Seven Ways Wednesdays - Seven Ways to "Crunchify" Your Life

In honor of my son, I am presenting Seven Ways Wednesdays. Today is Wednesday the Seventh and my son, Parker was born on Wednesday the Seventh in September of this year. So, to celebrate Parker, and to help myself, and you, my readers, get down and crunchy, I will be posting Seven Ways to Crunchify Your Life every Wednesday until Parker turns the big Oh One!

1. Try cloth wipes - They save you money, save space in landfills, and are a good way to test the waters before jumping into cloth diapering.
2. Make your own baby food - You don't need expensive equipment, just a blender, food mill, or food processor; ice cube trays or similar freezer safe containers; and fresh fruits and vegetables.
3. Wear your baby - Try out a carrier, wrap, or sling and enjoy the benefits of having baby close to you: more hands free time to get stuff done, cuddle time, and a (usually) happier baby!
4. Diva Cup / Mamma Cloth - Look into alternate, more eco-friendly menstrual management solutions.  Not only are they better for the environment, they're also better for your health and cheaper in the long run.
5. Try (safe) co sleeping - Check out the co sleeping safety resources on my adventures in co-sleeping page above and spend a night in the family bed.
6. Trade in your Clorox, Lysol, and Mr Clean for safer, more natural household cleaners - You can make your own, for very little money, with peroxide, baking soda, and vinegar, or you can purchase reasonably priced store versions from brands like Seventh Generation, Method, and 
7. Check all baby products for BPA - Most bottles and pacifiers are made BPA Free these days but check out your baby's belongings to make sure none snuck there way into your home.

I will be posting seven more easy and inexpensive ways to "Crunchify" your life each week.  Don't forget to subscribe to my blog (via Google Friend Connect, RSS, or Email) so you don't miss any of my tips and ideas.  We will go from the very basic to the very dedicated as the series continues.  

The Drive-thru Difference. (how my family was blessed in a time of need by a couple that didn't know us at all)

KTIS FM (98.5) is radio station here in the Twin Cities that is doing a program called The Drive-thru Difference.  Basically, people can print cards off their website, and when they go through a drive-through, they pay for the meal of the person behind them and tell the cashier to give the person one of the cards.  The card talks about the radio station and the drive-thru difference, asking the recipient to pay it forward if they are able.  I was recently the recipient of one of these cards (and a free meal) and it came at a very trying time for our family.  They ask you, on the card, to call in or go to their website and share your story.  I'm a horrible procrastinator, but it was important to me to share my story, so today I went to their website and sent them the story below.

On November 18th, 2011, my family and I were going through the McDonalds drive through on Suburban Avenue on the east side of St Paul.  We were very worried about how much money we were spending on the food, when a lovely couple in a teal/blue colored vehicle in front of us paid for our meal.  The cashier handed us the Drive-thru Difference card and I almost started crying. 

You see, my family has been going through some hard times lately.  In December of last year, I became pregnant with my second child.  In February, my fiance lost his job.  In August, I lost mine.  My child was born with some health problems that left him in the Special Care Nursery after I was sent home.  He's doing well now, but, even with a new job for my fiance, we aren't doing the best financially.  Our daughter has started preschool this year, which costs money, and I'm sure everyone knows how much money a new baby can take up.

The day that these wonderful people paid for our meal, we were super stressed out about money, hadn't received our food stamps for the month yet, and were worried about where our next meal was coming from.  The drive through lunch was a big deal for us as we were only spending the money because it was my birthday.   I wanted to enjoy the day with my daughter, son, fiance, and best friend.  The amazing people who paid for our meal REALLY did make a difference in our lives.  It probably was a small sacrifice for them, but it was a huge blessing for us!

PS:  For those of you wondering, McDonalds is an occasional treat for us.  If you're wondering what a vegetarian gets at McDonalds...  ranch snack wraps with no meat add diced onions, a Reese's McFlurry, and a small fry.