Cloth Diaper Basics

After reading an inquisitive thread from a first time expectant Goddess this morning(hooray for cloth diapering new mommies!), I was inspired to create a blog post for you on cloth diaper care basics. During the 14 years I've been in and out of the cloth diapering world I've learned a few tricks of the trade, I hope they help you as much as they have our family,from one Momma to another.
(not to exclude the Pappas who brave the unknown intergalactic forces of the cloth diapering Universe! We salute you!)

Washers- The biggest lesson I have learned here? YOU NEED WATER TO WASH CLOTH DIAPERS! I know this may sound a little like overstating the obvious but those eco friendly, front loading, low water usage, robot like contraptions on the market today have given me nothing but dingy diaper blues! We tried them once with my youngest and I promptly traded out even for an old fashioned, "I hop around like a sock hopin teen when I'm unbalanced" top loader!
Here's why: The low water levels of the robot machine (read front end loader) just were not getting my diapers clean. Cloth diapers are made to be absorbent. The robot machine was only giving them enough water to absorb, not enough to absorb, flush, wash and rinse. I tried the tricks of the trade, like adding a wet towel to the load to "trick" the robot in to adding more water, but it didn't work. We had to strip our diapers so often that it added wear and tear to our diaper fluff. Analysis: Use a sock hopin top loader with a large load setting so you get those nappies wet wet and wetter!

Dryers- Just about any dryer with a nice high to med high setting will work, just keep them free of dryer sheet residue. Dryer sheets are made with petroleum which as we know is the bane to all human existence, not to mention it will coat your lovely loved diapers with a water proof waxy layer that will not only sorely affect the absorbency of the diaper but it also broke our little man out! (we found this out when we went to go visit my mom and used her machine. Let this be a lesson for you to be careful as to whose and whats machine you use for your diapers. If you must share facilities, at least try to clean the machine out. Washers do well with a hot hot setting on large with dawn dish washing soap and the inside of the dryer can be washed out with a hot vinegar towel. Vinegar is your friend! )

Sunshine- Sunshine is also your friend when cloth diapering! This magical orb of life giving energy will not only bleach out any stains, but it can also bleach out bacteria and save you some pennies by not using your dyer as much AND save wear and tear on those diapers! Such a dutiful, Loving ball of fire in the sky. Line drying your diapers can be a lovely meditation, hanging each nappy with care, one after the other. Now it might make the fabric a little "crunchy", we remedy this by not putting the diapers up at the hottest part of the day (they get crunchy because they dry too fast too hot) and my great grandmother would throw our lined dried towels in the dryer for a FEW minutes to toss out the crunch.

Water- Hard water seems to be an issue in some parts of the country and it was something we ran in to in the sunshine state of  Florida. Hard water becomes an issue when the minerals from the water deposit on your diapers and do not get rinsed out. They can then bond to the ammonia from your little ones excrement to wait in hiding for the next time your little darling relieves himself. The fresh water and ammonia from the fresh excrement will activate the deposited ammonia hiding in the fabric that has bonded to the minerals deposited in the fabric and will cause a terrible stink almost immediately upon getting peed/pooed on and possibly a break out as it did with our little man. Now, this is where the robot machine breathed its last breath in our house! It wasn't rinsing well enough to get those minerals out of the diapers! WE were constantly stripping and thus causing great wear and tear to my cherished nappy collection. ( Collection you ask? Oh but yes! Once you see all of the adorable prints and fabrics these amazing inventions come in, I DARE you to not get hooked you Hyena you!)

Detergent-This could be one of the single most important decisions you will make when deciding to cloth diaper your baby. Most main stream detergents contain brighteners, enzymes, and laureth sulfates which will not rinse out, can break baby out terribly and have even been linked to cancer. The best thing you can do for your entire family is to boy cot those bodacious chemical laden, over priced suds and go with a nice clean rinsing detergent like Charlies found here: Green Mountain Diapers/Charlies or save your pennies and packaging if your a tree hugger like me and make your own. Try out my penny pinchin recipe here: Money and Earth Saving Laundry Soap Recipe

Stripping- This is a washing technique we became very accustomed to what with the robot machine and hard water battles. Hopefully you do not have to fight the battles we did and only use this method as it is intended, ONCE IN A WHILE. When you feel the integrity of your diapers may have been compromised you can throw them in the washer with the hottest water setting with a little dawn dish washing soap. Notice I said A LITTLE. You don't want to spend the rest of your day rinsing suds out! Once the dawn cycle is done you can add another round of hot water and wash, open your lid and check for suds. Do this as many times as it takes to get the wash water clear. I always found that adding vinegar not only helped to strip and nasty residues, but it also balanced the ph and helped my diapers to remain a bit more fluffy!

Notes on wear and tear: Please note that the water proof/resistant nature of your diaper covers (yes even in the all in ones) will not be happy with repeated stripping and high temperature washing/drying. Please take note when purchasing anything wool to clean/dry per the manufactures (or hand made momma's) instructions. Polyurethane coated covers will come up with tiny pin holes and become not so water resistant after repeated exposure to heat.  If you have the time/space I highly recommend a hand rinse and air dry only if/when they become soiled, which may not be every time the little one goes.

To wet pail or not to wet pail: That is the question. We tried the wet pail method and between the hassle of keeping a tight lid on it to keep it baby safe, dumping that heavy hunk of poo water and diapers in to the washer and the wear and tear on the threads/coatings of our diapers we went with a dry pail system. My mother used to dunk the diapers in the toilet before throwing them in the diaper pail, but if your not in to sanitizing your toilet bowl every day, you can use a nifty sprayer like this one. Diaper Sprayer from Fuzzi Bunz Simply spray the poo in to the toilet and then toss the diaper in to your pail to await for wash day! Easy peasy!

Simple Washing Method- We simply spray off the diaper immediately after use and throw it in the pail to be washed on wash day. (this is why its important to get enough diapers to last through the week, so your not washing every day.) Note that the new born poo known as meconium will stain your lovely loved nappy, so I recommend flats or inserts rather than an expensive aio for these first few precious days. (we do a traditional baby moon and stay inside for at least a week, so baby usually winds up going on a flat held under her bottom). For the many days and weeks after your baby moon, simply throw the pail full of diapers in the washer at the end of the week and do a cold water rinse. This will get out most of the urine or fecal residue. Then set your washer to hot and add a small amount of detergent. Let them go through a cycle with a rinse and possibly add in a vinegar rinse once a month for added security so you don't find yourself stripping every week. (we found that a vinegar rinse every wash was too much on the fabrics.)

Purchasing-The cloth diapering world can be a big bad universe to transverse at first, so do yourself a favor and keep it as simple as possible. Don't go out and buy an entire layette of the same brand that you have never used before. I recommend buying a few diapers/covers of different models from different companies and keep in mind that there are a lot of stay at home mothers who support their families by creating custom designs you cant buy in the stores. See what you like and support local before you go spending hundreds of dollars on manufactured diapers that you may not even like.

All in all cloth diapering can be a fun experience in the realm of baby making, just don't allow yourself to get overwhelmed. I am here if you ever have any questions or concerns and there is a huge online community available with just a few clickity clicks of the mouse.
Happy Diapering!

Coconut Oil: From the Bathroom to the Kitchen and Beyond!

Coconut oil. You've heard of it, but have you tried it? I traded a bit of it for some Shea Butter when my four yr old was about 6 months old, that was over three years ago and since then the stuff has made its way in to just about every room in my home! I use it in the kitchen for cooking and as a dietary supplement, raw right off of the spoon. We keep a jar of it just for the bathroom, whether it be for my dreads, as an underarm deodorant or an all over moisturizer for the whole family. Any cuts scrapes, bruises, bug bites or other skin discomforts are addressed in one smooth swipe of coconutty , anti-inflammatory goodness. We are even using it as a major ingredient in our soaps!

With all of it's amazing benefits and uses it's one of those natural work horse offerings from the Earth and of the house and as so, I wanted to share some interesting facts and figures about this stuff that you might not know. Now, go grab a jar of it and get to slatherin!



1. It has been reported to help fight and even reverse cavities! (tooth paste or oil pulling)
2. It has mild sunscreen properties.
3. It is a perfect baby diaper rash ointment that is safe for your precious (residue free)cloth diapers.
4.It's what some would call a dry oil and this makes a great, non greasy hair dressing, safe for dreads.
5.It's a miracle oil in the soap making process that can actually stand up to being %100 of the oil in the soap recipe!
6.It is an anti inflammatory for both the insides and the outsides. I love just eating it by the spoonfuls. It seems to coat my stomach and intestines and improves indigestion or constipation and soothes diarrhea.
7. Can help relieve arthritis and arthritic pain.
8. Relieves sore muscles.
9. Relieves sore throats.
10. Its a solid below like, 76 degrees and a liquid over. So when you get it out of the jar as a solid, it will turn to a liquid from your body heat in your hands/on your body. This property makes it one of my favorites in making body lotions with it.
11. Coconut oil is great for personal lubricant and it will not harm the ph levels down there.
12.Some claim it will actually help fade dark spots on the skin.
13. It's a vegan approach to the lanolin used by breastfeeding mothers to sooth dried, or irritated nipples.
14.There have been reports of regular ingestion of coconut oil fighting the affects of Alzheimers! (check you tube!)
15. Deodorizing properties. (great underarm lotion right out of the shower)
16. Makes a great eye make up remover that will actually help reverse the signs of aging.
17. Ingrideint in nearly all my facial scrubs. (check out this recipe! http://thegreentraveler.blogspot.com/2011/03/sweet-n-soulful-coffee-scrub.html )
18. We mix a bit of coconut oil to baking soda for a great anti-itch, anti-inflammatory for bug bites. Stops the itch and any chance of infection!
19. It is said to be really good for those with thyroid or weight gain/cortisol imbalances.
20. Healthy alternative for cooking and frying.
21. Helps fight any yeast imbalance, from thrush in babies mouth, to nipple thrush to a vaginal yeast infection.
22. Some say it is a great hormone balancer. This can help with sleep of even PPD with new mothers.
http://draxe.com/10-ways-balance-hormones-naturally/
"Eating a variety of foods high in short, medium and long chain fatty acid is key to keeping your hormones in check. Not only are these essential fats fundamental building blocks for hormone production, they speed up your metabolism and promote weight loss."

Here is another website that I really liked:
http://natural-fertility-info.com/coconut-oil-necessary-for-building-hormones-and-a-healthy-baby.html
"Lauric acid is a rare medium-chain fatty acid found in human breast milk that supports healthy metabolism and is now being studied for its antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial health-protecting properties. Coconut oil contains lauric acid as well, which is extremely rare for a plant! Some researchers predict that lauric acid will become as well known in health circles as Omega-3 is today."

All in all, I could set here all day and provide you with facts, figures, ideas and remedies... but you will never know, unless you go and grab some of it yourself! I wanted to share our experience and to encourage you to go and buy that large tub (or a few small ones) and try it out!
Let us know how it goes or if you have any questions!

Hope in our Soap; Update From the Nest

Well, we sold the bus. Sometimes it takes getting what you thought you wanted, only to realize it doesn't serve you exactly the way you need/want it to. We are grateful for our time on Falcor, he taught us much! And we are ready to move on to a new, LITTLE less nomadic life.

I started this blog in the hope of spreading knowledge and wisdom, empowering families and singles alike to take a more Earth bound approach to health and beauty. It began with the birth of my Little Bird, who is now FOUR! (can you believe it?!) We've gone on now to include hand made soaps in to our poison free arsenal of health and wellness care and we are SO stoked to be offering them to the public!

We hope to grow this business to be able to donate to and support charitable organizations/causes that empower families to "work from home" and a more communal way of life so we can leave our children at home well attended should the need/desire arise. It's time for us to take our children and our lives back from the hamster wheel of deadly society. I know that may sound a bit dramatic, but when you analyse the poisons put in our health and beauty products, the GMO and other poisonous foods we are being fed, and the addictive, side affect ridden pharmaceuticals we are being "medicated" with....it's pretty spot on.

I have hope though, hope that together we can take our future in to our own hands and THRIVE, rather than just survive this Earthly plane. The first place I'm starting, is at home, with my hands, my heart and our soap; "From the Nest".


"So, what we are offering is an opportunity for you to support local and support free, home made, all natural, organic, vegan, Earth friendly, family business...We are so so grateful for the community support we have already received, YOU inspired us to make this bigger and better! THANK YOU! …I'm a single mom using my hands and heart to stay with my son rather than being separated on a regular basis...Making soap = going to work and learning business skills for both of us and it makes my heart sing to skip off in to the kitchen with this little dude by my side, to watch him set with pen, paper and calculator as he "does his business" with mom....there are offers from big name stores as well as many whole sale opportunities for me to flood my local market with… We really want to get the soaps up and running to help support our little nest, I just know they can. (Please contact me if you are interested in whole sale!)

Buses, Babies and new Beginnings!

Greetings Friends and family!
 Man, it's been a while since I've been over here... I've created a few more blogs and traveled a few thousand more miles since my last entry... The latest adventure is a giant step to self sustainable living for me and my three sons, one I feel could be the biggest we could take as a family. I want to live more of what I teach/share and go totally off grid; this first step, is a bus!
So I started a Go Fund me to move me some energy! (see below)
Too many humans are suffering with lack and illness, I feel so strongly in my heart if we ban together, as One, we could be so much more strong and healthy! THIS is the mission that I move forward with my travels and now, craft. I became a Massage Therapist while I was away! Oh the mysterious wonders of Thai yoga massage and the reflex arc! I learned so much about Ayurvedic medicines and principles as well as how this magical machine called the human body portrays our every vibe; emotional, mental as well as spiritual. I'm in awe and wonder every time I am blessed with a client! My practice is growing, and the reach is expanding. Being able to travel, have space for ALL of my children AND be off grid at the same time. Perfection!
So, I wanted to share with my friends over here and promise to bring you more Green Travelin yummies in the future, like dreadie care. Yep, I locked it up. ;) Almost two years now. We will get some updates on those hair care sections! Dread Heads, Shampoo Sorrows and Lab Rats! was my last one.
 Onward and upward!
Second star to the right!!
 Here is the description on the Go Fund me page. Feel free to leave feedback!
" I feel this is my opportunity to provide a more restful space for my sons and I while I offer my mission to humanity. Right now I am traveling with my youngest son and pray to add his older brothers soon and the expanded space of a skoolie (fully converted school bus) would really help move this hope to very do-able. We travel around the state (hopefully further with this gem!) and I offer my services as an LMT, energy worker,inspirational speaker and homesteader; I come to set the children free with knowledge and power! I feel very passionate about keeping my little sprout close to me while I offer my services to humanity, and that passion overflows to all parents who must work to provide. Too many American families are split up daily, just to survive, we were. My goals are to save up for land, so we can provide a space for struggling parents to find support and education as to how we execute a return to the land, and the raising of the sprouts. Until then Raven and I will continue spreading our Love and light through our traveling ministry and hopefully, with a little help from our friends, we can do this with our family intact. What better way to help raise up the One Family? Love, Alice and Raven"

UPDATE!!

After letting this kickstarter slide by with no response back in April, I decided to just let it be. The moon was in a Full moon Eclipse in Libra back then....
May sees  a  friend of mine finding a bus in a town local and so, we emailed...
June, we moved on to the bus (Forever known as Falcor!) and celebrated the friday 13th full moon under the sky with fire and friends and music...
yesterday, after being on the bus for a week, I realized..... we are on the SAME BUS as the kickstarter!
Dreams really due come true!!!!
Click here to read our Never Ending Story Bus adventures!
Thank you , Thank you, Thank you! JAi Jai Ganesh, Thank you!!!

Kombucha: Benefits and Precautions.

With so many of my friends, and friends friends obtaining the miracle "mushroom"
(which is really a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria + Yeast or SCOBY) Kombucha, I wanted to share some of the information I have on the subject.

Implementing simple safety tips can prevent one from getting pretty ill as the Kombucha is
a powerful medicine and it can be very easy to be fooled by it's gentle appearance and
pleasant taste, after all, its tea right?

One of the largest health benefits to the Kombucha drink is its detoxifying properties. More specifically the detoxifying acids that work directly on the liver. The liver is the second largest organ in the body and has over 100 functions, including a filter for all the toxins we come into contact with and consume on a daily basis. The healing acidic properties of the Kombucha help us to release those toxins built up in the liver and can have a dramatic, positive effect on our health. From immune system strengthening to arthritis! But wait, if those toxins are being released...where are they going? Well, if we are hydrated enough (which, lets face it, most of us aren't) The toxins will be released into the urine and stool. If we are not hydrated they will be released directly into the blood stream.

1.Pregnant mommas who are not used to drinking the Kombucha beverage should refrain as there is an opportunity for the toxins to cross over the placenta and thus to baby.

2. Nursing mothers should use extreme caution when beginning the Kombucha drink and begin by consuming small amounts as a major detox could taint the milk.

3. Drinking more than 8 oz a day could actually cause one to feel poorly and is not recommended. This blog on one woman's experience with detox illness may help explain.
http://www.kombuchagirl.blogspot.com/

Brewing Precautions:

Of Oxygen and Moldy things.

Did you know, that if your lovely culture does not get enough oxygen while brewing you can
actually create ACETONE? "This toxic compound is grouped among molecules referred to as
ketone bodies and will harm the kidneys." (1)

That's right ladies, the same nasty stuff the nail salons use to remove your polish! And of course, it's poison to ingest. So, if you notice a very acrid sweet smell, like the kind you smell at the salon THROW IT OUT! And it's worth mentioning here that some of your manufactured bottled Kombucha drinks have been found to have these ketone bodies present
as they beverage was not kept chilled properly during transport. (Refrigerating the culture/beverage will suspend the fermenting process. Acetone is created when fermenting
occurs with out enough Oxygen.)I highly recommend an intimate relationship with your culture. Keep and eye and nose on it. Besides, the culture is a living entity and can be pretty cool to get to know!

See those yellow fuzzy looking bits? Or maybe they are black. Please be introduced to Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger. They just sound icky don't they? These molds can be extremely dangerous and even DEADLY! "These molds are normally found in soil, manure and composting vegetable matter and float freely in the air.To be safe you should not grow your culture in a room with potted plants, or near or downwind of compost piles. the screened window does NOT protect your brewery."(1)
If you see or suspect these icky dudes, throw out the brew, culture and all, and start again!

Metal in Music is fab, but mixing it in the brew can be a real drag!

By allowing metal to come into contact with the acidic brew for any longer than a very brief period can cause mineral salts from the metal to leach out into your brew and when ingested can run the risk of heavy metal poisoning. Nuff said.


So let's recap:
1. Pregnant and nursing mothers should do their homework and be extremely cautious with
Kombucha, although it can offer benefits in certain conditions.

2. Don't over do a good thing, it could lead you to detox illness.

3. Make certain your brewery is getting plenty of oxygen, or you could wind up with a salon
smelling, poisonous brew.

4. Keep the brewery away from potted plants and compost piles or you could be dancing with
some icky, deadly microscopic molds that even the screened window wont protect you from!

5. DO NOT allow ANY metal to come into contact with your acid brew!

Now, after all of these precautions I'd like to end this with some positive aspects of this ancient health drink.
Kombucha Benefits (1)
1. Improved metabolic rate.
2. Reduction cellulite. Some even water down their brew for a facial toner and topical application for skin disorders.
3. Regulation of the digestive system.
4. Adjustment of pH balance.
5. Strengthened ligaments and tendons.
6. Increased energy.
7. Fending off grey hair production
8. Improved allergy like symptoms such as phlegm and mucus production.
9. Improved Thyroid function.

All in all this miraculous mixture is well worth a few basic brewing and ingesting precautions and I've found the process to be pretty fun and entertaining! HAPPY BREWING!
(1)Kombucha How to and what its all about by Alana Pascal with Lynne Van der Kar.

Sea Pearl Natural Sea Sponge Tampon Review

I've fianlly tried my first natural tampon and I am in love!
After finding out about the product, I waited nearly a year to try Sea Pearl's sea sponge tampons and I am so grateful I did!

Since the birth of my first that caused a very natural shift in my cycle I have struggled to find a system that works well and is comfortable. I chose the largest (and hardest to find) O.B. and never gave it a second thought for many years, even while "greenifiyin" my child care and learning about the benefits of living naturally. Honestly, it never crossed my mind until the home water birth (VBAC2)of my third child. Our Midwife, Michelle Foster Gawne of Heart to Heart Birth Center suggested I use a natural alternative and turned me on to the Sea Pearls.

I can remember the first time I wore a plastic pad. I cried. I was 12 years old and in a diaper, I thought, and EVERYONE around me knew I was bleeding. Thankfully, I went to stay with an Aunt that summer who loved to swim. The day she found out I thought I couldn't go swimming because I was on my period was the day I met tampons, and other than childbirth, I never looked back. I used over the counter, plastic wrapped, bleached tampons from the time I was 12 until now, I am 33.

I bought two of the premium size large sea sponges and they are so silky soft and easy to rinse out! The absorbancy really astonished me! After completing a cycle with them I have only had one whoops and I was at the beach and having too much fun to go to the bathroom. (Sound familiar to anyone?!) I loved the freedom of not having to take a bag with me everywhere, no hunting down my bag in social situations or running to the car in an emergency. The only thing I needed for a change was a bathroom stall and a sink! And, for you girls who perfer them, no more wrapping pads and leaving them in some one's trash can either! The whole experience with my cycle this time around was cleaner, easier and even less painfull than I can remeber in the past.

I know it may sound really intimidating to wash out your own tampons, but it has proved, so far, to be much more convieniant and sanitary. Washing them out also gave me a chance to get to know my body better.
The only draw back is, I would like to order more Sea Pearls to have on hand in different sizes and the yam butter lube. I ordered the silky smooth upgrade and with out ever having seen the alternative I know it was way worth the value!!!

I give this product two feathers up! If you decide to try Sea Pearls, or have any questions before you decide to order, I would love to hear from you!

I ordered my sponges from Jade and Pearl
Those of you who know me, know I am not the consuming type, but I think I would like two of everything from this local, Eco-Friendly, small business! Here is what they have to say about Sea Pearls.
"Sea Pearls are convenient - no more running to the store for emergency tampons. Compared to the cost of conventional single use tampons and pads, our reusable Sea Pearls save you money and you will never again need to worry about polluting the environment with used feminine hygiene products. Can you believe the average woman uses nearly 17,000 disposable pads and tampons throughout her lifetime? In North America alone, an estimated 20 billion bleached pads and tampons end up in our landfills and sewage systems each year!So for your reproductive health and comfort, for the planet, for a change. . . try Sea Pearls!"

Natural Hair Care Solutions: Part II - How I survived hair care war!

I have to say that the hair care solution was a little bumpier of a
transition than I anticipated. In fact, it kinda felt like raging a war!

I had build up, knots; once I even stripped the color from my hair by using
baking soda for a shampoo rinse! It got a little hairy there for a minute
and I have to say that rather than freak out about putting shampoo out
of a plastic bottle, i.e. store bought, loaded with the SLS chemicals and
packaged in plastic bottles on my skin/head, I stopped washing my hair
but maybe once a week! It was like a hair care battle field man! Aren’t
you glad you have me at the front lines to test for you!?!
Onward Eco-Soldier!

The first natural shampoo I tried was African Black Soap and Oat Straw,
which is pretty much what my hair felt like when I was done!

Momma Green Bird Black Soap Review :
"And talk about the WOW factor! You can use this stuff for just about
ANYTHING on the whole family!"

Then I made a Castile shampoo and used a hot Sunflower oil treatment before shampooing.
Who says we have to condition AFTER we wash right?
My hair felt great…
after two days of rinsing to get the oil residue out!

The second Castile experiment added water and a drop or two of
Sunflower oil. I mixed it all up in my Honey Bear and went to squirtin. It
worked best out of all the homemade concoctions, but still left my hair
feeling brittle, unmanageable and a little sticky.

Well, I thought maybe there didn’t have to be a soap, maybe baking
soda will work as a rinse.
It took this dye job:

And STRIPPED it! Thank Goddess my dye is gentle!

My hair was beginning to get pretty upset at this point, so I went back
to what mainstream stuff I had here for a washing/conditioning or two(that’s 1-2 weeks).
NOTE: throwing all your “chemical” stuff down the drain to saturate the
Earth with said chemicals is NOT the recommen
ded method of disposal. Gradually using up what you have
already purchased and reusing the containers for your homemade stuff
is the most Eco-Friendly method in most cases.

Out of sheer frustration and just needin to whine to someone I called
on the Highest and most Knowledgeable Source on Natural Living in my life.
MY MOM!
My mother was born in 1932 to Tiny Fitzhough Cartwright. Granma Tiny
raised 8 other children through The Depression and Mother had so
many miraculous Reduce/Reuse and Natural remedies and ideas I
could hardly keep up! It was a necessary way of life for them! As an
aside, I asked her to write them down for me!

Mom gave me some great ideas and some of them I loved so much I
use on a regular basis! She reminded me of that plastic cup in the
bathroom no matter what house we were in. And that we didn't have
much, but it never seemed like we were in lack of anything. Because
we were VERY self sustainable. Country Folk can Survive, I guess!
...Dang, I outta write a song about that...