Cloth Diapers It Is!

Ever since my husband and I found out we were preggers, the debate about cloth vs. disposable diapers started. Many may think I was the one who wanted to do cloth, but the reality is my husband is the one who was advocating for cloth. The reasons? More cost effective...such a man way of thinking. Yes, I agree, it does save money. I am also the girl who is a sucker for cute patterns which is not going to be a good situation. I will TRY to control my spending urges, but it is not guaranteed at all.

Since deciding on jumping on the cloth diaper wagon (which was about 9am this morning) I have already bought 2 print covers. They are SO FREAKING adorable! One is a camo pattern(got to support the hubby and troops) and a rocket pattern. Here are the pictures of them...

Cloth diapering can be (and is) extremely overwhelming. It is not like the good ol' days when you just used cloth and some safety pins. You still can, but the options are endless today! Now, there are brands galore, cheap brands, fancy brands, prefolds, inserts, Snappis, different material for the cloth(hemp, fleece, microfleece), different types of diapers (pocket, all-in-one, all-in-two, fitted, flats). Holy smokes, diaper people! How did they come up with all this!? It is seriously like picking out a car or what college to go to. There is a lot of research to do and it took me about 6 months to decide. I asked a lot of experienced mommas what they used and asked google even more questions.

There are three main reasons I chose cloth over disposable (in no particular order).
1) Cost-effective. It will save us money (more if I can keep my print cover buying to a minimum). If we decide to have more children in the future, we can use them again. Bonus.
2) Eco-friendly. Don't want to fill up all the landfills with more poop!
3) Rash-less baby. Many have told me using cloth diapers reduces diaper rash or eliminates them completely. I want my lil' man's booty to be as comfy as possible.

I still have SO many questions! I think I will get the answers when baby actually arrives. I'm crossing my fingers the laundry won't be a huge issue and they work out. We obviously won't know until I try it out. For now, I'm just excited I have made the decision and to get those cute little print covers in the nursery.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!!

 Today, in my book, is a very special day. It is my grandma, Emi's 81st birthday. She is one of the most caring, sweet, genuine, and selfless people to ever walk on Earth. Seriously...Why, you ask?

27 years ago, this wonderful woman walked into my life. Well, technically I was born and placed into her arms, but you get the idea. The crazy part of this is she isn't even blood related! She volunteered herself to take on this grandma role and did it with open arms. Maybe today she is regretting that decision, but I can only hope I have made her life as good as she made mine.

I remember going to her house, eating chili, smelling hot tea and chili, and playing with her antique dolls. I would also dress up in some crazy pajamas, a head band(it was the 80's) and go to town on her treadmill. I was probably about 8 years old doing this and no-I will not post that extremely embarrassing picture she so kindly has in a photo album somewhere. Speaking of pictures...she LOVES them! Another reason why I love my grandma is because she is my pen pal. She is very new to the computer/technology/social media era and would rather get snail mail than post a comment to my wall. It is very refreshing and I love getting her letters plastered with stickers and stamps she has colored in to make it look special just for me. :)

For her birthday, I can almost guarantee she is going to the movies with her daughter...it's just what they do. I sent her a little something I hope she enjoys and have another lil' something to mail with her next letter I send. Since she loves hot tea, I found some honey at the Farmer's Market here in good ol' Iowa. Isn't it so cute!?

I hope she loves her present and has the best birthday EVER!! 81 years old and doesn't look a day over 45! Thank you Emi, for always being the grandma you didn't have to be and loving me unconditionally. My soon to be son is lucky to have such an amazing great grandma!





Whitey's=AMAZING!!

My husband, Jason, and I recently PCS-ed(Permanant Change of Station) to Rock Island Arsenal. The actual base is in Illinois, but we are living in Iowa. It's on the border of the two states, which is kinda cool. Anyhoo...we have been here for about a week and a half. Getting settled, unpacking, organizing, etc. has been taking most of our time up. We have been exploring the city a tad, but not an enormous amount...yet.

Last night, after a day of sanding a cabinet, painting a cabinet(for the nursery), shopping for baby hangers, and decor, we decided we were going to try this place called Whitey's. We have seen it driving around(it's like Starbucks in LA), practically one on every corner. You wouldn't be able to guess by the name what type of place this is...no, it's not racist...and that it is actually an ice cream shop.

I LOVE sweets! I could eat dessert before dinner if my hubby would let me. Sugar makes my heart melt. And if it wasn't for Jason, I would probably have diabetes by now. So...we decide we are going to WALK to the nearest Whitey's in our neighborhood, which is 1.5 miles. Doesn't seem like a lot, right? Well, the walk there wasn't bad. There are a lot of hills and I guess since I'm preggo(and really out of shape) I get winded fast. Needless to say it wasn't the fastest walk, but we made it in about half an hour.

We were about a hundred feet away and already saw the line in the drive-thru was out the door and so was the line inside. No joke, probably about 15 cars and aboue 30 people inside waiting to place an order with the ice cream fairies. We walked in and parked ourselves in line, staring wide eyed at all the options. Milkshakes, sundaes, banana splits, 1 dip vs. 3 dips, flavors called "white tiger paws" and "graham central station". WHAT THE HECK!? So many options and I can not make a decision to save my life. Very overwhelming.

By the time it was our turn, we both had decided. I ordered a 2-dip banana split, flavors being Sgt. Camo(just because all the proceeds to go a veteran charity) and fresh banana with hot fudge and marshmallow cream as my toppings. Jason ordered a 3-dip sundae with fresh banana, praline pecan, and wite tiger paws with a butterscotch topping. They were both a tough decision(almost life-changing) and a mouth full to say to the boy who looked he was twelve. He was impressive because he didn't even write down our order. Kudos to you, 12 year old boy and thank you for our delicious treat.

And I am not lying when I say it was delicious! Obviously, since I love sweets and you can never go wrong with a banana split. It was WAY too much to eat though. My eyes were bigger than my sweet loving belly and the walk home was even slower than the walk there. The only reason I pushed myself to walk home was because 1: I had to pee and 2: I felt like I needed to walk off the 47 pounds of sugar I just consumed.

We survived, made it home safely(on a sugar high), and decided we will definitely be back to Whitey's again. It is not an every week tradition to be had, but don't worry Mr. Whitey...we shall return. I would like to thank Iowa for having such a cute little ice cream shop for us to enjoy.

Shopping on Cloud 9: 9 Fun, Frugal, and Fashionable Outfits for your Summer Maternity Wardrobe.

Want to look fashionable while preggo? You can do it! And…you can do it on a budget.

When I found out I was pregnant I was so excited to shop, decorate, and shout my news from the mountain tops. I made a vow to myself refusing to be a frumpy pregnant girl. Looking on Amazon, Old Navy, and other clothing stores, I quickly realized I would be spending a small fortune with the prices these stores wanted. NO THANK YOU to spending $98 dollars on a pair of skinny maternity jeans! I had serious sticker shock. Why are maternity clothes so expensive!? You only wear them for a small amount of time and need different sizes throughout the 9 months. I know, flabbergasted, right?

Being a first time mom, everything from bottles to diapers to cribs to birthing is all overwhelming…and now I had to worry about my fashion!?  Yikes. I needed to come up with a solution to keep my vow of staying fashionable throughout my pregnancy without breaking the bank. My solution was to start looking at thrift, consignment, and discount stores. Some may not like the idea of shopping at Goodwill, but let me tell you, they have some great finds…and some clothes still have tags on them! If you are one not interested in thrift shops, stores like TJ Maxx and Burlington are AWESOME!

Below are 9 outfits that are budget friendly, fashionable, and…comfortable. Some of the items are not “maternity” per se, but just in a larger size than I would normally buy. In fact, most of the pieces I already owned. Shorts and pants are, in my opinion, the only clothing items you really “need” to purchase in the maternity section. Shirts, skirts, and dresses are made to fit looser these days, which is perfect for your growing belly.

There are outfits for all occasions whether you are in a rush, running errands, off to work, or having date night. Remember to be creative, don’t be afraid to mix-and-match, and HAVE FUN! There is no need to be wearing a moo-moo…show off that cute baby bump and BE PROUD!

Here are all the outfits! (Photography by my amazing hubby)

Outfit #1

Maternity shorts ($10), basic white t-shirt ($5), jean jacket (Goodwill find for $4), and colorful necklace.

 Wear this outfit to run errands, shopping, lunch date with a friend…it’s simple and easy.

Outfit #2

Striped skirt (Goodwill find for $3.50), colored shirt ($5), white linen blazer (Goodwill find for $4), and brown belt.

Wear this outfit to lunch, the park, shopping, errands, a meeting. Very versatile!

Outfit #3

Maternity jeans ($14.99 at Burlington), white button shirt ($3 at Goodwill), brown belt, leopard flats ($9.99 at Burlington)

Another wear almost anywhere outfit! This outfit is so comfy and effortless. I just added a pearl necklace (not real, of course!) and the flats to give it some pop of pattern.

Outfit #4

Charcoal grey pencil skirt ($14.99 at TJ Maxx), black tank (bought years ago, but it’s from Forever21), light blue cardigan with sequin embellishment ($7.99 at TJ Maxx), black wedges ($19.99 at Target)

Wear this to work. The pencil skirt is stretchy so it’s still comfortable if you are sitting at a desk all day. Wedges are also great for the comfort yet professional look.

Outfit #5

Pencil skirt (from above), colored t-shirt (from above), white linen blazer (from above), leopard flats (from above)

Entire outfit from pieces I have already wore in previous pictures, yet a whole new look! I would wear this to work, lunch, dinner, girl’s night, or a walk along the Mississippi River.

Outfit #6

Colored shirt (from above), white linen pants ($12.99 from Marshalls:  a stretchy band, but aren’t maternity)

Straight from work to home. Just took off the white blazer and skirt and changed into comfy linen pants. Quick change and you are ready to cook dinner (wouldn’t recommend a red pasta sauce), off to the neighbors for game night, or just chillaxin watching a movie.

Outfit #7

Jean jacket (from above), Maxi dress ($12.99 from Burlington)

Easiest outfit EVER!! This is just a classic look and it is so simple! I added the necklace just for some fun, but you really don’t need it if you are in a hurry. Wear this to a birthday party, lunch, shopping, park, and list goes on…

Outfit #8

Maternity jeans (from above), colored shirt (from above), blue cardigan (from above)

Another outfit with mix-and-matched pieces from previous pictures. I am kinda in love with peach and blue together, which is why I paired the shirt and cardigan together. They are such bright, fresh, fun colors!

Outfit #9

Black tank (from above), maternity shorts (from above), black wedges (from above)

Final and 9^th outfit all using pieces from prior outfits. This is my “sassy” look. Don’t be scared to show off that bump of yours and rock your heels girlies!

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to Momma-O-Rama! This blog is my new adventure into the blogging world. It will be designed with humor about my personal experiences. Being preggo, DIY projects, recipes, pictures, and the like will be just some of the topics posted. Hope you enjoy and be patient as I learn how to run this whole blogging shindig.