So we've been a TV free family for quite some time. AND I LOVE IT! But there have been a few things that we have wished we had TV for (mostly church and sports).
So we recently got a ROKU.
Normally we don't endorse specific products or brands here, but this is one thing my family loves.
ROKU (if you've never heard of it) is a little device that sits next to your TV and uses your wifi to stream TV programs from the internet. It costs about $60-$80 to buy, but is free to use forever.
What I love best is that you have to specifically choose a show to watch. There is no channel surfing or flipping from one station to another. You can't mindlessly turn on the tv and sit there for hours switching from one program to the next. You open a station, you choose a show, you choose an episode, you wait for it to load, and you watch it. It is so much more intentional and so much less mindless.
I also love that my kids can't stumble onto "bad" stations. They know exactly which icon will open up PBS Kids. They click on it, and every show available there is safe and kid friendly. So far my kids have only even discovered three channels. BYU-TV, PBS Kids, and Disney Channel. I personally hate Disney sit-coms, so I will be locking-out that channel when the kids aren't looking. But the other two channels are nothing but church and educational programming. It's awesome!
My husband gets his sports and history channel when he needs it, but it's not a constant presence in our house.
So if you are looking for a cable alternative, I totally recommend ROKU. It's TV (which I hate) with limits (which I love!).
Marcia
Showing posts with label product recommendation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label product recommendation. Show all posts
Cloth Diaper Review: BumGenius, GroVia, Bummis, Fuzzibunz, Blueberry, Thirsties
If you're new to the cloth diapering world, those words mean nothing to you. They just sound funny. My kids love how many times variations of the word "bum" appear in all the different diaper brands. :)
So here's a quick recap of my diaper experiment:
I had never used a cloth diaper on any of my kids until pretty recently, when I tried out a few from Diaper Lab. There they have a very cool "Experiment to Own" program, which is super simple: Choose any eight diapers that they sell and take them home and try them out. After two weeks, bring them all back, return whatever you don't like, pay for what you do. It's wonderful.
(See this earlier post for a journal of my two-week cloth diaper experience.)
So as I said, I brought home eight different brands and styles of cloth diapers. I also got a stack of a few different extra inserts: boosters, regular inserts, extra-thick over-nighters. If you're looking for "this one has a longer rise by 3/4" than that one" or "the Velcro/Aplix on this version blah, blah, blah...", then this is not the diaper review for you. This is just me, trying out a new thing, sharing my impressions along the way. This is my beginner's-eye-view of all of it.
Oh, and a note about the photos: they kind of aren't the best, because I almost forgot to take them at all! In fact, I only barely remembered as I was standing at the counter at Diaper Lab, ready to return what I didn't want. I hesitated, weighing my options: do I gather all my kids and the diapers, walk the five blocks to my car which is in metered parking, and hope that I can get good photos there? Okay, maybe not. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I asked the super nice lady behind the counter if it was ok if I took photos with my phone as she was checking everything off the list? Obviously, she said yes.
Bummis Duo Brite Wrap with Duo Brite Insert (blue with circles)
BumGenius 4.0 (light grey)
This one is kind of difficult to snap properly with Baby Boy wiggling all over; I think maybe the snaps are just still stiff because it's brand new? But no leaks, ever.
Thirsties Duo All-In-One (aqua)
Again, I had to put this one in the dryer. It’s just too humid here for hang-drying all-in-one’s in less than 24 hours, which just isn’t an option when you only have 8 diapers. I left this one on Baby Boy the longest – 4.5 hours - and had no problems with leaking.
BumGenius Flip (white)
I used this one overnight a lot. I put the regular BumGenius stay dry insert, along a terry insert as well. The first night I actually had the newborn insert in there too, just because I was nervous about leaks, but it was ridiculously huge, and I was worried about his tiny little legs getting sore from being bowed around the bulk. I decided that no one else stuffs their diapers that much and they do just fine. Everything went great, every time! No leaks, no problems. Both inserts were soaked in front, but strangely dry in back. I’m used to the wetness immediately spreading in a disposable.
One big selling point for Flips is that it's just a PUL cover, with no lining of any kind, so it dries in no time. A lot of times I use this one simply because it's the one that's dry, when all the others are still damp.
My only problem with this one is that about half the time, the elastic waistband of Baby Boy's pj pants flip over inside the top of the diaper, so his pants end up damp around the top. I can avoid this if I remember to pull his pants waistband down an inch or so below the top of the diaper.
Another insert that I rented and returned was the Flip Organic Day Time Insert. This is just a very simple piece of cotton fabric that you fold into quarters to use. Super easy, and because it unfolds to wash, it dries in no time. But I had much the same "bunching" issues as with the Elemental lining. I guess they're just not for me.
The insert I rented and ended up keeping was the Bummis Deluxe Booster. I liked the way its shape fit in with the GroVia diapers, enabling me to use them overnight if I wanted.
So. What did I end up with?
(1) FuzziBunz Perfect Size with Insert
(1) BumGenius 4.0
(3) BumGenius 3.0
(4) BumGenius Flips
(6) BumGenius stay-dry inserts
(6) BumGenius terry inserts
(4) GroVia shells
(6) GroVia soaker pads
And how much did I spend? Not counting the rental fee, around $150. I had been paying about $40 each month for disposables, so before Baby Boy turns one, I'll have come out on top.
I don't see any reason why we won't continue with cloth until Baby Boy becomes Little Boy and is potty trained. It's seriously easy, and it seems like a "good" thing to do, both for my baby and for the environment. Plus, I'll never again have one of those super-late-night runs to the store because I realize I just used the very last diaper in the house. Instead, I just toss a load in the washer.
I've got this.
Kate
So here's a quick recap of my diaper experiment:
I had never used a cloth diaper on any of my kids until pretty recently, when I tried out a few from Diaper Lab. There they have a very cool "Experiment to Own" program, which is super simple: Choose any eight diapers that they sell and take them home and try them out. After two weeks, bring them all back, return whatever you don't like, pay for what you do. It's wonderful.
(See this earlier post for a journal of my two-week cloth diaper experience.)
So as I said, I brought home eight different brands and styles of cloth diapers. I also got a stack of a few different extra inserts: boosters, regular inserts, extra-thick over-nighters. If you're looking for "this one has a longer rise by 3/4" than that one" or "the Velcro/Aplix on this version blah, blah, blah...", then this is not the diaper review for you. This is just me, trying out a new thing, sharing my impressions along the way. This is my beginner's-eye-view of all of it.
Oh, and a note about the photos: they kind of aren't the best, because I almost forgot to take them at all! In fact, I only barely remembered as I was standing at the counter at Diaper Lab, ready to return what I didn't want. I hesitated, weighing my options: do I gather all my kids and the diapers, walk the five blocks to my car which is in metered parking, and hope that I can get good photos there? Okay, maybe not. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I asked the super nice lady behind the counter if it was ok if I took photos with my phone as she was checking everything off the list? Obviously, she said yes.
Bummis Duo Brite Wrap with Duo Brite Insert (blue with circles)
This is the one I expected to love. I wanted it to be the best one. I wanted to buy the cute little green one at
the end of my two weeks. It was my
favorite in the store. But every time I used it, the front of Baby Boy's shorts or pants was damp, or even wet,
because of the way the insert is designed. It is two very thick layers, and the way that it snaps into the cover in the front leaves the second layer on top of the pocket, so it wicks from the top layer, to the outside of the pocket, to the front edge of the waistband.
Such a bummer. I think it would
probably work fabulously for a girl, because the wet part wouldn't all be in the front.
 |
| Outside of Bummis Duo Brite. Simple, lots of snaps. |
 |
| Inside of Duo Brite. Can you see the pocket on the front? (at the bottom in the photo) One layer went in the pocket, One layer went on top, which was where my problem was. |
 |
| Duo Brite with liner. I wish I'd taken a photo of how this snaps in. |
GroVia Shell with
GroVia soaker pad (dark grey)
The first couple of times I used this one, I had a lot of wetness on the inside of the mesh lining, and had to let it dry between uses. I don't know if it started absorbing better (I've read that some cotton inserts need to be washed up to five times, and I only did three) or if I just got better at putting it on him. At any rate, I had no problems with that after the first couple of days.
In fact, this ended up being one of my very favorite diapers that I tried. I loved it so much that I bought three more shells and four more soakers, at the end of my two-week trial.
It is super absorbent but still has a really trim fit, which is nice for a new crawler like mine. I LOVE the Velcro. I’m not sure what’s different about it, but
it just has more sticking power, which I see coming in handy in the toddler
years. This diaper is also way less bulky than
all the others, because the insert has a sort of hourglass shape to it, instead
of being just a large rectangle like all the others. You’d think maybe it wouldn’t absorb as much,
but this "soaker pad" is thick, like at least 6-8 layers of fabric thick, so it does just fine. And it's made in two separate layers, so it dries in the dryer pretty quickly.
In the interest of experimentation, I finally did try this one overnight - I just added the Bummis Deluxe Booster, and the two together were more than adequate for overnight use.
I have found that I reach for this one consistently on the hottest and most humid days. The other diapers that I have chosen to use are just as good in terms of absorption, and not leaking. But this one is the only diaper that doesn't have some kind of fuzzy fabric right against his skin. And personally, fleecy fabric sounds just awful on a hot, wet, summer day.
In the interest of experimentation, I finally did try this one overnight - I just added the Bummis Deluxe Booster, and the two together were more than adequate for overnight use.
I have found that I reach for this one consistently on the hottest and most humid days. The other diapers that I have chosen to use are just as good in terms of absorption, and not leaking. But this one is the only diaper that doesn't have some kind of fuzzy fabric right against his skin. And personally, fleecy fabric sounds just awful on a hot, wet, summer day.
 |
| GroVia with cotton soaker. It snaps in at the front and back. |
 |
| Inside of GroVia. I like the mesh lining, nice and cool for summer! |
 |
| Outside of GroVia. This is some heavy-duty velcro! |
Fuzzibunz Perfect
Size (apricot)
This one is super soft on the inside. Not the same stay-dry lining that most of them have, this is almost a true fleece. So it seems super hot for a Boston summer, but I can see it being nice and cozy in colder weather. (Although, it's not like my baby is complaining about the fleece, this is all me here.) No leaks, and it fits well.
This one is super soft on the inside. Not the same stay-dry lining that most of them have, this is almost a true fleece. So it seems super hot for a Boston summer, but I can see it being nice and cozy in colder weather. (Although, it's not like my baby is complaining about the fleece, this is all me here.) No leaks, and it fits well.
He had a really messy diaper in this one, with no leaks, even though it’d already been on him for 4 hours at the time, so it was very
wet already. I was impressed.
This one worked really well, and I have no complaints except
that since it doesn’t adjust vertically, I’m pretty sure he’s going to outgrow
it. I really like the one-size thing. But it is one of my oldest daughter's favorites, so I kept it, since she averages one diaper change per day, and it seemed reasonable to take her opinions into consideration. She likes the off-set snaps - she thinks it makes for a better fit.
 |
| I don't know if you can see the off-set snaps, or not. Kind of fun. |
 |
| Inside of FuzziBunz with insert. It's a traditional pocket diaper, but with extra soft fleece! |
BumGenius 4.0 (light grey)
This one is kind of difficult to snap properly with Baby Boy wiggling all over; I think maybe the snaps are just still stiff because it's brand new? But no leaks, ever.
It's also a great choice for overnight, since I can stick two inserts into the pocket with ease. I use one insert and one rise-snap for day, and two inserts and no rise-snaps for night.
I love the lining in this one. Soft and comfy, but not straight out fleece. And I like stuffing the diaper
ahead of time and just being done. Just
grab the one thing at diaper changing time.
The 4.0 has become one of my first choices. If it’s in the basket, I’m probably going to
grab it. It fits well, and I can use it for day or overnight.
 |
| Inside of 4.0 You can see the opening for the pocket here. Lots of room for whatever you want to stuff it with! |
 |
| Outside of 4.0 Tons of snaps, for the perfect fit. My nephew says this one looks "sci-fi." :) |
 |
| Top: newborn insert. Bottom: regular terry insert. I snapped one rise snap to show how it can be adjusted to match the rise snaps of the diaper. |
Blueberry Basix
(giraffes)
I had to put in the dryer to get it to dry fast enough, every time. This was a deal breaker for me. I need to wash them before I go to bed, hang them all up, and have everything be dry in the morning. It’s the most adorable diaper I tried, though. Those giraffes are just so cute!
I had to put in the dryer to get it to dry fast enough, every time. This was a deal breaker for me. I need to wash them before I go to bed, hang them all up, and have everything be dry in the morning. It’s the most adorable diaper I tried, though. Those giraffes are just so cute!
Somehow Baby Boy timed about half of his poops to be in this diaper. I have no idea. But the fleece lining has no stains at all, which is great.
I never used this one overnight. I tried sticking an extra insert in, and it was
cartoonishly huge. I suppose it’s
possible that it’d be absorbent enough on its own, but I’m not brave enough to
try. I like the peace of mind that comes
with that extra liner, and I’m not willing to risk a middle-of-the-night change
just for the sake of the experiment (if that makes me a bad scientist, so be
it).
If I could get it to dry overnight, I would love this diaper. It has a really innovative design, with the lining that partially pulls out, but is still connected. This feature does, admittedly, help lessen the drying time considerably. The other two all-in-one's took 36 hours or so to dry.
 |
| Outside of Blueberry. What an adorable diaper! |
If I could get it to dry overnight, I would love this diaper. It has a really innovative design, with the lining that partially pulls out, but is still connected. This feature does, admittedly, help lessen the drying time considerably. The other two all-in-one's took 36 hours or so to dry.
 |
| Inside of Blueberry, with insert pulled out. I had to fold it to get it in the photo, but hopefully you can see how it's attached at the front? |
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| Inside of Blueberry, with insert inside pocket. |
Thirsties Duo All-In-One (aqua)
Again, I had to put this one in the dryer. It’s just too humid here for hang-drying all-in-one’s in less than 24 hours, which just isn’t an option when you only have 8 diapers. I left this one on Baby Boy the longest – 4.5 hours - and had no problems with leaking.
It handled a regular wet diaper like a champ. I wonder about poops though – there’s an
opening at the waist in front and back, and it seems like it’d be tough to
clean.
I never tried this one at night. Same reason as with the Blueberry Basix.
 |
| Outside of Thirsties. It's a great little diaper, it just takes FOREVER to dry. |
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| Inside of Thirsties. See all that padding? Yeah, that's the problem. |
BumGenius Flip (white)
I used this one overnight a lot. I put the regular BumGenius stay dry insert, along a terry insert as well. The first night I actually had the newborn insert in there too, just because I was nervous about leaks, but it was ridiculously huge, and I was worried about his tiny little legs getting sore from being bowed around the bulk. I decided that no one else stuffs their diapers that much and they do just fine. Everything went great, every time! No leaks, no problems. Both inserts were soaked in front, but strangely dry in back. I’m used to the wetness immediately spreading in a disposable.
One big selling point for Flips is that it's just a PUL cover, with no lining of any kind, so it dries in no time. A lot of times I use this one simply because it's the one that's dry, when all the others are still damp.
My only problem with this one is that about half the time, the elastic waistband of Baby Boy's pj pants flip over inside the top of the diaper, so his pants end up damp around the top. I can avoid this if I remember to pull his pants waistband down an inch or so below the top of the diaper.
Flips are tied for my favorite for overnight (along with BumGenius 3.0 and 4.0). Easy to add to. Straightforward. I just leave all the rise snaps undone to
accommodate the extra bulk.
 |
| Inside of Flip. No nonsense, just a simple PUL cover. |
 |
| Stay-Dry insert. Never had a leak when I've used this one: alone for day, with another for night. |
 |
| Outside of Flip. Same snaps as the 4.0, so easy to make it fit perfectly. |
BumGenius Elemental
All-In-One (green)
When I first was looking at all my different options, this one seemed the least neat and streamlined; the lining doesn’t adjust, and is attached at both ends but hangs loose inside. It seemed like it’d be bunchy in weird places since I can’t put it exactly where I want it. I saved it for last when I first went through all the diapers.
When I first was looking at all my different options, this one seemed the least neat and streamlined; the lining doesn’t adjust, and is attached at both ends but hangs loose inside. It seemed like it’d be bunchy in weird places since I can’t put it exactly where I want it. I saved it for last when I first went through all the diapers.
And my instincts were right. This one leaked. Every. Single. Time. No matter what I did, how I folded or adjusted it, it was always bunched up like this photo when I took it off. Poop seems like it'd be disastrous - I'm so glad I never had to deal with it.
I used this one the least. Not only did I not like it because it kept bunching up and leaking all over, but it takes a couple of days to dry. Definitely my least favorite. After the first week, I didn't use it again.
I'm not going to say it's a bad diaper. Obviously it works for other people with their babies. In fact, one of the ladies at Diaper Lab said it's one of her favorites for her daughter. But it sure didn't work for Baby Boy.
BumGenius 3.0
I didn't rent any of these, but I did buy three of them on Ebay. I think they work almost exactly the same as the 4.0 that I rented. The only real difference is that these are velcro, and the 4.0 has snaps. I'm sure some people have strong opinions about that, but they're sixes to me. I love them for days or overnights, and I love that I can stuff them all and have them waiting in a basket for the next diaper change without having to snap/stuff anything when I have a bare-bummed, wiggly little boy.
I'm not going to say it's a bad diaper. Obviously it works for other people with their babies. In fact, one of the ladies at Diaper Lab said it's one of her favorites for her daughter. But it sure didn't work for Baby Boy.
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| BumGenius Elemental. The lining is attached in front and back. No matter how I adjusted or folded, it always bunched up. |
 |
| See how it bunched? Leaks were inevitable. (Sorry if this is gross.) |
BumGenius 3.0
I didn't rent any of these, but I did buy three of them on Ebay. I think they work almost exactly the same as the 4.0 that I rented. The only real difference is that these are velcro, and the 4.0 has snaps. I'm sure some people have strong opinions about that, but they're sixes to me. I love them for days or overnights, and I love that I can stuff them all and have them waiting in a basket for the next diaper change without having to snap/stuff anything when I have a bare-bummed, wiggly little boy.
 |
| Inside of 3.0 Just a straighforward pocket diaper. I love it. |
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| The terry insert that comes with the 3.0. It has snaps that match with the rise snaps, just like the 4.0. |
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| Outside of 3.0 Simple and effective. I do love the velcro when Baby Boy's in crazy-rollover mode. |
Inserts
Some diapers come with their own special snap-in inserts (Bummis Super Brite) or soaker pads (GroVia). Others have more generically-shaped
mix-and-match inserts. Of all the plain
old rectangle ones (two kinds of BumGenius – stay dry and terry, and the
Fuzzibunz insert that came with the cover), I can’t really tell a
difference. They all seem to hold enough
to take a diaper anywhere from 2-5 hours, they seem to mix-and-match between brands seamlessly, and if I stick a second one in there, they’ll all do overnight, no problem. I’ve used all kinds of combinations of inserts for
overnight, and never had a problem.
One insert I rented but returned was the Flip Organic Night Time Insert. It's a big fat designated-for-overnights organic pad from BumGenius. For ease of use, I preferred grabbing any other two liners, since the overnighter organic pad took awhile to dry, even in the dryer, and is super bulky. But it did a good job, and never leaked, so I really can’t complain about it. I just preferred the others because of drying time.
One insert I rented but returned was the Flip Organic Night Time Insert. It's a big fat designated-for-overnights organic pad from BumGenius. For ease of use, I preferred grabbing any other two liners, since the overnighter organic pad took awhile to dry, even in the dryer, and is super bulky. But it did a good job, and never leaked, so I really can’t complain about it. I just preferred the others because of drying time.
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| Here it is unfolded. See the seams that make it super simple to fold perfectly? |
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| Here's the night time insert folded. |
Another insert that I rented and returned was the Flip Organic Day Time Insert. This is just a very simple piece of cotton fabric that you fold into quarters to use. Super easy, and because it unfolds to wash, it dries in no time. But I had much the same "bunching" issues as with the Elemental lining. I guess they're just not for me.
 |
| Here's the day time insert folded. |
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| Here's the day time insert unfolded. See? As simple as it gets. |
The insert I rented and ended up keeping was the Bummis Deluxe Booster. I liked the way its shape fit in with the GroVia diapers, enabling me to use them overnight if I wanted.
 |
| Top: stay-dry side. Bottom: cotton side. |
So. What did I end up with?
(1) FuzziBunz Perfect Size with Insert
(1) BumGenius 4.0
(3) BumGenius 3.0
(4) BumGenius Flips
(6) BumGenius stay-dry inserts
(6) BumGenius terry inserts
(4) GroVia shells
(6) GroVia soaker pads
And how much did I spend? Not counting the rental fee, around $150. I had been paying about $40 each month for disposables, so before Baby Boy turns one, I'll have come out on top.
I don't see any reason why we won't continue with cloth until Baby Boy becomes Little Boy and is potty trained. It's seriously easy, and it seems like a "good" thing to do, both for my baby and for the environment. Plus, I'll never again have one of those super-late-night runs to the store because I realize I just used the very last diaper in the house. Instead, I just toss a load in the washer.
I've got this.
Kate
My Two-Week Experiment With Cloth Diapers
I have always used disposable diapers. I mean, always always. Fourteen years ago, when I had my oldest, I looked into cloth, but they were exactly the same as the ones my mom had used on me. Cotton rectangles, held on by big fat diaper pins, covered by crinkly, scratchy vinyl covers. Stinky, leaky, gross. I went with disposables, and didn't look back.
I continued using disposables with each of my next four children. Honestly, I didn't even know anyone who used cloth. I think when I had my fifth, I briefly considered looking into cloth, but I didn't know who to ask, or where to start. And really, the options hadn't improved that much by then, anyway.
Fast forward to this time around. I happen to have a cousin whose wife gave birth to two adorable girls only a few weeks before Baby Boy was born. And as we traded ideas and advice, and commiserated with one another over Facebook messaging, I realized that they were using cloth diapers for their girls. I was kind of intrigued, and asked about their experience.
Several phone calls and about one million Facebook IM's and emails later, I was ready to try it. But where to start? I could, of course, just go with the brand and style that they were using, and assume that what they liked would be perfect for me, too. But I was more than a little hesitant to make that kind of investment in something without, I don't know, trying it out first?
Enter the Diaper Lab. I came across their website when I was trying to find someplace local to go and at least look at some different cloth diaper brands.
I was super interested to discover that they rent cloth diapers!
It's the perfect arrangement. You go into their adorable little store, get some basic diapering info from the super nice and incredibly knowledgeable staff, and they help you choose eight different cloth diapers. Then you take them home and use them for two weeks. At the end of that time, you will have either developed definite preferences and know what type of diaper you want to keep (and probably buy more of), or you will have realized that cloth diapering is really not for you, thank you very much.
I was definitely up for this. It was perfect. If I had just gotten all over-excited about a new idea without thinking it through first (which I have been, ahem, known to do - see "I bought us a pet turtle!" as one notable example), then all I was out was the rental fee. Or if it turned out that I loved cloth diapering, and wanted to switch over, then I'd know which diapers I liked, and which didn't work for me or my baby.
I jumped in with both feet. No disposables for at least two weeks. Of course, I had to blog about it...
Day 1
I just rented one each of 8 different cloth diapers. Pretty fun!
I was all excited to get going immediately, but apparently you have to
wash them 3 times before you use them the first time. So today is all about laundry. Kind of funny to wash the same tiny load
three times and then hang it up to dry.
Day 2
Aack! I’m really
doing this! My first cloth diaper!
It feels strange to be putting clothes on Baby Boy under his
clothes, instead of a diaper. Oh wait,
this IS a diaper. I’m going to have to
get used to this.
Day 3
My oldest daughter changed her first cloth diaper today and
declared (in that "there-is-only-one-right-decision" way that only teens have) that all of her kids will be using nothing but cloth: “They’re so
adorable, and so easy! And their fat
little bums are so cute!”
Day 4
First poopy cloth diaper.
In church. I’m not sure I was
still on the positive side of the environmental-impact scale with this one,
after the 5 paper towels I used to wipe out the diaper before I put it into my
bag to take home. But after so many
years of just throwing it all away, putting a diaper full of poop into my bag
and carrying it around church with me seemed… strange.
Day 5
I definitely prefer the shells/covers with inserts to the
all-in-one’s. I just can’t get them dry
fast enough without putting them in the dryer (on low, which takes forever
anyway, and uses all that electricity and makes me feel like I’m not saving so
much money anymore).
Second poopy diaper.
I again used paper towels to wipe it out before I put it in the
wash. Am I doing this wrong?
Day 6
My oldest has a favorite now. I think she likes the Velcro, and the fact
that there’s no insert to keep in place, since it’s stuffed inside the
pocket. Snaps are still a little tricky with a
wiggly 18 pound baby; I'm sure we'll get better as time goes on.
Day 7
I am fast becoming a big believer in cloth: this kid woke up
and ate at least 15 times last night (don’t ask me why) so I was really asking a
lot of this diaper tonight - and it held!
Both inserts were SOAKED. But the
only wetness outside of the diaper cover was a tiny spot on his waistband. I would have had more leaking out with a
disposable.
Day 8
As I got into bed, I remembered that all my diapers were
still in the washer, and that I needed to hang the covers and put the inserts
into the dryer. It took less than 5
minutes. When I got into bed, my husband
said, “You’re really loving this cloth diaper thing, aren’t you?”
I am.
I am.
Day 9
Hot and humid today.
A fun bonus of cloth diapers is that I can just have him wear just a
t-shirt and he looks fully dressed. And
adorable with his big bum.
I’ve started using a wet washcloth instead of wipes. When I’m not already throwing a diaper away,
it seems weird to throw wipes away. Plus,
I’m doing that load of laundry anyway. I
think I’m going to look into making some.
I mean, cloth ones. I already
make disposable ones.
Day 10
I definitely feel like I’ve got this down, at this
point. I have a routine of throwing the
load of diapers in the washer every night when my kids go to bed, and then
hanging everything just before I go to bed.
The all-in-one’s aren’t dry in the morning, but everything else is - I
think it’s the humidity here. I carry
two diapers and a gallon Ziploc in my diaper bag, and it seems just as normal
to me now as a handful of disposables did ten days ago.
Day 11
I’ve got a system down for the poopy diapers: I just run
them through a rinse cycle first, then put all the rest of the diapers in with
them for the whole wash cycle. I think
other people don’t do this. But I’m
still getting used to putting poop into my washer instead of throwing it away.
*My cousin’s wife reminded me that this exists. I think I’m good with my extra rinse, but it’s
a good idea to keep in mind for later. I
don’t know how I’ll feel when he’s two.
Day 12
Hooray! The three
diapers that I won on Ebay last week came in the mail today! It’s nice to have a few extra to put into the
rotation. Eight diapers is pretty close to a 24-hour supply, especially since there are one or two that I’ve pretty much
stopped using because they leak so reliably.
Day 13
Uh, oh. We’ve got
ourselves a not-super-helpful new trick: sometimes when I’m feeding Baby Boy, and he’s not
wearing pants over his diaper (which is pretty much every day lately – it’s
just so hot), he plays with the label
or Velcro tabs on his diaper with his free hand. If his diaper has snaps, or some heavy-duty Velcro
keeping it closed, no problems. However,
there are a few diapers whose Velcro tabs get undone faster than I can grab
that little hand of his. Grrr.
Day 14
I had Baby Boy in just a t-shirt and diaper this afternoon when we
were over at a friend’s house. She gave
his fat bum a quizzical look and asked, “What’s he wearing?” I said I’d switched to cloth, at which point
she looked really skeptical and said, “Yeah, because you have time for that.” My
daughter jumped in to defend my choice: “It’s really easy, actually. Just one extra load of laundry.” She’s right.
It is really easy. Just one extra
load of laundry.
Day 15
Today was the day I went back to Diaper Lab to return what I didn't like. I think this store might be my new favorite place to hang out. Those ladies are just so nice! And it's strangely fun to look around at all the different diapering systems, carriers, creams, toys. I had all of my kids with me, which usually stresses people out, but they handled it with no problem: they pointed to a small toy-area in the corner, and also invited my kids to play outside in the "backyard".
Post-Two-Week-Trial-Period Update
Today was the day I went back to Diaper Lab to return what I didn't like. I think this store might be my new favorite place to hang out. Those ladies are just so nice! And it's strangely fun to look around at all the different diapering systems, carriers, creams, toys. I had all of my kids with me, which usually stresses people out, but they handled it with no problem: they pointed to a small toy-area in the corner, and also invited my kids to play outside in the "backyard".
Post-Two-Week-Trial-Period Update
We had our first trip away from home with cloth, and it was
no big deal. Ok, so it was only two days
and one overnight, but still. I didn’t
know if it would be as easy being away, as it has been while at home. But, easy peasy. I don’t have a “wet bag” yet (need to get to
the fabric store to buy some PUL fabric!) so I just brought along an extra
garbage bag. The only snag I hit was
that I don’t really have more than two days’ worth of diapers, so even though I
threw all the dirty diapers into the wash as soon as I got home, I still had to
use a disposable that night because the load wasn’t dry. It seemed really strange, not using
cloth. Kind of like I was cheating.
 |
| How can you not love that cute little baby bum? |
So at this point, the verdict is probably obvious: I really like cloth diapers. I like them enough, in fact, that I've completely switched over. I returned some of the diapers I rented, and bought more of some others. Come back Wednesday for a review of each of the eight brands and styles I tried!
Happy diapering,
Kate
Stain Remover Face Off
During spring break, I thought it would be a good idea to wash my coat. When I took it off and looked at it in the stark light of the laundry room, I was surprised (and a little disgusted) by just how truly dirty it was. My purple jacket was really more grey than anything else. It was that kind of grey/black grime comprised mostly of dirt and motor oil that gets on all coats from rubbing up against car doors. Since I had a lot of dirt to remove, I thought it might be a good time for a stain-remover face-off!
I covered one side of my jacket with Shout stain removing spray. I covered the other side in my favorite homemade stain removing concoction: blue Dawn and Borax. I made a paste and scrubbed it in vigorously in the hopes that it would prove to be much more effective than store-bought products. I let it sit for an hour, then I tossed it in the washer.
So what happened? Nothing surprising. Both sides came out mostly clean. Both methods worked, but neither was awesome.
Conclusion: super cheap, homemade stain remover works as well as Shout at getting out stains. However, there were still some spots that didn't come clean, so the search continues for the ultimate stain remover.
What are your suggestions?
Marcia
Conclusion: super cheap, homemade stain remover works as well as Shout at getting out stains. However, there were still some spots that didn't come clean, so the search continues for the ultimate stain remover.
What are your suggestions?
Marcia
Tip of The Day: Always Buy Your Ground Beef At This Store
So now that I've convinced you to always buy the cheapest ground beef you can find, let me tell you where to find it: Costco!
But not in the meat case, in a tray, by the pound.
In a 10 lb box of frozen, pre-formed patties, like this!
This ten-pound box of 78% ground beef is only $9.99 at Costco. That's WAY cheaper than any grocery store. Plus, it's super fast to cook, even in small batches, because it's in thin little patties.
It's a no-brainer. If you don't have a Costco card, go with a friend who does, or ask them to pick you up a couple of boxes. Because you're never going to find another store with a deal like this.
Kate
But not in the meat case, in a tray, by the pound.
In a 10 lb box of frozen, pre-formed patties, like this!
 |
| Sorry for the lousy photo - I remembered it at the last minute, and I had to pull it out of the recycle bin and have one of my kids take a photo with my phone. |
This ten-pound box of 78% ground beef is only $9.99 at Costco. That's WAY cheaper than any grocery store. Plus, it's super fast to cook, even in small batches, because it's in thin little patties.
It's a no-brainer. If you don't have a Costco card, go with a friend who does, or ask them to pick you up a couple of boxes. Because you're never going to find another store with a deal like this.
Kate
The Best $15 I Ever Spent On My Kids
It's not always easy to know in advance which purchases will be worth it, and which ones will not. However, there is one purchase my husband and I made fourteen years ago that has continued to be proven useful.
The Portable Highchair
We actually bought this chair because we couldn't afford a "real" high chair. Our oldest and only child was six months old, and we needed something to sit her in to feed her. So we went to the store and bought the cheapest booster seat they had. It turned out to be perfect. We loved it so much, we bought a second one when our next daughter was born.
One of the reasons I love them so much is they are super easy to clean. They come apart and can fit in your sink (or dishwasher!). So you can scrub them down or hose them off every day if need be.
Not only did these seats work perfectly for high chairs at home, but they were portable too! If we went on a picnic, we could throw the seat in the trunk and have a baby seat ready wherever we went. A potluck dinner at the church is so much more enjoyable when you can strap your baby safely into their own seat. We brought the seats on nearly every outing and on every trip we ever took. They are so small and easy to pack up, that it was almost no effort at all to bring them along.
Eventually we had three small girls, so we purchased a third portable booster. They have proven their worth a million times over.
Now that our kids are older, we no longer need to keep a high chair at our table. But the good news is, this chair is so compact and easy to store, we can keep it in a kitchen cupboard and have it ready at a moment's notice when friends with babies come over.
I also discovered another great use for this chair: the grocery store! When my oldest two were both tiny, grocery shopping was a bit of a nightmare. You can put the baby in the baby seat, but then where do you put the toddler? I started bringing our portable baby seat with us to the grocery store, and it made the perfect little seat inside the cart! I could strap my toddler safely into the basket, and she could happily (and safely) play with toys or eat snacks from her tray. It was a total sanity saver for both of us!
So that was years ago, and I'm sure you can't get a booster for fifteen bucks anymore. But I bet you can still find one for under $30, and I promise you'll love it.
Marcia
 |
| (top) Snacking at home (bottom) at a church dinner |
The Portable Highchair
We actually bought this chair because we couldn't afford a "real" high chair. Our oldest and only child was six months old, and we needed something to sit her in to feed her. So we went to the store and bought the cheapest booster seat they had. It turned out to be perfect. We loved it so much, we bought a second one when our next daughter was born.
One of the reasons I love them so much is they are super easy to clean. They come apart and can fit in your sink (or dishwasher!). So you can scrub them down or hose them off every day if need be.
Not only did these seats work perfectly for high chairs at home, but they were portable too! If we went on a picnic, we could throw the seat in the trunk and have a baby seat ready wherever we went. A potluck dinner at the church is so much more enjoyable when you can strap your baby safely into their own seat. We brought the seats on nearly every outing and on every trip we ever took. They are so small and easy to pack up, that it was almost no effort at all to bring them along.
 |
| Fun enough to make a mess in, comfy enough to sleep in! |
Eventually we had three small girls, so we purchased a third portable booster. They have proven their worth a million times over.
 |
| So easy to store! |
I also discovered another great use for this chair: the grocery store! When my oldest two were both tiny, grocery shopping was a bit of a nightmare. You can put the baby in the baby seat, but then where do you put the toddler? I started bringing our portable baby seat with us to the grocery store, and it made the perfect little seat inside the cart! I could strap my toddler safely into the basket, and she could happily (and safely) play with toys or eat snacks from her tray. It was a total sanity saver for both of us!
So that was years ago, and I'm sure you can't get a booster for fifteen bucks anymore. But I bet you can still find one for under $30, and I promise you'll love it.
Marcia
 |
| Even big kids can use a booster! |
GoodRx: Paying for Prescription Medications When you Don't Have Insurance
Okay, let's back up a little. My husband and I have lived many years without health insurance. During those years our family has had prescription drug needs that averaged more than $500 every month and sometimes reached well over $1000 a month. This was murder on our budget. These are medications that our family really NEEDED, but often could not afford. Often this meant buying medications with credit cards, that over time added up to a big financial burden for our family.
A move, a job change, etc can all leave you without insurance for a time. If you've ever been without insurance, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. While our government's ever-changing laws keep us guessing about the future, there is something that may help ease the financial pressure today.
My sister-in-law recently moved in with us from her home far, far away in another state, and her insurance unfortunately didn't make the move with her. So when she got here she started shopping around for the cheapest prices on the prescription medications she needs. Back in her home town, she was buying her two medications for $118 and $58. When she got here, she checked prices at several local pharmacies and they cost a minimum of $141 and $70! That's a small fortune for someone without a job (and probably even for someone who has a job).
While she was price checking, she stumbled onto a website called goodrx.com It talked about coupons and discount cards to use at local pharmacies to get your medications at a fraction of their normal price. As we looked at the website, it seemed too good to be true. And you know the saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." So we were really, really, really, doubtful. I mean REALLY doubtful. We did more searching online, and couldn't find anything wrong with this company. They seemed to check out. So we decided to put them to the test. My sister-in-law printed out her discount card (completely free) and headed to Walmart to buy her prescriptions.
And....
...It worked!
IT WORKED!
She bought two prescriptions that normally cost her about $180 a month, but today they cost her $25.98. $25.98! Seriously!!! There was much hugging and rejoicing in our house that day.
Not every place will take the card. Most places won't take the coupons. And not all medications are covered. But some stores do, and some drugs are. And some is better than none (especially when uninsured so often goes hand in hand with unemployed)!
If you are struggling to pay for medications, please go check this place out goodrx.com. It really was awesome. I'm gonna stop talking now, so you have no excuse not to go check it out. Good luck!
Marcia
PS For more ideas on how to save on medical care, look here and here.
Baby Gear Safety: I keep hearing about how unsafe older cribs and carseats can be. Is it safe to accept used baby items?
Once upon a time we had a set of bunk beds. We used them for about three years and never had any trouble with them. Then one night my husband was putting the kids to bed, and he sat on the edge of the bed to read them a book. And the bed broke! I was really mad. I believe my words were something like You're a big fat man! What were you thinking sitting on a child's bed? Of course it broke, dummy! Okay, so maybe my words weren't quite that harsh, but they were certainly close. I was really really mad. The entire side board had split in two!
A few days later I was walking through Walmart when a sign caught my eye. It was a picture of our bunk beds (well, not our bunk beds, but ones just like them...). Under the picture, in capital letters was the word RECALL. It turns out our bunk beds had a manufacturer's defect that caused the side board to split in two. Oops. It was not an easy thing to apologize to my husband about the big fat man comment. But it was pretty easy to go online and order the free support piece to install on my kids' beds to help ensure that they would not be splitting more boards any time soon.
So let's talk about kids and the safety of the things they use. What's safe? How do you know? Can you use hand-me-down furniture or toys?
This is really a very personal choice. Some people will never feel comfortable accepting a used car seat (or anything else), others only from a close friend that they can trust, while others will take whatever they find on the side of the road.
The truth is there is no one right way (and don't let people bully you into thinking there is).
We live in a very safe world. Things are tested, and retested, so the odds of a product (whether bought at the store or elsewhere) harming your child are very low. My sources (Google) tell me that nearly 500 Americans are struck by lightning every year, while the number of toy-related deaths is less than 20. So your baby is roughly 25 times more likely to be hit by lightning than they are to choke on a faulty (possibly recalled) infant toy. (This isn't a science blog here, so all you statisticians just calm down and don't even bother trying to verify my "facts.")
With that in mind, relax and take a minute to appreciate that your child has been born into a century that is set to offer him the greatest chance at a healthy life of any generation in history.
Feel better?
Okay then, here are a few websites to help further ease your fears.
If you want to specifically look up an item, click on this LINK that will take you to a website where you can enter in the product name and it will search for any possible product recalls. So let's say you are at a yard sale looking at a porta-crib. Just pull out your phone, look up this website, enter in the product name, and BOOM! Instantly you'll know if the crib you are looking at has been deemed unsafe in any way. It's easier than taking candy from a baby! (Warning: Do not give candy to babies.)
If you don't have any particular product in mind, but just want to check out what the latest recalls are, click on this LINK for a list of recently recalled items. If you already own a bunch of baby and kid gear, you can browse through this list and see if any of the recent recalls apply to you. Perhaps you own bunk beds too? This same website can also be used for mild entertainment (you know, if you get bored, and you have already watched that crazy fox music video a hundred times....). My personal favorite on the list is this: "Gerber Recalls Machetes Due to Laceration Hazard". Not sure how they didn't anticipate that before the product went to market! Sorry sweetie, Mommy has to take back that new birthday machete we got you. The government says it just isn't safe. (Warning: Do not give machetes to babies.)
Marcia
A few days later I was walking through Walmart when a sign caught my eye. It was a picture of our bunk beds (well, not our bunk beds, but ones just like them...). Under the picture, in capital letters was the word RECALL. It turns out our bunk beds had a manufacturer's defect that caused the side board to split in two. Oops. It was not an easy thing to apologize to my husband about the big fat man comment. But it was pretty easy to go online and order the free support piece to install on my kids' beds to help ensure that they would not be splitting more boards any time soon.
So let's talk about kids and the safety of the things they use. What's safe? How do you know? Can you use hand-me-down furniture or toys?
This is really a very personal choice. Some people will never feel comfortable accepting a used car seat (or anything else), others only from a close friend that they can trust, while others will take whatever they find on the side of the road.
The truth is there is no one right way (and don't let people bully you into thinking there is).
We live in a very safe world. Things are tested, and retested, so the odds of a product (whether bought at the store or elsewhere) harming your child are very low. My sources (Google) tell me that nearly 500 Americans are struck by lightning every year, while the number of toy-related deaths is less than 20. So your baby is roughly 25 times more likely to be hit by lightning than they are to choke on a faulty (possibly recalled) infant toy. (This isn't a science blog here, so all you statisticians just calm down and don't even bother trying to verify my "facts.")
With that in mind, relax and take a minute to appreciate that your child has been born into a century that is set to offer him the greatest chance at a healthy life of any generation in history.
Feel better?
Okay then, here are a few websites to help further ease your fears.
If you want to specifically look up an item, click on this LINK that will take you to a website where you can enter in the product name and it will search for any possible product recalls. So let's say you are at a yard sale looking at a porta-crib. Just pull out your phone, look up this website, enter in the product name, and BOOM! Instantly you'll know if the crib you are looking at has been deemed unsafe in any way. It's easier than taking candy from a baby! (Warning: Do not give candy to babies.)
If you don't have any particular product in mind, but just want to check out what the latest recalls are, click on this LINK for a list of recently recalled items. If you already own a bunch of baby and kid gear, you can browse through this list and see if any of the recent recalls apply to you. Perhaps you own bunk beds too? This same website can also be used for mild entertainment (you know, if you get bored, and you have already watched that crazy fox music video a hundred times....). My personal favorite on the list is this: "Gerber Recalls Machetes Due to Laceration Hazard". Not sure how they didn't anticipate that before the product went to market! Sorry sweetie, Mommy has to take back that new birthday machete we got you. The government says it just isn't safe. (Warning: Do not give machetes to babies.)
Marcia
Adventures in Thrift: Maxfield Homestead and Mountain View Cabins
I don't normally like to promote any particular brand or store. I'm not loyal to any particular product, I just go where the best deals are. But this past week my family stayed at some amazing little cabins in western Washington, and I just can't help but brag about them.
Our kids have never been to the Washington coast before, so my husband and I decided this summer it was time. I grew up on the east side of Washington (where the ocean isn't) so I only went to the coast a few times growing up, but I absolutely loved it. I loved exploring the tide pools and looking for hidden life, and I wanted my kids to have the same experience.
My two favorite places were Ruby Beach and La Push in Forks, WA. So when we decided to make this trip, I went on line and started looking for places to stay near Forks. I was already aware that the Twilight series is set in Forks, WA, but I was unprepared for just how Twilight-ified Forks had become. Every hotel I looked at was advertising a Bella and Edward suite or Jacob Black tours. That's all well and good for the Twi-hards, but I just wanted a simple place to stay with my family near the beach. Even the dirtiest dumpy little motels were asking over $100 a night, and with eight of us traveling, we were going to need two rooms at least.
So I started looking into campgrounds. We love to camp and staying in a state or national park is a really cheap way to go. My husband insisted that if we were going to spend all day in the sand, we needed a place with a shower. Unfortunately most of the campgrounds I looked at online didn't even have running water from a community spigot, let alone an actual shower! I have heard a lot of people talking about camping in cabins near the beach, so I searched for parks with cabins. Unfortunately all the cabins are made for families of four or less, were an hour or more from the beaches I wanted, and still didn't guarantee a shower.
I was starting to get frustrated when I stumbled onto Mountain View Cabins in Forks, WA. They said their cabins sleep up to eight people, have a stove and fridge, and a SHOWER! Not only that, but they were cheaper than the scariest motels I looked at. So we three weeks before our trip we called and made a reservation for one cabin for two nights.
A week before our trip we called back again, to confirm our reservation, no one answered, so we left a message. We called again the next day, same thing. A week went by with no contact. We tried going to their website but it was mysteriously gone. ???? We considered panicking. Forks is about a nine hour drive from our house, and we were going to be getting in late in the evening. So if we got there and they didn't have our reservation, all eight of us would likely be spending the night in our van. In the end we pressed forward with cautious enthusiasm (and called several times from the car on the way there, still no answer). We pulled in to the Maxfield Homestead around 8PM and were welcomed warmly by the brand new manager, Christine Maxfield. Apparently the old site manager had left a week earlier (taking the reservation book and website access with him), and the new manager was there trying to pick up the pieces.
She showed us to our cabin which was sparkling clean and ready to go, she offered to have one of the ranch hands build a camp fire for us, and was at our beck and call for whatever we needed. My husband immediately asked for a second cabin (he always does this and it drives me crazy!). Even though we could all sleep in one cabin, he decided it would be more comfortable to have a second cabin so we could spread out a little bit. I told the manager we only budgeted for one cabin, and she should ignore my husband. At that point she made me an offer on a second cabin that was too good to turn down. So we unloaded all our gear and went to sleep in our TWO cabins.
The next morning we awoke to an unfamiliar sound. Have you ever seen the movie UP? Do you remember the snipe, Kevin? Do you remember the sound he made? Well, that was the sound we heard. We were sure there was a snipe just outside our cabin, but when peeked outside, we found a peacock perched on our front porch! To say my boys were thrilled would be an understatement. The ranch was full of chickens, geese, peacocks, sheep, dogs, horses, and llamas. Lots of llamas. My kids loved wandering around and seeing all the animals as they roamed just a few feet from our cabins.
That day we went to Rialto Beach which is only about five minutes away, we then made our way to La Push, and on to the Hoh Rainforest. When we got tired, we headed back to camp where our host had a fire waiting, and pulled out a bbq grill for us so we could cook our dinner. One of our girls loves horses, so we ask our camp host, Christina, if it would be possible for our daughter to go in and pet the horses. Christine surprised us by offering horseback riding (again for a price I couldn't refuse). That night all our kids were able to feed and ride the horses. For a bunch of city kids, it was a perfect day.
I can't say enough about how gracious and helpful our host, Christine, was. The Maxfield Ranch was homesteaded over 100 years ago, and offers a glimpse of a slower pace of life. We wished we had more time to stay there because there was so much left undone. Old logging roads to explore. A 100-year-old bottle dump in the forest filled with all types of antique glass. Tons and tons of animals. And of course the nearby beaches.
We will definitely keep this on our list of fun, family friendly, and affordable places to visit! If you are looking for a place to stay on the coast (the cabins are heated, so you can even camp in winter!), I would definitely encourage you to check this place out. Unfortunately they don't have a website up yet, so the best way to make a reservation is by calling Christine Maxfield at 360-640-8735.
Marcia
Our kids have never been to the Washington coast before, so my husband and I decided this summer it was time. I grew up on the east side of Washington (where the ocean isn't) so I only went to the coast a few times growing up, but I absolutely loved it. I loved exploring the tide pools and looking for hidden life, and I wanted my kids to have the same experience.
My two favorite places were Ruby Beach and La Push in Forks, WA. So when we decided to make this trip, I went on line and started looking for places to stay near Forks. I was already aware that the Twilight series is set in Forks, WA, but I was unprepared for just how Twilight-ified Forks had become. Every hotel I looked at was advertising a Bella and Edward suite or Jacob Black tours. That's all well and good for the Twi-hards, but I just wanted a simple place to stay with my family near the beach. Even the dirtiest dumpy little motels were asking over $100 a night, and with eight of us traveling, we were going to need two rooms at least.
I was starting to get frustrated when I stumbled onto Mountain View Cabins in Forks, WA. They said their cabins sleep up to eight people, have a stove and fridge, and a SHOWER! Not only that, but they were cheaper than the scariest motels I looked at. So we three weeks before our trip we called and made a reservation for one cabin for two nights.
A week before our trip we called back again, to confirm our reservation, no one answered, so we left a message. We called again the next day, same thing. A week went by with no contact. We tried going to their website but it was mysteriously gone. ???? We considered panicking. Forks is about a nine hour drive from our house, and we were going to be getting in late in the evening. So if we got there and they didn't have our reservation, all eight of us would likely be spending the night in our van. In the end we pressed forward with cautious enthusiasm (and called several times from the car on the way there, still no answer). We pulled in to the Maxfield Homestead around 8PM and were welcomed warmly by the brand new manager, Christine Maxfield. Apparently the old site manager had left a week earlier (taking the reservation book and website access with him), and the new manager was there trying to pick up the pieces.
The next morning we awoke to an unfamiliar sound. Have you ever seen the movie UP? Do you remember the snipe, Kevin? Do you remember the sound he made? Well, that was the sound we heard. We were sure there was a snipe just outside our cabin, but when peeked outside, we found a peacock perched on our front porch! To say my boys were thrilled would be an understatement. The ranch was full of chickens, geese, peacocks, sheep, dogs, horses, and llamas. Lots of llamas. My kids loved wandering around and seeing all the animals as they roamed just a few feet from our cabins.
That day we went to Rialto Beach which is only about five minutes away, we then made our way to La Push, and on to the Hoh Rainforest. When we got tired, we headed back to camp where our host had a fire waiting, and pulled out a bbq grill for us so we could cook our dinner. One of our girls loves horses, so we ask our camp host, Christina, if it would be possible for our daughter to go in and pet the horses. Christine surprised us by offering horseback riding (again for a price I couldn't refuse). That night all our kids were able to feed and ride the horses. For a bunch of city kids, it was a perfect day.
I can't say enough about how gracious and helpful our host, Christine, was. The Maxfield Ranch was homesteaded over 100 years ago, and offers a glimpse of a slower pace of life. We wished we had more time to stay there because there was so much left undone. Old logging roads to explore. A 100-year-old bottle dump in the forest filled with all types of antique glass. Tons and tons of animals. And of course the nearby beaches.
We will definitely keep this on our list of fun, family friendly, and affordable places to visit! If you are looking for a place to stay on the coast (the cabins are heated, so you can even camp in winter!), I would definitely encourage you to check this place out. Unfortunately they don't have a website up yet, so the best way to make a reservation is by calling Christine Maxfield at 360-640-8735.
Marcia
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