Disposable vs. Cloth: Diaper Dilemma

So my good friend Lyndsey mentioned a few months back about maybe trying cloth diapers and wanted to know if I had ever considered it. With Owen I looked at the Gdiapers a little bit, but they were super expensive compared to disposable, and, therefore, I felt totally not worth it. Not a whole lot of thought went into it after that. I was able to get a good deal on 7th generation diapers for Owen's first year, so I just did those. They worked good, and Jason and I both liked them a lot.

After Lyndsey giving me the name of a brand to look up, Bumgenius in case you're curious, I began considering whether it might be worth a try. So for about a month now I have been researching, Jason and I have done calculations on it, and this was our conclusion: It would save us about $800 over 2 years for one child. That includes all the materials to do cloth diapers, water,electricty and detergent for 2 years versus buying disposables. I also read a lot about kids not having as bad diaper rash, and, honestly, being healthier for them because there's no chemicals against their skin to be absorbed. I also like the fact of it being better for the environment. The only drawback is time. Our calculations don't include the time I would spend doing diaper duty. Even if I spent 30 minutes every other day, it would probably come up even with disposables because, hey, let's face it, time is money. But Jason assured me that if I wanted to try it, that he would support me in it.

I researched several brands of cloth diapers, and the two I want to try are by the same company. My first choice is Flip, and the second is Bumgenius. What I like about the Flip system is that you just have the outer, then you stick a liner in it. The baby has a wet diaper, you take out the insert, wipe the cover, then put a new insert in. You don't have as much to wash. Plus, they do have disposable biodegradable inserts to use in the cover when you're out and about. They're also a lot thinner than Bumgenius. However, several reviews said the insert bunches up sometimes, causing you to have to wash the outside as well. Plus, you can't dry the covers.

My second choice, Bumgenius, would be what I would use mainly at home. You have to wash the whole thing every time, but you can dry them all. They have special laundry tabs for that. They have better reviews when it comes to leaks than the Flip system, which I definitely think is important. Also, they may be better for overnights when you need more padding.

Both kinds of diapers can go from 8 lbs- 35 lbs (I think that's the top limit), so I wouldn't have to worry about buying different sizes all the time.

I'm still not sure if I want to yet, but here's my plan. I bought a day pack of Flip diapers, since that's my first choice. That's 2 covers and 6 liners. I also bought 3 doublers to use overnight and one pack of disposable inserts. As soon as my detergent comes in, I will wash it and try it with Owen. I can only try probably a day and a night at a time, but doing that several times should give me an idea about whether they work well and whether it's worth it in general. If it goes as well as many say it has for them, I'm looking forward to using cloth diapers for the remainder of the time Owen is in diapers and for this new little one as well.

This seems like a long post to be talking about diapers, but it's so overwhelming to try to research, and I had to write it down somewhere. Maybe it'll help me to stick with it, who knows! I'll probably know by mid-April whether I want to for sure or not, so we'll see!

Same old, same old

So, it's been kind of a funny few weeks since Valentine's Day. I mean, I couldn't tell you a whole lot that went on, but it seems like it was busy.....monotony is ok I guess right?

I see my belly growing bigger everyday. Curiosity has been eating me up since my last doctor's appointment when he decided he wasn't sure it was a boy after all. So my appointment is this Tuesday, and hopefully the baby'll cooperate so we can see whether it is in fact a boy or not. I just have in my head that it's a little boy now, so it'll be hard to change. But hey, this whole pregnancy was a surprise blessing through all odds, and so another little surprise of this kind is just fine with me. I just think God every night that I'm pregnant again! This is my miracle baby, and I love him (or her) beyond belief.

Owen had his two year checkup. He was in the 95th percentile for length at 36 and 1/2", so if you double it, that'd be between 6'1" to 6'3" the doctor said. Of course, that's if he stays on his current growth course. He's been pretty consistent so far. However, he's only in the 35th percentile for weight. One tall skinny boy! Just like his daddy!

I've been taking wallpaper off the walls in the new baby's room. Such a pain. However a steamer does wonders, and vinegar and hot water seems to be taking off most of the glue residue. As soon as we know the gender, I'm getting with it. Only 10 weeks till I'm full term. I have no time to waste!

I'm loving this weather! 70 degrees today. I'm feeling spring coming on, and it makes me happy. Thank you Lord for new beginnings!

So, as for cooking, it's been off and on with Jason being gone here and there on trips. The best thing I've made lately is "Chicken Cutlets with White Wine and Garlic" with a side of "Wild Rice with Mushrooms and Parsley." It really was yummy and not full of fat. The nice thing is you can make the marinade, put it in a Ziploc bag, add the chicken and freeze it until you're ready to use it. Yummy!

"Chicken Cutlets with White Wine and Garlic"

8 Chicken Cutlets (about 1 1/4 lbs total)

3 Tblsp unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tsps fresh thyme leaves

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil

chopped parsley (optional), for serving

1. Stack cutlets in a double layer in a 1-gallon freezer bag. In a small bowl, combine 2 tblsps butter, wine, garlic, and thyme and whisk to combine. Season with pepper. Pour marinade into bag with cutlets and freeze. (Store up to 2 months).

2. To serve, thaw chicken in refrigerator overnight. Remove cutlets from bag and discard marinade. Gently shake chicken to remove liquid and season with salt. In two batches, heat 1 1/2 tsps butter and 1 1/2 tsps oil in a large skillet over medium-high; add half the cutlets to pan and cook until browned and cooked through. 4 minutes total, flipping halfway through and adjusting heat as necessary to prevent pan from overbrowning. Serve chicken sprinkled with parsley if desired.

196 calories!

I used the remainder of the marinade to deglaze the pan, added a little milk (or half and half) and brought it to a boil to make a little bit of a sauce. I think it would have been a little dry without a sauce, but that's just me.

Oh, and if you don't want to freeze it, just marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes before you cook it.

"Wild Rice with Mushrooms and Parsley"

1. Cook 1 cup wild rice according to package instructions (usually takes about 1 hour to cook).

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tblsps extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add 1 lb. button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced, and season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned, about 13 minutes. Add 2 garlic cloves, minced and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cooked rice and remove from heat.

3. Stir in cooked rice and remove from heat. Stir in 3 tblsps chopped fresh parsley and 1 tblsp fresh lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

156 calories

Just a note, I would leave out the salt at the end. I think it made it too salty.

My Favorite Meal

It's funny how you have that one special meal that, though it may not be too special to make or too light in fat or calories, it's special because it's what your mom, grandma, dad, or other family member made. It makes you think of home, of being a kid again, of family.

We're watching some kids of friends of ours from church this evening, so when I found out they'd be here for supper, I knew just what I wanted to fix. My favorite childhood meal: Rice Crispy Chicken.

This was the meal I asked for every birthday. It was my special meal. We didn't have much money to buy chicken breasts when I was young, so Mom wouldn't fix Rice Crispy Chicken that often. It definitely had to be a special occasion for her to buy and fix it, which was usually a birthday. So, it was something I looked forward to all day! That buttery chicken with a crispy coating beside mashed potatoes and peas I think is enough to get anyone's mouth watering! Hopefully these kids will enjoy it as much as I did (and still do!)

Rice Crispy Chicken

I don't really have a recipe for this. So just adjust to fit your family.

1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or chicken tenders.

Rice Crispies

1 Stick of butter, melted

Salt, Pepper, Garlic Salt, or any other seasoning you like to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour Rice Crispies into a ziploc bag, and crush with a rolling pin, heavy jar, cup, etc. Put crushed Rice Crispies into a large bowl. Season with Salt, Pepper, or other seasoning.

Cover a cookie sheet with foil.

If you're using chicken breasts, cut them into chicken tender size pieces.

Dip chicken into butter, then into Rice Crispies, making sure to coat both sides well. Place on cookie sheet. Yes, the pieces can touch, mine usually are stuffed on the cookie sheet.

Bake in oven for, well, I'm not sure how long. 30 minutes maybe? It depends on how small your chicken pieces are. Just bake until juices are clear and crust is browned.

Serve with any side that sounds good, like I said, my favorite are mashed potatoes and peas. :)

Thank you Mom and Nanna for making this meal so special for me. I love you!

Where's the Glamor?

So Jason and I celebrated Valentine's Day last night. I know, I know, it's a few days early, but Jason's parents are coming tomorrow night and staying through Sunday. Yesterday was really the only day we could have a little time as a couple. And we definitely needed that after him being gone for almost 3 weeks.

We went to Elements Steakhouse and Grille in the River Spirit Casino here in Tulsa. Jason heard they had a special going on for a steak and lobster dinner for $20 per person, and he'd never had lobster before. I've always heard that casinos have very good food for cheap. I have to say that was the case here. It was a very nice restaurant, the service was great, they cooked our steaks just like we ordered them, and it was overall a very pleasant dinner. Plus, all nonalcoholic beverages are free, so for a nice meal, you can't hardly beat it. We had great conversation, which comes pretty naturally for us. I always have so much to say to Jason, and vice versa. It's nice never to get tired of each other's company. Then we stopped off for a coffee or "coffee" in my case since I'm pregnant. Mainly, it was just to have a little more time together as a couple. Thanks Jason for a wonderful evening. Happy Valentine's Day.

I have have to say though, this was my first experience ever seeing the inside of a casino. I guess I was expecting more of a Casino Royal atmosphere, where it's sort of glamorous, which would make me see how people would be drawn to going in the first place. However, excluding the restaurant, I felt it to be very white trash. The first thing I noticed was the smell of cigarette smoke, the bells and whistles of the machines, and tacky decorating style in a building that's only, what, a year and a half old? And, to get to the restaurant, we had to walk across the entire building. I do understand that's kinda the point so they can make some money, but it certainly was a mood killer from our otherwise romantic evening.

So where is the glamor in casinos? I mean, if you're going to practically give your money away to them, surely they would make it feel a little more luxurious and stylish. I never would ever have gone to a casino to gamble before, and after actually seeing the inside of one, my mind is still very firm on that point. I was disappointed after all the hype.

These are just my thoughts on casinos and in no way took away from the wonderful dinner and time I had with Jason, my Valentine of 10 years! :)

My food topic for the day......Balsamic Butter. They had some at the restaurant we ate at to go with their bread. It was delicious! I will be searching for a recipe. If you have one, please, please give it to me!

Oh! And I made homemade pesto a few months back and froze some. Wasn't sure how that would turn out. If you just heat it in warm water (don't microwave!) until thawed, it tastes about as good as fresh. At least Owen and I thought that today for lunch.

Muffins

We are big, big muffin fans in our house. If I didn't stop myself, I could probably eat half a dozen being pregnant as I am. Owen eats 3 himself, which is what Jason usually eats when I make them. Our normal muffin batch is a mixture of blueberry muffins and chocolate chip muffins (you can guess who eats the chocolate....the one who eats cake and cookies for breakfast in our household).

I've been wanting to find a healthy muffin recipe to be able to freeze and get out when I need it for breakfast for Owen. I think I could feel better about what he eats for breakfast that way. So I made experiment muffins today. Here's the recipe:

Healthy Morning Muffins

Nonstick cooking spray or muffin liners

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp course salt

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup raisins

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 large egg

1/3 cup skim milk

4 medium carrots, shredded

1 medium ripe banana, mashed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 cup muffin pan with liners or coat with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt until there are no lumps. Stir in oats and raisins. Add oil, egg, milk, carrots, and banana and stir until blended.

2. Fill each muffin cup with 1/4 cup batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature. (To store, keep in an airtight container, up the 3 days.)

I did make a few changes: I didn't have raisins, so I used Craisins. I also added about 1 1/2 Tbsp ground flax seed as well.

This was pretty good! Owen ate one right out of the oven and asked for more. If they freeze well, I may always keep these on hand for Owen (and I) for breakfast. And, you can't beat the fact it has only 186 calories per muffin....

One quick recipe post...

There were a couple people from the Superbowl party asking for the bruschetta recipe, so here's the link to it:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Double-Tomato-Bruschetta/Detail.aspx

And the other recipe I tried last night was:

Roasted Carrots with Parsley and Feta

3 lbs medium carrots, cut 1/2 inch think on the bias

3 Tblsps extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 Tblsps chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss carrots with oil on a rimmed baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until carrots are caramelized and tender, about 25 minutes.

2. Transfer carrots to a bowl, and toss with feta and parsley.

Super easy, quick, and, seeing that I'm not a big cooked carrot fan, this was a great way for me to eat them.

Owen's Birthday

Birthdays take on a whole new meaning when it's your kid's. I just kept thinking, this time 2 years ago I just had you. You're the best gift ever! Then I think, wow, 2 years....it does go by so fast! Happy Birthday Owen, born February 6, 2008.
I took on the easy task, so I thought, of making him a jeep cake. He's so into jeeps right now since his grandpa and dad both have one. It was not the easiest thing I've attempted. I spent several hours on the decorating, and even had to try to reposition the cake so it wouldn't fall. However, in the end, it turned out as well as could be expected for someone with no experience in cake decorating. Maybe I will take a cake decorating class sometime. That would probably fit me pretty well.

We also fed everyone (8 adults and 4 kids). I was short on time since I was doing the cake, but it turned out great. We had Mustard Marinated Chicken Breasts, Roasted Fingerling and Sweet Potatoes, and a salad with a Basil Vinagrette Dressing. Super yummy and easy.

Overall, I'd say that it was a great day for Owen and even a good time for his parents. The next birthday will be the day Vance is born.....hope we all enjoy that one as much! :)

"Unbelievable Chicken (Mustard Marinade)"

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 Tblsps prepared coarse-ground mustard

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 lime, juiced

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

6 Tblsps olive oil

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1. In a large lass bowl, mix the cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, lime juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Place chicken in mixture. Cover, and marinate 8 hours, or overnight.

2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.

3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place chicken on the prepared grill, and cook 6-8 minutes per side, until juices run clear.

I also use this recipe for pork.

Basil Vinaigrette Dressing

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup honey

3 Tblsps. chopped fresh basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, basil, and garlic. Pour over or toss with your favorite salad to serve.

I will modify this a little for next time I use it: 1/2-3/4 cup of oil (because I thought it was a little too oily) and I might try red, white, or raspberry vinegar instead of apple cider for a different flavor.