Day 22

I definitely had to check the calendar to discover what day of our 40 Day Challenge we were on. Why? We are so into the groove of this no shopping thing that I don't even think about it anymore! Sure, I've considered making a grocery list here and there (my whole life is run by a list), but why? We're out of some types of flour, I'll just adjust our baking. We no longer have any lettuce or tomatoes, but it's fall, who eats salad this time of year? Until we run out of toilet paper, I won't be calling a household emergency. Even then, do I really want to get the kids ready for the store? Maybe we'll start using cloth...or not.

What have I been doing with all of my free time? Redirecting my lists towards something productive. I have lists and lists of blog post ideas, things to make, thoughts to share. Why haven't I posted them yet? I'm still in the building stage. Notice the new blog layout? It's bright, it's fun, and it's the only hint you're getting!

When will the big reveal happen? After our 40 Day Challenge. I'm giving myself a couple more weeks to polish and prepare.

I'll leave you with a photo of the little guy. Why? Because he's cute and a photo of toilet paper isn't all that exciting.

No Bottles Please!

Sometimes I think I really confuse people with my "crazy" lifestyle choices. Okay, so maybe I'm a little crazy, but I do have a reason for everything I do!

I'm the girl that:

• Always wears a skirt. "Does that girl even own a pair of pants!?!"
• Enjoys labor (yep, I absolutely LOVE childbirth...the natural, unmedicated type)
• Will home school my children and they won't be socially awkward
• Dreams of having a house full of children (8, 10, 12, lots of babies!)
• Has never and will never touch any form of contraception, yet I'm not constantly pregnant
• Won't give my babies a bottle or a pacifier, in fact I wouldn't even know how to prepare one!

So maybe I am kind of nuts, but I would never want to change the way I live my life!

Who can resist these pudgy cheeks??

With a new baby, the thoughts of breastfeeding are always on my mind. My little girl constantly needs me to help sustain her life. Yep, I'm that important. Without me, she could not exist.

Why do I not give my babies bottles or pacifiers? I spend nine continuous months with each of my children. All day, everyday, through sickness and tired joints, while they are safely guarded and growing within me. Some days I dream of allowing my husband to take over for just an hour, yet that is impossible. I like to think of infancy as a slow weaning process. Babies need milk to survive. I can provide that. Just because a child is no longer in my womb does not mean that they no longer need me for their survival. As a woman I am naturally equipped to take care of my child's every need. Sure, it's draining and I do enjoy that my husband is now able to hold the baby,  but just because we are no longer physically connected doesn't mean that I am not a necessity in my child's life. When my baby is hungry, I am there. Always there. To strip a child from this natural weaning process breaks my heart.

Am I opposed to people who give their child a bottle? Of course not. There are reasons why a bottle is a helpful tool, but they are far too over used. To give a child a bottle immediately after birth without ever making an attempt to breastfeed, that's just a selfish choice. Our society has perverted the breast in such a way that women feel ashamed to feed their children. Those that do choose to breastfeed feel forced to hide their children under blankets, sit on a public toilet, or they risk being on the local news for "offending" someone. If my baby is hungry, I feed her. No need to stare or feel as though I am scandalizing the world. It is the introduction and common place of the bottle that has scandalized and stripped babies of the most important thing necessary; their mother.

A Healthy, Raw, Cookie Dough

Who hasn't licked the beaters after making cookie dough despite being told not to eat raw eggs? It's delicious! After all, an ice cream has been made in cookie dough's honor!

I recently came across this recipe over at Chocolate-Covered Katie and had to give it a try. Who would guess that the main ingredient is chickpeas!?!

• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas (1 can, drained)
• pinch of salt
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup peanut butter (or any nut butter)
• 1/4 cup milk (or any non-dairy milk)
  2/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 Tbls oats
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Add all ingredients (except chocolate chips) into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. This is meant to be eaten raw as I doubt it would bake well.

Verdict: I'm in LOVE!!! It definitely helps with the night time munchies and it's a great way to trick help Peter to eat something healthy! Hubby thinks it's "Okay, but not great" but I'm just going to ignore that.

Additional Note: Even more amazing after leaving it in the fridge overnight!! (I may or may not have had a bite with breakfast.)

Day 11

Day 11 of our 40 Day Challenge.

Homemade whole wheat pasta, sauce made from fresh tomatoes, and homemade peasant bread.

We're a quarter of the way through our 40 day journey and honesty, I really don't feel as though it is hard enough. Are we cheating? No. We have so far spent $1.99 on a calendar. Sure, I could make a calendar, but I love how this one is set up and I've been using it for a few years now. I found it at a surplus store and as the saying goes "You should have bought it when you saw it," so I bought it.

Perhaps this challenge feels easy since we have become fairly self sufficient in most of our needs. Our babies are virtually free. I already have all the cloth diapers I need. Between both of my diapered kids (thankfully one is almost potty trained), I'm estimating we save about $80 a month! And I am constantly, without effort, producing food for my little girlie. I don't even want to think about how much formula would cost a month!

I've also found out how thankful I am and helpful it is to buy everything in bulk. When I see something on sale, we start filling the cart. Almost everything we have and are currently eating our way through was bought in large quantities while it was on sale.

What have I missed? There is something about grocery shopping that I really enjoy. Filling our cart with delicious foods and dreaming up ways to feed my family while trying to keep my two children calm and appropriate for public. You know what, now that I think of it, I don't really miss that adventure.

I have also found more time to continue my cleaning adventure. I'm quite determined to get my house in tip top shape. It really is starting to get there. It's amazing how much free time you can find when you aren't busy getting children prepared to go shopping! Have I mentioned how much I don't miss that?

On a side note: check out my friend's new blog A Family of Three Was Meant to Be. Her and her husband have decided to take on their own 40 day challenge! They are keeping track of how much they are saving every week and then taking that money and donating it to the Church!! In one week, they have already saved $75!

How could you incorporate a 40 Day Challenge into your home??