Do you know how much it's costing you?!

This is for all those moms in diapers.  well, not the moms but their precious little ones.  From birth to potty training, it costs around $3600.00 in diapers!  Yes, that was THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED!   This is based around 5-6 diaper changes a day until potty training, and believe me when I tell you- some kids aren't that quick of a study!  Ready to faint now mama?  Well, if you're not- but you're all about the environment just know each of those diapers takes around 500 years to decompose!  (I have NO clue how they came upw ith that, just know they did.)  No to mention the byproducts of bleaching those diapers and how the chemicals sit on your baby's skin.  I was shocked, because this information while available on the internet should be told more often by diaper companies!  Then again, what company wants to put on their product:  this product may lead to infertility when your angel grows up...  But I digress. what it actually costs to cloth diaper- around $500... unless you make them yourself!  (feel free to buy them from me though, if you don't have the time- shamless plug for Cheeky Monkey Diapers.  check me out on facebook!! cheeky monkey on facebook!)

Let me talk to you for a second- is 2 extra loads of laundry a week worth you saving on average $3100?  it sure was to me!  Add to that I make my own laundry soap (check out my first few blogs it's in there somewhere- I'll insert the link when I'm done writing this.) so it quite litterally costs me only .02 cents a load.  I will do 2 extra loads of diapers and accessories a week to prevent spending a fortune!

now there are so many other benefits to cloth diapering, like less rashes, less skin irritation, chemical free, etc.  I encourage you to look them up!  If you're interested in purchasing, you can always email me on FB or go to cheekymonkeydiapers@gmail.com for it. :)

for the cost of a loaf of bread...

Okay, so the avg cost of a loaf of bread is about $2.15 here in my neck of the woods- depending on where you go.  This doesn't include tax, gas to get there or the time you take to go get it.  (granted we usually get it with our grocery shopping!)  Tax in middle TN, is 9.95%.  (ridiculous, I know!) so that one loaf of bread cost about .50 to go to the store too.

so, let me get this straight:  for one loaf of bread, it's:
$2.15 bread +
.50 gas + (or more depending on how far you drive!-)
.22 tax. + 
---------------
$2.87   Not bad, considering. but remember, this doesn't include your TIME!  your time is valuable too!!

Now, homemade bread... (don't roll your eyes, it's really only like 20 minutes of actual work)
Flour, yeast, salt and water.  that's all you need.
the most expensive thing on here is the yeast.  and with a jar (about $4) you can make aprox 20-30 loaves with this.  The 10lb bag of flour will cost you about $3- and make about 20 loaves of bread.  salt is pittiance.  it's like .80 and you only need 1 t.  you'll get about 100-150 loaves of bread from it.    Water is- free from the tap. :)

I'm going to price this at the highest price and lowest amount of return.  (least amount of loaves of bread)  this is per batch of dough, and 1 batch will make you 2-3 loves of bread depending on  how large your pans are.
yeast:  .20 per batch.
flour: .15
salt .008 cents.  (let's round that up to a full penny!)

For an entire two loaves of bread- you're paying .36!  (please note, this doesn't include electricity or gas for baking, however .36 beats $2.87 anyday!)

Now, on to the link for the home made bread.  it's a tutorial because I'm just lazy (or is it smart not to reinvent the wheel???)  Joyful Helpmeet's homemade bread tutorial.

Enjoy!

I want to be a better homemaker!

I've decided that during the last few months of my pregnancy, this preggo project will be becoming a better homemaker.  I so desperately want to be like those of the 30's - the 50's who put their families first, had dinner made by the time their husband walked in the door, all laundry was done, dishes were non-existant, and not a fleck of dust was anywhere on their furniture, and they seemed to have leisure time for their pet projects.  Their houses were immaculate as were their families, and they seemed to never been rushed or harried in any way.

I SO want to learn the secrets of these amazingly enviable women!  For a few years, I have been studying the book Created to be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl, and that has helped my relationship and my mentality in my marriage is now incredible!  I HIGHLY recommend the book, and yes it will piss you off.  it did me, but when I examined myself I realized that I was in the wrong.  Some things I had issues with I am still dealing with, but that's between me and God.

So, back to being the home maker.  It's more than being "just" a housewife, though I promise there are times that we all feel like "just" a housewife, and that's ok.  Every time we wash yet another dish, or change yet another diaper, or yet another round of our dust/vac routine, we honor God.  In the mundane, boring, irritating things we do, we bless our family and honor God.

My goal over the next 3 months (before the baby is due) is to do all of those things WITH joy and in love for my family!  I want to find joy in doing the mundane, and while I realize that goes completely against what society would have us do, I want to honor my husband and my children. 

Now, I'm a home school mom, and I own a business making cloth diapers.  Add to that I volunteer at my church (albeit lightly), am my hubby's help-meet, and I'm in the throwes of growing a complex human being.  I will be blogging (hopefully) 2-3x a week about what I did, and what I plan on doing for the next day.

Wish me luck! :)