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Real Mom
Profile
4.9.2006
Name: Leslie B.
Age: 35
Home: Mount Vernon, OH
Family's Names and Ages:
husband Ted (age 36)
sons Ethan (5) and Alex (1)
daughter Emma (3)
Occupation:
Before kiddos, I was a jr. high teacher.
If I had a day to myself...:
I would relax with a good book, probably in my
pj's! Then, I'd take a long walk to the farmers'
market and buy flowers (I usually buy veggies).
In the evening, I'd write a long letter to a
friend.
Money Saving Tips:
I know it probably sounds crazy, but we used
cloth diapers with our daughter and saved tons
of money! After the initial purchase of high
quality cloth diapers and basic diaper covers,
that's it for cost. It took a little time for
the routine of washing diapers to seem normal to
us, but after a few weeks, it was no big deal.
For a no-stink diaper pail, just fill a 5 gal
bucket with air-tight lid 1/2 way with water,
add some borax, cover tightly with lid. Add
dirty diapers (dump solids in toilet first).
When full, haul bucket to washing machine. Dump
in. Put through rinse cycle, then wash with
regular detergent in hot water. Easy.
Bargain Hunting Strategies:
Our nearest mall is an hour away, so
eBay is our "clearance
rack." I routinely find brand new or nearly new
Gap, etc. brand clothing for less than I'd pay
buying new clothes at Walmart (including
shipping costs!). I always make sure to look at
a seller's rating before I buy.
Products we can't live without:
Sippy cups! And I'll admit it -- Huggies diapers
for #3! He leaks out of every other brand, and
we're too lazy to use cloth now (and not quite
as poor as we once were).
In the Kitchen:
Oatmeal is our family's favorite breakfast, but
the packets are rather expensive and full of
sugar. To make a less expensive and delicious
oatmeal, we use plain quick oats, add hot water,
a little honey and frozen blueberries (lots of
antioxidants in both). It is ready to eat
immediately. Yum!
Organization:
For me, what makes the biggest difference in
being able to prioritize and organize each day
well is getting up an hour before the kids wake
up. I shower, eat breakfast, and take some time
to read the Bible and pray. That way, when they
do wake up at 7:00 or so, I have my head
together (I'm not a morning person), and I'm
better able to get a jump on my day. I'm also
more pleasant, but that's just me :).
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