Making Lifestyle Changes

Some weeks I have no idea what to write. Let's change pace a little and instead of a recipe or tutorial, I'll just "keep it real."

Friday was our 3 year wedding anniversary. As a gift to ourselves, we made a pact to get healthy so we can get as many more years out of our marriage as possible. We got a juicer, found a detox plan, and started running.

I've never been a runner in my life. I've always thought I would like to but I was also a smoker for almost 10 years. Those two things don't really go together. I'm actually coming up on my 2-year-smoke-free anniversary. So back to running. I knew it was going to be hard. I knew I wasn't going to be running miles (or even one) on the first try. I took it slow and went two intervals walking then running. In total I probably ran a half a mile. It's interesting, though, all the things you notice when you run for the first time. I had to think about breathing so I didn't start hyperventilating. That was a chore in itself. Also, my belly jiggles. That was a sort of disturbing experience. And fighting the urge to give up. Because, holy crap, it was almost every second. I kept making myself mini challenges and then going past them. "Make it to the lamp post and you can turn around...ok, now the tree...now the bench...etc" It worked. After making it past the initial super difficult part, it suddenly got a bit easier. So if anyone out there is thinking about starting running, do it! It's not easy and it is going to hurt but the amazing feeling you get afterwards is worth it.

Today officially starts the detox program. Hubby and I are working toward a 15 day vegetable and fruit based detox plan. I'm not sure how it's going to go. It will most likely be difficult. I can already predict my body screaming for carbs. And just for fun-sies, here's a picture of our refrigerator.

In case you were wondering, yes, there are 6 bunches of kale in there. So much green...

The Great Cloth Diaper Change 2013

This was the first year I attended The Great Cloth Diaper Change on April 20. What it is is a grass-roots movement to bring awareness about cloth diapering. It is an event that happens all around the world where an attempt is made to have the most cloth diapers changed. It started in 2011 and the 2012 turnout broke the 2011 Guinness record for most cloth diapers changed at one time.

Here are the guidelines for participation:
 Each participant (adult over the age of 18) must be paired with one child 39 inches or shorter. 

 Each child must be changed into a cloth, reusable diaper that can be purchased online, at a brick & mortar store, or is offered through a diaper service.  It does not matter what type of diaper a child arrives in.

 At the sound of a loud start signal, all participants must remove their child’s diaper and properly put on a 100% reusable cloth diaper.

 Before the signal to start, each participant should hold the clean diaper they will change the baby into high in the air.  The photographer should take “before” shots.

 At the signal to start, each participant should change his or her child’s diaper.  No photographs or video should be taken at this time. 

 When the diaper change is complete, each participant should hold their freshly changed child in the air.  The photographer should take “after shots”.  The timekeeper may determine when all diaper changes have occurred.  There is no set amount of time within which the change should take place.

 Any participant who does not properly complete the task must be deducted from the total.

At our Syracuse location, put on by Basic Baby in the Shoppingtown Mall in DeWitt, there were 48 participants. It was really exciting to see all the other parents cloth diapering and wearing their babies around the mall. I don't get out much and I don't encounter other parents often so it was really nice to see other parents with similar values. I even spotted a couple babywearing daddies. In addition to the change, it was a baby expo. There were lots of vendors for new and expecting parents. We even picked up a new pocket diaper to try by Anibums. (if you click the link, it's the flames diaper!) The woman at Basic Baby assured me it was one of her favorites. It's locally made in Cicero, NY.

Unfortunately, the official numbers for the Guinness record won't be completely totaled until Friday.

DIY: Stay-dry Cloth Diaper Liners

We have been cloth diapering since my son was a few weeks old. It's had its ups and downs and we've learned a lot along the way. With pocket diapers and other modern diapers, wetness isn't an issue, but we were using prefolds and covers and every time he got slightly damp, he screamed in discomfort. This wouldn't really have been a problem except he was peeing every half hour, it seemed. I desperately searched for some way to alleviate his discomfort for a little while longer and discovered stay-dry liners. I purchased a 6 pack for more money than I should have paid. And since they are one use before they need washed, 6 just wasn't enough. I did some research and found that blizzard fleece works just the same way. It allows liquid to pass through and keeps baby's skin separated from the wet diaper. It's quite remarkable how the top stays completely dry while the diaper is soaking wet underneath.

I ended up getting the blizzard fleece from Jo-Ann Fabrics. I purchased half a yard of the white and I had a 50% off coupon. The price per liner ended up being a few cents. I ended up getting about 16 13"x 5.5" liners out of the half a yard. Way better than what I initially paid for the 6. I surged around the edges but that isn't necessary. It will just help them last longer. You could just zigzag stitch or do nothing at all.

Here you can see how nicely the size fits over a prefold in a diaper cover. The size also allows for bigger babies since there is a few inches tucked in.

Stovetop Naan

You don't need a tandoor to make this bread. It's easy to make and you end up with a TON of naan, so I recommend freezing half of the dough for next time.

Here's what you'll need:

1 (.25 oz) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
2. Punch down dough. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
3. Get a large frying pan and place on stovetop at medium heat.
4. Roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Place dough on pan, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Cover with foil while cooking. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.