>I have several posts in the works, but a stomach virus hit our house about 11 days ago (just as my hubby was embarking on a 9 day business trip).  Now it seems it is rearing it’s ugly head again for round two.

Please be patient with me and stay tuned, it will be worth it, I promise!

>To make a very long rant a little shorter…

I cannot stand having to try to track stuff down that I want to buy.  I can understand if it’s a rare or discontinued item.  If it’s a currently produced item, available from the manufacturer, I want to easily find it in stock somewhere.

I do NOT like spending my time choosing an item, clicking and seeing oh, it’s only available in an 18 XXXX-Long.

I’m a bargain shopper, so I am very used to this happening with clothing.  If it’s a really good deal, it’s probably not in the size you need.  It will be something weird, like a 3-piece suit in a size preemie, or a onesie in a 4T, ha-ha.

I don’t like online stores that are set up where I click charcoal thinking that it’s in stock, only to see it say there’s only Small in that color.  So I think ok, how about this color, nope, Large only.  Ok, clicking the back button again, surely THIS color is in stock, NOPE!  OMFG!  (That’s “oh my fudgin’ goodness”)  Just SHOW me what color I can get in a MEDIUM for heaven’s sakes!

EAAAUUUGGGHHHHH!!!

/rant

>We’re having some seriously crazy weather here.   Before it began a week ago, someone reminded me to “buy formula and diapers.”  I didn’t have to worry about either of those things since I breastfeed and cloth diaper.

I didn’t have to worry about groceries either since I use a rock bottom purchase/stockpile shopping method.  I am almost out of milk but hopefully we’ll get out of here soon!

However, it did occur to me that if the power went out, I wouldn’t be able to wash diapers!  I only have about two days worth of diapers, and with the conditions outside, I would not be driving to a laundromat, hotel or family member’s house any time soon!  We have a well, so without power we’d be without water.  I guess I could melt snow and handwash diapers.  Hee hee.

I do have one econobum cover and I figure I could fold flannel blankets or even towels to stuff in it.

Then I remembered that I actually have some diaper pins, and I could really use flannel reeiving blankets and pin them on in a pinch. 

Except…I don’t know how to fold a flat/prefold without looking at instructions online!  I guess I need to study and make sure I know how to do it.  Tee hee! 

>My friend wrote a guest blog post at Abe’s Market. 

She and her family are gradually switching to natural products.  I’m always extra interested in what she has to say since she’s a scientist, and can provide extra insight into the safety and efficacy of different ingredients.  Using her science_spot cafemom account, she has analyzed several different products. 

She is hoping to potty train (learn) her youngest in not too long; I’m still holding out hope that I can convince her to CD her next baby, but her hubby is reluctant.

I haven’t gotten a lot of time to look around at their offerings, but they have natural products from baby bottles to nail polish, along with handmade items like soaps and baby blankets.  Here are some of their sellers.

I think this would be a great opportunity for some of the ladies selling on Hyenacart to expand their businesses even further.  I know there are some very talented ladies making all kinds of products that would fit in wonderfully on this site.

Reading about selling at Abe’s, it sounds like you hand a lot of your profit over to Abe’s, but you could make your products available to a wide audience without any up front expense.  I’m kind of torn on that.  You make a little more money per item than you’d probably make selling wholesale, but of course less than you would selling directly.  You would still have to package and ship orders as well.  It also wouldn’t work for people who don’t have a product with set options available to order at any given time.  Anyway, just something to think about.

I was just excited for my friend and wanted to share!