Anniversary Extravaganza 2008!

Jonathan and I celebrated 3 years of marriage on Wednesday. My, my, how the time has flown! These last three years have been wonderful, challenging, life changing and, let's face it, hilarious (how could it not be when you're married to a guy like Jonathan?!).

Sticking with our tradition we dubbed this year's celebration Anniversary Extravaganza. Now, really, this year wasn't quite the extravaganza we've come to know and love (and my guess is it won't be for a few more years) but all the same it was pretty awesome. Thanks to our good friends, Ambre and Erik, who watched Julia, Jonathan and I went out to dinner and then had massages. The massages were nice, but dinner... dinner was FABULOUS! We went to Devotay in Downtown IC. It is my new favorite. We wined and dined on Amish beer, locally grown veggies, buffalo meatballs and a yummy, yummy cheesy zucchini sandwich (which was hands down the best sandwich I have ever consumed!). All in all, it was a pretty great night. I am super excited to have been a Windham for these here 3 years, and looking forward to many, many more Windham years.

And in the words of Juno, as far as husbands go, Jonathan is totally boss. He is the cheese to my macaroni. And I love him dearly.

Did you hear that?

That is the silence of a sleeping child.

Julia has been F-I-G-H-T-I-N-G! her naps for the last, um I don't know, ever. But really so this last week.

But as of right now she is out.

And that makes this mama really happy.

Silence is golden.

If they made fortune cookies just for moms...

While Julia is napping, I thought I'd share some funnies from the latest Parenting Magazine: "If they made fortune cookies just for moms..."

- You will travel over the ocean, and your 3-year-old will use the airplane bathroom 26 times.

- Now is the time to be daring. Take your toddler to the park without a diaper bag.

- You enjoy nourishing your loved ones, but if the peas touch the meat loaf, you can forget it.

- Elegance and grace are your trademark in dress. Also baby spitup.

- Your love life will be happy and harmonious, especially if you remember to lock the bedroom door.

- You will soon find a long-lost treasure, and you will decide to check under the couch cushions more often.

- New friends will come into your life, and they will ask you to run the spring fund-raiser.

- People are entranced by your voice - at least those listening to you read Runaway Bunny for the thousandth time.

- You have a keen mind and an enviable intellect, expect when it comes to third-grade math homework.

- A handsome man has his eye on you - and he's wondering when you're going to make his macaroni and cheese.

How is cloth going.... really.... I mean, how is it going?

This what my friend, Leah, asked me today. That, my dear readers is a loaded question, and one that I, in fact, asked myself this morning.

So, how is cloth going...

I've come to this one simple conclusion, if you are going to do cloth with your babe (or babes) you have to really, REALLY want to do cloth. It has to be something that you are willing to put in a little extra time and effort. Plus, it helps if you can deal with a little poo. See, me, I have a very high tolerance for all things gross. Blood, vomit, pee, poo, nasty, nasty trash. Low gag reflex, high tolerance. However, if you are like, say, Jonathan, who gags thinking about gross things, then dealing with poo cloth diapers are not for you.

We are still using disposables when Julia sleeps at night (for mere ease and not worrying that she'll wake herself because of being wet) and plan to use them when we travel - as I don't really see cleaning a cloth diaper in the hotel room at Faithwalkers or at my mom's house!

Alright, now to answer the question that I know everyone is thinking. Just how do you "dispose" of the poo?

Step by step: I change Julia, putting the poo diaper on the edge of her diaper hamper. Once she is taken care of, I take the poo diaper to the bathroom and dunk it in the toilet. Using the parts of the none poo areas, I clean the diaper as best as I can. I rinse out the excess water and drop it into her diaper hamper. After which I wash my hands. ***Now, I will say that I do use my elbows for a lot of things during this process as not to touch anything - like the faucet or toilet handle - with my hands until after they are thoroughly washed (I've become even more obsessive about washing my hands since this new diapering adventure!).***

I haven't had to soak any of the poo diapers and they haven't stained, even after sitting in the diaper hamper for two or three days (they don't stay longer than that because I have to wash the diapers every 2-3 days to maintain our supply).

There have been a few minor draw backs in my mind.

First, I never really know when Julia is wet because I can't feel her diaper like I could with disposables. And I really think she needs to be changed at least every hour, hour and a half at the max. More than that and the diaper doesn't absorb like it should. Of course, I could use a doubler/liner but don't.

Second, it did take Julia about a week to adjust to cloth from disposables. She is more aware now when she is wet than she did before. This made for some crying whenever we were out shopping and she peed. She's gotten use to it, and we've even gotten to where she'll wear them for nap time. On the flip side, the good thing about her heightened awareness is that it'll hopefully help her potty train sooner.

Third, is that cloth is a LOT bulkier. This makes for some snug fitting pants, which is a little more annoying since Julia seems to have issues with shorts/bloomers being to tight in her legs, now they are too tight in the bum too.

Ultimately, I am glad we made the switch. I really do love the idea of cloth diapering, I love the look of the wraps, and I really think they are going to be better for everyone (Julia, me, Jonathan, the planet) in the long run. I think that if there is ever a Baby Dubya 2, we will start from the beginning using cloth - hopefully even using them at night but having disposables for ease of traveling. Using them from the beginning will help alleviate any transition period for the babe and will just, in my opinion, be easier in the end. Plus, when the poo diapers are solely breastfed poo, then you can wash them without rinsing them out first. Which is one less step to deal with and makes things easier! And, as my engineering minded husband points out, the money saved is unbeatable. Jonathan figured that we've spent at least $400+ on disposables so far that we can never get back. If that is in, say, 8 months time, then you're looking at roughly $600 a year, or $1200-1500+ for two or more years. Our start up cost for cloth was less than $200, and the on going cost for Julia is sure to be less than another $200. Yet, like I said before, you have to really, REALLY want to do cloth, otherwise I think you'll be far more likely to stop and switch to disposables.

I hope that helps answer any questions for you curious minded people. If not, ask away and I can provide any answer, sparing no poopie detail! :)

These are a few of my favorite things... (sung like Julie Andrews)

Since we've made some crazy green changes in the Windham household, I've come to have some new favorites that I can't sing about enough. Really, I do actually sing about them. Mostly to Julia who thinks I still have a pretty voice.

1. Lentils. I'm not sure why, but lentils just never seemed all that appealing. But since we're having two vegetarian meals a week, lentils were bound to get into the rotation. So last night I made Curried Lentils with Vegetables. Can I just say "Yuuuummmy!". Man, that stuff was delicious! Thanks to my success with last night's meal, lentils are now making their way to my favorite things list.

2. Curry. Curry scares me. Not the taste, because I love, love, love curry, but actually preparing it makes me really nervous. Whenever I see my favorite Indian dishes I always imagine that it must have taken hours and hours plus years of experience to create such a scrumptous dish. Turns out it just takes curry powder. Ha, who knew?

3. Bummis Super Brite Wraps. Sounds like a food, but it's a babe butt cover. These Bummis' have gussets that help keep the cloth diaper (as well as the contents of the diaper) in the wrap. They are a bit more handwashing friendly then their cousin, Bummis Super Whisper. But the gussets alone were what sold me.

4. DTV. We just got the digital converter box for out TV. Despite the fact that we did actually lose some channels (long story there), we did gain two PBS stations! And since we Windhams love our PBS, it has been a wonderful addition to have.

5. Finally, a picture of three of my most favorite things, ever.

Ready, set, go!

And she's off!

Julia is offically crawling! About a month ago she started getting up on all fours, rocking back and forth and then *splat*. Well yesterday, I sat her down, started doing something, looked back and she was moving! She's pretty slow, needs lots of encouragement, but she will go from on side of the livingroom to the other.

But wait, that's not all! She's also pulling herself up too!

Pretty amazing stuff.

I will say she looks mighty funny when she crawls, as it is not the traditional knee crawling, but foot/knee crawling:





Good thing we set this up recently:



And here she is pulling herself up:

Monkey see, monkey do

A lot has changed in me since I had Julia. The way I think and act are all being affected by the idea that this little person is watching me and making her opinions on the world based on my actions. Whoa, that in of itself is a lot to take in, but we aren't going that deep.

Anyways, I really, really, really don't like mushrooms. Like really. And I am of the opinion that since I have given them a try several times and each time have disliked them, then I am free to continue disliking them forever.

But then about 4 months ago the thought hit me that if I don't like mushrooms, Julia most likely won't like mushrooms. You know, monkey see, monkey do. If it's good enough for mama, it's good enough for me. So I set out to start eating mushrooms. Now, I'm not going for full out enjoyment of mushrooms, but rather not picking them out of food. **Disclaimer - Because my mama raised me as a good Southern girl, never, ever in my life have I actually picked out mushrooms when I was served them at someone else's house. That is a major no-no. Just wanted to throw that in there in case mom is reading this!**

Twice now I have cooked with mushrooms. First time I made spaghetti with the canned mushrooms. Bad idea. Very bad. Seeing as my whole complaint is that mushrooms are slimy and rubbery, the last way I want them is soaked in a gross juice to make them even more slimy and nasty. Needless to say, I gagged through most of the meal. And truth be told I did pick out most of them to pass along to Jonathan.

However, I attempted using them yet again tonight when I made veggie pizza. This time I got fresh mushrooms. The recipe called for steaming all the veggies, but I thought "Hmmm... that would make the mushrooms slimy, so let's not do that." Instead, I just cut them up and added them along side the onions. And you know what, I ate all of them!

Sometimes I can trick myself into not thinking about what I am eating and just down it and move on (again, those good Southern graces), but tonight I consciously thought "That is a mushroom and I am going to eat it." Perhaps it helped that they were smothered in cheese, sauce and along side my favorite veggies. But all the same, I am paving a path for my mushroom eating ways.

Next food to conquer: coconut.

Toto we aren't in Texas anymore

I cancelled my subscription to Southern Living tonight. Way, way sad day.

I am now subscribing to Midwest Living.

Me on the computer cancelling my SL subscription: "This is way sad. Way sad."

Jonathan: "But you're getting something better."

Me: "Yeah, but it's Southern Living. I love Southern Living."

Jonathan: "You don't leave in the South. You live in the Midwest."

Me: "Ahhh! Don't say it! If you don't say it, it's not true!"

Door frame - 1; Julia - 0

Julia is learning to pull up on things, sometimes she doesn't choose the wisest things to try out her new found skill. Unfortunately, today she lost a battle with the door frame.

The injury (upper left side of her forehead):



The culprit:



After much crying and lots of kisses everything was a-okay.

Did I miss something?

I recently found out that a good friend of mine from college is moving to 23rd and Lexington in NYC now that she has completed Optometry School. When I first heard the news, there was a pang of remorse that rose up inside me. I have always, always wanted to live in NYC. The traffic, the people, the buildings, the subways, the constant go, go, go, just makes me feel alive and excited. Years ago Jonathan and I were on our New York track. We had planned out how long it would take him to finish school, what types of jobs we could get in New York, where we would live, what an amazing adventure we would encounter. If everything had gone as we planned, I would be celebrating my one year New York Anniversary this summer.

But alas, over Faithwalkers 2005 we both felt that New York was a dream we need to let go. Oddly enough, God spoke strongly to both of us on separate occasions, and neither of us told the other one for sometime afterward. But then one day I blurted out that I felt God was asking me to give up New York and Jonathan agreed. And as strange as it seems, I did really mourn the loss of my dream. I spent another few months pining away, thinking that there must be some way for me to still live there and be in God's will. So far I haven't seen an open door.

Anyways, back to my pang of remorse.

It's kind of shaken me this week, the idea that I too could be moving or already living in New York. I ask all the "what if" questions and start to see my life as less than glamorous. I mean, I'll be honest in saying that for most of my life I never truly thought I'd be a mom, and that if I ever did go down that path it would be much later than now. And I'll state the obvious when I say that there isn't much that is glamorous about mamahood. Sure, people are envious of the cute babies, but the poop, crying, vomit, lack of sanity, lack of sleep, road trips that take twice as long as normal, the continually dying to self. Yeah, I'm not sure I've ever heard someone say "Gee, I just really want a lifelong less in selflessness, I think I'll have a baby!". Yet, that is my life. My life isn't living in an apartment loft off the Upper West Side. It's living across the road from a park where Julia and any possible future babes will spend their playtime. My life is giving my all to my marriage, my family and my God. And it does make me sad that I can't just pick up and take a trip somewhere, or that I can't spend my "weekends" sleeping in, doing as I please, or being able to have a job at NYU or Columbia, or having to constantly be mindful of what I eat because it might make Julia fussy. Yeah, I do want all those things, I do miss the idea of freedom and jet-setting, I do love NYC. But far more than that, far more than chasing after that dream, I love my God. I love my husband. I adore my daughter. And really, if it came down to choosing the Upper East Side loft or the duplex in Iowa with my family, I would time and time again choose the latter.

With that in mind, I am stepping back and wishing luck to my friend. I am choosing to say that God is good for having me here, for allowing my life to be so fully blessed. And who knows, maybe one day I might just move to Manhattan.

Just maybe not the Manhattan that I expected.

No 'poo and cloth diapering update

I've been doing no 'poo for almost three weeks now. I'm washing my hair with b/s every Monday and Friday and doing a acv rinse every third wash. I've started just putting a small amount of b/s in my palm, adding water and making a paste I scrub on my scalp. The trickest part so far has been figuring out how much acv to use. Everything I read says 1-2 tbsp, but when I do that I find my hair is super oily. The funny part is that it's oiliest in the very front, which is where I first pour on the acv. So yesterday I cut back to 1 tsp acv and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this does the trick.

I will say this much about no 'pooing. My hair really has gotten a lot more compliments! And the amazing thing is, people are complimenting on it even when I haven't washed it in a few days. Sweet! Plus, I barely have to curl/flat iron it, because it's holding onto so much more volume than before. Double sweet!

Now for the diapers...

When I first started reading through the instructions that came with the diapers I seriously thought of returning them. The instructions called for all these expensive detergents that I would have to order online, saying that I needed to completely scrub my washer and never use any other soap than what they recommended, unless I didn't really care that much about my daughter. Plus, I needed special oxgenated detergent that I should use for the second washing cycle. Like the good mama I am, I went off to New Pi to search for these detergents. I figure if New Pi has it, I'll buy 'em. They didn't. Surpisingly, neither did Hy-Vee or Wal-Mart. So I gave up and bought Seventh Generation for Babies. I figured I don't really want to go through all the trouble of scrubbing my washer, buying special expensive soap and oxgenated detergent. I'll stick with a nicer brand when it goes on sale.

Yeah, so that all happened before we even tried the diapers.

The first few times with the diapers were bumpy to say the least. Julia is NOT a fan of being able to feel wet after she pees. And the problem is, even if she pees just a little it's too much for her. The first day I felt like I was changing a barely wet diaper every 20-30 minutes before I just put on a disposible and went on with life. Then this weekend we were traveling a lot and had guests in town, so she spend the majority of the time in disposibles. I would attempt to put her in cloth, but then it would only stay on her for less than an hour before I switched back over to the others.

Finally today, she has spent a good majority of the time in cloth. I even got the joy of changing her first pooping cloth diaper! It wasn't so bad in all actuality. She's adjusting to dealing with being wet longer than a minute (because I really don't want to be changing her every 5 minutes!) and we've set some rules for when to use cloth and when to use disposibles. Since Julia wakes herself up if she gets wet while she sleeps, I'm still going to put her in disposibles for naptime and overnight for mere sanity! Otherwise, I'm hoping that during the day she will be sportin' her ghetto cloth diaper booty.

10 ways (plus 1) that we're going green

I've been trying to help our family become more green and earth friendly over the past couple of months. It's surprising how easy it is to be green when you put in a little effort. However, I will say that so far the most challenging thing I've faced is being unable to go "all-green" all at once. My personality tends to be an extremist. I like it full tilt or not at all. But this whole green thing does take time to ease into, at least for our family. If it were just me, I'm sure I'd abandon everything, buying only earth friendly things and live in a tent. Since I need to be mindful of showing grace to Jonathan and Fletcher while we transition we're doing things slowly. Ultimately we're getting there and that in of itself is awesome.

So here are the ways we've gone green thus far:

1. Personal reusable shopping bags. Wal-Mart has these really nice black simple bags that are made out of recycled material. They hold a ton of stuff (I have four and that's all I need for all my groceries - and then I normally just need 2, maybe 3), are washable and when folded up, one fits nicely in my purse so I always have one on me.

2. No more 'poo. Thanks to Ambre I have gone head first (pun intended) into the world of no shampooing. Instead I've begun doing a baking soda wash with an apple cider vinegar rinse about every 3-4 days. This is going into my second week, so I'm still working out the kinks, but so far I'm really loving the results. I got the majority of my info from this site.

3. No more paper towels. It seems like our household goes through paper towels like water. So week before last I announced at dinner that I would not be buying anymore paper towels. Needless to say there were shock waves that came over Jonathan and Fletcher. They have been conserving our last roll like it's precious jewels and it's lasted us almost two weeks! Amazing. Now, in place of the paper towels I have gotten 36 hand clothes. They are conveniently placed in the kitchen so the guys will know right where they are and will use them for all their previous paper towel needs. Realizing that there will be times that we need paper towels (for large parties and such) I'm going to buy them on a 1 roll as needed basis, going with Seventh Generation from Hy-Vee or New Pi.

4. Enjoy the heat! I am NOT one for hot weather. Sure, sure, I'm a Texan and so therefore should be completely use to heat. Wrong. I would much rather never sweat, never be "overheated" and enjoy the comfort of cool weather (mid-60's to 70's would be ideal). But, we've started leaving our windows open and running the ceiling fans to circulate cool air. However, I will say that the last two days have been too hot for me and so I've been running the A/C, just at a much higher setting than in the past.

5. Recycle, reuse. Perhaps because I am a snob, I was never one for recycling and NEVER one for reusing. But, I've buckled down and started to do both. And you know what, it's pretty sweet. We throw away a lot less trash and I really feel like I'm doing something good for the environment.

6. Homemade toothpaste. Again, like the 'no pooing this is a work in progress. My reasoning behind it is similar to no 'poo; healthier, better for the environment, cheaper, etc. You use baking soda and salt as the two main cleaning/abrasive agents. You can either add in extracts for flavoring or just do the plain and simple version. There are other methods to making your own dry cleaners, or to making an actual paste. Merely for the ease of it all, I'm sticking with the baking soda/salt combo, doing a hydrogen peroxide mouth rinse. It's not the best tasting stuff, but it's working. I'm thinking of adding in cinnamon since the bs/s/hp doesn't leave me with a I-just-brushed-my-teeth fresh breath feel I like.

7. Homemade soap. I did some research on making your own soap in order to get the right cleansing agents for your type body. I got an olive oil base glycerin that works great for most everyone's skin and some lavender essential oil (which acts as an astringent and supposedly calms and relaxes you). You can buy everything at Hobby Lobby for under $20 and it works great and smells really good.

8. Join a CSA. CSAs allow you to buy your produce straight from local farms. By doing this, you not only support local farms, but you cut down on emissions emitted into the air from trucks driving your food from one side of the country to another. Plus, your food is fresh, organic and yummier.

9. Buy energy efficient appliances. Since the beginning of the year we've purchased an energy efficient washer, dryer and dish washer. Both washers are "smart washers" which means they sense how much water is needed to clean the dishes or clothes and use only the amount of water necessary to get the job done. The dryer does something similar, which is nice because it usually dries a full load in under 30 minutes.

10. Buy good-for-the-earth cleaning products, or make them yourself. See my post, Green clean.

11. Cloth diapers. So I did it. We've purchased our trial set of cloth diapers for Julia. In a few short days I will be washing all her poo. Yeah! For those of you wanting to do some cloth diaper research, check out Green Mountain Diapers. The site is run by a Christian SAHM and it is by far the best site I've found yet.

Free cat to good home. Scratch that. Free cat to any home.

Yours for the taking: Orange tabby cat, approximately 5 years old. Enjoys hiding from people, meowing, begging for food and hunting. Does not like to cuddle, excessively sheds and has no known redeeming qualities. But, if you enjoy having rats, rabbits or birds for dinner, this cat is purrfect for you. She will gladly bring live rodents to your back door!

Blerg!

Julia is teething. BLERG! And I have to say it's a pain in my booty!

Her front bottom teeth came in without a fight. Mild fussiness that could be dismissed as a grouchy day. Not so with these top teeth. Oh, no. Those bad boys are coming in and letting everybody and their mamas know it. BLERG!

Perhaps teething for an infant is equivalent to childbirth for a mom. I mean, you are pushing something out of you that seems unholy and unnatural at the time. But once they arrive you can't imagine life without them.

*Blerg, anything bad or upsetting - something used when there is nothing else to say, is a Liz Lemon favorite that I feel it way under used and best describes my week.

Green clean

We've been trying to go more green in our household cleaning products the last fews months. Clorox has a great new line called Green Works that is relatively inexpensive and good. They are made from plant-based material, and reminds me a bit of dandelions. The test for me with any cleaner is that after I'm done cleaning I don't feel like I have toxins on me and that I would have no concern picking up Julia before washing my hands.

However, my one complaint, is that we get some pretty nasty soap scum in our shower that Green Works can't seem to fight. So far, only super harsh smelling toxic cleaners get the tub back to white, and that's after major elbow grease added on my part.

Until, yesterday. Yesterday I decided to try out some ideas I had read about on the blog Green Parenting. The blogger lists all the household products you can use as cleaners, how much is needed, and what works best for each area of the house.

So yesterday, I pour baking soda and vingear in my tub. I let it set, and WALLA, I now have a super white tub again. I would venture to say if you use the vingear alone, it will do the job just fine, but some part of me liked have the volcano effect of the two ingredients and the extra cleaning power of the baking soda. Also, I found that there was some comic relief in knowing that the connoction I've starting using to washing my hair can also clean up my tub (***look for a no 'poo blog in the future***).

At any rate, here's the list I found and thought I'd share.

SUPPLIES:

VG[inegar]— naturally cleans like an all-purpose cleaner.VGis a great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Always test on an inconspicuous area. Improperly dilutedVGis acidic and can eat away at tile grout. Never useVGon marble surfaces. The smell disappears when it dries. Helps break down detergent in laundry. Use it to clean coffeepots, glass, paintbrushes, grout, windows and fireplaces.
LJ[lemon Juice] – Another natural substance used to clean your home. Can rot after 2 weeks.
Baking Soda [BS] – Cleaning agent even after used up as fridge deoderizer. Cleans, deodorizes, softens W, scours.
Soap – unscented natural soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything.
Borax [BX] - cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens W, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.
WhiteVinegar [VG]- cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.
Washing Soda[WS] - or SAL Soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens W, cleans wall, tiles, sinks and tubs. Use care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes. Do not use on aluminum.
Ethanol or 100 proof Alcohol & water[RA} - is an excellent disinfectant.
Cornstarch - can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.
Citrus Solvent - cleans paint brushes, oil and grease, some stains.
Murphy’s Oil Soap, Bar Keeper’s Friend, Bon Ami


SOLUTIONS:

AIR FRESHENERS: See Odor.

AIR PURIFIERS:
Benzene: (paint, plastic, ink, oil): English ivy, chrysanthemum, Gerbera daisy
Formaldehyde: (plywood, pressed-wood, furniture, fire retardants in mattresses): Spider plant, golden pothos, bamboo palm, azalea, Aloe vera, Philodendron
Trichloroethylene: (printing inks, paints, lacquers, varnishes, adhesives): Peace lily, warneckei, Dracaena marginata

CLEANERS (Kitchen/Bathroom):
All Purpose:
1. Simplest: 1 p. VG, 1 p. W in a spray bottle
bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops. stovetop, appliances, countertops. floor. will eat away the soap scum /hard W stains/degrease.
2. Bleach-like: BX and LJ highly effective mixture for bathrooms. Sprinkle this combination on the surfaces of the sink, toilet bowl and bathtub and then scour with a brush.
3. Degreaser: Mix 1/2 c. VG and 1/4 c. BS into 1/2 gal (2 liters) W. Store and keep. Use for removal of W deposit stains on shower stall panels, bathroom chrome fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors, etc. Degreases & Deoderize.
Mix 2 Tb BS with 1 pnt W in spray bottle. squeeze LJ orVGto cut grease.
Bleach/Lightening:
1. BX, LJ, sunlight
2. Mix a quarter c. of BS with a few c.s of warm W and wash down the outside of white appliances. Allow it to stand for 15 min before rinsing clean and it will help remove yellowing of the appliances and restore the whiteness.
Carpet: Simplest All-Purpose. Let sit 5 min. Scrub.
Decal or Sticker Remover: VG. Really soak it in.
Disinfectant:
1. compound of 3% HPX andVG
2. Mix 1/4 c. BX into 1/2 gal hot W. Use for wiping surfaces.
3. Soap!
4. Dryness. Bacteria can’t live where it’s dry.
5. Alcohol.
Lime Deposits: You can reduce lime deposits in your teakettle by putting in 1/2 c. (125ml) VG and 2 c.s W, and gently boiling for a few min. Rinse well with fresh W while kettle is still warm.
Mildew Remover:
1. HPX
2. White VG full strength. Don’t rinse.
Midlew Inhibitor: BX
Mold:
1. 3% HPX with V
2. Mix one p. HPX (3%) with two p. W in a spray bottle and spray on areas with mold. Wait at least 1 hr. before rinsing or using shower.
Oven:
1. Moisten oven surfaces. Sprinkle several layers of BS and let sit set for 1hr. Rub gently with fine steel wool for tough spots.
2. Salt on Stain when it spills.
Scouring Powder:
1. Apply BS directly with a damp sponge for top of stove, refrigerator and other such surfaces that should not be scratched.
2. Vinegar and Salt. Mix together for a good surface cleaner.
3. LJ andVGand/or BS.
Soap scum/Hard W dissolver: LJ
Toilet:
1. Flush the toilet to allow the W level to go down. Pour the undilutedVGaround the inside of the rim. Scrub.
2. Mix 1/4 c. BS and 1 c.VG pour into basin and let it set for a few min. Scrub with brush and rinse.
3. A mixture of BX (2 p.) and LJ (one p.) will also work. A paste will eliminate stains.
4. Flush. Sprinkle BX. Drizzle over w/V. Leave overnight.
Refinishing Old Furniture: Vegetable Oil Soap, a simple, nontoxic solvent. Follow label directions.
Water Rings on Wood: Moisture is trapped under finish. Try toothpaste or mayonnaise on a damp cloth and rub into the ring. Once the ring is removed, buff the entire wood surface.
Window/Stainless Steel/Chrome:
1. ½ c.VGin 2 c. W
2. 1 c RA, 1 c W, 1 Tb.VG Using Rol and VGtogether makes a quickly evaporating spray glass and mirror cleaner that competes with national brands. a nice shines hard tiles, chrome etc
3. 1/4 cVG 1 Tb cornstarch and 1 quart W.

DISHES:
Dishwasher Cleaner: Pour 1 c. of BS into the dishwasher and run it through the rinse cycle. It will help get rid of some of the grime that collects on the inside of the machine, as well as freshen the smell of the dishwasher.
Dishwasher Detergent: Mix together 1 1/2 Tablespoons of BS with 2 Tablespoons of BX.
Dishwashing soap:
1. Sea salt, LJ, hot W, few drops of orange essential oil
2. Mix equal BX and WS, but increase the WS if your W is hard.
Dishwasher scrubber/stain remover: ½ Lemon w/ BS poured on it

DRAINS/DISPOSALS:
Uncloggers:
1. Flexible metal snake, a plunger, salt
2. Pour 1 c. of BS down the drain followed by 1 c. of hot VG. Wait 5 min before flushing the drain with 2 quarts of hot W. Repeat.
3. 1 C. of BS and 1/2 c. of salt down the drain. Let this mixture sit in the drain for several hours, overnight is best, before flushing the drain with 2 c.s of boiling W..
Garbage Disposal Freshner:
1. 2 T. BX. Let sit 15 min, then run.
2. Citrus peels
3. BS down the drain without rinsing when you are going on vacation or even just a weekend trip. Flush the BS out of the drain with hot W or hot VG followed by hot W when you return.

FLOOR:
1. general: VG, W, 5 drops eucalyptus oil, 15 peppermint, shake
2. vinyl and linoleum: soap. add a capful of baby oil to the cleaning W to preserve and polish.
3. wood: a.)apply a thin coat of 1:1 vegetable oil and VG and rub in well. b.) oil soap
4. painted wood: mix 1 tsp. WS into 1 gal hot W. (see POLISH)
5. brick and stone tiles: mix 1 c. VG in 1 gal (4L) W; rinse with clear W.
6. ceramic tile: Mix 1/4 VG (more if very dirty) into 1 gallon W.

Special problems:
1. black heel marks: the heel mark with a paste of baking soda and water.
2. crayon marks: Toothpaste. Will not work well on wallpaper or porous surfaces.
3. remove grease from wood floors: immediately place an icecube or very cold water on the spot. The grease will harden and can then be scraped off with a knife. Then iron a piece of cloth over the grease spot.

FRAGRANCE: Essential oils. You need a lot to cover the smell of vinegar…eucalyptus works well in small doses, though.

LAUNDRY:
Fabric Brightener:
1. Add a 1/2 c. of BS to the wash when you add your regular liquid detergent. The BS has been known to give you whiter whites, brighter brights, and odor free clothing.
2. LINENS: Add ½ c to wash w/old, age-stained linens
1/2 cup of lemon juice to the rinse cycle
Fabric Softener:
1. ½ c. VG in the rinse cycle. Breaks down detergent.
2. And Odor remover: ½ c. BS in the rinse cycle.
Stain Remover (Clothes):
General:.
1. Rub a paste of 6T of BS and 1/2 c warm W onto stained clothing before laundering. Be sure to check for colorfastness first.
2. BX and W
Acids: Drain Opener, Battery Acid, Toilet Cleaner, VGomit, Urine: Quickly rinse acid spills and then sprinkle BS on your clothing to neutralize the acid and prevent damage to your clothing.
Blood Stains: BS rubbed onto a dampened blood stain can help lift the stain from the fabric.
Crayons in the Wash: Crayons accidentally washed with clothing, there may still be hope. Rewash in the hottest W allowable for the fabric, adding a 1/2 box to a box of BS.
Fruit/Wine Stains: Treat immediately, in a hurry, pour a little BS on, and then later run hot W through the back of the stain.
Sweat: A BS paste. Rub onto the clothing. Tough stains may need to let the paste sit for 1-2 hours before laundering.
Vomit: BS.

METAL CLEANERS & POLISHERS:
Aluminum: using a soft cloth, clean with a solution of cream of tartar and W. brass or bronze: polish with a soft cloth dipped in lemon and baking-soda solution, or VG and salt solution.
Brass, copper and aluminum: Paste of LJ and cream of tartar
Chrome: polish with baby oil, VG, or aluminum foil shiny side out.
Copper: soak a cotton rag in a pot of boiling W with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 c. VG. Apply to copper while hot; let cool, then wipe clean. For tougher jobs, sprinkle BS or LJ on the cloth before wiping.
Gold: clean with toothpaste, or a paste of salt, VG, and flour.
Silver:
1. Line a pan with aluminum foil and fill with W; add a tsp. each of BS and salt. Bring to a boil and immerse silver. Polish with soft cloth.
2. Aluminum foil, BS, Salt, Very hot W (boiling, maybe). Combine in clean sink. Put tarnished silver and silver-plated items in and let set a few min. Watch tarnish disappear, reappear on foil. Natural chemical reaction kids love & teaches them science!

ODOR:
Air Fresheners: Commercial fresheners coat nasal passages to diminish sense of smell.
1. Absorbtion: BS or VG with LJ in small dishes absorbs odors around the house. Houseplants help. Prevent cooking odors by simmering VG (1 Tb in 1 c. W) while cooking.
2. Vanilla: Soak vanilla in cotton ball place in car or anywhere. Reported to even remove skunk smell.
3. Ventilation: Open windows or doors in the house for at least a short period every day. This will also help to reduce toxic fumes that may be building up indoors.
4. Potpourri: Make your own potpourri from your
favorite herbs and spices. Place the potpourri in a small
basket or jar or in small sachet bags. Boil for more effect.
5. Sprays: Mix water and your favorite essential oils in a spray container. Freshens clothes, air, etc.

Odor Removers:
Carpet: a.) Sprinkle the carpet with a mixture of 1 cup Borax and 2 cups cornmeal. Let this mixture stand for an hour before vacuuming. b.) Use baking soda in same way.
General: BS.
Garbage: Put at bottom of garbage in newspaper to soak smells.
Laundry Hamper: BS at bottom of bag or BS sachets.
Musty Smell: Try mopping an uncarpeted floor/shelf with one gal warm W, 1/2 c. of VG, and 1/4 c. of BS.
Refrigerator: Put a box there. Wash w/BS & W. Sprinkle in bins.
Shoes: Sprinkle BS.
Baking Soda: Soaks up musty smells in fridge, garbage, etc.


POLISH:
Furniture/Floor:
1. 2 p. olive oil, 1 p. LJ.
Mix together in a clean new spray bottle. Use another clean cloth to polish the surface dry.
2. Mix three p olive oil and one part vinegar.
Shoe:
1. Banana Peel
2. Olive oil with a few drops of LJ can be applied to shoes with a thick cotton or terry rag. Leave for a few min; wipe and buff with a clean, dry rag.

Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory!

As many, if not all, of you know, the Midwest is experiencing some major flooding. Yesterday morning Jonathan was able to get out and take some pictures of the surrounding area. While these shots are only about a mile-mile and a half from our house, thankfully we won't see any flooding due to high elevation and the river not being close by. Crazily enough, the authorities are saying that we can expect up to at least 5 more feet by tomorrow (Sunday).












Keep in mind, Jonathan took these at 5 am yesterday morning. Already in many of these areas the water is almost waist deep. Fletcher and Jonathan have spent a lot of time sandbagging but the waters are projected to go over the sandbags. Now, our efforts are going towards helping people evacuate from their homes.

In all this, I can't help but think of God's promise to Noah, to all people, that He will never again flood the whole earth. I mean, just seeing the water rise as much as it is is pretty scary stuff. But imagining everything, trees, cliffs, mountain tops, being covered in water is overwhelming.

One funny thing to note: Each morning when Julia wakes up I sing her the "Arky-arky" song.

God told Noah there's going to be a floodie, floodie.
God told Noah there's going to be a floodie, floodie.
Get those animals (clap!) out of the muddie, muddie,
Children of the Lord.

So, rise and shine and give God the glory, glory.
Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory.
Rise and shine and (clap!) give God the glory, glory,
Children of the Lord.

God told Noah to build him an arky, arky.
God told Noah to build him an arky, arky.
Build it out of (claps!) gopher barky, barky,
Children of the Lord.

(Chorus)

The animals, they came in, they came in by twosies, twosies,
The animals, they came in, they came in by twosies, twosies,
Elephants and kangaroosies, roosies,
Children of the Lord.

(Chorus)

It rained, it rained for forty nights and daysies, daysies,
It rained, it rained for forty nights and daysies, daysies,
Almost drove poor Noah crazy, crazy,
Children of the Lord.

(Chorus)

The sun came out and dried up the landy, landy,
The sun came out and dried up the landy, landy,
Everything was fine and dandy, dandy,
Children of the Lord.

This is the end of, the end of our story, story,
This is the end of, the end of our story, strory,
Everything was hunky dory, dory,
Children of the Lord.

(Chorus)

To cloth or not to cloth

Because I am a self declared crazy woman, I've started looking into cloth diapers. Fitted, liners, doublers, covers, prefolds - Indian or Chinese. It's quite overwhelming. But, nonetheless, in an attempt to be environmentally and economically friendly, cloth is becoming quite appealing. Until today...

Julia had a blowout. All up her back. Yum.

So, here I am, stripping her down in the bathroom, running her under the facet, and laughing at just how funny this must look to anyone who's not a mom. Afterward, I started cleaning up her onesie in the sink. And at some point I thought "Ah, so this is what cloth dipaers will be like. Washing out poo in the sink with my hands."

I've found an online diaper store that sells "trial kits" for us parents who aren't quite sold on washing pee and poo on a tri-weekly bases, but are thinking about it. The start up costs are a little hefty, however, if the average cloth diaper really does last 3-5 years, that's pretty good. Yet, it's nice to just throw away everything and not think twice. Which makes me come to an impasse of to cloth or not to cloth. If we do it, we'll try it next month, budget allowing.

So there maybe some interesting diaper stories soon to come here in the Windham house...

Oh the places you will go... just not online

It's true what they say about traveling. Once you start you never want to stop. My brother calls it the travel bug. You go one place, then you want to go to another, and another, and another. Well, my travel bug has been itching for, oh, I don't know, 3 years now. Not that I haven't gone places in the last 3 years, it's just that I really, really want to go back overseas. Jonathan even said the other day that he was itching for Europe. The only problem is, I can't imagine Europe being as much fun with a 6 month old. I could be wrong, but I'm just guessing. So, we might be keeping in future traveling to the states. Or maybe Canada. Canada seems cool. Despite what Amanda says.

I've come to realize something now that I am back on the internet. I don't really like the internet all that much. It's kinda a bother in some ways. Don't get me wrong, there are some way cool things that the internet provides and that part is something I can dig. But I'm finding myself more and more viewing it as a quick-check-your-email system and then moving on with life. Which, quite frankly, is pretty cool, given that before my fast I was glued to the computer. And today I realized I had checked Facebook in several days, had not gotten on my email since yesterday morning and haven't done much else on online since coming back. These are all things that before would have seemed the hardest things not to do. On the flip side of it all I've been reading a lot more. And I have to say, I like that a lot.

I will throw in this quick note: Julia has a tooth! I felt it on Monday and you can just see the top of it on the front bottom left (her left) side. Pretty sweet. :)

Once upon a time...

... in a land far, far away, there lived a woman who was half crazy. One day she decided that in order to grow to know her Lord just a little bit better she would cut off all modern forms of communication (or just the internet). And so for 40 days she ignored the computer. Now, at the end of her sentence she has come to the conclusion that a) the world does go on without you, b) you can have a small child and read books, c) she is still crazy, but hopefully a little wiser.

It's been a while. At the beginning of April I had a serious heart check about my life/time and where I put my hope. I realized I was more concerned with who posted on my facebook wall and who did or didn't leave comments on my blog then I was about how much time I spent with God. I saw in myself a person who had become so wrapped up in herself I couldn't go more than a few hours without logging on. So, I cut the cords. I took a drastic (for me) measure and logged off for a while. And it's been good. I've learned a lot about myself, that I can start and complete a task, and that God gives us way more grace than we deserve.

Alrighty, I suppose I can do a quick update on all things Windham. Julia turns a whopping 6 months on this Friday! I just can't even grasp it. She's now been introduced to rice cereal and sweet peas. Sweet peas did not go over very well at first, but now she opens her mouth up super wide when she sees the spoon. Of course, half the food ends up running down her chin, but we're backing progress.

Speaking of other Julia-progressions, she is now sitting up. She started right before she turned 5 months old. She would sit up for about a minute doing what I call the 'gorilla stance' - where the babe uses their hands to hold themselves steady; it looks like a gorilla to me. But at the beginning of May she started sitting upright. She's doing really well, and tends to only fall over when she's sleepy or irritated. And luckily she hasn't hurt herself too bad... just once when she flung herself back on the wood floors in our kitchen.

We're starting house church at our house this weekend. I'm really excited. These means I will actually be able to stay for the duration of church now! We rearranged the down stairs to accommidate for a sitting room and I must say it looks pretty sweet. I might just start spending more time down here.

Jack got a shock collar. Sounds worse than it really is. He has just kinda gone crazy with barking and running off, so we bought a shock collar that he wears every time we let him outside. I've used it once. He hasn't really barked outside since. Apparently, it's pretty effective.

Well, that's about it in a nut shell. I'm sure there's more that I could write, but I'll save it for later.

Tag, I'm it

I got tagged! And I'll admit like Alicia M, I've always secretly wanted to be tagged. :) So here are 10 random things about myself.

1. I slept with a stuffed animal named Buttcatt until I got married. Wait. That was a lie. I slept with him after I got married too. Just not when Jonathan was at home.

2. I prefer to not take the first item off a shelf at the store, instead I will take the one behind it. Especially if the product comes in a box.

3. I love being outdoors. It makes me feel really close to God. So when it's nice out I will sit for hours outside on the porch, or just put up all the windows and enjoy the fresh air.

4. I've always wanted to be a spy. Windham. Sarah Windham. Sounds good, doesn't?

5. I don't like bananas if they have any brown spots on them. I realize that the peel can be brown and it doesn't mean the banana itself is, but still, I have to force myself to eat one once the peel is brown.

6. I've been proposed to twice. Both times while in Europe. The second time was with Jonathan. The first, just as memorable, was from a drunk old Hungarian on New Year's Eve in Rome. I was at a cafe with my family when this old man came in and started calling me "princippessa" and proposed. It was really funny.

7. I secretly day dream about being in the Southern Living magazine. Either because of my garden, home or cooking. Especially my cooking.

8. I learned to enjoy hot tea with sugar and milk when I was younger because I was fully convinced I would one day meet the British Royals and would need to take milk with my tea at Afternoon Tea.

9. I took fencing for an entire year in college. I even competed some. It was a lot of fun, and I wish I could still do it. Hmmm, maybe I should look into a local fence club here in town.

10. I slept in pillowcases when I was a little girl. My family has some ridiculous pictures of me sleep on the bed in a pillowcase. I don't even know why I did it. Maybe it was a make-shift sleeping bag??

Now I'm gonna tag Suzanne F, Emily, Lincoln, Kara and Shelly (you can do it on Facebook!).