased a few Alba products. In my search for green, natural alternatives quite a few people mentioned Alba and gave the brand rave reviews. I bought a face wash and shampoo/conditioner. I am zit free and have great hair so really I feel like things must be working out! I love the smell of the shampoo and conditioner. It leaves my hair soft and smooth. I am able to style as usual (AKA use copious amounts of HEAT) with no problems. I have had bad experiences with natural shampoos so I have been afraid to make the switch. The Alba products are working great! I pay big bucks for salon products and this shampoo/conditioner are working just as well. I also really like the face wash! It leaves my skin feeling really clean. It takes off makeup like a champ and has seemingly kept summertime breakouts at bay.

Clean Treats!!!

If I were to receive a grade on my current diet...I think I would be at about a "B". Above average but definitely room for improvement. I would get an "A" for effort though...right? No. Because I am not putting forth much effort at all. What is my biggest challenge you say? Sugar. I love dark chocolate. I love trail mix with yogurt raisins. I love dark chocolate almond milk and agave nectar in my coffee. In the grand scheme of healthy eating I am doing pretty good but I want treats, dammit. TREATS!

I already have a few healthy treat recipes on the blog but I want something else. Something new. Something easy. Here are two new recipes that are pretty darn delish. I am not like a die hard Dr. Oz fan but I did happen to catch a few minutes of his show and saw this recipe.

Dr Oz Cinnamon Cashew Nut Brittle

• Coconut Oil
• Cashews
• Cinnamon

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Melt the coconut oil and coat the cashews with it. Then sprinkle the cashews with cinnamon and bake for 10 minutes.

Boob Cookies

Do not be alarmed. This recipe IS actually for lactation cookies (supposed to help increase your milk supply) but they are really good and they won't actually make you lactate or anything ha. Dustin made these for me and they were so good! He used coconut oil and added dates and dried apples. Nom nom nom.

Reduse, Reuse, Recycle!

One of the things I was most excited about when buying our own home was that we would actually get to recycle! Recycling in an apartment is really tedious. The complexes that we lived at didn't have a recycling program, and if they did...I didn't trust that they actually recycled the stuff we put in the bin. We would "try" to recycle on our own but we just ended up with bags or boxes full of other bags and boxes that sat around the apartment or in the back of our cars. Having our own recycling can is so much easier!

That being said...I am always on the look out for ways to reuse stuff that I have lying around the house. It's a fun little game to see what I can make out of something that I could have just thrown out! I have a few DIY projects that are actually really handy! I want to actually USE the stuff I re-purpose!

I have been dabbling a bit in the diaper selling biz. I have a handful of diapers that we just don't like. There is nothing wrong with them. They are actually great diapers, barely used, but not our favorites. So I have sold a few to some other cloth mamas. I decided to try and make eco friendly shipping packaging with stuff I had at home. Now don't start singing my praises. I based this almost purely on the facts that I was feeling lazy, had no desire to shower and get dressed, and I am pretty cheap when it comes to this stuff (hubby only wishes I was this concerned with saving money when it came to BUYING diapers). I turned to my trusty friend Google to help me figure something out. And as a true friend...Google once again didn't let me down. I will share with you a very fun and easy tutorial on how to make a shipping envelope out of cereal boxes! Genius I tell you. I also must confess that I actually had to remove cereal out of these boxes to use them ha. P.S. The Adventures in Fluff blog is SUPER cute! Spend some time on there if you get a chance!

This next DIY was shared with me by a friend from work. I have filed it away in my mind under the "Use in Case of Emergency" category. I pray I am never in a situation where I literally only have my baby (diaper-less) and the shirt off my back...but if I am ever in that situation...I will be ready. Click here for a tutorial!

This DIY tutorial is kinda of awesome. Actually...I am in love with this idea. I have been known to attempt to make cute things out of old t-shirts (I fail more than I succeed) but this actually looks doable. I have a bad habit of forgetting my nursing cover. In order to NOT make everyone in a restaurant uncomfortable it might be nice to have another cover that I can keep in my car. I think I might just try this tutorial out so I have a backup!

Green Stuff...DIY

I know that you are all aware that I have been making the switch to natural cleaning products. So far so good. The only thing I am having trouble giving up...carpet fresh. I love carpet fresh! I have been known to sprinkle it around the house before people come over so it smells like I just cleaned! I felt like carpet fresh couldn't be too hard to make yourself. It's baking soda and smelly stuff right? So I took to the internets and found how easy (seriously...ridiculously easy) it is to make your own!

This is where I found the "recipe". I had an old sugar container that has a little shaker top. Perfect! I only had tea tree oil on hand. So not exactly the preferred scent but I kinda love it so whatever...I used it. I mixed it all together and sprinkled it around the house. Pretty awesome folks. I vacuumed it up per usual and I could smell a pleasant faint scent of tea tree.

Next on the docket...Dr. Bronner's magic soap. Have you used this? It's been around forever! Oddly enough while surfing around on hulu I happened to come across a documentary about Dr. Bronner. Something about him escaping from a mental institution? Yeah...I dunno. You call him crazy...I call him a genius. This soap is fabulous! The bottle is kinda weird. It is covered in words and quotes and various other things that are both confusing and entertaining to read. I have used the pepermint soap for years but hadn't really branched out until this week. I bought the rose hemp soap. I am in love. A) who doesn't love the smell of roses? B) It makes your skin feel soft and clean and lovely. C) who needs a C. It smells good and it seems to work.

Aside from using the soap in the bath or shower there are 7 million other ways you can use this soap. I know some people who use it as laundry detergent. I have used it in a spray bottle to clean the bathroom. I have also used it to mop the floors. I even heard you can use it as a deodorant, toothpaste, and mouthwash (no...I'm not kidding).

And last but certainly not least...rubbing alcohol. Everyone has this stuff lying around the house. I have found a new and relatively green way to use it! Spot cleaning my microfiber couch! I put a little bit on a white cloth (they say to use white so that you don't have any color bleeding onto your couch) and rubbed it on the dirty spots on the couch (mostly spit-up). Yes it smelled like a distillery while I was cleaning the spots but it doesn't smell now! It really worked amazingly well!

Bugs!

I am not a girly girl per se. I like to camp and hike and play sports. I am not afraid to get my hands a little dirty doing yard work and the like. I am, however, deathly afraid of bugs. I don't mind cute lil rollie pollie bugs. Roaches, big spiders, bees. Nope. Not a fan. I grew up with sewer roaches. They were huge and they flew and they were truly my nightmare. Since moving into our new house I hadn't seen a single roach! HUZAAA!!! Win.

Last night we went on a little family run around the neighborhood. It started out great. It was a beautiful night, the baby and hubby were with me and we were talking and laughing and running along. Then I see them. Hundreds of them. Everywhere. Roaches. Everywhere. On the sidewalk, the street, walls. I was afraid I might throw myself into oncoming traffic as I dodged bugs and screamed and high-kneed pretty much the entire run. I yelled to Dustin and Em that I was sorry but I had to leave them behind. I sprinted. A full on sprint (complete with hurdles and lunges) all the way back home.

This whole debacle made me oh so happy that we had invested in an environmentally friendly bug service. We have pets and a baby so the thought of spraying a bunch of chemicals around the house just wasn't appealing. Then we had a eco-friendly company make a door to door visit and we decided to try it out. I have not seen a single bug in the house since the visit. We didn't even have to leave the house for them to spray.

Easy Peasy Recipes

I have a few healthy/super easy recipes to share. I have decided that my crock pot is one of my besties. I just love that you can throw in a bunch of stuff in the morning and it just turns into a delicious meal by dinnertime!

Slow Cooker Chicken Dijon

Ingredients

• 16oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts (4, 4oz breasts)
• 1 medium sized onion, thinly sliced
• 2 lb red potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fat free chicken broth
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• Juice from two lemons
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Fresh chopped chives for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Place chicken breasts in crock pot and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp oregano.
2. Layer potatoes and onion slices over chicken breasts.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together broth, Dijon, lemon juice, lemon zest, and remaining oregano.
4. Pour over chicken, potatoes and onions, and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
5. Sprinkle fresh chopped chives over each serving.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 6 hour(s)

Read more: http://www.laaloosh.com/2012/10/02/dijon-chicken-slow-cooker-recipe/#ixzz2SGGKVlxP


The first recipe inspired me to make yet another recipe with chicken and potatoes. I had a looooot of chicken and a lot of potatoes that I needed to use.

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken and Sweet Taters

Ingredients

• 16 oz chicken breast
• 4-5 medium sweet potatoes (sliced in 1/2in pieces)
• Bottle of bbq sauce (I chose a natural sauce that wasn't made with any HFCs or artificial flavors)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

• Throw all the ingredients together in the crockpot and cook on low for 5 hours.

That's it. Seriously. And it was pretty darn good! I think that this would be REALLY good with some cornbread. Nom Nom Nom.  

Product Review

I am pretty darn excited about this new edition of product reviews! Why you may ask? Because it gives me an excuse to shop! I am actually going to be reviewing some eco-friendly websites/services. I have come across a few interesting companies that I would really like to try out! So I will be updating my experience with these services/products!

Kinderstuff- I got a little coupon in my goody bag at the Great Cloth Diaper Change. The message on the front of the little coupon states "We're starting baby fashion from scratch and solve the problem that kids grow but clothes don't". Now that sounds intriguing right? Upon further investigation, I found that this company makes organic baby clothes and asks that you send back the outgrown clothing to receive discounts on further purchases! Pretty cool huh?! I used my coupon and ordered a few items! I will update after I receive my order!

*update*

I received my order quite promptly! The clothes were super cute in person! The colors are bright and the fabric is so soft. I feel like without the coupon this stuff is pretty pricey but I do really like the fact that you can "recycle" items you have grown out of.

Kissed By the Moon Mystery Fluff of the Month Club- I am a little nervous about this one, folks! I love a good mystery but I also love a good deal! Everything I have read states that this is a great deal and you get some really great stuff each month. Fingers crossed! I like that there are different price ranges that you can choose from and I also like that you can cancel at any time. I chose the $30 option, girly stuff, and I picked surprise me for the category! We will see what the fluff fairy sends me! :) 

*update*

The first surprise fluff mail in received was a simplex AIO diaper. It's really cute. I also received some Cj's BUTTer which I am a huge fan of. Ill be interested to see what this next fluffy mail brings me! 

Okay...I think that is probably good for now! :) I will keep you all posted on how I like these products! I am really interested in revamping my beauty/skincare routine to more natural products. I need to use up my other products first but I am excited to see what's out there!

Green Mommy Guilt

Alright so any new mama can tell you that Mommy guilt is a very real, very intense phenomenon. Your baby scratches her face. Guilt. Leaks out of her diaper. Guilt. Spits up. Guilt. Cries for an unknown amount of time and you didn't know because your monitor was off (not that this has happened....). Guilt. And as if you need anything else to feel guilty about...enter Green guilt. This form of guilt is an entirely different beast of it's own.

How many moms have you talked to that feel guilty about not doing the most "natural" thing during their pregnancy or in mommyhood? I can't even tell you how many people I have encountered. I do see a lot of preggos in my line of work so maybe I am exposed to more than most but it's really hard to see the guilt ridden faces of these moms and dads when they shamefully admit that they cleaned the bathroom with bleach, accidentally ate lunch meat, and drank flavored water with splenda during the pregnancy.

What other "natural" things are guilt producers? Are you ready for these doozies? Epidurals and breastfeeding. As a labor and delivery nurse I will tell you that the most important thing is a healthy mom and healthy baby. I got an epidural. Thank God! My labor was awesome. I wouldn't have changed it for the world. I took hypnobirthing classes. I thought maybe...just maybe I would go the natural route. So many moms come into the hospital with a plan to sit in the tub, bounce on the birthing ball, walk around, squat, sit on the toilet or rocking chair. People have taken classes, read books, done everything possible to prepare for a natural labor. But you know what....you can't prepare for labor. My lil girl didn't like contractions. She would have big decels in her heart rate that lead me to get an epidural sooner than later just in case I had to be rushed on back to the operating room for an emergency C-section. Stuff happens. It pains my heart to hear a laboring mom whisper to me that she can't do it and she thinks she wants an epidural. She looks so embarrassed, defeated, sad. I do my best to let her know that it's OKAY! I even go into my speel about you wouldn't have dental work done without medication. Why would you? There is no need to suffer needlessly. We all feel pain differently. Etc. My words may crack a smile or illicit a nod but I know that my words don't matter. The incredible guilt has set in.

Breastfeeding. Did you think getting an epidural was the guilt topper? You were wrong. Breastfeeding hands down has got to be the biggest guilt producing issue a mom faces. Breast is best right? Your body is meant to breastfeed right? It's the most "natural" thing in the world. Right? I can tell you from firsthand experience that breastfeeding felt pretty much the opposite of natural to me. Many a tear was shed during the first few weeks home. Since that time (thank GOD it's over and thank God for my lactation consultant) I have decided to be as vocal as I can be about breastfeeding issues. People are afraid to ask for help because we are supposed to just "know" how to do it. It's hard. Sometimes it's a latch issue, a production issue, a combination of issues and it sucks. The only thing harder than the actual act of breastfeeding (and the delightful cracks and sores that come along with it) is the guilt that you feel if you you aren't doing it "right". Ugh. Even thinking back to that time makes me nauseous. I will say that breastfeeding has been an amazing experience for me thus far (now that I have forgotten the first few weeks of pure hell). I am glad I stuck it out...but if I hadn't...I sure wish that I wouldn't have been filled with guilt and shame. Your baby needs to eat and you need to stay sane. Whatever you need to do to accomplish that is a-okay! Formula isn't poison! It's nourishment for your baby and if that is what works then there should be no shame in that!

Diapering, baby food, sleep habits, schedules, detergents, butt creams etc etc etc. It never stops. There is a lot of pressure to do everything perfectly as a new mom. Puree your own organic fruits and veggies.You should co-sleep. Never co-sleep! Baby needs to sleep in her crib! Put your baby on a schedule. Don't put your baby on a schedule. Use this cream. No wait...don't use that cream...use this cream. That stuff contains X and should be avoided. Actually X doesn't need to be avoided, it's Y and Z that really need to be avoided. Don't vaccinate your babies. Are you crazy? Vaccinate those kids ASAP!

Listen. You have your job cut out for you as a parent as it is. Focus on creating a loving and stable environment for you little one and things will work out just fine. I feel like as a mom I want to help create an environment of acceptance and camaraderie. We don't need MORE things to make us feel guilty. We need to know that it's okay to do what we need to do in order to raise happy healthy kids!

I have made some choices that work for my family but may not work for other families. I cloth diaper, co-sleep, breastfeed on demand, have failed several times at putting my kid on a schedule. I drink caffeine, the occasional glass of wine and while I do use baby friendly cleaning products for the most part...I still love bleach. There are days when I feel guilty for doing this or that but I remind myself that I have a happy baby and a healthy family. We all sleep well, eat well, smile a lot and enjoy life. That the most important thing!

Nap time workout!

Now I don't wanna toot my own horn here but I am on a roll today! Not only did I drink tons of water...I also did a REAL workout. This workout kicked my butt! There was a brief period where I felt nauseous. Now that means this workout gets an "A" on my wanna barf scale! Fitnessblender.com is great! Check it out! They have workouts for all levels and lasting all different lengths. I was able to fit in a workout with enough nap time left to shower afterword! Win!

Cardio Lower Body Toning - 44 Min Better Booty Tabata Workout with Yoga Cool Down & Stretch, Fitness Blender

Rockin a soak

This is a cloth diaper related post. I am obsessed with laundry routines right now. I feel like in the past four months I have tweaked my routine...oh...a million times. There are so many factors (who knew?) that can make such a difference on how your diapers turn out. Mine...were smelly. So I "rocked a soak" today. If you are not familiar with this term it is when you soak your diapers in rockin green detergent to "strip" the diapers of all the junky stink causing buildup. I was so tired of the never ending battle with ammonia on my cloth diapers. I felt my only option was to do something drastic.

I filled up the tub in the guest bathroom with super hot water and 3tbsp of rockin green. I also added in a nice big squirt of bac-out for good measure. Next I added all my diapers. All of them. I am afraid to count how many of them I have (I don't have a problem...really I don't). Let's just say the bathtub was quite full! I agitated them all a bit with my hand and just let them soak. This actually worked out really well because we had a pack of disposables from The Honest Company that Emery is growing out of. So we just used those up while the diapers were soaking.

The directions on the detergent said to soak the diapers for 30-60 minutes. I knew I would need more soaking than that. This build-up was legit and I decided I would soak the dipes for a few hours. I would head into the bathroom every 30 mins or so and give them all a little swish in the tub. I drained the tub once (um...the water was greyish/yellow! These were "clean" diapers! Eeeek!) and then refilled it again with cold water. I removed the diapers with PUL after about 4 hours and I left the inserts (mostly microfiber) to soak for a few hours more. I laundered as usual without any detergent and since it was night time by the time I was through washing I just threw them in the dryer.

This might just have been the best decision I have EVER made so far in my cloth diaper career. Okay choosing cloth was the best, actually switching to a detergent MEANT for cloth diapers was the second, and this soak was the third. All factors combined = awesome! The diapers look AMAZING. They smell like nothing (no ammonia, must, weird barnyard funk) for maybe the first time ever.  It was such a joy to put away my stash today (and of course smell them all while doing so) and feel confident that these suckers were all clean. If you are having any stink issues with your diapers I really recommend doing something like this. You don't have to use your tub! I just thought it would be easier to soak in the tub with my HE front load washer.

Clean Diapers!

Product Review

Okay folks...I know you have all been chomping at the bit for another round of product reviews. Well chomp no longer! Here are a few great finds that I am in love with lately!

• The Honest Company Sunscreen. I love this stuff! I have a million different kinds of sunscreen but I was nervous about using any of them on Emery! This stuff is natural, gentle on her sensitive skin, and even states that it can be used on babies UNDER 6 months. 
• Bumkins. I love bumkins for a few reasons. 1) It's local! The headquarters is here in Phoenix. 2) They are involved in the community. I was really impressed with how generous they were during the Great Cloth Diaper Change. 3) I love them. They are trim, soft, breathable...love love love. My favorites are their pocket diapers and they have great prefolds. I was so happy that I got a FREE snap-in-one diaper (one of their new ones!) for volunteering at the GCDC!
• Rockin' Green Hard Rock detergent. Do not ask me why, but I hadn't tried this detergent until recently. I had been battling some stink issues. I had tried oh just about everything. We have super hard water here in Gilbert AZ. I broke down and bought some of this detergent and holy cow. such. a. huge. difference. My dipes smell amazing. It's a very soft, light scent (I got the lavender scent!). I will pretty much take any scent over pee/ammonia smell. 
• I love applegate products! They have a handy little tool that lets you punch in your zip code to find stores that sell their products near your home!
• Cheat sheets. I hate to play the "new mom" card again but I am freaking busy as of late. I hate having to think and plan. Blech. It helps to have cheat sheets like this that I can take to the grocery store. I check off the items I already have and stock up on stuff that I know I am out of.
• CJ's BUTTer. Please try this on your baby's butt. Even if you don't have a baby..buy it anyway. It is amazing.

Round 2 of the New Mom Challenge

Round 1 of the challenge went alright. I NEVER thought I would have trouble finding the time and energy to work out. I love working out. I grade the workout on a throw up scale. The tougher...the better. Now I can barely find the energy to walk around the block ha! But I DID workout 4x this week for at least 20 minutes. I am going to keep it up!

Round 2 is going to be water. My dear friend water that has quenched my thirst for years. My goal is 10 glasses a day. I am honestly not sure how much water I drink. Maybe I already drink 10 glasses...that would be great but somehow I highly doubt it.

Happy Earth Day!

Oh Earth Day. A fun day in school when you get to plant some seeds, plant a tree, learn about recycling. But what IS Earth Day really? I didn't know. I knew the general idea but I really hadn't ever researched it before. Isn't that crazy? I then started thinking about how many other people don't really know where this day originated. I thought I should do some information and this is what I found.

Much is being written these days about the first Earth Day and the need to replicate the power of April 22, 1970, when 20 million people in the U.S. took to the streets to protest the ravages of the industrial revolution, followed quickly by landmark environmental laws and regulations, and accompanied by a shift in political fortunes of those who stood in the way of the environmental movement. The wonder of that first Earth Day, held in an era of social change and action, was that it wasn't a campus movement. Not one bit. Everybody was enlisted - from mayors to garden clubs to churches to labor groups to women's organizations. As a result, it became everybody's movement.- Kathleen Rogers (earthday.org)

20 million people? That is an extremely impressive number. If you have been reading my blog you know that I am on a journey to create a greener lifestyle for my family. I think that being green is kind of "in" right now. I don't want to just follow a fad. I want this to be the lifestyle that I pass along to my children and they can in turn pass it on to their children. It's great that it's trendy to be green, but wouldn't it be even greater if 20 million people hit the streets with the common goal of taking care of the earth? I love how the article states that this is "everybody's movement". We all have a job to do. We only have one earth and I feel like we can all do a little more to keep it a clean, safe place to live.

What are you going to be doing to honor Earth Day today? Need some ideas? Take action here! They have some great opportunities for you and your family to get involved. And hey...maybe shopping is your strong suit (ha! It's totally mine...). Check out Zulily, ecobuybaby, and The Honest Company for some awesome earth friendly products!

I thought it might be nice to take a look at the changes my own family has made this year on our journey to be mean and green.

• We have switched to Green cleaning products! We definitely have room for improvement but we are about 70% there! 
• Cloth Diapers! Best decision EVER! 
• We bought an HE frontload washer and use a clothesline
• We buy free range eggs, poultry, and meat. 
• We make an effort to have a few meat free meals throughout the week
• We paid a little extra for a few "green" additions to our home. Added insulation, double paned windows etc to reduce our energy usage. 
• We are recycling more! Now that we own our own home it's so much easier to recycle

What are some ways that you have become more green this year? I know that there are many areas that I can improve but hey...it's a start right? 

New Mom Weekly Challenge

How long can I use the "new mom" excuse? I find myself using it a lot. I am not eating very well, not really working out, barely drinking water, not sleeping etc. I chalk it all up to being a new mom but how long can I stretch out that excuse? I realize that my baby is 4 months old so I am still very much a new mom and that is definitely challenging. I just don't want my excuses to grow as my little one grows.

I have decided that I need to challenge myself a bit. I need to make my health and well-being a priority. I am not going to be out there marathon training. That is just not in the cards right now. But there are lots of things I can do. I can drink water. I used to drink water! I can eat veggies, more fruit, cut out the processed junk.

I feel like I have a problem with all or nothing. If I want to make changes I want to make all the changes at once. That isn't working for me. I need to start small and work my way up. I am going to challenge myself to do one thing a week. This week I am going to workout. Really workout. That doesn't count walking to the mailbox with the baby. I am going to workout 4 days this week for at least 20 minutes. I can do 20 minutes. In the past I would force myself to workout 45 minutes. If I didn't make it 45 minutes I felt like a failure and the workout didn't count. Well folks I don't have the time nor energy to devote 45 minutes to working out right now. I DO have 20 minutes. I can do that.

One thing I have learned is that you have to be a little inventive when it comes to working out with a baby. I used to be able to throw on my shoes and hit the gym. Now I don't just have that option all the time. My workout might be throwing the kiddo in a carrier and walking around the neighborhood for 30 minutes. It might be using little miss as my weight for squats, lunges, dips etc. I just need to commit to being active!

Cloth...my guilty (but not so guilty) plessure.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that with the birth of my daughter, two great loves entered my life. My daughter, of course, being number one, but coming in at second...cloth diapers. I LOVE cloth diapers. I felt like a student, diligently hitting the books throughout my entire pregnancy. I fact checked this and compared that. There are so many options for parents these days. It was definitely overwhelming. I still feel like a student, only now instead of pouring over books, blogs, google, and every mommy group on the web, I have been thrust into a real life learning environment.

I am so very happy that my sweet husband agreed to use cloth diapers with our daughter. I do feel like I presented a pretty strong case. 1. Money saving! 2. Eco friendly 3. Money saving 4. I will do the laundry!
5. SO CUTE and soft on the little bum. 6. Did I mention we will save money AND I will do the laundry?

I call cloth diapers my guilty pleasure because...well...I could probably spend a billion dollars on all the adorable diapers out there. I want to try them all...just in case my favorite diaper really isn't my favorite...what if there are diapers out there that I like even MORE!? I refer to cloth as my "not so guilty pleasure" because I feel really good about using cloth. I feel like I am being environmentally responsible and I also feel like I am doing a good thing for my daughter's little bum.

I will definitely be posting cloth updates on this blog! Stay tuned...:)

The perfect protein

One of my all time favorite things to eat is beans and rice. Lucky for me, together they make a delicious "complete protein" which makes me feel really good about eating gobs and gobs (as long as a pop a few beano). I am tired of chicken and I actually find that I feel pretty good on a vegetarian diet. I usually limit myself to one meat based meal per day but seriously...chicken and turkey are getting old reaaaaaaaaaaaaal quick. So I searched the interwebs and found this delicious recipe from The Naked Kitchen! Check it out! You will not be disappointed!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked brown long grain rice
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) low sodium diced tomatoes
• 5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped or frozen, but thaw and drain first
• 5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste
• 1 package (8 ounces) non dairy cheese (optional)

Preparation:

1. Place the rice and lentils in a large bowl, cover with water and soak overnight or at least 6 hours.
2. Drain and place in the slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients except the cheese if using.
3. Cover and cook on high 5-6 hours or low 8 hours depending on your specific slow cooker. It’s done when the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been cooked down.
4. If using the cheese add it individually to each serving.

Nutritional Info:
Makes 8 cups.
Serving size 1 cup.
Nutrients per serving (without cheese):  Calories: 180, Cal. from Fat: 6, Total Fat: 1g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 38g, Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 4.5g, Protein: 9.5g, Sodium: 343mg, Chol: 0mg

Product review

Here are some clean products/resources that I have been lovin' lately. Try them out! You and your family won't be disappointed.

• The Honest Company - I am so impressed with this company! Check out the website and order yourself some free samples. They offer two bundles. The diaper/baby product bundle and a home essentials bundle. The diapers are eco friendly, super cute and the baby products are free of chemicals and irritants. The essentials bundle is great too! Body products like lotions, soaps, shampoos and also cleaning products that I feel are safe to use with my new baby around. The free and clear detergent is also cloth diaper friendly! They also have great customer service! I am in love. Try out the samples and sign up to get monthly bundles delivered to your home. The price is actually very reasonable! 
• Method daily granite cleaner - I love this stuff. It smells so good. I like all of the Method products I have tried but this is by far my fave. The smell alone makes it worth buying, the eco friendly benefits are an added bonus! 
• Cloth Diapers - Everyone looked at me like I was nuts when I said I was using cloth diapers. I am so happy I decided to go this route. Even the hubby doesn't mind! Check out Kellyscloset.com to see all the fabulous fluff! I have so many faves I can't even narrow it down. I appreciate the diaper whisperer blog as well. It answers all your cloth questions. 
• Baby bum balm - Okay seriously....you need this if you have a baby. Heck just buy it anyway. This is a miracle in a jar. There is no rash/skin irritant this stuff can't conquer. 
• Nipple butter - Get your mind out of the gutter. This isn't a weird "get your groove back" item to whip out on a saturday night. This is your new best friend, breastfeeding mamas. Use it liberally. You will not be disappointed.

Clean Breastfeeding

I will be the first to admit that I had hoped that I would be one of those lucky ladies that just dropped weight immediately thanks to breastfeeding. The weight is slowly sloughing off but I don't think I can chalk that up to my boobies. I have not been my "cleanest" self when it comes to diet the past year. With pregnancy cravings, nausea, heartburn, etc I honestly just ate what I could keep down! I feel like I am ready to get back in the game. What better motivation is there than wanting my little one to get the best nutrients possible.

I am giving up dairy for a spell to see if that helps Em's gassiness/discomfort. The poor girl inherited her mama's digestive system. I came to the realization this week that I feel just as crappy as I assume she feels. My digestive system is all out of whack. I don't drink enough water. I haven't been reading labels or cooking healthy meals. I want to feel good for my daughter and I hope that it trickles down to her poor little tum tum too!

I have done some research on the best "clean" foods for breastfeeding. I have also found some interesting things that you might want to avoid as they can lead to misery for baby(and for you at 3am) or effect your milk supply! If you want the honest truth you can probably eat whatever you like while you are breastfeeding. I wasn't looking for foods labeled "poison" or "miracle food". I just wanted to see if there were healthy foods that I could start to incorporate into my diet. Let's take a look at my findings....

The list for best (breast ha) foods...

• Water. This one is a no brainer but I think it's easily taken for granted. I got up to grab a glass of water right after I started typing (realized I haven't had ANY water this morning sigh). It's an old wives tale that the more fluids you drink the more milk you produce. But your body is working overtime here and you need to stay hydrated. Dehydration can certainly negatively impact your supply. You don't need to drink gallons a day. Just aim for the suggested 8 glasses (or 64oz). Green tea and juice count too! 
• Fish. Yes! FISH! You avoided it like the plague while pregnant and now you can eat your fill. Well...by fill it is suggested no more than 12oz of low mercury fish a week. But hey...that is better than nothing! The fish that is most regarded as the healthiest fishy in the sea is salmon. Salmon is full of essential fatty acids that aid in the development of baby's central nervous system. These same fatty acids are also good for mama's health and mood. Helps baby's brain and battles post partum depression? I'll have the fish please.
• Calcium rich foods. There are many sources of calcium that you can choose from. Low fat dairy is the obvious choice. Low fat cottage cheese, greek yogurt, low fat milk and sliced cheeses are great sources of calcium, vitamin D and protein. These snacks will help keep you full and give your little kiddo strong bones! If, like me, you are avoiding dairy you can munch on dairy alternatives like almond or soymilk. Fortified orange juice, cereals, and leafy greens like spinach (also rich in Zinc which is important for BFing mamas as well) and chard are great non dairy sources as well. 
• Protein. Bring me your tired, your weak, your weary. Assuming you are in the throws of new mama exhaustion like I am, you are probably searching for an energy boost to get ya through the day. Protein does just that! Think of protein as the building blocks of the bod. I didn't know this but protein is a big factor in hormone regulation/milk production. Look for lean sources of protein. Lean chicken, turkey, fish, beans, legumes, lean beef (also rich in iron) and low fat dairy/dairy substitutes. 
• Veggies. I love veggies. Spinach and other leafy greens top the list. They provide a plethora of nutrients (iron, protein, vitamins A and C, fiber, antioxidants). The most important thing about veggies is variety! Whip up a salad with all the fixings! Don't just stick to green veggies...explore orange, red, and yellow veggies as well! The sky is the limit! 
• Fruit. Ah...nature's candy. It is also important to eat a variety of fruits! Think colors of the rainbow. Apples, oranges, melons, berries and pretty much any other fruit you can think of are filled with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. 
• Whole grains. Oatmeal is said to actually help increase and stabilize your milk supply! Eat up girlfriends. I love adding a big blob of peanut butter (protein!!!!) to my oatmeal each morning. Whole grain breads, brown rice, quinoa, and whole grain pasta are also great sources of good carbs. The carbs will provide you with some much needed energy and the high fiber in these foods will help keeping everything moving as it should. Fiber also helps keep ya nice and full! 

Those are just a few things that are especially healthy for breastfeeding mamas. If you look at the list though, there is nothing new on there. It's pretty much the same feel good power foods that are suggested to help ya feel your best!

Foods to avoid. I don't actually think you really need to avoid any foods if you are feeling good and baby is healthy and happy. I am not suggesting you go on a wine binger or anything but moderation is the key!

• Be careful with gas producing foods like broccoli, garlic, onions, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, and cucumbers. These are all healthy foods but they might just give baby (and YOU) uncomfortable gas. 
• Dairy. Some people avoid dairy especially if they have a baby with a sensitive tummy. Don't give it up without a reason though. It's usually fine for mamas who are breastfeeding. 
• Booze. Moderation is the key mamas. Have a glass or two of wine. Just make sure you pump and dump or wait at least an hour per drink before you feed your little one. 
• Acidic/Spicy foods. Again...just keep an eye on how these foods make your baby feel. If you notice your kiddo is a ball of gas after you drink a few glasses of OJ or a spicy burrito, you might have to cut them out for a bit. 
• Caffeine/Chocolate. Seriously? BOOOOOO! Both of these can make your LO irritable and restless. They can also lead to colic like symptoms. Nobody wants that. Usually in moderation both of these are fine. 
• Pesticides ( I thought this one was funny). Yes. You should avoid pesticides. Wash your fruits and veggies! 

Oh Baby!

Alright. The excuse of pregnancy exhaustion has run it's course. I COULD very well claim exhaustion from having a newborn but the kid does sleep so I really do have some time to update the blog!

I am happy to say that baby Emery arrived without a hitch. She did make her debut a little over a month early. She wanted to be here for Christmas! My labor was actually pretty great. My water broke at home, I went into the hospital and was only 1cm dilated. 9 hours later I had a baby in my arms! I got an epidural about 3 hours before I delivered. I was 6 cm dilated at the time. I was very proud of myself and I attribute a lot of it to healthy eating/exercise. I hit the gym the night before I delivered for a 40 minute arc trainer workout! :)

Emery is perfect and I am excited to incorporate baby/kid friendly stuff into my blog now as well.