On hold, for a while - not forever!

Hi all, as you know, the last 6 or 7 months have been crazy and the blog has really been pushed to the back burner. Now, with two kids and me starting up with grad school again full time, I am expecting to be busier than ever. So I have decided to take a long term break from posting to the blog. I have been doing it for 8 years now and have loved posting pictures and updates on everything happening in our lives. From buying and remodeling a house, to birthday parties and the boys' various milestones, I have enjoyed posting to the blog and keeping you in the loop. But, unfortunately, now with where we live the internet isn't as good and posting takes an extreme amount of time - which I don't have much of these days! So I am going on hiatus, but I wanted to share my links with you to social media. It is very easy for me to post a quick update to Facebook or post a picture to Instagram. I would love it if you "friended" me on Facebook, and requested to "follow" me on Instagram. These apps are super easy to download, or you can view them via the web. But I have my privacy settings at the highest level, so you have to request to be my friend or follow me. PLEASE DO!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindy.holliday.3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindyholliday/

As much as I love the blog, it takes forever now to upload videos and pictures, let alone me having a free minute to write blurbs. This way I can snap a quick photo and post it with one touch and I update them more frequently.

This time next year I should be done with my Master's program, and hope to have a little more time on my hands. It's weird to think that Hunter will be 5 and getting ready to start school and Henry will be 1 and I am sure running around all over the place! So there won't be a lack of things to post about!

Thank you to all of my loyal readers and I am sorry to be doing this, but please create logins for the accounts above and follow me because I want to keep in touch!

Happy New Year all, and at some point "I'll be back!" (*insert Arnold Schwarzenegger voice)

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Cloth diapers, I'm a fan

So when I was about 5 or 6 months pregnant this summer I started to toss around the idea of doing cloth diapers. Not only is it environmentally friendly, but it would save us a lot of money! However, it is a little scary at first. But you know me, I did a lot of research online and asked friends and family that have used cloth diapers to get their feedback. Really, I couldn't find too much wrong with it. I hesitated though when purchasing them from Amazon. I felt like I was committing to this huge undertaking for the next 2 - 3 years, primarily because the up front costs were so high. You see, I didn't buy the old school cloth diapers. I got the newest versions that is an all in one, which were pretty spendy. After more research, I decided on the BumGenius Freetime diapers. They seemed to do the best at holding in poo and pee, and were the easiest to clean because they didn't have all the separate pieces. Definitely had the best ratings too, and they should last us a couple of years as they are adjustable in sizing from 8 to 35 pounds. But, at $20 bucks a piece, it really starts to add up when you buy numerous so you have plenty to get you through about a day and a half. The goal is to have enough so that you aren't doing laundry every day, just every other day. However, it pales in comparison to how much we would spend on disposable diapers over the course of that same time period - so I went for it. I was also fortunate enough that as a gift my Mom, Aunt Cammy and Uncle Bob paid for them. Once again, I am so lucky and grateful for them.

Here is Henry showing off his diaper. I got quite a few different colors and of course he looks quite dapper in every single one!

After using them for a week now (we had to wait a while because Henry wasn't quite big enough for them to fit), I have to say, I love them! First, it is so nice not having to purchase huge boxes of diapers all the time. All the sudden you are overrun with diaper boxes and your garbage can is overflowing with diapers every week. Second, it is a lot easier than I thought. You literally put this diaper on and off just like a disposable. Yes, you have to snap a few buttons, but otherwise, when it is dirty I just throw it in a bucket instead of the trash can. It is also nice because I just throw them all in the wash around dinner time, and before I go to bed I hang them up to line dry. They are all ready to go by morning. I have to pre-treat the icky ones a little, but it isn't too bad at all. I have gotten into a routine and I am surprised at how easy they are. Also, they seem to hold just as well, if not better than the disposables. We have had a few blowouts around the legs (please note, we did in disposables too), but I think that is just because Henry's thighs aren't very big yet and the diapers aren't very snug there. And, on his back, where the elastic is tight and fits, nothing "escaped" there - so I think when he fills out a little more I think blow-outs will be even fewer and further between.

Anyhoo, here is my review on BumGenius FreeTime cloth diapers. I am really glad we ended up going this route and I am pleasantly surprised.

PS-the only downside I have seen so far, which I don't think it's a big deal, but it makes his bum area look pretty big. The diapers are kind of bulky, but hey, who doesn't like a little "junk in the trunk?" :)