Making House a Home

Fun Things to do in Boise

2013-04-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

Recently I've been working on compiling a list of some fun family Boise activities for this summer. Most are geared toward young families like mine, but I thought I'd share anyway. Let me know if you have any suggestions/additions!

Fun things to do in Boise:

Indoors:

First Wednesday in April tournament at Gringers

Dave and Busters - Eat and Play special- $10 game play, 10 tickets, plus dinner for $16.99/person

Kid movies in afternoons at edwards - $1, Tuesdays/Wednesdays at 10 am.

Big Als- arcade, bowling

Wahooz

Discovery Center ID - $8 adults, Cady free

World Center for Birds of Prey- $7/adult

Blacklight Bowling

Aquarium- $90 for a dual member pass, or $9/adult. Family pass comes with 2 guest passes.

ComedySportz Boise

Baby Rhyme Time, Music and Movement, and other library events

Idaho IceWorld

Spa Day- beauty schools- Oliver Finley- http://oliverfinley.com/salon-and-spa/ Paul mitchell - http://boise.paulmitchell.edu/boise-id/guest-services/ D’Shaw - http://www.dshawbeauty.com/services-menu/ Milan- http://www.milaninstitute.edu/student-services/student-salon-spa/boise-idaho/

Jabberz in Nampa- indoor play place, day pass for 0-3 is 5.66 http://www.jabbersplaydate.com/

Planet Kid- 4.75 under 3, http://www.wingscenter.com/entertainment/planetkidplayground.html

Idaho Historical Museum- Adults $5, 6&under free. Also visit the Pioneer Village next door. http://history.idaho.gov/museum-hours-location

Visit trials at Ada County Courthouse

Outdoors:

Zoo Boise. Thursday is deal day, special eents going on all the time

Movie nights in Settlers Park every Friday in the summer

Take a walk through Julia Davis Park

Kayak/swimming at Lucky Peak State Park

Roaring Springs- for a day pass, $29/adult. Friday/Saturday evenings 6-10pm $15/adult. Free for baby. PM plunge (3-8pm) $22/adult. $40 for all inclusive wahooz and roaring springs. 2for tickets- 3-8pm, 2 adults for 30. Thursdays PM plunge is 14/adult.

Community Pool (free)

Camping

Sand Dunes

MK Nature Center (free)

Dog Park (free)

Picnics

Horse Racing at Les Bois Park- season from May 1-Aug 10. $5 adults, children free. Wednesday is Ladies night.

Wednesday night concerts at the Grove, splash pad, window shopping

kayak at veterans park lake

float the river - starting at Barber Park

Camel Back Park and hike

Explore Boise National Forest

Thunder Mountain Company- Scenic railroad trips. $30-75/adults, $10/infants. Panning for gold, coming May 2013 http://www.thundermountainline.com/ Horseshoe Bend, Idaho.

Trip to The Berry Ranch - a pick your own farm. Open 9 am- 1pm M-Sat, check website for prices and what is in season - http://www.theberryranch.com/pickyourown.html

Silver Creek Plunge- Garden alley, camping $15, geothermal pool $10/adults, can snowmobile there in the winter. Stocked stream for fishing. http://www.silvercreekplunge.com/

Starlight Mountain Theater - Garden valley outdoor musical theater

Old Idaho Penitentiary

Catch a BSU football game

Visit the Arrowrock Dam and Reservoir

Hulls Gulch Nature Trail

Learn to golf

Learn to play tennis - http://www.pierceparkgolf.com/ (3 lessons for $55pp)

See Spot Splash -

Disc Golf

Ribfest, yum yum!

Riggins Big Water Blowout 6/1 - http://www.bigwaterblowout.com/

Emmett Cherry Festival - second week of June - http://www.emmettidaho.com/annual-events/emmett-cherry-festival No dogs allowed, lots of free activities.

Great Garden Escape concerts at Idaho Botanical Gardens

Idaho Shakespeare Festival - Sweeney Todd - Preview days are $26. Picnic dinners welcome.

Big Changes!

2013-03-22T17:20:00.001-07:00

With the rapid growth of both our businesses, Ideal Lending and Sorella Bella, Ben and I have been talking about him quitting his day job and being a full-time entrepreneur. 6 weeks ago he gave notice, and today was his last official day at Clearwater Analytics.

We are really excited to set our own schedule and to have more time as a family. Packaging orders for Sorella Bella and fielding calls takes a lot of time, this way we can trade off and Cadence always has a parent to play with. Ben has a great work ethic and it will be motivating to have him around. I know we will need to have plenty of separate activities as well so we don't drive each other crazy, but on the whole I am pretty excited about the future.

Dream Houses

2012-11-05T22:18:00.000-08:00

For multiple reasons (finances, family business issues, the presidential election, etc.), I have been inordinately stressed out lately. To unwind and take my mind off pressing issues, I sometimes enjoy dream 'house-hunting'. This weekend I found some real gorgeous options.... well, you know, if I had a couple mil in the bank.

Feast your eyes on house number one - best kitchen in the Boise market by far:

I love the office/pantry kitchen off shoot.

And a butler's pantry to boot.

Check out this idyllic view!

This is the dressing room that connects the His and Hers walk in closets.

OK, and my second swoon-worthy house love of the moment:

Separate Guest Quarters for Grammy's golden years. :)

The backyard is right on the Greenbelt and Boise River.

Ben wisely pointed out that what I actually love about this home is the furniture.

This kitchen makes me feel so happy inside.

After so much visual gluttony, I feel compelled to make the following note. Some of the happiest times of my life have been while living in cramped, dingy apartments. As a missionary, I'd often bunk with several other sisters in apartments with little to no aesthetic appeal, furnished with hand-me-down donations. College life was joyous and exciting because of the relationships and experiences; the cinder block walls, limited storage, and dated furniture had little effect on my high contentment level. While I enjoy the guilty pleasure of house dreaming from time to time, I try to also use it as a reminder that the best things in life aren't things. A house is made a home by the people you reside with and the laughter and fun you share in it.

I hope everyone gets out and votes this election day. I am excited to do so for the first time, and will try to practice deep breathing and think happy thoughts while we watch the election coverage.

Sleeping Through the Night... Please?

2012-10-05T08:15:00.003-07:00

I'm crazy for my daughter. To me, she is the perfect baby. She is so sweet and happy, and is mostly a joy to care for throughout the day.

Our one problem, my only complaint, is that she isn't sleeping through the night yet. Nevermind that only 16% of babies regularly do at this age, I've also read the foolproof techniques of more experienced mothers, and numerous books and articles that assure me that my child is fully capable of sleeping a full night if only she had a parent that would do it right. What 'it' is... well, there are numerous different theories.

It's so much easier when she does it on her own. No complicated questions to ask when my brain is running at half capacity, just both of us waking up fresh and rejuvenated-who cares where we were slept? For the last two nights I've enjoyed the luxury of being woken in the night only once, and to find her back asleep by the time I reached the nursery door. Tonight, though, was different. I laid in my warm bed and listened, hoping the plaintive cries would subside into sleep. Instead, they grew shriller and more insistent, so I launched out of bed and did my zombie stumble through the cold hall into the toasty nursery. There was an empty bottle and a full diaper to be tackled, and the parenting advice began replaying in my head. Don't turn on the light- how do you change a dirty diaper in the dark? Don't make eye contact. I filled the bottle in the dark, then did the diaper/clothing change as quickly as I could to get the lights off again, then Little Miss was put back to sleep. I was barely tucked in my own bed when the cries resumed. Too much eye contact! I took too long getting fresh jammies on her!

Back in the nursery, I refill the bottle and settle her back in the crib. I only make it halfway down the hall this time. The crying starts again, and with it, the internal dialogue. If I take her to my bed, we can both sleep in. But what about friends who have warned from experience never to do that? I've read the books on 'the family bed'- it's natural and many societies keep kids in the bed for years. But Dr. Laura firmly advises to kick that kid into their nursery to preserve your marriage. Still, how good can my marriage be when I'm sleep-deprived and grumpy? And she is only 8 months old. So tiny and all she wants is to snuggle up in a warm bed with her Mommy. If my little darling is best able to sleep when comforted by the proximity to give Daddy a series of kicks, or to reach out and yank a fist full of Mommy's hair, then who am I to banish her to a little caged bed all on her own?

I've halfway talked myself into bringing her to bed for the night when I see flashbacks of a particularly chilling episode of Super Nanny. Two little girls, about 5 and 7, in and out of bed for hours with various demands late into the night. I don't want to spoil her, if I take her to bed now I teach her she can have whatever she wants. I'll just do like in Super Nanny- put her in the crib and then stand here by the door until she falls asleep. I put her down gently with her bottle, and go to a place by the door where she can still see me, not making eye contact or any conversation. This is great, she is finally going to learn to sleep through the night. I'll just slip out here when she is asleep. She climbs up and stands, holding the railing like a tiny, pitiful prisoner, then begins crying. No problem, minor set back. She's probably just testing me. I'll put her down, she'll drift off and I can go back to sleep. She's back standing and wailing within seconds and my resolve to stay up all night 'training' her is gone. I scoop her up and head to my bedroom in a blaze of defiance. I tuck her up next to her Dad with swift movements, just daring him to say anything. She kicks and begins commencing with hair pulling and babbling. Then I notice rays of light working their way through tightly closed blinds- "What time is it?"

"7:30. I'm late for work."

Turns out she did sleep through the night.

Best Buddies

2012-09-21T13:55:00.001-07:00

College Savings Calculator

2012-07-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

This year, Ben and I are starting a business, Ideal Lending, LLC. We have been funneling all our resources into it, saving only up to his company's match in our retirement fund. I hadn't even started to think about college for Cadence. I guess since BYU was so inexpensive for us, I hoped it would always be that way. I just ran the numbers on MSN Money's College Savings Calculator and while BYU will still be relatively inexpensive, we have to start saving as soon as possible. It looks like college will be $50k for the 4 years, so that has us investing $1254/year for the next 18 years.

Anyone else started thinking about meeting rising college prices? What is the damage for your local school tuition in 18 years?

First Furniture Re-do

2012-07-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

After emailing him the Craigslist listing, Ben picked up this little table on his way home from work. We learned a valuable lesson not to purchase furniture without both of us seeing it. The table looked nice in the pictures, but in person it was pretty banged up and reeked of smoke. The seats were covered in an awful printed vinyl meant to look like tan tooled leather. We listed it back on Craigslist, but couldn’t find anyone willing to take it for anything near the price we’d paid.

First to go were the nasty seat covers. We replaced them with an indoor/outdoor print from Fabric.com. It has a great weight and will hopefully last through the wear and tear of life with a small family.

I put on two coats of Zinsser Cover Stain primer. Then I put on another coat, for good measure. I didn’t sand before or after or at any point during the re-do because I didn’t want to get too complicated with my first project and sanding scares me. There are a few drip marks, nothing too noticeable, and brush strokes were reduced with the addition of Floetrol.

After priming, I painted 4-5 thin coats of Valspar white semi-gloss. I used the untinted gallon I’d purchased to paint all our trim. I like the bright, happy white and the money saved. We finished off the painted area with some coats of Polycrylic. The table top got a rub down of Restor-a-Finish.

The smoke smell is gone, and we love the end result!

Blogging

2012-07-06T08:25:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was perusing some beautiful home tours on blogs, in search of "inspiration" for my own home. There was a blip in internet connectivity, during which I started to think. What if I took half the time I do reading blogs and ogling Pinterest, and put it into working on my own projects? What if I took another 10% and put it toward building photography skills? Another 10% on writing my own blog posts? Maybe the remaining 30% could go toward earning money for future projects (I have an online job I've been woefully neglecting).

So, for the month of July, I'm declaring independence from my Pinterest addiction and from my obsession with other people's perfect homes. Instead, I'll be working on my home, developing my creativity, and building skills.

To kick things off, I'm enrolling in a few of the online Alt Design Summit courses. Bing is running a promotion where you can attend up to 4 courses free in July. I'm looking at DSLR 101, Setting up Online, Blogging 101, and maybe the Photoshop class. There are lots of intriguing course options, which normally cost $15 a piece. If you are looking for some personal enrichment this month, check it out. Thanks to Bing for the great opportunity.

Birth Story

2012-06-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

Four months ago, I became a Mommy. I will always remember how I felt when I saw 'Pregnant' appear on the test stick, and the sense of awe when we watched our little baby on the ultrasound monitor and the technician proclaimed "It's a girl!". Yet even with little baby kicking away at my insides, it was all surreal until the day she was born. The night she was born I stayed up to write out the details, but I haven't felt up to revisiting the labor until now.

January 28 was the due date, and as the weeks grew closer we got more and more excited to meet our baby! Every day I woke up and wondered, "Is today the day?!" We got tickets off Groupon to a cage fighting event for her due date. I thought that would make a pretty fun setting for going into labor, so I would tempt fate. Alas, no baby. We did pick a name, though. After months of heated debate, Ben concedes on Cadence as a first name, and chooses Kay for the middle. He wanted to make it just the letter K, but I put my foot down. :) The next day, the 29th, after weeks of reading labor jump starting tips on the birth board, I decide to try castor oil.

At 11:20 AM I took just a spoonful mixed in some juice. The general report is that it is nasty, but I gulped it down and followed it with a snack so it wasn't too bad. The contractions started right away, irregular and fairly spaced apart. Within an hour they are ever 3 to 4 minutes- not painful, just uncomfortable. I consulted over the phone with experienced moms who said the contractions sounded like Braxton Hicks. Drat! I hopped in the shower to see if they would stop.

After my shower, I went downstairs and sat on the couch with my laptop to browse the blogs. At 7:30 PM, I feel a very painful contraction, hear a big pop, then feel a gush of liquid. Jumping up right away, I waddle as fast a pregnant lady can to the tile floor, screaming for Ben to bring a towel (it was a new couch!). Ben loves Starcraft and is usually in his own world until whatever match he is playing is complete, but this time he quits the game mid-match, and runs into the room, jumping around like a maniac, yelling "We're having a baby, we're having a baby!" Around this time, I realize I probably should have finished packing my hospital bag BEFORE taking castor oil. Everyone says that you have a lot of time once labor starts, but not so in my case. Contractions were coming regular and painful, but in between gushes of fluid, we pack our bags, send Percy off to the neighbors, and Ben paints my toenails. The pain gets to be pretty bad, so Ben finally convinced me we really needed to leave.

At 8:30 we arrive at St. Alphonsus. It is a slow night so we are taken right to a room and gotten all checked in. Cervix is only at 1.5 dilation, but since water broke we are admitted. The contractions are getting more and more intense, so the nurse gets the jacuzzi set up. Whoever said that was nature's epidural lied. When the nurse checks on us 30 minutes later, I am in a lot of pain and suffering from back labor and feeling like my hips are going to explode. The nurses have already explained that I need to be at 5 cm to have an epidural, so I ask if there is a pre-epidural painkiller solution and am assured there is.

We head back to the room, I'm now dilated to 3. I am given Statol, which I am later told is not to reduce pain but to make me loopy. Well, it worked. I'm still in a lot of pain every contraction, but now the room is spinning. Worthless! This made me grumpy, but the nurse later said I was very pleasant in-between contractions.

12 am- Epidural arrives! Sweet salvation! Sitting up through 3 contractions while she places it, and then the following 15 minutes of contractions it takes to set in was NOT pleasant, but so worth it. It was a light dose, so I can still feel some pain and tons of pressure during contractions, enough that they keep me awake. This is not pleasant, but I do get some rest. Midwife arrives to check me- at a 5! She compliments me on moving so smoothly and efficiently through labor.

They continue to check and every hour progress has been made. At 3 AM, they wake up Ben because it is time to push. He insists on watching and is given a leg to help. This makes me uncomfortable, but eventually I get the hang of pushing. I wasn't too happy b/c I felt I was mostly flat on my back. I had pictured using gravity to assist since I was told this hospital has special beds for that purpose. I keep asking to for the bed to be tilted more, but the midwife lets me know the bed was where she wanted it. I had also read that you should gently push and breathe the baby down. The midwife notices this immediately, and tells me that it was a bunch of hooey and I need to push with all I had.

Pushing continues with plenty of encouragement "She has a LOT of hair!" "Just a few more and she'll be out!"
After about 30 minutes of pushing, at 3:30 am. the head was almost out. Crowning was painful, even with the epidural, but not as unbearable as the contractions were without medication. It lasted two contractions, which the midwife used to stretch and apply lots of olive oil. Finally, baby girl was pushed into the world, then another push for her shoulders. She was brought up to me and I had no idea what to do with the squirming tiny mess! But I loved seeing that head of hair and hearing her first cries.

We had planned on an hour of skin to skin to start out with, but I was actually feeling quite overwhelmed with the whole unreal process, so when a nurse asked if she could take her weight, etc, I let her. They moved her to the warmer on the side of the room, Ben staying with baby while the midwife sewed up a slight tear on momma. I watched my baby from across the room and it seemed like eternity until she was back in my arms. She weighed in at 7 lbs 5 oz, 19'' long, perfect in every way. I held her and wasn't sure what to think. I was so exhausted and she was a little stranger and had the grumpiest look on her little face. Around 4:30 am, we were moved to our recovery room, and on the wheelchair ride over she fell asleep. Looking at her little sleepy relaxed face and double chin is when I fell in love and it began to be real. She is breastfeeding like a champ, and sometime during the night her face lost it's grumpy-to-be-born face and now she is our little angel.

A lot didn't go according to the birth plan and careful research I'd done, which I felt disappointed about directly after labor. However, everything worked out wonderfully and the end result feels miraculous and now the memories of pain and any disappointment have been swallowed up in awe and love for our little Cadence Kay.

Starting an Online Store

2012-05-28T23:02:00.003-07:00

In March of 2010, I opened Sorella Bella- an online clothing store geared towards LDS Sister Missionaries. Basically, I sell modest skirts and dresses, accessories, travel supplies, etc. I did everything myself, from setting up the website to ordering inventory, with a $4000 loan from my Grandpa (which I paid off over the following year).

Starting a business was complicated, but exciting! It was challenging, but so enjoyable I didn't mind the late nights. In fact, I'm of a mind to start a few more once I can build the capital. If you have been thinking of starting an online shop, here are some tips.

1. Develop your idea. An online store is relatively easy to set up with small start-up costs, so there is a lot of competition out there. You need to find your niche, figure out whether you want your own website or want to sell through a third party like Etsy.

2. Use drop-shipping wisely. It eats up your profits like crazy, an very few wholesalers will offer it anyway. Plan on building your own inventory, and reinvesting your earnings back into inventory for as long as it takes. Drop-shipping is mainly useful only if you are offering a new item experimentally. For instance, I decided to expand my product offering to shoes, which can be very expensive to hold in inventory. I drop-shipped, and found it wasn't profitable so saved some money and heartache.

3. Your search engine ranking is basically a reflection of how well you are putting the word about your store out there. SEO = Put links everywhere you can!

4. It is hard to change once you're established. Do research and pick your website name, hosting company, shopping cart platform, etc. very carefully.

5. Keep good records. At times you will wonder if it is worth the work, hassle, trips to the post office. Keep an excel spreadsheet with income and expenses so you can make educated decisions. (Plus helps with taxes!)

6. Wherever you possibly can, DIY! I use Prestashop, a free open source shopping cart, for my online store. You can't beat the price, and there is a great community forum willing to help the clueless.

7. Invest in excellent product photos. Upgrade your camera, do some online research on how to use it. My website is not currently the best example, but I can tell you that the top-selling products are those with the best pictures.

8. USPS is easiest for shipping. If you print priority postage online, you save something like 15% and get free delivery confirmation. I also occasionally use FedEx when mailing heavy packages more than a few couple states away- sign up for a business account and you can typically negotiate some percentage-off savings. UPS seems to be the most expensive, so I don't use them.

Do you have or are you thinking of starting a webstore? Have any tips of your own? Any questions I can help with?

Free shipping for my friends and readers with code SHIP4FREE

DIY Faux Capiz Shell Chandelier

2012-01-27T13:57:00.000-08:00

We have been working here and there on the nursery. Design is not my forte, and we are on a tight budget, so it takes me a long time to make decisions. Finally, I found a light fixture option that had was I was looking for aesthetically and in the price department. A tutorial for a faux capiz shell chandelier on Pinterest that really caught my eye, so I followed the tutorial at Freshly Picked, with a few changes.

Here is how to make your own.

Supplies

Parchment Paper

Old metal-frame lamp shade or metal basket

Wax Paper (2 boxes, cheap store brand is OK)

White Thread (1-2 spools)

1.75'' Circle Punch (I used Fiskars Lever Punch, X-Large, Circle)

1'' Circle Punch (I used the Marth Stewart 1-Inch Punch Circle. My one issue is it can't cut single circles, you must double up. That was OK for this project but might be a pain in the future)

Swag Hooks (I got the set at Home Depot, it anchors right in the ceiling and will hold 30 lbs)

Total Cost- About $30. The circle punches can be pricey, watch Joann's for sales.

Total Time - I made this over the course of 4 days, it was rather tedious and time consuming. I'd guess about 10 hours. Definitely a great project to do with a friend or while watching a movie!

1. Layer 3 two-foot strips of wax paper between piece of parchment paper. Four layers is about the most I could do. Iron your stack of papers, and don't be shy! The more you iron, the more wrinkly and capiz-esque your paper will look. Remove ironed wax paper layers, and replace with fresh sheets. You can, of course, reuse the parchment paper. Repeat this for, what feels like, a thousand times.

2. Accordion fold the wax paper and punch away.

3. Strip down your lamp shade to the bare metal. If needed or desired, add an extra row of wire for an additional tier. I didn't get a 'before' shot, but this should give you an idea.

4. Now that you have your large and small circles cut out, it is time to arrange them. First you need to know what length of strips to make. I put my lampshade frame up against the ceiling, and measured from the bottom how long I wanted- about 11''. That meant I wanted to make roughly 22'' long strips, that I then folded over the frame. I used a pencil to lightly mark 22'' on my desk, and laid out a row of circles, intermixing large and small at random.

At first, I did this for each individual strip. This takes forever! To save time, once you've laid out a strip, make at least 5 piles of layered circles in matching order.

5. Then you just chain stitch sew each of the six strips, and start again.

6. As you go, you can layer the strips onto your frame. Once you finish a section, cover the top with a stripe of hot glue to keep in place.

7. Remove your previous light fixture, and hang up completed chandelier in it's place with swag hooks.

8. Step back and enjoy your beautiful new chandelier!

Light off, in the afternoon

Light on, nighttime

Not too bad for $30! Plus, at night it casts pretty shadows on the wall.

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Having a Baby on a Budget

2012-01-26T13:39:00.000-08:00

At 39 weeks, 6 days pregnant, I have baby on the brain!

My first inner impulse was to go buy all the 5 star, mom-recommended baby products on Amazon. Ben reminded me that even though we recently became debt-free (thanks, Dave Ramsey!), we've still got the house to pay off and other large expenses coming up. So, we sat down and came up with a budget of about $2000 for baby supplies, feeding, diapering, outfitting for the first year. Add that to the $2000 infertility treatment, the $5000 + 20% deductible, and we are looking at a pricey kid.

Here are some ideas for cutting costs and staying within a budget:

Medical Bills

1. Aflac Supplement- When we decided to get pregnant, we signed up for two Aflac insurance plans to supplement my regular insurance that will pay out about $1900 for a normal delivery (more for a caesarean). After the premium payments of $70 per month for 11 months, that is a $1130 savings.

2. Use an HSA- That means that our portion of the bill will be paid with before-tax income, at a savings of 15-30%.

3. Birth centers often are much less expensive than hospitals. Our local Boise birth center charges $3500 for everything- prenatal visits, delivery, postpartum check ups. Because this is our first child, we going the traditional hospital route in case I want that epidural. If I can hack unmedicated birth, though, in the future we'll try the birth center out.

Diapers

1. We plan on cloth diapering baby Martineau. Cloth diapers have come a long way, and now have become nearly as convenient as disposables. Over the course of the years our little one is in diapers, we estimate we'll save $2,000-3,000.

Even with cloth diapering, this is still the second most expensive category for baby. Here is the $600 budget breakdown:

18 Bumgenius Elemental Organic All-in-One Diapers ~ $360 (this was a bit of a splurge, but I wanted the easiest to use and these come highly rated. Also, we got the kind with snaps so they should last for at least two kids. The resale value is also very high. A great way to save here is to buy them at the seconds sale from the manufacturer at Cottonbabies.com)
Cloth Wipes ~ $2 - homemade from old flannel pajamas and a 1/2 yard of terry cloth
7th Generation Newborn & Stage 1 Disposables and Wipes ~ $70 (Baby won't fit into cloth until about 6 weeks)
Diaper Sprayer ~ $23 (Sigma brand on Ebay)
Wet Bags ~ $30 (Amazon and Etsy are two good places to look.
Step Trash Can with Carbon Lid ~ $60 (If I had it to do again, I'd go for the Diaper Dekor Plus and then get the matching liner on Etsy)
Charlies Gentle Detergent ~ $8
Cloth Wipe Spray Ingredients ~ $30
Changing pad & Covers ~ $9 (easily found at garage and consignment sales)
Changing Table ~ $40 for a dresser on craigslist
Diaper Bag ~ $60 (unnecessary splurge for a highly coveted Vera Bradley bag. Great prices on Ebay)

The good news is, year two should be significantly less, as will the cost for future babies.

Feeding

1. Breastfeeding is inexpensive AND helps shed baby pounds! Supplies, like My Brest Friend, nursing covers, pumps, etc. can be found very inexpensively at thrift and consignment stores.

2. Sign up at all the major formula companies websites. Around your due date, they will start sending you high value coupons and full-size formula samples.

3. Practice baby-led weaning. Baby starts on the solids that the rest of the family is eating, only perhaps a bit more cooked for softness.

4. Make your own baby food with your blender and ice cube trays. Very inexpensive and healthy! There are tons of recipes online.

Transportation

1. For safety issues, car seats should not be used if they are expired or have been in an accident. Be careful buying used for these reasons.

2. We found the best deals here at garage and consignment sales. I did splurge on an Ergo carrier on Ebay- those are hard to find cheap!

3. Make your own Moby-style wrap with a $2 bolt of jersey fabric from Walmart.

The Nursery

All in all, we spent about $600, including all babies toys, accessories, clothes, etc. This is a great area to pinch pennies if you need.

1. Shop thrift stores, consignment and garage sales, craigslist, Ebay, and Amazon Warehouse for the best deals. Remember that a lot of things you won't need right away, so you can take the time to wait for the best price.

2. DIY Decorate. Check out Pinterest for great ideas that you can do yourself to save money but still have a cute nursery.

3. It is difficult to find a good second-hand fixed-side crib. We ended up getting a drop-side at a garage sale ($5!) and then Ben sturdily bolted the sides to make it a fixed-side crib. Safety problems solved, and over $100 saved.

All in all, we have spent $1300 on everything we will need for baby's first year. Most of those items will be reusable with additional children. Babies don't have to be expensive!

DIY Upholstered Headboard

2011-11-20T17:11:00.000-08:00

We are going for the romantic retreat in our bedroom- eventually, anyway. Right now the budget is tight, with baby on the way. Still, I've been itching to do a padded headboard ever since I first saw a tutorial.

There are several online, and I read through them all to cobble together what I wanted to do. Here is the finished product:

Breakdown

1 sheet of plywood, cut to size at Lowes- $7

2 yards of 2'' regular density foam from Jo-Ann Fabrics (with coupon) - $14

2 yards of batting - $5

2 yards of 54'' purple chenille fabric from Home Fabrics - $14

10 yards of #5 nickel nailhead trim (This was hard to find! You only need 5 yards, but I'm sending the rest to my Mom as it was cheaper to buy 10 yards on ebay than 5 yards at Jo-Anns. Best ebay seller- Nails-to-you) - $15.50

Rubber Mallet from Lowes - $5

D-rings from Lowes - $4

Total Cost- $64.50

Total Time- 2-3 hours

If you'd like to do one, here is a collection of the best online tutorials:

Kate from "Centsational Girl"

Sara at "Running from the Law"


Rachel at "Southern Exposure"

There are a ton of great DIY videos on Youtube as well. Basically, it is a pretty easy and inexpensive way to have your own custom furniture.

My Pinterest Obsession

2011-11-17T16:00:00.000-08:00

I confess! I check Pinterest 3-4 times a day. I love seeing the creativity, to drool over the recipes and the beautiful pictures, and fantasize about my next project. It is inspiring and motivating- and since I've signed up, I've completed more projects than entire year previous. Any time I complete a pinned project idea, I try to comment about what I learned. This way my pin board is also becoming a check list.

Here is what I'm currently working on:

Anthropologie Rosette Bedding- I'm going with the crisp white too


Just waiting on the nailhead trim to finish- it's a dusky purple I love


A faux capiz chandelier for the nursery

And, lastly,


A jersey rug- once I decide what color to go with for the nursery. Is white asking for trouble?

So, if you are looking for inspiration, I highly suggest visiting Pinterest. If you need an invite, just let me know!

My Tips for the Newly Pregnant

2011-11-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

The first sign I was pregnant was sore breasts. They grew, I bought new bras, which I promptly outgrew. For the first trimester, just get some inexpensive sports bras at Walmart. After that, try to stick to inexpensive solutions until you get to the nursing stage.

For the same reason, avoid pre-buying maternity tops. I got a lot of cute ones in preparation during the first trimester. What fit my chest then sadly no longer fit in the later two trimesters. Just wait until you actually need it and then go get the correct size.

Maternity jeans are awesome and very comfortable, but there is more involved in pulling them up and down, which you do a lot with a baby bouncing on your bladder. I got a few pairs of comfortable pajama and lounge pants a couple sizes up at the thrift store for wearing around the house.

Don't buy anti-nausea solutions or any other pregnancy symptom helps until that symptom actually appears. A lot of symptoms you hear about you may never develop.

Pregtastic.org podcasts are a joy to listen to when all you can think about is pregnancy, and no one else is interested in your new obsession. I listened to all 200+ in the first trimester. Pregnancy forums are also great, I use BabyCenter.

My favorite maternity tops are the ones with high enough necklines that I don't have to wear a layer underneath. It makes life much easier.

When you develop road rage, start crying because your husband is neglectful, or get intensely irritated with strangers- remember that you are at a very hormonal time and this, too, shall pass.

I wanted to buy the best and brightest for baby. I spent hours reading reviews of baby products and picked out my top 1 or 2 choices for each item. We planned what would work for our budget in each category (feeding, sleeping, nursery, diapering, etc.). Sadly, this did not afford me the convenience of buying everything (or anything, actually) new. So we hit garage sales every weekend, thrift stores on sale days, and a seasonal consignment sale. I got every item on my wish list- down to brand and in 'like new' condition- for a fraction of the price. Being on a budget doesn't mean you have to cut corners or sacrifice quality, safety, or condition. It just means you need to spend a little more time and constantly be on the prowl for bargains. It was actually fun, and, a great activity to do with Ben.

Take everything with a grain of salt and do your research. Not supposed to eat unheated deli meats? When you research the actual risk level to you and the baby, you may decide that it is crazy low enough that it is OK to go head and eat a cold sandwich now and again.

Goals

2011-11-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

I just realized I have a little over a month before my siblings arrive for Thanksgiving. Time to put in place some must-complete goals to ensure a comfortable visit.

1. Finish painting the kitchen table. I've primed and recovered the seats, and that is where we've been for the last four months. Whoops!

2. Purchase a sectional or couch set for the family room. Easier said than done when you're picky and on a craigslist budget!

3. Deep clean the house. Lets face it, hasn't been done... ever.

4. Finish painting trim upstairs. 3 rooms left to go.

5. Paint Baby Girl's room.

So, with such happy motivation, should be doable. The only one out of my control is finding the perfect sectional at the right price.

Cloth Wipes for Diapering Baby

2011-09-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

Since making the decision to cloth diaper, cloth wipes were an easy extension. I found that most online stores sell double layer wipes for at least $1 each, so I decided to whip up some of my own.

One year of diapering a child in disposables produces 1 ton of trash that can take over 300 years to break down. While disposable wipes are certainly handy, fairly inexpensive, and the best option for some families, it sure feels warm and fuzzy inside to be able to use cloth.

I bought 1.5 yards of terry cloth for one side and cut up two pairs of old flannel pajamas for the other. I used a large baby washcloth as a guide for cutting each rectangle. Because I don't have a serger, I sewed them right sides together, leaving a small hole to flip them right sides out. Then I sewed a border around the edges and a line down the center for strength through the multiple washings.

Here is a close up of the finished product:

It took me about 4 hours altogether to make the 36 wipes. My total cost was about $8 (5.60 for the terry cloth at fabric.com and 2.40 for a roll of matching thread). If you have to buy 1.5 yards of flannel you could certainly get more wipes, and would cost a little more.

This was my first sewing project for baby girl, and it felt fun to be making something with love for her. I can't believe it, but I can hardly wait to change diapers on that sweet little bum! I also know I did a high quality job on these wipes, and they should last through several children.

For those who are on a budget and don't sew or have the time, I found these cute single layer flannel wipes on Etsy that run for under $.50/wipe and get great reviews : Turtles R Us

Thrift Store Shopping Spree

2011-09-12T14:59:00.000-07:00

Today I hit 3 thrift stores and a consignment shop- Savers, Idaho Youth Ranch, Other Mothers, and New Again. I spent $29 for the following:

2 Miracle blankets, 1 swaddler, 1 hooded towel, 2 pair slippers, 1 pair shoes, 15 pair socks, 1 mattress pad, 2 fitted crib sheets, 1 crib skirt, 1 maternity shirt, 3 books, 3 onesies, 1 bunting, 1 NWT designer sweater, and my favorite, a classic red wool coat.

All for the price of any two of these items retail! Hooray for thrift stores!

Tips for Baby Bargain Shopping

2011-09-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

1. Research! Know what the best products are, and their retail/ebay/craigslist pricepoints. That will help you stay away from wastes of money, and to recognize awesome deals. I spent a lot of time reading reviews of 5 star products on Amazon, and reading through Mom Must-Have's on Amazon's Listmania. I also read through blogs and Mom forums. When I found something I knew I wanted, I checked the price on ebay and craigslist, making mental notes.

2. Best places for deals, in order: Garage sales, thrift stores, resale stores, Amazon Warehouse, craigslist, Ebay. Yup, Ebay ranked last. Oftentimes, with shipping and the competition for well-rated items, you're not going to get much off retail. Amazon Warehouse was a new find for me- basically they are reselling like-new customer returns, sometimes at a deep discount. I got the Angelcare Movement and Sound Sensor Deluxe (normally $115) for $46, brand new in the box. I've also seen the My Brest Friend for as low as $21. Not bad for a new item shipped to your door for free (you HAVE signed up for Amazon Moms already, right?)

3. Be picky. Every week there will be dozens of new garage sales and new items in at the thrift stores, so don't buy something unless you love it AND it's in great condition AND it's an excellent price.

4. Be a "regular". I go to the thrift store every Monday and hit garage sales every Saturday. I've developed my own price points for various items, and each week I find a nearly-new treasure.

5. If you spot an awesome deal on an item you already have, buy it and flip it. I like Craigslist best because Ebay can be a hassle with the shipping, fees, and disillusioned buyers. Almost every week I find something I can flip for enough to offset the cost of almost my entire shopping trip.

It's a Girl!

2011-09-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

My excuse for not blogging is most definitely female! I was so excited to see her at the ultrasound. The technician assured us that if she was like all the other babies that day, she would be easy and cooperative. "Not if she is like her Dad!" Sure enough, Baby Martineau was very stubborn and required lots of prodding and shifting to get all the necessary photos. Here are some of the cuter ones:

Our CNM said that she looks perfectly normal and is a good size - 12 oz - for her age. She seems to be on track for a January birthday. Also, Ben asked if it would be alright to fly so close to the due date for the Christmas holiday. She said it was too early to tell if I would have any complications that would outlaw it, but either way she probably wouldn't recommend traveling at 36 weeks. So it looks like we are driving to Alabama, getting hit with last minute fares, or hanging about Boise. Anyone have any third trimester travel experiences / advice?

Caring for your Hardwood Floors

2011-06-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

12 Tips for Maintaining Hardwood Floors

Caring for your hardwood floors is the easiest way to make sure that they last for the longest time possible. Making sure your floors are taken care of allows your home to remain appealing and presentable. Here are 12 tips for effectively taking care of your hardwood floors. A guest post by George.

1. Get Information

Follow the directions and recommendations for the care of your wood flooring. Ask for information on the ease or difficulty of care from the manufacturer or retailer before purchase. Make sure that your ability to care for the flooring matches the type of wood floor you’re considering.

2. Use The Right Cleaner

Remember that when caring for your wood flooring, you are actually caring for two surfaces – the wood and the finish on top of it. Always use the correct kind of products for cleaning your floor. Tile-cleaning products and vinyl-cleaning products should never be used on a wood floor. If you want to use a wax on your wood floor, be sure the product specifically says that it is safe for hardwood. Some wax products can damage wood flooring so badly that the material has to be sanded and refinished. Be sure to clean your floor before waxing. Never use wax on a sealed wood floor, as this can create a surface that is extremely slippery. It can also cause problems if the floor ever needs to be resealed. Avoid oil soaps altogether.

3. Try Throw Rugs

Use throw rugs and mats in high traffic areas, in doorways, and where furniture with hard feet will rest. Placing a large throw rug where children will be playing is also a good idea.

4. Prevent Your Furniture From Causing Damage

Put plastic-faced or fabric-faced gliders under the legs of furniture to prevent wood floors from being scratched, especially when rearranging furniture. These are also a good idea for dining chairs, where a great deal of movement is to be expected. When moving particularly heavy pieces of furniture, get help to lift the piece, instead of scooting or sliding it.

5. Clean Regularly

Vacuum, sweep, or mop your wood floors with a very slightly damp mop regularly. However, never wet-mop it. A large amount of water will dull finishes, damage the wood with warping, or leave discoloring behind. Wipe up drink and food spills right away. Place a throw rug in front of kitchen sink area to keep water from standing on floor.

6. Avoid Hard Bottomed Shoes

Any kind of cleats, high heels, sports shoes, or other hard-bottomed shoes can damage the floor surface. Try to avoid heavy traffic in these types of footwear. Shoes with deep treads can hold dirt and pebbles that could cause gouges in your hardwood flooring. Have an area near your door where you or visitors can leave dirty or hard-soled shoes upon entrance.

7. Use A Specialized Vacuum

Use a vacuum with a brush attachment or special attachments for bare floors. Never use a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar on a wood floor. A dust mop with a wide, cotton head is also useful for everyday care. When using a broom, don’t use one with hard or abrasive bristles. Use a soft, fine-bristled broom with exploded ends to catch dust. Wood flooring should be cleaned twice a week to remove dust and dirt, to prevent it from building up and scratching with regular traffic.

8. Get Help With Scratches Or Dents

If your hardwood floor acquires any scratches or dents, consult the manufacturer or retailer on how to repair them. Some flooring can be easily replaced in small pieces, but there are some forms of damage that can be buffed out with less expense.

9. Clean Your Rugs And Mats

Be sure to clean beneath any rugs and mats – dirt and dust filter down and can scar the wood underneath, acting like sandpaper between the rug and flooring. Rugs and mats should also be washed, cleaned, or shaken outdoors regularly to remove any buildup that could cause damage.

10. Prevent Long Exposure To Sunlight

If the windows in the room with your wood flooring get large amounts of bright light during the day, add sheer drapes or close the blinds or curtains completely to protect the floors. Long periods of bright sunlight will discolor a wood floor with UV damage.

11. Clean Up Right Away

Immediately clean up tracked-in dirt or mud before it has the opportunity to scratch, seep between panels, or otherwise damage the flooring.

12. Control The Humidity

Take care with how humid the environment inside your home is. Keep it between 45% and 55%. Too humid an environment can cause the wood to swell, crack, and warp. If your home is too dry, the wood can separate. Buying a humidifier or dehumidifier is an easy way to monitor this.

George assists his employers with their vacuum cleaner bags as he mainly writes about Numatic vacuum bags for a living.

National Infertility Week

2011-05-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

We just finished up a week designated for raising awareness of infertility problems. Coincidentally, it was also the week that I had my first appointment with a reproductive endocrinologist. Ben and I have been married for a year and a half, and have been open to pregnancy for about a year of that time. During the last year, I've only had 4 periods. We would get really excited each time I was late, but pregnancy tests were always negative. Finally I was able to get in and see an expert. Blood test results combined with my symptoms have led to the diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS affects an estimated 10% of women. It is basically an imbalance of hormones that can contribute to infertility by halting ovulation.

The good news is that since PCOS is so common, there a multiple resources and online support groups and forums. From what I've been reading, PCOS and it's unpleasant symptoms can be managed with weight loss (though it is difficult to lose weight due to PCOS), low-carbohydrate diets, and moderate exercise.

From a fertility standpoint, the solution is to regulate the hormones with medication, and, in effect, force the body to ovulate. The process, called Ovarian Induction, is straightforward. At the beginning of your cycle (luckily, mine started the day of my appointment so I was able to jump right in with treatment), you take Clomid pills to stimulate follicle growth. Later, you also take Bravelle injections to continue to develop the dominant follicles. The goal is to have 1-2 mature follicles. When that point is reached (determined by somewhat awkward transvaginal ultrasounds), then you take a trigger shot to begin ovulation.

Success rates for my age range are pretty promising. The 18% are pregnant after the first cycle, 27% after two, and 50% after three, 75% are pregnant after six cycles. As each cycle takes two months and costs about $1,000, we are hoping to find ourselves pregnant sooner rather than later. So far I am 10 pills, 3 injections, 2 ultrasounds, and 17 days into my first cycle.

Side note: While this is the same treatment that Kate Gosselin undertook (minus the artificial insemination), the risk for multiples is much lower due to stricter recommendations by the American Fertility Association. This means if more than 1-2 mature follicles develop, the cycle will be discontinued, preventing pregnancy with multiples.

Anyone else struggle with PCOS or infertility?

How to Save Money on Road Trips

2011-04-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

Summer is approaching and so are vacations! This year our family is in Debt Snowball mode, which means all money in excess of essential spending goes to paying off our student loan rather than a vacation. Still, I have a business trip for my online store and a cross-country trip to return the car my parents have generously loaned us for over a year.

Thus, I have gathered a collection of cost-cutting tips for road trip vacations on a budget.

Fuel

Make sure your tires are properly inflated.
Check into buying a gas gift card online- sometimes you can find up to 20% savings.
If you have a warehouse club membership, chart out some locations along your route to gas up at a discount. These are often an inexpensive place to eat as well.

Food

Watch Groupon and other deal sites for the cities you'll be visiting. Restaurant, entertainment, and even lodging offers can be purchased as substantial savings.
Towards the end of each month, Restaurant.com discounts their certificates. Stock up on couple for the cities you will be staying at. On a Sister's Roadtrip, we stopped in San Antonio, TX. My sister Emily had the foresight to purchase 3 restaurant certificates. They were $2.00 each and we only needed one- but it was worth the extra expense to have our choice and to find the least expensive.
Pack your own snacks. My family has certain treats we only eat on roadtrips- like corn nuts. Getting them beforehand at a grocery or warehouse store saves tons over picking up snacks at each vending machine or gas station. Other favorites: Kettle corn, red vines, teddy grahams, cut veggies and hummus, yogurt, cheese sticks, anything from Nutty Guys (watch for Groupons or sales).
Bring along lunches or pick up fixings at local grocery stores. I used to hate doing this. For me, vacations should have a little luxury and novelty involved. To resist the temptation of "I'm on vacation so I deserve to eat at a restaurant", I buy nicer items than I would normally pack for an everyday lunch. I get nice rolls, deli meats, cheeses and sides, Nutella, bottled soda or juice, etc. Rotisserie chicken is great as well. Then, I make these meals an event. My other temptation for swinging by a fast food place rather than eating a packed lunch was- "I want to get out of this car!!". Pick a well-tended rest stop or park, get out of the car, walk around, eat your lunch at table or picnic style, play a game.
Consider packing a crock pot. This summer, my family is performing in the Nauvoo Pageant. To offset the expensive lodging, we are planning to have some crock pot suppers.

Lodging

Groupon, online travel deal sites, Craigslist.com vacation rentals.
Look for bundled amenities- a pool, included breakfast or internet.
Camp! This can be a lot of fun, it is built in that you save by eating a fire-cooked meal, there are often lots of free activities, not to mention the possibilities of making family memories. State Parks will likely have the lowest fees. This requires some planning ahead- camp grounds do not always do the best road-side advertising. If you don't have one already, build your camping stash through thrift store shopping and garage sales. Check out www.freecampgrounds.com
Check out the brochures and booklets at rest stops- they oftentimes have great coupons for local lodging.

General

Can you get a tax write-off? Planning your vacation around business purposes (an interview or training) or charity (volunteering at the Nauvoo pageant!?) can make a large chunk of your expenses deductible.
Free activities often don't put money into online advertising. Talk to locals and ask what is fun and free or inexpensive to do in the region. Ben and I have learned of awesome camp sites, fishing holes, and local, unmarked hot springs that way.
Pick up audiobooks and CDs at the library for free in-car entertainment.

Anyone Want to Adopt a Dog?

2011-03-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

Today, the alarm went off and I happily popped out of bed and headed to the sink to brush my teeth. So did Ben, but in a much darker mood. He keep muttering, "What are we going to do?" and "Oh no!" I did not know what his problem was until I hit the stairwell- turns out he has a much more sensitive nose- and the smell hit me. The disgusting, overpowering smell of fresh dog doo.

Before Percy starts yipping that I am blackening his good name, let me explain. Yesterday, we agreed to foster another dog when the rescue called us saying they were desperate to find another foster family. Sprite was being returned for the second time by an adoptive family (they don't get refunds on the vet bills, so that should have been the red flag.) Apparently, she had lost 7 pounds and refused to eat unless they were forcing her by hand. We agreed and brought Sprite home- an 8 month old, 36 lb cattle dog mix.

Percy puffed up his 14 lbs and immediately asserted his dominance as the top dog. Sprite found that amusing and decided Percy was funny enough to be her favorite toy. Ben and I thought it was great fun to watch Sprite chase Percy around the yard. If Percy ever stopped running, Sprite would bat at him with her paw or bark and him. Haha.

Guilty Party

Anyway, it was a cold night in ID, so we felt bad leaving poor Sprite outside. Since she is really wiley we didn't want her in the garage. Ben had 3 motorcycles to sell in there and they decrease in value if they get knocked over. Plus, I just bought a cute armoir at an auction for $25 that is in there waiting to get painted and I didn't want it to be chewed on.
So, we decided on the downstairs bath. We put Percy in there (in his kennel) to keep Sprite company and went to bed.

And found a HUGE mess in the morning. Coming to our house had helped Sprite regain her appetite and she had eaten a LOT of dog food and the prodigious end product was not pretty. Or Solid. Especially after she stepped in it. Speaking of- I need to go back and finish scrubbing out the grout with a toothbrush (Percy's- I think he must HATE Sprite. I can just imagine what he was thinking when he saw Sprite decide to do her business inside right next to his kennel).

So, its been busy.

Our New House

2011-02-18T18:58:00.000-08:00

Giddy with excitement, the first thing I did after receiving the keys to our new abode was make a video tour. It is 6 dizzying minutes long and rewatching it gives me a motion-sickness headache, but I am embedding it here anyway. It is part of our record- the ultra-before shot. Already things have started changing. Today we cleaned the kitchen and garage, steam cleaned all the carpets, and painted the pantry and laundry closet Robin's Egg blue.