Expiration Dates

I was clipping coupons, doing my normal thing, and then realized that most of the coupons expire at the end of December and our sweet Nolan is due early December.

Let me break this down for you...
Nolan will be here SOONER than my discount on detergent expires.

OH MY GOSH!!!

Our normal grocery run will no longer be normal.
We will be buying Honey Bunches of Oats and deodorant with an infant in the cart.
Is anybody else freaking out?

The nursery is almost done. His clothes are all put away.
We've got the gear and the bathroom stuff and the safety stuff.
We are prepared.

...or so I thought.

I just had this moment of panic
where I realized that I've never been grocery shopping with a kid, never-mind my kid!
What if he cries in the store?
What if he needs to nurse?
What if he needs a diaper change?
What if I need to potty??

What if I forgot my purse in the car??!!!
Do I leave him in the cart at the check-out counter and ask the person in line behind me to watch him, NOT steal him?
Do I take him out of the cart, to the car to get my purse and then back in to pay?
Do we just give up and go home without groceries?

Do I go to the store in the middle of the day to avoid crowds?
Or do I go at night to ask the crowd to reach that jar of apple sauce for me?


What if he doesn't like to grocery shop?
What if people want to touch him and breath all over him?
What if they don't?


Really?!
He will be here sooner than my coupons expire???

Didn't we just make this kid?
Didn't we just get married and buy this house?
Didn't we just get engaged?
...didn't we JUST meet in elementary school???

Oh my gosh - Nolan is going to attend school sooner than we think.
He will go to school, meet his future wife,
ruin his clothes on the playground and get all A's.
And then he will be in junior high, hitting puberty.
And then high school, and girls, and love and lessons and sports.
Then college and marriage and a family of his own.

All the while,
I will be measuring the next chapter in life by the expiration dates on my coupons.

10 weeks.
Nolan will be here in 10 weeks.
Sooner than my coupons expire.

Booty-licious!

Cloth Diapers

...you still there?...

Whew! We thought we lost you!

What is it about cloth diapering that is so overwhelming and confusing? Isn't it supposed to be the easier, more simple way of living? You know, going green and saving the planet and mother earth nature stuff...easy right? NOPE!

There are so many different diapering options out there these days and yes, they do make saving the earth a little easier and stylish but how in the world do you get started?

What's the right diaper for you?
Why are there so many types of cloth diapers?
What do all of those code words mean?
Is this some kind of secret club for hippies?
Do we REALLY have to pay for a diapering service?

If you're considering CD (cloth diapers), you've probably asked those same questions...and many more. Don't worry supermom, we're with you!

We did our research, narrowed down our options and then took the plunge. We picked out the diapering system that we thought would work best for our home, our lifestyles and our budget. Then, out of the clear blue sky (that we're trying to save with these dang diapers), we started reading poor reviews and hearing awful things about the CD that we just registered for.

Back to square one we go...

And so we thought,
"Hey. This stinks. Literally. Let's face it - every diaper is going to have its share of fans and we are only going to learn the ins and outs by spending the money and just trying it out for ourselves. Maybe we should include our blog readers in this adventure. You know, to save them the misery of making the same mistakes. Nah! Let's watch them squirm like we had to..."

Okay, that last part was a lie.
Please, don't squirm (unless you are changing a totally gross, icky diaper...then go ahead, squirm away). As we begin our official journey to becoming CD super-parents, we thought we would include you in the ups, the downs, the dos and don'ts. Are you ready for this?


First of all - we need you to understand a few things about our diapering journey:

We drive an SUV and a scooter
Jason is all about technology
Katey is all about that homemade hippie stuff
We both like to be barefoot
Katey shaves her underarms
Jason showers twice a day
Katey showers twice a week (to save water...?)
We run our sprinklers 3 times a day because we are obsessed about green grass
We love our earth because God calls us to
We tried growing our own veggies and grew mushrooms instead
We dream about living in the country, surrounded by gardens
We think that CD is one small way to be a little greener
CD is cheaper than disposables and we like saving money

See?
We are a totally unqualified mish-mash of a mess that really has no idea what going green truly means in relation to how we attempt to live healthy lives.
Can you relate? Perfect.

Let's start with the basics:

Disposable diapering is BAD. Glad we cleared that up.
Really, form your own opinions. We don't want to shove our ideas on you.
But since this is OUR blog, we do want to share...

1 diaper stays in a land-field for 300-500 years

Let's do some math...
1 kid + 10 diapers/day x 30 days = 300 diapers each month
12 months in a year x 300 diapers/each month = 3,600 diapers/year
3,600 diapers x 3 years (average potty training age) = 10,800 diapers for ONE kid
10,800 diapers x 300 years (in land-field) = WOAH!

Catch our drift?


So let's talk about the CD lingo that has your brain turning to mush:
We're going to make this reeeaaaaal simple.
You only need to know TWO things to get started...

Fitted Diaper:
All-in-one cloth diaper. These diapers do not require diaper covers.
They go on just like a disposable, but are cloth.

Pre-Fold:
Thick burp cloth used as diaper.
(These are VERY budget friendly)

What is probably overwhelming you the most is all of those brands.
We agree, there are too many.
But this is a consumerism world folks and as much as you hate having so many confusing options, we know that deep down, you love being able to pick from a plethora of cutesy printed and colorful cloth diapers...who cares if they work, they're cute! Wrong!

This is the part where we encourage you to use your search engine.
Research like your little life depends on it.
Read about different brands - what they do and most importantly, what they DON'T do.
Don' get distracted by all of the cute colors and fun patterns. Remember, these are diapers, not prom dresses! You are one of few people who will ever see them...unless your one of those weirdo parents who are super proud of cloth diapering and take every opportunity to strip your baby down to his birthday suit, just to show off your "saving the earth one diaper at a time" pride. We beg you - don't be THAT parent.

Decide if you want to pay for diapering services (boo! Save your money!) or plan to wash the stinkers yourself OR even better, start kissing up to your in-laws who live just a few blocks away and have volunteered to help with anything you need...muawahaha!! (Hi mom!)

And now, drum-roll please...

After much research, we've kind of, sort of decided which diapering system we are going to use.

Thirsties
http://www.thirstiesbaby.com/duo_wrap.htm

Who knows if it will work out. We might ditch the Thirsties and try something else. Stay tuned for updates on our adventure.

In the meantime, good luck with your research!
Here are a few links that should help get you started:
www.diaperpin.com
www.snootybootydiapers.com
www.mothering.com

Although we are noobs at this, we'd love to make ourselves available to stumble with you through this journey. Did we say stumble? We meant help...

If you have any questions, please leave a comment with your email and we will do our best to help you out.

Before Baby - A Little Getaway

Time Flies!!

No, really...time not only flies, it evaporates. Although we met in elementary school many, many years ago (okay, not THAT many years ago), it is hard to believe that we've been able to cram so many wonderful memories into such a short amount of time. Some of our favorite memories take us back to familiar sights and smells throughout California where we have been road-tripping fools.

From the get-go, our road trips have been pretty spontaneous. They started as Jason's romantic approach to wooing me (which totally worked) and quickly became our favorite way to spend time together, bond and see life beyond our small town. We have been blessed with opportunities to visit Texas, Washington and Alaska. We even ventured out to the East Coast last Fall for our honeymoon when we visited Cape Cod, MA.

We celebrated every milestone of our relationship with a trip out of town - sometimes with less than $100 to spend in one weekend. We've slept in our car at truck stops, made ridiculously good (and illegal) time getting places, have seen parts of this world that we never imagined to exist and most enjoyably, we have seen parts of each other that we never imagined to exist. There are many layers to our hearts, souls and personalities and when we get into a car, gas up for a big trip and settle into our seats with snacks, something magical happens...we fall in love all over again. Deeper and harder, with more passion and insight, we fall in love.

These little adventures led up to our marriage, the purchase of our home and now, the biggest adventure of our lives - our son, who may or may not have been conceived on a road trip. ;)

To celebrate all that we have accomplished, and all that is in our future, we have decided to take yet another road trip. But this time it's different. This time, we will be taking our VERY LAST road trip as a couple. Sure, when Nolan comes, we can leave him with the grandparents for a weekend when we get an itch to travel, but our minds and hearts will still be back home, with our son, which is exactly how it should be. But for now, it is just us (with a little baggage in the front) and because this is our last little hoorah before Nolan arrives, we made sure to plan this one out - you know, make it romantic and junk.

So here's the plan...yes, we expect you to be super jealous and no, you can't come with us...

We like to keep things simple and with a baby on the way and budget in mind, who wouldn't? After weeks of research, I Katey, found a quaint little cottage in Cambria, California where we will spend two nights and nearly three full days. Although we enjoy staying in hotels, we wanted something a little more personal and private where we could spread out and explore. Can you believe that we found the PERFECT little place for LESS than what a hotel costs? And trust us, this is no dingy cottage...

2 bedrooms, 1 bath with a full kitchen for our homemade meals. Located one mile from the beach and one mile from restaurants and shopping, we will have every option at our fingertips. The interior of the cottage is lovely - simple and inviting - but it is the backyard that has captured our hearts. There is a very large garden, including raised beds with veggies galore! We have been invited to partake in the harvest and with the Farmer's Market just a few blocks away, we will be able to feast on Cambria's finest without breaking the bank...and of course, this encourages a romantic night in with a home-cooked meal. Raised above the garden is (are you ready for this???) a human nest. C'mon, that is just way too cool! The nest is perfect for an afternoon nap, reading, watching the sun set and sleeping under the stars. Under the nest, and my FAVORITE part, is an outdoor claw-foot tub with hot and cold water, candles and bubble bath.

Now, if you can find a hotel for only $100/night that offers all of the above, you win...but I think we will hold the tittle of "world's best bargain shoppers who totally scored a sweet place" until we can be proven differently. Good luck.

This cottage magnifies the beauty of Cambria, and it would be silly of us to leave our camera at home...this got us thinking...ever the penny pinchers that we are, we would like to take maternity pictures but feel as though it is a frivilous expense (no offense photographers). With Katey on restricted rest, our income just dwindled down to shillings and this trip alone is going to be a bit of a splurge so we've decided that we are handy enough with our fancy camera, and we have decent enough editing skills, that we are going to try our hand at catching the beauty of pregnancy on camera. We take lots of pictures all the time, but have never done a photoshoot, so wish us luck. If we take thousands, we should end up with at least ten decent pictures, right??

Oh boy, we just can't wait! We will be hitting the road next Friday and of course, we will update you with stories and pictures when we return home. But, for those of you nosy readers (don't worry - I'm totally a nosy blog reader!) here is a sneak peak at the exact spot where I will be sipping a non-alcoholic fru-fru drink under the stars with pruny fingers, a belly full of baby and a husband to love until the day we die...

Shopping Secrets

We were both raised in sales-rack homes by mommas who sniffed out the bargains and still managed to keep our wardrobes in style. It's only natural that we follow their lead and do our own investigative shopping.

It's so easy to become overwhelmed by the cutest little outfits and the must-have style of the moment but truth be told, baby is going to outgrow that top before you can get home and stuff him/her into it. Of course, you can't leave your little one naked but why spend top dollar when we have the secret to stylish clothing at a stylish price?!

First thing is first...

New or expecting parent, meet Sales Rack. Sales Rack, meet parent.
If the two of you are strangers, it is time to become the best of buds.

DO NOT look at or touch anything that is full-price.
Before entering a store, put on your thrifty blinders and prepare to shuffle through sales racks.
The headache is worth it when you can afford your car payment.

Second...

Coupons.
Don't wait for them to arrive in your Sunday newspaper. While checking out at stores, ask for coupons. There are also plenty of websites that make coupons available and easy to print. We will provide links to these sites once we feel that we've compiled a trustworthy list but in the meantime, play on Google....you will be pleasantly surprised by the coupons you are able to snag online.

Third...

Here are a few special store secrets to give you a jump-start on saving:

Old Navy marks down their items mid-week. Most do so on Wednesdays but check with your local retailer and then make it a date - once a month, or more often if needed, swing by Old Navy. If you wait until the weekend, you will miss the deals and have elbow room only, as all other parents are out shopping...with screaming toddlers, no less.

Old Navy and Gap both have a mark-down method.
First markdown seems like a killer deal and for $3.99 per shirt, you are going to be inspired to buy clothing for the whole neighborhood of children. Guess what - it gets better. You might thinks that $3.99 for a little guy's polo is a solid deal, but that is just the FIRST or TWO markdowns. The second markdown ALWAYS ends with a 7 so if you find a kicking pair of kiddo's shoes for $5.97, snag them! Remember, when the clearance or sale price ends in any number other than 7, cool your jets and wait it out...good things will come!

Lastly...

No cash? No purchase!!
We are celebrating the new-found freedom of being debt-free. It wasn't easy but trust us when we tell you, it is sooooo worth it! 5 bucks here and there add up on your card...FAST! Before leaving home to hit the sales, decide on your budget and when you think you've named a fair amount, CUT IT DOWN then take the plastic out of your wallet so that you're not tempted to charge. Take cash and cash only. You will thank us later.

There you have it - a few shopping secrets.
We will continue to expand on money saving tips.
Until then, bank it!

Divide and Conquer

Katey, here.
Let's face it - I'm not the most organized.
Far from it in fact.

I have the best intentions about organizing my clutter but action seldom follows.
At the request of hubby dearest, I recently began to gut our walk-in-closet.
I got rid of lots of clothes, tried to organize my clothing and I even did some laundry...some.
I still have piles of clothing scattered about the room but what did get hung up is organized by color and season...pretty snazzy, right?

One of my biggest fears about parenting is having a mess.
I HATE messes, am overwhelmed by them and ultimately, this is how our home gets cluttered and instead of pushing up my sleeves and getting organized, I scoop myself another bowl of ice cream and slump into the couch, totally stressed about the insanity....and yes, secretly hoping my hero of a husband will just do it for me.

With a few great affordable finds, and loads of hand-me-downs piled on the nursery floor, I am already seeing a project grow into a problem. It has taken me three weeks to decide how to organize baby's clothing in his two dressers and closet.
Do you organize by size? By season? By style?
Where's the book on that??

I've decided to put socks and undies in one drawer, organized in size from left to right.
Then onesies in the next drawer, sized left to right.
Then sleepers, then tops, then pants, and so on.

In the closet, Jason is going to build a unit for "next season" and "next size up" clothing.
We will also have a shoe shelf in the closet for little man.
I plan to hang the fancy stuff - polo tops, button-downs, schanzzy slacks, jackets, sweaters, etc.
But again, how do I keep the hanging stuff organized??

While shopping the sales racks at a kiddo's clothing store tonight, I had the most brilliant idea.
(if I do say so myself)
Plastic do-dads that have sizes on them, separating the clothes.
The light bulb went on and once home, I searched the web for the do-dads.
$30 for 5 do-dads???

No way.
Next idea...

Why not DIY the do-dads?? I can make them to match the nursery!
So this is my next afternoon project.

Here is an example of my DIY divide and conquer project...




How-To Tutorial and pictures coming soon!

Half Baked

Junior is now half baked.
Let's hope that he never uses those words in a sentence.
Like, "Oh man, I'm totally half baked! College rocks!"
We will kill him.
Seriously.

Being pregnant, 20 weeks along, food aversions and cravings for Katey have just about fled the scene however a nice big heaping bowl of ice cream on occasion is much needed.

In case you're wondering what it really means to be half baked, here is a little run-down of the facts and figures:

20 weeks of pregnancy = longer than a semester in college
(or any relationship in high school)

20 weeks of pregnancy = baby will pee standing up
(and HIS daddy is very proud)

20 weeks of pregnancy = finally a bump big enough to prove conception
(not just a big lunch)

20 weeks of pregnancy = stretch marks the size of the grand canyon
(but much less breathtaking)

20 weeks of pregnancy = baby has established his sleeping patterns
(turns out, he's a night owl)

20 weeks of pregnancy = baby should weigh 7 ounces
(chubs is already a pound)

20 weeks of pregnancy = baby should be 6.5 inches long, crown to rump
(he kicks with the strength of a 7-footer)

20 weeks of pregnancy = mom walks into everything, forgets everything
(EVERYTHING)

20 weeks of pregnancy = daddy turns 25
(wooohhhoooo!! cheaper car insurance!)

20 weeks of pregnancy = baby is the size of a red bull can, crown to rump
(waaaay too much caffeine for mom)



So there you have it - junior is half baked.
We are still working on names.
Want a preview?

Nolan Matthew
Gavin Matthew
Leeland Matthew
Copeland Matthew
Jaden Matthew

Clearly, we like names that end the same.
We will give this little guy a name soon enough but for now, he is called...

Little Man
Little Guy
Junior
Bambino
Kid

And this week, half baked :)

Hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!!