Our February Change

Before we get to February, let's just note here that our January change was successful... at least in my mind!
We did lower our meat consumption, and by doing this have come to the conclusion that we can live on less meat, but it did take some getting used to for some people in our family. Not going to name any names!
One thing we have decided is that, besides our venison, we will be buying better quality meat when needed. I was watching Oprah the other day, and it was about our food choices. I think we already make pretty good whole food choices most of the time, but there is always room for improvement. We don't buy organic chicken or pork, because we buy in bulk at our local Costco for the convenience of it. But not everything needs to be convenient. The images of the chickens falling over under their own weight really stuck with me as wrong. So that is where our decision comes from, along with some book research I have done in the past (Micheal Pollan: The Omnivores Dilemma; Nina Planck: Real food-What to eat and why, to name a couple). If we stick to this frame of mind and make an effort to really buy local and organic than maybe we will reduce our meat consumption EVEN MORE!

Now on to the next challenge:

This one is going to be tough.... for Tyler.

We (I) have decided to try the family cloths for our February One Small Change. I know, I know, some people might have a problem with this just for sanitary reasons. But let me tell you... if we are willing to use cloth diapers and wipes on our babies, why wouldn't it be natural to use cloth wipes for ourselves? I myself already use cloth feminine pads when needed, the kids are wiped mostly with cloth wipes depending on which bathroom we are in (for some odd reason, we thought it was necessary to have 2.5 bathrooms (or somebody did!) but that is just more for me to clean!). So the biggest change is to have cloth wipes in every bathroom, along with a basket/bucket for the used wipes to go in.

I have to say that the reason Tyler is most skeptical and reluctant to do this is because we are getting the house ready to sell, and he is worried that the wipes will be a nuisance. I however know that it is all what we make of it. We will just have to dump used cloths in the diaper bin more often, and wash them every 3ish days... not too hard. But we will see.

Today, I contemplated changing our challenge to not using lights for the month (or using very sparingly)... Tyler was again skeptical! I thought this would be fun, mainly because candlelight makes your blemishes appear much less (ex: stretch marks!) and that is always a plus when you are 4ish weeks away from having a baby! We do try to unplug most of our appliances, or at least the little ones (coffee maker, toaster, grinder, etc) when not in use... but again, always room for improvement!

Later today I will add a picture or two, and catch up with my picture a day... I have 11 to do! Hope everyone has a great day, week, month!

Five Things

Five Things that make ME feel nurtured (inspired by Heather):

* time before bed that Tyler and I talk (and sometimes it is for hours!)
* crafting uninterrupted (sewing or knitting)
* looking through old pictures and memories (we are DEEP cleaning around here)
* my once a week bath as of late
* going on a walk (without kids and without feeling guilty)

What are yours?
This was much harder for me than I thought. I really need to start nurturing myself more. I tend to feel guilty when I leave Tyler with the kids, but maybe I will start getting over that! I will need even more ME time when that third one arrives!


Also, check out Soulemama today.... great giveaway for Lisa Leonard Designs (Love them!)

One Small Change's progress

Our One Small Change for the month of January was to eat more meatless meals; and that we have! Every week, I have been making a menu, and we have been sticking to them more or less (with a few oatmeal days here and there!). So I call this a huge success, and one that I will be continuing.
It is kind of funny because this also coincides with our decision to stick to a food budget. And this was also a success. We set a certain amount and kept a log on an envelope. We did actually go over it by about $50, but considering before this we were spending about $6-700 a month on food (yeah, I don't know how that happened!) I thought that $460 was a great amount. We are going to probably keep it at around $450 because we are including going out in this amount too. And sometimes it is worth that extra money to NOT have to clean up your kitchen, or prepare a yummy meal. At least at 9 months pregnant!
I also have been setting goals in my crafting and things, and this month, so far I have come so close. Good thing I have a couple more days- Ayla's quilt isn't going to get done on it's own. And the second bootie is coming along... probably about 1 more hour on it? I am going knitting tonight at the coffee house, so maybe I will be able to get it finished!

I would have put new pictures on here, but I can't seem to find the camera. We have some cute ones of the kids playing outside. Ayla has been wearing a purple snowsuit pretty much all day long. Then Colton will decide to get his on, and they get their gloves and snowboots and head out the back door. They cannot wait until Spring and Summer. Neither can I.

11-20

Our weekend has been full of packing up parts of the house. From every book we have read, or show we have seen, it is best to declutter your house from top to bottom when you are trying to sell it, so that is what we are trying to do before the baby comes! Everything is going to storage that is not needed... I think I am going to love it and not want the stuff back! Even though our house is in disarray, it is coming around. We have so far packed up 6 or 7 boxes and put a couple items on Craigslist that are not needed in our house (a toddler bed with crib mattress and a Babee Tenda Feeding Table).
Can't believe that we only have about 5 more weeks until baby is here. I am so excited and anxious! I finished one little slipper for the babe (so cute!!) and am getting started on the second. They are time consuming because they are so tiny, but so worth it... absolutely adorable. They will undoubtedly end up as one of the pictures on here.. guaranteed!

More pictures for my picture a day goal... some are from the same days, but I am playing catch up right now!

(11:365)

(12:365)

(13:365)

(14:365)

(15:365)

(16:365)

(17:365)

(18:365)

(19:365)

(20:365)

Picture a Day

this is inspired by Jessie, at Inside the Paper Box. I recently came across her blog, and entered a contest for this wonderful box.... and I WON!!! She recently blogged about having a picture a day for the year... narrowing it down to one picture! So i am backtracking and filling in some blanks, but i am going to start ... today!
i love browsing the blog world and often get sucked in for a ... very... long... time!

Here is 1-10
(1:365)

(2:365)

(3:365)

(4:365)

(5:365)

(6:365)

(7:365)

(8:365)

(9:365)

(10:365)

In a nutshell

Our one small change project is going well. I think last week we ate 3, maybe even 4 meatless dinners! Tyler was gone one night, and I didn't want to make what was on the menu, so we had oatmeal and bananas. It was awesome!

I tried my hand at making the 5 minute bread, and it turned out pretty good. I am such a bread lover, and this is right up my alley. Easy and tasty. The first loaf was undercooked, but I ate it anyways... this picture is of the second loaf, and it was still a little undercooked. We are getting there. I am a huge fan of fresh bread with spaghetti, or soup, or well, .... pretty much anything!Train tracks are huge in our house, and pretty much a daily thing. We have an open floor plan, which is very conducive to train building. Plus, Tyler is a master builder from years of practice.
Ayla has discovered what she likes to watch on Youtube... piggies and bunnies! Such a girl!

In other news, we are thinking of putting our house on the market in the very near future. We are pretty excited and very nervous about this, but it is what must be done! Anyone have any suggestions for "For Sale by Owner"? Any books or what not we should read?

and... we only have about 5-6 weeks left! Can you believe that!

The Boy's half birthday

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We celebrated Colton's half birthday this last weekend... just a reason to make a cake and sing Happy Birthday, really. The kids thought it was fun. We made a coconut cake with chocolate frosting.... yumm! And the kids got to put sprinkles all over it, their favorite part.
My back has been hurting the last week, so I have trying to take it easy on myself. I can't believe that we are at almost 33 weeks! It is moving along so fast! I made a list of projects I would like to finish before the little one is here, but right now, I can't sit at the sewing machine for too long, so I might have to just knit my projects. We will see. I am knitting a scarf for Colton, that is coming along. But I would like to knit some booties and a hat for the little one. I have been having girl feelings the last couple of days, but who knows. I have a 50/50 chance, right?
I found out yesterday that we are going on vacation in October to Mazatlan, Mexico! We are so excited. The kids have to get passports, so we have to get on that. My parents are going and some of my brothers/sisters/spouses. Lots of fun (and babysitters!) Just kidding! Hope your week is going well, and have a happy Tuesday!