My moving (PCS) tips

I considered this move our trial move, a move to get us ready for our big move at the end of the year. We only moved an hour and a half away but we got to use TMO (where the military pays to move our stuff), most of the same rules still applied. We had a weight restriction, we had to separate pro gear (professional things that are needed for Paul to do his job), and then there we're things we got away with that we normally wouldn't, like them moving my wine, and all of our other booze. We were allotted 13,000 pounds, our weight came to around 13,400. We think this is before pro gear so that's minus about 600 pounds. So we barely made it. Now they packed our pantry (im a food hoarder) and our alcohol. Which normally wouldn't happen. So that was a few hundred pounds right there. We also have some very large pieces of furniture. And I have a lot of kitchen stuff.

Even though we have moved several times, I never remember the important things. 

1. Clean/purge before the movers show up. You'll have less stuff to move, and less to unpack. You'll inevitably find things while unpacking that you want to get rid of, but it'll be less overwhelming (and take up less space in your new house) if you have already gotten rid of crap you don't need. 

This is a really big deal if you are doing an overseas move, when/if we get our next set of orders overseas we will be even more limited on what we can bring with us. 10% of our normal weight plus pro gear. So really think about what you want/need. The rest can go into storage, or to Goodwill. 

2. Set aside things you want to move yourself. It's winter here, and I didn't set aside my jacket. I finally found it almost a week later in a box of books. It's not too terribly cold, thankfully, but It would have been nice to have earlier. We also a few changes of clothes, a couple towels, baby, doggy and kitty stuff, and some TP. 

3. When grocery shopping think about the fact you are moving weeks or maybe months before you move. We had a pantry filled to the brim with box dinner, hamburger helper, noodles, canned goods, and alcohol. We should have been having Margarita monday sooner, and I should have been eating down the pantry food as opposed to buying more boxes of cake mix and canned soup on clearance.  

4. When the time comes, and the movers will be arriving soon, it may be best to attach cables to things they belong to, we found computer power cables in boxes that were not even from the office. That made setting things up a bit of a pain in the ass. So next time we will duct tape them to the computers. 

This time as we've been unpacking I've been asking myself  "Do I need it? Why? When was the last time I  used it? Do I really need it? How expensive would it be to replace if I wanted one again?" I have a lot of shit I don't need. I also have a lot of stuff I keep for sentimental reasons. But you know what? who needs a box of 30 VHS tapes? even if they are sentimental for some silly reason no one understands but you? okay, well I do, and I'm not ready to part with them just yet. But there is so much more stuff I could have trashed a long time ago that I have just been hoarding. Like craft supplies. I have cheep crappy yarn coming out my ears, and now living in a smaller house with no craft room, it's in my face all day long. As soon as we get the living room/dining room set up I am going to donate most of it. I also have a lot of nick-nacks, way more than anyone needs. I love elephants, and I have dozens of elephants, wooden, ceramic, glass, stone, small, tiny, huge, and no where to display them. They will likely be something that gets re-packed and tucked away at this house unless we put up shelves or something.

Another things I have way too much of is clothing. But I just had a baby (8 weeks ago) and nothing fits. I am still wearing maternity pants and baggy t-shirts. So I have a hard time getting rid of clothes simply because they do not fit, because as soon as I loose this baby weight they will fit. But normally this would bea good time to look into those bags of "don't throw away" clothes and just toss them.

So those are my tips, and thoughts on moving. Leave me your tips in the comments!

Slowly getting settled

The last two weeks have been a mess. Packing, unpacking, looking for my jacket, finding things I forgot I had.

The actual move itself wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. They got all of our stuff packed, and delivered safely. Since it was just an overnight pack (they packed one day loaded the truck the next and delivered the third) they moved our pantry contents and all of our alcohol. Which included my large hoard of wine that I collected while pregnant.

They successfully took apart and reassembled the huge entertainment center that we own. We love it but damn, what was I thinking, it's enormous, and weighs a ton.

We got the house emptied had some guys come and clean, spend one last night on the floor, the same floor that we spend our first night on only 2 years and 2 months prior.

The next morning we got up early and packed out. We loaded our cars way beyond comfortable capacity with the things we knew we would need right away and the few things the movers wouldn't move (dog kennel, cat litter box, pack and play, vacuum, plants, and cleaning supplies, live animals.)

and we said good bye to the first house Evelyn lived in.

And the view we have grown to love. 

The drive down to Butte actually really sucked. The roads were much nastier than usual. But we arrived in one piece and met the movers and got all of our billions of boxes of stuff.

We have moved from a 3br 2ba with a living room, den and a 2 car garage on about 2/3 acre to a 2br 2ba with parking in the front yard on about 1/8 acre. So we do have a little more than we have room for, but we're working through that. The back yard is only about twice as big as the deck in the old house. But that's not really a bad thing. I have less of a yard to chase my dogs through when they won't come inside.

We worked very hard for a whole week unpacking and making huge strides in getting rid of stuff we never use, don't need, have enough of.

Everyone has been pooped out. We have all been sleeping pretty good. I don't know if it's because the stress of moving has passed. Or if it's because the neighbor dogs aren't barking all night.

Then Wednesday afternoon we finally got internet, And productivity came to a screeching halt. I have not touched a single box since Wednesday. Yesterday I didn't do anything, except tend to Evelyn and take the dogs out and shower. Today I at least left the house though, we went to get lunch and then came home to internet some more. 
We got netflix again, That's been the real time killer. I have watched the entire first season of Workaholics and the first season of Parenthood. 
The whole internet thing has been super-d-dooper because we have had satellite for 2 years, at a breakneck speed of 1.5 megabytes or something. Which is fast enough do download an entire album from iTunes in about... 3 hours. I could drive to target buy the CD and drive home in less time. Now we are about 10-15 times faster than that. 
But this weekend Paul will be home and we will do more unpacking/purging. I hope to get the nursery/guest room at least partly set up by next week, then we can fill it with boxes again and finish the living/dining room.

And that is all. I am working on some much overdue Evey picture posts. And brainstorming some exploring Butte posts in the next few weeks, Because you all want to come and visit Butte, Mt.  

We have Internets!

Well I have internet again! and we are mostly unpacked! and we have a huge section of 'Yard Sale' stuff! I'm still trying to catch up here at the house though. I'll try to get some posts up in the next week, but I still have lots going on here. But I'm almost back! Huzzah! 

Moving

Yep, We're finally moving. Tuesday- Thursday my things will be put into boxes, then put into a truck, then delivered at the new house. Posts will likely be few and far between for the next week or so. Hopefully by next week we'll be at least partly settled, and have internet figured out. 

I need to pack some bags for the three of us (+ animals) so we have clothing and toiletries until the weekend, then find somewhere to put these things so they are not packed by the movers. I also need to finish the laundry so my washer can dry out, then I need to pack my own underwear because I'm not okay with strangers handling my panties. 
Of course I have no motivation to do any of this.

But I've finally made it to the point that I am excited about this move. I am looking forward to moving, and having a new place to call home, unpacking and rediscovering all my treasures. Making new friends. Having internet that doesn't get streamed in from space (and therefor sucks ass). We'll I guess I should start packing, so I can unpack this weekend. 

Have fun until I get back. 

And if you don't already, 'like' my Facebook page, If I have time I'll do some updating there, if I have a chance.

- Alana

Sunday Social

1. What is your ideal way to relax?

I love a quiet bath, or a nap. A walk in the warm spring sun. A massage would be super too. 

2. Where is your favorite place to be?

I'm a homebody, so in general I would say at home. But if I could chose anywhere in the world it would be at a tropical beach location, warm sun, sand, surf, with a beach towel and a cold beer. 

3. Who do you consider your biggest role model?

As a parent my parents are great role models.

4. What does your life look like in 3 years?

In 3 years I hope to be back in Japan, maybe getting ready to come back to the states, maybe extending for the last few years of Pauls enlistment before retirement. 

5. If you could go back and change one decision, what would it be?

You can't change the past without changing the future. And I love everything I have right now and I wouldn't change it. But if I could change one thing without changing the present I would have not taken a break from school. 

6. What is your biggest accomplishment in life thus far? 

My little Evelyn. 

- Alana

DIY Cloth Diaper Detergent (and why it works)

Edited November 2014- I am not using this recipe any longer. Not because it didn't work for me, but for two reasons: 1. We now live in a humid environment and it solidifies quickly, and that is a huge pain in the ass. 2. Gain works just fine, and is easier and I am lazy.
I don't plan on taking this recipe down because I never had any problems with it working. I am now very busy in my life and would rather buy detergent than make it.

ETA: Jan 2014 I just wanted to not that I have made some changes to this post over the last year, but they are all in my washing cycle and stripping method. I still use my detergent and I still love it. I have been using it as long as I have been cloth diapering, so over a year now, and I do not have any issues. My diapers are clean, I have no poo stains, My child is rash free. I have seen no decrease in the quality of my diapers, except the velcro ones don't velcro as well. But I think thats because I never close the velcro before I wash them. All of my prefolds, BumGenius and covers still work as good as the day I bought them. If you have questions please e-mail me because many of my comments I have been unable to reply to because they don't have email set up behind their blogger name. I would love to chat with you if you have any concerns.

There are dozens of recipes for Cloth Diaper Detergent out there. I have done tons of research over the last few weeks because I wanted to do it right. Also I wanted to know why you weren't supposed to use certain things (because I'm that annoying kid that always asks why.)

**I am not a scientist** 

Nor have I ever taken a chemistry class. My final product is a powder detergent from other recipes I have slightly modified due to internet research I have done. 

Bar Soap: Bar soaps are made with oil and lye, both can attach to your cloth diaper and over time cause buildup that reduces the absorbency of your diaper. Also buildup can cause skin irritation on your babies sensitive bottom.

Borax: Great cleaning strength, breaks down well, not a great water softener. Breaks down into Hydrogen Peroxide which is a great cleaner.

Washing Soda: Very caustic, you should totally use gloves. Needs to be rinsed well, failure to do so can cause skin irritation of baby. But it is a great degreaser and great at softening hard water.

Baking Soda: Not as alkaline as washing soda, so no gloves needed. Not as strong as washing soda, but easily dissolves in water and washes clean. From my understanding it's sort of like washing soda but half the strength.

Oxy: Breaks down into Sodium Carbonate + Hydrogen Peroxide. The breakdown in water brightens and removes stains. Similar to washing soda and borax.

However through my research I learned that Borax and Washing soda can both breakdown PUL and prematurely age elastic (both found in covers). Which would really make any home made detergent bad. But I found that store brand cloth diaper detergent like Rockin Green contains Sodium Carbonate (washing soda) so I don't think it can be that bad, Sodium Percarbonate which is like sodium carbonate (washing soda) and Hydrogen peroxide so Oxy, which is very similar to washing soda and borax.  I know the chemical composition of the ingredients is different between mine and store bought, but they do all act in similar ways. 


One thing to be aware of when using store bought detergents, they are not all equal, you should be careful when using the same detergent as you do on your clothing, on your diapers.
Things to avoid:
Optical Brighteners, Fragrances and Dyes, Fabric Softeners  These can also deposit residue on your diapers that can irritate skin and reduce absorbency.
If you are a military, a military wife or a hunter you likely already avoid Optical brighteners and fragrances for your, and/or your husbands camo.

1c Borax
1/2c Washing Soda
1/2c Baking soda
1/2c Oxy

Sift all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
Sifting ingredients created a bunch of dust and required me to not only clean all my counters again, but wash myself because I was covered in dust, mostly I think from baking soda, because it was the finest of the powders. 
I then sifted again into another container.
Poured into sealable container.

**HE Front Loader (although I don't know a top loader would be much different)**
Use:
Run diapers & covers through a cold wash with no soap, or 1 tbsp detergent if they are super poopy
Run diapers & covers through a hot wash with extra rinse with 1 tbsp detergent
Remove covers and hang, tumble diapers low.
(Once it's summer I will hang dry my diapers and covers outside, right now that would result in frozen diapers)

Updated 6/11/2013
Updated 1/7/13 - same wash cycle as before but now washing strictly in cold water, seems to have improved my electric bill and noticed no change in my diapers, they still wash just a clean.

first I Quick wash cold
Next I set my washer up on a Heavy Duty wash (HOT)
Set it for pre-soak (which is cold)
Deep clean (hot)
with extra rinse

I use about 3/4 tablespoon of detergent depending on load size, normal load is 3 AIO diapers and 6-8 prefold with 3 covers.

I hang dry or tumble in the dryer if I need a diaper ASAP, my covers don't go in the dryer.

Got this nifty little rack at Costco

I have very hard water up here in Montana so I have to strip my diapers about once a month, I still have not found a perfect way to do this, Currently I wash my diapers as listed above, and when done set the washer for a normal wash with hot water and squirt a glob of Dawn dish detergent into the washer with an extra rinse. Then I smell test, if they smell fine they are good, if they smell fishy or like ammonia I do it again.

ETA 
I have been using the Mama Natural way to strip my diapers for a while. I really like it and I think I have only stripped them twice since. I am guilty of adding a little bleach in every now and then though if we have super pee stink from a heavy overnight peed-in diaper.

It should be mentioned that I use prefolds and a few bum genius AIO's and I have Bummies and Thirsties covers. 


My Recipe for Laundry Detergent: First Try and Redux
Both (cloth diaper and laundry) detergents are safe on your clothing, but the Laundry Detergent has bar soap (fels-naptha) in it, so it is not suggested for your diapers. The Fels-Naptha makes a great cleaning soap though, great on dirt and stains of all shapes and sizes.


I don't think my detergent is better than a store bought (well maybe a little). But it saves me money and it gets the diapers/clothes clean.

Sources:
http://community.babycenter.com/post/a27556305/de-myth_baking_soda_washing_soda_borax_detergent_nerd_alert

http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html

http://www.littlefornow.com/homemade-detergent-for-cloth-diapers.html

http://www.thirstiesbaby.com/blog/homemade-is-not-always-best/


- Alana

Evelyn: 6 weeks

This week my little Stinky P is 6 weeks old. It's so hard to believe we are so close to two months. She has so much personality and is just so freaking adorable! She 'talks' all the time, and loves to be held. She's wild, and such a squirmy wormy. She is going to have such a wild personality I think. Paul and I constantly talk about who she looks like, I still don't think she looks like either of us. But she has my feet. She makes expressions like Paul though, She has his furrowed brow. 

A person's a person, no matter how small

Sleeping with mommy in the morning

Look at that smile, and those eyelashes!

Tiny little hand

Tried to escape our PJs 

Loving the Soothe & Glow Seahorse

slowly growing into that dress

This week: 

turning her head and tracking mommys voice

very responsive with smiles

last week in the house we came home to :(

Weeks:

Five

Four

Three

Two

One

Credit for my inspiration for these weekly update posts to Erica, at To The Sea.

- Alana

Evey's Favorite Things

Moby Wrap!

blury side veiw

 Evey pretty much loves this thing. She usually falls asleep within 15 min of me putting her on. It's pretty comfortable too. Although I don't wear her for long periods of time. I'd say so far the longest has been about 45 minutes. I am still a little nervous she is going to fall out, but I think that's just mom nerves because she seems to be in there pretty darn good. When it warms up I plan to go on walks with her in it. And I keep meaning to bring it to the grocery store with me so I don't have to pile groceries on top of her in the cart.

she's eating my shirt

And if you are wearing it with a newborn, make sure you are wearing it correctly! I was not, although I only wore it with her wrong, for a few minutes before I watched this and got it right.

And putting your newborn in correctly!

- Alana

Winter is horrible

As we prepare to move to yet another location in the Great White North, I have been pondering weather patterns. Everyone from around here says "Butte is way colder than Helena". 

Current temp via weather app on my Mac Book

Great, because I think it's cold enough here. I don't need to move somewhere colder. I am so over the cold. I really hope when we get our next duty station in the fall that it's far, far, away from winter, and snow, and has temperatures that don't get anywhere near freezing. 

If you ever plan on moving to, or visiting Montana, you may find this info useful. If not you can at least look at it and pity me. 

Lowest recorded was -52. That's bananas. Last week it was -22 one morning. 

F that. 

from usclimatedata.com

But according to the above and the below charts after February it should start warming up significantly. Yay!

Just to give you an idea of Helena vs. Butte: 

Helena's a little warmer, but not a hell of a lot. 

And just for fun, lets compare Butte to Tucson, where I grew up: 

(all weather averages were screen shots from Weather.com unless otherwise noted)

Also I know I have shared I am moving to Walkerville, not Butte. But for all intents and purposes of this blog they are the same. 

- Alana