smelly cloth diapers in an HE washer.....

About two months ago our washer died and we decided to get a top loader, HE washer. My biggest concern while washer shopping was how cloth would wash up in them. Well, two months later and I don't feel any better about my wash routine. I am using Tide Free and Clear, and I feel like no matter what I do, they still still are a little stinky when they come out of the dryer. I also feel like there is never enough water in the machine to get the diapers good and clean.

So, all you cloth diapering mamas.... send me some tips! What is your wash routine?? What HE soaps work for you?? Please help me out!!

eco show in atlanta!

This is an awesome show going on this Friday in Atlanta. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend due to running around like a crazy person finishing the last details of big boy's birthday party, but you totally should go! Please come back and leave comments telling us all about how awesome it is!! Click on the picture to see the image larger. Check out www.lauraseydel.com for more information.

wonderoos sale

This came in my inbox today from Blueberry Diapers:

For those who have been using cloth diapers for a while, you may be familiar with the diaper brand called Wonderoos. It was the original one size pocket diaper which is now owned by Hip Hip Baby, a company in the UK. Swaddlebees/Blueberry is currently the distributor of Wonderoos in the USA.

Beginning October 6, we are holding a Buy 2 Get 1 Free promotion on Wonderoos diapers. Diapers will include two 3-layer microfiber inserts. This offer will not be available directly on Swaddlebees or Blueberry, but will be exclusively available from the following retailers:

Tree City Diapers
For the Monster
Diaperco
Heiny King
Child Organics
Envirobabystore
Natural Baby Source
The Natural Mothering Shop

Detailed information about the diapers is available on Wonderoos.com. The sale will run for 10 days and ends on October 15th.

and ps.... we are back on the wagon today!! now just need to find some better liners!

veggie breads

Fall is officially here and I am looking for some good veggie bread recipes. Pumpkin, zucchini, hit me with your best bread and muffins recipes. My kids love any kid of muffin/bread, so this is a good way to get more veggies in them with out them knowing. Oh, I would love a great apple bread recipe too if anyone has one! I will try them out and post my/ the kids faves.

You can email me recipes at stephanieswanson at mac dot com, or you can post them directly in to the comments.

Ready, set, go!

are they serious......

Have you seen the "high fructose corn syrup" advocate commercials yet? I seriously had to rewind on my tivo because I couldn't believe that I just saw that. Did you happen to notice the endorsement from CORN REFINERS at the bottom?? Do they think we are that dumb? Do they really believe because something was once corn that it is natural, despite the chemical processing they have to do to it to turn it in to a sugary substance. Do they not realize that with HFCS comes artificial colors and tons of other unhealthy substances that are being poured into our children, the fatest children this nation has ever seen?

I can't even collect my thoughts clearly enough to let you know exactly how much the commerical infuriated me. And I feel for all the children of parents who will fall for this stupid gimmick of a commerical.

And one last thing, how bad must the stuff really be if they deem it necessary to make commericals about it to try and get this cheap, artifical sweetner into our bodies.

Okay, rant over! Tell me what you think about it? Did this make anyone else as mad as it made me??

ETA: here is another great blog on this stupid stupid commericals....

fallen off the wagon

So as you know if you have read my past posts, I am a huge cloth diaper advocate. Well, I am here to confess all my sins, and I have totally fallen off the wagon. We stopped using cloth when we went to the beach. I don't like to travel with cloth if I don't know what my washing set up will be like and boy was I glad because it was an awful washing machine! Well I had every intention of getting back into cloth when we got back and I did for a while, but then Gracie started getting some HORRIBLE rashes. She would be clear and clean one change and angry red and blistered at the next. We took her to a pediatric dermatologist and he put her on a prescription diaper cream, which of course, stains cloth diapers, so back into sposies she went.

Last night as I was buying a case of LUVS, the guilt was overwhelming me. I love cloth diapers. I love her in cloth diapers. I love the benefits of cloth diapers and my child is currently wrapped up in paper with Blues Clues all over it. UGGHH!! I have been such a slacker!

So I figure confession is the first step. I need some encouragement. Also, (TMI warning), Gracie's poop has gotten super soft for some reason and explosive, so that is a whole other reason I have backed off as those are the WORST diapers to clean.

So, please, pull me back on the wagon. I just washed diapers last night. I need to get back into the habit of putting them on the girl!

worst blogger every award goes to......

ME! I am so sorry I haven't been blogging. I need to get back into the habit. I hereby claim today as getting back into blogging day. Please forgive me and if you see any cool green products or tips, please forward them my way and I will post about them. If you are a vendor and you want me to write about your product, please email me at greenkiddos.com at gmail dot com and we will set something up!

I'm back and I promise to start blogging on a regular basis again!!