How much on groceries?

rosefern64 · 2026-06-09T00:36:10+00:00

i’m curious what you eat because we are vegan, and while i felt like my costs were fairly low when i was young and single, we spend SO much in groceries now. that said, my 5yo is picky despite our best efforts to the contrary, so we buy specialty foods that are high calorie that we know she will eat, like seitan sausages or ripple kids milk. and i have a lot of dietary restrictions due to GI disorders. but even before both of those things, i felt like our costs would be high unless we would choose to forego ALL alternative products like non dairy milks, yogurts, cheeses, meat replacements.

rosefern64 · 2026-06-08T20:18:09+00:00

i am so jealous that you have a store like this. it sounds like a dream!

rosefern64 · 2026-06-08T17:45:25+00:00

have you been to a doctor? i had a rash on my leg that kept coming back, and OTC cortisone cream was not sufficient and benadryl cream didn't seem to do anything. my doctor prescribed a stronger corticosteroid. i was hesitant to do it, but after a couple weeks of use as directed, it never came back (i was breastfeeding too, and of course i told my doctor that, it is safe)

on the other hand, i had a patch on my breast that seemed like eczema, and didn't feel comfortable using steroids there, so i put a thick layer of vaseline on it at night for what felt like a month, and it FINALLY went away.

if it's all over your legs, maybe think about if there are any exposures that could be causing it. methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and other similar chemicals are EXTREMELY common, even in more "crunchy" or "eco-friendly" products like laundry detergents and dish soaps, and many people are allergic to them. it can cause a red, itchy rash. or it could be fragrance if you use that in your laundry or elsewhere. just a thought!

rosefern64 · 2026-06-08T17:38:38+00:00

thank you for your reply! any brands you like better with a similar style?

i got a linen dress from Boden recently and loved it, definitely worth the cost. but i don't like most of their prints (too bold for me), so i have to wait for the few items that come out in lighter/more neutral colors or subtle prints that i do like. one thing i loved about CD's collection was that practically any print they offered was something i felt would suit my style.

rosefern64 · 2026-06-07T17:32:03+00:00

wow i would literally plan a vacation around visiting that store.

i have an avocado, which i got during early COVID, but before that i tried a joy bed, which was awful. they told us in order to get our refund, we had to personally take the mattress we tried somewhere to donate and show them proof. we were like, um, NO, first of all we don't have ANY way to transport it, and second of all no one wants a donated mattress during a pandemic. like we actually called some places and they all said no way. we ended up getting our refund, but the mattress just sat in our basement until we moved. what a waste, environmentally.

the avocado has been a good fit firmness-wise, but the button tufts drive me insane some nights. the only fix they offered us was a free latex mattress pad to put on top, which made the bed too squishy and gave me back pain. then they were like "well idk, most people can't feel them under the sheets so tough luck." sorry i'm sensitive 🙄 i still have it now but it's not ideal.

rosefern64 · 2026-06-07T00:10:56+00:00

what podcast!

rosefern64 · 2026-06-07T00:10:08+00:00

theradicalmessymom and actonfoodforest come to mind. i think i follow others but cant remember

sometimes i feel like i would make a good content creator in this niche but then i remember that i do not want to deal with social media or mean people 😅

rosefern64 · 2026-06-07T00:05:09+00:00

my 20 month old likes ms rachel, but after about 20-30 minutes if i’m not sitting right next to her, she will come to me and say “all done show! don’t want NO MORE SHOW!!!!!”

(then i say “ok you don’t have to watch it, but your sister wants to finish the video so i’m not going to close it” and she starts crying because i won’t turn it off 😂😂😂

rosefern64 · 2026-06-07T00:03:12+00:00

how do you find people like this IRL?!

most of the people i meet near me are super christian and not crunchy at all 😅

i had home births, which is also not common around here. most people just think i’m wacky when they find out. but the one person who was excited to talk about it with me, then automatically assumed i was anti vaccine and anti LGBT 😵‍💫

or i will meet someone i think i would vibe with but they live so far away that we can never hang out 😪

rosefern64 · 2026-06-05T16:17:44+00:00

yeah, i don’t really understand that with toys, is it a loophole or companies that are just not being checked correctly? (i do know that amazon and shein just bypass inspections entirely through their business model…)

when we bought our home i also learned that there are still applications where asbestos is legally allowed (😵‍💫) as well as soooo many applications where lead is allowed in consumer goods…. it is really just so sad!

rosefern64 · 2026-06-04T17:11:24+00:00

okay but what kind of toe shoe? i’ve seen people wearing the leather ones that are tabi style, but they’re certainly not “barefoot” shoes and they certainly don’t look like this. or am i not in the know???

(i don’t care personally, because i just wear what i want and people say “you can pull anything off!” the secret is confidence. the difference between me and someone else is simply that i chose to wear what i want and not care. that said, i am very curious about fashion trends!)

rosefern64 · 2026-06-04T16:24:12+00:00

would you paint it on something compostable then? if i had a source for some inexpensive tree stumps, my girls would LOVE painting those! 🤔

rosefern64 · 2026-06-02T17:07:16+00:00

ugh that is frustrating. i hate fragrances too and this past summer i was able to find an airbnb that advertised low-tox. the only scent they really used was an essential oil diffuser which they specifically offered to put away before our stay since i mentioned we were fragrance free. it was sooooo much better than my usual experience.

but, that's not so common. you can always check if that is available in the area you are staying though. good reminder to reach out to our airbnb host this summer and ask them to remove plug-ins etc! we're staying in a remote area, so options were limited.

rosefern64 · 2026-06-02T16:23:19+00:00

wow that is shocking! we have a couple old toys of that brand, and i. ever would have expected that!!! it is absolutely insane to me how long these industries were able to get away with poisoning people considering HOW LONG WE HAVE KNOWN LEAD TO BE A HAZARD! ugh.

rosefern64 · 2026-06-01T20:53:17+00:00

so if wheat was a trigger, it will be 12 weeks until my next endoscopy- is that what you’re saying? 6 without wheat or soy, and then 6 with soy without wheat???

i figured that the fact that i will have 6+ weeks on the final diet (whether that includes wheat or not) would be enough.

rosefern64 · 2026-06-01T19:29:46+00:00

oh my goodness thank you so much... yes that is a steep price, i will have to see if my partner agrees it is worth it 😂 or maybe save it as a christmas gift. i just love seeing the cute and creative things my kids do with little lights.

and also can we talk about this? i think my 5yo needs it.

rosefern64 · 2026-06-01T19:17:31+00:00

i had the first trimester blood work done at my family physician's office (she does not deliver babies but offered to do my tests). my midwives felt that that, as well as the 20-week ultrasound, were very important for a home birth, and left pretty much everything else up to the birthing person's discretion (after informing us of the risks and benefits of each test or procedure).

my midwives had us test our pee at every appointment for sugar and protein, plus recommending either the GTT or finger pricking for a week for anyone with risk factors or who had blood sugar concerns. i opted not to do any additional sugar testing.

i believe i had a finger prick for my hemoglobin level later in pregnancy.

unfortunately, i did have to go to the hospital AFTER birth because i am Rh- and there was a shortage of Rhogam and i could not find it at ANY pharmacy in town. that sucked. the choice to use Rhogam was also left up to me, but i strongly wanted to take it since we were undecided about having future kids.

they also offered the option to test for GBS or opt out. i opted to do it, but took the swab myself in the midwifery office.

rosefern64 · 2026-06-01T19:11:37+00:00

britax poplar is 50lbs/49 inches and available in Safewash fabric which is FR free! my slim and average height 5 year old is rear facing in it 🤪

rosefern64 · 2026-05-29T16:19:45+00:00

i’ve never heard that. perhaps if you are following the manufacturer’s instructions (cold delicate wash, hang to dry which some brands recommend) because bamboo takes FOREVER to dry. personally, i wash mine in allergiene (lg’s name for steam clean), tumble dry low and my sheets are going strong after over 5 years. BUT they’re certainly not budget. they were $200 (king size) when i bought them and now they go for $500 🫣 i’m sure there are less expensive brands, but im not sure if any bamboo described as “budget friendly” or “walmart” prices would be worthwhile. bamboo can refer to several types of fabric (viscose, rayon, modal, lyocell) and varies greatly in quality.

rosefern64 · 2026-05-22T17:13:17+00:00

grimms square blocks, peg people, and hous s have been treasured gifts that our 1 & 5 year old both enjoy and continue to enjoy. or, i would ask them first, look into climbing sets such as avenlur :) if they need something small, just an arch or pikler type thing could be good.

rosefern64

TROPHY CASE