Time4Learning review

A month ago we decided to check out the website Time4Learning.com as an option for homeschool curriculum. To be honest I've never been huge on technology for kids (I know, I know) but I really felt like trying something different, and the kids are always game for anything on the computer. Here's my opinion on the program, as a whole and by grade. We tried out three grades for our three older kids: 1st, 4th, and 6th. We did vary on language arts using one higher grade, and math using one lower grade level depending on need.

My first impression was very mixed. I had looked over the website prior to the trial, and it shows an organized lesson plan and an Activity Scheduler. We used a virtual school years ago for my oldest, and I was expecting an actual scheduler that would let me pick and choose lessons set over a specified timeframe, and that those lessons would show up day by day for the student's use. Instead, the Scheduler is merely something you can print out and use as a guide. Not what I was hoping for as an all-inclusive program. Something that Time4Learning does very well is maintain grades and activities for a portfolio. If we were in a state that required overview of those items, this would probably be of great value. Since our situation does not evaluate grades or standards by age, this was not a helpful feature for us.

Coral tried out the first grade platform, with kindergarten language arts since she's still learning to read. I wasn't wowed by it and she quickly lost interest in anything but the science portion. Unfortunately that section is rather slim at just 13 lessons; in 30 days I could only entice her to log on four times and every time, the only thing she wanted to do was watch the animal videos, which were certainly cute but not what we were hoping for as an all-inclusive curriculum. There are many other online programs out there that I felt were a better match for this age group.

Ibis was working on the fourth grade level, with third grade math. She spent the most time on Time4Learning by far, wanting to log in almost every school day to complete the language arts lessons and try out the math. Ibis has a very short attention span and can be a real challenge to motivate and teach, so I was pleased with her interest. Over time she became more proficient with using the program, and I could see her scores improve. One of my favorite aspects of the program is the immediate correction of incorrect answers, and an explanation of why they're incorrect. This quick feedback is excellent for the short attention span. The only negative I saw was the ability for her to quit lessons mid-sequence; about half of her activities are marked as incomplete. This is more due to her personality than the website itself.

Alexei checked out the sixth grade level. He was immediately skeptical (typical twelve-year-old boy) and tried the program a dozen times. He was okay with the math lessons but felt like the language arts were too simple and had no interest in trying science on a computer versus real life. He's much happier completing the free math practice sessions at Khan Academy online, and prefers hands-on for everything else.

In the end, we chose to purchase a monthly subscription for Ibis but not for Coral or Alexei. It meets her needs and personality; it gives her the ability to pursue math and language arts independently, and to feel successful when she answers a question correctly and gets instant feedback. It is exciting enough to keep her focused a lot of the time, which can be difficult with standard books and exercises. However, I don't think Time4Learning or ANY online program should be the only curriculum pursued; doing everything on a computer really sets a child up to miss out on real-life opportunities that can't be duplicated virtually.

The above opinions are entirely my own, and I was compensated with a 30-day free trial of Time4Learning for this review.

play-doh redeems itself

If you're like me and have ever thought you loved Play-Doh and then experienced the joys of a child smearing Play-Doh all over the carpet and it never coming off again, you're probably already suspicious. We were in Target last weekend looking for something.... now I can't even remember what. You know how that memory just melts away with each kid you have, and I've got four. Anyhow, of course we wound up in the toy section and of course a bunch of stuff was on clearance and of course the kids all had money left over after Christmas because they were smart and spent *our* money on gifts and saved theirs. Because they really needed new toys a week after getting like a zillion of them. Two years later they'd finally picked out the toys they were going to buy, when I spotted something that gave me pause.

Yes, it was the dreaded Play-Doh. Play-Doh like I have cleaned up a million times and swore we were finished with. But this Play-Doh came with letter stampers! This elevated it out of toy status and into the realms of school necessity. Plus it was on clearance at 50% off and you know what a cheapskate...err, bargain hunter I am. The Play-Doh came home with us under strict admonishments that it would live in the school closet and only be used by Coral for letter practice. I figured we had about a 10% chance of abiding by those rules for more than a day.

School was back in session on Tuesday and after forging through the kids' PE classes and other bookwork, we finally got to open the Play-Doh and try it out. I figured it would be best utilized for spelling out key sight words in Coral's kindergarten readers. The set is actually called Cookie Monster's Letter Lunch, and I envisioned her stamping out the letters to create the words, and then feeding them to Cookie Monster. The added bonus that he "poops" them out the back of his body would leave her in sheer delight; what is a four-year-old's obsession with poop, anyway?

I was right, she loves it. Every day this week she made "school soup" or "I have soup" to go along with her readers, and every day she was in hysterics feeding the words to Cookie Monster and watching them tumble out the other end. She's practicing letter recognition, sight reading, and spelling along with developing her fine motor skills. I may have new respect for Play-Doh.

Now if it winds up ground into the rug we can call it art.

my take on handwriting without tears

Let me preface this by saying we've been using the program for a grand total of two days now, so I am subject to change my mind on this at a later time. But I don't think I will : everything I've seen thus far with our new Handwriting Without Tears workbooks has me excited. I did some research over the summer (but mostly I lounged around the house in the a/c) and I knew this particular line of books existed, but had never paid much attention. Everything I'd heard from friends touted its greatness, but I personally like to see and feel my books in a store before making a purchase, so if Wal-Mart or Books A Million didn't carry it, I didn't own it.

I was thoroughly impressed with the HWT website; they seem to have included just about everything. Samples, PDFs of actual pages, research, lots of reasons to use their curriculum because of their unique approach, and even access to free online tools. If nothing else they have a slick marketing team. I bit the bullet and purchased two of the Printing Power workbooks suggested for grade 2 and one copy of Letters and Numbers for Me suggested for the kindergarten set. My older kids need serious work on their neatness skills, especially Alexei, and HWT's 3rd grade book is in cursive; I chose the print version to get back to the basics, and since the HWT approach uses an entirely different line setup than they're used to. I was extremely pleased that the Printing Power books do not state a grade level anywhere on them; no 5th grader wants to think he's working in a 2nd grade book.

The books themselves are very clean and uncluttered. The pages have simple, attractive black and white illustrations and the Printing Power books work in a lot of practical grammar without being obvious about it. There are even games and puzzles within the book, not something you typically find in a handwriting series. Alexei absolutely despises handwriting practice and has always put forth as little effort as humanly possible into it, but this book even has him making an attempt at neatness. There is hope for him yet! The price is also very reasonable, it does run higher than the handwriting books readily available at the store, but at $7.50 each it feels like a worthwhile splurge.

The kindergarten book Letters and Numbers for Me has a really unique approach to learning the formation of letters with a method they label, "Wet, dry, try." On the advice of another homeschool friend (hi Tami!) we went ahead and purchased the small slate board and it is a great size for little hands. In addition to writing the letters in the book, children are encouraged to trace a chalked letter on their board (written first by the adult) with a small wet sponge or towel. Then they trace the wet line with a dry towel. Finally, they trace the dried outline of the letter with a piece of chalk. For something so seemingly simple, this is a pretty amazing approach to building confidence in a beginning writer. Coral tried the "wet, dry, try" method for the first time today and was smitten.

My only real complaint is that it's a little tricky trying to introduce this concept of line spacing that HWT utilizes. I think it will be a real asset for Coral, who will know this method from the get-go, but for Alexei and Ibis who have used the traditional three-lined handwriting paper or regular notebook paper for several years, this may take awhile to grow accustomed to. Ibis especially seems to think that she needs to write between the sets of guidelines in her new science journal. I'm sure this is something that will be mastered over time.

Two days and nary a tear shed over handwriting - if you've ever had a reluctant writer you know this in itself is an accomplishment!

And yes, in this house toddlers in pajamas routinely plot sneak attacks to try to sit on the dog. And the dog wised up long ago. But that doesn't stop him from trying.

holiday deals

It's that time of year again : the dreaded shopping season. Duhn duhn duhn. You know that's my favorite activity to pursue with 4 kids in tow.

We've started being especially creative this year. With 3 of our 4 kids' birthdays crammed in a six-week timespan right before Christmas, and with nine nieces and a nephew to shop for, deals are a must. I will admit that we usually have the best intentions to "shop early" but this is the first year we've actually managed to get our acts together and start shopping before Thanksgiving. Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

Today on BzzAgent I got the chance to join this new campaign for a website called What's Cheap Today.

I wish I had seen this before we started shopping! I'm not normally a fan of any of the new Web 2.0 sites that phish links from other sites, and that's what I was expecting. I was pleasantly surprised by this site! You truly can go here and see, quickly and prettily, which stores both online and locally have the best deals of the day. I thought I had found all of the deals out there on toys, so I was impressed to see a $10 off $100 or more K-Mart toy purchase listed on the What's Cheap Today site. Of course all of the deals that I had spent several hours researching were there too - but readily available without having to look all over the internet.

I look forward to using What's Cheap Today to finish the remainder of my Christmas shopping!

Fisher Price Musical Croc Block Wagon

As a House Party host, I was given the inside scoop on five of Fisher Price's hottest new baby toys. For those of you who aren't able to attend my Perfect Playdate, I'm sharing insider details on these great new products. Be sure to watch for my reviews on the final toy I have waiting for you, and check out my review on the Laugh and Learn Learning Kitchen, the Stride-to-Ride Dino, and the Spinnin' Sounds Speedway!

The Fisher Price Musical Croc Block Wagon

smiling in the box

initial impression:  When I first saw this in the box, I thought it looked sweet and engaging. Wagons are always big fun with kids - anything they can use to haul toys from point A (typically the bedroom) to point B (typically the living room) tends to be a hit. I was thinking that this toy was probably the most babyish of the five toys I had been sent, which is not a bad thing considering I have a baby. I was imagining my little guy was really going to like chowing on all of the blocks that came with the wagon.

packaging : Still haven't been disappointed with the packaging on any of the toys. All I needed was my trusty pocket knife, and a slice through one piece of tape and two plastic loops and the entire thing was out of the box. The plastic covering the blocks came right off as I was removing the wagon. No assembly was needed; this came already put together and with batteries, ready for play.

fresh out of the box

basic overview: The Musical Croc Block Wagon is an enticing, musical wagon made for ages 6-36 months, with an assortment of six happy, chunky block people who pop up and down (mechanically using your hands) and can stack within the wagon, and along its handle when laid flat. The croc's mouth opens and the blocks can be dropped in and retrieved from the opening lid on the wagon's back. It also has one stacking base at the rear of the wagon that squeaks. Opening the croc's mouth and interacting with the wagon brings on music and words of encouragement. The wagon can be played with as a traditional pull toy with handle out, or the handle can be folded into place underneath. The sound plays at 2 volumes or can be turned off entirely via a small switch under the wagon.

with handle engaged, ready for adventures

pros : This wagon is definitely designed for babies. It is sized for babies and young toddlers, and allows them to pursue their favorite activities : chewing and bashing. The block people are cute and simple to stack, and as an added feature they are sold in other small toy packs if your baby loves them. What's especially nice is that the sound can be turned off on this toy and the switch is of the hidden, parent-activated variety (the little black ones) so if your baby is scared of noises or you want to limit sensory overload, you can skip the music and sounds. I also like toys that are easy to store, and since the wagon's handle can fold underneath and the blocks can be tossed into the croc's mouth, this toy fits the bill. I would imagine this to be a big hit with the early walking crowd, and it is sized just right for a child of 12-24 months to pull around. 

finally a toy I get to play with!

a toy that elicits a rare smile

the Hobie gnaw of approval

cons : Of all the toys I've tried, this one seems the most age-limited. I think this would be terrific as a gift for a first birthday, but not as much of a hit for a second birthday and certainly past its prime by age three. I also think the handle would be too short for a comfortable pull by an average toddler past a second birthday, and the wagon is too small and space-limited to ever be used as a regular, stuff-hauling cart of the big kid years.

The Musical Croc Block Wagon will be a cute addition to our nine-month-old's favorite toys!

See more information and purchase the Croc Block Wagon directly through Fisher Price!

*Note: I received the Wagon free of charge through the partnership between House Party and Fisher Price. I am not being further compensated for my review*

Fisher Price Spinnin' Sounds Speedway

As a House Party host, I was given the inside scoop on five of Fisher Price's hottest new baby toys. For those of you who aren't able to attend my Perfect Playdate, I'm sharing insider details on these great new products. Be sure to watch for my reviews on the other two toys I have waiting for you, and check out my review on the Laugh and Learn Learning Kitchen and the Stride-to-Ride Dino!

The Fisher Price Spinnin' Sounds Speedway

waiting on us in the box

initial impression : I had kind of a hard time picturing what this toy was going to do. It looked cute on the box but it seemed really odd to pair the idea of a car track with a toy suitable for an infant. However, I could recall how much my oldest son loved toy cars as a toddler - he had Hotwheels LONG before the recommended age of 3 and up - so I had high hopes for this speedway.

packaging : Simple and sweet. All I had to do was open the box and all of the track pieces fell right out. The two race cars were held in with wire, but unlike the toys of yesterday the wire Fisher Price used was twisted around little plastic trees. It took just seconds to painlessly unwind (I go on and on about this, but we have assembled countless toys and baby products over the past ten years and some of the packaging has been downright ridiculous!) All of the assembly was accomplished in a few easy snap-together steps, no screws required. I did need a small screwdriver to install 4 size C batteries, and was surprised to see that the battery compartment door, located on the bottom of the speedway, has a rubber seal. This is the first I have seen of a rubber seal on a child's toy. I'm assuming this is to prevent corroded batteries from potentially leaking out of a toy later in its life. Very curious!

what was inside the box

basic overview: The Spinnin' Sounds Speedway is designed for babies 6 months and up. It features a spinning, light-up racetrack that even the youngest of hands can turn on via a large gearshift. The baby-friendly cars can be dropped down a ramp, and will spin on the track and be sent down an opposing ramp via centripetal force. The outside of the speedway contains several different baby-friendly toys that spin and turn, and the toy cars contain large spinning balls that rattle. The speedway ramp also houses a button that lights up the speedway and plays music, and does not activate the spinning track. It plays at 2 volumes.

assembled speedway and two cute little cars

pros : My kids LOVED this toy. Not just the baby, not just my pre-schooler, but ALL of my kids. My oldest kids, almost 8 and 10, loved this toy. The eight-year-old neighbor boy from across the street loved this toy. I wasn't sure the baby was even going to get a chance to try it out! The speedway is full of activity that captivates kids (and I caught my husband playing with it too!) The cars are very baby-friendly; not only are they the perfect size and weight for little hands, but the paint is mostly encased underneath clear plastic, and the cars can roll even if they are completely upside down. It takes almost no skill to operate, and although my nine-month-old did not yet understand the concept of racing the cars down the ramp, he thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the speedway and cars. I love that he was able to climb halfway onto the spinning track and the track stopped spinning entirely until he was off of it. This toy has moving parts but feels very safe. I also spied on the packaging for this toy that Fisher Price makes additional cars (including pink versions) which I think will be a must-have in our house!

Hobie was captivated by the speedway

and so was the whole neighborhood!

I love this one - it's like he's saying, are they ever going to let me play?

cons : The speedway is not a quiet toy by any means. If you absolutely can't stand loud noises, or have an extremely noise-sensitive child, this may not be for you. The spinning of the track is Hungry, Hungry Hippos loud, and to not engage the track sort of defeats the purpose of the whole toy. This is part of what captivated my kids - the raucous, crazy, light-up spinning cars and action is why they wanted to keep playing even after the baby went to bed for the night.

The Spinnin' Sounds Speedway will definitely be a daily feature in our house.

See more information and purchase the Spinnin' Sounds Speedway directly through Fisher Price!

*Note: I received the Speedway free of charge through the partnership between House Party and Fisher Price. I am not being further compensated for my review*

Fisher Price Stride-to-Ride Dino

As a House Party host, I was given the inside scoop on five of Fisher Price's hottest new baby toys. For those of you who aren't able to attend my Perfect Playdate, I'm sharing insider details on these great new products. Be sure to watch for my reviews on the other three toys I have waiting for you, and check out my review on the Laugh and Learn Learning Kitchen!

The Fisher Price Stride-to-Ride Dino

awaiting us in the box

initial impression : I'm a bit skeptical of any push walkers, having owned several other models made by Fisher Price and other companies in the past. The Stride-to-Ride Dino certainly had an adorable dino face and I liked the footspace the photos seemed to suggest in the walker position. And I'm always interested in toys that convert to other things - nothing stinks like buying an expensive baby toy that they quickly outgrow and make obsolete.

packaging : Once again, I really liked that the pieces were simple to remove from the packaging. There was the standard clear tape on the outside of the box and cardboard tabs on the inside, not a wire tie among them. The toy came with 8 screws and easy-to-follow instructions. I had no problems popping in the back wheels or screwing in the fronts, and screwing the front and back pieces of the body together was not a problem. However, screwing the head onto the body was very difficult - the holes did not want to line up. I managed to get 2 in place before the head made a snapping sound and seated itself onto the body. Once together it was fine, but definitely something to keep in mind if your time/strength for assembly is limited.

fresh out of the box, 9 pieces and 8 screws

basic overview: The Stride-to-Ride Dino is designed for children ages 9-36 months. Most importantly, it has a maximum weight limit of 44 pounds. It starts out as a legs-apart push walker to give extra balance to babies learning to walk, and then can convert to a legs-together ride on toy. Movement causes the dino to come to life, playing catchy tunes and dino sounds, and the "mane" lights up. It has 2 volume levels and an off switch.

in walker mode, with lots of space for little feet

in ride-on mode, very sturdy and friendly

pros : It's always great to find a toy that can grow with your baby. Because it turns into a ride-on toy, the dino will definitely hold a toddler's attention. In the walker stage, the legs of the dino spread far apart to allow a baby ample room to move. Unlike other walkers I've seen (and owned), there is nothing for an average baby's feet to hit against as they learn to walk. Overall the toy is very sturdy and feels like it would be difficult to tip. My three-year-old (32 pounds) scooted around the house on the dino and it rolled freely. In fact, the wheels are all free rolling, so it has little resistance - this is a pro as a ride-on. I also like that the handles are positioned at elbow level, which makes for a secure grip as a ride-on toy. The switch from walker to ride-on is a button located at the neck of the dino, and is definitely not easy enough for a toddler to engage (always a bonus!) but is doable for an adult after a little practice.

a bit tall at age 3 1/2 but she had a lot of fun riding it around

age 9 months, not yet ready to walk with it but definitely interested

delicious

cons : This is my beef with all push walkers I've encountered - there's not enough resistance on the wheels to keep it from flying forward and baby toppling to the ground if baby's not developmentally ready enough to use one. Use your common sense when purchasing a push walker; the age range is listed at 9-36 months and the developmental level is suggested for "Stand and Cruise" and beyond, but your baby might not be ready for a push walker even at the cruising stage. My baby is 9 months and just began cruising, and he doesn't have the balance for this. He would lean his entire weight against the walker, and it would fly forward and he would crash since nothing is preventing the wheels from moving forward.

The Stride-to-Ride Dino would be a fun addition to any older baby or toddler's collection!

See more information and purchase the Stride-to-Ride Dino directly through Fisher Price!

*Note: I received the Learning Kitchen free of charge through the partnership between House Party and Fisher Price. I am not being further compensated for my review*

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Learning Kitchen

As a House Party host, I was given the inside scoop on five of Fisher Price's hottest new baby toys. For those of you who aren't able to attend my Perfect Playdate, I'm sharing insider details on these great new products. Be sure to watch for my reviews on the other four toys I have waiting for you!

The Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Learning Kitchen

in the box and awaiting our attention

initial impression : I admit I'm a sucker for toy kitchens, and Hobie's only toy that he really, truly loves is the Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Piano he inherited from Coral a few months ago. I was prepared to like this one.

packaging : Awesomeness. Plain and simple. Fisher Price/Mattel has finally listened to what parents have been lamenting for years and they have done away with the requires-six-hours-and-an-engineering-degree twisted ties and have come up with this super cool new fastener that you merely give a twist, and it pops off in your hand. The kitchen took me about 25 seconds to free from the packaging - four twist caps, two loose wire ties, and one plastic cover that had a thoughtful pull-tab for easy removal. I had to screw in two screws to attach the little trash can, and it was ready for play. It also includes batteries. You will be thanking the gods and Fisher Price when you're elbow deep in gifts to assemble come Christmas Eve!

the ingenius packaging design lets the average person open this toy in no time!

basic overview: The Learning Kitchen is designed for babies 6-36 months of age (although my 3 1/2 year old found it quite entertaining!). It has four interactive play modes (learning time, Spanish, musical fun, imagination) and plays more than 20 tunes. Babies can open the oven, switch a light on and off, flip the pages of a "book," and sort play food through the shape sorter. It lights up and plays happy, upbeat songs at 2 volumes.

cute, friendly design and just the right amount of accessories

pros : It's a small kitchen. Small is GOOD. It doesn't take a five thousand square foot house to store - trust me, we have not only a big toy kitchen but also a baby center, a spring horse, and countless other toys to deal with amongst our four kids. This size is perfect. It's plenty big enough for two kids to play since it has activities on both the front and back of the kitchen, and strong enough to support my nine-month-old pulling up on it. It has three food accessories, a play pan, and a play spoon, which is just the right amount for the target age of 6-36 months. I especially like that the only sticker on any of the oh-so-appetizing-and-mouth-sized accessories is deeply recessed inside the play pan. This means no stickers for baby to chew off! My little guy can shred a Dean Koontz novel in about 30 seconds with his mouthful of chompers, so I am super happy to see this attention to detail. And like the other Laugh and Learn toys I've seen, the kitchen has a ton of different interactive, fun songs and sounds that are pretty pleasing even to the adult ear.

enough fun activities to captivate pre-schoolers as well as babies

two sides means two kids can play!

cons : My only real complaint is that the kitchen folds for storage but can't be latched. I'm assuming this is to  keep from hearing over and over the screams of a child who has discovered that they can shut the toy, but aren't yet strong enough to open it back up. I would prefer a latch but the kitchen is small and lightweight enough to carry around and not have it flip open.

The Learning Kitchen will undoubtedly become a staple toy in our house!

See more information and purchase the Learning Kitchen directly through Fisher Price!

*Note: I received the Learning Kitchen free of charge through the partnership between House Party and Fisher Price. I am not being further compensated for my review*

cloth diapering for the rest of us

I admit it : I really don't care how bad disposable diapers are for the environment. I don't care that they take forever to break down in landfills, or that they're made with chemically questionable materials. The ease of going to Wal-Mart and grabbing a package of Huggies off the shelf, knowing that baby will be dry and there's nothing more to be done, is immensely appealing. I even think the Pooh Bear designs are sweet and I kind of like the way they smell. But I'm also cheap, which is why I switched over to cloth diapers five months ago. The money factor is also what keeps me going when cloth diapering gets boring.

I was a disposable user for a long time. All three of my oldest kids wore Pampers and then moved on to Pull-Ups. I never, ever considered using cloth diapers (other than briefly thinking, what a bunch of crackpot nuts those cloth diaper users are). Then when I was pregnant with Hobie and Coral was still wearing Pampers Cruisers at night, Pampers did something sneaky and redesigned their diapers. They essentially removed all of the "guts" of the back half of the diaper; all that was left was the outer shell. I contacted Pampers multiple times and got the crazy answer that the diapers were "thinner and more absorbent than ever!" (ha!) and the promise that they would send me coupons (never saw those). I posted a rather scandalous photo on facebook and online message boards and Pampers e-mailed me and asked me to take it down. We became Huggies users.

photos I took in November of 2009, naughty Pampers!

Fast forward to Hobie being almost four months old, and Pampers was once again a hot topic on all of the message boards for their new DryMax formula which was reported by many to cause chemical-burn-like rashes. None of my kids had ever had any real issues with diaper rashes, but for some reason the whole controversy just made me take pause and start thinking about my diaper choices and wondering about cloth diapers. I was disgusted with Pampers and worried that with the economy being in such upheaval and companies being forced to cut every corner possible, that soon all of the disposable diaper brands were going to be ruined. I have a really hard time paying good money for a product that is not going to live up to my expectations.

So, with all of that in mind I purchased my first ever cloth diaper. I went with a FuzziBunz sized pocket diaper, which I knew was one of the recognized brands and seemed easy enough to use and maintain. I found a company online that offered free shipping on any order and accepted PayPal, plus paid me 10% back on future purchases. One diaper was $17.95, which was a lot to swallow! That was about the same price as 45 of the disposable diapers I was buying (Huggies Little Movers size 4). I was really skeptical that  the diapers would be leakproof and that they'd wash clean. Within a month I liked them so much that we had switched to cloth diapers full time, and also for Coral for nights.

The maintenance certainly is not as easy as disposable diapers, but I also wouldn't qualify it as difficult. When I go to change a diaper, I unsnap it, wipe baby down, pull out the insert and fold it in half and lay it in the dirty diaper, fold the diaper down, and toss it in a wetbag (a washable cloth bag with a waterproof liner) until it's ready to wash. If there was anything solid in the diaper (which we have not yet experienced) it would get shaken into the toilet before the diaper went into the wetbag. Washing is easy; I wash every morning and it's one small load that gets a cold rinse, a hot wash with about half the recommended amount of Tide Free, a cold rinse, and then they get tossed in the dryer on low until dry. Voila. The expense is pretty minimal. With the FuzziBunz I have not had a single stain on the diaper itself, and only the occasional stain on the insert. A simple few hours sitting in the sun has magically erased those stains every time.

Overall I have 12 size medium cloth diapers for Hobie, and I spent about $170 (I purchased some of them new and some in good used condition). I also have 2 size large for Coral, although she can, at age three and a half, wear the mediums. A $170 supply of Huggies Little Movers would have consisted of about 500 size 4 diapers. At a conservative usage of 5 disposable diapers a day, a $170 supply would have lasted us 100 days, or three and a half months. We've been using cloth now for almost five months, and it is a GREAT feeling knowing our diapers have paid for themselves and are now saving us money with every diaper change! They don't have to be an expensive addiction, or run your life. ANYone can cloth diaper, and save money. I'm so glad we switched!

our FuzziBunz collection for Coral and Hobie

one of our two non-Fuzzis - not your mama's plastic pants!

Note : I am not being endorsed by The FuzziBunz Store but after much shopping around and price comparison, they by far had the best deal on FuzziBunz diapers and their shipping has been phenomenally fast and you earn money towards future purchases. I have nothing but good things to say about them!