Cloth Nappies

I decided I would use cloth nappies on Michael. I used them on Alex. Was going to use them on Jem but then didn't - I used disposables as it was easier and as that was a very bad time for Roger and I, it was best for us. I got rid of the cloth nappies I had used on Alex after I didn't use them on Jemma.

But I did some research and found that "cloth" nappies had changed.

No longer are they thin nappies or squares or anything like when I was a kid. Now they are shaped like a disposable and are made of material such as Hemp or Bamboo (as these type fabrics have great absorbancy). You don't need to soak them and the more you wash them the more absorbant they become. They also have "boosters" so they absorb more wee, virtually making them like a disposable - except they can be reused!!!

A fantastic link is Oz Cloth Nappies or Nappycino - this gives info about using cloth nappies and where to buy etc etc.

So what do I do??

Well, I use a combination of cloth and disposable.

• Disposable at night and if we are out and about. Cloth at home.


• I like a fitted nappy and cover system


• I have hemp nappies called Baby Beehinds


• I have PUL covers (like plastic pants but it breathes) from Baby Beehinds


• I have some other types but these are my favourites


• I bought all mine second hand from places like Buy for Baby or ebay


• I use reusable wipes - 10 pack of facewashers from Big W for $7 X3 and I never run out of wipes. Just wet and wipe the bum, then chuck in the washing machine - EASY. This has saved me a fortune.

So what are my honest opinions

• It costs a bit to set up even if you buy second hand. I thought I would prefer an all in one nappy so bought a number of these. I don't like them at all really. But I could re sell them but am saving them for my sister.


• Disposables are easier for the first month or so when it is hard to even have a shower, let alone wash nappies LOL


• Is it more work than disposables? YES - BUT not that much more work at all. It is EASY.


• If you do wipes and nappies you will save a fortune. Disposables are expensive and sometimes bubs will do a poo as soon as you have changed him/her. If you buy Huggies they are 40c or so each. Wipes - have NO idea how exy they are but you will go through HEAPS.


• Males don't seem to like to use them (well my lovely Greg doesn't)

In a nutshell, I think everyone should be using cloth nappies at least some of the time. I am saving a lot of money using a cloth nappy and wipe system and it is easy. It is also doing something good for the environment which is a great thing too. I am very happy with the system I have and it is not a lot of work at all.

Closer to chook ownership....

Well here is the progress on the Chick Inn. As you can see it is now in the ground and has a coat of paint (done on Monday by Jemma and I) and the screen door is on (this will allow me to be able to get into the run easily. Greg still needs to do the floor, nesting boxes and a ramp and we neet to put up the wire & surrounds for the run. Then I will need to give it another coat of paint and put in all the equipment (straw, wood shavings, food containers etc). I am going up to Newcastle on Sunday to get some x breed chooks from a man up there - CAN'T WAIT!!! I will drop into mum and dads on the way to see them. I will let Jemma pick her own chook too - she will love that.

SAVING MONEY

BABY FOOD

Michael will be six months old on Friday - WOW where does the time go? I have started him on solids and he is going great!!! It is now time to move on from just rice cereal and start adding some vegetables. Firstly we are going to try PUMPKIN.

Don't let anyone tell you that bought food is better than home made because its not - its probably the same, but at least with home made you know the quality of the produce and exactly what goes into it.

I have made home made food for all my children - even when I was a 17 year old mum I did it. I have my wonderful mum to thank for this. Mum showed me how to make my own food for bubs - it is so easy and so cheap AND so nutritious everyone should do it.

I walked up to the shop and at my Coles they had marked down pumpkin for $1 per piece (about 800g). I bought 2 pieces.

Take the seeds out and peel the skin off and chop it up. Put the chopped pieces into a steamer (a metal steamer in a pot with some water in the bottom of the pot boiling), pop the lid on and cook for about 15mins.

When it is soft, scoop it out and blend it up. Put into icecube maker (or whatever containers) and put in freezer.

And that's it!!! How easy is that!! It took about 30mins to make up HEAPS of pumpkin.

What I will do is try Michael on this for about 3 days and then try something else eg potato with the pumpkin mixed in, then try something else eg sweet potato/kumera and so on. The reason I do this is to make sure he is not allergic - it makes it easier to find out if you only add one thing at a time.

If you put them in ice cube containers or the like then you only need to press out a square of each vegetable or meat you want. You then microwave it and breakfast/lunch/dinner for bubs in a flash!!

I think baby food is about $1.?? per jar/tin. That is at least $3 per day X 7 days a week = $21 + MINIMUM PER WEEEK.

I have just made about 3 weeks worth for $2. SAVING AT LEAST $19 (for 30mins work).

OH picture of the chookie pen

Silly Blogger wouldn't allow me to add another picture on the previous post so here is a pic of the pen cemented in the ground!!

Rain is not looking like it is going to hold off hmmmmmmm

Oops, just realised Blogger was allowing me to add a pic but I didn't realise DUH!!!

Rain rain go away....just for a little bit

Well the rain has been coming down, with some sunny periods (when Greg is a work so not really helpful). I have been able to get some washing done and dried which is great but if it would stop for a while that would be great.

This morning we had some showers but then it stopped so darling Greg got the chookie pen in the ground cemented in. Hopefully the rain holds off for a while and also for tonight as I am working at Movies at the Park tonight - if the rain stays away - fingers crossed.

I made Anzac biccies on Thursday and thought I would put up the recipe and some pictures. I previously posted the Lush Chocolate cake which is a great lunchbox cake. Well, Anzacs are a great lunchbox biccie too. Really easy to make, freeze fantastically and are yummy (oh and really cheap to make too). I make a triple batch (actually only did a double this time as I ran out of butter) bake them and freeze in bags of 20 or so.

Anzac Biscuits (from my NZ Edmonds cookbook) I triple (3x) these amounts - use a big bowl

125g (4 oz) plain flour

150g (6oz) sugar

1 cup coconut

1 cup rolled oats

100g (3.5oz) butter

1 Tablespoon golden syrup

1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

2 Tablespoons boiling

Mix together flour, sugar, coconut and rolled oats. Melt butter and golden syrup. Dissolve Bicarb Soda in the boiling water and add it to the melted butter and golden syrup mix.

Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and stir in the liquid. - NOTE - add some water if the mix is a bit dry - you want a sticky mix that sticks together, not dry.

Place teaspoonfulls onto trays and bake 15-20mins at 180deg, or until golden. - NOTE - I roll teaspoonfuls in my hand and then put them on the tray.

YUMMY

Oh this makes heap and heaps of biscuits - there were 3 more trays in the oven when I took the picture above!!!!!

Chick Inn update

We the Chick Inn is coming along nicely. Greg is very clever. Unfortunately the rain is not going to cooperate and it has put progress back a fair bit. I was going to go up to Belmont on Sunday to get some chooks but the pen won't be ready so I can't get any yet - bummer!!!

Oh well - at least it gives Greg more time to complete it and then me time to paint it. It is going to be great. I picked up a screen door I won on Ebay yesterday too, that will make it easier to get in/out of the run.

SAVING MONEY

You can use the money that you save to pay off debt, buy yourself something that you need or want or put it away for your future - anything!!! If you have debt - use every spare cent to pay it off - debt is like a ball and chain around your neck - not good.

We have one debt - our mortgage - that goodness this is all we have. I call this good debt, but it is still BAD. I call bad debt a car loan or credit card debt or store card debt.

Bad debt is debt that you have and the item will only depreciate (go down in value over time). Examples of this are cars, shoes, clothes, appliances, furniture, mobile phones. Bad debt gets a lot of people in trouble and at the end of it all they may feel they have nothing to show for their debt - except an old car that is not worth much, clothes that are out of date, wrecked furniture and a mobile phone that is now not the latest or greatest.

PAY THIS DEBT OFF AS FAST AS YOU CAN - DO NOT NOT NOT ADD TO IT!!!!!

Good debt is debt that you have and (hopefully) the item will appreciate (go up in value over time). Examples of this are houses, investment properties, renovations on the house, landscaping etc.

Although I call debt good and bad, really all of it is bad because you pay interest on debt. That means you pay more than what you paid for the item initially because you pay a premium to be "loaned" the money to get what you want. Unfortunately, most people don't have a spare $500K ++ laying around for a house so we have to do this.

By changing things in your life slowly you can get rid of your debt. By taking your lunch every day to work/school and putting the $$ you save onto your debt, it will reduce quickly. Try it and see - small effort for BIG return!!!!!

How to save money for your future

Jem and Michael - my babies

I thought I would post today about saving money. Now, I am not the greatest or a perfect money manager and I have blown my fair share of $$ on crap but I think a lot of people are a bit worse than me (and probably some are a bit better).

Even if you save a little bit, often - it all adds up over time. Small changes are the best to start off with.

Some tips are:

• Open a separate bank account and transfer an "amount" of money each pay (before you get to see it). Only YOU can determine the amount but, even if it is $10per week it will all add up.


• Limit your access to the above account. Don't have a keycard linked to it. If it is hard to get the $$ out, then you will be less likely to raid it.


• Take your lunch to work/school every day (or 3 days out of 5 if you have to) - this will save you heaps of money. Pack your lunch the night before and leave it in the fridge so you are not rushed in the morning.

Ok, so that is enough to start with. Some ideas for lunches:

• Sandwich - Chicken, devon & tomato sauce, ham and lettuce - what you like - TIP - buy (or roast) a chook on Sunday night. Break it up and you have chicken for sangas all week (make them and freeze them if you like)


• Crackers with marg and vegemite (eg premium or vita wheat)


• A small bag of shapes or in a biscuit type eg Dixie Drumstick - TIP - Buy a large pack and then put a handful in a zip lock bag, reuse the zip lock bag for these snacks


• A banana or apple or tinned fruit in a container


• A piece of cake (home made and then freeze in portions) or muffin (ditto)


• Drink of choice - if you are a soft drink addict like me then buy a case of cans and take one with you or leave them at work to grab when you feel like one. Single cans from the machine are?? $1.30each + Cans from home are maybe 60c each or less depending on what you drink.


• A chocolate or special treat - for the 3.00pm munchies LOL

Seriously, this will take about 10mins to make or LESS. Put it in a bag in the fridge and chuck it in your bag as you walk out the door. Will save you $15 for lunch and it is yummy.

Here is a recipe for a chocolate cake that is very very nice and very very easy (& I am VERY fussy about my choc cakes). I make this in 2 loaf tins (this recipe makes enough for 2 cakes). Ice them and freeze as is then leave in fridge and cut portions off or cut in portions and freeze - what ever is better for you.

Lush Chocolate Cake

• 2 C sugar


• 1 3/4 C plain flour


• 3/4 C cocoa


• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder


• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda)


• 2 tsp vanilla extract/essence


• 2 eggs


• 1 C milk


• 1/2 C vegetable oil


• 1 C boiling water

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 deg C. Grease 2 loaf tins.


2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl


3. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 mins


4. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin)


5. Pour into loaf tins


6. Bake for 30 - 40 mins or until skewer comes out clean


7. Cool in pan for at least 10mins before turning onto rack MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS OR IT WILL BREAK UP :-)

Frosting (will ice both cakes)

• 1/4 C butter or marg


• 1/3 C cocoa


• 1 1/2 C icing mixture


• half of 1/3 C milk


• 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Melt butter


2. Stir in cocoa


3. Add vanilla


4. Add icing sugar & milk, alternating between the two whilst beating on medium speed.


5. Spread over cooled cake and freeze

This is a staple in our house - try it and see!!!! Yummy!!!

See how you go at implementing these tips and watch your bank balance G...R.....O....W

The Chick Inn.....progress

Happy Valentines Day - here is my present hehe

The Chick Inn

Progress so far. The rain has not stopped so we are unable to cement it in. Fingers crossed it lets up tomorrow but who knows??

I am going up to Newcastle next Sunday to pick up some x-breed chooks, so it will need to be ready by then!!! Fingers crossed it all goes well and they will have a pen to live in!!!

Will update the progress.

Construction begins!!!

YAY Construction begins on the chook pen.

Greg is still sick and has the rest of the week off, but he was feeling a little bit better and decided to gradually start on the chook pen. We had to modify our original plan as the wood we required was WAY too expensive for the way we had planned, but the mods have probably made it better really. I can't wait (It's my Valentines present LOL).

I got some great ideas for chook houses from Backyard Poulty and Backyard Chickens. The chook house will be raised off the ground, so they will have some shelter from the rain and it will be dry, with air able to circulate around. It will have a nesting box and roost inside and some food and water. There will be a ramp for them to go down and they will have a fenced off run. I can't let them free range as Donut our dog is a chook killer. She has terrier in her and cant resist them.

This is where we plan to put the pen. Our old pen was to the left of the picure, down the side fence. Greg wants to build a cubby house there so I think the best place is up the back corner. There is a maple tree that will be in the middle of the run. It will provide shade in Summer and drop its leaves in Winter so the sun can get through. I think it is a good place for it to be.

Greg is nearly ready to cement the posts in but of course it has poured all last night and is still raining...............oh well.

I think I'm going to call it

"THE CHICK INN"

Hail at Mum and Dads

Mum and Dad just sent through these pictures of the storm/hail that they had at their place last night at around 7pm. Aparently a huge storm came over and they had a severe downpour and then this massive amount of hail.

All is ok though, thank goodness. Dad said some of the plants are looking a bit sad but their chookies were fine and no damage to the house.

Yesterday I got the remaining bits of wood so Greg can start my chook pen (when he feels a bit better). OMG wood is EXPENSIVE. We got all the recycled stuff for $25 but this new stuff (they didn't have this stuff at Kimbriki) cost about $250!!!! "deep breath" I felt a bit stressed but then thought about it last night and I think it is an investment to our home and lets face it, people spend thousands on their animals and they don't actually "get" anything in return (except lurrve ;-)

Chookies give lurrve and eggs!!!! And our family loves our eggs!!! Also, I really need a run that the dogs can't get into. I was SO upset when Donut got in the pen last time and killed 3 of my really lovely chooks - who were each laying a beautiful egg every day "sob". I don't want that to happen again so it is an investment............ well that is my theory and I'm sticking to it LOL

Greg is still sick and went to the doctors again today. This stomach bug is really knocking him around. Thank goodness none of us have got it. Hopefully he will feel a bit better soon, fingers crossed xxxx

Jemma & Michael having fun after school (he LOVES Jem)


A cool change came through last night and today it has been drizzling rain all day and quite cold. What a change from a few days ago.



Greg has been off work yesterday and today with some type of gastro bug. He had it over the weekend too, but it got really bad on Sunday night. He went to the Dr's on Monday morning and she said that she had been inundated with gastro complaints. Unfortunately there is nothing really that can be done, unless he doesn't get any better soon. We will see how he is tomorrow and what sort of night he has tonight.




I went up to Mum and Dad's place today. The Rooster died yesterday which was sad as he was a nice looking rooster and really nice too. We don't know what it was (maybe a combination of the heat and ???). He wasn't well for a couple of days and then went down hill rapidly. Dad put a bowl of water next to him but he went into one of the nesting boxes and died. Poor fella. He "adopted" mum and dad - they didn't want a rooster and he jumped over the fence and wouldn't go back (I think he knew how spoilt he was). At least he had a great life since he moved in with M&D. As I said, very VERY spoilt!!!!



I started little Michael on solids today. A bit early (5.5months) instead of the 6mths recommended but I think he is ready. He is still a very fussy feeder - he just mucks around soooo much. He is very interested in food, so I thought I would try. If he didn't like it well it didn't matter BUT he loved it and got the idea to open his mouth extremely quickly!! So I will start slow and see how we go :-)



Here is a photo LOL



The death toll for the Victoria fires are still going up - very very sad :-(

Poor customer service

Not so hot today thank goodness but I am really sorry for the people in Victoria where at them moment nearly 100 people have lost their lives. Up in Queensland they have floods - crazy stuff.

On the weekend, we went and got some recycled wood and then on the way home stopped in at a hardware store to purchase the remaining wood/plywood. I decided we would not go the the huge Bunnings one but a Home Hardware at Asquith (support the local business), which is a bit smaller (but not as small as our Berowra one) and I thought would appreciate the business.



The trailer was pretty full and as they don't have a huge car park - I did use up a few spaces (still about 3 left though) - I can't back the thing LOL so parked so I could drive out. We were the only ones in there and 1 other car came whilst we were there.


Greg got out and went to look at some posts & was about to ask how much they were. A bloke came over and said "Can I help you, oh and your girlfriend needs to move her car as she is taking up too many car spaces." Greg said "Ok, where should she move to?" The bloke said "I don't know, just get her to move."


Yep, we moved alright - right out the gate and headed home. They just lost about $200 worth of business (or more) and I will NEVER go back there again and tell everyone I know not to go there. It was obvious we had a baby and Jemma in the car, it was hot and there was only 1 other car in the place (if it was packed, well fair enough). Home Hardware Asquith needs to IMPROVE their customer service - in this current climate I believe attitudes like that are sheer stupidity. Oh well time will tell...........

Hot weekend in February

Well it is HOT, HOT, HOT this weekend.

On Saturday we went to Kimbriki, a waste recycling centre at Mona Vale, Sydney. We left here at 7.30am to try and beat the heat. They sell reclaimed/recycled wood, amongst other things. Why do we want wood?? Well I have decided that I would like chickens again and Greg is going to build me a hen house.

I have had chickens for about the past 10 years (but I left them when I moved from Hornsby) and there was a chook pen here when I moved in but it wasn't really that secure and I lost some chickens which was very sad (the dog got in). Donut is a chook killer - it is just her instinct. Mum and Dad took my last 3 hens to their place as I was so sick when I was pregnant that I didn't want the stress of the dog getting in and we really wanted to redo the pen eventually.

I miss having fresh eggs daily and the final straw was when CHOICE did their Bogus Awards for the year 2008 and when you look at "Free Range Eggs" definition from the Australian Egg Board it is a BIG LOAD OF CRAP - they are NOT free range at all, just a tiny bit more space than cage eggs and they can sell them as free range.

I don't want to support this cruelty/torture to these poor animals so I will need to get my own hens and then at least I know where my eggs are coming from. So I will update progress on the coop!!!

Some pics of our new lounge, coffee table and entertainment unit - oh and the TV. We have been saving up for a long time for these. I saw a cabinet that I really loved but it along cost as much as all these items together!!! (not incl the TV). The lounge is a microfibre type material (faux suede type) with stain resistance (for the vegemite fingers from Michael LOL). Unit & coffee table is recycled pine, stained. Hey they look good , do the job and I am not stressing if a cup gets left on it or if the cats jump on it.

Another day in the high 30's today or maybe even up to 40 degrees. A cool change expected tonight/tomorrow so fingers crossed.

Starting again.......a long time between posts

Well it has been a long time between posts, which is a combination of being very busy with bubby and also I guess being a bit lazy too.


Michael is now 5 months old - where does the time go??? He is very cute - talking, well gooing a lot, trying to grab everything and put it in his mouth and dribbling a LOT. He is a really good bubby and is just lovely.

Greg is the very proud Dad and loves spending time with him, which is wonderful.

It was my sister, Natalie's wedding a few weeks ago. I was a bridesmaid. It was a lovely weekend, the wedding was at a place called Sutton Forest near Bowral down the south about 2 hours from Sydney.

The place where they had the wedding was lovely looking - really country style/winery style with beautiful outlooks etc. It seriously was a gorgeous setting.


However I think that the whole "feel" of the place/venue (not the wedding) was very much a "money money money" grabbing exercise and how much they could get financially out of the wedding for very little back in return. IMO for the amount of $$$ they were paying (and we were paying for accomodation) the service was less than acceptable.

Saying that, it was a beautiful wedding and my sister looked beautiful and was very happy. The marriage/wedding service was excellent (they had a wonderful celebrant) and the reception was great fun. All in all a great day/weekend.