Homemade dog treats

The holidays are just about passed and we can move on to our hopes for 2013! I love Christmas and New Year celebrations. The family and fun and warmth that comes with everyone gathering together to eat and fellowship is something I always look forward to.
This year I made it a goal of mine to try to make most of my gifts to save money. Gifts are so much more personal if you make them to suit the person receiving them. Along with my gifts to family, this year, I decided to include the pooches in the family. I made bone shaped cutout biscuits and sent them off with a little toy. I had trouble finding a recipe I liked( I wanted a recipe without peanut butter) so, I just threw something together.
  Here is the recipe I used:
3 cups flour
1 cup quick oats
1 Tsp sugar
1 Tsp baking powder
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 Cup hot water
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese3
1 egg

Dissolve the bouillon cubes the the hot water.
Mix dry ingredients.
Add water and egg and cheese.
Mix until combined.
Turn out onto floured counter and knead until smooth dough comes together.
Roll out to desired thickness and cut out.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in pre heated oven at 325· for about 20 minutes (depending on thickness and how crunchy you want them to be)
*I baked mine for 18 minutes and they were about 1/4 inch thick and they came out a little crunchy.
Enjoy!

Speaking of pooches, check out Helping Hands pet rescue. They work hard to save pets lives! (:

Emu In The Incubator

 Of all the pets we have now or have had in the past(we've had lots!), my favorites Will have to be our emu. We've had them since they were hatchlings, and have bonded with them so much since then(2 years)!



Hubby Playing with Our Emu

  Our dogs love them to as they were raised with them from pups. Originally we bought 2 emu hatchlings as a pair, Male and female, with intentions to breed them and incubate the eggs. 2 years later, we have come to the conclusion that we have 2 males! (Male emus make a grunting noise when they are matured and females make a deep drumming noise. We have 2 grunters!)
 This week we found 2 female emu for sale and had to get them. Now our boys finally have mates!



Emu Playing

  I'm Thrilled to be able to start incubating emu eggs. Emu are by far the cutest chicks in my opinion.
We've done our reading (and googling!) and found out the exact temps and humidity levels needed in order to hatch healthy chicks. If you think you may want to incubate emu eggs in the future, read on!(:
 The Ideal Temperature for incubating emu eggs is 96.5 to 97.0 degrees Fahrenheit.(The Temperature needs to stay at a steady temp. Not like chicken eggs that can have a successful hatch rate at varying temps)
 The Humidity level should be around 70-75 degrees. (Keep a small bowl of water in the incubator for humidity)
 Turn the eggs 2-3 times every day.(you can mark an X with a pencil on one side of the egg so you can remember which eggs have been turned)
With chicken eggs, you could continue to turn the eggs until they begin to hatch. Emu eggs on the other hand Should not be rotated after day 41 or so. The chicks are preparing to emerge from their shells during this time!After 43-50 days in the incubator, your emu chicks should be here!
 I am so excited to see our chicks hatch. We only just put them in the incubator, and I already cant wait!

Powder Laundry Detergent

 A few days ago I had sorted my laundry and had everything ready for a load ready to wash. I started the water and began adding the clothes. When I grabbed my detergent jug, it was empty! Nooo! I didn't have time to make my good ole' liquid laundry detergent so, I had to manage. I pulled out my box of washing soda, borax and a couple bars of Ivory soap and started grating..

 I've always been skeptical when it comes to powder laundry detergent. Will it clean my clothes? Does it all dissolve without leaving residue on my laundry?
 All Skepticism aside, I mixed 2 grated bars Ivory soap, 2 cups Borax, 2 cups Washing soda and 2 cups Purex Tropical Splash Crystals in a bowl and poured the mixture into a jar. That's it! I used 2 Tablespoons for a large load and the clothes were clean and smelled  fantastic! This will last me a while (:

More Pallet Creations

We finally finished our coffee table and dog house made from repurposed pallets. These both cost us $0!
I hope these inspire you to create upcycled treasures of your own!(:

Freezer Portions Bags

 So, the other day I was talking with my Mom about these neat perfect portions freezer bags that I had been wanting to try. I mean, it's a great idea!
 While trying to describe them to my Mom I said, " you know, they're just like those sandwich baggies" . DING! A little light bulb illuminated above my head. Why pay $7 for 45 baggies from the store with a fancy label when I can pay $2 for 150 sandwich baggies?

    They work GREAT! It's so nice to be able to freeze lots of chicken thighs or whatever needs freezing in one big freezer bag. Whenever I need to thaw them out they thaw MUCH faster when they can be separated. I love this idea and hope you will too!(:

{Simply}Humidify

 Aaahhhhh...There's nothing better to bring you into Fall like the aroma of Oranges and Cinnamon in the air. I remember as a kid this smell gave me the urge to curl up by the fireplace all day!

 This cooler weather has had us running our heater some nights. It's nice to stay warm, but the dry air takes a tole on us! Sure, we could buy a fancy schmancy air humidifier, but I like this trick better, and I think you will too. (:
 My Mom always had a small pot of water with orange peel and a cinnamon stick simmering on the stove at home during the fall and winter. As a kid, I thought she did this to make the entire house smell yummy and cozy! Those two are a huge plus, but it really helps to put moisture back into the air. It wasn't until I had my own place and went an entire winter without our "humidifier" that I realized how great this little trick works.Now, I've made it sort of a tradition to simmer orange or apple peel and a cinnamon stick and sometimes a few whole cloves when fall comes around. Try it! You might find that you love it too. (:

Be Re purposful!

 OK, I'll admit it....I've gone a little overboard with up cycling nowadays. But I just can't help myself. The thought of using something that has retired from its original purpose for something new is so exciting!
 Because re purposing is becoming such a popular trend, it's so much fun to share ideas. With Pinterest and Google, it makes it so easy to find great tutorials and recipes for neat things just by typing in one word. The ideas people come up with are amazing! My most recent obsession is with wooden pallets. My husband gets them for free from his work, so there's no money being wasted on my experiments if they turn out to be a flop.
 So far, I've had a few successful creations!
A spice rack


Pallet Garden


Garden Boxes


Our Tortoise Pen



I'm working on a coffee table now. {When I say "I'm", I mean MY vision and my Husbands handy work) (:

There is so much you can do with wooden pallets. Just use your imagination!

Freezer Biscuits

Here lately I've found myself jonesin' for a hot homemade biscuit with butter and syrup. Growing up we had lots of these! Too many biscuits for dinner promised yummy snacks the next day. My Mom would cut them in half, top with a pat of butter and broil until their golden and crispy....Y-U-M-M! Or, my husbands favorite..topped with homemade sausage gravy. The possibilities are endless.
  Sure, it's easier to grab a can from the fridge, pop it open and put them on a pan (I can't say I don't do it from time to time). But there just isn't anything quite like a warm homemade biscuit (:
Once you've made biscuits from scratch, you might wonder how on earth the canned biscuits get fluffy and buttery after sitting in a can for who knows how long. I haven't got a clue.
So, I thought I would share an easy way to have biscuits on hand for half the cost... Freezer biscuits!

Find your favorite recipe for homemade biscuits. I love this recipe. After many attempts(and many failures!) I finally found a recipe that I love. 

All you need to do:
~Prepare your biscuit dough
~Cut out biscuits
~Place them on a lightly floured cookie sheet
~Put them in the freezer for abut 1 1/2 hours or until they are firm.
~Take them off of the pan
~Toss them in a freezer bag and there you go!

Now, you have biscuits when you need them without all of the mess.
When your ready to use them, just take them from the freezer and bake as the recipe says.

*(Depending on your recipe and the size of your biscuits, you may have to change the cooking time. With the recipe I use it says to bake for 12-14 minutes. But for the biscuits straight from the freezer, I usually bake them for about 20-22 minutes)*

I hope you enjoy them!

Plant Terrariums(:

Lately, I've been in a planting mood. I'd say I've gone a little crazy for plant containers.
I have jars and canisters that I have been meaning to toss but never got around to it. I'm glad I put it off! I did my best to re-use them for indoor planters. They're great for indoors because they don't leak water and the plants I have in them can tolerate being inside without direct sunlight.
Here is my adventure! (These are awesome for succulent plants and cacti)
I used an old canning jar that is missing a lid and one of my canisters that I don't use.

What you need to get started:
~Pebbles or rocks(I used fishtank pebbles)
~Some sort of container like a glass bowl or a fish bowl
~Soil(use soil that's reccomended for the plants you choose. (For succulents, make sure you use substrate or soil that stays well drained)
~ Plants!(be sure to pick plants that do well with well drained soil and filtered sunlight.)

1.Take the container of your choosing and fill the bottom  with a layer of pebbles. {The pebbles allow the water to drain from the soil and prevent root rot}
2.On top of the pebbles, layer your soil/substrate. If you like, do a few layers of soil and pebbles.(I did this with my canister.)
3.Plant. Try not to over plant your container(you want to give the little guys room to grow!)
4. For a jazzy look, you can lay a layer of pebbles on the top layer around the plants.

I did my research and got a lot of ideas from these sites!

The Chicks Are Here!(:

Ahhh! The anticipation is over! I've turned the eggs twice every day, monitored the temperature at a steady 100 degrees, kept a water dish filled for moisture and just been plain thrilled to watch this proccess! A few days ago I put an egg to my ear and was so excited to hear a "cheep cheep" from the inside. Our chicks are hatching as we speak. (:

A few days ago (21 days to be exact) we started up an incubator and have slowly been filling it up. We've been gathering fertile eggs from family for weeks now and are finally seeing success.
It's hard to believe these eggs develope a little chick inside in just 21 days!

We decided to incubate eggs so we'll have a new flock of laying hens ready by next spring. There are coco marans, barred rock, silkies, americaunas and more in the incubator. I'm hoping they ALL hatch! It's so much fun to gather eggs of different color and size from a coop. I just can't wait to cook up a miniature egg. (: My Mom used to boil miniature chicken eggs for me when I was a kid and I can't wait to do the same for my Lilly Mae!

Easy and Safe Homemade cleaners!

You'll be surprised by how many household cleaning products you have in your kitchen. Some of them, you probably didn't even know about!

When you think vinegar, you probably picture coloring easter eggs, or chomping down on a pickle. Hopefully after reading this, vinegar will be a thought to remind you of clean toilet bowls, sanitized countertops, clear windows and soft clothes. Paired with these other few ingredients, vinegar will do wonders for your home and your wallet.

Vinegar doesn't stand alone in the line of homemade household cleaners. Following it are Baking Soda, Borax and a wash rag.(:

Here are a few recipes and tips I use and I hope you can do the same.

I've shared the all-purpose cleaner I use.

  
    Bathroom cleaners-
Toilet bowl- Spray vinegar in toilet bowl. Scrub and flush!

Spray shower walls and curtain with vinegar to prevent mildew.

Clean soap build-up on faucets by mixin 1 part salt to 4 parts vinegar. Apply, scrub and rinse.

To remove soap and water stains, mix 1 1/2 cups baking soda with 1/2 cup liquid soap and 1/2 cup water. Mix well then add 2 Tbls vinegar. Put small amount on wash rag, scrub bathtub and sink .Rinse!

  For a cream cleaner to clean ceramic sinks and tubs, mix 1 3/4 cups baking soda with 2/3 liquid soap. Store in squeeze bottle.

   Kitchen cleaners-
To get rid of odors from sink drains- Pour 1 cup cinegar down drain. Let sit 1 hour before rinsing.

Un-clogg drains- pour 1/2 cup baking soda down drain then 1/2 cup vinegar. When bubbling stops, rinse with warm waer.

Clean Microwave-
Mix 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup vinegar in small microwave safe bowl. Microwave until water boils.remove and wipe out microwave.

Remove odors in garbage can- sprinkle 1/2 cup baking soda in bottom of can before adding bag.

Get rid of the smell of burnt food in kitchen-Boil water with several tablespoons of vinegar.

Dish Washer Detergent- Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda with 1 tablespoon borax.
Carpet-

Remove odors from carpet- Mix 2 cups baking soda with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Sprinkle on carpet. Let sit at least 1 hour. Vaccuum.

Carpet spills/stains- Absorb liquid from carpet with towel. Spray mixture of half water half vinegar onto stain/spill. Set 2 minutes. Blot with towel. Repeat if needed.

   Laundry-
Remove stains- Rub with vinegar. Wash.

Add 1/2 cup vinegar to rinse cycle. This soften clothes, brightens colors, decreases lint and freshens! (Your clothes will not smell like vinegar.)

I use borax and washing soda in the recipe for homemade laundry deterget I use. They are great cleaners and stain fighters!

    A few random household uses-

Remove stickers from places they aren't wanted- moisten sticker with vinegar. Let sit 10 minutes. Blot with sponge or towl. Repeat until sticker is gone.

Get rid of odor in a room-
place small bowl of vinegar in room over night. The smell will be gone!

Window cleaner-Equal parts water and white vinegar mix in a spray bottle. Spray on window and wipe away with newspaper or towel.

Hate the lingering smell of onions after chopping them for cooking? Wipe your hands with vinegar after chopping vegetables or fruits to get rid of the smell and aso stains from fruit!

I hope you can use these tips and recipes. They're so cheap and easy to use. Also, they won't leave you breathless from the smell of harsh chemicals.

I find a lot of my recipes from:
Diylife.com
Thenewhomemaker.com
Home.howstuffworks.com

They have great tips and ideas!(:

Easy Croutons Or Bread Crumbs

 

 

At the end of every loaf of bread I seem to always be left with  2 ends and sometimes even a few stale pieces.
 If I'm feeling lazy, I tend to throw them to my chickens for a treat, but if I have the time, I love to make croutons or bread crumbs depending on which I need. I love fresh croutons. They are so simple and yummy.

Here is what you'll need:
 Leftover bread (I used 31/2 slices)
 1 Tbls butter melted
 1 Tsp Italian seasoning
 1/2 Tsp garlic powder

**You can use whatever seasonings you want to alter the recipe to your liking. :)***

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Mix melted butter, Garlic powder and Italian Seasoning until combined.

Brush butter mixture onto front and back of bread slices. (* Don't Saturate with butter just brush on lightly*)

Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Stick in oven for about an hour or so. Turn them over once in between.

I tend to put them in the oven and fold laundry or get things ready for dinner. Once I start to smell Yummy Garlic aromas I know its about time for me to take them out. I usually just poke them a little and if they feel hard like a crouton their ready!

Remove them from the oven and let them cool for a minute or so.
If your making croutons, cut them in squares or break them up for a more rustic look (;
For bread crumbs, simply crumble them up.
 There you go! Croutons & bread crumbs.

Enjoy!

Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

 If you are like me, you love a clean house, but not necessarily the "clean" smell of bleach, I think you'll like to try this recipe I found for all purpose cleaner. It gets the job done without leaving a harsh smell and hurting your skin. Your probably have all the ingredients in your pantry already!

Here is what you will need.
1 cup water
3/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup alcohol
10 drops essential oil(optional.(any scent you like))
Spray bottle


Pour all ingredients into your spray bottle. Shake, and get to cleaning!

I love this cleaner. It does a great job with getting things clean and leaves a nice shine. If you want to use it as a mop cleaner for your floors, add a couple squirts of dish detergent. You can either pour about 1 cup into a mop bucket and add water, or spray directly on your floor and wipe up with a towel. (Test a small part of your floor before you do an entire area)

Vinegar is a natural disinfectant, so I know the germs will be gone. Another plus, it costs about $1.20 to make. ( that's because it costs $1 for a new bottle!) And all this time you had all purpose cleaner in your pantry and you didn't even know it. (:

**Be sure to clearly label all of your homemade cleaners and detergents**

Tilapia

 We finally took the plunge and bought Tilapia fingerlings to start our Tilapia colony! How cool will it be to go to the back yard and grab up a fish for dinner ? I can't wait.
They were so darn cheap we just couldn't pass it up. At $.35 each, there isn't a better deal out there. We bought 30.
 It's so cheap to feed them, and their is minimal upkeep . We have them in a 55 gallon barrel with a filter and aerator right now and we're hoping to have a pond for them by the time they are about 5 inches long.

Why grow your own Tilapia? For many reasons! First of all, they will be organic and free of the many hormones aquaculture farms use to choose the sex of the fish(they do this to make all of the fish males to prevent breeding and overpopulation). Also, it will be cheaper. We paid $10 for 30 tilapia. Some we will grow to eat and the rest will be our breeders for the future! That's a lot of savings considering it only costs $8 per month to feed them. Tilapia grow and reproduce so fast, we won't have to wait around for very long before being able to have a fresh fillet.They are ready to eat at just 5 months old! They breed at just 3 months old so we will always have a constant supply not only for us but for family and friends . I'm thrilled to be able to provide fish for my family without leaving my property!(:

PopCorn

 If you have ever been curious and cut open a bag of butter popcorn, you may want to try this. Not only is this popcorn recipe better for you, it's cheaper too. I found this recipe online the other day, and just had to share! I hope you enjoy it.
 Here is what you need.

1 small paper bag
1/4 cup Corn Kernels
About 1 Tsp. Olive oil
Salt to taste

 Place Corn Kernels in small bowl

Drizzle with Oil and salt. Toss to coat all kernels.

Pour Kernels into a paper bag.

Fold opening 3 times to seal.

Place in microwave with fold side down to stay closed.
Microwave on high for about 2-3 minutes or until there are 5 seconds between pops.

Remove from microwave and pour into bowl.

So simple and healthy. Enjoy!(:

DIY Laundry Detergent

 If you are looking for ways to cut corners and save money, here is a recipe I think you will like. I started making my own laundry detergent about 2 months ago, and I can't believe I haven't tried it before. It's so easy and saves us A LOT of money each month.
 Here is a recipe I use. I read alot about homemade laundry detergent, compared recipes and found this works best for us. You can tweak this recipe any way you like to make it your own. There are so many different ways to make this. If you don't like using liquid detergents, try powder detergents...yes, you can even make homemade powder laundry detergent!

 Liquid Detergent~
 Here is what you will need...

 

{ If you don't want to use fels-Naptha bar soap, you can also try Ivory soap.}

 Grate 1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap

Bring A large pot of water to boil.

 Add Grated soap.
Stir Continuously until completely dissolved

 Once soap is dissolved, Pour mixture into a large bucket.( I used a 5 Gallon Bucket with a lid)

Measure 2 cups each of Borax and Washing Soda.

 Add to bucket and stir until dissolved.

Add more hot water and continue to stir.

 Fill bucket up the rest of the way with hot water and yep... stir some more. (;

Let sit until it is cooled, and cover or put a lid on it. Let is sit over night.
It will gel, so you will need to mix it before using it.

I pour mine into detergent bottles that I have saved up.
Use about 1/2 cup per full load of laundry.

This detergent will last you a long time. Before making my own, I would buy detergent and softener at the store for $8 each! That's $32 every month. It costs me about $1.50 for 5 GALLONS. Yes $1.50 for 5 Gallons of laundry detergent! This will last me several months. That's Saving (:

Does homemade detergent clean clothes?? Yes. This stuff is tough and gets everything clean. From my husbands work clothes, to Dirty cloth diapers, it gets the job done.  I found alot of my recipes from Tipnut.com you can find lots of great stuff there!

Creamer For Your Coffee?

 If you are an avid coffee drinker like me, you'll love this recipe. I love my coffee with a little sugar and LOTS of creamer! I used to like the powder kind of creamer and I would add some milk. Once I discovered the yummy liquid creamer, there was no going back. It's not the cheapest coffee accessory. The good coffee creamers like Coffee Mate and International Delight are very yummy, but not so wallet friendly. I think I pay around $2.50 for a small bottle of store bought creamer. Here is a recipe I concocted. It tastes just like vanilla Coffee Mate coffee creamer and is so simple! It costs me about $1.50 to make 2 bottles of coffee creamer(about4.5 cups). That saves me around $3.50!

In a medium bowl, add about 4 cups whole milk and 1 can sweetened condensed milk. Whisk together until combined.


Add 3 Teaspoons Vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.

Tadaa! Simple Vanilla Coffee Creamer. Enjoy.(:

Enough Eggs?

 For our wedding anniversary, my Husband built me a chicken coop a few weeks ago. Talk about a happy wife!(: Some women love diamonds, some love flowers or chocolates(Of course I love these things too from time to time)...to make me happy it's simple, anything that will continue to provide something for me. Weather it be a potted plant, or an animal, I will love it.

 As kids, growing up we always had chickens...I can't remember ever not have chickens. I LOVED collecting eggs every day. The way the chickens always gathered up to eat when they would see me coming with the food bucket always made me smile. Just knowing that every day I could step outside and grab a couple eggs from the chickens I raised gave me a sense of pride even as a kid. It makes me so happy to know my little Lilly Mae will get to do the same!

 So, with my coop built and a fence up for them to roam, it's time to find my hens.
Some of our favorite laying hens are Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Americanas and Buff Orphingtons. These hens are made for laying, and are great at what they do! We have Rhode Island reds, Barred Rocks and Buff Orphingtons so far. I'm looking forward to getting a few Americanas. I love the blue eggs they lay.

Our coop is 5'x5'x6.5'. Because our hens will be in the yard during the day finding bugs and worms and such, they don't need much space in the coop. The coop is just for them to roost at night and lay their eggs. We put 5 nesting boxes in ours and its plenty enough for our hens.

From 5 chickens, we get about 4 eggs a day. They usually lay an egg a day each. Sometimes a few of them will skip a day depending on the heat of the day.

 Before we had our hens,  I would buy a dozen or 18 eggs each week and use them sparingly. I didn't want to run out of eggs and then need them for something and have to go all the way to the supermarket to buy more. There has been more than one occasion where I had all of my ingredients for cake or cookies measured out to find that I had run out of eggs! That's not a problem now. (:

 I figure we spent on average about $14 a month on eggs (that's for regular sized store bought. Not organic or farm raised. "Organic" eggs are more expensive). We pay $12 a month to feed our hens and have more than enough eggs. The best part about it? We know EVERYTHING that goes into our eggs. I'm glad to be able to check that off of my grocery list each month!

Peanut Butter Time!

 I go through a lot of peanut butter at my house. I LOVE a peanut butter and jelly sandwich anytime of day. I was reading the ingredients label on the back of my peanut butter container before I threw it away and was surprised by how many ingredients were listed. I thought...Isn't it just supposed to be peanuts and oil?? So, here is a recipe I threw together after doing some reading on the subject.
If your used to buying peanut butter from the stores, this peanut butter may take some getting used to. After I made this peanut butter, I gave my husband a taste and he said "tastes like peanuts" well of course. It's peanut butter! It tastes alot like.....peanuts. (:

Shell about 2 cups of peanuts. Or buy shelled roasted peanuts from the store. Just try to get unsalted.


Spread onto cookie sheet and Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 for about 8 minutes(or until golden) shaking the pan every 2 minutes to prevent burning.

Remove from oven and cool.

Put roasted peanuts in a food processor.

Add about 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbs honey( you can use whatever sweetener you like. brown sugar, honey, or whatever you decide.)

Process in food processor until it is the consistency you like. For smoother peanut butter, process longer. There you go! Peanut butter.


  Put peanut butter in a jar and store in refrigerator for up to a month.
 You can play with this recipe until you find what best suits your taste. Enjoy and have fun with it!

Cloth Diapers!(:

  If you have a baby, you know how expensive it can be to buy disposable diapers and wipes. How sad does it make you to pay around $10 for 36 diapers, only to be throwing them in the garbage in 1 week? Well, you don't have to! I have been using cloth diapers on my 8 month old daughter, Lilly Mae and I LOVE THEM!
 
  I've tried a few different styles(there are so many!). My favorite happens to be the cheapest: Prefolds. They cost about $11 for a package of 12 and about $8 for a pack of 6 covers. I also love re-usable wipes! My daughter has sensitive skin and most wipes break her little bottom out. I didn't actually buy my reusable wipes. I just had an old cotton T-shirt I was going to toss out, and I just cut it into wipe sized squares. I fill my sink with a little water and add a few drops of baby soap, toss in the wipes and wring them out. I use a wipe container to store them. To me, It's easier to just toss the wipes in the pail with the diapers. And, not to mention less messy. You can just wash them over and over!

 
 I tried the pocket snap cloth diapers and they just weren't for me. But, everybody is different! Try whatever you and your family likes best! When I first got into cloth diapering, I bought one of a few different kinds of diapers and found that I kept going back to the prefolds! I know moms that fell in love with pocket cloth diapers too. Like I said before, choose whatever is best for you.
  There are so many websites that have lots of good deals for new cloth diapers and lots of different types and colors! I also ordered a lot of my diapers and reusable wipes on Ebay. You can find great prices there and usually free shipping!(:

 During the day, I just rinse the dirty diapers and wipes( I hold the diaper into the toilet and flush to clean a poopy diaper. There are diaper sprayers you can buy for about $20 that hook to the toilet for easy cleaning!)  then toss them in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid. (Or, you can buy nice diaper pail from Walmart or Ebay)I like to fill the bucket about half way with water and a tad of laundry detergent. ({Be sure to put the lid on if you have a little one that can reach it}) At the end of the day I pour out excess water and toss them in the wash. Simple as that!

 We save about $45 each month using cloth diapers and wipes. I'm defiantly excited about that!(:  I hope this info was helpful!

A Little About Us

Between prices of food, gas and household products, we spend more and more money each month!
Another factor that doesn't settle well with me, is not knowing everything that goes into store-bought foods and household products like cleaners, detergents packaged meats and boxed and jarred foods.

So, our goal is to be as self-sufficiant as we are able to be by making, growing, or raising everything we can!

I hope you can follow me and my family on our journey to a simpler life!