Not Your Momma's Diapers

I never, never thought I would be writing about cloth diapering. I was SURE I would not do it - memories from childhood and all (I'm the oldest of 7)... :) But here I am, writing to tell you about the cloth diapers we've been using for the past few months. We use Bumgenius 3.0. We have 18 diapers - they are all-in-ones (AIO) and the size adjusts as the baby grows. We were given 9 (from my parents and our church family) and we purchased 9. They are $17.95/diaper and we ordered them online through Cotton Babies.

Pros:
-Easy to use.
-Grow w/baby so don't need various sizes.
-Eco-friendly.
-Saves LOTS of money (none of my kids have been able to use off-brand diapers).
-Cute - many color options.
-Usable as night time help for bigger kids (our 3 y.o. boys have worn them successfully).
-Gentle on baby bottoms.
-Comes with two liners - a longer one and a shorter one which can be combined for extra absorbency.

Cons:
-A little bulky (pretty much all cloth diapers are but it really hasn't been a problem for us).
-Occasionally leak (completely avoidable when changed a little more frequently).
-Expensive initial cost.
-Increased laundry.
-Rinsing dirty diapers.
-Cannot use diaper creams without a barrier between the bottom and diaper (we just use disposable on the rare occasion that we have had rash).

We have an awesome hose that hooks to our toilet (thanks, Ann!) which makes rinsing dirty diapers a little easier (we would both agree that rinsing is really the biggest con :)). We also used disposable for the first couple of months which was a good decision.

Honestly, I was a bit skeptical to make the investment so we bought them in increments. I also really, really didn't want to do cloth diapering but I'm married to a environmental attorney. :) We both felt that while we wouldn't be purists, we had to make a change. Disposable diapers stay in landfills for huge amounts of time without decomposing and we didn't/don't feel good about that. After researching and talking to several veteran cloth diaper users, I felt these would be the best fit for us. We have not been disappointed. We have really saved so much money, too. I've bought disposable diapers maybe once or twice since we started cloth diapering as opposed to the giant boxes I went through with the older boys. That means that the diapers will have paid for themselves very soon (I know that you can get free disposable ones through CVS sometimes but we had a lot of trouble with brands, so it didn't work very well for us).

I do not regret using disposables with the older boys. We had a lot to adjust to and there were two of them! But I am glad we went this route - they are as easy to change as a disposable and the pros definitely outweigh the cons for us. It's definitely not the same cloth diapering I remember from years ago. So, if you are considering cloth diapers, check them out! Here's a picture of our youngest cutie sporting a cool blue one. :)

A Few Things

It's Friday! Thanks to those of you that participated yesterday - I'm so glad you did! I'll try to figure out a way to make the linking easier. I'm planning to host it again next week! :)

Our cloth diapers arrived today (I ordered a small number just to make sure we like them) - I can't wait to use them!

We will be busy with my brother's wedding this weekend! Andrew is doing a reading and ushering and the rest of us just get to attend which will be fun! It's kind of hard to believe my little brother is getting married - makes me feel old. He is 7 years younger than me. :) I'm excited that my sister and brother-in-law will be in town!

And finally, a few kid things:

Patrick said to his Dad last night, "What are you doing home, Andrew?"

Calvin recently put stickers on his upper lip and chin and said, "I have moustache and beard. Like Daddy."

Titus is smiling and adorable. He slept for 5 straight hours last night! It was bliss. :) Let's hope that continues...

Cloth Diapering

Remember how I said I was going to do cloth diapers...well, I really am. :) I haven't yet, mostly because I didn't get them ordered before Ty was born and the past few weeks have been super crazy and we've been constantly on the go. But all the disposables we've used is horrifying - the waste and the cost is insane! I know I had two in them before but I think at this stage, Ty uses as much in one day as the two of them combined and they were older so we used them for less months. I do not regret that decision - going from 0 to 2 kids was enough of an adjustment. :)

After researching and asking lots of questions, Bumgenius 3.0 is the chosen cloth diaper. I think we will like them! The initial investment will be a bit hefty but we should be able to use them for a long while and the savings from using disposables will be huge! I swore I would never go the cloth diaper route (and I do not judge anyone for choosing not to!!!) but with a husband that's an environmental attorney and the cost of formula alone, it is necessary. And they really have come such a long way from when I was helping with my younger sibs - at least that's what I'm telling myself...

I'll let you know how it goes...I'm not a purist...we'll still use some disposables when we are out. :)

Random Tidbits & Thoughts

Titus weighed in at a whopping 7 lbs. 8 1/2 oz. today! Surprised us and the doctor. He got a great report! I made sure and asked if they had any formula coupons and they gave me not only coupons but four cans of formula. What a blessing! Ty is on Similac Sensitive and it seems to be working out - he's gaining weight and not feeling yucky. So we are sticking with it for now.

Andrew is on the board with Adoptions of Indiana and they have their annual golf outing today. So he is spending the day at the fundraiser - I think he was taking pictures of the golfers and had various other responsibilities. Tony Dungy is the speaker this evening at the dinner so he is definitely looking forward to that! :)

On a completely unrelated note, a couple of friends have mentioned a local farm delivery service for groceries and I'm pretty seriously considering giving it a try. The food is mostly organic and a lot of it is locally grown and produced. It's a year-round service and is delivered for free to your door every week or every other week ($35 minimum). They have a fruit and vegetable bin that's $35 and then you can add other things like eggs, bread, milk, pasta, meat etc. I'm not big on grocery shopping, I like to support local business, and I try to incorporate as much natural and organic food into our diet as I can. I'm thinking this might be a great solution to the rising food costs...if only to make me use what's delivered and to lessen my trips to the grocery store where I'm tempted to buy things we don't necessarily need. If we go this route, I'll probably try every other week and see how it goes. I can menu plan around what is delivered and add other items based on what the plan is. :) Anyway, I spent some time researching it this morning and was impressed - it's a little different than a CSA.

Do any of you use this type of service? I just can't imagine how wonderful it must be to have groceries delivered to your door. My goal would be to stick with mostly pantry staples at the grocery store and limit trips to 1-2 times/month. We'll see...

Vacation Misc.

I'm sitting here trying desperately to focus on the work I need to get done before baby #3 makes his arrival. I have deadlines yet can't seem to form coherent words. Nothing like working on vacation - we've both been doing that. :) It has been such a joy to visit with friends we haven't seen in years and family that we rarely see - that is one of my favorite parts of this conference/camp. It comes around only once every four years and we try hard to make it. This is the first year for us to have kids (and for many in our peer group) - it makes it a bit more challenging but still totally worth it!

I'm super impressed with the campus this year. They are working hard to be more eco-friendly. They even have cups made from corn and disposable spoons made from potatoes. They boast using local ingredients and hormone-free milk. Impressive on a college campus!

The boys are doing well for the most part. Patrick seems to be potty training himself this week (that would pretty much be a highlight for me!). They aren't too sure about their class - we've had one successful day and couple not so much. :) We'll see how tomorrow goes. I'm hoping this will prepare them for preschool since it starts in about a month.

I'm working on a list (based on much of what you all shared!) of things that I need to find/purchase when we get home. I'm sure it will be a busy few weeks but this is my labor of love as we anticipate welcoming him to our family.

I really should get back to work - amazingly it's not doing itself. I'll try to write more interesting posts one of these days :) - I'm afraid I've been a bit pre-occupied! One note, we LOVE our camera! It's awesome!

On Green Living

My husband is an environmental attorney and while that has spurred on our interest in green living it has not dictated it. We are conservative, pro-life Christians and you don't often hear of environmental awareness accompanying our views - I think that is too bad. While we perhaps don't agree with some of the hyped problems (and resulting solutions), we do know that as Christians we have been given the responsibility of stewardship here on earth. When God created man, He gave us dominion over the earth and gave direct commands to care for and subdue the earth. I hardly see how this doesn't directly apply to us today. It is an undeniable fact that pollution, waste, and chemicals are at an all time high. Sometimes (maybe often) these go so far as to effect people's home, lives, and health (all are my husband's area of work) and yet, we often continue to deny that it has anything to do with us personally.

While we've been somewhat conscious of all of this, we became very convicted of our personal responbility last year. The 6th commandment is, "Thou shalt not kill," which also means, "Thou shalt preserve life." So our journey in green living started with that realization. We have a responsibility to decrease our physical impact on this earth that God has given us to live on. We are still figuring out what this means. We are not vegans or vegatarians, we do still drive an SUV and a mini-van, we do not "hug trees", but we do desire to make practical changes that will lower our impact on the physical world.

Some of the things we are trying to do:

• buy locally as much as possible
• grow/produce some of our own food
• take reusable bags to the store or (if we forget) reuse or recycle the bags we do get
• use nalgenes for portable water rather than bottled water
• leave our a/c (when on) set higher
• turn off lights
• multitask with the oven
• wash clothes on cold more
• convert to non-chemical cleaners (in process)
• switch to eco-friendly laundry soap (does an awesome job and smells great!)
• use a reel mower
• drive less
• donate
• recycle newspapers, cans, bottles, and plastic
• buy used
• teach our children how to be better stewards

Some things we are planning to do:

• start a compost (we've kind of done this)
• buy recycled paper goods when we do need/want them
• use cloth diapers at least some of the time (I can't believe I'm saying that!) if we are blessed with more children
• use newspaper instead of paper towels in the kitchen and for cleaning
• switch to cloth napkins
• buy a hybrid car (eventually - it would not be good stewardship to do this right now :))

I would contend that most of those changes have very little impact on the convenience of daily living. Some of them may take a little extra time but in the long run, I know it's worth it. We don't obsess over green living and sometimes we fail more often than we succeed but we do try. We are enjoying this journey and finding it fun to see where else we can make changes. I'm thankful for my husband's leadership, encouragement, excitement, and research that have really pushed us to think beyond ourselves. He has challenged our family to make changes, read books, look ahead, and most of all to honor God.

We had a wonderful time at the Green Festival in Chicago (back in May) and while we didn't agree with everything, we learned alot. It was an interesting gathering of people from all types of backgrounds. I think as we make changes and are committed to conservation, we gain a hearing with many people. It's another way to be a witness since our reasons for green living are usually a little different than the average eco-friendly person. I offer this post as the reason we have chosen greener living and as a challenge to those who haven't given it much thought - neither had we until recent years. You can make a difference with a little effort and a little change.

A GIVEAWAY!

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED - THANKS FOR ENTERING! I WILL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER BY SATURDAY MORNING!**

In honor of my blog make-over, I decided to have a GIVEAWAY!

I've been debating what to give but finally decided on:

1 - box of tea
1 - $5 Starbucks giftcard
1 - reusable bag
1 - cookbook (yet to be determined)

I chose tea because I have been loving ice tea this summer - made in my awesome ice tea maker, I chose Starbucks because I love their frappucinos (so summery!), I chose a reusable bag because they are awesome and green, and I chose a cookbook because I just can't have a giveaway without one.

One winner will get the whole prize package!

Here's how to enter...leave a comment on this post telling me one eco-friendly thing you do! That's it! Oh and one entry per person. You do not have to be a blogger to win just make sure I have a way to contact you! I will leave the drawing open until Tuesday, July 15. The winner will be selected randomly. Have fun!

**Thank you for all your kind comments about my new look and name. I did design it myself using scrapbook paper for the header from shabbyprincess.com - it took me awhile because I'm not very computer savvy. :)**

Living Without AC

We've been enjoying the beautiful and mild weather this spring and early summer. It's unusual for it to be July and this mild. We've turned off our air (we used it a few times in May & June) and opened our windows! We hope to see a lower electric bill and we love to conserve energy. Even when it is 80+ degrees inside, the breeze has made it feel much cooler. We are drinking lots of water, spending most of our day downstairs where it is cooler and where we get better air circulation and I allow the boys to run around in just shorts (they love it!). I'm trying to limit the use of the stove and oven so as not to increase the temperature inside. I'm hoping we can leave it off for a little longer and continue to acclimate ourselves to a warmer temperature. Maybe we can leave the A/C set at a higher temperature when we do finally succumb to leaving it on. In the mean time, we have a greater appreciation for nature and enjoy the peaceful evenings with a gentle breeze lulling us to sleep.

**I should mention that on the recent rainy days we've turned it on due to not being able to use the windows and the resulting humidity in the house.**

Trash to Treasure

Yesterday as we were driving home from church, we saw a kitchen table with the trash pile at a recently sold house. We stopped to look at it and realized it was not only in great condition but that it went with the chairs we already have. A kitchen table has been on our list of needed things (ours seats 4 but had no room to put anything on it other than place settings) but it had plummeted to the bottom of the list as we made do. This table is at least half again as big, seats 6, and is sturdier than our previous one. We have been blessed twice with kitchen tables (our previous one was also free) and we are rejoicing in God's gift! It's amazing to see how even the seemingly insignificant things in our life don't escape God's notice and provision. A good reminder and one that will be constantly before us as we share meals around our new-to-us table.

Farmer's Market Finds

I went to the organic & natural farmer's market today at Trader's Point Creamery and here are my purchases:

1 approx. 3# whole chicken (yes, I'm making myself do the whole chicken :)) - $2.85/lb.
1 lb. breakfast sausage - $3.50
1 bunch asparagus - $4.00
1 bag mixed mustard greens - $5.00
1 bag pea shoots - $3.00

The pea shoots are new greens to me. The farmer let me try them before buying and they are delicious! He said you can use them in stir-frys, salads, etc. but not really in soups. They taste kind of like fresh spring peas. Yum!

All in all, a productive trip. The organic chicken will feed us for at least 3 meals as will all the different greens, the sausage for 2-3, and the asparagus for 2-3. This was the first market held outside this year and it was a beautiful day to be there!

Farmer's Market

In our quest to eat more locally and seasonally (continued from last year and spurred on by my recent reading - Plenty and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle), I plan to highlight some of the resources that have been helpful. May and June are usually the beginning months of the farmer's market season, so I will also begin sharing some of my finds and trying some different markets. This may be helpful to some of you that live here in Indiana and may encourage those of you living elsewhere to look into your own local markets.

I will say that (as I have mentioned before) Trader's Point Creamery is my favorite local market so far. The produce and meat are mostly grown and raised using organic or natural practices. The farmers are always willing to answer questions and they have a beautiful location that just inspires your creativity. The other shoppers are always friendly and I've had several products recommended and recipes shared.

Shopping at a Farmer's Market takes a little extra time - you can't go whenever you want (usually they have 1 or 2 days a week) and you may not be able to buy all the things on your grocery list. I would contend, however, that patronizing the local farmer's market accomplishes many things:

1) Supports local agriculture.
2) Ensures the highest quality of food.
3) Creates awareness of seasonal foods in a society where you can buy all foods all year.
4) Fosters a feeling of community as you rub shoulders with vendors and other shoppers.
5) Decreases our contribution to the energy crisis.
6) Inspires with it's beauty and tantalizing sights.

We are committed to it for all of the above and because it just tastes better! I have found that my "needs" from the grocery store are less and often I will skip it all together in favor of the farmer's market. I would rather pay a little more for better quality fruits, vegetables, and meats that are locally produced. And the best part is that it isn't always more expensive - it depends on what you are buying, when you are buying it (as in time of year), and how much was grown (how well the crop did). Another wonderful thing is that your money is going directly to the farms and the families that run them.

Some things to consider as the market season begins:

1) Be willing to try new vegetables and fruits - the farmers will tell you how to use them. We discovered watermelon and lime radishes last year and really enjoyed them.
2) If you like something, be sure and tell the farmer the next time you are at the market. I know it would make my day!
3) Bring your own baskets, tote bags, or re-usable bags - they may have plastic ones available but it's far better for the environment to bring your own.
4) Know that you may spend a little more but consider the benefits. Remember these are almost always family-run farms.
5) Purpose to use everything you buy - maybe you can cut some other things out of the budget and maximize your use of the great products you find.
6) Return egg cartons as much as possible if you buy the farm fresh eggs (I highly recommend them!).
7) Ask the farmers questions - they love what they do and are usually proud of their products. They will share information about their farm, nutrition, recipes, etc. They are a great resource and have lots of experience.

Enjoy it! There really is nothing like wandering around the market feasting with your eyes and maybe with your mouth, too. They often feature yummy baked goods in addition to produce!

To find a market near you - check out this site listing Indiana markets. For those of you not in Indiana, try this site, check with your local health food store, or find them listed in the newspaper.

Warming Up!

It's warming up - finally! I'm can't wait to work out in the yard and plant the garden. And Farmer's Market season is almost here! There is nothing like the fresh vegetables and fruit that come directly to your table from local growers. I went to Trader's Point Creamery last Saturday and saw the first fresh greens! In May, they will move the market outside and change to Friday evenings. I enjoy patronizing the same market because it's given me a chance to know the various vendors a little better.

I've spent alot of time this winter thinking (and reading!) about how to be a wise steward in the area of food. So, I'm considering other ways to cut back on grocery store spending this summer in favor of buying local. My goal is to do it without spending more money overall. I'm not sure how this will work out yet but I'm really looking forward to it!

Freegan

I don't watch Oprah very often but happened to today and I'm intrigued. Are you familiar with the Freegan lifestyle? The first half of her show was about it. I had never heard of this way of life. It's an environmentally friendly lifestyle that flies in the face of consumerism and materialism. Seriously, I kind of want to try it.

This way of life promotes not only frugality but also decreasing waste. They get things out of dumpsters! Those interviewed mostly get food and products from dumpsters outside grocery stores or retail stores. I was amazed at the quality products that were tossed because of expiration date, damage, bruises etc. One lady interviewed said that a dozen eggs will be thrown away because one is broken. The same lady told about how she found 100-1 lb. bags of coffee beans in a dumpster. The packages were intact but they had expired. As she pointed out - do roasted coffee beans actually expire? And even my mom has commented that companies are forced to put expiration dates on products that don't expire or certainly have a longer shelf life than listed.

The people interviewed are not doing it because they are poor. It seems that it's not uncommon for it to be quite the contrary - in fact, one couple represented are employed as a doctor and engineer. They are working to pay off their mortgage and they donate a fair amount. It seems that freegans choose that lifestyle because they want to avoid the materialism that is so prevelant in our society and conserve the environment. It was mentioned several times about how much waste is generated throughout our country.

It sounds gross to eat things out of a dumpster but it seemed that they were careful to only take things that were still packaged without punctures, still sealed, etc., cleaned fruits & vegetables very well (not necessarily in packages), and were conscious to not endanger themselves. [Side note: After reading the NY times article below, maybe this doesn't fully apply - some found 1/2 eaten jars of peanut butter that they were happy about it.] While it seems the movement may stem from the Vegan lifestyle, I noticed that the people interviewed today had dairy products and didn't necessarily follow a vegan diet.

It totally makes me want to just try it one time to see how it works. The freegans certainly did not seem to be lacking in good quality food and their basic needs were met. Their cost of living is low (they did note that they spend a little per month on what they cannot find). I was amazed at their dedication to this lifestyle. Those interviewed today were humble, simple-living people that are living out their values. As with any movement, there are extremes and some of those are definitely reflected in the article below. And it does sound like there can be legal ramifications if your city or state does not allow dumpster digging or if you are trespassing, of course.

Anyway, as I stated at the beginning, I'm intrigued. It was an interesting program and an interesting idea. Andrew and I are constantly discussing sustainable living - architecture, food, etc. and this certainly relates to those concepts although it is probably a little extreme for us. :) For further information, here are some websites that focus on this way of life: Freegan Kitchen, Freegan.info, and a NY Times article.

Farmer's Market Finds

The farmer's market was, as always, so fun! I love going there! It's a community of people committed to locally grown and produced foods and everyone is eager to share their knowledge, product reviews, and whatever else. Just standing in line, I had great recommendations for one farmer's pork chops and for the tamales made by a local lady. I'm not a "regular" and really consider myself a newbie to the whole concept of local food; so, I don't have much to offer in the way of opinions or knowledge but I hope that I can become a seasoned veteran over the years. :)

This week, I went specifically for breakfast meat (1 lb. bacon at $5/lb. and 1 lb. sausage at $3.50/lb. - I think this is fairly comparable to full-price store cost but I think the quality is far superior!) and eggnog (a HUGE splurge at $4.50/quart but totally worth it!). I, of course, had to look around at each booth, though. So, I also bought a lime radish and a watermelon radish at $1/lb. which I will use for a salad tonight, 1 turnip at $1.50/lb., and 1 doz. eggs at $3/doz.

I've never tried the radishes so I'm looking forward to expanding my vegetable palate. :) I'm not crazy about turnips but plan to use them in something or possibly just make a roasted root vegetable side dish - I'm trying to incorporate some seasonal, local foods into our menus.

They had many other products - vegetables (onions, potatoes, spinach, and others), apples, honey, baked goods, chili peppers, pork, chicken, beef, cheese, and other dairy products. I've found that prices totally depend on the booth and even within a booth, some things will seem more reasonable then others - in my humble opinion. It's also best to get there as close to 9am as possible since some offerings go fast!

We are committed to patronizing local farmer's as much as we possibly can - it's been easier said than done but we've found it so rewarding! We do it for environmental reasons, business reasons (as in supporting local business), and for the health benefits of fresh food!

For a list of the farmer's market participants and their products, click here.

More on the Environment

It seems that environmental issues and organic living are popular topics these days! I sometimes read this blog** and she recently posted a link to this article about a family who believes that organic farming is the way to fulfill the Biblical mandate.

These questions were raised:

Do you agree or disagree with this family's view of environmental stewardship?

I agree (as I previously wrote) with the general concept of environmental stewardship. I believe it is clear that we are to take an active role in conserving and caring for the earth. God set forth these mandates in Genesis (see Genesis 1 & 2 especially). I sincerely appreciate that they are looking beyond the health benefits and looking at how best to protect and manage the world entrusted to us. It was hard to tell how much the article was slanted to portray this family as ultra-conservative wackos. :) To the extent that they "believe the Bible demands an organic or natural approach to agriculture" as a tenant (or essential) of the Christian faith, I disagree. I also feel that their attitude towards insects was strange.


Do you think that promoting organic foods and good nutrition are tenants of a Christian lifestyle?

The 6th commandment is "thou shall not murder." The implication (or positive) of this commandment is that we are to preserve life. I believe that part of preserving life is caring for our bodies. I do think that promoting healthy living is an important aspect of Christian living but perhaps it goes a little far to call eating nutritious, organic food a "tenant of a Christian lifestyle". And, as I have said before, good eating and nutrition will look different for every family. Not everyone can afford to buy all organic foods and some do not feel that it is necessary but I definitely don't believe this means that they are failing to live a Christian lifesyle.


Oh, I really liked this description/definition in the aforementioned article, "Organic agriculture emphasizes crop rotation, composting and the use of animal manures, avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides that organic farmers say contaminate food, wildlife and the environment." As an aside, we have not been able to start a compost - when we tried, our dog went out and ate the things on the compost and was sick. The carpet suffered and...you get the idea.

One of the things I'm most disturbed about is that many, many people I know choose to eat healthy but don't think about the environment much at all. I mean it's all well and good to be healthy but what good is it going to do us if the world is falling apart. I really think nutritious living and being eco-friendly go hand in hand. So, next time you go to the store ask for paper instead of plastic or better yet, bring your own bags. :)

The other thing I really don't understand is why the city charges for recycling. This makes no sense to me - wouldn't more people recycle if it were free and easy? Our solution is to just drive our recyclables to a donation bin (we are trying to do better about this).


**While I appreciate some of the views expressed by this blog, I disagree with others.

Trader Joe's

Do any of you shop at Trader Joe's? It's not the most convenient for me but I LOVE that store! I desperately needed to get out of the house this evening (Andrew was working late), so I packed the boys up and headed to the store. We really like their cereal (the maple pecan clusters granola is awesome!) and we were almost out.

The boys probably think it's the greatest store ever because I let them each push one of the child carts and that's what we put the groceries in. We didn't need very much (other than cereal) but we meandered through the store checking out various items. Andrew and I love Trader Joe's sparkling waters especially the grapefruit and orange so I picked up one of each. We also brought home a wholegrain baking mix, organic mac 'n cheese for quick lunches, and some organic plain yogurt. Sometimes I buy cheese there - they have an awesome variety. They also have delicious hummus. And if you are a wine drinker, they have many different kinds, very reasonably priced.

They also have great eco-friendly reusable bags - they range from .99 to 1.99 and they even have insulated bags. The one pictured here is the one I bought today - itsn't it cute?! I really like that stores are offering these type of bags but this is by far the coolest one I have ever seen! Now if only I can remember to bring it with me when I shop!

So that was our outing for the evening. Oh, I forgot to mention that we also came home with 4 balloons - the boys made a few friends along the way. :)

Another Farmer's Market

We went to the Zionsville Farmer's Market this morning - it's held in their adorable downtown. It was the perfect morning to go with a crisp chill in the air but the warmth of the sun shining to give you that wonderful fall feeling.

There were lots of vegetables, fresh baked bread, pies etc., some fruit and honey, and a little meat & eggs. This market did not have very much organic produce but my feeling is that locally grown, fresh food is good no matter what. :) The prices varied but seemed pretty good overall.

I bought peppers (way cheaper than the store!), lettuce, spinach, bread, and we splurged on a couple sweet rolls for a breakfast treat. :) There are only a couple more weeks until this market is finished for the season - it is open Saturday mornings 7:30-10:30a.m.

It was quite different than the Creamery market - I can see going to both on a weekly basis. We were remembering this morning how great it was when we lived in Florida - they had a Green Market every Saturday in the spring & summer which was HUGE! We also went to an outdoor market (year round) for our produce quite a bit.

On an unrelated note, we met our boys one year ago today after having travelled for many, many hours. It was a great day and the start of one of the most beautiful chapters in all four of our lives. We are so blessed and thankful - we couldn't have asked for anything better! Later, I'll write more on the boys' blog to commemorate this special day and of course post pictures. :)

Support Local Farmers & the Environment

Like my friend, Catherine, I’ve been really trying to incorporate locally grown and seasonal foods into our meals. This has required menu planning and I’ve also made it include trying new recipes! It has been delicious and has been a great discipline for me. It is especially helping me not to overbuy food.

We went to the Farmer’s Market at Trader’s Point Creamery last week and the prices were overall very good and of course the quality was fantastic! They had a wonderful assortment of meat including pork, beef, and lamb, various fresh vegetables, dairy products, and even some baked goods, honey, and different wines. Many of the products are organic. The really great thing is that this is a year round farmer’s market. My favorite thing that I bought was fresh mushrooms – I could buy exactly what I needed instead of a whole package at the grocery store!

Andrew and I have been talking a lot about supporting local farmers and being more environmentally minded (like taking our own cloth bags to the store – lots of stores offer them these days). We aren’t going totally green – yet, but we have really been convicted about our responsibility to care for God's creation. I am troubled by the general idea that being conscious of the environment equals being politically liberal. We need to change that perception!

Anyway, here is a brief glimpse at some of the recipes we’ve been enjoying:
Monday: chili & cornbread
Tuesday: mushroom meatloaf patties w/pan gravy, herb mashed potatoes, & steamed broccoli
Wednesday: pumpkin black bean soup & warm homemade applesauce
Tonight: leftovers – it’s been a busy day :)
Friday: chicken quesadillas, fresh salsa & guacamole

I’m pretty new to all of this but I hope it sticks. Menu planning has been very freeing for me and is saving us money! I’m planning to incorporate a homemade pizza night into each week using an easy crust recipe and whatever veggies we have leftover. I’ll let you know how it goes. And I do still go to the regular grocery store – not everything is fresh and seasonal. :)

***A caveat for me is that even though I know that using cloth diapers is totally a better thing for the environment, I’m just not able to do that right now. :) Props to those that do, I admire but definitely do not envy you (except your budget!)!

I'll leave you with these passages:

Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth. Genesis 1:28

Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Genesis 2:15

Garden Produce

I wrote just a little about our garden here but here's a picture of some of the yummy vegetables we've been enjoying!

The yellow pear tomatoes and the cherry tomatoes are my favorite. We love them cut in half and combined with fresh basil, fresh chives, balsamic vinegar, salt, & pepper! We also picked some jalapenos just today but haven't made any salsa yet - I'm a little nervous to work with them since having jalapeno hands for a few days last year. :) Anyway, it's awesome to see the vibrant colors and enjoy the wonderful fresh vegetables and herbs.