Saving Money on Baby Wipes {How To}

After my daughter was born I was fortunate enough to be able to quit my job and become at stay-at-home mom. Being on one income is much different, and finding ways to save money is very exciting. I stumbled across this on accident and not only is it much easier to change my baby's diaper, but the wipes last much, much longer and in return I am buying less wipes and saving money SCORE!


Here is how I save money on baby wipes:

1. Buy a package of baby wipes (I use the target refills unscented, they are a great price and work fantastic for this DIY)

2. Unseal the package of baby wipes

3. Put the package (closed, but the original white seal taken off) under running water in the sink

4. Let the package fill up with some water through the top (the top should be closed when doing so, but seal taken off prior)

5. Use the wipes!

Not only will this make it so you do not need to use as many wipes, it makes changing the diaper much easier! With the super wet wipes everything comes off much faster, and with less needed.


xoxo,

Kate

 

Daily Schedule that WORKS for my 9-12 Month Old

 

My daughter started sleeping through the night around six weeks old, but unfortunately that wonderful streak of sleeping through the night ended around five months old. We tried every schedule we found, we had a daily routine a bedtime routine, and still she would wake up between 1-5 times a night! We tried different natural medicines for teething and made sure she was burped before she went down, but still nothing worked. Sometimes it would take upwards of two hours of rocking her and walking her around to get her to go to sleep {we tried the crying out method, and do not believe in it at all}. Finally around eight months I happened upon another mom's schedule and decided to try something similar. She had her daughter going to sleep between 8:30-9PM instead of 7-7:30PM, which I thought was interesting, because my daughter had  a hard time going to sleep early, so I thought I would try it - it worked wonders!

Here is our current schedule:

8:30/9:00 {Wake Up}
9:00  {5oz Bottle}
10:00 {Breakfast}
10:45/11:00 {Nap, 2oz bottle}
12:15/12:30 {Wake up}
1:00 {Lunch}
2:00 {5oz bottle}
3:00 {Nap, 2oz bottle}
4:00 {Wake up}
4:30 {Snack / Diluted Juice}
6:30/7:00 {Dinner}
7:30 {Bath}
8:00 {Bottle 5oz, Books}
8:30/9:00 {Bedtime, 2oz Bottle}


She finally started sleeping through the night again with this routine! Find what works for your baby, and remember not to compare. I wish I had just tried a later routine earlier, it would have saved a lot of sleep, but I am glad I have one now.

10 Months Old

Simple June Now Open! {Finally!}

I am so excited to announce that I finally opened my handmade store! You can find the link in my above tabs. What a fun and exciting journey this will be, I have always wanted to own my own store! Thanks for your support in advance.

xoxo,

Kate

Reading the Bible in Two Years

I have always wanted to read the Bible front to back in a year, but every time I try I get behind and end up giving up. Instead I found this amazing plan that gives you two years and catch up days! You can find it here.

xoxo,

Kate

DIY Magical Teeth Whitening {Cheap & No Chemicals!}

Getting teeth professionally whitened can cost hundreds of dollars. Most of us resort to at home methods bought from the drug store (still expensive), what if I told you there was a way to whiten your teeth at home 100x for under #10, without all the chemicals? There is! Activated Charcoal is the main ingredient used when getting your teeth professionally whitened. You can buy it on Amazon here for less than $10! Activated Charcoal

Here is what you need:

1. Activated Charcoal
2. 1/2 - 1 tablespoon of water

Here is what you do:

1. Open up a capsule of  activated charcoal
2. Mix with water
3. Apply on teeth and leave on 3-5 minutes
4. Scrub off well (don't worry if you swallow any, these activated charcoal capsules are made to ingest)
5. Do as many times a week as you'd like

Here are my before / during / and after pics: 

Before

 

During

After

Beach Family Vacation

9 Months old and a much needed beach vacation a few weeks back xoxo. 

DIY Changing Pad Cover

I was so excited when I finally finished this project that has been on my list forever, and in less than an hour! Make a beautiful changing pad cover for under $10. I followed the directions from this blog here. She has amazing step-by-step pictures and directions. I will definitely be making many more!

DIY Deodorant {No more toxic ingredients!}

With all the chemicals in products these days one of the best ways of avoiding them is making things yourself. My goal is to go completely chemical free here is my recipe for DIY Deodorant:

Ingredients: 

1. Organic Coconut oil (4 Tablespoons)
2. Organic Root Oil or Organic Corn Starch (1/4 cup)
3. Organic Baking Soda (1/4 cup)
4. Lavender or peppermint (or other scent) essential oil (15-20 drops)

 

How To: 

Step 1. Mix together Baking Soda and Organic Root Oil (or corn starch) in a small bowl
Step 2. Add in 4 tablespoons of Coconut Oil and mix until a sticky like texture (shown in picture on the left)
Step 3. Add 15-20 drops of your choice of essential oil and mix well.
Step 4. Find a jar or use an empty (or almost empty) deodorant case (shown in picture on the right). The texture will be soft for a bit, but will harden as long as it is not stored in too warm of a room.

Registering for Baby #1 {Everything You Need to Know}

Registering for baby is so fun! Make sure you are putting things on your registry that you really want, don't worry about the price if it is high quality, it is better to ask for something a little pricier that is high quality rather then settling for something that may break or be a hazard to your precious baby. Your friends and family could always go in together on a more expensive gift.

Here are my favorite places to register for baby:

Online
1. Baby List
2. My Registry
3. Amazon.com

In Store (you can register online for in store items).
There are always those people who want to physically go buy a gift and don't like shopping online, I recommend registering for basic needs (non specialties such as diapers, wipes, bath tub, etc.) from these stores
1. Target
2. Pottery Barn Kids
3. Babies R Us
4. Land of the Nod

Please note anything with an * is extra.

Here is my list for registering for baby #1:
{Bath Essentials}

1. Infant Bath Tub - the Puj tub is amazing for 0-6 months, it folds in half and stores very easily, once baby can sit up a bath seat that can go in the tub is perfect.
2. Baby Bath Towels [2] Aden & Anais is a great brand, Pottery Barn Kids has adorable, quality bath towels as well. You can always use regular adult towels if you did not want to add baby towels to your registry.
3. Baby Shampoo {Burt's Bees Baby is my favorite brand}
4. Baby washcloths [3-4]
*5. Bath toys and holder [these can also be purchased later and does not have to be on your registry]

{Diapering Essentials}

1. Cloth or regular diapers, expect to be using at least 10 regular diapers a day, and more likely than not your baby will have grown out of the newborn size in a few weeks.
2. Wipes.
*3. Diaper caddy if you live in a two floor / larger home
4. Diaper rash cream [Burt's Bees Baby Multipurpose is my favorite]
5. Basic Changing pad
6. Changing pad cover [2-3]
*7. Disposable hospital pads [you could buy these on your own if you did not want to put on your registry. These saved us many washes, and outfit changes. With these pads you can scoop everything up and throw it away]
*8. Diaper Genie and Diaper Genie bags [Target carries the refills in the Target brand for a better price]

{Feeding Essentials}

1. Breast pump [Medela is by far my favorite]
*2. I did not put this on my registry, but wish I had; hands free breast pump bra / shirt
3. Bottles compatible with breast pump 6-10 varying sizes of 2.5-8 ounces, freezer storage milk bags, and on-the-go breast pump wipes
4. Burp Clothes 6-10
5. Boppy pillow and cover (Etsy has adorable unique covers)
6. Nipple shields [these things are life savors at the beginning stages of breastfeeding]
*7. Sippy cup, solid food storage items, baby bullet etc.
8. Bottle brush 


{Bedding Essentials}

1. Swing and /or bouncer
2. Swaddle blankets 6-10
3. Sleep sacks 2-3
4. Pack and play and pack and play sheets x2
5. Crib Sheets x2
6. Crib mattress cover
7. Crib pad
8. Floor blanket for tummy time 
*9. Crib Skirt / crib quilt / other crib decor


{Clothing essentials for 0-3M}

When putting clothes on your registry expect to not get the ones you put on there, but the ones people decided to buy for you instead - sometimes it's better to leave clothes off your registry and just ask for gift cards for clothing items.

1. Sleep and plays (or sleepers/ layettes) 6-10
2. Onesies 6-8
3. Leggings / comfy pants 3-4
4. Jackets 1-2 (depending on time of year maybe more, maybe even less)
5. Hats 2-3 (beanies and/ or one sunhat depending on time of year)
*6. Nicer outfit 1-2 (babies look so comfy and cozy in their sleepers or comfy clothes, I really didn't want to dress her up in too many fancy outfits when she was so little)
*7. Hangers for baby clothes
8. Baby socks 7-8 pairs
9. Baby scratch mittens 2-3 pairs

{Playtime}

1. Rattles / toys Sofie the giraffe 
2. Play gym
3. Books
4. Crib mirror

{Other Items}

1. Pacifiers / Pacifier clip
2. Stroller
3. Carseat
*4. Stroller blanket
5. Carseat cover
6.  Baby monitors
7. Baby nail clippers, brush and tooth brush
8. Baby thermometer
9. File folder for documents at the hospital
*10. Baby grocery kart cover
11. Baby carrier {I love Ergo!}

Eight Months Old!

1. Words: Says mama, and dada
2. Teeth: Has two bottom teeth
3. Developmental Changes: Crawls backwards and scoots forwards, rolls around everywhere
4. Favorite Toys: Books, the TV remote, and cell phones
5. Favorite thing to do: read books, bath time, play with momma and daddy, and eat


Happy 8 months LJ!

Simple June Inventory {Opening Soon!}

Working on inventory for my Simple June & Co Etsy shop. Excited to open soon! Stay tuned.

Adding Instagram to Your Blog {how to}

[1] Visit this site and complete the form (note: for a bigger thumbnail be sure to change the thumbnail size when entering your info). Copy the code.

[2] Go to the editing mode in Blogger and select Layout.

[3] Click "add a gadget" where you would like the Instagram thumbnail to appear.

[4] Once in the widget scroll down until you find the option that says "add your own HTML"

[5] Paste the code and click save!


xoxo.

Eleven Simple Ways to Save Money

My husband and I are a young married couple who just started our family and money is tight! Here are some simple ways we use to save money. 

[1] Stay out of stores that carry things you don't need. For example, don't go to Target for groceries, go to the grocery store, we all know that going into Target for "one thing" never happens. :) Also, don't go to the mall unless absolutely necessary. Make a list of needs, not wants. Of course every once in a while it is good to fulfill a want, but make it a goal instead of a priority.

[2] Eat out less. On average eating out for two people at a cafe (not a restaurant) is $20-$25 while making a sandwich is less than $2. Plan out your meals as much as possible and make more of your food at home. Not only will it save you money, but it is also healthier too. My husband and I looked where we were spending the majority of our extra money and it was eating out! We couldn't believe how much it added up just those "few times" we went out.

 [3] Join Amazon Prime. Instead of having a Costco membership my family has Amazon prime. We subscribe to five items that come every couple months and not only are they already a good deal we get 5% of each item and then an extra 15% off for subscribing to five. We are subscribed to toilet paper, paper towels, Method hand soap, snack bars, and laundry detergent. Amazon Prime also has free two-day shipping and almost any item you can think of, with free returns as well. This helps us stay out of the stores and buy only specific things we need online instead.

[4] Try to limit grocery shopping to once a week. Plan out your meals as much as possible, it will save you if you buy more groceries at one time rather than spreading it out over the week, you actually end up spending more money that way. Keep track of what you are not eating and end up throwing away, so that you can avoid buying it the next time.

[5] Sign up for Hulu Plus instead of having cable. Our cable contract ends in May and we were not very impressed, there is hardly ever anything to watch on TV and all the shows we do like are available the next day online. Besides the sports games (which many come on basic TV anyways) we have decided that TV is a waste of time and money and are downgrading to basic TV in May which will save us quite a bit of money {and time}.

[6] Only have credit cards that you pay off completely every month. We have credit cards, but no credit card debt and we plan to {hopefully!} never have any. We have a credit card for the grocery store we shop at in order to get the rewards and gas points which saves us quite a bit in the long run, but we pay it completely off monthly.

[7] When decorating your house, buying more clothes or planning an event in general plan out what you want first and then try and find things at Goodwill, on sale, TJ Max, online before purchasing something full price. Research before you buy and make sure it is exactly what you want before purchasing.

 [8] In college or looking to go back? Apply for FASFA, you may be eligible to get some or all of your college paid for.

 [9] Have any debt? Pay off your smallest debt first and gradually work up to your bigger debt until you are debit free. Dave Ramsey has a great website and fantastic ideas on getting debt free and saving money.

 [10] Use natural ways to stay healthy in order to limit doctor visits. Eating organic, using essential oils and natural medicine, exercising, and eating healthy are not guarantees that you will stay healthy, but they definitely help. Not only will you be healthier, but you will feel more energized and able to work longer and get more done in a day, and time is money! 

[11] Instead of focusing on the self (which is so easy to do!) focus on others and give, it is never money wasted! 

Sharing the Love Day 1 {Our Wedding Video}

Because it is almost Valentines Day I thought I would spend this week posting about the things I love


Day 1 {Our Wedding Video}

Remembering God

Lately I have had to do a lot of soul searching and re-organizing of my priorities in life. God needs to be first - always, and honestly I have been struggling with this lately. I want it so bad yet my actions are not inline with what my heart truly desires. Being too busy for God means that I am way too busy. Reading the Bible should be exciting, not a chore, praying should be natural, not forced and when it is, something needs to change. I hope and pray that God will continue to change me and help me to keep Him first in my life. I fall short so many times, and I especially desire to change now more than ever with my daughter (and hopefully other future children) I want them to see an example of a mother who is completely in love with the Father in Heaven, not just in what I say, but in my actions of always putting HIM first in my life and never being too busy to stop and breathe and let God in. I encourage everyone who is too busy for God to re-examine your life and put God back into it, it's so much better that way!

xoxo.

Getting rid of acne in 24 hours {how to}

I love learning natural beauty secrets, so I thought I would share one of my own.

It is bound to happen at some point, the unwanted zit or an entire breakout. During those times here is what I do:

1. I do not touch my face! (or try as hard as I can not to) touching my face actually makes the acne / zit worse and can create more.

2. I apply lemon Young Living essential oils to my face 3-6 times / day when I feel the onset of a zit / breakout, or already have a zit or breakout.

3. I moisturize my face with coconut oil in the evening, because the lemon when used in high amounts can dry out some of my skin.

If I follow those steps by the next morning my zits are either completely gone, or on the verge of being completely gone, it is awesome! Contact me if you would like to learn more about Young Living essential oils and how they can help your family. There are some YL essential oils specifically for breakouts and acne, those are also fantastic.


xoxo.

Snow Snow Snow!

Our special birthday date was interrupted by some very unexpected, yet beautiful snow. I love the snow (for short periods of time); it is such a greater reminder to slow down and drink hot cocoa with the ones you love. xoxo.

Happy Birthday to my love

Loved celebrating with him yesterday. We were born at the same hospital a week apart, such fun times in our house this past week. The most loving husband and dedicated / involved daddy. xoxo

Making History

Over 700,000 people gathered in Seattle to make history, Super Bowl champs, time to celebrate! Go Hawks!

 { We decided to avoid the crowd and enjoyed watching from our couch }