21 Days of Unfinished Projects- Day 2: Re-organize Kithchen Cabinets

One of the many blessings that we got in this house was a large kitchen with quite a bit of cabinet space. When we moved in, I set everything up in a way that mimicked they way my mom organized dishes in my childhood home. It had been tested and approved, so it had to be the best solution, right?

 I spent that last 31 days following a series on Domestic Fashionista called 31 Days of Creative Homemaking. In Ashley's post about her kitchen layout, I realized that my ow kitchen is not as efficient as it could be. Not that moms way of doing things was wrong, it's just that her kitchen was laid out differently. I wanted to put everything in the spot where I would use it most. Then I began the great shuffle. Poor hubby woke up in another dimension! (Have I ever mentioned how great he is at putting up with my crazy antics? He just shrugs his shoulders and say "whatever you like best honey". I heart him!)

Anyway here are some pictures of my final layout.

I moved all of our dishes to the cabinets near the table. I put the everyday stuff on the lower shelf and the extras for parties up higher. I also put the silverware in the drawer below. I wanted it to be close to the eating area to make it easy for the kids to set the table.

For the most part I just cleaned out the pantry. After removing expired food items I organized everything so that there is nothing on the floor and so that I had room on my top shelf for all of my white platters and serving dishes.

I moved the cups next to the refrigerator. I did have them over the washer but then we were having to walk around the island, across the kitchen to get our drinks. We don't use the glass cups as often as we used to because they tend to get broken from little hands picking them up, so those are higher up, along with my stemware for special occasions.

In the cabinet below the cups, I put the storage containers. I like that they are right next to the fridge and the table. I usually serve dinner "family style", so all of the left overs can be packed up straight from the table. We also pack daddy's lunch at the island which is right next to this area so that is helpful.

Above the stove/oven is all of my baking supplies and spices. These were relocated from the cabinet by the table, it is nice to have things within arms reach while doing prep at the island or cooking on the stove.

Under that area are all of my pots and pans, pretty self explanatory. To the right are all of my candles and vases. I put them there mostly because they are the only space big enough to hold the tall items and because my gas shut off valve needs to be easily accessible. I used the broiler to make some salmon and the heat didn't seem to effect the wax at all.

Next to the dishwasher are two thin cabinets, I used one for all of my dish washing supplies and the other for my tea pot, pitchers and drink mixes.

Before the big move, under my island was not utilized very well. I had my trash can and cleaning supply bin down there... why?? So after a nice long scrub down, I moved my appliances and dutch oven down there. I always do my prep in this area but for some reason I was lugging my heavy Kitchen Aid across the room every time I wanted to bake. just having to lift it up is much better in my opinion!

Last, I moved my plastic bags and foil into a drawer, before they were in a skinny lower shelf but it was always a mess with bags all over the place and boxes falling over themselves. I hope this works out better for us.

I didn't think this project would ever end but after several hours and my Pandora Dance Cardio Mix... it is done! And I actually have a few empty cabinets and drawers! I had to catch myself going to the old layout when cooking dinner but I am sure after a few times unloading the dishwasher, we will all be used to it.

Have you ever changed up your kitchen to work better for you? Do you feel the need to?

21 Days of Unfinished Projects- Day 1: Cloth Diaper Review

We only have 21 more days until Thanksgiving!!! That is three weeks y'all! Knowing that the holiday season is fast approaching, I have been wanting to get some projects done, and in a hurry. I figured the best way to hold myself accountable is to blog them all. So please if I miss a day, come rush my front door with your pitch forks and torches... I need to get my home to a complete stage so that I can focus on enjoying the holidays with family and starting our new business.

The first project I have been meaning to do is my cloth diaper review. I had promised it so long ago but never took the time to sit down and write it out. I am not a pro at reviewing products by any means, but i had so many people mention how much they learned from my first CD post, I figured I needed to finish the job.

They always say, "save the best for last", but I am the kind of girl who eats dessert before my dinner (rebel I know!). So here is my number one favorite... Jungle Roo!

Why do I love them? Well, for starters I have never had a single leak from these diapers. They have SO many snaps which is very important for diapering long term. Jungle Roo's fit from 10 lbs up to potty training. I love that the waist band can overlap, not just for fit but also when I am out and about I can roll up my diaper and secure it like you would a disposable. Also on the minky styles, there is this awesome extra strip of fabric just inside the leg elastic that prevents "blow outs". The only con I have is that I only have three of these :(. I would love to see some super cute flowery girl patterns but it is not worth the trade off... I will explain later.

My second favorite, Royal Fluff. These are awesome because they are a) really cute and b) very functional. They have the most snap options, I started using them at 10 lbs but they probably would have worked well from birth. They also have a very tailored pocket opening which is visually nicer than some others. I got my small wet bags from them as well. They have held up great which is more than i can say for my BumGenius pail liner from Babies R Us. The only thing that puts these a half step behind first place is that they don't have the extra protection from blow outs (not that we have had any major leaks from these either.)

Next are my SunBaby diapers. These I have had the longest. They are the best for getting started as they are good quality at GREAT prices. They offer some lovely designs but it does take close to 2 months for your order to be delivered. Another downfall is that there aren't as many snaps and you can't overlap the waist flaps (poopy diaper opening up in the wet bag... no fun!). In the top of the picture you will notice that extra white fabric poking out, that is from the pocket opening. It isn't very pretty but doesn't effect the overall function of the diaper. One feature that I would love to take from this diaper and add to the others is that the PUL (outer water-proof) fabric overlaps to the inside of the diaper about 1 inch. This is great for my tummy-sleeper because it helps protect her clothes from "overflow" (of the pee variety) while  sleeping.

My biggest disappointment has been with these beauties. Lotus Bumz have the cutest selection by far, the only thing is that this uncontrollable adorable-ness comes at a price. I don't know if the cotton outer absorbs moisture or if I have a defective bunch, but these are always leaking! This makes me really sad since they were he ones I looked forward to trying the most. I even got all my Baby Legs just to match these dipes. I still use these when I know she will be up for me to change her often but they are not really sleeping or outing approved. I am ordering some new, super absorbent inserts to try in these... maybe Elliot is just a REALLY heavy wetter?? I hope this fixes the problem because I really do love all of the fun patterns, plus they make up a third of my stash! Besides the cuteness, the structure is really good as well. Great amount of snaps and tailored look, I just think the outer fabric choice was less than optimal.

I know it sounds lame but for Christmas, Ellie Grace is getting new inserts and some more Jungle Roo and Royal Fluff diapers. She will only be 5 months so I don't think she will mind.

Do you cloth diaper and have a brand I should try? I would love some input!

My First Vlog!

Ok, so I know I have a lot to catch up on but humor me for a day and check out my first ever vlog. I am linking up with Erin over at Living in Yellow (who is totally adorable by the way!) for The Girl Behind the Blog- Show and Tell Link Up. I must have been living under a rock for a while because this is the first I have heard of it.

Anyway, today the girls are talking about what three things they can't go through their day without. In all fairness I cut off the cable and deleted my Facebook account, so I have fewer distractions while studying my trainer certification material, so that is why my phone is no longer on the list.

Please pardon my crazy flu voice and wild hair... I also say ummm a lot. There is no real excuse for that, it is just a bad habit intensified by my nervousness. I hope it gets better with practice but I can't promise it will ever totally go away. Enjoy!

Taking the Plunge!

You know the term "never a dull moment"? Well, never has a term rung more true for the Ham family than that one. As if welcoming our third child, Elliot Grace, into the world wasn't enough, God has been working other things into our family. You see, back in August when Matt was off to help me with the kids, he and his best friend were approached about their interest in buying a gym. Both of the families started praying hard as to what God would have us do. Matt and I felt like this opportunity was an answer to a long line of prayers for Matt to be able to spend more time with the family, the other family felt like it may be more than they are able to take on at this time. Then the current owners decided that they weren't as ready to let the gym go as they thought, so the deal was pulled before it even really got going.

When Matt and I heard this, instead of being disappointed or upset, we felt peace about it... but we also felt that desire to continue pursuing the idea of opening our own gym. We continued praying that if it was God's will, that He would keep us both in agreement about the next steps forward and that he would open doors to make it possible. We both decided that the first step would be for us to get certified as personal trainers and take a nutrition course. After much research we decided to go with the school that has been around for the longest and has the best reputation, ACE fitness (American Council on Exercise). This is a non-profit organization that offers many continuing education courses after we become certified. One program I am looking forward to most is the group fitness and Matt is really excited about the Sports Performance Training, so he can open the gym up to high school boys during summer.

Next, we started thinking about names. We had a few ideas that had been tossed around several years back, when the dream of owning a gym was "when we retire". They were clever plays on our last name and Matt's profession, such as Hamstrings and Outlaw fitness, but they just didn't feel right. I spent all night talking with my SIL (who has a marketing degree) and she had some great ideas too. That night before I went to bed, I prayed "God, I know this may sound trivial in the grand scheme of things but can you help us find a name that portrays the image we want to set forth." We already know that we want to make it clear to anyone who sees us to know that our focus is God first, family second. The next morning, as I was waking up the word iron popped into my head. It fit seeing how they call working out "pumping iron". I got on Facebook, as I do most mornings, and a friend of mine had posted a verse on her news feed. It read "Just as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17", I knew this wasn't coincidence. This is just what we want to say to our clients, we want a place where people develop new relationships and encourage one another to be the best that they can be, not just with fitness but in all aspects of life. A quick google search showed that the name had not been taken and so it is with much eagerness that we are going to file our DBA as "Iron Fitness Training Center".

Our next step will require a lot of FAITH on our parts and PRAYERS from friends and family. This dream all hangs in the balance of finding a small business loan. We have to trust that if we cant find someone to invest in us, then it just isn't part of God's plan, and if we do find the money then we have to believe that God will allow us to be profitable enough to pay back the loan. Both scenarios are scary to think of but I know that God knows better than we do! Our hope is that no matter what happens, God will receive all the glory.

So next week we begin studying for our personal trainer license and apply for our name. If you find yourself thinking about us, please say a quick prayer for us and our journey. We still have so far to go, but we are trying to take it one step at a time... right behind God.

First Trip to the Library!

We went to the library for the first time yesterday and boy did the kids love it! I have not been feeling well at all lately so I figured it would be good for all of us to get out of the house. It was a nice distraction for the kids to enjoy Toddler Time. They had stories and songs and crafts... oh my! We also got our first library card which was the highlight of Brooke's day. She really is a girl after my mom's own heart. When we were driving home I asked what her favorite part of the day was, she replied "The part when we first walked in and I saw all those books, it was just perfect." Each of them picked out a book and as we made our way to check out we noticed these backpacks that had a book and coordinating puppet, so we couldn't pass those up. I only got a few pictures with my phone because I couldn't carry my big camera and Elliot at the same time.

Maddux listening to the story at toddler time.

Brooke found a nice spot to preview her book before we brought it home.

In the end, we came home with a Toy Story and Tinkerbell comic book and Author Gets a New Puppy.

As I am sure you can guess, we plan on going back next week!

Cloth Diapering 101

When people hear about our recent choice to cloth diaper we get a LOT of questions! Everyone wants to know why we are doing it, how it works and if I am happy with my choice. So I decided to write a quick post answering all of those questions a little better. Let me just say that I could have never gotten to this point without the help of my friends Eden and Kim, and my friend Sal's wife, Cassie. They have answered so many questions for me and offered an encouraging word when I got confused during the research phase! Thanks ladies!

This is all but two of Elliot's diapers. She goes through about 7 or 8 diapers a day, so I don't have to do laundry everyday!

Why do we cloth diaper? This answer is simple, to save money!!! Some do it for the environment and that is all good and well but for me it is "a penny saved is a penny earned". There are a few different types of cloths diapers out there and MANY different brands, each with their own price tag. I picked "pocket" diapers for our family because they are very close to disposables, so it is easy for anyone willing to help out with diaper duty, and they are some of the least expensive. I currently have about $300 invested in my stash. This includes 2 days worth of diapers, plenty of wipes, prefold diapers ( I will explain these later) and gear. Given that our family can easily spend $75 to $100 a month on diapers and wipes, it pays for itself fairly quickly.

How does it work? Like I said earlier, the pocket diapers are very similar to disposable diapers. Their name pretty much tells it all, there is a pocket in the diaper that you stuff an insert into. All of my diapers came with a microfiber insert in them. Unfortunately, Elliot is a very heavy wetter so the microfiber does hold as much as we need it to. I remedied this with Maddux by double stuffing but this makes the diaper extremely large on Elliot, so I started using a regular prefold diaper from Babies R Us as the insert. A prefold is generally what you think of when you hear "cloth diapers", many people use them as burp cloths as well. We use the really thin, cheapo baby washcloths as our wipes. I keep them in a wipe warmer with a solution of 2 tablespoons of Johnson and Johnson baby wash, 2 tablespoons essential oil (right now I am using tea tree oil) and 2 cups warm water. When she has a wet/dirty diaper I simply take out the insert and put both in a wet bag until it is time to wash them. As she is breast fed, she doesn't have solid waste yet (sorry TMI), but when she does I will get a sprayer attachment for the toilette to rinse the diaper before washing. At laundry time, I dump the wet bag in the washer and run a rinse cycle with white vinegar, followed by a wash cycle with blue Dawn dish soap, and end it with an extra rinse cycle. This takes about an hour using my HE front loading washer. From there I hang dry the outer part and tumble dry the inserts. When everything has finished drying, I try to stuff the diapers and have them ready to go (we don't always get to this stage).

Am I glad I did it? I can say without a doubt 100%, I am happy with it! I feel like I spend such a small amount of time every other day doing laundry, it is totally worth not having to step foot in the baby section at the grocery store. And that is saying a lot coming from the woman who despises laundry! I never have to worry about running out of diapers because even if I realize I only have one clean one left, I have enough time between then and the next change to wash more. Even when I am out and about it is easy. I have two small wet bags that fit perfectly in my purse, so the only change is that instead of throwing the diaper in the trash I throw it in the wet bag and deal with it when I get home. The biggest inconvenience is that not all the workers in the nursery at church feel comfortable changing a cloth diaper. But I just make sure she is fresh when we go in and change her when we get out. I have only been called out of service once to change a diaper. Even my great aunt was able to figure it out when she was in town a few weekends ago. There is no crazy folding or anything, just snap and go!

My current stash is made up of 4 different brands ( all but one brand was purchased on sale at zulily.com). They are Sunbaby, Royal Fluff (they also made my small wet bags), Lotus Bumz and Jungle Roo. I am a sucker for new cute diapers so I will probably add a few more as we go along, but I have enough now that I don't HAVE to have more. I will give a review of the different brands in another post, but for now I have to get some sleep... Dr's orders!!!

Bad Momma!

So, I just realized that Elliot has been here for 8 weeks and I still have not posted any pictures of her! Poor third child! Don't worry, I slapped my wrist and pulled out the camera for pictures of everyone last night. Enjoy!!!

My baby is holding her head up!

Watching her puppy and smiling.

The big kids playing ball with daddy.

We have lift off!

My big boy! ( He got a haircut after these pictures were snapped)

Our oldest, Jessie Poo!

Daddy's Girls!

Silly faces!

I realized last night, one of the most attractive things about my husband is seeing how good of a father he is to our children. I am sure there are many women out there who can relate.