Velcro or Snaps?

The eternal question.  Okay, so maybe not eternal, but I see this one a lot when it comes to cloth diapers. There is no simple answer, so let's explore the differences, pros, cons and then you can make the right decision for you.

Hook & Loop Pros
1) Infinitely adjustable.  It has the ability to be adjusted to just about any size and every one in between.  Most diapers even offer them to be able to be crossed over for further tightness when needed for smaller or skinnier babies.  These simply offer a better, more customizable fit.
2) Easy - It is extremely easy and fast to use and put on.  Touch and go.
3) Easy to replace - Even though velcro can eventually wear out, it's easy to replace in comparison to snaps - which require a snap press or other special snapping device.
4) Familiar - It is much more like what people are use to in disposables.

Hook & Loop Cons
1) Can get pilly and worn out, eventually so much so that it needs to be replaced.
2) Sticks to things.  You may experience 'diaper chains' when pulling them from the washer and dryer.  I've also had them stick to my clothes when picking up my baby, thus taking her diaper partial (even all of the way) off.
3) Not baby proof!  Many children figure out early on how to remove these diapers.  For some it is a passing phase, but many will take any chance they get to remove their diaper.
4) Rubbing baby - From time to time the diaper may roll in on baby at the top and the hook and loop can rub baby's skin.  I've had this happen on occasion.  I notice it more with my active crawler.
5) A bit noisy.  The sound of removing the hook and loop can wake a sleeping baby.  I like to change our daughter before we got to bed at night and she's generally already sleeping.

Snap Pros
1) Durable.  They will last and last.  If you plan on using your diapers for more than one child, snaps might be the better choice.
2) No diaper chains.  They do not stick to anything.
3) They don't rub and cause pilling on the diapers like hook and loop.
4) Harder for baby to take off.  Some babies have a harder time removing these diapers (especially those with two rows of snaps).
5) No laundry tabs.  Hook and loop diapers have what are known as laundry tabs.  They are there to help keep the hook and loop from sticking to everything in the wash.  You must remember to put these together before washing and half of them will come undone anyways in the wash.
6) Cleaner.  Since they stay looking new they don't pill and collect lint and strings like hook and loop will.

Snap Cons
1) They are a bit harder to fasten - mostly they just take a little more time.  Some people (daycare, sitters, Daddy, grandparents, etc) might feel a bit more comfortable with the more familiar hook and loop closures.  This can be a slight inconvenience with a wiggly baby.
2) They don't offer as many size options.  The snaps are usually placed about an inch apart, so you can't get the exact sizing that velcro offers.  This can lead to gaps if not set tight enough.
3) They typically do not cross over. Though similar to the above, I wanted to set this apart.  I think it could be a real issue for smaller/skinnier babies.  I can recall many times where I needed to cross over my tabs on my little girl when she was younger.
4) Startle sleeping baby.  Unlike hook and loop, these aren't really loud when removed, but they do tend to startle my baby more than the hook and loop.

So what's the bottom line?
Well, it's whatever works for you.  Personally, I'm a big fan of both.  I like the look and quickness of hook and loop.  I also love the durability of snaps and the ease of washing them (no need to worry about tabs, diaper chains, etc.).  I especially like that because they don't catch on things the diapers stay looking new.  I have a mixed stash of snaps and velcro and I love them both.

Which do you prefer?

Put your gutters to work!

Something we've been interested in for a while is a rain barrel.  We put of getting one because they can be a little pricey, but recently Sam's Club had the one we've been eying on sale for around $60.  We took that chance to grab one.  If you recall, we also purchased our composters there for a great price.  I highly recommend checking clubs stores for these types of items!

So back to the rain barrel.  We fell in love with this Algreen Rain Barrel.  It's a nice simple design that blends in with our home (they come in other colors too I believe).  It also has a fun planter in the top to further help integrate it to your outdoor decor.

When we started thinking about using a rain barrel the main questions of what is it, how does it work are somewhat straight forward.  It collects water from your gutters and you can use that for watering, etc.  Most have a spigot at the bottom from which to collect water.  Some have a hose attached to make it a bit easier to get to, but it's the same concept.

The more complicated question we asked ourselves was how best to hook it up.  I would like to share with you what we decided to go with.

Flex-A-Spout!  This stuff is easy to use and very forgiving.  It also comes in several colors to match your downspout.  The first thing we did was set our barrel up where we intended to use it. We set then bent the Flex-A-Spout into a shape that would work for attaching the downspout to the barrel.  Flex-A-Spout is much like a bendy straw.  It's very simple to use.  We had our helpers there so that we could easily see and mark where we would need to cut the downspout.

Once we knew where to cut (and because of the Flex-A-Spout, even this part is forgiving), my husband took to it!  He cut the top first and then his second cut was made below the level of the barrel's overflow spout (which is near the top of the barrel).  You just want it below it for gravity to be able to do it's job.

Once cut you can simply slip the end of the Flex-A-Spout that fits your downspout to over the upper cut end (we added a couple of screws for security - but that is not a must) and simply set the other end on the top/screen of your rain barrel.

Here you can see how we attached the overflow.  We would have used a hose of some sort, but the store didn't have one at the store that would fit over the overflow spout (it's the same size as the orange piece you see sticking out there).  My husband picked up a couple pieces of hard pipe and ran it right into the existing piece of pipe that we left - voila, done!  Also notice that he used silicone to cover the hard/sharp edges of the cut downspout.  We have 3 small children and wanted to be sure no one got hurt.

I also want to mention that we left the piece of downspout at the bottom intentionally.  We wanted to be able to reattach the downspout in the winter (freezing) months when we will empty the barrel and store it.

That's it!  All installed.  That very night we had a huge downpour and our 50 gallon barrel was full.  Now I just need to put something in the planter.  Any ideas?

Gardening in Containers

Growing up my parents always had vegetable gardens. We grew corn, beans, green onions, turnips, tomatoes, and I'm sure a few others. Nothing beats a tomato fresh from the garden. In college I planted a small garden in our yard. The corn and tomatoes took over that corner of the yard, and my yorkie often got lost in the "jungle".

I haven't had the time for a proper garden in years, a full time job and now 2 kids take up 99% of my time. (The other 1% is sleep in case you were wondering.) I didn't want to miss out on walking into the back yard to grab fresh veggies though, so we planted container gardens. We started with just tomatoes and have expanded over the years.

This year we've planted two Early Girl tomato plants, a cherry tomato plant, a green pepper plant, and strawberries, all in containers.

Container gardening is fairly simple and quite versatile. When we went away for the weekend, we put them in the shade so they wouldn't fry in the heat. Try that with plants in the ground. Another benefit this season is that tomato blight has hit plants in the ground. Thankfully mine are in "pots" so we've dodged the blight. 

Easy Peasy Steps for Container Gardening: 
1. Find a container.
2. Buy/gather plants & potting soil.
3. Drill drainage holes in container if necessary.
4. Fill container with soil & plant.
5. Water & fertilize.
6. Watch them grow.

You can use most anything as a container. Feel free to be creative. If you want something decorative, go for it. There's no rule saying they can't be pretty. This would be a great place to reuse old paint buckets or if you're attempting to grow herbs you could use teapots or tea cups.

We used traditional pots and 5 gallon buckets for most of the plants and a hanging basket for the strawberries. Plastic buckets are great because they will hold in moisture and you can easily drill holes for drainage. Plus they will stand up to the elements (kids included). If your containers do not allow for drainage the roots may rot or mildew.

Planting is easy. If you're composting this is a great way to use up that compost! Compost makes great potting soil and provides a wonderful supply of nutrients for container plants. If you need to purchase potting soil be sure to buy one that drains well. Google can help if you want to mix your own.

Make sure you're giving the plants consistent water. Stick your finger in the soil an inch or two and it should be moist. If not, add water.

Be sure to plant in a mostly sunny location, around 6-8 hours per day. Container plants are great because you can move them with the sun if needed.

Container plants need more fertilizer since there is no surrounding soil to pull nutrients from. You can add fertilizer 1 or 2 times per week until the plant starts fruiting. Then add every 2-3 weeks. This recommendation is for continuously growing plants like tomatoes. Seaweed extract and fish emulsion are two types of organic fertilizers that are great for container gardens as the nutrients from these are readily available to the plant.

As the plants grow taller you may need to add stakes to help support the weight of the plant. You can tie the main stem loosely to the stake with twine or strips of fabric if necessary. 

My Early Girl tomatoes are suffering from blossom end rot, where the tomato rots from the bottom before it's fully ripened. It's caused by insufficient minerals due to inconsistent watering. Both fertilizers above should remedy the problem. The cherry tomatoes are doing great and have been wonderful in salads.

This is the first year we've tried growing strawberries. We planted 3 ever-bearing plants (2 harvests) in a wire hanging basket lined with coconut fiber. The strawberries began to grow and were delicious, but the dog started eating them because it was not hung. Hopefully it will produce more in a few weeks.

The green pepper is growing just fine with 3 small peppers almost ready for the picking!

What are you growing this year? 




** I want to thank The Wife for this fantastic guest post.  Be sure to check out more of her writing on her blog, Tales Of the Wife. Her Green Living section is wonderful.

Why choose one carry?

I don't think I can say it enough.  I love wearing my baby.  I am always on the look out for new carriers.  I think I'd have a huge collection if our budget allowed.  I love that the bond they foster between child and parent.  I love how they make life with baby a little easier and I love the statement and example they set.

I was recently introduced to a new carrier called the líllébaby EveryWear - Organic from Scandinavian Child.  The EveryWear is a very versatile carrier.  You can wear baby facing you, facing out, on your back, on your hip or even in a cradle hold for bitty babies.  I would like to note that I don't recommend out facing carries on any carrier.  I find them to be hard the back, as well as less supportive (generally) for baby.  This is my experience and preference.

As mentioned, this carrier can be fashioned to wear on the hip.  I think that is a plus for this carrier.  I know that carrying baby on your front can be hard to see around at times and I am not able to get comfortable wearing baby on my back.  The side carry still leaves baby secure and you hands free!  This type of carry can put some extra stress on your neck, so be sure to change sides from time to time.

We are a carrier loving family here.  Even my husband wears our girls.  Currently our youngest is 10 months and our oldest daughter is 28 months.  Both of them fit and carry beautifully in this carrier.  On a recent trip to the zoo we got to put the líllébaby to the test.  My husband wore our 2 year old for hours in and out of hot exhibits and slightly cooler sanctuaries.  He was very comfortable, as was our little girl.  Usually in a situation like this she would want down to run with her brother, but she was comfortable and cool.  The back on this carrier plenty supportive with a removable infant piece.  With it gone it provided a bit less bulk for her to keep cool in the summer sun.  The líllébaby was a hit!

This was about 3/4 of the way through our trip.  They were still going strong!  The líllébaby also has a sun hood option, not pictured here.

I have also worn the líllébaby quite a bit.  It's a very nice carrier.  I think one of the great things about the líllébaby is that I think it would be great for smaller frames.  I am 5'8" and I think I could use a little more length in the padding on the staps.  As you can see my taller husband just just fine with it, but because of the design and shape of the straps I think it would work especially well for smaller/shorter frames.  It you've had a hard time fitting other carriers, this one is worth a try.

Speaking of straps!  One of my absolute favorite features about this carrier are the little hidden pockets to tuck your excess straps into!  Oh I love this feature.  It keeps the carrier looking so tidy when worn.  I just roll them up and tuck them in.  It really gives it a tailored to me look with no messy straps dangling.  It also had larger pocket perfect for keeping your keys, extra cash, etc.

The only con with this carrier in my use is that I would prefer if the straps had an anchor at the bottom (they snap at the top and have anchors down the straps, just not one at the very end) and I would love it if the padded section were a bit longer to accommodate my frame a bit better.

Overall I really like the líllébaby EveryWear and I would recommend it to anyone that would like the ability to use multiple carries and to those who find other carriers to be a bit too hard to adjust to their smaller frame.

For fun updates and info you can find líllébaby on twitter!

FCC Disclaimer: I was provided product to review. No money or other perks were given. All reviews are my own and honest opinions. For more information about this blog please look here.

Cloth Diapers at the Hospital?

Yes, yes and yes.  It's so easy!

When our newest baby girl was baking, I began putting together a diaper stash for her.  I couldn't wait to use my itty bitty fluff.  It was so tiny and cute, and more importantly, it would keep harmful chemicals off of my baby and out of the landfills.  I never gave a second thought to using cloth at the hospital.

Fast forward a few months and there I was in labor.  My bags had been packed for a month and included were a whole host of cloth diapers.  Unsure of what I might need, I packed several fitteds, prefolds, covers and wool.  I was quite excited not just to use cloth on my baby, but to educate while doing so.  I knew that others would see them and it would help open some minds without having to say a word, unless asked of course.

Our baby girl arrived and I soon slipped her into her very first cloth diaper, that I made for her.  I didn't think that the cloth would be a problem with the nurses, and it wasn't.  I never dreamed that they would love it so much!  I was so pleasantly surprised by the staff.  I always am though.  (I had a two week stay with them following the premature birth of our older daughter... these ladies are phenomenal!)  They loved the diapers and I was so happy to have such a positive and open response.  In fact, I had several nurses come to my room at different times during my stay to see the cloth diapers.  It was great to share and great to see them all again.

So I figure if you're reading this you'd like to know a big about the logistics of it all.  How to use cloth in the hospital, what you'll need, etc.

The first things you're going to need are your diapers and a wet bag.  I chose to bring a pail liner.  I hung it on a hook in the bathroom to keep it out of my way, but still at easy access.  As for the diapers.  I ended up using fitteds exclusively.  You'll be monitoring wet and dirty diapers, so these were perfect in my opinion.  I didn't even use a cover during my stay.  Since newborns hardly pee during those first few days, it just wasn't needed.  I would still recommend bringing a cover, just in case.  The amount of diapers to bring will depend on your stay.  I was there for two days and maybe used 20 diapers.  They are tiny and take up very little room.

Here you can see my baby girl with a newborn Nanipoo on.  I don't believe these are still being made.  They are my absolute favorite newborn diaper though.  Loved the fit.  They fit well from the start and lasted a a very long time too!

The biggest concern I see about using cloth at the hospital is those first few new baby poos.  The meconium is thick and sticky, much like tar.  I can tell you from experience that it really is no big deal and it will not ruin your diapers.  When we had these poopy diapers I simply rinsed the diaper off with some water into the toilet and tossed it into my wet bag.  It was simple and easy.  I did not rinse one solid white diaper and it ended up with a smidge of staining that I sunned out when I got a chance.

The other concern that I see is about just having too much to do and not wanting to come home to laundry.  Well, yes, you will have to wash them.  But no, you likely won't need to wash them the moment you come home.  You will likely have more than enough diapers to get you through a day or two more at least.  I think I was able to get by for a couple of days before needing to do a load of laundry.  She just peed so very little those first few days.  It was pretty handy when it came to the whole laundry thing.  It's also very easy if you want to toss them in the wash.  It takes a few minutes, at best.  You'll just add your detergent, dump in your diapers and go.  That's it.

Using cloth at the hospital really is very easy and I think it sends a good message.  Speaking of a message, there is a neat page on Facebook that I came across.  For those who might be interested, there is a group all about trying to get cloth back into hospitals :)

If you are really against using cloth at the hospital, you can still do it with less chemicals by choosing a safer disposable.  You might try Seventh Generation, Nature Babycare, Earth's Best or Tushies.

Did you use cloth in the hospital?  I'd love to hear your experiences.

Back to Basics

I recently had the chance to try out a new-to-me diapering system from Real Nappies.  It's a very simple and easy to use prefold style system with cover.

What really sets the Real Nappies system apart is their Two-Child Guarantee!  Yes, you read that right :)  You'll be able to use Real Nappies Cloth Diapers and Snug Wraps for at least two children.  Should any Real Nappies cloth diaper or diaper cover you purchase from them fail before your second child has outgrown it, they will replace or repair the item.  This is based upon washing it no more often than every 2 days (which is a lot!)

The kit I received to try out included 2 covers (one was an extra not normally included in the intro pack.)  It also came with a 100% Indian cotton prefold style diaper and a single flushable Bioliner Diaper Liner.  The starter kit is $15 (and I saw free shipping on Amazon!)

I want to point out something about the covers before I get start.  If you are use to using diaper covers, you are likely use to a PUL cover where it is shiny inside.  These covers are PUL, but they have material on both sides of the PUL layer, though it is not an absorbent fabric it cannot be wiped down quite like shiny PUL.  I imagine this lends to their durability, but it will (in my opinion) cause you to need to wash the cover after fewer uses than other covers.

This is a great little system.  I love that it's very cost effective and that it's easy to use.  The covers are very durable and the 100% cotton prefolds are easy to take care of and also quite durable.

Real Nappies even offers a 'Birth to Potty Pack' which I think is pretty cool.  It contains everything you'd need to use cloth from birth to potty, as the name implies.  It really contains more than I would have expected.  Plenty of inserts in various sizes (which smalls could easily be added to larger sizes for extra oomph!), tons of covers (something like 6 in each size), even a wet bag!

To show you how this system fits, here are some action shots of my baby girl in her Real Nappies :)

Here is a nice shot showing the leg openings.  I found that when I folded as their directions state for the 'boy fold' I got a much better fit and no gap at the legs.  I think that it also helped with the fit of the cover.  I have the crawler size for my little girl and while it fits great for the rise, I found that the tabs offered a bit of slack, which is fine because you can make them cross a bit in the front and she'll have more room to grow :)

Here is their fold diagram for reference :)

The time has come again for you to have a chance to try out cloth, or just a new system :)  The Real Nappies system is easy to use, easy to care for and a great start for new cloth users or seasoned pros.

----Update! We have our winner!----

The giveaway portion is over :) Thank you to everyone that participated!

Congratulations to Bao! Enjoy!

Here's how to win!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry in order to have it counted.

This entry is mandatory! If you do not do this, your other entries will not count!

Visit the Real Nappies site and tell me what size and color cover you think would work best for your baby.  Include your email address (if it's not on your profile) and the words "Live Green" somewhere in your comment.

Want more entries?

*Follow EFFBlog & Real Nappies and tweet this giveaway! Please tweet, "Win a no nonsense cloth diapering system from @real_nappies & @EFFBlog http://bit.ly/1jtGb1 #giveaway #clothdiapers" Leave a comment with a link to your status. Tweet daily for more entries!

*Follow the blog and post letting me know that you are :)  (Google Friend Connect or Feedburner)

*Join our new email newsletter for notices on special events coming up for the blog.

*Join the Real Nappies email newsletter (you can find it on their main page!)

*Vote for us on Top Mommy Blogs

*Put the our Blog Button on your blog sidebar or web page. Leave a link!

*Like us on Facebook, EFFBlog & Real Nappies

*Post about this giveaway on your blog or other social media (message boards, Facebook, etc!). Leave a comment with a link.

and as always, Good Luck and Enjoy!

US Only. Giveaway ends July 16th.  I'll use random.org to pick a winner. I will email the winner. If I do not hear back within 48 hours a new winner will be picked.

FCC Disclaimer: I was provided product to review for this giveaway. No money or other perks were given. All reviews are my own and honest opinions. For more information about this blog please look here. For giveaway guidelines please look here.

It's canning season again!

I love summer.  It's so alive and there are so many things to do.  Too many sometimes, but I enjoy them all!

Since summer is here and that means canning season too.  If you make jams or jellies, you may have been doing this for a good while already.  My grandmother happens to make amazing jams, so I'm covered there.  (and a bit spoiled!)

About a week ago my grandmother called me up and asked if I wanted some green beans.  My answer, of course, was yes!  I love having local and organic produce in my pantry.  Does it get any better?

I came home with 3/4 of a bushel and was able to can 14 packed quart jars.

I washed my jars, loaded them up with fresh picked and trimmed green beans then added a teaspoon of sea salt and hot water.  After that I topped them off with their prepped lids (you simmer them in hot water to prepare them) and then put them into my canner.  These took 25 minutes at 10 lbs of pressure (like the canning lingo?).  It took a little while to heat up, but it's so worth the wait.

Here are my beans before canning...

and after :)

Do you can?  If so, what?  I'd love to hear what people's favorites are.  I currently have a large stash of applesauce, greenbeans and venison.  I plan to branch out this summer.

CDs aren't just for bottoms.

When I was pregnant with our youngest daughter I went happy crazy looking for all sorts of adorable newborn cloth diapers.  Our older daughter was born 7 weeks early, so I wanted to be prepared with diapers small enough to fit her in the event she was early too.  I wanted to cloth diaper her from moment one (and I did!).  I'll talk more about that later.

As I went about gathering newborn diapers I found myself with a large stash of preemie sized prefold diapers.  It turns out that I do not like prefolds in the newborn stage.  Thankfully I had plenty of other tiny diapers that I did like.

So now that I had 3 dozen prefolds sitting here unloved, what was I to do?  Well, I set aside one dozen for a possible future baby.  The other two dozen, well they have found their way into my heart :)  I love them...

...for house cleaning!

They are perfect for wiping down counters, dusting, etc.  But most importantly they fit perfectly on Swiffer type cleaning mops.  We had an old wand sitting around here from when my husband did a job that required some clean up.  It has sat here unused because I wasn't about to buy refills for it.  I decided to try these tiny prefolds in place of the expensive and wasteful refills.  The center section of the prefold is thicker and sits right on the bottom of the mop.  Not only do they fit perfectly but they work better in my opinion, plus they are washable!

One thing to note about these is that like all cloth diapers, you'll want to wash these a few times in hot water to get them ready to use.  They will have some natural oils in the fibers and you want them to be ready to soak up and tackle your floors.  I don't wash them any special way after that.  They work great and I hope you like them too!

I've never looked back.

Just last night I was talking to my husband about how much I love cloth diapers.  I remember a time when we would buy disposables and spend $40 or so every other week.  We always hated it.  Then when our oldest daughter was about 6 months, we found out about cloth and made the switch.

It's so great.  Not only is it easy and great for the environment, but we are saving a boat load of money.  Let's pretend my youngest was in disposables for a second.  2.5 years @ $80/month = $2,400 in diapers that stink, don't work well, leach chemicals on baby & will end up in a landfill.  That seems awfully expensive!

Now, let's say that same baby had one heck of a diaper stash.  36 all-in-one diapers like these.  These are the most similar to disposables, super easy to use.  For the sake of argument, I'm going to pick a very spendy diaper.  That would rack up to about $800.  Let's say that you also need newborn diapers (most one-size diapers won't fit newborns).  That tacks on another $500.  So we're at what? $1300?  For the entire lifetime of these diapers.  That's a $1,100 savings so far.  Yes, I said so far.  It gets better.  You can make back a lot of your investment.  Yes, cloth diapers are sold used, a lot!  I'm going to be on the low side and say that you'll get 50% back.  So now you've spent $650 and saved $1,750 and the world a whole lot of space.

So exactly how much space?  I'm being generous in favor of disposables here for fairness.  Let's say that every baby is changed just about 6 times a day for a course of 2.5 years.  I don't know about you, but most babies I know are changed much more often than ever 4 hours and I know many kids over 2.5 that are not yet using the potty.  I am also not including training pants (Pull Ups, etc.) in this example.  So what's that look like?  I couldn't find a good graphic, so I made one.  You might want to click on it to get a better look.  Each diaper stack is 25 diapers.

Consider also that these diapers aren't used yet.  Disposable diapers weigh many times their own weight when soiled.

If you don't use cloth, I encourage you to consider it.  They are easy to use, easy to care for and you will be eliminating harmful chemicals from both your baby and the Earth that will be home to your child and future generations.

You may even consider a hybrid diaper option to get you started. These systems generally consist over a reusable diaper cover and the option of either a disposable insert or cloth insert.  It's a great way to get your feet wet and give cloth a try.

Check out the posts below for some more broken down and in-depth information on the logistics of it all and answers to commonly asked questions.

To get you started, check out this Handy Printable Guide covering all of the bases.  This is great for including with shower gifts or handing out to friends and family interested in cloth.

#ClothDiapers: The Good, The Bad - The Honest
Video Overview of Diaper Types
Overview of all Cloth Diapers
How Many Do I Need
Prepping Cloth Diapers
Washing Cloth Diapers 
DIY Cloth Diaper Detergent
Stripping Diapers
Ammonia?
What To Do With Solids 
Cloth Diapering a Newborn
Using Cloth at the Hospital
Prefold Tutorial - Pictures
Prefold Tutorial - Videos
All About Wool Covers 
Washing and Lanolizing Wool
Storing Diapers
Cloth Wipes
Night Time Diapering
No Stains - Line Drying
Selling Diapers
Snaps or Velcro?
Cloth Diaper Safe Rash Creams
Curling Velcro Tabs
No Sew T-Shirt Diapers

Want to know how the brand you're considering stacks up?  Check out this great Cloth Diaper Spreadsheet organized by the ladies on thebump's CD board.  There you can read reviews of all sorts of brands and even add reviews of the diapers you've tried!

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.  I'm happy to help :)  You can use the contact page, or email me.