Happy Earth Day!

Pittsburgh Cloth Diapers is having a great sale -- 15% off today!

One of the things I really appreciate about all this 'green' industry is that in the long run, it is economical for consumers as well as being good for the environment. We're for sure breaking even on the cloth diaper investment we made!

How about you? What are some things you do that give both Mother Earth AND your wallet a break?

Our sad garden

Well, the garden didn't turn out too well. It was fun to watch everything grow but not too much fun to watch everything stop growing. This was our first year so we decided from the outset that it would be just a learning year for us.

Check out the best of the carrots. Cry with me.

I can point to several factors in the garden's not doing very well, and how we hope to counteract them next year:

1. The soil was not tilled far enough down. When I see the stunted pathetic carrots, I can really imagine that they just didn't have anywhere to go. Next year we'll look into hiring someone to do it for us (I can't imagine it would cost much more than renting it ourselves and the subsequent ER costs and foot reattachment surgery).
2. Chipmunks. Little rodents -- good thing they're so cute. Next year we plant to plant a marigold and lavender border.
3. Powdery mildew. It got our zucchinis and cantaloupes and I think it got our watermelon too. Next year we will spray with a milk solution that should help.
4. Planting too much, too close, all at the same time, and late in the season. Next year, we'll use our experience from this year!
5. The miscarriage happened the weekend after I planted the garden. I don't know what I plan to do to not have that happen again, but it sure did put a damper on my enthusiasm and ability to do anything this summer.

Now, we did have some success. I had a nice crop of cherry tomatoes in a big pot on our front porch -- we probably got close to 60. We still have about a dozen green tomatoes and we're just hoping the plant can hold out long enough to ripen them up. Another case of overcrowding but I think it was a success nonetheless. I also did better-than-expected on my herb pots as well, since I usually kill anything off by the time it sprouts. We have had lots of fresh basil, thyme, and mint. Cilantro and dill didn't do very well -- I think they got too much sun.

Tell me -- how did your gardens grow this summer?

Another contest -- diapers!

Win a Bum Genius 3.0 Starter Kit from Nature's Child - Wholesome Goods for Mothers and Babies

Now, if we have a #3 in the future, I am definitely going to cloth diaper. Especially if I win this one!

Contest at Crunchy Domestic Goddess!

Nature's Avenger Organic Weed Killer

A giveaway contest!!! I have killer weeds, that's for sure, and I hope I win!

Our garden is growing

Nature's doing something productive this week! It's been a week and 2 days since I planted our seeds and our zucchini plants are FOUR INCHES TALL! Our watermelon is the next biggest (it's cute too because the shells of the seeds are still on the leaves), and the cantaloupe, scallions, Swiss chard, peas, carrots are all growing. On our porch, the tomato plants are small but growing, and the herbs are growing well, especially the basil. Not sure what the peppers, broccoli, and big onions are going to do but it sure is fun watching and waiting.

Planted our garden today, and a busy day tomorrow!

I'm not really a gardener. But we have this horrible yard that isn't ever going to grow grass, so we turned it over and I planted vegetables on the sunny side and wildflowers from a can on the shady side. I know it's a little late in the season but... well, we've had a busy spring. I planted watermelon, cantaloupe, 2 kinds of onions, broccoli, 3 kinds of peppers, Swiss chard, zucchini, carrots, and peas. Oh, and in containers on my front porch I have leaf lettuce, basil, mint, coriander, thyme, and tomatoes (the tomato plant is about 2" big so we will see if anything comes of it).

Bon appetit, deer!

And my June client is going to be induced tomorrow so I will have a busy day. She's a great woman and it'll be a pleasure to work with her and her husband -- they make a great pair.

AND, on Saturday I will be observing (and assisting) in a childbirth class... thus fulfilling all my requirements for DONA certification except the essays! Hopefully I can get it all sent out next week! I feel like I started so long ago... Badger was just 3 months old when I attended my training.

Speaking of whom... we think he said a WORD. We think he is saying baa-baa for BALL. He is also signing "more." I guess it's like when you take your car to the mechanic because it's making a funny noise and then it stops... before we are even scheduled for his first speech therapy session, he makes a few nice steps :) I'm certainly not complaining.

Looking for Babywearing Recommendations...

What was your favorite way to wear your newborn? I never did except for a few brief times I put the babes in the Bjorn (I have to say, I really liked the dummy-proofness of that!) but I'd like to be better versed in a wider variety so I can recommend them to clients.

I love the mei tai but I never ever felt like a small one was secure.

Dyeing Easter Eggs

We just dyed eggs, Chim and I. Badger was aching to get in on the action but I am just not that good of a mother :) Next year, I promise, I'll try to make natural dyes, but I had gotten these PAAS kits last year on super duper clearance and, well, I'm tired. So very tired.

Now, onto the bath with the kids!

Cloth Diapers in Pittsburgh

This article was in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Better for baby? New cloth diapers also kinder on planet, advocates say

The old cloth vs. disposable diaper debate is flaring up again as a new generation of eco-friendly products are starting to toddle into the mainstream.

If I could go back in time 4 years when I was newly pregnant with Chim Chim, I would totally go for cloth. I didn't know cloth diapers were so cute and easy these days. By the time I knew better, I was expecting Badger and I didn't think I could commit to learning a new system while caring for a newborn and a toddler. Again, I should've just done it!

Now, Chim Chim is all but potty trained (her recent adventures in impacted bowels notwithstanding) but Badger probably has another 18 months in diapers, minimum. It's not out of the realm of possibility that we'll have a third child so they may get plenty of use after Badger. Perhaps I should take the plunge now -- what do you think?