Saturday, September 20, 2014

Excuses of an addict

We all know that addicts make an excuse for their behavior right?  If you do not know this, maybe you have not come to accept your addiction.  I am well aware that I have an addiction to cloth diapers. But it was pointed out again over the phone with a friend the other day.  My friend is currently pregnant with her first child.  I have been trying to sway her toward cloth but nothing I have said has sunk in yet.

I was talking to her about a particular diaper when I got the response, "Girl, you do not need any more diapers!"  I kind of chuckled and responded "but look how cute this print is!" I kept going, to which she called me an addict and laughed at all the excuses I was coming up with.



Excuses of a cloth diaper addict:

  1. I need a variety of colors to match her dresses
  2. I have to have a few of each color so she has a matching diaper all day long
  3. But look how cute this print is
  4. Bum Genius just released a new LE, I have to buy them all! 
  5. I am saving money by not using disposables
  6. I have to save the environment
  7. I have an irrational fear of running out of clean diapers
  8. I need to have at least one diaper for every holiday
  9. There was an awesome price for these diapers in a B/S/T group on Facebook (realistically I am in 17 groups and follow 84 different cloth diaper related pages, and the urge is constant)
  10. Kelly's Closet just posted an awesome coupon code and I just could not pass it up.  

How to tell you are a true addict, you have caught yourself saying things and can think of many more.  



What other excuses do you use to defend your stash?   

Friday, September 19, 2014

Family photos

Last month I dragged my family to get pictures taken.  All year long I have heard from extended family that they needed updated family pictures, so I bit the bullet and got them done.  Let me tell you, they were well worth every penny.  My son was a little bit shy about getting them done and avoided the camera as much as he could, but overall we still got some excellent pictures.












Giveaway Products

I know from some of the comments that many of you were interested in the giveaways.  While I do not have any more items to giveaway, I do have coupons and links where you can find the products that were listed in the giveaways!


Spray Pal:



Breast Pads

 Udder cover and nursing reminder bracelet


Diapers from Kelly's Closet




Bamboobies



Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Happy Birthday!!!

Today is my birthday!  This year I want to share my celebration with all of you!  

Since the beginning of the month I have had several giveaways, today is no different.  If you did not win any of the previous giveaway, you are in luck!  You will have a few hours today to enter to win some awesome prizes!
Four Awesome prizes left, something for every momma!










Good Luck!

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Buncha Farmer's Stain stick



I got to try this little magic stick a few months ago.  Buncha Farmers Stain Remover.  Normally I am willing to try everything that is recommended to me.  I first heard of this stain stick about a year ago.  I was not at all interested.  I rinse my diapers right after messes and typically do not have any stains on them.  Several months ago one of my friends and I were talking and she recommended the stain stick to me.  I was skeptical and ignored it.  Then again in June she recommended this stain remover to me.  She also told me where I could get some.  While skeptical, I figured I had to at least try it.  If it didn't work I would not be out much money and could just give my supply to my friend since she loved it so much.  

After I got these in the mail I must admit, they sat on the shelf for at least a week.  Then I got a grass stain on my khaki pants.  When I first noticed the mark was while we were getting family pictures taken, outside, at a park.  I told myself I would rinse it as soon as I got home so it would not stain.  Well, later that night I had put the children to bed and remembered I forgot to treat the stain.  I was worried I would forever have this grass stain on my pants.  Visions of my pants from my childhood all stained up continued to flash through my head.  And then, I remembered I had the Buncha Farmers Stain Stick.   

I stared at the box reading and re-reading the directions.  I wanted to be absolutely sure of what I was doing.  I put a small splash of water on the grass stain then rubbed the stick over the spot.  To my surprise, the stain quickly vanished!   I could not believe it.  

I soon found myself searching my house for different things to try this out on.  I "Googled" uses and watched several Youtube videos.  One video I came across said to mix the stick with hot water and use it as a carpet cleaner.  I own a carpet scrubber, but I have to be honest.  I have not turned it on in about a year.  My carpet has accumulated stains from the past year and also had stains from 6 years ago when we first got out dogs and they tracked a bunch of mud on the carpet.  The mud around here has that red clay tint to it, staining everything.  

So, I grated half a stick and mixed it with hot water, stirred it until it dissolved, then added it to my carpet scrubber.  It took a few hours to scrub my carpet, but the results were absolutely amazing!  

                                      
(seriously, I did not realize how yucky my carpet looked before) 


Amazing right?  

Want to see it in action?  I made a video, just for you!  

(Note, I am not at all a videographer and do not know how to edit these, so there are two parts to the video, the before and the after.) 


After:

After washing
I keep a spray bottle filled with the stain remover to treat any stains before washing.  I keep a stick and an old toothbrush by the sink.  After I am doing spraying diapers I simply spray some of the stain remover on to the diaper, rub the diaper together, rinse, and toss into the diaper pail.  It only takes about a minute and ensures stain free diapers.  Any stains that do not come out right away will fade with every wash.  

The instructions state to wet the stick and rub on the stain.  I find it easier to wet the stained area and rub the stick on it. Either way, it works.  Also, a little goes a LONG way.  It only takes a quick rub from the stick and then a little scrub to get a nice lather on the diaper (or other material).  After lathering rinse and enjoy your stain-free item.  Toss in the wash and check to see if the stain is gone.  If it is not (which may happen) treat the stain again and let sit for a couple hours before rinsing.  

This stuff is seriously amazing!  It is also made of natural ingredients with no harsh chemicals.  It contains eucalyptus oil too, which I absolutely love the smell of.  

BUT, Don't take my word for it, try it out for yourself!   Kelly's Closet sells these wonderful stain removers.    


Enter to win your own stain sticks!  



Saturday, September 13, 2014

Miss Lily's Washing Powder

Miss Lily's Washing Powder



A little over a month ago my friend Kristen entered a giveaway for Miss Lily's Washing Powder.  It popped up on my Facebook and I felt the need to try it out myself.  Guess who the lucky winner was?  That is right, me!  I was so excited.  About a week later the owner, Jill, posted she was looking for bloggers to write reviews for her products and get her product out to more people.  I thought this was the perfect opportunity for me.  After all, I did just win some of her product, so I had the supplies needed to write a review.

After receiving the product I could not wait to get the laundry started.  Laundry is one chore that is not really a chore for me.  I find it some what therapeutic. We dirty clothes, they go into the wash, and come out clean.  Folding clothes and hanging them all in their place gives that sense of order.  Having a child in cloth diapers adds to the laundry.  I wash diapers every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.  It has been a month using the washing powder and I still have half a bag left.

For a normal wash I add three tablespoons of washing powder (you would use less if you have an HE washer).  Miss Lily's recommends using 1-4 depending on load size and the machine itself.  I sprinkle the powder in the machine, add the clothes and turn it on.  With diapers I add the detergent, add the diapers and set the machine for "whitest whites" (after reading my manual and some trial and error this setting works best for us.)  turn the temp to hot/cold, add an extra rinse, and turn it on.

Miss Lily's washing powder works great for getting out stains and for people who have hard water. When I wash Charlotte's diapers they always come out clean and smelling fresh.  The washing powder does have the fragrance of your choice, but I can't smell any type of scent on my clothes after they are dry.  They simply smell clean.


Up until I received the Miss Lily's Washing Powder I was using Rockin' Green.  Both of the detergents are great for hard water.  They both come in scented and unscented formulas (and Miss Lily's has a wide variety of scents).  I have noticed that Rockin Green often has chunks of detergent that I need to break up so I can accurately measure.  The washing powder seems smoother and does not have any chunks in them at all.  
The packaging of the product could be better as right now it is just in a gallon size Ziploc bag inside a little sac (which is cute and Charlotte started putting toys in and carries around like a little purse.) I also took a marker and wrote on the bags the scent because I can't really tell them apart.  Those are my only complaints, and neither affect the actual product performance. 

Since starting cloth diapering I have tried making my own detergent twice, I have used Tide, Rockin' Green, Grovia detergent, and Bum Genius detergent.  Of all of these I had liked the Rockin Green the best.  Now, I am thinking about switching.  I have one bag of Rockin' Green left.  After that is used I will be using Miss Lily's washing powder.

Want to try Miss Lily's Washing Powder?  Now is your chance!  Enter below.  The winner will receive 2 bags of Miss Lily's Washing Powder directly from Miss Lily's and will also be able to choose their favorite scent.  Winner will be announced on 09/17/2014.



The Ingredients include Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Percarbonate, Sodium Borate Decahydrate, Essential Oils (essential oil version only), Fragrance Oils (scented version only). 

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Birthday Giveaway Day 7: Prefolds and cover

Yay!  It is September!  This is my birthday month.  In honor of my birthday I am having a huge giveaway.  All of you get to enjoy my birthday month as well.  Enjoy over $300 worth of prizes.






When I first started thinking about cloth diapering, my husband was hesitant because he thought about the "old fashion" style of diapers with pins.  When I started I started with Grovia AI2.  I then found pockets.  They became my number one go to diaper.  Through Kelly's Closet I received free diapers and this broadened my knowledge of styles of diapers.  When I became pregnant with my daughter I purchased a bunch of AIO newborn diapers thinking they would be easier.  They were of course.  My husband loved them because he didn't have to stuff diapers.  Then I took the Flats and Hand-washing Challenge and learned about flats and pre-folds. After the challenge I packed all of my microfiber inserts into a bin and put them in the closet.  I liked the absorbency and the ease of washing that came with the natural fibers in the flats and pre-folds.  (although my husband refuses to fold and stuff diapers now.)   A few months ago I helped do laundry for one of my friends right after she had a baby.  In her diaper stash she had these bamboo pre-folds made by Grovia and I decided I needed to try them.  When I got home I bought one pack at first.  She told me she uses the size 2, so that is what I bought.  Size 2 is recommended for infants.  I mostly use these stuffed in my pockets, but they are awesome.  Trim and absorbent.  



The Snappi-  Last year I won a pack of Snappis at the Great Cloth Diaper Change.  They sat unopened until this year when I did the Flats and Hand-washing Challenge.  These things are awesome.  They have plastic hooks on each end and fasten to the diaper to hold it in place.  They are pretty easy to figure out after a couple of tries.  

Here are pictures from Snappi's website on how to use these.  


Hook Left
Hook Right
Hook Center













Included in today's giveaway is a Rumparooz OS diaper cover  in Powder color, one pack of 3 Snappis, and one pack of 3 Grovia Pre-folds, Size 2.    




Saturday, September 6, 2014

Birthday giveaway Day 6: Breastfeeding

Yay!  It is September!  This is my birthday month.  In honor of my birthday I am having a huge giveaway.  All of you get to enjoy my birthday month as well.  Enjoy over $300 worth of prizes.


Day 6: Breastfeeding

Today we have another breastfeeding theme giveaway.  As you may or may not know, I am still breastfeeding my daughter.  After a few struggles we are still going.  I want to be able to give to other moms who are breastfeeding as well and encourage this natural and beautiful way to nourish our babies.  

Included in today's giveaway is an Udder Covers nursing cover, a nursing bracelet, two Mother's Lounge nursing pads, a sample of Lansinoh lanolin cream, a sample of Lansinoh storage bags, and a Medela coupon for help with breastfeeding.  Retail Value of $60. 



Friday, September 5, 2014

Birthday Giveaway Day 5 FLASH: BG 4.0

Yay!  It is finally September!  This is my birthday month.  In honor of my birthday I am having a huge giveaway.  All of you get to enjoy my birthday month as well.  Enjoy over $300 worth of prizes.


Day 5: Facebook FLASH giveaway

Today's giveaway is for a Bum Genius 4.0 Aplix Mirror pocket diaper.  

"Like," Share our Facebook post, comment on it, Tag your friends.   Bonus entry if your friend tags you back.  

This giveaway is for today only!  September 5, 2014.  Ends at 9 p.m. EST and winner will be announced right here on the blog tomorrow.  Make sure to check back tomorrow to see if you won and for a new prize giveaway!




And the winner is Madie Ranae!  


Congratulations Madie, please contact me within 24 hours with your address.  


Thursday, September 4, 2014

Birthday Giveaway day 4: Bum Genius

Yay!  It is September!  This is my birthday month.  In honor of my birthday I am having a huge giveaway.  All of you get to enjoy my birthday month as well.  Enjoy over $300 worth of prizes.



Day 4: Bum Genius Newborn AIO white diaper

Are you expecting?  Know someone who is?  Share this giveaway with them.  Bum Genius newborn diapers are perfect for your newborn.  They are convenient because they are all in one.  No stuffing, no covers and prefolds.  The aplix also makes it easy to get that perfect fit.




Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Birthday Giveaway Day 3 Breastfeeding

Yay!  It is finally September!  This is my birthday month.  In honor of my birthday I am having a huge giveaway.  All of you get to enjoy my birthday month as well.  Enjoy over $300 worth of prizes.




As part of my switch to using more cloth, this included cloth nursing pads.  I love the Bamboobies cloth nursing pads because they are very soft and lined with PUL to prevent leaking through your shirt.  The overnights are great for the early months of breastfeeding when the flow may be a bit heavier.  The clever heart shape helps to hug the breast and reduce lumping or showing through shirts.  This pack of nursing pads includes 3 pair of regular pads and one pair of overnight pads, with a retail value of $25.  

In addition to the nursing pads, the winner will also receive a coupon for a free breastfeeding class online through Medela.  Valued at $25.  


Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Day 2: Bum Genius Freetime Chaplin diaper

Yay!  It is finally September!  This is my birthday month.  In honor of my birthday I am having a huge giveaway.  All of you get to enjoy my birthday month as well.  Enjoy over $300 worth of prizes.



Day 2: Bum Genius Freetime Chaplin diaper

Today's givveaway is on Facebook.  Birthday Giveaway Day two. Facebook giveaway. "Like"https://www.facebook.com/AMomsAdventure "Like" this post, and share it. Tag your friends for even more entries.


Monday, September 1, 2014

Birthday Giveaway: Day 1 Spray Pal and Sprayer

Yay!  It is finally September!  This is my birthday month.  In honor of my birthday I am having a huge giveaway.  All of you get to enjoy my birthday month as well.  Enjoy over $300 worth of prizes.



Day 1:  Spray Pal and diaper sprayer

I have to start the birthday giveaway with my most favorite cloth diaper accessory ever!  I use my Sprayer and Spray Pal daily and when I go away and do not have it I miss it dearly.  I love it so much I want to be able to share with one lucky person!


Spray Pal is not only awesome because of how much it easier it makes cleaning diapers, but also the company itself is awesome.  Spray Pal is owned and operated by a mom and her husband.  They have a little girl and little boy.  The youngest was born premature and needs special care, but do not tell him that.  Jen posted a video on Facebook of sweet 2.0 (her nickname for him) playing on a sit and spin.  He had the biggest smile.  Click here for more information about the Spray Pal Family.  Buying a Spray Pal will help make your life easier and benefit this wonderful family.

Check out my reviews of these products Here


Enter below to win a Spray Pal and a Aquaus Diaper Sprayer.












Check back daily for more giveaways!  Every day until the 15th a new giveaway will be posted on the blog.  Enter and share with all of your friends.  Winners will be announced on the 17th.  Prizes from the sponsors will be mailed directly from them.






Disclaimer: This blog contains affiliate links.  The affiliates in no way affect my opinion.  All reviews are based on my personal opinion regardless of sponsors.