Seeking input: Washer & Dryer

Appliances are at the top of the list of things we will need for our new home, specifically a refrigerator, a washer, and a dryer. We are prepared to spend the bulk of our small "moving in" budget on these items...my parents are strong advocates of "buy once, buy right" when it comes to appliances. The Maytag washer and dryer they bought for their first home lasted 25 years (washer) and 30+ years (the dryer is sitting in the garage at their river house, ready to quick-dry wet winterwear). I've been told they don't make them like the used to, but I'd really like to purchase appliances that are going to last us a long, long time...and perform their functions efficiently. I'm a big fan of high efficiency appliances that save resources (such as water) and energy (and therefore money).

In this post I am requesting any an all advice about washers and dryers, especially if you've acquired some recently and are familiar with current options. Here are some of the questions running through my mind:

• I think that Maytag and Whirlpool are good brands - am I right? What other brands are trustworthy? Kenmore, Frigidaire, LG?
• Are the high efficiency models worth it? Do they clean and dry well? How about with cloth diapers?
• Have you dealt with incomplete draining and/or mold growth in a front-loader?
  
• If I go with front-loading HE models, do I need to buy the pedestals as well? What do you use those drawers for?
• I am considering shopping for appliances at a local Sears Outlet store, where "cosmetically flawed" units are discounted. I don't mind a scratch or ding if it saves us money. Have you ever made a purchase at a store like that?
  

Please share your experiences and ideas with me via the comments, email, or Facebook message. Thanks!

Photo credit: chris.corwin

Dairy-free, soy-free treats

I have a sweet tooth. I love desserts, especially chocolate ones. Since I've had to forgo foods containing dairy and soy for Teresa's sake, I've discovered just how prevalent those ingredients are, especially in boxed mixes. So many desserts - even those made from scratch - contain dairy...I challenge anyone to find a restaurant that serves a dairy-free dessert. Thankfully, I've found a few sweet treats that I can enjoy these days:

1. Enjoy Life chocolate bars

My friend Jennifer found these at Whole Foods: dairy-free, soy-free, and nut-free chocolate bars. She got me two different flavors: dark and rice milk. Both are excellent!! I've tried 2 other dairy-free, soy-free dark chocolate bars (by Dagoba and Green & Black's - both organic) and both were very bitter. But Enjoy Life's is not. Yum yum!


2. Purely Decadent "ice cream" made with coconut milk

During my mom's recent visit she treated me to a pint from Harris Teeter. I got the chocolate flavor and it was absolutely delicious. I like coconut milk in recipes, so the flavor in my "ice cream" doesn't bother me at all.

3. Made from scratch chocolate cake

I have a recipe clipped from an old magazine that doesn't call for dairy or eggs. It's so easy to put together and the results are moist and delicious. David spreads frosting on his pieces, but I don't think it's necessary. Here's the recipe:

Cinnamon-Chocolate Cake (12 servings)

2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
6 T cocoa powder
2 t cinnamon
2 t baking soda
3/4 cup oil
2 T white vinegar
2 t vanilla
2 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Stir in oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water until well-blended. Frances tip: Grease a 13 x 9" baking pan with the excess oil from your measuring cup. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes until cake pulls away from side of pan. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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In putting together this post, I discovered that Enjoy Life also makes chocolate chips, so I may have to purchase a bag to try in our pancakes (made with rice milk). I've missed chocolate chip pancakes!! Now the only thing I need is to find a decent dairy-free brownie recipe. I've tried a couple and they weren't any good at all.

Customer appreciation II

One month ago I wrote a post about contacting companies whose products you love. Sometimes they will mail you coupons and other stuff just because you asked them to! Here's a list of the companies I've since contacted who have responded positively (with links to their contact webpages):

Jif (Smuckers) - 2 35 cents off coupons
Amy's Kitchen (organic)- brochure and coupons (3 x $1 off, 5 x .75 off, 1 x .50 off)
Eggland's Best - frequently asked questions brochure, Mr. Food cooking booklet and a coupon for a free dozen Eggland's Best eggs
CedarLane (all natural frozen foods) - 2 55 cents off coupons
WestSoy (Hain Celestial Group - they make the only rice milk without soy that I could find) - 3 55 cents off coupons
Born Free Eggs (Radlo Foods) - 1 35 cents off coupon
Thai Kitchen - 1 free Thai Kitchen product coupon, 1 free Simply Asia product coupon, 1 50 cents off Thai Kitchen product coupon, 1 50 cents off Simply Asia product coupon, and a Rice Noodle Recipes and Cooking Tips booklet

General Mills and Kellogg's both denied my requests for coupons via form emails. :( It appears the biggest brands that regularly offer coupons in the newspaper circulars and online do not mail customers coupons directly.

Thanks again, Sarah, for the tips on Amy's and Eggland's Best. Also, Carrie received free product samples when she contacted Lansinoh. Does anyone else have stories to share?

Customer appreciation

One of my missions in my relationship with David has been to challenge the numerous brand loyalties he developed before he met me. The bargain shopper in me is easily frustrated by his preference for certain brands of food, clothing, and personal care items. Sure, I've found things that work well for me, but I'm usually open to trying alternatives if I find great deals. As the primary shopper in our marriage (though David does a fine job when duty calls), I sometimes present David with alternatives for him to try. And he sometimes (but not always!) tries them.

But I accepted long ago that David will only eat Jif peanut butter. The king of PB&J sandwiches (he takes one to work with him every time he goes, and we even served them at our wedding reception!) is loathe to cover his slices of bread in anything but Jif. So I stock up on it when I find it on sale or have coupons to use. I recently matched a sale with coupons to get some of the new Natural Jif for us to try (and yes, he tried it!). I found it so good (both texture and taste) that I felt compelled to write to the maker.

So I visited Jif.com and typed a little message to customer service, explaining my husband's loyalty to Jif and my delight in their new product. I took the opportunity to request coupons, too.

Less than a week later, this showed up in my mailbox (click the image to see it larger):


Way cool! The two grocery stores we visit most frequently both double coupons (even when the coupon says "do not double"), so I'll get 70 cents off each jar of peanut butter. Yay!

I encourage you to email companies that make things you purchase regularly and request coupons. This isn't the first time it's worked for me (Newman's Own also rewarded my efforts, which is why I have at least 4 jars of our favorite pineapple salsa in the pantry). If you've already done this, please let me know which companies respond well!

Prenatal Yoga DVD Reviews

I've been practicing yoga (by myself, with DVDs in the comfort of my own home) for about 4 years. At first I saw it as a way to build muscle tone and increase my flexibility in between runs. Now that I don't run any more (I stopped after the miscarriage and may or may not pick it up again post-baby), yoga and occasional walks are my only form of exercise. And, I must say, they are both GREAT for this pregnant mama.

Quick disclaimer: I avoid anything to do with the "spiritual" aspect of yoga, as it is generally not compatible with my Christian faith. But the postures, movements, and breathing of yoga are easily separated from the mumbo jumbo and are highly beneficial, both physically and emotionally (in the sense that they can help us to relax and focus and to be more aware of how we're carrying our bodies throughout the day).

In anticipation of my pregnancies, I started collecting a handful of prenatal yoga DVDs last year, mostly through Swap a DVD. I needed the "professional" guidance to make sure I only did postures and sequences that were harmless for the baby or - even better - excellent for pregnancy and labor. I ended up with 4 very different programs, which I present here with my personal reviews.

TOP CHOICE: Prenatal Yoga With Shiva Rea, produced by Gaiam

Pros: Shiva has a great personality/style - she is capable and confident yet gentle, warm, and encouraging; exercise moves fluidly from posture to posture, promoting flexibility, strength, and calming breathing; all poses are modified and demonstrated according to trimester/ability; props used are common (folding chair and block)

Cons: program is a bit long, so I usually do it for 30 minutes or however long I feel like it (I'm probably missing some great stuff in the last segment)

Final Say: This is definitely my favorite and the one I use the most. I love how the program increases in challenge as it progresses, beginning with simple stretches (and including "elevator" Kegels, which I find very helpful) and building up to poses that challenge various muscle groups in the best of ways. I usually feel light and energized after these workouts. (I have yet to try the bonus Pregnancy Massage instruction, but I'm sure it's great, too.)

SECOND CHOICE: Prenatal Yoga Complete with Mary Pappas-Sandonas, produced by bodywisdommedia

Pros: Mary is another instructor I enjoy - her guidance exudes experience and encouragement (she is very practical/precise); this DVD offers a huge array of possibilities: first you choose your trimester, then you choose which program you'd like - most are geared toward the relief of discomfort, such as morning sickness, back pain, or headache, or toward the promotion of a positive feeling, such as energy or relaxation; the poses are long-lasting and thus you can really maximize their benefit according to your particular needs that day

Cons: Mary is not present in the video, demonstrating the poses - you only hear her voice while a model demonstrates; the programs jump between poses (no smooth transitions), causing me to scramble to prepare for the next pose; lots of props are needed to get yourself in some of the poses (several bolsters and blankets, a chair, blocks, and strap)

Final Say: I grab this DVD when I have a particular issue I want to address (for example, I do the "Rejuvenate" sequence when I feel sluggish) and look forward to the challenge of holding poses as long as they feel good. As much effort as it takes to get into a Reclining Bound Angle Pose, the results are totally worth it.


HONORABLE MENTION: Crunch Yoga Mama - Prenatal Yoga with Sue Elkind, a CRUNCH workout

Pros: basic yoga postures and breathing; some flow sequences; variety of poses all suitable for pregnancy; shorter complete workout (about 30 minutes)

Cons: I don't like the instructor much (her lines seem canned, not heartfelt); the program is very simple and doesn't leave me feeling like I did a challenging workout

Final Say: For a beginner or someone looking for a quick and easy prenatal yoga session, this DVD is decent. I just wish it moved my body and my heart more.


TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT: The New Method Pre & Post Natal Yoga (2 Pack DVD Box Set) with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa

Pros: lots of general stretching and repetitive motion (sometimes it even gets my heart going); the endurance exercise (continuous arm movement for 3 minutes) is a real mental challenge which may help prepare for the rigors of labor

Cons: This is the most new-agey of the four programs: the turban-wearing instructor leads the group in chanting and spouts such nonsense as "sometimes we have more trouble with our left leg - it's ruled by the moon" and "build your electromagnetic field." The few times I've done the program I've bypassed the intro and fast forwarded through the chanting. Because this program offers Kundalini yoga, it offers few (if any) actual muscle-toning postures and never holds any pose longer than a second.

Final Say: Although I could do without all the hokey elements, I have done this program a few times because it limbers me up and gets my blood circulating in a way the other DVDs don't.

For more tips and reviews, check out the weekly Works-For-Me Wednesday post at Rocks in my Dryer.

Handy Burp'em

During the Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaway Carnival last month I won a specialized burp cloth called a Handy Burp'em. The creator let me choose a fabric (I chose Sea Friends) and she graciously sent me my prize.

As grateful as I am to have won something useful (especially as we prepare for Teresa's arrival in February), I am still not quite sure what to make of this unique burp cloth. You're supposed to slip your hand through the top loop and press it up under baby's chin while you burp her. The bottom opens up with a little pocket ready to catch anything that might dribble down. End result: ultimate spit-up protection.

Sounds good, but I'm wondering - is sitting the baby up an optimal position for burping? I guess I always imagine them leaning up against my shoulder. But this cloth should work well for that, too.

What do you think?

Fasten your seatbelt...

Last night David and I were playing/practicing with the car seat (a wonderful gift from friends). David has encouraged me to start carrying it around a little so I get used to balancing its weight (it's a heavy one). He had fun figuring out the buckle and tightening the straps - he assures me he will be far more gentle with a real baby (poor bear!).

Since we've decided to go with a Graco SafeSeat/stroller frame combination for Teresa's first few months, we've seen more of them around and have watched caregivers easily move the seat from stroller to base and fold up the stroller one-handed. While the seat is heavy, the stroller is light (much lighter than those "travel system" strollers that are so popular). Although I hope to "wear" our little one in a sling as much as possible when we're out, the stroller will be very useful. We're grateful that an acquaintance of my sister's had one she didn't want any more, which will be passed on to us when we visit Beth in December. :)

Nifty furniture

Deo gratias! A very generous family from our parish offered to donate a combination changing table/dresser to a family in need. The Director of Stewardship approached me after Mass one morning and asked if I would be interested. Indeed I was! So we made all the arrangements and the piece of furniture came to its new home last night.

The dresser unit is a really nice, sturdy, functional piece of furniture. The family kept mentioning that it is a Bellini, a manufacturer with which I was unfamiliar. But a quick search online led me to discover that this item is worth up to $900! It's a unique design - the "Retractable, oversized changing surface allows you to change the baby from head to toe, not from the side like most changers. The top powder shelf allows generous storage for toiletries, while a lower shelf allows easy access to diapers. When your child is out of diapers, simply retract the slide top and attach the top molding (included) to use this piece as a three drawer dresser with three open shelves."



Now I just need to wipe out the drawers and I'll finally be able to put away all the cute little clothes and cloth diapers I've been collecting and receiving as gifts (thanks, Beth, Patty, Mom, and Grandma!).

I'm especially jazzed about the pull-out changing surface, but I'm not 100% on the huge pad - are those smaller, contoured pads better for keeping a little one in one place during a changing?

Approaching anonymous fame

This morning I checked on some of Saint Benedict Press's products on Amazon (where we've had issues with inaccurate or missing information) and was pleasantly surprised to see that one of our new books' page has been updated with a description I wrote. If you check out Abandonment to Divine Providence, you'll read my words under "Product Description." They left out a dash after "happening" (probably a text conversion error), but it is otherwise the same as what we printed on the back cover. Way cool!

Now, if only Amazon would get our new Dark Night of the Soul up and running - it's my favorite of our three newest books.

Be careful what you ask for...

I enjoy doing logic and crossword puzzles, quote falls and syllacrostics - really, almost any of the puzzles found in a variety puzzle book. My grandfather used to do his crossword puzzles in pen - I don't dare try. Pencils with erasers are my friends.

Sometimes, though, I don't discover I've made a mistake until the majority of a puzzle grid is filled in. That kind of redo calls for more erasing power than a little pencil-tipper. Alas, when I packed my carry-on bag for our latest trip, I discovered that my fat eraser had gone missing. I was not a terribly successful puzzle-doer on those flights. My book now has a page or two awaiting erasure.

So when my father-in-law started scouring the back-to-school sales for great deals (as he so LOVES to do!), I requested a big eraser. I didn't specify - I just assumed that "big eraser" meant "something like a Pink Pearl, about an inch long and somewhat rectangular."

This is what showed up in the mail today (along with lots of other goodies):



I don't think I'll be carrying it on any planes with me, but maybe I'll keep it just for the laugh value. If only we could just rub out our truly big mistakes...

PS Yes, I'm using a Christmas mug in September. It's the biggest one in our cupboards, so I grab it whenever it's clean.

Co-sleeper

When it comes to preparing materially for the baby's arrival, David and I are taking a fairly minimalist approach. Our small apartment, budget constraints, and a preference for simplicity make us more inclined to seek only a few essential items for baby care. And we really don't mind if they all come secondhand, as long as they are safe to use.

Cloth diapers in varying sizes and styles are tops on my list, along with a bed, a sling/carrier, a car seat, a stroller, and some clothes. Other things would be nice, but they aren't essential. All the baby will really need for the first few months is me.

With all this in mind, one thing I am willing to pay a little more for is a suitable bed. With hopes of exclusive breastfeeding and a tendency toward attachment parenting, I am seriously considering a co-sleeper. David would prefer not to have the baby sleep in our bed, so a little bed attached to ours seems to be the next best thing. I've read lots of great things about co-sleepers: they attach securely to an adult bed, the baby's mattress is nearly level with the adult mattress to reduce mom's arm strain when lifting baby into bed to nurse, and some of them even convert into regular cribs for when the baby is older and mobile and needs better containment.

But I really don't know anything about the various models and sizes that are available. Arm's Reach seems to be the dominant brand - they sell on Amazon, too. Please share any thoughts or experiences you've had with co-sleepers!

Washing diapers: an apartment dilemma

I am committed to diapering our babies in cloth. It's more economical and environmentally friendly. But my decision (made long before I was even married) poses a particular problem for David and I in our current situation: we don't own a washer and dryer. Our apartment doesn't even have the hookups. We currently cart our laundry down to one of the facilities in our complex every week or two and run several loads at once. It's not ideal, but we make do.

Cloth diapers, however, need to be washed often and in a particular way. I can only imagine it would not be easy to take my baby and my diapers down to the laundry room every three days. And the available washers offer very few settings, which do not include pre-rinses or post-rinses. That will not do for diapers.

David and I will not be moving into a house before the baby comes (unless some amazing opportunity presents itself), and we'd rather not move apartments (to one with washer & dryer) only to move again less than a year later (God-willing). So we're left pondering a few options:

1) Rent a washer and dryer unit with hoses that run to the kitchen sink. These are available for $40 per month. Our electricity and water bills would also increase but we'd have the convenience of doing all our laundry at home.

2) Use a diaper service that rents cloth diapers and picks them up weekly for laundering. This would cost approximately $60 per month. I'd still have to do all my other laundry the old way.

3) Purchase a portable pressure washing machine such as the Wonder Wash ($50-60 one-time cost depending on shipping) and hand-crank the diapers at home (while continuing to do most of the laundry in the laundry facilities).

What do you think? Is the Wonder Wash silly or ingenious? Anyone ever been in a similar situation? Have any other ideas?

Speaking of cloth diapers - check out this fabulous giveaway: Win a Bum Genius 3.0 Starter Kit from Nature's Child - Wholesome Goods for Mothers and Babies. Thanks, Melissa!

Photo credit: Dazed81

Deo Gratias: Liturgy of the Hours

A few weeks ago David expressed interest in praying the Liturgy of the Hours more regularly. He found what prayers he could on eBreviary (which went subscription-only on the majority of its prayers recently). He tried using my simplified Christian Prayer book but wasn't satisfied knowing that it doesn't allow him to pray exactly what so many other Catholics (especially clergy and religious) are praying around the globe that day.

Late one night David heard God prompting him to turn on the computer and order the full set of Liturgy of the Hours books. An unusual prompting, I know, but how can we question something that will inevitably make us holier?

The box came on Thursday and David unwrapped the books with delight when he got home from a 12-hour shift of his preceptorship. He found all the proper pages and we prayed Night Prayer together on the couch. It was lovely! Praying the Liturgy of the Hours brings me great peace and centeredness. I hope his new prayer regimen (as his nursing school schedule allows) brings David that same peace and deepening of faith. I look forward to joining him often!

Photo credit: bhsher

WOW Hits

Shannon over at Rocks in My Dryer is hosting a fantabulous giveaway of Christian music. Have you heard of WOW Hits? They issue a 2-CD set every year featuring the year's the top Christian artists and their hit songs. After years of borrowing previous years' CDs from friends I got the 2005 set. It's a great mix!

Turns out they're issuing a new CD called WOW Hits 1 and promoting it by allowing Shannon to give away 20 sets of 20 CDs over on her blog. Interestingly, the giveaway is not the new WOW Hits 1 CD - it's a set of 20 CDs, one by each of the artists featured on the CD. Here's the list:

1. Barlow Girl - How Can We Be Silent
2. Aaron Shust - Whispered and Shouted
3. Cadia - Cadia
4. Point of Grace - How You Live
5. Skillet - Comatose
6. Brandon Heath - Don’t Get Comfortable
7. Michael W. Smith - Stand
8. Third Day - Wherever You Are
9. Relient K - Five Score and Seven Years Ago
10. Casting Crowns - The Altar and the Door
11. Steven Curtis Chapman - This Moment
12. Chris Tomlin - See the Morning
13. Matthew West - Something To Say
14. David Crowder Band - Remedy
15. Jeremy Camp - Beyond Measure
16. Newsboys - Go
17. Toby Mac - Portable Sounds

I share this with you for three reasons, mainly. 1) I want to have a chance at winning the CDs. 2) I want you to have a chance at winning the CDs (if you're a blogger...details are in Shannon's giveaway post). 3) I want to recommend several of the artists featured.

Newsboys were my first exposure to contemporary Christian music (the radio kind) - they gave a concert in my high school auditorium back in the late 90's and my mom got tickets. I've since grown away from their sound, but their old songs have a special place in my heart (especially "Shine" and "Let It Rain" from their self-titled album). David, on the other hand, loves their new stuff. He has their Adoration album. We agreed to play one of their recent hits at our wedding reception: "Something Beautiful."

I also own a Michael W. Smith CD - he's way old school and I usually can't stand his nasally voice, but I like the lyrics of "Never Been Unloved." Check these out:

I have been unfaithful
I have been unworthy
I have been unrighteous
And I have been unmerciful

I have been unreachable
I have been unteachable
I have been unwilling
And I have been undesirable

Chorus:

Sometimes, I have been unwise
Ive been undone by what Im unsure of
But because of you, and all that you went through
I know that I have never been unloved

(The rest is here)

Third Day has a wonderful earthy sound. I have their self-titled CD and learned to play "Love Song" and "Take My Life" on the guitar so we could sing them during Praise & Worship at our nondenominational campus ministry.

David can't seem to get enough of Toby Mac when he's studying for nursing school. The psuedo-rapper is quite the wordsmith AND some of his songs are downright inspiring (David and I rocked out to "Made to Love" at our wedding reception).

We also own CDs by Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Chris Tomlin, but I better stop now or this will be a very long post. I'd love to hear about your experience with any of the artists on the list - do you have a favorite album/song by any of them?

Spirited Talk

I have a confession to make: I love filling out surveys. Actually, I find them recreational. When I was a teenager, my mom participated in a survey group that sometimes sent products for "the 13- to 18-year-old girl" to try and then answer some questions about. I loved that. So, when I graduated from college, I registered for ZoomPanel and began completing surveys regularly, earning points towards lots of nifty prizes (including a small food processor, a pair of binoculars, and a waffle maker). If you are interested in trying out ZoomPanel, I would be happy to refer you. Just leave a comment or email me and I'll send you a link.


A few years ago I saw an advertisement on the back of a parish bulletin (yes, I do actually look at those from time to time) for SpiritedTalk.org, a survey-facilitator for Loyola Press. The website describes itself as a "unique online community of people willing to share their thoughts and ideas about Catholic life and faith." Although I wouldn't really call it a "community" (I have never interacted with the other participants), I agree with their assertion that, "By sharing your perspective, you will help Loyola Press improve our publications and better serve the greater Catholic community."

They do not invite me to complete surveys very often (only twice a year, if I remember correctly), but the surveys are about Catholic publications, which I thoroughly enjoy reviewing. I'm not registered for SpiritedTalk.org because I want to earn prizes; I participate because I want to help the editors choose good Catholic material to publish. And I've seen my opinions make a difference!

The last survey I took offered us information about four projects that Loyola Press was considering publishing. I read excerpts and answered questions (both multiple choice and short answer) about my impressions. I honestly thought two were lame and one was downright problematic - so I wrote why. But the fourth was awesome - inspiring material, incredibly well written. I urged them to publish the book. And they did! Months later, I received an email informing me that, due to positive feedback received via SpiritedTalk, They Come Back Singing: Finding God with the Refugees by missionary Jesuit Fr. Gary Smith was set to be published in February of 2008.

So I requested that my library purchase it (more on that in a future post) and they did - 3 copies! As soon as the one I'd reserved came in, I began a spiritual adventure of solidarity with the Sudanese refugees in northern Uganda. Fr. Smith's writing is clear and engaging, informative and full of love - of God and of the suffering people God called him to serve. Several times I have been moved to prayer by Fr. Smith's honest reflections on the beauty of the Sudanese and on his own frailty. Other times I have asked myself "how then shall I live?" with this new knowledge of the needs of brothers and sisters in Christ on other continents - and the abundance I take for granted every day. Perhaps God will call David and I to be missionaries (in a foreign land) someday? They Come Back Singing encourages me that such a life would be full of joy.

I highly recommend this book, if you're up for the challenge - and the blessings.

A Dilemma of Charity

A while back our friend Adam emailed me about disposing of bottles made with BPA. The research convinces us they are not healthy for us to use, yet tossing them in the trash just rubs us the wrong way. What to do with them?

In my response to Adam, I admitted that I didn't think this through when I wanted to get rid of my two "number 7" bottles - I ended up donating them to Goodwill. At the time I thought: "a not-so-good water bottle is better than no water bottle at all for a poor person, right?" Yeah, I now realize that that's terrible logic. So I brainstormed about Adam's bottles and told him I thought they could safely be used for storage of solid items, even dry goods like rice or sugar. Some random ideas: change jar? Lego container? Battery holder?

It all depends on our needs. In the end, if I could find no use for them in my home, I would not grieve over having to toss toxin-leaching bottles.

This issue is closely linked with another dilemma I've been pondering lately. Now that I'm changing so many of my food purchases for the better, I wrestle over whether it is right for me to buy the cheap stuff (when I come across great sales) to donate to charity. Should I be encouraging needy people to eat sugar-laden cereals by donating them? Our national obesity epidemic is in part attributable to all the cheap processed foods available. But we can't really afford to purchase organic for ourselves and our monthly donations (collected by our diocesan Catholic Social Services).

Other examples: David and I have decreased (but not successfully eliminated - yet) our use of standard antiperspirants and deodorants due to the possibly Alzheimers-inducing nature of the aluminum they contain (dementia runs in David's family, so we have cause for concern). With help from Money Saving Mom's weekly deal posts, I can often get deodorants for free or nearly free at CVS. But should I? Last week I read about a way to actually MAKE money by purchasing toe separators at CVS (thanks to their Extra Credit Bucks program) - but I no longer wear nail polish now that I know that the chemicals it contains may harm babies in utero. If I got the toe separators and donated them, would I be encouraging other women to endanger their children? And what about diapers? They are a much-requested donation for the local crisis pregnancy organization, Room At the Inn, and I've seen ways to buy them cheaply by matching coupons with sales. I am 100% committed to cloth diapering to limit our environmental impact and better care for our babies. Should I still give disposable diapers for the moms who would otherwise have to buy them for their babies (and thus have less money for utilities, gas, and other bills I cannot get deals on)?

I'm eager to read your thoughts on this dilemma...

Photo credits: bottle by darrylh and deodorants by ??

BPA-free giveaway at Soft Landing

The Soft Landing Baby Blog is hosting a giveaway in honor of two new BPA-free "starter kits." These assortments of safe baby-feeding tools (ranging from bottles to bibs) are a great way to try out a variety of products before spending lots of money for a whole set that doesn't end up working well for you or your baby. The new kits are geared toward older babies eating solid foods. I certainly don't have one of those, but I still wouldn't mind winning one of the kits. If I do, I'll either keep it for a future baby (God willing) or give it away to someone else who has one. Perhaps you'd like to do the same?

Head on over to the giveaway and leave a comment for your chance to win!

(If you missed my post about the hazards of BPA, look here.)

Car Evangelization

A few days ago David told me that he had finally decided what he wanted to give me for my birthday. He asked me to meet him at our local Catholic goods store after work yesterday to help him pick it out. He said he would tell me the category of gift and I would choose the specific one I wanted. I loved the idea.

So we met at Immaculata (it's in the same building as our diocesan offices here in Charlotte) and, after a great chat with our friend Juliette about Catholic retail in general and Immaculata specifically, David led me to a display of front plates for cars. Here in North Carolina we only receive one license plate, for the back of the car. That leaves the front spot open. Most people leave it empty, but I've seen several interesting front plates displaying designs, catch phrases, and advertisements (for favorite teams and radio stations, for example). Ever since I moved to Charlotte I've been pining after a Catholic plate to put on my car. You just never know when a little nudge will help a person turn towards God! Car adornments are a simple way to evangelize.

We do take a little risk when we put Catholic or even Christian markers on our car, though. The silver Jesus fish on the back of my car was vandalized a few months ago. It looks like someone attempted to pull the whole thing off - but only the upper tail broke away. I left it that way as a sign that I'm not going to let someone's dislike of my fish/my faith intimidate me. Also, it seems more fitting in its brokenness - after all, Jesus endured brokenness so that I might have a faith worth advertising.

In the end, I chose this plate:

"Jesus I trust in you" over Divine Mercy image

Now the only thing I need is a pro-life bumper sticker or decal. I recently came across one at Aquinas and More Catholic Store that I love:

Baby Rosary Shape Cut Vehicle Decal

In the end, the one who will be evangelized most by my car's Catholic notions is me. Lord, every time I think of them, please increase my faith.

What to Label?

My mom got me this DYMO labelmaker for Christmas and I recently purchased more rechargeable batteries to power it. Now that I'm all ready to label away, I don't know what to label! I'd appreciate anyone's suggestions on how to use this handy organizational tool well.

Bye bye BPA

I've been thinking about getting on the "let's go BPA-free" bandwagon for about a month now, but all the articles I read on the subject were of the "some researchers/consumers think this is a concern, others do not" variety. Well, today I heard about this press release in which "Environmental Health Groups Call for Immediate Moratorium on Bisphenol A in Baby Bottles, Food and Beverage Containers."
Here's the basic info: bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic sex hormone that mimics estrogen, is used to make hard polycarbonate plastic. Ninety-five percent of all baby bottles on the market are made with BPA. Other food and beverage containers, particularly cans, also contain BPA.

I'm convinced that this issue is worth our attention - and our action. Prompted by this Seventh Generation newsletter article, I got rid of my polycarbonate (plastic recycling symbol #7) water bottles (fortuitously, David lost his at the hospital this week). Here's a key quote:

"To be safe, environmental advocates suggest simply avoiding #7 plastics altogether and opting for safer choices for food and beverage storage. These better options include polypropylene (#5 PP), high density polyethylene (#2 HDPE), and low density polyethylene (#4 LDPE). No evidence has been found to suggest that these plastics leach toxic materials. Evidence exists to suggest that plastic water and other bottles made from plastic type #1 PETE may leach certain toxic compounds into the liquids they hold, especially over time and with repeated use."

Now we're considering some plastic alternatives, such as the stainless steel bottle pictured above.

I am absolutely committed to BPA-free products (bottles, pacifiers, teethers, etc.) for the babies we hope God will bless us with. Perhaps I'll start with this BPA-free bottle sampler offered by the Soft Landing Baby Blog (if we even need bottles - how many should a plans-to-breastfeed-only expectant mom have on hand?). I read all of Soft Landing's news about nontoxic products for little ones.

If you're looking to research the BPA issue further, I recommend you go to Baby's Toxic Bottle for a page full of links.

I'm also going to be reading more about phthalates, another hormone-mimicking chemical additive in baby products (shampoo, lotion, soap, etc.) with suspicious effects.