Free Printable Weight Loss Chart

Free Printable Weight Loss Chart 

  

Don't you just love a new year?! A brand new start. At whatever your heart fancies.  2014 is going to be a great year.  I've got BIG dreams for this year.  Let's all dream big no matter our past failures! OK? 

I made this pretty Free printable weight loss chart for you!! {Isn't it cute?} Click here to download!!!  Print it, put it in a pocket protector with a pen somewhere near your scale and USE it!

The Weight Loss Diaries

First of all...MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Late, I know I'm sorry. The days leading up to Christmas were crazy busy with fellowships, outings, parties, church, ministry, SHOPPING...and more! You know how it is. :) 

New Years is quickly approaching and I'm planning and preparing to get FIT and finally reach my goal weight in 2014!!! 

Even though I lost 80lbs before getting pregnant w boy 4...I'm nervous. I know I can do it. But I've gotten lazy. And comfortable.  Dangerous place to be. You know... Like the, "I look in the mirror and just don't care" type of attitude? DANGER. 

So what am I going to do about it? 

PRAY. 

And TRY. I'm not going to expect perfection. I'm exclusively breastfeeding and my body holds fat like it's going out of style when I'm nursing. But I'm gonna try. I'm gonna start running again, maybe even sign up for another half marathon, and I'm gonna work on getting stronger. 

I got a Wii Fit {Merry Christmas to me}. Can't wait to use that too! I've been working on a meal plan with calorie counts that I will be sharing soon! 

Also...I've added a tab under weight loss up there ^^ called "The Weight Loss Diaries". I'll be updating my progress weekly of course with weigh ins and periodic progress photos. EXCITING! Right? Gulp. 

I'll be posting again soon with more details. Another goal is I WILL be posting at least 3 times a week. I need accountability! Not just in weight loss but homemaking, wifing (is that a word?) and mothering. 

"Mama, you're kinda like Santa because you're..you're.." 

"I'm what???!! Big?" 

Boy 1 gulps. "I didn't say it. You did." 

If that ain't motivation.. Than what is?! 

#letsdoThis 

My life is crazy. Here are some pics.

Photo family fail. And other highlights of life this last week. I have a clogged milk duct which is making me sick :( so be back soon!!!!!!!! Xoxo 

All about cloth diapers and my cloth diaper routine

Several people have asked me about cloth diapers. Well, there are many other ladies that would be far better to ask but I'll tell you everything I know :) 

First off, I'm a lazy cloth diaper mom. I do it part time. Usually when we are at home I use them. For church and outings we do disposable. I actually try to time Reece's poops and only put him in one when I don't think he will poop :D but he's 2 TODAY!! {Happy birthday Reece!} so operation no more diapers starts now. 

Anyways. I use mainly ALVA BABY brand. (alvababy.com) I really like them. They have dozens of patterns AND they are only $3.50-$5.50!!! That's so cheap. Bum Genius is $20 a diaper.  All the diapers pictured above are POCKET diapers by Alva Baby. 

My favorite diapers are the Thirsties ALL IN ONE'S.  I only have a few of those because they are expensive.  

I also have a few Bum Genius ALL IN ONE's.  Do not like those at All!! The deal with those is, when you go to spray poop off the diaper in the toilet, it has TWO inserts attached at each end, so poop gets under those and one insert always falls in the toilet. Gross.  

The Thirsties ALL IN ONE'S have ONE attached insert. It is super easy to spray clean and if you have a heavy wetter like i do (Reece), then you can stuff an extra insert under the sewed (is that the right word or is it sown?) one {only sewed on the sides}. 

I should have taken a pic of ye pockets where you stuff the insert in. But it's right at the top of the diaper where it touches the baby's back. 

There are ALL IN ONE'S which are cloth diapers with inserts sewed in. 

There are POCKET cloth diapers where you stuff the diaper with an insert. 

Then there are PRE-FOLDS (pic below) which are the old style diapers you fold and use pins..or now they make these snappy things you put on it, and you need a water proof cover for these. I don't use these so I'm not too sure on them. 

There are BAMBOO inserts which are more natural for baby skin, and I know lots of moms that swear by them. I dont like them though :( They don't absorb well at all. 

There are MICROFIBER inserts, which are much better at absorbing. I use these. They are cheaper too. Alva baby diapers all come with one. you can upgrade to bamboo if you want. 

Microfiber can irritate baby's skin when it's wet if you place it right on the skin. So I have to Doulbe up on inserts for Reece, so I stuff TWO inside the pockets so it doesn't touch his skin. 

I have 18 newborn diapers for Will, and 24 diapers for Reece. (Not all shown in Photos). The Alva newborn diapers fit Will around 2-3 weeks old. He's gonna grow out if them quick I think, even though it says up to 18 lbs. here's a photo of Will in newborn Alva cloth diaper. Will is 11 lbs currently and when I took that photo. I don't have to snap the diaper down to make it it's smallest so i think it would have fit him right away. 

Ok so here's what I do: 

To change a newborn wet or poopy diaper I wipe him like normal and throw the wipes away in my diaper genie. 

Then I pull out the insert from the dirty diaper and toss the insert and diaper in the dirty diaper bin (a trash can with a lid and a cloth diaper wet bag).  

Exclusively Breastfed babies poop does not need to be sprayed. 

Super easy! 

For Reece's wet diapers I simply throw in the bin and wipe him, throw away the wipes. 

For his poops I take the diaper off, close it, slide it to the side (all while holding up his legs), then wipe him. Throw away the wipes in the diaper genie, and put a new diaper on him and send him in his way.  Then I take the poopy diaper to the toilet, spray off the poop in the toilet with a diaper sprayer (a must!!). It never touches the toilet (unless it's the dumb Bum Genius AIO grrrr and to be fair I'm sure Bum Genius pockets are amazing. The BG I have never leak.... ). Wring it out (my hand doesn't get wet because the outside is waterproof), walk it back to his room, over the bin pull out the insert (if it's a pocket diaper) and throw it all in the dirty diaper bin.  Side note: I hang my clean diapers to dry on that rack to the right of the bins----> 

To wash: 

I pull out the wet bag holding the diapers and pour them all in the wash. Turn the wet bag inside out, then soak it all (diapers and bag) usually only a couple hours (but I do soaked them overnight once In a while) In HOT soapy water.  I use about 2 tbsp of the soap I make myself (on my Pinterest board "cloth diapering" but it's: borax, arm and hammer washing soda and oxi clean). 

You can't wash it with regular soap!! The suds won't wash out right making the diapers lose it's absorbency and it wears the outside lining. 

Then I rinse in COLD water twice, sometimes 3 times. 

If diapers start to leak its time to STRIP them.  I watched a You Tube video (sorry no links here I'm on my cell!).  They used a little bleach and rinse the diapers several times after.  

To PREP the brand new diapers, you HAVE to wash them and rinse them first so they won't leak. I use baking soda only with hot water then rinse once or twice with cold water. 

I hang them to dry but you am tumble dry on low. I know hanging them In The sun Gets rid of any stains but my dogs would tear them up :( so I hang to dry inside. 

Ok, that's it I think...? 

Sorry I don't know more :) and I know everyone does it different so it may be way off what you've heard before. 

Thanks for reading :) 

Love, The Curvy Housewife 

My daily routine with 4 little kids

Happy late Thanksgiving and Merry early Christmas! Turns out I have one fussy baby.  I spent a week trying to figure out if he has colic or gas, if he is hungry or tired, or if he just likes to cry.  He is a great breastfeeder. Little porker is getting chubby and is hungry all the time! I think he does get gas too, but I've found that, if he gets overtired....forget it.  He won't go to sleep and nothing helps. Not even nursing.  So I am really working to make sure he takes a nap before he gets too tired. 

I tried gas drops, probiotics, cut out caffeine, and even formula.  Non of it helped, and he wouldn't even take the bottle at all. It was just making him mad and he gagged when he tasted the formula :(

But he does really really well when he takes nice long naps.  He's like a happy calm baby when he nurses, has wake time, then takes a long nap.  I'm working on getting him in this routine better. 

So you know me....I NEED a routine.  Thank God we are finally falling back into a good routine with a baby in the house.  Honestly a routine makes me feel happy, calm, and thankful.  Here is what I am aiming for.  I am 4 weeks postpartum now and want to start doing C25K next week.  This isn't listing times, or every single time I nurse the baby, because I nurse him often :) as he gets older, scheduling becomes easier and more predictable. Also on days I have errands to run, schedules go out the window. No biggie.  Church nights/days are a bit different too.  

Mom's daily routine with 4 little kids 

MORNING

5:45am
Wake up
Brush teeth
Get dressed
Get coffee
Pray/Read bible
Nurse baby
Start breakfast/lunches
Empty dishwasher (I always want an empty sink!)
Get 5yo ready for school
See husband and 5yo off
Throw in load of laundry
Get 2 & 4yo situated & fed
Nurse baby
Put dinner in the crock pot 
Home school 4yo preschool, 2yo color (T/Thurs)


MID-MORNING/AFTERNOON

11am
Go on walk/run w 3 little ones, 2 in stroller 1 on bike (Couch to 5K, M/W. Saturday daddy watches boys while I run.)  
Pick up 5yo from school
Make/serve lunch (leftovers, already made stew, or frozen burritos I made earlier in week or sandwich and fruit) 
Nurse baby
Put 2yo & baby down for nap
Big boys quiet time while mommy works 1-1.5 hours (boys watch movie or color/read) 
Nurse baby
1 Chore (bathroom, dust, iron ect)
Big boys outside time, baby back down for a nap 
Switch loads, fold clothes RIGHT away at the dryer (do daily smaller loads so this is easier), damp a rag & wipe down washer and dryer, let whites soak in bleach overnight/soak cloth diapers/or do a regular load
2yo wakes up, give boys a snack
Put laundry away, boys play time 
Clean up time! Boys and mommy clean up (all toys, boys room), light a candle, put on music
Vacuum (put Arm & Hammer baking soda carpet cleaner on carpet first...smells amazing!)
Fold blankets
Tidy up

EVENING

Set table
Any dinner prep needed
Fill sink with hot soapy water, put any pans or crock pot in it
Dad's home!
Serve dinner, give everyone vitamins
Clean up dinner table, wash w soapy rag
Put all dishes in soapy water
Wipe counters
Sweep floor
Prep coffee, set timer on coffee pot for morning

Soak beans in crock pot or stew bones for bone broth over night (a couple nights a week) 
Rinse dishes, load dishwasher & start it
Boys play time (usually playing with daddy)

BEDTIME
Bathe all 4 boys
Brush teeth, comb hair
PJ's 
Story time
Read boys bible
Pray
Lights out for boys
Mom & Dad read, watch a movie or show on Netflix with hot apple cider or tea :) (well I drink a hot drink!!) 

Feeew. Sounds tiring.  But this is my life right now! And it can change and will change as we add in sports next season and as they get older!! Also want to sign up for another half marathon so training will really throw in a change! Not everyday goes according to plan...obviously :) 

 I am still adjusting to four boys, and some nights the baby is up a lot and I sleep in and let daddy do breakfast and lunches and get Shane ready.  It happens.  But this is my goal :) otherwise I get so behind on everything in life. Ehum....Like right now there is a huge pile of laundry waiting to be folded...wish I would have folded all 3 loads right when they were out of the dryer! LOL ;-)



"Let all things be done decently and in order." 1 Corinthians 14:40
Something I've been learning since I got married 7+ years ago and realized I was far from orderly! :)