Without further delay......

I've employed my boys (all five of them) to help with this give-away.  We even have a special surprise, so don't stop the video until the end.   

I'm not sure why Braden sounds like he is drunk, he's 15....enough said.

Enjoy!!

If you are the winner, CONGRATS!!!  Please get ahold of me so I can get your mailing information.  :)

My Email

Produce Bag Give-Away Update

I really do love giving away things, its just finding the time to sew my produce bag holder-invention type thingie has been quite a problem.  I can't send you the bags without the produce bag holder-invention type thingie, ya know.  It wouldn't be right.  

I've worked every day this week and still will be working tomorrow.  Friday will be my day off,  but that will (hopefully) consist of laundry, laundry, cleaning, library and laundry.  I appreciate everyone's patience and excitement.  You really should be excited.  In fact, I'm so excited I am going to start sewing the bag as soon as I finish this post.

I will close the contest at midnight MST tomorrow (6/4/09).  I will then write everyones name on a piece of paper and let one of my beautiful children pick a lucky winner.  Watch for the announcement because it's going to be a big surprise!!!  

How to make the other shoppers jealous.

This evening I went shopping for fruits and veggies at Sunflower Market while Rob had the kids at church for Jr. and Sr. High activities.  While standing in the check-out line a woman approached me and excitedly asked, "Where did you get those bags?"

She told me I should sell them after seeing the bag I made to store them in.  

As far as selling them, I'm sure she doesn't realize I have five children and I work four days a week outside of the home.  Plus, I'm an Irish Dance mom and that's, you know, my life. 

However, after some reflection, I realized I could make the changes I want to the bag*, stuff it with the mesh produce bags and give one away on my blog.  How about that for generosity?  I'm really not about selling things.  I'm more of a gift giver, but who knows what will happen.  I do have lots of dental work to pay for.  

*The colorful bag in the photo was my first try.  I've since exhausted every creative bone in my body to come up with a much nicer one.  You would be impressed!  Well, you know, once I find time to actually sew it.

Is anyone even remotely interested in using reuseable produce bags?  If you are, just leave a comment and you will automatically be entered into the drawing. 

Good Luck!!

And the WINNER is.......

......hold your horses, I'm getting to that!!

After a few weeks of not forgetting about the Give-Away, it's time to reveal the winner of my very first contest.  However, before I tell you who the winner is,  I just have to answer some questions regarding cloth menstural pads.

Q.  How can using cloth pads change your periods?

A. Honestly, there have been no studies (that I've found) that prove they do. However, I and many other long time cloth pad users, have personally seen and felt the changes within our own bodies.  Some say, it could be a placebo effect and others just make the claim based on personal experience and/or chemical knowledge.  Although I couldn't find the link, I did read once that the chemicals used in making paper pads/tampons come from petroleum.  Putting those chemicals against tissue that is absorbant is probably the reason.  I wish someone would do an actual study.  For more information about the benefits of using cloth, I would just Google it.

Q. How many cloth pads do you have?  

A. In the beginning I only had one, then I felt I could get by with six.  Pretty soon, I just started stocking up on Essence of Eve pads, just so I could have my choice.  These cloth pads are so absorbant, breatheable and comfy that you really don't feel like you need to change them very often.  I change my pads 2-3 times on my heavy days.  Other days, I just find the thickness I know I'll need and I change them 2 times each day. Once in the morning and once before bed.  

I will give you one suggestion though.  I tend to like materials like velour & cotton sherpa next to my skin.  Stephanie dyed a bunch of white velour and sherpa and I fell in love with it.  I had her make me six for heavy days and six for light days.  Each level of absorbancy was backed with different color micro fleece so I could instantly tell which was which.  I do not use PUL on my pads since I am comfy enough with my periods and know the pads will not leak.

Q. How do you wash your pads?

A. I would love to find a pretty pot w/ a lid to keep them in until I am ready to wash, but I haven't found one I like yet.  I'm constantly looking though.  I do fill up a sink until the pads are covered in cold water to let them soak. After a few minutes, I will go back in and start ringing them out using fresh water.  If you don't like touching blood you can wear disposable gloves, but seriously...it's no where NEAR as bad as changing a poopy diaper or cleaning up your kids puke.  Seriously.  Once they are ringed out well enough, I throw them into the wash with a load of towels.  Even though I have a Kenmore HE front loader, I refuse to just wash a few tiny pads.  Since you aren't supposed to use fabric softener with towels and we have a family of seven, that's the most effecient way to wash them.  Then I just dry them with the towels.  If you prefer to hang dry, I would throw them in the dryer for a few minutes to soften them up.  You don't want stiff/scratchy menstrual pads.  The kids will even snap them closed and stack them neatly as they are folding the towels.  

Q. What does your husband think of you using cloth pads?

A.  He always wanted me to be comfortable.  Sometimes I don't get to the sink quick enough and he'll go in the bathroom and remind me there's a sink full of hamster sleeping bags that need to be rinsed out.  Ahh....he's so funny.  He even snaps them closed and puts them away in my pad drawer.  I think he should get some sort of award for just doing that, don't you?

If there are any more questions, please do not hesistate to email me or ask in the comments.  

Without further delay, I am proud to present The Essence of Eve $15 gift certificate to..... 

S'Me

Congrats Sarah!!  Get in touch with me by email.  Deanfamily7@gmail.com

And for those of you who didn't win this one....I plan on doing more cloth pads in the future and maybe even some cloth diapers.  Who knows, maybe I'll even have some fun organizing stuff to give away!!  You'll just have to wait and see. 

trying times

First let me say that I haven't forgotten about the Mama Pad Give-Away.  I've just been inundated with so many things I can't keep them straight.  I will post the winner on Friday morning, so get your entries in before then.  

We are going through a bit of a storm, which is why I have not posted in a week.  Has it been longer?  It's always one thing after the other and lately, the things aren't so little.  I'll post more in detail when I have some time. Maybe tomorrow.  Maybe next week.  I really can't say.

I will ask that you pray for my oldest son, Brenden (15).  He was assaulted at school on Monday and is suffering from tracheal edema, acute laryngitis and T4-T10 Costal Contusions from being severely choked, punched and kneed in the ribs.  He might have been knocked out momentarily, too.  He is on mega doses of steroids and cortisone to reduce inflammation.  He already has tracheomalacia and this is just making it worse.  The swelling is also bringing back headaches/migraines and he's having coughing fits because of the swelling to his trachea.  

This child can make me so angry.  He's alot like me and we clash.  I love him to bits though and it breaks my heart to see him in pain.  I can't imagine the humiliation he felt on Monday afternoon and now that his adrenaline is gone, he's feeling a whole lot more than humiliation. His youth Pastor called him today and is taking him out to lunch on Thursday.  Brenden seemed really upbeat when he got off the phone with him this afternoon.  

I'm exhausted and ready to call it a night.  It's been a hard day for us all.  

A "Crunchy" Give-Away

Calling all crunchy-esque mama's!! 

I am thrilled beyond measure to share with the blogosphere something that changed my life over seven years ago.  It not only changed my way of thinking, it changed how I felt physically every single month.  If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know that I love to talk about things that make people uncomfortable.  That being said, it should not surprise you that my first give-away is for a  $15 Gift Certificate from The Essence of Eve.

Stephanie is the owner of Patty Naps cloth diapers and why yes, those are Patty Naps in the photo above.  I knew I could pull you all in with those cute diapers, so I tricked you.  I'm sorry for being deceitful, but you can always go over to her cloth diaper site and order some.  Who knows, maybe she'll even let me do a cloth diaper give away one of these days.  Okay, so now that you know how tricky I can be I should also add that Stephanie is the owner of Essence of Eve , and she  just happens to be my *IRL friend who has seen me through many an issue.  God Bless her.  

*In Real Life

My Story:

I hated that time of the month.  For years I suffered with extreme cramping, heavy bleeding and major PMS.  I would curl up on the couch with a heating pad and scream at everyone who dared enter my bubble.  My cramps were the worst part and nothing seemed to help.  I also hated wearing sticky, sweaty paper pads and prefered wearing tampons.  However, I hated tampons with a passion, so that tells you how uncomfortable and grouchy I spent one week every month.  

Before Caleb was born, on October 18, 2001, I had already decided to cloth diaper this new baby.  I knew it would be very different, but I was ready for the change.  Plus, have you seen how cute cloth diapers are?  Oh wait, you have!  I tricked you with that photo above. (snort)

 I was constantly looking at new diapers online and began researching these funny, yet intriguing, little things called "Mama Pads".  I had a different friend of mine make me a couple post-partum pads that I could wear after Caleb was born.  I wasn't sure how I could handle washing my own pads though.  Caleb was born and thus began the many weeks of bleeding/spotting.  As usual, I was bleeding very heavily so the huge hospital pads and mesh panties seemed to be more secure (albeit extremely uncomfortable) during the first week.  A week later I switched to store-bought extra long, night-time pads, but soon I was sick of them sticking to my skin.  The commercial was right....I really didn't feel very fresh.  In fact, I was down right miserable. Knowing I had a week or two more to go, I pulled out the post-partum cloth pads and began wearing them.  They were made with a light blue velour top, cotton soaker, PUL back and they had wings with a snap.  I remember how they felt against my girly bits.  Like I was wearing the most comfortable pair of panties ever.  There was no discomfort at all.  I only had two, so I washed and washed and washed until I was done with this phase of my life.  I packed them away and happily nursed my baby, period free.  

When Caleb was 6 months old I began spotting again, so I pulled out my pads and called up my old friend.  She made me six more and I was happy with those.  Another friend of mine sold me her un-used Pretty Pad set and I fell in love!!  Later on, Stephanie started making them.  I was her tester and gladly gave her all my preferences and feedback.  I love Essence of Eve pads, which is why I want to share them with you.  

*Edited 5/01 to add*

I completely forgot to add how using cloth exclusively changed my periods after only several months of wearing them.  My cramps no longer caused me to curl up on the couch in pain.  Heating pads for cramps is non-existant.  In fact, the only time I ever have to use a heating pad is when I ovulate and I don't use it every month.  If you've ever experienced middlesmerch you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.  OUCH!  Anyway- my periods have also shortened by 2 days and I only have one heavy flow day instead of three.                                        

Contest Rules:

1. All you have to do is leave a comment telling me why you want to try cloth pads or what you already love about cloth pads.  

2. If you want a second entry, just post about my give-away on your blog.  Be sure to include my link:

http://semiorganizedmom.blogspot.com

and then leave a comment here letting me know so I can hop on over to your blog and check you out, too!!  

That's it!