Taking a Break

It's been a long time since I posted anything, and even then I was only sporadically posting.

I love blogging, but right now I am taking a break due to personal and marital issues. My closest friends who read this blog may know why.

Although I don't want to divulge too much information right now, a time may come where I create a post about it.

I hope my readers understand this, and I hope I will be back soon!

Buying Generic Diapers

I've been cloth diapering my almost 2 year old for about a year now, and I wish I had done it from the start. We've saved so much money by cloth diapering. However, I still pick up a pack of disposables now and then for when I haven't gotten around to washing diapers or for when she is being changed by a babysitter.

I used to buy a small pack of diapers at Giant Eagle, a grocery chain around Northeast Ohio where I live, for $6.99. These were for the generic, Giant Eagle brand diapers with little "Clifford the Big Red Dog" designs on them.

Recently, I stopped by Aldi and saw that they sold diapers too; a small pack was $4.99! I don't know why, but I thought that since they were $2.00 cheaper, they couldn't be as good as the ones I would normally buy at Giant Eagle. I still picked up a pack, brought them home, and...

The Aldi diaper is on the left, the Giant Eagle one is on the right.

Here's the back side. Can you tell a difference?

They contained the same diapers as the pack from Giant Eagle! The only difference is that "Clifford the Big Red Dog" is missing. Who cares? Why the heck was I paying an extra $2.00 for artwork that ends up in the garbage?

From now on, I'm buying my once in a while pack of diapers from Aldi. They're cheaper, and still look cute on a baby butt even without the printed design.

This post has been linked to Deep Roots at Home.

Playtex Secrets® Balconette Underwire Bra Review

WARNING: This post contains pictures of ladies wearing bras, including me! So, I totally understand if this is too frightening to read!

For the past five years or so, I've only used one brand of bra, and that is Cacique. I love how my bras fit, and they make my boobs look pretty darn good. I used to be a Victoria's Secret girl, even had their store credit card too, but their bras would break and fall apart so easily. They also stopped carrying my size, 40DD, in the stores around me, so I called it quits on them.

I recently got an opportunity from BzzAgent to try the new Playtex Secrets® Balconette Underwire. I was hesistant, because I had stuck with Cacique for so long. With something called TruSupport™, a 4-way support system, could Playtex really deliver all of its promises?

• Higher sides for secure coverage and support
• Comfortable straps help reduce bounce and prevent digging
• Rounder, accommodating cups mean less spillage and proper hold for a natural shape
• Wider, smooth backs for stability without ride-up

So, I put the bra on. Here's what the Playtex Secrets® Balconette Underwire looks like on someone who's NOT A MODEL:

As you can tell, I immediately had issues with the fit of the bra. When Playtex said their cups were more accommodating, they meant it! My boobs didn't fill the top portion of the cup, but the gap wasn't enough for me to do down an entire size. Of course there will be less spillage is your cup is half empty!

I also did not like how I looked in this bra. Maybe I have no clue what "natural shape" is, but I don't think I'm supposed to feel like this:

Madonna in Jean Paul Gaultier courtesy of Time Life Pictures/DMI/Getty

I felt like I was about to launch torpedoes off my chest in this bra. Never have I liked a bra that gave me pointy boobs. However, when I put a form fitting shirt over the bra, the points weren't so noticeable.

Even though I was disappointed from the start, I still vowed to wear it more. This bra did provide great support, even when wearing during workouts. I also noticed that when I exercised, the straps did stay on my shoulders better than my Cacique ones. I'm not great about changing into a sports bra when I exercise, so it's nice to have a regular bra that can pull double duty like that.

Did I mention that the straps really are comfortable too? They don't dig into your shoulders. I almost felt like they weren't there at all.

I wasn't the only reviewer of this bra though. Based on looks alone, I asked my husband what he thought. He hated it. He didn't feel like the bra was as attractive as my Cacique bras, and that it reminded him of a "granny bra." I felt the same way too before I even asked him.

Overall, Playtex did deliver on all of the TruSupport™ promises, except that they delivered a little too much with the size of the cup. If you plan on purchasing this bra, just know that it does run larger. Try it on at a store before you buy it! You may need a smaller cup. I do like that the bra provides great support and comfort, but I don't feel "sexy" in this bra at all. If you're not concerned with that, which is okay because I know a ton of women who aren't, then this may be the bra for you! For more info on how to buy or find a retailer, click here.

I'm a BzzAgent, so I was able to try this product for free. My opinion about this product is honest and is in no way influenced by BzzAgent.

Avocado and Goat Cheese Egg Salad

Okay, so I think I'm finally recovered from Easter and eating waaaaaay too much. I'm definitely getting back on track with my healthy eating a.k.a. diet today. I started the day off with an awesome breakfast.

Lately, one of my favorite snacks is avocado mixed with goat cheese spread on flax seed crackers. I wondered what avocado and goat cheese would taste like with a hard boiled egg.

Well guess what? It's awesome! I love avocado, and I'd much rather have it for the base of an egg salad instead of mayo. Avocado is a great source of healthy fat too, and the goat cheese makes the egg salad super creamy!

Here's what you need:

• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1 hard boiled egg, diced
• 1 oz. traditional goat cheese

In a bowl, mash together the avocado with the goat cheese. Add your diced egg, and stir until incorporated. You can top your salad with salt and pepper if preferred. I put some pepper and dill on mine. That's it! It's so simple.

I know I'm going to be eating this all the time. It's a great way to use up some Easter eggs too.

Calories: 265     Carbs: 10g     Fat: 19g     Protein: 10g    Fiber: 3g

This post has been linked to Frugally Sustainable and Deep Roots at Home.

Greek Seasoned Yogurt Salad Dressing

I've been eating a lot of salad lately in my mission to lose weight. As you may know, I've been using MyFitnessPal to help shed the weight, and at the time of this post, I've lost 18.4 lbs!

Whether I'm trying to lose weight or not, I love salad, and I love salad dressing. I usually have a hard time sticking to the serving size of the dressing, which usually packs a ton of calories. I'm not a fan of the light or low fat options in the grocery store, so I decided to make my own healthy dressings.

My favorite so far is an easy Greek seasoned yogurt salad dressing. You won't believe how simple it is to make. Just combine:

• 1/2 cup of whole milk plain yogurt
• 1/2 Tbsp. Greek seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Yep, that's it. Here's the best part--a 1/2 cup of dressing contains:

Calories: 75     Carbs: 6g     Fat: 4g     Protein: 4g

You could use fat free yogurt if you'd like, which will save you even more calories and fat. I think 75 calories for a 1/2 cup of dressing is awesome, considering a 1/2 cup of store bought Ranch dressing contains:

Calories: 560     Carbs: 8g     Fat: 56g     Protein: 4g

I use the whole recipe for a large dinner salad. If I were using it for a small side salad, then I would use half, and those are generous portions (like I said, I like a ton of dressing on my salads).

My favorite salad with this dressing is baby spinach, cucumber, and goat cheese. I'd love to hear your favorite salad combinations! Do you use MyFitnessPal? I'd love to add you as a friend!

This post has been linked to Growing Home and Women Living Well.

Rockin' Green Detergent for Cloth Diapers, 50% off This Week!

Back in July I made homemade laundry detergent, and 8 months later we're still using that same batch today. It's great for everyday laundry, but for me it just doesn't cut it for cloth diapers full of pee and poop residue. I decided to only buy laundry detergent for washing cloth diapers.

My first name brand detergent I bought was Rockin' Green. I loved it! It comes in so many different scents (I tried Smashing Watermelons), yet it is still eco-friendly. They don't contain any dyes, fillers, enzymes, brighteners, or phosphates. Rockin' Green is made with organic ingredients, and is totally vegan.

The detergent comes in Classic Rock for normal water, Soft Rock for soft water, and Hard rock for hard water. If you're not sure what kind of water you have, here is a map provided by Rockin' Green that will help you decide. Right now I have normal water, but once we finish our home out in the boonies we will probably have hard water.

Right now at GreenCupboards, Rockin' Green is 50% off! It's their deal of the week and the offer ends Sunday, March 24. I know I'm going to be stocking up, because this is a great deal. On Amazon.com, where I originally bought Rockin' Green, some of the products are even more than the full price at GreenCupboards!

As always, at GreenCupboards you get free shipping with orders over $49.

I am a GreenCupboards Affiliate, so I will earn a small fee if you purchase through my link. Thanks for supporting Plan, Prepare, and Provide!

Homemade Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

Have you ever cooked a whole chicken in a slow cooker before? All you do is put your rinsed whole chicken (yes, only the chicken) in the slow cooker with whatever seasonings you like, and cook on low for about 6 hours or until your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165.

I have an awesome slow cooker with a meat thermometer that will automatically switch to "warm" once the meat reaches my desired temperature.

The best thing about cooking a whole chicken in a slow cooker is that I can make homemade chicken stock
the same day!

• After you've cooked your chicken in the slow cooker, remove the whole bird and separate the meat from the bones.
• Place the bones back in the slow cooker with the juices that already rendered out of the bird.
• Add your desired vegetables. I usually keep a freezer bag full of veggie scraps, so I toss those into the stock. I'll also add an onion cut into quarters.
• Add 5 cups of water. Turn your slow cooker on low, and cook for at least 4 hours. You can even leave it on overnight.
• Strain your stock and cool in the fridge. I usually have mine cool overnight, but if you cooked your stock overnight, it should be cooled by dinner time.
• Once your stock has totally cooled, skim any fat off the surface. Your stock should be gelled, but if it isn't, that's okay! If your stock has gelled, that means you extracted as many nutrients as possible out of the bones. The stock will return to a liquid state when heated.

You can separate the stock however you'd like, and freeze until needed. I got about 6 cups of stock from this batch, so I froze them in 2 and 1 cup portions.

I love making stock this way! I was never able to achieve the gelatin state when I made stock on the stove top. Also, you can make this stock in the summer without adding too much heat to your kitchen.

Homemade stock is free of sodium and preservatives, and it is so much cheaper than store bought too!

If you prefer to save your bones over time in the freezer, you can still put the bones in the slow cooker with veggies and water, you just won't have the original drippings (unless you saved those too).

Have you ever made stock this way?

This post has been linked to Growing Home and Deep Roots at Home.