Cost of kids

According to Parenting.com, J will cost us $29,400 in the first year and $724,000 up the time he graduates college (assuming he goes to private university). Here's their breakdown:

• Housing: $202,600, not including the mortgage
• Food: $150,000
• Transportation: $52,000
• Clothing: $28,000
• Healthcare: $46,000
• Childcare & Education: $48,000 (we're well on our way with this one
• Miscellaneous: $60,000
• Higher education: $138,600, this estimate goes down to $73,000 if he attends a public university

When someone breaks it down like that, it seems daunting.

But imagine if you could put a monetary value on first smiles, first words, first hugs, first kisses, first steps, first giggles, and all the subsequent ones to follow in 18 years, I'd bet we'd come out on top!

Remembering to enjoy parenthood, 
Lisa

Making life easier

If you have kids and/or dogs, heck -- even if you have neither, you know that weekday mornings (and probably other times of the day as well) can be a whirlwind.

We have to feed J breakfast, get him dressed, get his lunch ready, and try to leave at the same time everyday. Luckily, he can't get out of the crib yet so dressing him is relatively easy. But when it comes time for socks, shoes, and a jacket, he can't stop crawling away. Ugh!

We have to take both dogs out to relieve themselves. And they can't seem to keep to their own sides, crisscrossing in front, creating a tripping hazard in the dark. Try finding their "gifts" camouflaged with fallen leaves/branches, also in the dark. And did I mention it's frigid outside? After they're done, the dogs need to be fed. And before we leave for work, the puppy needs to be cordoned in the kitchen with a mentally-stimulating activity so he doesn't chew the place apart. In the middle of the day, we also come home to let the dogs relieve themselves again.

So, yes, we were both stressed...maybe me a little more…

So my husband devised a plan...and then we revised that plan and think we've got a pretty good one.

We've been blessed to both have jobs close to home. We also found a daycare really close to my work, so commuting isn't a factor. I have horrible road rage.

I've also been blessed with a husband that will alternate grocery shopping and cooking responsibilities.

So, the week that _____ cooks:

• The other gets J ready for daycare in the mornings. 
• _____ takes the dogs out in the mornings. 
• _____ comes home at lunch to take the dogs out. 
• And this is my favorite part...during lunch, since we live so close to work, _____ has time to prep ingredients for dinner. _____ can wash/cut vegetables, marinate meat, set the timer for the rice cooker, etc. It makes the afternoons soooo much better. We can eat sooner and J is less cranky because of it. And a happy baby is a happy family.

Just goes to show that with a open communication (thanks hubby for initiating this conversation!), we can make our lives a bit simpler and more efficient.

What small (or big) steps have you taken to make your life easier?

Project: magnetic chalkboard

Ever since chalkboard paint came on the market, I've always wanted an excuse to paint with it. So when I had some time off between jobs, I decided I was going to paint magnetic chalkboards for J in our living room and basement.

It was super duper easy!

The magnetic primer was found near the Rustoleum (of course!) products. The chalkboard paint was right next to it. The sales associate said no special brushes were needed. I bought a roller for smooth surfaces. He said they are water-based paints, but I think he meant only the chalkboard paint is because the magnetic primer was very difficult to wash off my hands. More on that later...

The directions suggested three thin coats of primer, allowing 30 min. between each application for drying. Not bad at all! This primer smells though -- provide good ventilation. I then applied one coat of chalkboard paint and let it dry 24 hours before using. Two coats would have made a more even layer, but it didn't matter to me so I stopped at one coat. If you wanted to use regular paint over the magnetic primer I'm sure you'd need more than one coat since the primer is black.

The magnetic strength of the primer isn't strong - no surprise since it’s a relatively thin layer. But it supports lightweight magnets fine. Also, chalk writes and erases off the board just fine. Below is the first use of the magnetic chalkboard wall. Success! I even cut out photos from magazines, laminated them, and glued magnets to the back so that J could play/learn. (A few weeks ago, the teachers at daycare said he stared at the photos on their walls for minutes at a time. What concentration! He has only wanted to eat my laminated photos)

Now for cleanup -- when I thought that the magnetic primer was water-based, I thought I could just rinse it off and save a roller. But when it wouldn’t come off my hands with rubbing alcohol and/or warm soapy water (which are effective for water-based paints), I gave up trying to save the roller and focused on getting it off my hands. Guess what worked? Vegetable oil! Still needed some scrubbing, but it eventually worked.

Here are other ideas for chalkboard paint!

That's not what mom said

[Source]

While doing some research on saving energy in homes, I came across this little tid-bit that surprised me:

Avoid hand washing dishes: Studies are showing more and more that, when used to maximize energy-saving features, modern dishwashers can outperform all but the most frugal hand washers. [American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy].

That's not what mom said! But this blogger makes a good point:

If you can't run the dishwasher everyday, because the washer isn't full, food items may get stuck. So if you have to pre-rinse, the tip above may not apply to you. I've found that our dishwasher is pretty good at removing stuck-on food, even after a day sitting in the washer. What does that mean? We may be running the washer more than we did before -- just gotta remember to utilize the water/energy-saving features....where's that manual?

You hand-wash or use the dishwasher? 

This tip change your mind?

How walkable is your community?

I attended a workshop at work yesterday, Strategies to get to Net Zero Energy Homes.

Side note: There are many meanings of "net zero" but they point to energy use or emissions. Basically, what you use or expend should be equal to what you produce. As we look to buying a home in the next few years, I hope that we can find a high-efficiency home, reduce our energy use, and pay lower utility bills every month. More on that when we start seriously looking.

WalkScore.com was mentioned - how walkable is your community? Washington, D.C. got a score of 88 (very walkable). My neighborhood got a score of 48 (car-dependent). I'm not surprised and honestly, it's 

Reading Ohdeedoh

Have you read Ohdeedoh.com before? They have great (and short) articles on nursery ideas for small spaces, clever crafts, and more. I love the clever crafts and really can't wait to do them with J on a lazy Saturday afternoon (when he can, of course!). Parenting's fun!

Animal Art Collages (by Paste, but totally could DIY with some cardboard & newspapers - not that I am condoning stealing people's ideas for profit - just inspiration)

Turn Your Crib Siderail into a Magazine Rack (by Salty Pineapple)

Chalkboard Coffee Table (by Offi, but could totally DIY with some chalkboard paint and possibly a cheap yard sale find)

Scavenger Hunt (by I Am Momma - Hear Me Roar)

DIY Dry Erase Bubble (by Katie Steuernagle)

Cute plates

These are the cutest appetizer plates from CB2 ($1.95 each).

Water bottle with carbon filter

These bottles from Bobble have an activated carbon filter attached to the spout. It filters out chlorine, funny tastes, and odor. The filters of course need to be changed. They cost $7 to replace. So, would you pay the initial $10 for the bottle/filter set? I think this would be a good travel bottle, since filtered water isn't always available, and I still have problems drinking from the tap even though I know it's safe.

Random

Why would anyone pay $30 for a silly bucket that holds those single socks you always pull out of the dryer?

Kitchen remodel

Love this open kitchen with all the light! Notice there are no upper wall cabinets! (Images from www.thekitchn.com)

Nursery ideas

A & I haven't officially started looking for furniture, etc. for our future nursery, but I saw this photo online and loved it! I like that it's simple and gender-neutral.

BC Reader Janel's Frugal and Fabulous Nursery