Kim of Green Gables?

I wanted so badly to be Anne of Green Gables when I was younger.

I lamented the fact my name wasn't Anne and told my family I would only answer to that.  I held a tea party with my sisters and aunts and made everything Anne and Diana would have had at tea.  My mom made me a "pioneer girl" dress that I would wear in our backyard pretending I lived during that time.  I was sad we had to use a car and not a horse and buggy...the list goes on, but you probably get the idea.  

I have easily read "Anne of Green Gables" a minimum of 15 times.  I lost count somewhere along the line.  To this day, I can recite entire scenes from the movies, which I must have watched 100+ times.  

I have been so excited for Rosie to love her too (and I'll throw Laura Ingalls Wilder in this mix as well).  I've imagined her curled up reading Anne's story for hours at a time.  With Rosie's hair becoming really red how can she not relate to Anne's plight?

My friend Linds recently gave Rosie a gift that will hopefully lay a good foundation for some future Anne-love: TWO Anne books for little girls.  

I've already started reading one to Rosie.

This is just the beginning...  

Diaper duty

For a long while now, Todd and I have been considering going the cloth diaper route.  Some friends in Cheyenne used cloth diapers for their little girl and we were impressed.

I know what you're imagining: a rag, some diaper pins and a plastic bloomer to prevent leaks.

Not so!

That option does still exist, but it's not the only one.  In fact, the number of brands and diaper styles is a little overwhelming.  Cloth diapers today are soooo much more advanced.  They're basically shaped like a disposable - only you throw them in the washer, not the trash.

This was one of the appealing factors to us when considering going cloth.  We're not crazy granola folks or anything, but we do believe in being responsible and we felt good about not contributing to the clogging of our landfills.

Also, the amount of money you can save with cloth diapers is amazing - upwards of $1,500 before your child is potty trained!

To help us in our decision we turned to a store in Denver called The Giggling Green Bean.  It's where our friends learned about cloth diapers and where they ultimately got theirs.


Before Rosie arrived, the weekend before in fact, Todd and I took a cloth diaper class at the store to learn about the different options.  The Bean has this great program where you give them a $50 deposit and they give you $100 in merchandise to try for two weeks.  At the end of that time, you send back what you don't like, keep what you love and they figure out the difference.

What a great opportunity to try out the different styles to see what works for you!

Let me help you visualize some of the options.  After some research and several questions for the girls at the Bean, here is what I finally decided on for our trial.  The red and orange diapers are called pocket diapers; the purple is an all-in-one; and the green is a hybrid...

This diaper is Rumparooz brand and is what our friends used.  The snaps along the bottom are used to adjust the rise.  So, when your baby is smaller you use that bottom row and as they grow you move up to the next row.  The snaps along the top hold the sides together in the same fashion as a disposable...

Why did we want to try this brand?  Well, first of all we've seen it in action.  Secondly, it has a patent-pending double gusset that is supposed to really fight leaks.  Those pads to the right are what you stuff down the center to provide extra absorbency...

This Baby Kicks brand diaper is also a pocket style.  The girls at the store agreed they thought this brand has a more trim profile than the Rumparooz.  Since bulk can be an issue when you're dealing with cloth diapers I thought a slimmer fit was appealing...

This is what's called an all-in-one.  This is the Tots Bots brand from Scotland.  Basically, it's the same idea as the pocket, but the soaker pads are sewn in.  I knew immediately I didn't like them.  You have very little control over the soaker pad which means it will always be bulky.  But, I gave it a try just to verify my first impression.  Yep.  Not happening.  I do like, however, how the Scots describe this product and how to use it.  "Wee in their nappy," is used many times on their website...

And the hybrid...

This is a GroVia brand diaper.  Hybrids come with a shell you snap liners into...

The idea with these is that you buy about 10 shells and 24 liners.  When it's time to change baby, you don't have to dump the whole diaper in the wash, just the shells; unless, of course, there is a mess on the shell.  The other diapers require you to wash the whole thing every time.

Ok, let's take a test drive!

Here is the Rumparooz.  Rosie looks pretty happy, right?  Really, I was too, but I did find them to be a bit bulky...  

And the Baby Kicks...

Again, I liked it overall.  It did have a more trim fit, which I really liked, but I was a little disappointed it didn't have very many snap options like the Rumparooz.  I worried about running out of room as she grows.

Are you noticing how her legs are ALWAYS kicking?  Baby Kicks, indeed...!

I didn't even take a picture of the Tots Bots.  I found the sewn in soaker annoying and bulky, just as I assumed, and they just didn't fit as nicely.

Here's the hybrid at work.  With this particular brand you can choose between Velcro or snaps for the side closures.  I wanted to go the Velcro route during our trial period because everything else we chose had snaps.  For purchasing, I would go the snap route.  That Velcro was crazy adhesive and stuck to everything...

I loved the hybrid!  It's super easy to use.  Snapping the liner in and out is a breeze.  The shell can be used more than once if not messed on.  They weren't super bulky.

It was the winner!

A cute picture of Rosie's bum sporting the GroVia...

We're pretty sure we'll be moving forward on cloth diapers!

This week I will be calling The Bean to talk to them about the hybrid.  There's a brand we are interested in that is made mostly in the USA, but the store doesn't carry them.  Currently, anyway.  That may change.  The GroVia brand is made in China (as are the Rumparooz and Baby Kicks) which makes us unhappy.  It kind of defeats the purpose of trying to reduce our "carbon footprint."

We'll see how this goes!

Long time, no write...but for good reason!

My last post was Nov. 6, the day after mine and Todd's first anniversary.

Three days later Rosemary Loraine Kittel was born.  She was exactly one month early to her due date!

Since then, we have been a little preoccupied with figuring out life with baby!  My goal, however, is to get back on the blogging bandwagon so family and friends can keep up with the Kittel household!

At this point, back tracking on old blog post ideas just seems a little too late in the game. I doubt I'll cover much that's happened over the last two months and instead will try to be a little more up to date.

This about sums it up though...

Rosie three days old:

Rosie one month old...

Rosie two months old...

First year anniversary weekend

Yesterday was mine and Todd's first year anniversary!

I have to admit, sadly, with our first baby on the way neither of us had really thought too much about our anniversary.  We've been pretty consumed with baby prep and not so much how we would celebrate.  

In fact, the trip we took to Denver this weekend was initially set up to do some baby shopping.  Then we put two and two together and realized it was also our anniversary weekend, so we modified our trip to fit in some couple time.  Kinda sad, I know!

We had dinner at a fabulous restaurant in Cherry Creek, Denver called North.  It serves modern Italian cuisine that is just de-lish!  We both had the salmon filet with faro and it...was...perfect!  I'm salivating now just thinking about it.  

Afterwards, we went out for a drink.  Well, Todd had a drink.  I had a club soda and lime...

The next day we got down to bid-ness with baby shopping.  Denver was pretty much a bust.  We didn't find a single thing we needed there.  Ft. Collins, Colo., however, was a total win!  We found everything we were looking for there!

We also attended a "diapering class" for cloth diapers, which is something we're considering.  I'll chat more about this in the future, but to ease your minds - we are not doing it the old school way with folded material, pins and a plastic shell.  Those are still out there...but cloth diapering has come a long way since then and we're considering a different route.  But - more on that later!  Here's a pic of the instructor demonstrating some of the diapers...

The one big item we've had trouble figuring out is a nursery chair.  While Casper has many furniture stores to choose from, none of them have anything I would use for a nursery chair.  A big, fatty, Lazy-Boy recliner is not my ideal baby chair, though Todd would be thrilled with that!  

So, we've been looking for something that a) looks nice, b) is super comfortable, c) Todd fits in, and d) is that magical low price.   

Not surprisingly, this doesn't exist.

Several friends have chosen the Dutailier brand chair; one that, I have to say, doesn't meet my aesthetic or price point requirements.  But everyone has said these chairs are super comfortable and one girlfriend, whose husband is even taller than Todd, said it is perfect for them.  

The only place we could find that had them on the floor for trying out was BabiesRUs.  I have never been in this store before.  Honestly, I don't even remember shopping in a ToysRUs either.  I must have been pretty young if I did and it wasn't a place we ever went shopping as kids.  So, this was a new experience!  

I didn't take full advantage of my maternity status, but thought this was a nice touch for moms-to-be who can't or don't want to hike from the nether regions of a parking lot into the store...

We tried the various brands of chairs out and decided the Dutailier is indeed the most comfortable. And...we decided for the money we are probably getting a better, (hopefully) longer lasting product than the "knock-off" versions they had sitting nearby.  Todd fit in the chair, which glides and reclines - something I know he really wanted in a chair.  It's not exactly pretty or cute, but at this stage in the game, I don't care so much.  I just want it bought and in the room.  I want to be comfortable in it.  Check and check.

We didn't walk out with one, but instead decided to see if we could find it cheaper online.  Todd did!  By a couple hundred dollars, no less!  It's not the color combo we wanted (dark cloth to hide our black labs' hair and light wood to match the rest of the furniture in the nursery), but again - I've ceased to care.  Let's just get the darn chair at the better price and be done with it!

The chair and footstool will look basically like this, only with dark brown cushions...

So, that major purchase is off the list!

Next...we DESPERATELY needed extra storage for Little Kittel's room.  It is currently in such disarray you can't even walk through it.  That's because we have no place to put half the stuff we have for her!

I've been looking and looking for a cool vintage piece, but haven't had any luck finding something.  Leave it to Ft. Collins and their Antique Row to help us get the job done!

We saw several pieces for a decent price and finally narrowed it down to this...

It's a 1920s pie safe.  It's been refurbished some, but was in pretty darn good shape.  I'm very happy with it and can't wait to get it in the baby room!

We got home that night with just enough time to warm up our wedding pie and have our one-year anniversary bite.  We used the forks Linds C. got for us to eat with at our reception...

The rhubarb pie that served as our "wedding cake..."

Happy first anniversary!

A whirlwind anniversary to celebrate a whirlwind year!

Fall fun - with two recipes

For the first time, as I understand anyway, Casper had a corn maze outside of town!

It's a great story...this farming family is involved in FFA (Future Farmers of America for those who may not know) and they decided to create a corn maze, not just for the community's enjoyment, but to raise funds for the local FFA Alumni chapter as well as the Natrona County ARC.

I have been dying to go!  Look how cool it is - designed with Wyoming's bucking horse and rider!

The Snyder family and I went last weekend (Todd went hunting) and we had a great time!  It wasn't fancy, just good ol' fashioned fall fun with a pumpkin patch, corn pit, farm animal petting barn and hayride.  Oh, and caramel apples which were quite tasty!

On our way in...

An idea of what we were getting ourselves into...

 The Snyder fam...

Samuel, their oldest boy, leading us through...

Hmmm...a fork in the road...

My twin in the corn maze...

The maze was not at all as scary as you would think from the picture above where it was green and HUGE looking.  It took us 36 minutes to make it through.

On our way to the petting barn...

I think some of these were baby turkeys.  Saved from Thanksgiving tables this year!

These chickens crack me up with their Tina Turner "hair"...

Hog heaven...

This little piggy was too cute.  Look at those ears! And that pink snout...

And we're pretty sure this rabbit thought it was a cat.  He was huge!  And so soft.  And he just let all the kids pet on him.  If he could purr I'm sure he would...

Green Acres corn maze is a lot of fun.  I think they've got one last weekend open - so get out there!

Ok, want a couple fall recipes?

I made these pumpkin cranberry muffins yesterday and are they good!  The candied pecans you could technically have any time of the year, but they seem especially fall-ish for salads.  Yum!

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins
(Recipe says it makes 12, but I got about 20 out of it.)

These are awesome right out of the oven with a teeny bit of butter smeared on them.

2 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. allspice
1/3 c. vegetable or canola oil
1 large egg
3/4 c. canned unflavored pumpkin
2 c. chopped cranberries (fresh or frozen) I used fresh and gave them a whirl in my

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Sift the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Beat oil, egg and pumpkin together until well blended.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture all at once.  Stir until moistened.

Fold in chopped cranberries.

Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cups.  Bake 15-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Candied Pecans
These are SO easy to make and SO super tasty!

1 c. pecans (I prefer pecan halves, but you could use chopped)
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Bring all ingredients to a low boil in a small saucepan.

Add nuts and simmer 2 minutes.  Stirring until well coated.

Line a cookie sheet with a bit of foil and spritz with cooking spray.

Pour nuts onto sheet, drizzling with any remaining sauce from saucepan.

Bake about 10 minutes or until toasted.

Remove from oven and let cool.  The glaze will harden around the nuts.

Toss in a salad with sliced pear or apple and some blue cheese or goat cheese!

DELISH!