Worth the Itch

Our neighbor's grape vines are loaded right now and even though I'd love to wash my hands of food preservation at this point, I can't ignore free fruit.  I'm incapable.

For some of us, concord grapes can prove to be...well...itchy.  Just pulling them off the stems is fine, but when I start separating the pulp and skins, my hands start reacting.  I can usually make it through my task, but by the end of it, I'm about crawling out of my skin.  Washing my hands and lower arms doesn't provide relief, so I sit and itch my hands for a solid 15 minutes until the worst of it passes.

I learned about this reaction the hard way the first fall we lived here when Sam reacted to the grapes while helping me.  I felt so bad for the boy.  He seemed to grow out of it (and Sadie never reacted this way) which was great, but poor Miriam...she had peeled (by hand) and eaten about 20 of them before her little mouth, chin and hands started itching like crazy.  I plumb forgot what it can do to my little people.  Itching for her, lots of empathy and some cortisone cream ensued and about a half hour later it abated and she was fine.  And has steered clear of the grapes since.

So, go out and get yourself some grapes, but consider yourself warned (Note: None of us react to them once they're cooked).

The other week I made grape jam and this past week, I readied grape pie filling.  This past weekend, Jamey made juice.  I know of two juice-making methods that do not require a fancy juicer.  The first requires no special equipment and involves placing whole grapes, water and sugar into canning jars and processing them (recipe and instructions here).  The other method, which we used this past weekend, is fast becoming our favorite.  There is no sugar involved- only pure grape-y goodness.  This time, we just froze a handful of quarts of the concentrate, drinking a good portion of it fresh shortly after making it, but it can be canned (see below) and we'll do that next time.

Straight Grape Juice (inspired by Joy)

ripe concord grapes, removed from stems and rinsed

Place all grapes in a pot suited to hold the amount you have.  Bring them to a boil (don't add water- they make plenty of juice) while mashing them up a bit using a potato masher.  Simmer for 20 minutes until the grapes are very soft.  Transfer the cooked grapes in batches to a food mill.  Here you have two choices.  Turning the food mill the normal direction will give you a very thick grape juice that would compare to extra-pulp orange juice.  It can be diluted, but you will still have some "pulp-y" texture to your juice.  If you don't mind this, by all means, make the juice this way.  You'll use more of the grapes and end up with more juice.  Your second choice (the one we choose) is to run the food mill the opposite direction (as if you're trying to skim out the mill).  This scrapes the grapes through, giving you mostly juice with a little bit of "pulp".

Chill the juice (what comes through the mill) and drink or freeze.  You can add water to thin it if you like or use it in it's potent form.  It's delicious.

To Can Straight Juice (per The Ball Book of Complete Home Preserving) :   Cover and chill the juice for 24 to 48 hours to allow the sediment (a.k.a. pulp) to settle.  Ladle or pour the juice into a large saucepan, being careful not to disturb the pulp on the bottom or strain the juice through a sieve.   Bring the juice to an almost boil (190 degrees F, 88 degrees C) for 5 minutes.  Ladle the hot juice into hot jars, leaving adequate headspace.  Top with hot lids and screw rings on finger-tip tight.  Place jars in canner of boiling water (jars should be covered).  Process quart jars for 15 minutes.  Remove canner lid and boil an additional 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store. Pin It

Cloth Diapers: A Cost Analysis

Disclaimer #1: Before I begin, I would like to say that these results would (obviously) be very different if we chose to buy less expensive diaper covers and inserts or more expensive disposables.

We started using cloth diapers on Miriam when she was two months old. We have two older children, but we did not use cloth on them, so this is our first experience with cloth diapers. Miriam is now 7 and a half months old. We have been using cloth for 5 and a half months, but there were three weeks when we didn't.

Those three weeks of using disposables started with her getting a stubborn diaper rash that took forever to heal (so we switched- thinking the disposables would keep the moisture at bay). What ended up healing her was a proper diagnosis (after two visits) from the pediatrician and treatment. Then, I had surgery, so we just let her in the disposables so it would be easier for Jamey. Then, we traveled for a week over the holidays when we didn't use cloth. It's confession time, folks.

So, let's say we've been using them for 4 and a half months. Let me get a calculator and begin....

Disclaimer #2: We do use a disposable diaper at night on Miriam. She sleeps so very long (6:30 pm until 7am) sometimes without getting up to eat. We do not wish to wake a sleeping baby to change her, so we use a disposable at night. I didn't factor in this cost because I didn't think it necessary. This is an analysis to show how long it takes to pay for the diapering system we use.

Cloth Expenses


4 size small gdaiper covers with plastic liners... $50 (I bought two of their old versions of a Starter Kit, each containing two covers with liners for $25 per kit, or $12.50 each. This is much cheaper than buying individual covers which are $14.44 on sale and $18.99 regular price.)

4 size medium (she's growing!!) gdiaper covers with plastic liners...$50 (I about had a heart attack when I saw that our little non-chain grocery store started carrying gdiapers! They had packages of two covers with liners on sale for $25 per package, normally $29.99.)

4 6-packs of bumGenius inserts (from diapers.com)...$72 (These fit super-well in the medium sized gdiapers and are a little bulky in the small ones. We used size small regular cloth tri-fold diapers while she was itty bitty, then used the inserts as her bum grew. They work great and are easy to wash and so far do not smell when washed with only a tad of detergent and cold water- granted, Miriam is breast-fed, but she has started eating some vegetables and cereal.)

Total: $172

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If We Were Still Using Disposables Expenses

How many times a day does one change their baby? Let's estimate 5 times in a 24 hour period. I think that's being pretty conservative.

5 times x 134 days = 670 disposables divided by 40 per package = 16.75 packages x $10 each (assuming you buy generic) =

Total: $167.50

In about 18 diaper changes, the cloth diapers will pay for themselves! The size medium gdiapers are to fit babies up to 28 pounds. Once those don't fit anymore, we will borrow Miriam's cousin's size large gdiaper covers. Miriam's size small gdaiper covers will be passed on to her new cousin, due in May:-).

All the to say, we will not have to buy any more cloth diapers or accessories.

Not too shabby. Not too shabby indeed.

Disclaimer #3: I did not include tax, shipping charges or gas money to run to the store to buy disposables in my figuring. I also did not include a water cost for washing the cloth inserts. I don't care that much about the cost analysis. Pin It

What September Looks Like

You never knew me to be so quiet, did you?

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Cloth Diapers, Cloth Wipes and The Two Month Old

Okay. Well, I couldn't show you pictures of her diapers and wipes without showing you some pictures of her. Here is two-month old Miriam. She is SUCH a good baby. I can hardly stand it. At around 5 days old she started sleeping though the night. No joke. The other two did not do that. She's been doing that ever since. I'm talking 7 hour stretches here, folks. Without even waking up to nurse. I wake her up to nurse about half the time (because I'm leaking). She has a very sweet disposition, puts up with two older siblings well, doesn't spit up or ever have gas (that she lets on). She's making up for the trouble she gave me in utero, that's for sure.



Diapers. Right. That's what I wanted to talk about. About a month ago, we started Miriam in cloth diapers. I so sooo soooo wish I had used them on Sam and Sadie when they were little now that I know how easy they are. There have been no leaks. The diapers don't smell (she's not eating solids yet). They are cute as can be. No diaper rashes. They are just great.


We have had to make one adjustment. We are using gdiaper covers and plastic liners and bumgenius inserts. The inserts are too big for her little bottom, even when folded in half. When I folded them in half, they went on her okay (inside the gdiaper cover), but they made her bow-legged because it made the diaper too thick. So, a good friend lent me her tri-fold regular cloth diapers. Folded in thirds and then in half, they fit perfectly and are not nearly as bulky. So, this is what we are doing until her little bum becomes a bigger bum. Then we'll use the Bumgenius inserts. They (the inserts) worked great on Sadie.

In terms of washing the tri-fold diapers, we are using the dry bucket method with sprinkles of baking soda now and again. Then, they get dumped into the washer and are washed with cold water and a little detergent. Sometimes, I wash them twice, sometimes once. I'm drying them on the line or in the dryer depending on which time of day I realize we've run out. No bad smell. This is easy.

If the plastic liners become soiled, I rinse them out and let them drip dry over the tub- I do not put them in the pail because I've read they can get smelly quickly. The cloth covers rarely get dirty, but if they do, I lay them aside, not in the pail. If I have plastic liners and covers that need washing, I throw them in with the cloth diapers on the second cycle, so they are never in with the poop and pee- this keeps them fresh. Always make sure to fold the cover's velcro tabs in on themselves so they don't catch and pull the cloth diapers.

We are using cloth wipes as well. This is a first for us. I asked our moms if either of them had any extra flannel material on hand and Jamey's mom not only offered us an old set of flannel sheets, but she...are you ready??...are you sure???...cut the wipes out for us and stitched the edges to keep them from fraying!!! Thank you, Mom.

So, here is what we do (sorry I have no pictures of these)...I take a stack of about 50 single-layer flannel wipes (cut rectangle size to fit in a disposable wipes container) and put them in the wipes container. Then, I mix water and a few drops of Miriam's baby wash. Next, I pour the solution generously over the wipes, saturating them completely and letting them stand in water a bit. Then, I lift out the whole, sopping stack and gently wring them out over the sink. Next, I dump the excess water out of the container and return the wipes to the container.

As we use them (they work great), I throw them into the diaper pail and wash and dry them right along with the diapers. When the wipes container is empty, I have a nice, clean, dry stack waiting. Very, very easy they are. Pin It

Loose Ends

The other week I asked for smelly-diaper advice. Thank you all so much for your tips. Since starting the dry bucket method, I had only seven diapers in the pail. Yep, my little Sadie kept her cloth diaper dry for three nights in a row, so we switched over to panties and except for one accident, she's doing great. I am going to have about one month of no diapers to change- whoohoo!!

I washed those seven soiled diapers and here is how it went down. I used the dry pail method, only sprinkling baking soda between the soiled diapers. They sat in the bucket for about a week. I washed them in cold water with less than a tablespoon of detergent and added vinegar to the rinse cycle. I ran the rinse cycle a second time (this time only with water) and hung them to dry on drying racks inside (it's been rainy here). In the past, hanging them inside would have meant that the whole downstairs would have smelled like pee. Not this time!! They have a touch of odor, but nothing like before. It seems that the dry pail method worked. I didn't want to change too many factors at once for fear I wouldn't know what worked (if anything did). I'm saving all your tips for once this new baby comes. Who knows how the amount of diapers and the content will change my results. Thank you, again!!

I haven't said much about Emma and her chicks lately, but they are doing great and growing so very big. They don't much look like chicks anymore. Here are a couple photos for you.


The kids have been cracking me up lately. Maybe it's because I'm spending a different kind of time with them nowadays. Instead of keeping busy with chores, I try to keep my feet up. This leads to a lot of reading and snuggling and talking. They are getting big doses of mommy time before this new one arrives. I hope they don't go into some sort of withdraw....

Anyway, the other day at lunch, Sadie asked for "four minutes more beets". I wasn't quite sure how to interpret that, but it struck me as very funny. She is also saying things like, "Somethin' smells fuzzy." Also, not sure what that means. Sam, after we said grace before lunch the other day, said, "Whew. I almost fell asleep. You're voice is so beautiful." Yes, he was talking to me. I don't know where in the world that one came from.

Sadie's activity of choice outside is digging up, holding and talking to worms. She even tells them that she loves them.

Our strawberries are covered in blossoms and baby berries which means lots are on the way. I hope this baby isn't allergic to strawberry milk.


That's all for now, but who knows...I might be back. I'm a bit flitty these days. Oh, and these are for you....

Lilacs and Snow Balls

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Diapering Dilema: Smelly Diapers

Sadie is still using cloth diapers at night (she wears underwear during the day). To see what system we are using, click here. We had a couple pee-leaks, but I was warned to use two liners for toddlers (by the Bumgenius website) and I was just using one. Once we started using the recommended two liners, the leaks were gone. So far, no poo leaks- yipee!


The one thing I am still working on and would LOVE advice on is what to do about the ODOR. It's an odor that goes beyond putting your nose right up to them (the liners, covers, etc.). It actually gives her room an odor- where only the clean ones are stored. The bucket is in the bathroom.

Here is what I've tried:

Thus far, I have stored the soiled liners, etc., in the bucket shown above, in a solution of a few drops of detergent, a cup or two of white vinegar and water. When it comes time to wash, I pour off most of the water, then dump the contents into the washer and spin the rest of the yucky water out. Then, while clean water is running in (I've tried cold and hot water), I add a little detergent, baking soda and more vinegar (vinegar in the fabric softener reserve to be released during rinse). Then, I run the 10 minute cycle and rinse a second time. I then hang them outside to dry.

Yes, there is still an odor. Even in light of this little problem, we are thrilled that we are no longer using disposables. Not having to shell out money for diapers has felt liberating. I know they desperately want to jump into our shopping cart, but nope. Not anymore.

What I am currently trying:

I read that the dry bucket method is less smelly and easier. So, currently, I am putting soiled liners, etc. in an empty bucket and sprinkling baking soda on them.

Open the floodgates of advice. I am ready. Pin It

First Night in Cloth Diapers

This weekend, I got (from my sister) my part of our diaper order. You can read about my cloth-diaper-decision-making-process here. So, last night was our first experience using Bumgenius cloth inserts in gdiaper covers.

I am using these on my just-turned-three year old daughter, Sadie. She is only wearing a diaper at night, so I thought this would be a nice, slow way of me becoming acclimated to the process before the baby comes along.

Being away for the weekend threw Sadie for a loop. She didn't sleep well (her first attempt at sleeping in a sleeping bag) and therefore, was quite a mess on Sunday. As we loaded into the van to leave my sister's she was crying and had the most pathetic expression on her face, not wanting to leave her Pop and Gram. I moved to the back beside her and held her hand. She sucked her thumb and within minutes she was asleep. She slept the entire two hour drive home.

Once home, she was once again a mess. I hesitated to try the new diapers on her last night for fear that because of her mood, she'd refuse anything new and different. Thankfully, I was wrong and she was thrilled to put on "new diapers". The fact that they are soft and orange probably helped.

On the Bumgenius website, they recommend using two washable liners for toddlers since they have the capacity to fill their diapers more. After I had a good look at this liner, I thought one should be enough- it was large and appeared extremely absorbent. We put the new diaper on Sadie and she went to bed around 7pm.

Here is a gdiaper cover (size L) . If it looks a bit backwards, it's because the velcro tabs wrap to the back, instead of the front, so little hands can't pull the cover open as easily.

This is the gdiaper cover with it's plastic liner (each cover comes with two of these liners). The four corners easliy snap into the four corners of the cover. They are the high-tech version of rubber pants.

Here is one of the Bumgenius washable inserts. If you look closely (or click on the picture for a better view) you can see a series of little snaps. These allow you to adjust the length of the insert so that these inserts can be used in ALL size covers (for all size babies).

Here is the insert folded and snapped to fit the cover.

Here is the cover with it's liner and insert, ready for a sweet little rear end.

Sadie woke up around 8am and as soon as I entered the room, I asked her how her diaper was. Before she would answer my question, she said, "I hidin", like she says every morning. She lays in her crib, in full view, but has her hands over her eyes. I pretend to look for her, find her and ask her again about her diaper. "Big poopy", she replies. Nothing like breaking me in right away.

I lay her down and cautiously start removing clothes. Her pajama bottoms are dry. Nothing is leaking from the gdiaper. I slowly open it and find it completely saturated with pee and full of poop. The plastic liner had the tiniest bit of poop on it, but the cover stayed completely dry and poop-free. Success!!

I swished out the washable liner in the toilet and plunked it into a bucket in our upstairs tub that I had filled with some Seventh Generation detergent, white vinegar and warm water. A little more swishing and rinsing of the liner under the tub spout and I was done. The gdiaper starter kits come with a swisher and an s-hook to hang the swisher from the toilet, or in my case, the bucket (we don't use our upstairs tub regularly). I am planning on adding inserts to this bucket throughout the week and then washing the small load of them.

The gdiaper plastic liner is hanging over the tub spout to dry. Soiled insert in the bucket, soaking.

First night, a complete success. The few minutes of extra time it took were well worth it knowing I kept a disposable from being disposed of. Even though we are at the very beginning of our cloth diaper adventure, I'm sold. Thanks, Em:-). Pin It

Diapering

It has taken me until being pregnant with my third child to actually consider and take action on the idea of diapering differently. I have memories (sorry, Ben) of cloth diapering my little brother and trying my darnedest not to stick him with the huge safety pins (I was 11 years old). When we were pregnant with Sam, I considered cloth diapers, but being nervous about being a first-time mom, I decided my tactic would be to start with disposables and then switch over to cloth later.

How did that go? Go ahead. Ask me.

Well, it didn't. Disposables were easy. And, while I did think about cloth diapers now and again while diapering Sam and, then, Sadie, I always chalked the extra water used for washing those cloth diapers as the reason I wasn't going to switch.

Then, a few weeks ago, while my sister was here, she told me that she had been looking into some different diapering systems and that I should too. She said there are so many choices out there now, I should look again. I listen to my sister.

And, look I did. For a couple days, I became obsessed with the diapering decision. I looked at websites, watched videos of diapers decomposing and not decomposing in landfills over time. My sister and I had several conversations about the pros and cons and logistics of the different systems. Jamey even got on line, to get educated himself and throw his opinion into the ring.

Here is what we decided we'd try: gdiaper covers (pictured below) with bumGenius washable liners. It appears that the gdiaper covers themselves have less chance of becoming soiled because they have another built in liner-of-sorts to add an additional line of defense (which Bumgenius covers don't have). This will help avoid additional laundry. gdiapers are made to hold disposable liners (large, glorified maxi pad looking things) that can be flushed (if you don't have a septic system like we do), composted (if it has just gotten wet) or thrown in the trash since they are biogegradable. Both my sister and I are going to put the bumGenius washable liners into the gdipaer covers and keep our extra use of water to a minimum since these liners are small compared to cloth diapers.

Then, to make things even more complicated, I am going to try Nature babycares as well (maybe for outings, etc). These look and work just like regular disposables, but are biodegradbale. Now, as my intelligent sister pointed out and my intelligent husband confirmed, if they or the gdiaper disposable liners end up under a big pile of trash at the landfill, out of the sun and wind and rain, they will not decompose as quickly as they would under more optimal conditions (even though they are biodegradable). This is why we are going to use the washable liners and as few Nature Babycares as possible.

Are you following me? Pat yourself on the back if you're not confused.

I hope to have the new supplies in about a month and switch Sadie over. She's stopped napping, but still uses one diaper each night (and seems to be nowhere close to being able to keep it dry). This will give us a little taste of what we have coming with the new baby. I've read that often newborns need disposables initially because the other systems don't have sizes small enough.

Through swapping different diaper cover sizes with my sister, neither of us will have to buy all the sizes (covers are the most expensive part). In the long run, this will save us money and it will have less of an impact on the size of our landfills. I don't even want to think about how many diapers I have already sent there. So sorry, world.

Any advice or thoughts will be much appreciated. Just be nice. As I've been reading I've found that mommies can be very particular about their diapering preferences:-). I'll keep you posted on our progress in a very non-particular sort of way (I hope). Pin It