Domino's Does Gluten-Free!

I am super excited to get to share this with you!  I found out last weekend that Domino's Pizza now has a gluten-free pizza.

What?!?!

Okay, maybe you already knew that, but it was news to me.

I found out about this awesomeness through some awesome friends of ours who fed us after we showed up super late to help at their garage sale.  I know, we are the lamest friends ever.  "Hi, we're here to help watch you tear down!  Oh yeah, we'll totally eat some pizza on your dime too!" 

They were really sweet and even got the gluten-free pizza for Josh.

Pardon the iffy picture. It was taken, last minute, on my phone.

So here's our take on it:  The crust is a typical gluten-free crust.  It is very thin, but not crunchy at all.  Like typical gluten-free baked items, the crust is dense and chewy. However, it still tastes pretty good.  The rest of the ingredients taste like regular Domino's ingredients [yum!].

There is an unfortunate hiccup with it, however.  While the crust is gluten-free, it is not [I repeat, not] prepared in a gluten-free environment at the store you order it from.  I'm guessing once they rip it out of the packaging it gets placed on the same counter as all the other pizzas, and baked in the same oven as the regular pizzas as well.  So, like it says above, know your gluten intolerance limits.  Or the the limits of the person you might be ordering it for. In Josh's case, he can handle a little bit of cross contamination, so this pizza is something that he will be okay with eating.

Another bummer is the price tag - when I checked prices in our area, the total for a gluten-free pizza was $12.99.  That's for a small size, with only cheese.  When I asked Josh what his take was on the pizza, once he knew the cost, he said, "I've had better tasting pizza for less at restaurants. But I do like the idea that we can order delivery again."

So that's where we stand.  If we're just really craving the delivery pizza experience and willing to shell out a few extra bucks, Domino's will be the place to go.  Same thing goes with any get-togethers where ordering pizza might come up.  Now Josh isn't stuck eating carrot sticks while we all nom on pizza.   Domino's has opened up a simple dinner options that was once one of the three big bummers about a gluten intolerance - pizza, burgers, and bagels.

Hope you have a great weekend, readers!  We're going to finally buy a microwave this weekend.  It was fun going all Little House on the Prairie without one for a couple months, but its time to give in.  I'm getting sick of trying to defrost Dellie's baby food with boiling water.

What are your weekend plans?  Tell me in the comments below!  Hopefully they involve ordering some pizza :)

How Do I Get Started?

This is part four of a series called, "The Poop on Cloth Diapers." [To head back to the beginning, simply click on the series title in quotes]

Are you ready to jump in with all three feet?  No?

That's okay, because you don't have to. The beauty of cloth diapers is that you can start as comfortably as you'd like.  If you're comfortable with buying a whole bunch of diapers at once, awesome!  Just make sure you get some really cute ones.

If the thought of getting a whole bunch of cloth diapers all at once is terrifying, it's okay.  Here are a couple options you might be more comfortable with doing instead:

Some websites that sell cloth diapers even provide a trial service that lets you "test drive" cloth diapers for a few weeks at minimal cost to you.  So if you find out out cloth diapering isn't for you, you haven't wasted Junior's college fund.

Here's an example of a trial program offered by the website Jillian's Drawers.  Click on the link to read about their trial program.

Changing Diapers, Changing Minds Program.

If you're not feeling the trial programs, that's okay. We didn't either. Josh and I decided before Adelle was born that we were going to make cloth diapers work.  We were committed to using them because we decided that we wanted to spend the money upfront on cloth diapers instead of having to add the cost of disposables to our grocery budget every month.  

Josh and I were pretty intimidated by what we were getting ourselves into by choosing to use cloth diapers. We finally got up the gumption to try cloth diapers a week after Adelle was born.  We had five newborn sized all-in-ones and a dozen prefolds with covers.  And so we just started using them.  We found out quickly that the prefolds were not going to work yet.  She was simply too small for them, so they were leaking like crazy.  We also found out that one brand of the all-in-ones wasn't going to work yet either for the same reason.

At this point, we had only one brand that fit - Lil'Joeys.  But we had four of them, and they were working perfectly.  So Josh jumped onto Amazon and bought 4 more Lil' Joeys diapers, along with 2 more all-in-ones from a different company.  As soon as they were delivered to our house, we got them ready for wear and put them on kiddo.

one month old in her favs - lil' joeys

From there, our collection grew.  We tried a few more brands out, and Adelle grew into all of the diapers that didn't fit in the beginning.  While the first couple months were expensive, we haven't had to shell out money for any diapers since June.  And from the looks of things, we won't have to buy any more diapers for as long as Adelle is wearing them.

Based on our experience, here are my bits of advice to those of you who are ready to start using cloth diapers: 

1. Start easy. Get a couple of all-in-ones to try first.  They are the easiest cloth diaper to use [in my opinion] because they work most like disposables. From there, you can decide to venture onto other styles of diapers.

2. Get used to using cloth.  Use you mini-collection of diapers as often as possible.  We would use and wash the first four diapers we owned as soon as they all got dirty, and then started using them again as soon as they were dry.  By doing that, we got comfortable with using cloth diapers very quickly.  We also got used to what washing cloth diapers would be like.  The only difference was, once we got more of them, we didn't have to use the washer nearly as often.

3. Get a variety.  Each company designs their diapers differently.  While they all work well enough [or else they wouldn't sell!], some brands will work better for you personally. Trust me on this, you will end up using all of your cloth diapers, even if you don't like some brands as much as others. 

4. Think ahead.  By this I mean a couple things.  While buying a bunch of diapers right now seems like a lot of money to shell out, in a few months you shouldn't have to buy any diapers unless you want to.  Also, think way ahead to any future children.  Do you want any more kids?  The answer may affect you diaper buying decisions.  Are you okay if your potential future son is wearing pink flower patterned diapers?  if not, you probably want to consider buying more gender-neutral colors.

5. Read reviews objectively. While reviews of products are a wonderful thing, they are, ultimately, one person's opinion based on their experience.  Many brands of cloth diapers would have reviews that would contradict each other.  For me as a newbie at the whole cloth diaper thing, it was frustrating trying to sort fact from opinion.   While it probably is true that Sally Sue's child didn't fit in a particular brand of cloth diaper, it doesn't mean that brand is crap.  Babies come in a variety of shapes, which means that at particular times, particular designs of cloth diapers won't fit right.  There is also a possibility that Sally Sue may even have put the diaper on wrong.

Looking for Recommendations?  Here are my favorite diapers:

Newborn Sizes [These diapers are extra small, so they fit a newborn better]

-Rumparooz Lil' Joey All-In-Ones [these were the only diapers that fit Adelle for the first month]

-Kissaluvs Newborn All-In-Ones

-Kissaluvs Fitted Diapers, Size 0  [keeps runny poo in like nobody's business]

-Thirsties Duo Wrap Diaper Cover, Size 1 [to go with the Kissaluvs fitted diapers]

Regular Sizes [These are the diapers that babies will wear for the majority of the time they are in diapers]

-bumGenius All-In-Ones, One Size [There's a reason its the most popular diaper on the market - it really works]

-Bummis TotBots All-In-Ones, One Size

-Oso Cozy Better Fit Prefolds, Infant & Premium Size [these prefolds are designed shorter so they fit inside of diaper covers]

-Thirsties Duo Wrap Diapers Covers, Size 1 & 2 [to go with the Oso Cozy Prefolds]

Go out and get yourself some cloth diapers!  If this blog has been helpful for you, and you'd like to support it, you can do so by clicking on the Amazon links to buy the diapers recommended above.  By clicking on the links to buy them, a percentage comes back to me, which helps pay for this website.

Up next week is the last part of this series!  Thanks for sticking with me for all these weeks.  Next week I'll be covering all the accessories, what you really do need, and what else is pretty handy to have around.  

Two Ingredients Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze [From Big Red Kitchen]

The church we go to here in Phoenix is pretty small.  Small enough they can do potlucks every week after church.  As much as I looove free food, I am a bit of a hypocrite.  I do not like having to bring something every time. I feel like each week I need to come up with something even more fantastic than what I brought last week.

 Which, in reality, is ridiculous.

 I think I should start creating a potluck menu of, I don't know, maybe six [no, seven - seven is supposed to be a holy number] different recipes that I cycle through for these potlucks.  Then people at church can go, "oh wait, she brought x last week, so its totally time for y!"  Yeah, I am going to be that person :)

 The pressure is on, too, to make something that the Hubs can eat.  Potlucks are super yummy, unless you have a food intolerance.  Then its really depressing watching everyone else eat casseroles while you're stuck eating carrot sticks.

 One recipe that I made for him to eat at the potluck a couple weeks ago was a super simple pumpkin cake.  Yeah, I know.  Carrot sticks and a dessert aren't exactly filling.  

 So, in honor of fall being here tomorrow, I'm sharing it with you!  The original recipe was a find on Pinterest, but I had to change up a couple things to [1] make it gluten-free, and [2] not have to run to the store.

 The origin of this cake comes from Robin Sue at Big Red Kitchen.  And it only requires two ingredients [plus three more for the glaze].  Sound intriguing? I thought so.

 Here's where to go for her original recipe. 

However, in order to make this gluten-free, I had to use gluten-free cake mix.  This idea was a little scary for me, because like I've said before, gluten-free baking can go awry really quickly.  I also decided to use apple juice instead of cider, because we're not really juice drinkers.  Buying a pitcher of cider for 2 tablespoons would have been a waste for our family.  This fact was confirmed by the apple juice in our fridge that had been sitting there for a week, half full.  In the spirit of adventure, and in typical form for me, I decided to give it a try for the potluck without testing the recipe first.

 So, here's how this baking thing went for me:

Ingredients

• 1 box gluten-free cake mix
• 1 can of pumpkin puree [not pumpkin pie filling]

You Also Need For the Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider or juice [I used apple juice, and it worked pretty well too]
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.


2. Mix the pumpkin puree and gluten-free cake mix together in a bowl with a mixer.


3. Take a quick taste [no eggs, so you can!], then pour the yummy stuff into a greased 11 x 7 pan.


4. Pop it into your oven and let it bake for 28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  *This is apparently a big deal, as I learned over at The Noble Pig.  I was a couple minutes late pulling my cake out.  Turns out, it really is important.  My edges were a little over-baked and dry. Good news, however; the glaze covers up any overcooked imperfections.*


5. Whip up your glaze while your cake is baking. Mix the powdered sugar, apple cider/juice, and pumpkin pie spice together until it is smooth. Don't get distracted like I did and have to scramble to make it right as your walking out the door to church.


6. After your cake cools down a bit, top it with your glaze.  


7. Please, enjoy.

Here are some pics of the adventure:

all mixed up

radar waits for the pam spray to waft his direction

Is it good?  Well, good enough the cake was gone within 20 minutes.  I had to fight a kid for the last piece [in my defense, it was for my husband!].  

Just kidding.  I beat the kid to it before he got a chance to see what he was missing out on.

The Verdict: Awesome recipe [thanks Robin Sue!].  Awesome for dinners, awesome for potlucks, awesome for holidays.  And it can be adapted into a gluten-free recipe that your guests won't know is gluten-free, unless you choose to tell them.  That is a pretty awesome cake :)

Here's the link back to this recipe's origins again, in case you missed it.  Don't forget to give some love over at Big Red Kitchen too!

Two Ingredients Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze by Robin Sue @ Big Red Kitchen

Can I Do This Cloth Diaper Thing?

This is part three of a series called "The Poop on Cloth Diapers." [To head back to the beginning, simply click on the series title in quotes]

The simple answer: probably.

The most important question to ask yourself is, are you willing to commit?  Are you willing to commit to doing laundry every two or three days?  Are you willing to spend money upfront buying cloth diapers rather than regularly buying disposables with your groceries?  Are you willing to commit to doing something that your friends probably won't be doing with their kids? Are you up for doing all this for two to three years?

I don't mean to scare you with this question.  I really enjoy using cloth diapers.  I don't mind washing them every few days; in fact, it can be therapeutic for me.  Its also an excuse to watch Netflix while I put them all back together.  I am so very thankful we chose cloth diapers.  We had an income when we bought them - now, we live off our savings.  Not having to budget diapers out of our savings account is part of what makes our finances a lot less stressful.

The second most important question to ask yourself is, why do you want to use cloth diapers? I chose to use them for two reasons: to help save money, and to be different.  [Honestly, I just liked the idea of being weird.]  But there are lots of pretty decent reasons to chose cloth diapers over disposables:

The environment.  I'm sure you've heard all the arguments about how cloth diapers are better for mother earth, so I'll spare you :)

The budget.  Cloth diapers are not cheap.  Don't get me wrong.  However, with a calculator and self-control, you can easily spend less on a stash of cloth diapers than you would buying disposables for three years.

Your baby.  Some parents have found that cloth diapers keep diaper rash at bay.  Others have found that cloth diapers help with their baby's skin conditions, like eczema or allergies.  

Because they look so cute.  Don't worry, all moms who use cloth diapers secretly have this as a top reason for using cloth diapers.  And there are some really, really cute patterns.

Here are a few common questions that get asked when new parents are considering using cloth diapers:

Can I cloth diaper only part-time? Why not. Cloth diapering can be flexible to your world.  There are many parents who work full time and still use cloth diapers at home.  There are also many parents who choose to use cloth diapers only during the daytime and use disposables at night.

Can I start using cloth diapers on my one year old? There is no required starting age with cloth diapers.  Many parents don't even consider using cloth diapers until a health concern pops up months after their baby is born - the most common examples are skin allergies and eczema.  Some parents also swear that putting their toddler in cloth diapers helped them potty train sooner.

Can I convince my husband to use cloth diapers? What about my mother? Simplicity is the word to use with cautious family members. Cloth diapers are a whole different animal from what our parents' generation knows them as.  Many brands are designed to imitate how simple disposables are.

Will my family shun me for being a hippie weirdo? Oh, possibly :)  But you don't have to be a hippie to use cloth diapers.  You just gotta be willing to do something a little different.

Lastly, but most importantly, What about the poo?  Funny thing is, I have gotten less poop on myself with my child in cloth diapers than I got working at a daycare where every kid was in disposables.  With cloth diapers, blowouts don't really happen.  And just because there is poo on the diaper does not mean you will inevitably have it all over your hands. You will probably get something nasty all over you at least once, but probably no more than if junior were in disposables.  And I know everyone says this, but bodily functions that gross you out aren't quite as gross when they belong to your child.  It's like some sort of switch gets turned on when you become a parent.  I think, fortunately for us parents, we were designed that way.

What's next?

Ready to give cloth diapers a whirl?  Stay turned for next week's post, "So How Do I Get Started?"

Local Eats: green Restaurant

Today I'm going to do a short little gluten-free post, because I'm working on getting my blog more beautimous.  I want to make sure this place is fun and easy to navigate.  So keep an eye out for that!

For Labor Day, Hubs, Dellie, myself, and a friend of ours went out to eat for the first time since we moved (whoo hoo!).  Naturally, we decided to find a weird, hole-in-the-wall place with good reviews.  And a place that Josh could eat at.  Our first choice was a little Polish restaurant called Beaver Choice (yes, we did pick it for the name), but alas, it was closed.

a screenshot of their website

What we found instead was a place called green Restaurant. I didn't mis-type.  The name of the place is in all lower caps.  You can even see for yourself at their website if you don't believe me.  The number one reason we picked to go here was because they were still open on Labor Day.  The number two reason is that their menu had a slew of gluten-free options.  the third reason is that they serve organic meals, all of which are vegetarian, some of which are vegan.  

Why?  Well, we've been trying to figure out ways to eat healthier.  An easy way to do that is to eat less meat, and more veggies.  The nice thing is, vegetarian and gluten-free easily come hand-in-hand.  

Okay, back on track.  So we went to the restaurant, hoping desperately that we would leave the place full.

Good news - we left full.  Their menu has a surprising number of what the chef calls "comfort foods."  We're talking pizzas, po-boys, and stir fry.  Everything on the menu can be made gluten-free; all you need to do is ask for it when you order.

My friend and I ordered salads off the menu.  Both of them turned out to be not quite our tastes, respectively, however, they were full blown fill you stomach salads for only $6 each.  I got the balsamic picnic salad.  I'm a huge fan of fruit in my salad, and this salad definitely had yummy fruit in it.  The balsamic syrup dressing, however, was a little too tart, in my opinion.  By three quarters through the bowl my tongue was uncomfortably coated in the stuff.

Josh got the daily special - fish tacos.  I haven't quite figured out the whole vegetarian-but-I-still-eat-fish thing, but I don't really care because these tacos were worth it.  They were just the right hint of spicy, the fish was yummy and not fishy tasting at all.  If it's ever on the menu again when I go back, I'm totally getting them.  And I don't even like fish.

I also ordered wontons. The restaurant calls them crab puffs, but they're really your typical asian restaurant wontons. I'm used to imitation crab meat, so I wasn't too concerned, but the filling was...how do I say this...weird. If you like your wontons, don't got them.

Conclusion: if you are looking for a lot of gluten-free options and aren't freaked out by the idea of eating imitation meats, give this place a try.  The prices are incredibly reasonable for the portions and the quality of meal you will get.

Just don't get the wontons.

green Restaurant has two locations in Tempe and in Phoenix.  They are open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.  For specific times and their locations, head over to their website.

Any other Phoenix metro recommendations for great, gluten-free options?

What's The Deal With All These Styles?

This is part two of a series called, "The Poop on Cloth Diapers." [To head back to the beginning, simply click on the series title in quotes]

First off, my apologies for doing a switcheroo on you with this series.  I spent all last week thinking about the order I had put the questions in, and realized that I needed to cover the diaper styles after having explained what a cloth diaper was last week.  I am in the process of changing up the order on the previous postings to keep it all consistent.  Thanks for working with me on this. 

Okay, here goes!

Cloth diapers basically come in two styles.  Now this last statement might get me in some trouble, because the lines between styles of cloth diapers are really grey. For the sake of keeping this simple, however, you will have to run with me.  I call them the "classic cloth diaper" and the "modern cloth diaper."

The first style of diaper I want to show you is the classic cloth diaper.  Basically, this is more along the lines of what your grandma is imagining when you tell her you want to try using cloth diapers.  The most common version of this style is the prefold.

Prefolds are made of layers of cotton fabric which have been sewn together for maximum urine absorbency.  These are by far the most economical cloth diaper option available.  A single prefold, on average, costs $2.

How does it work? The classic way prefolds are used is that they are folded all fancy-like, then wrapped around baby's bottom and pinned closed.  Yes, you got it right.  There is nothing there to protect you, or the floor, from getting wet once the diaper gets soaked through.  There is also nothing to keep poo contained inside.  This is why your grandma cringed when you said "cloth diaper."  Pretty sure I would cringe, too, if this was my only experience with them.

Lucky for our generation, someone came up with a brilliant idea - make a waterproof cover!  And put elastic around the legs and the back!  So this is how you do with a prefold instead - fold it in into thirds and place it inside the cover.  Then the cover is snapped onto baby. 

[Note: there are parents who still do the prefold sans cover.  I have nothing against them choosing to diaper that way.  For most parents jumping into the world of cloth diapers, however, using just prefolds is a really scary idea.]

There are two variations to the prefold.  Why? because innovative moms have found ways to make the prefold idea work better.  Names for these variations that you will find are "fitted diaper" and "contour diaper."

Contour: essentially, the prefold grew some curves.  The point of this design is to contour around baby's bottom, thus doing a better job of keeping poo on the absorbing part and away from the cover.

Fitted: This variation is a contour diaper that had closures put on it - either snaps or velcro. Why? some moms preferred to have their contour diaper stay put better.  Fitted diapers also usually have elastic sewn in around the legs and the back.  This makes it harder for poo to leak out.

[Okay, so time for my honest opinion.  I have all three variations, and have used each one.  Honestly, the only reason I see the need for the contours and the fitted diapers are if you have no interest in using a waterproof cover.  Some parents don't use covers, and they have their reasons for that.  I am not one of those parents.  I like my covers.]

What makes this first style category confusing is that the cloth diaper companies label them as "diapers."  They are diapers by definition because they absorb.  However, none of them have the waterproof cover.  Don't forget that crucial piece of information. No waterproof cover.

Whew.  You made it halfway.  Now go take a quick potty break and then come right back!

The second style of is the modern cloth diaper.  Remember the three basic parts of a cloth diaper?  Liner, insert, cover.  In modern cloth diapers, all three of these parts are packaged together.  This style of diaper is commonly labeled by the cloth diaper companies as the all-in-one.  

Here is an example of the all-in-one.  The liner and cover have been sewn together, with one end open, which creates a pocket.  The absorbent insert is stuffed in-between the liner and cover, and the diaper is then ready for baby.

But the all-in-one is technically made of two separate parts!  I know, I know. I feel the same way. Technically, the diapers with the pocket in-between the liner and cover are call "pocket diapers."  True all-in-ones have the insert sewn either inside, or attached to the liner like a tongue.

A true all-in-one. The insert is sewn inside the diaper, so you simply wash and wear.

This diaper has two inserts sewn on each end of the diaper.

However, I like to consider all these variations "all-in-ones" because all the pieces come together from the manufacturer.  When you buy an all-in-one, regardless of the variation you choose to buy, all three parts of the diaper will be provided - liner, insert, and cover.

This style of cloth diaper is what most cloth diaper users consider to be the simpler style. These diapers are designed to mimic disposables in convenience and effectiveness.  All-in-ones are a great style of diaper to use if you want to try using cloth diapers but are feeling a little intimidated about the whole thing.

So what exactly is the different between the two? Its really a matter of preference.  I use both styles regularly - a prefold with a cover when Kiddo is awake, and an all-in-one when she is asleep or when we go out.  They both work pretty darn well.  Here are a couple things that are different about the two styles:

The classic style is the cheaper style of cloth diaper.  You can re-use a cover with three or four inserts before you need to wash the cover.  This style also tends to be the more natural/organic variation.

The all-in-one is more like a disposable diaper. When the diaper gets dirty, you simply throw the whole thing into your bin, and put another diaper on.  This is the kind of cloth diaper you show when trying to convince your husband or the babysitter.

What's the same? Both styles work, and they both have adorable patterns.

Reader response time!  This is a chance for my experienced cloth users to help out the new cloth diapering parents - what style is your favorite, and why?  My favorite is the modern cloth diaper with the attached tongue.  Why? Because all the parts are attached together, but the diaper dries quickly because the tongue comes out of the pocket. I look forward to hearing your responses!

Alright, think you can do this cloth diaper thing?  Click on the link to head over to Part Three of the Poop to find out!

My Secret To The Best Gluten-Free Brownies. Ever.

I have a secret weapon that helps me make amazing gluten-free brownies every time. Her name is Betty.

This box of brownie mix is about the easiest boxed brownie mix I've met.  All you need are eggs, butter, and the mix. And Betty added a little surprise - chocolate chips! Already mixed in!

Whip it together and in 30 minutes you've got one delicious ice cream topping.

[Just a note, not all ice creams flavors are gluten-free.  Keep in mind that some add-ins, like cookie dough and such, have wheat in them.]

In all seriousness, Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Brownie mix really is good.  When I make these brownies for dinner guests, I don't tell them that the brownies are gluten-free.  Because I don't have to.  No one ever knows the difference.  These babies are fudgy, chocolaty goodness in an 8x8 pan.

The only bummer is a box will run you about $5.  And there's never enough left over after dinner.

So next time you have people over for dinner, refrain from buying your latte and get this box instead.  And just try eating one brownie square.  I bet you a box of Betty's brownies you can't.

[By the way, this is not a paid for advertising - wouldn't that be nice!]

What's your secret weapon for an amazing dessert, every time?

The Eat-Your-Pantry Challenge

Surprise!  I'm posting on a Tuesday :)

Just letting you know about something pretty awesome that I have decided to take on.  See the pretty button to the side that says "eat your pantry"? That is today's off-topic topic of conversation.

Kelly over at The Year of Less has posted a challenge for the month of September - to eat through all the goodies hiding out in your pantry.  Her blog there is a chronicle of a year of simplifying her family's world.  As you know, I'm a fan of simple.  I've been reading her posts and even taking a few of them to heart.  

Anywho, I'm going to give this challenge a whirl.  This challenge won't actually be too hard for us.  Being that we just moved, our pantry is pretty bare.  However, I have already caught myself not wanting to eat some of our food simply because I don't feel like it.  Like those two apples in the fridge. They have been sitting in there for over three weeks now.  

After reading Kelly's post about learning contentment during this challenge, I felt pretty silly about my battle with those stupid apples.  Why don't I want to eat it?  I would rather mope around the house thinking about how starving I am and what I could have instead of just eating one of them and not feeling hungry anymore.

So that's how this challenge is going to work for me.  I don't have a bunch of cans to clean out, but I do have a mindset of discontent with the contents of our kitchen.  By the end of this month, I hope that will change, even just a little bit.  Today, its gonna start with me eating one of those apples.

Wanna take the challenge too?  Head over to the Year of Less and read about how her challenge works.  All you need to do is click on the button on the side bar.  And let me know how you're going to take on eating your pantry this month in the comments below :)
 
See you on Friday for a delicious treat filled gluten-free post!

So What Exactly Is A Cloth Diaper?

This is part one of a series called, "The Poop on Cloth Diapers." [To head back to the beginning, simply click on the series title in quotes]

Basically, a cloth diaper is a reusable alternative to Huggies.

What many people think of when they hear "cloth diaper" is a big piece of cotton wrapped around a baby and held together by a pin. 

please ignore the creepy cat. he's a bit of an attention whore.

While you are welcome to keep it old school, cloth diapers today are much more than just fabric and pins.

 This is today's cloth diaper. 

pretty cute, don't ya think?

Modern cloth diapers are used just like disposables [use once and done], only they get washed in the washing machine after they get dirty instead of getting thrown away.

A cloth diaper is usually made of three fabric parts:

A "liner" [other names used are sleeve, inner]  - this part is designed to be soft on baby's bum and to wick urine away from the skin into the insert

[wicking means that the fabric is good at pulling moisture away from the skin.  The moisture then travels through the fibers of the liner and is absorbed into the diaper insert] 

An "insert" - multiple layers of absorbing fabric, sewn together, which soak up urine

A "cover" [wrap, shell] - a waterproof liner to protect the outside world from what's inside the diaper.

The waterproof cover fastens with either snaps or velcro.  It also has elastic around the leg and rear openings to keep poo contained inside.

So essentially, pee winds up soaking into the insert, poo sits on the liner, and everything is held inside by the cover.
 
 ...And that's it! How easy was that?

See you on Friday for gluten-free goodness, and next Monday for part two of this series, where I will be answering the question, "Can I do this cloth diaper thing?"

P.S. For my readers just beginning to learn about cloth diapers, this post was written to explain cloth diapers as simply as possible.  I realize there are a lot of details I didn't cover.  Hopefully over the rest of this series, most of your questions will get answered.  However, if you do still have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them in the comments section below!  I will try my hardest to respond within two days.