Jackson Reads to Us

Bedtime has changed lately.  Now, Jackson reads to us, says "Good Night," then quietly closes the door while we lay on his bed.  He lays on our bed for a few minutes, then comes back and says "Hey, Good Morning."

Here's a movie of Jackson reading his favorite book to Lettie:

Homemade Sandwich Wrap

I know Brian is going to appreciate this post because he is one of those people who washes and reuses every ziplock and plastic container he comes across.  Alex and I were recently talking about how many ziplocks we go through since he takes them for lunch a lot and Jackson uses them for his "school" lunch and for snacks.

I saw a small story on reusable cloth sandwich and snack bags in one of my mommy magazines recently and I loved the idea.  They are very cute and of course eco-friendly, so I decided to use my mediocre sewing skills and try to make a few of my own.

I experimented with a few different materials and a couple of different designs.  The first one I made is more of a ziplock bag style with cloth on the outside and an actual cut up ziplock lining the inside.  I don't think it will be very durable in the long run, but it's been working fine for now.  We usually use it for snacks like grapes or pretzels.

The second design is my favorite-it is more practical for sandwiches, and was very simple to make.  The first one I tried to make was cloth on the outside lined with a heavy duty clear vinyl on the inside.  This was pretty much impossible to sew on my machine because the foot and needle stuck to the thick vinyl.  

After that disaster, I decided to use vinyl tablecloth material to line the wrap.  It worked well in the sewing machine and will be easy to keep clean and durable.

So...this is the finished product.

Don't you think chickens and gingham just go together?  It's like a little personal picnic.  All I did was sew the fabric right sides together and then turn it inside out.   Then I sewed small pieces of velcro to hold it all together around the sandwich.  It won't keep anything fresh for a long time, but it works well for a lunch.

Sidetrack...

I promise, I really was planning on talking about sewing today, I even have a draft written and pictures lined up.  As frequently happens in my daily life, I have become sidetracked.  I often spend my days in endless frustrating loops: I can't mop until I vacuum, I can't vacuum until I pick up the toys, but I really need to do the dishes first, I think Patrick needs a diaper change...you get the point.

Today, after a few of these loops and a rushed through nap routine because I really wanted to have a diet coke in peace, I came across this quote by author and columnist Anna Quindlen:

“The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11).

This quote literally brought tears to my eyes.  I thought back on our struggles with fertility problems and all the things we went through to become pregnant.  I recalled all of my deals (with God) and promises (to myself) that if I could just be granted this one wish I would always live in the moment and appreciate what a true gift children are.  But...I am human.  Of course I don't cherish all of the moments.  Sometimes we all need a reminder that life is good and time passes quickly.  I WILL make good on my deals and keep my promises and not be in such a hurry to get on to the next thing. I WILL savor the moments and the frustrations and the insanity and remember how truly lucky I am.

"Stop Saying No!!"

That's what I just heard Lettie yell to Jackson while he was taking a bath.  Ohh, that's funny.  He has gotten out of control with his "nos" and "yeps".

Saving the Planet and the Cuteness

Whew!  That previous post was a tough one.  Don't worry...we hugged it out and Alex is feeling better now.  I'll try not to rant or lecture you in this post.

The Burns household has had some changes lately and we're becoming a lot more "green."  I've always tried to do my part in the green movement and as you can see from the previous post, Alex has definitely started to feel more strongly about eating more healthfully and living a more organic and planet-friendly lifestyle.

One of the big steps I have taken is to use cloth diapers on Patrick.  I had a brief hiatus with the "butt-fluff" when Jackson was almost 2, but it didn't last long.  I think I mainly wimped out with using cloth on him because I happened to be 8 months pregnant at the time and his above-average pooping schedule was a little tough on my squeamish tummy.  

Anyway...cloth diapering is going really well with Patrick.  It's really not bad at all-I'm not scared of a little poop and pee!  I only have a small supply of diapers right now, so I have to wash them every day, but I'm working on building up my supply so I can wash less often.  It's not at all complicated.  I just give them a pre-rinse in our laundry room sink and then wash them like normal clothes in warm water with Tide and dry them in the dryer.  The only difference is I cannot use fabric softener because that lessens the effectiveness of the high-tech waterproof, "wicking" fabrics.

There are a myriad of different cloth diaper choices out there.  Things have definitely changed since the cloth diapers that our parents used.  I have found that I prefer an "all-in-one" or "pocket" diaper.  These are put on just like a disposable diaper with velcro or snaps (no pins!) and they have a waterproof outer layer while the inside is soft fleece with an absorbent insert that can be removed for washing.

I have bought most of my diapers gently used from other moms on an online community and I also got a few from our friend Ellie (thanks, ellie!)  The initial expense is much more than disposable, but in the long run I will be saving a lot of money and it's definitely cheaper to buy used or trade what doesn't work with other moms.  

Above all of that, cloth diapers are just way cuter!

I can't wait to finally tell y'all about all of my latest sewing projects in my next post.  See you there!

High Fructose Corn Syrup Quick Facts

Lizzie got me going this evening by sending this:

SweetSurprise - Facts about Sugar, Honey and High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

Lettie also showed me the complimentary TV commercial that goes with these quick facts.

I have another Quick Fact for you.  High Fructose Corn Syrup will rot your teeth out, make you obese, give you diabetes, and make your family dislike you.

Why does every item in the middle of the grocery store contain a sweetener?  Sugar Sells.  75 years ago, we didn't sweeten EVERY item.  You can't even buy a loaf of bread that doesn't contain a sweetener.  People love sugar, and High Fructose Corn Syrup is a rampant sweetener that is easy to produce.  It's not bad for you, unless you eat it in every single bite of food that you eat at every single meal, all day long, for as long as your teeth stay attached to their gums.  After that you can easily blend it up and inject it.  Why does anyone have to spend so much money to champion their cause with a national TV ad?  Perhaps it's because they make enormous amounts of money, and don't care about the effects of their actions.

2nd rant for this post...Why do we preserve items so much that even bugs won't eat it anymore. If the bugs are smart enough to stay away from our overprocessed foods, maybe we shouldn't put it in our bodies.

3rd rant... Who would preach about processed foods and sweeteners right after they posted a topic about feeding their kids fruit snacks.  ME.  That's right.  It doesn't make any sense, but that's how this blog rolls.

Lastly, everyone should run out and purchase a few chickens to reduce their dependence on the capitalistic food economy.  There is nothing more gratifying than returning from the backyard with a handful of homegrown eggs.  I wish my chickens would start laying some.

SHARKS

Jackson gets to eat one dosage of pure high fructose corn syrup a day.  He eats fruit snacks in the shape of sharks.  They taste good.

He chooses when he eats them.  Sometimes it's for breakfast, but most of the time it's after his afternoon nap.

Jackson has amazing self-control.  He eats all the sharks except one.  He ALWAYS saves the last shark to eat it later.  They get stored in pants pockets, shirt pockets, and in his hand until the time is right for eating.

After he waits for about 1/2 hour, he'll finally relish every taste of goodness the last shark has to offer.  It takes a super long time to eat.