the 2nd annual Flats Challenge is here!!!

I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them! You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!  


*cheering*

Come on, I know you're excited, right??!? Since nearly all my posts are recipes, I feel the need to do this.. 

Ingredients

• 5 flannel receiving blankets
• 12 Target flour sack towels
• 9 Sam's Club flour sack towels
• 14 covers (3 original thirsties medium, 2 original thirsties large, 2 flips, 1 econobum, 1 weehugger, 1 thirsties duowrap, 2 grovia, 1 blueberry coverall, 1 homemade fleece cover) *
• 1 toddler (20 months, 22lbs)
• 1 preschooler (4 yrs, 35lbs)
• a few snappis, some diaper pins, and a pair of boingos

*not all covers are pictured, or necessary - I just happen to own 14 covers and since there is no limit on covers this year, i plan to try all of them!

 So, why am i doing this ? 

1. Well... because i had fun doing it last year. May not be the best reason, but it is pretty much my number one reason. Who doesn't like a good challenge? 
2.  It is nice to go back to basics with diapers now and then, as you may have guessed from my covers stash, i have enough diapers to diaper a tiny baby army, or min 5 babies..
3.  i think it may help kick start potty training Annie (my 20 mo old, she peed in the potty twice today!) 
4. I'm already often using flats at night with Jamie (4 yr old, only pees in his night diaper a couple times a week)  2 kids in the challenge for the price of one!
5. My 6 year old remembers the challenge from last year and is excited about hand washing diapers, i like to use this as a history lesson 'life before washing machines'   
6. I'd like to get back in the habit of line drying outside (i use a railing indoors to line dry pockets)
7.  oh yeah, and to raise awareness that cloth diapering can be done on a budget, and doesn't have to be expensive (hey, some of those covers were very inexpensive - actually - one was free, 5 were used, 2 were 2nds, 2 were a fraction of retail at a silent auction, and one was a gift - 5 of them are also on their 2nd child -I'll have to add all this up later..) 

And there we have it -  Let the challenge begin! Forecast looks sunny, this week looks busy (including a doctor's appointment, a LLL meeting, and a trip out of town)