Diaper Changing Station II

bathroom cloth diaper organization on prefoldslove.com

See our bathroom cloth diaper organization.

My cloth diaper posts are now shared at PrefoldsLove.com.

Being Happy with Less | a flat girl's dilemma

My breastfeeding days have disappeared, and so has my cleavage. It's nothing new. I've always had a flat chest. The exceptions being pregnancy and nursing. Also, when I gained 25 pounds in college, but who wants to fit into bigger jeans just so they can also fit into a bigger bra? Not me.

Can't relate? Skip down to "Being Happy with You."

It seems there are two "solutions" to the flat-chest "dilemma:"
1. Get a boob job; or
2. Buy some sort of miraculous (and expensive) push-up bra.

Because, really, who wants to be flat-chested? We're all convinced having boobs is an important part of being a woman, and somehow our society is lost in the misconception that bigger is better.

As hard as it sometimes is, I'm choosing to not believe that misconception. If those options don't appeal to you either, allow me to propose an easier, cheaper third option: Be content with what we've got.

Why Au Naturel

This is in no way against my friends and others that have gotten implants. This is simply to fight my own temptation, and remember the reasons to be happy with what I've got.

It disproves the misconception.
I'm bothered that women are expected to fit into a specific mold to be considered attractive, and top of that list is boob-size. Small is in the broad spectrum of normal and is not a "problem" to be fixed. I get to have my actions follow my believes by staying au naturel.

It's green. And minimalist.
Even though I'm not great in my efforts, I have a desire to be environmentally friendly and to become minimalist. Sticking with what I've got accomplishes both.

It sets an example for my daughter.
I want my daughter's self-worth to be deeper than her appearance, and I want her to accept and love herself the way God made her. Initially, she'll learn by example. Even if I can't disprove the breast-size misconception to the masses, maybe I can at least disprove it to her.

It's healthy.
As with any surgery, complications are not uncommon during breast implant surgery. I can avoid all of the related hazards by opting out of the surgery.

It puts value where value belongs.
Most of us have heard that we vote with our dollars. That's not just at the grocery store. That's true for things like voluntary surgery. The more media hypes larger breasts, the more people will get implants, the more value is placed on large breasts, and the more advertising and other media are going to continue to emphasize it reinforcing our "need" for it. It's a vicious cycle that can only be broken one individual at a time.

Why Excessive Padding Isn't Any Better (for Me)

The temporary solution to small boobs is pushing and padding whatever little bit we've got to make it appear larger. It's a simple enough solution that lots of women choose. In fact, finding bras with minimal padding can actually be a challenge. While it works for some, there are a few reasons I'm also skipping the route of excessive padding...

It's fake.
I'm learning to appreciate my body for what it is, and part of that is having small boobs. Adding padding to it feels fake, because it is fake. Especially for us flat-chested women who have nothing there to push up.

It's false advertising.
In college, my now-husband and another friend were talking about girls wearing padded bras. The point was made that it was false-advertising and whatever man they end up with will be disappointed to see that they actually have small breasts. It was more of a humorous conversation, but it stuck with me. Why do I feel the need to false-advertise? What do I gain by making people believe I'm larger than I really am? When I answered honestly that I gain nothing from it, I decided it wasn't for me.

It's uncomfortable.
I hate underwire. Always have. Ditto too much padding. It's just uncomfortable.

Men like boobs, not padding.
While push-up and padding can look attractive, it mostly gets in the way when it comes to alone time with the husband. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Being Happy with You

Beauty has nothing to do with size and everything to do with contentment for who we are. Here are a few simple ways to be happy being you, no matter your size.

1. Choose new beauty role models.

Have you ever thought someone was beautiful that had nothing in common with you? I have. They have straight blonde hair, I have curly brown hair. They have womanly curves, I look like I'm 12. They have natural beauty that doesn't need makeup, I have acne. You get the idea.

I think it's okay and even healthy to have people that inspire us to be our best. Along with that, it's important that those inspirations encourage us toward our best not their best. I've started to seek out stars who have curly, frizzy hair because I can actually get haircut and styling ideas that help me. That's a small example, but it can be someone that doesn't have similar features at all. Maybe they just have a calming presence or exhibit a fitness that you aim for. Be inspired, and be realistic.

2. Shop for your body.

Don't shop for the size you think you should be, or the size you are at that one store, or the girl who's not your size at all. Ignore the numbers and ignore what works for someone else. Look for the clothes that fit and look good on you.

3. Love more.

Beauty shines through our love and our grace for ourselves and for those around us. Using kind words, looking for the good, and accepting the imperfect. The more we love, the more our beauty shines.

Beauty doesn't know sizes. Big is beautiful. Small is beautiful. You are beautiful.

>>>

also read:

10 minute beauty routine

simple fashion for non-fashionistas

10 lessons from from breastfeeding

Communion with a Child's Joy

{bread and wine}

I've got a couple confessions: I have skipped church because I knew it was going to be communion. More often, I have wished I knew ahead of time so I could have skipped. I have stayed for the communion service but skipped the foot washing, and most often have just felt unexplainably awkward through communion services. But why? I've never known, or worried enough to think about it more.

Until Brylee entered the picture. Ever heard of child-like faith? My little girl has it. It's so wonderful to hear her so excited about Jesus' birthday (Christmas) or to hear her ask questions like Where does God live? and Can we go to Heaven and see Him? She loves Sabbath, always asking, "Is it Sabbath?" Then running around excitedly telling each of us, "Happy Sabbath!" when we finally answer yes, it is Sabbath. She loves Sabbath School and learning memory verses and singing songs about Jesus and learning stories about Him. And she loves communion.

6 Beginner's Guides to Cloth Diapering

beginner guides to cloth diapering on prefoldslove.com

Read beginner guides to cloth diapering here.

My cloth diaper posts are all now shared at PrefoldsLove.com.

2012 New Year's Resolutions {Jump into January}

{new year fresh start resolution}

There are two problems with the resolutions I make: {1} I want to improve all areas of my life at once (More devotional time, exercise, eat better, read more? Yes, yes, yes, and yes!), and {2} some resolutions are better implemented for a couple weeks and not always feasible for an entire year (i.e., giving up sugar for 365 days? Not in my lifetime!).

So, 2012 is the year I will do an idea I got from my cousin-in-law: implementing smaller goals and focus areas divided up throughout the year.

Baby, It's Cold Outside // a simple holiday date

I've been wanting to do this for a while, and just haven't mustered the energy or creativity to pull off a truly blog-worthy "Baby, It's Cold Outside" themed at-home date. After plans with friends were cancelled last night, we did an impromptu date and it turned out just as good as the pre-planned version in my head. Even better, because it was perfectly low key and relaxing. Just what this season needs.

Basic components of our simple winter date night:

1 | Warm, Comfy Clothes

Okay, so comfy isn't exactly essential, but the key is warm. We opted to put the kids in their pajamas (so they'd be ready for bed after the family part of our date), Daniel and I in our sweats, coats for all of us and favorite blankets for the kids.

2 | Hot Drinks

A date is a good excuse to splurge on the pricier drinks from Starbucks or another favorite coffee shop. We made Brylee chocolate milk in a reusable to-go mug, then Daniel and I got cappuccino from the corner gas station--french vanilla and white chocolate caramel mixed--yum! Or try this >> wassail / Russian Tea mix.

3 | Christmas Music

We had the Christmas radio station on in the car. There weren't even any commercials until we returned to our driveway. Although, because commercials are a possibility, a favorite Christmas CD is probably a better option.

4 | Drive to Look at the Lights

You don't have to go far to find homes all lit up with Christmas lights. But if you want to see the decked out houses, it helps to go through a neighborhood known to get in the spirit. We saw lots of pretty white lights (my favorite), and a few incredibly huge trees that had to have taken much more than a ladder to string with lights. If people are going to go through that much effort, then of course we'll take at least one drive to enjoy the fruits of their efforts.

5 | Favorite Holiday Movie

After we returned home and got the kids in bed, we cuddled up on the sofa under our oversized fuzzy blanket and watched Love Actually. Laughs and love (and incredibly awkward nudity that probably didn't need to be included). Good times. There's hundreds more holiday movies to choose from, but warming up together is the best part.

Take a moment in the holiday bustle to share the love with the one you love.

Love actually is all around! ;)

>>>

more simple holidays:

simplifying gifts
simplifying holiday cards
advent calendar round-up

more simple dates:

date night ideas
easy peasy at-home dates
100 date night questions

Poop Happens | swishing a dirty cloth diaper

swishing a cloth diaper on prefoldslove.com

See how to swish a cloth diaper >> here.

My cloth diaper posts are now available at PrefoldsLove.com.

Simple Christmas Decor

{simple christmas decorations}

We're doing things a little bit different this year. Mainly, we're going without our traditional tree. It's big and beautiful--probably the most real-looking fake tree I've ever seen. But it's too much for our small space. And it's too much work considering we're leaving to visit family the day of Christmas. So, here's our simple and slightly minimalist Christmas decorations.

A Cloth Diaper Change II {trifolded prefold and cover}

trifolded prefold cloth diaper change on prefoldslove.com

See how to change a cloth diaper >> here.

My cloth diaper posts are now available at PrefoldsLove.com.

Weekly Cleaning Tasks // a free printable

Turns out chore charts aren't just for kids. They're pretty handy for this "big kid" too. I used to keep to a pretty regular cleaning routine and our house remained mostly presentable. Then, we had another baby. And we moved. And somehow, I can barely manage to do dishes, laundry, and the occasional vacuuming. So, it's time to return to the trusty ol' cleaning checklist.

Here are a few things that help me in the busy/messy seasons:

1 | Set the timer.

We started doing this to help motivate the kids to take part. But I realize now it's as much for me as it is for them. By setting the timer for anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes gives me a specific starting point and stopping point. Instead of getting distracted or losing motivation, I busily get as much done as I can in those set minutes.

2 | Divide and conquer.

My efforts grow exponentially when I'm not the only one cleaning. If you live on your own, then you're likely on your own for cleaning. Otherwise, if you live with someone or multiple someones, you're not the only one making the mess, so don't be the only one to clean it. When we set our timer, I usually jump into some specific pick-up, dishes, and other areas I'm good at. The kids work on cleaning their toys and picking up their rooms. While my husband gets to vacuuming, laundry, and directing the kids. Then, by the buzz of the timer, I don't just have dishes washed. We also have toys put away, rooms cleaned, floors vacuumed, and laundry processing.

3 | Embrace the "-ish" factor.

On my cleaning routine (follow the link below to download yours), I categorize tasks under daily-ish, weekly-ish, monthly-ish, and seasonal. Ideally, we would pick up after ourselves every single day. We would thoroughly clean every single week. We'd do deeper cleaning every single month. And do thorough seasonal cleaning and improvements. But in this season with three young kids, jobs, and such, that's just not realistic for us. So, I do what I can each do. I set the timer and do whatever cleaning I can manage each week. And same for the month and for each season. Maybe one day I'll return to thorough cleanings. In the meantime, regular-ish cleaning is enough.

4 | Declutter once or twice a year.

I also started doing home simplifying projects each Fall or Spring, or sometimes both. You can get get my 8-week Home Simplifying checklists >> here, or find the expanded Simplicity vs. Workbook  and accompanying ebook >> here. By spending time going through each area of the home to clean-out and declutter, I make my home upkeep so much better. It's easy to clean and keep things organized when there's not excess stuff in the way. And it's a much more thorough way to deep clean at least once a year. Plus, it's all broken down so I do what I can and my progress grows on what I've already accomplished in previous seasons/years.

click here >> to download my printable cleaning routine checklist

OR click here >> to download a blank printable cleaning chart

updated 11/3/2014

Date Night Idea Sources

It's too easy to get into a date night rut. Mainly the rut of not having one. But a little effort goes a long way in this weekly (monthly?) routine. Sometimes all it takes is eating dinner at the table together with a lit candle and calling it "date night." Here's some of my favorite sources for date night ideas to add a little creativity to the evening.

1 | The Nest

The Nest has hundreds of ideas for dating, plus more on love and sex. The ideas are sometimes a little vague, but that's just the point: an idea to help spur your own creativity. And because of the sketchiness of Googling anything related to sex, their sex life tips are worth a look -- no shady graphic images to be found.

2 | The Dating Divas

The Dating Divas is a blog all about dates and "strengthening marriages one date at a time." Lots of real life dates that people have actually done and, of course, can be personalized or turned in to whatever you want. They also have a special section for date nights at home.

3 | Let's Go on a Date

Shannon Brown gave her husband a year of pre-planned dates for Christmas. Let's Go on a Date is her collection of blogs posted after their dates.

4 | The Mom Crowd

The Mom Crowd has 30 Ideas for a Date Night at Home. They're short and sweet and are a great starting point for some potentially great at-home dates. (And I thought it funny that the girl who wrote it also has a husband named Daniel.)

5 | Happy Wives Club

This round up of Top 20 At-Home Date Night Ideas is a great collection of ideas that you can make happen today at home.

Hope that helps get the creative juices flowing! All you really need to know: Make a little effort and just make it happen.

some of our date-night best:

change-up to pizza night
brown bag date night
easy peasy at-home dates
100 date night questions
making an effort 101

Small Space Christmas Decorating

source 1 | source 2 | source 3 | source 4 | source 5 | source 6

Glowing white lights. Familiar reusable tree. Sweetly sobering nativity. Spicy cinnamon aroma.

Christmas decorations seem to make the season, don't they? It's how everyone from mom to Wal-mart to main street U.S.A. let's us know it's about that time. (Although, they're starting to give us the cue a little too soon, if you ask me.)

This is also the season that the attempting minimalist in me starts getting antsy. Sure, the consumerism--the giving and receiving of "stuff"--probably makes most people at least a little stressed at some point. But ever since learning more about minimalism, it's the excessive decorations that I've started questioning.

This year, a dream came true: Daniel agreed we don't have to put up a tree! Is that something to be excited about? Probably not to most people. Well, except for Scrooge and my Dad. (I love you, Dad!) But I love the idea of test-driving what the season is like without our massive tree. I'll miss it. It's big and beautiful and relatively real looking. But it's excessive for our small space. And ridiculous how much storage it takes when we don't have the storage to spare.

Could we really go without a tree at all? Maybe, but I'd like to do something, so here are some tree alternatives I found. Perfect for small spaces, less storage, low finances or for a minimalist Christmas.

1. Christmas Topiary

This >> Christmas topiary from The Zero Waste Family is my favorite and ultimately something I'd like for us to do. This tree is one they have outside year round, and decided to bring it inside and decorate as their main Christmas tree.

2. Table Top Christmas Tree

This >> table top Christmas tree from HGTV is a great solution. Just replace a decoration or picture frame with a miniature tree or use as a centerpiece.

3. Bulb Christmas Tree

This >> Christmas tree ornament mobile from not martha would be a fun option. And if you're doing the present-thing, stack them up and the tree hangs beautifully over.

4. Wall Christmas Tree

This >> string-light wall Christmas tree from Martha Stewart is a fun idea. Find some empty wall space near an outlet, and use white lights and some garland to create the outline of a tree.

5. Branches in a Vase

These >> decorated branches in a vase from Centsational Girl are so minimalist and attractive. The rest of her house is also decked out (including a full size tree), but I think this by itself is enough for a small space / minimalist Christmas solution.

6. Tomato Cage Tree

I love this >> tomato cage turned Christmas tree idea. My sister did this for their front porch and it looks great! Daniel said "no" on using this idea in our living room.

Merry simple Christmas decorating!

>>>

also see:
new? start here...
diy mini christmas tree
advent calendar round-up
simple envelope advent
holiday cards + free overlays
simple gift giving + receiving

grow your life emails

The 20/20 Cure {Day 17-20: flowers, medicine cabinet, artwork, outbox}

{minimalist medicine cabinet}

And that's a wrap to The 20/20 Cure! Love the small improvements made to our home, and, even more so, the energy and motivation it stirs in me to keep curing! Actually, if I were completely honest, I'd admit that it's actually left me discontented that I haven't completed more. More eliminating. More cleaning. More organizing. More homemaking. More heaven, less earth (from the quote, "[Home] should be a little heaven upon earth").

For me, that's exactly what the Home Cure is all about. Fixing, updating, cleaning, curing... but most of all, stirring up the urge to do more and the realization that more is yet to be done. With that said, I guess this 20-day cure is a mission accomplished :)

Thrift Store Pillow Turned Tree Pillow Keepsake {beginner tutorial}

Secondhand pillow + $5.38 in materials + a couple beginner sewing skills + a recording of my son's fetal heartbeat gifted from our midwife = a "Trina-original" that makes me proud :)

{A LITTLE BACKGROUND}

Sometime in my third trimester, our midwife recorded Ian's hearbeat on a Build-a-Sound recorder. We meant to take it to Build-a-Bear to use it as it was "meant" to be, but it didn't work out. Partly because I never had the recorder with me when we happened by the store, but mostly because I didn't care to get him a bear. We contemplated maybe a monkey or a dog--they seemed slightly more boyish. But ultimately, I had other ideas :)

Change-Up to Pizza Night {at-home date}

For this week's at-home date night I planned a little change up to pizza night. And nothing changes things up and sets the mood quite like white lights :)

The 20/20 Cure {Days 13, 16: Declutter Books, Clean}

{Isn't this living room so wonderfully welcoming and peaceful without books and media?}

A quick step backward in the Home Cure to complete Day 13 and (kind of) declutter some books, then staying on track with Day 16 and cleaning one room.

The 20/20 Cure {Days 14-15: media fast, fix one thing}

Wow, I'm really not able to do this Home Cure thing in order. But that's not the point. The point is to get an awesome start on curing my home, and I am definitely doing that.

{Vintage Media Ads}

I've temporarily skipped Day 13: Declutter Books and Media, which I'll probably get to tomorrow. Instead, I had a media fast (leading to an awesome spiritual experience I'll share below) and even fixed something.

Lemon Spaghetti: A fresh and easy meal

I'm doing The 20/20 Cure, and this is Day 9: Find a Recipe and Cook Tonight.

I stumbled upon the blog Cooking on the Side ("on-the-package recipes revealed"), and pinned the recipe for Lemon Spaghetti to try another time. This just happens to be another time!

Lemon Spaghetti

Original recipe is from the back of a Giada DeLaurentiis spaghetti box. Following is the recipe as I cooked it.

Ingredients:
1 box spaghetti
2/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
2/3 c. olive oil
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice (about 1 1/2 to 2 lemons, if hand-squeezing)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil (I did 1/4 cup)
lemon zest (I'll learn to do this right by the next I make this recipe)

Instructions:
1. Boil water, add spaghetti.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Chop basil and zest lemon.
3. Cook spaghetti until al dente, strain and mix with lemon juice mixture, basil and zest. Top with fancy lemon and enjoy :)

Such an easy dish! Fresh and different. And, amazingly, even Brylee girl liked it! Use whole wheat angel hair spaghetti and it cooks so perfectly it hardly seems like whole wheat pasta.

>>>

also see:
new? start here...
yellow curry sauce recipe
grow your life

My Date Night Before and After

I thought it'd be fun to do a date night "before" and "after." I don't exactly go all out or know much about fashion. But I do love date nights when I have an excuse to go from "mom" to "date"--it's a fun transformation :)
 

Before: MOM
housekeeper, caregiver, fashion faux pa

Ponytail
low maintenance for a day of productivity.

Sweatshirt
comfy and the only pink I own. (Did you even notice the pink?)

Flared Jeans
fit perfectly over my Mizuno's for the mad dash to the grocery store while Brylee's in preschool.

The 20/20 Cure {Days 10-12: list of needs, one room, flowers er lemons}

Life is too short to do everything by the book. I will complete Day 9 of The 20/20 Cure. But it involves finding a recipe and cooking dinner at home (I'm not scared of that, we do it all the time), but we happen to be going out on a date tonight, so I'll get back to Day 9 later this week. I already have a couple recipes saved on Pinterest I'm excited to try out! But for today, I list needs for our home, clean a room, and again avoid buying more flowers.

Now, I'm over halfway done and caught up! (Temporarily :)

The 20/20 Cure {Day 7: Buy Flowers & Sit for 10}

That's right, I did that backwards. I started Day 7 of The 20/20 Cure, jumped to Day 8, and returned to Day 7. Here it is.

{Day 7: BUY FLOWERS...}

Instead of buying more flowers (the greenery from last week is still lively), and instead of finding flowers out in the wild like Maxwell does in his video for Day 7, I decided it was time to revive a flower I already have. It's not exactly a flower. Not right now anyway. It's supposed to be. Once every three years. When it's alive and taken care of. But it hasn't bloomed in 9 years. And 9 happens to be the age I was when it was given to me. A clipping in a styrofoam cup from my primary Sabbath School teacher. Although, he doesn't remember that. I've asked him. I wanted to know what it's called so I can look up how to take care of it. But he doesn't know what I'm talking about.

The 20/20 Cure {Day 8: Establish a Landing Strip}

"All of the sorting should happen right at the door--that is what the landing strip is all about." {Maxwell}

I know, I know. What happened to Day 7? I'm halfway done with it, and in attempt to not skip anything, I've decided I'll get back to it Sunday, because it includes a project with some personal history and meaning. More on that later.

Today, it's all about the landing strip. Probably my second favorite discovery from Maxwell (the man behind Apartment Therapy and the Home Cure), after the outbox. His video explains the landing strip perfectly with the visual to walk you through it.

The 20/20 Cure {Day 6: Clean One Room}

Six days done, fourteen to go! I like this so much more than the 8-week Home Cure :)

Have you watched any of the videos from The 20/20 Cure? He provides a little extra information in them, plus you get to "meet" the man behind Apartment Therapy (his name is Maxwell). There are also great links to other articles related to each day's task. It's worth checking out.

Now on to cleaning one room. I was tempted to skip. And almost did. Seriously, does this look like the kind of day that energizes you to clean? Well, maybe it does for some people. Not me. It's more of a wake up call that we're not in Florida anymore. And the kids need winter hats. And my favorite snowy day activities include comfort food, sweats, a warm drink, and basically laziness--which is practically an antonym to cleaning. Nonetheless, I stuck to it.

Dinner and a Movie {at home}

Guess who's turn it was to plan date night last night? That's right--mine!

Last week we got a babysitter and Daniel took me to a new restaurant for some delicious fire-baked food. Amazing veggie burger!! Spicy, but amazing. Then we went to Barnes & Noble for some quiet reading time. Can't go wrong with that :)

This week, I opted for another at-home date. Classic dinner and a movie.

The perfect version in my head includes me dressed up like I'm ready to go out on a nice date, welcoming Daniel home from work with flowers. The house is clean, children happy, and food ready to eat. The table nicely set with candles lit and a vase ready for said flowers. A movie we both want to see is rented, in the blu-ray version, of course, and movie snacks are nicely set out. Oh, and some family fun activity to do before the kids go to bed has been decided.

The 20/20 Cure {Days 2-5: flowers, inspiration, outbox, eco-cleaner}

Somehow, four days of The 20/20 Cure fit into one today! That's what I'm loving about The 20/20 Cure: It's easy to keep up with. 20 minutes a day completing ONE task really isn't too much to ask. Plus, for me, it's definitely accomplishing the point, which is to cure my home by putting some positive energy back into it. Each day's task is merely a starting point to get me motivated and energized to do even more.