Saturday, February 28, 2009
Adventures in sewing
So today I finally got my sewing machine out. Threading it was a bit of a challenge at first but once it figured it out it was easy! I have been practicing my stitches and even stitched a hole in the stretch on my maternity jeans. I must say I am quite pleased with myself. I thought it was going to be a lot harder than it was. Not sure why I waited so long to try it out. Tomorrow starts my first project a blanket for little man. Cant wait to get started!
Friday, February 27, 2009
What is wrong with being a homemaker?
What is wrong with being a homemaker?
Seriously why have the words wife, stay at home mom and homemaker become words of shame? Why are the women in these professions looked down upon as parasites? I serve a wonderful purpose, I take care of my home, my husband and am raising and molding a mind that will be an important part of the future. Why do other women look at you with either pity or down their noses? In my experience stay at home wives/moms have better relationships all around with their family. My marriage is extremely happy because of my choice to be a stay at home wife and mother. My husband knows he can count on his shirts to be ready to for work, his lunch to be made, a hot dinner on the table at night and a sympathetic ear. Not to say I dont have my bad days but most of them are good. My husband has to worry about work and thats it. I take care of the home and our finances and it works very well for us that way. We dont have to fight over who will take a sick day from work when Isa is ill or decide who will pick her up at daycare, we dont have to play rock paper sissors over who is going to make dinner or pick up dinner. Because my husband doesnt have to do anything but work at his job it leaves him more relaxed and wanting to help me around the house or do projects.
I appreciate that women before me have paved the way to allow me to work for a decent wage if I chose to. What I dont appreciate is that it is pushed on women, that if they choose not to take that path then somehow they are less of a person or weak. If being superwoman means running around like a chicken with your head cut off, not having any time to talk to my husband or get to know my kids, popping pills from the pharmacy to help me cope with life and having someone else instill their morals and values in my children then call me weak, I never want to be superwoman. I just want to be mom and my hubby's sweetheart.Another thing on my mind is the obesity issue in America. I honestly think it ties in with the fact that most moms are working. Yes there are more fast food chains and junk foods out there, frozen foods and boxed foods, all filled with chemicals but when women are pressed for time what are they going to feed their families. The mom is no longer in the home to #1 cook nutritious meals made from scratch, from REAL ingredients. #2 they are no longer home and teaching their children about proper nutrition. By the time the schools get teaching about it its just far too late.Okay, Im off my soap box now.
Jenny
Posted by TheRetroHousewife at 6:01 AM
Labels: Household Management
Seriously why have the words wife, stay at home mom and homemaker become words of shame? Why are the women in these professions looked down upon as parasites? I serve a wonderful purpose, I take care of my home, my husband and am raising and molding a mind that will be an important part of the future. Why do other women look at you with either pity or down their noses? In my experience stay at home wives/moms have better relationships all around with their family. My marriage is extremely happy because of my choice to be a stay at home wife and mother. My husband knows he can count on his shirts to be ready to for work, his lunch to be made, a hot dinner on the table at night and a sympathetic ear. Not to say I dont have my bad days but most of them are good. My husband has to worry about work and thats it. I take care of the home and our finances and it works very well for us that way. We dont have to fight over who will take a sick day from work when Isa is ill or decide who will pick her up at daycare, we dont have to play rock paper sissors over who is going to make dinner or pick up dinner. Because my husband doesnt have to do anything but work at his job it leaves him more relaxed and wanting to help me around the house or do projects.
I appreciate that women before me have paved the way to allow me to work for a decent wage if I chose to. What I dont appreciate is that it is pushed on women, that if they choose not to take that path then somehow they are less of a person or weak. If being superwoman means running around like a chicken with your head cut off, not having any time to talk to my husband or get to know my kids, popping pills from the pharmacy to help me cope with life and having someone else instill their morals and values in my children then call me weak, I never want to be superwoman. I just want to be mom and my hubby's sweetheart.Another thing on my mind is the obesity issue in America. I honestly think it ties in with the fact that most moms are working. Yes there are more fast food chains and junk foods out there, frozen foods and boxed foods, all filled with chemicals but when women are pressed for time what are they going to feed their families. The mom is no longer in the home to #1 cook nutritious meals made from scratch, from REAL ingredients. #2 they are no longer home and teaching their children about proper nutrition. By the time the schools get teaching about it its just far too late.Okay, Im off my soap box now.
Jenny
Posted by TheRetroHousewife at 6:01 AM
Labels: Household Management
10 Easy Ways to Get Organized
10 Easy Ways to Get Organized
by Jill CooperLiving on a Dime
1. Hang up your keys. (Preferably by the door.)
2. Find a place for your purse, coat, gloves and other frequently used items and always keep them there.
3. Make your bed each day as soon as you crawl out of it.
4. Get dressed. Even if you are a stay at home mom or your job is at home, get dressed. Clothes really do make the man or woman. You'll be just as productive as you are dressed which means if you are dressed for sleep (pajamas, sweats or a robe) then you will get about as much work done as you would when you are sleeping. That may be stretching it, but you get my point.
5. Wash the dishes and wipe the counters after each meal. No matter how large or small the meal or how tired and in a hurry you are, do the dishes. Even if you are hurried or late in the morning you wouldn't dream of leaving the house half dressed. Make leaving your kitchen clean as important a priority as getting dressed for work. This may seem impossible at first but once you are on top of things it should only take five or ten minutes to clean your kitchen.
6. Get rid of trash. About 50% of what unorganized people have in their homes is trash or stuff they will never use again. Stop wasting time taking care of it, moving it or stepping over it. As you walk through the house, pick up garbage and toss it.
7. Control your laundry. Don't let it control you. Follow these simple steps to help keep your laundry from taking over your home and you.
Place a hamper or basket for dirty clothes in each bedroom and/or bath. Make sure that everyone's dirty clothes are put in the hamper before bed and in the morning.
The laundry isn't done until it is put away. Get out of the mind set that if it is washed and dried it is done. Folding and putting it away is equally as important.
Some of us think that if we get the laundry washed and dried that's all we need to do and it's okay for the family to just pull stuff out of a pile. That makes as much sense as cooking a meal and expecting everyone to stand at the stove and take turns scooping the food out of the pan and eating it one spoonful at a time. You wouldn't dream of doing that. Yes the food is cooked, but the meal is not complete until the table is set and the food is put on plates. Do the same for your laundry. Put it away.
8. Pick up continually. This may seem like a pain to do at first but if you stick with it, it will become a habit. I didn't realize how much of a habit it had become for me until I was visiting my daughter's the other day. As I was walking into the kitchen, I picked up empty glasses and odds and ends on my way. Then when I walked from the kitchen to the bedroom I picked up toys as I went in there. It wasn't even my house but I had seen something out of place and out of habit picked it up. Every sock or glass that you walk past is a spore waiting to flourish into a vortex of debris. Catch it while it is small!
9. Read and dispose of newspapers and magazines. There are usually two reasons people have stacks of newspapers and magazines piled around:
They want to save an article in it. If that is the case then cut the article out as you are reading the magazine and file it. Trust me, you not only won't cut that article out at a later time, but you probably won't remember what or where it is.
They don't have time to read them. If you aren't going to read them the why are you subscribing to them? Stop your subscriptions. This doesn't have to be an all or nothing thing. If you can't keep up with the daily newspaper then just get the Sunday paper. Most people usually have more leisure time Sunday to read it. Pick out one or two of your favorite magazines and stop subscribing to the rest.
10. With any item, if it is broken or you don't use it anymore get rid of it. That includes clothes, toys, furniture, decorations, dishes and exercise equipment. If it's not important enough to fix right now, you don't need it!
by Jill CooperLiving on a Dime
1. Hang up your keys. (Preferably by the door.)
2. Find a place for your purse, coat, gloves and other frequently used items and always keep them there.
3. Make your bed each day as soon as you crawl out of it.
4. Get dressed. Even if you are a stay at home mom or your job is at home, get dressed. Clothes really do make the man or woman. You'll be just as productive as you are dressed which means if you are dressed for sleep (pajamas, sweats or a robe) then you will get about as much work done as you would when you are sleeping. That may be stretching it, but you get my point.
5. Wash the dishes and wipe the counters after each meal. No matter how large or small the meal or how tired and in a hurry you are, do the dishes. Even if you are hurried or late in the morning you wouldn't dream of leaving the house half dressed. Make leaving your kitchen clean as important a priority as getting dressed for work. This may seem impossible at first but once you are on top of things it should only take five or ten minutes to clean your kitchen.
6. Get rid of trash. About 50% of what unorganized people have in their homes is trash or stuff they will never use again. Stop wasting time taking care of it, moving it or stepping over it. As you walk through the house, pick up garbage and toss it.
7. Control your laundry. Don't let it control you. Follow these simple steps to help keep your laundry from taking over your home and you.
Place a hamper or basket for dirty clothes in each bedroom and/or bath. Make sure that everyone's dirty clothes are put in the hamper before bed and in the morning.
The laundry isn't done until it is put away. Get out of the mind set that if it is washed and dried it is done. Folding and putting it away is equally as important.
Some of us think that if we get the laundry washed and dried that's all we need to do and it's okay for the family to just pull stuff out of a pile. That makes as much sense as cooking a meal and expecting everyone to stand at the stove and take turns scooping the food out of the pan and eating it one spoonful at a time. You wouldn't dream of doing that. Yes the food is cooked, but the meal is not complete until the table is set and the food is put on plates. Do the same for your laundry. Put it away.
8. Pick up continually. This may seem like a pain to do at first but if you stick with it, it will become a habit. I didn't realize how much of a habit it had become for me until I was visiting my daughter's the other day. As I was walking into the kitchen, I picked up empty glasses and odds and ends on my way. Then when I walked from the kitchen to the bedroom I picked up toys as I went in there. It wasn't even my house but I had seen something out of place and out of habit picked it up. Every sock or glass that you walk past is a spore waiting to flourish into a vortex of debris. Catch it while it is small!
9. Read and dispose of newspapers and magazines. There are usually two reasons people have stacks of newspapers and magazines piled around:
They want to save an article in it. If that is the case then cut the article out as you are reading the magazine and file it. Trust me, you not only won't cut that article out at a later time, but you probably won't remember what or where it is.
They don't have time to read them. If you aren't going to read them the why are you subscribing to them? Stop your subscriptions. This doesn't have to be an all or nothing thing. If you can't keep up with the daily newspaper then just get the Sunday paper. Most people usually have more leisure time Sunday to read it. Pick out one or two of your favorite magazines and stop subscribing to the rest.
10. With any item, if it is broken or you don't use it anymore get rid of it. That includes clothes, toys, furniture, decorations, dishes and exercise equipment. If it's not important enough to fix right now, you don't need it!
The Art of Homemaking - Why Grandma Knew Best
Lately, visitors walking into my home feel the need to glance over their shoulder to make sure that they haven't somehow walked through a wormhole to the past. They furtively check the address to make sure that they're in the right place. Why? Well, it could be something to do with the clothes hanging on the line, the apron I'm wearing, the feather duster in my hand and the smile on my face. I have gone retro!Our Grandmothers knew something that Modern women have somehow lost: There is joy and happiness in taking care of our families. When your children invite kids from the neighborhood over to dinner because, "my mom makes the best pot roast", it makes you feel like a Superhero! When your husband lays his head on a freshly ironed pillowcase and sighs, you feel like a Goddess. When your child's friend asks, "Why does your mom make homemade bread every week?" and your child answers, "Because she loves me", you will know that you've done a good job.
Modern women often complain about that being a wife and a mother is a thankless job. I imagine that's because, as Modern women we've taken the joy out of the job. Think about our average days: Up at 6AM barking at the kids to get up, hurry up and get out of the house to make it to school on time, running to get Suzy her homework, Jack his trumpet, feeding the dogs, curling our hair and putting our blush on. By the time we get to work we've run 3 miles already. Once at work, we continue working at the same pace, wheeling and dealing and making things happen, We leave work at 5PM (if we're lucky), pick the kids up from daycare, run home to get whatever is needed for the evening extra-curricular; football, basketball, instrumental lessons, cheerleading - whatever your kids are into. We make the rounds, dropping our kids off - only to turn around and come back to pick them up, all the while yelling at them to hurry up, not to take the time to talk to friends - we have things to do tonight. Then, it's a quick trip through the drive through and home to begin homework and baths, inevitably something is spilled in the car and we find ourselves yelling. Somewhere around 11:30 with the kids tucked into bed, we manage to put in a load of laundry, lay out clothes for the next day and check our emails. At midnight, we throw the clothes in the dryer, brush our teeth and stumble to bed - only to get up in 6 hours and do it all over again.
The Modern woman is over-stressed, over-worked, underpaid, sleep deprived, frustrated and angry. We complain that being a wife and a mother is a thankless job - yet, what do we want to be thanked for? Yelling and screaming, crying and sighing? McDonald's again? Let's compare that to the image of our Grandmothers...Our Grandmothers, like us awakened at the crack of dawn. They had a day of the week for everything. Monday was Wash Day, Tuesday was Ironing, Wednesday was Sewing, Thursday was Market Day, Friday was Cleaning Day, Saturday was Baking Day and Sunday was their Day of Rest. So, on Monday morning she awakened and had her first load of laundry flapping in the breeze by 7AM. She made a hot breakfast for her children, washed and dried their hands and faces and sent them off to school. She washed the dishes, dried them and put them away. Throughout the day, she washed a load of laundry, hung it out to dry, folded the laundry and put it away. In between those times, she answered correspondence, swept her floors, planned meals and tidied her house. At noontime, she cooked a hot meal for her husband, washed the dishes, dried them and put them away. When her children arrived home from school, she had a snack prepared for them, her daily chore was done and she was prepared to help them with their homework. Dinner was already cooking and when her husband came home, they were ready to eat. After dinner, the family played a game or read together, and then the children were bathed and dressed for bed. Our Grandmothers went to bed with a feeling of accomplishment and contentment. She had the gratitude and love of her family and they had hers.Financially, many Modern women can't afford to stay home and many of us can't imagine staying home all day. We enroll our children in extra-curricular activities in an effort to raise well rounded children. In school, our children are being pushed to do more at a younger age. By third grade, they are already learning pre-algebra concepts. We are pushing ourselves to work at a faster pace, to do more in a less time and in the process we've lost the joy in living. In an effort to know just a little of the joy that our Grandmothers felt, I've decided to make an effort to do more for my family and to do it with a spirit of joy.
I still work, though my husband and I made the choice to cut my work hours back to 3 days a week. We made the choice to home school our son, so that we could present information to him in a timeframe that he could grasp. We're very lucky that my husband has a job that allows him to work from home. We bought a clothesline. I began making my own laundry soap, baking bread from scratch, planning meals on a weekly basis, doing a little housework each day and making sure that when I do something with my son - I do it with a smile on my face. Each night I clean our bathrooms telling myself that "nothing says I love you like a clean toilet". I spritz our sheets with fabric freshener every morning so that when my family lays their head down each night, their pillows are fresh and sweet-smelling. My son asked me what that smell was and I told him, it's the smell of love. I wear an apron around the house when I'm cleaning - because when I tie the strings around my waist it reminds me of the hugs that I get from my family and by giving them a clean home, I am hugging them all. I hang our clothes out on the line because there really is no smell quite like line dried clothes. My son is still enrolled in extra-curricular activities, but I can relax while watching him practice football because I know that dinner is in the crock-pot waiting for our arrival. I am able to devote my attention to him and tell him how proud I am of him. When we get home, we eat and then look at his school work for the next day. I spend precious time with my husband talking to him about our hopes, our dream and our goals. And when we lay our heads down at night, it is with the knowledge that I have loved my family this day, completely, thoroughly and joyously.
by
Momma T
Modern women often complain about that being a wife and a mother is a thankless job. I imagine that's because, as Modern women we've taken the joy out of the job. Think about our average days: Up at 6AM barking at the kids to get up, hurry up and get out of the house to make it to school on time, running to get Suzy her homework, Jack his trumpet, feeding the dogs, curling our hair and putting our blush on. By the time we get to work we've run 3 miles already. Once at work, we continue working at the same pace, wheeling and dealing and making things happen, We leave work at 5PM (if we're lucky), pick the kids up from daycare, run home to get whatever is needed for the evening extra-curricular; football, basketball, instrumental lessons, cheerleading - whatever your kids are into. We make the rounds, dropping our kids off - only to turn around and come back to pick them up, all the while yelling at them to hurry up, not to take the time to talk to friends - we have things to do tonight. Then, it's a quick trip through the drive through and home to begin homework and baths, inevitably something is spilled in the car and we find ourselves yelling. Somewhere around 11:30 with the kids tucked into bed, we manage to put in a load of laundry, lay out clothes for the next day and check our emails. At midnight, we throw the clothes in the dryer, brush our teeth and stumble to bed - only to get up in 6 hours and do it all over again.
The Modern woman is over-stressed, over-worked, underpaid, sleep deprived, frustrated and angry. We complain that being a wife and a mother is a thankless job - yet, what do we want to be thanked for? Yelling and screaming, crying and sighing? McDonald's again? Let's compare that to the image of our Grandmothers...Our Grandmothers, like us awakened at the crack of dawn. They had a day of the week for everything. Monday was Wash Day, Tuesday was Ironing, Wednesday was Sewing, Thursday was Market Day, Friday was Cleaning Day, Saturday was Baking Day and Sunday was their Day of Rest. So, on Monday morning she awakened and had her first load of laundry flapping in the breeze by 7AM. She made a hot breakfast for her children, washed and dried their hands and faces and sent them off to school. She washed the dishes, dried them and put them away. Throughout the day, she washed a load of laundry, hung it out to dry, folded the laundry and put it away. In between those times, she answered correspondence, swept her floors, planned meals and tidied her house. At noontime, she cooked a hot meal for her husband, washed the dishes, dried them and put them away. When her children arrived home from school, she had a snack prepared for them, her daily chore was done and she was prepared to help them with their homework. Dinner was already cooking and when her husband came home, they were ready to eat. After dinner, the family played a game or read together, and then the children were bathed and dressed for bed. Our Grandmothers went to bed with a feeling of accomplishment and contentment. She had the gratitude and love of her family and they had hers.Financially, many Modern women can't afford to stay home and many of us can't imagine staying home all day. We enroll our children in extra-curricular activities in an effort to raise well rounded children. In school, our children are being pushed to do more at a younger age. By third grade, they are already learning pre-algebra concepts. We are pushing ourselves to work at a faster pace, to do more in a less time and in the process we've lost the joy in living. In an effort to know just a little of the joy that our Grandmothers felt, I've decided to make an effort to do more for my family and to do it with a spirit of joy.
I still work, though my husband and I made the choice to cut my work hours back to 3 days a week. We made the choice to home school our son, so that we could present information to him in a timeframe that he could grasp. We're very lucky that my husband has a job that allows him to work from home. We bought a clothesline. I began making my own laundry soap, baking bread from scratch, planning meals on a weekly basis, doing a little housework each day and making sure that when I do something with my son - I do it with a smile on my face. Each night I clean our bathrooms telling myself that "nothing says I love you like a clean toilet". I spritz our sheets with fabric freshener every morning so that when my family lays their head down each night, their pillows are fresh and sweet-smelling. My son asked me what that smell was and I told him, it's the smell of love. I wear an apron around the house when I'm cleaning - because when I tie the strings around my waist it reminds me of the hugs that I get from my family and by giving them a clean home, I am hugging them all. I hang our clothes out on the line because there really is no smell quite like line dried clothes. My son is still enrolled in extra-curricular activities, but I can relax while watching him practice football because I know that dinner is in the crock-pot waiting for our arrival. I am able to devote my attention to him and tell him how proud I am of him. When we get home, we eat and then look at his school work for the next day. I spend precious time with my husband talking to him about our hopes, our dream and our goals. And when we lay our heads down at night, it is with the knowledge that I have loved my family this day, completely, thoroughly and joyously.
by
Momma T
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Spring
Today it is beautiful outside. I cant wait for spring, mostly because I want to make some of the wonderful plum preserves that I can only get from making them with the plums from my neighbors tree! You just cant get that taste from the store. I guess until then I need to start tilling for our garden this year. Unlike last year I think I am going to try more of a variety.This year I think my main focus will be squash, tomatoes, and cucumber's.
ebay
Why is it that I always buy things that are broken or missing parts? What is the deal? I bought a crib set from ebay and of course there is a piece missing. I really hope the seller doesn't give me any trouble. I am not in the mood! I just want to set up my nursery...oh yeah and I want people to keep their hands off of mey belly!!!!!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Ash Wednesday
“Remember, man, that you are dust and unto dust you shall return”.
These are the words the priest recites to each and every person who receives ashes on Ash Wednesday.
Ash Wednesday is the official first day of Lent and starts 46 days of preparation for the passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter. On this first day, Catholic faithful confess and repent for their sins and receive the sign of the cross upon their foreheads as a symbol of penance and mourning. The priest places the sign of the cross using a mixture of blessed ashes and holy water.
These ashes are made by burning leftover palm plants from the previous year’s Palm Sunday and mixed with water and incense. The receiving of ashes on Ash Wednesday dates back to the 900’s AD.
Tradition has it that once these ashes are placed on the forehead they are not washed off until after sundown. This is a profession of faith to others.
The day is also observed by fasting or abstaining from meat.
These are the words the priest recites to each and every person who receives ashes on Ash Wednesday.
Ash Wednesday is the official first day of Lent and starts 46 days of preparation for the passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter. On this first day, Catholic faithful confess and repent for their sins and receive the sign of the cross upon their foreheads as a symbol of penance and mourning. The priest places the sign of the cross using a mixture of blessed ashes and holy water.
These ashes are made by burning leftover palm plants from the previous year’s Palm Sunday and mixed with water and incense. The receiving of ashes on Ash Wednesday dates back to the 900’s AD.
Tradition has it that once these ashes are placed on the forehead they are not washed off until after sundown. This is a profession of faith to others.
The day is also observed by fasting or abstaining from meat.
Monday, February 23, 2009
The Simple Woman's Daybook February 23rd Edition
FOR TODAY (February 23rd)...
Outside my window...
Ben who is going to the basement to get my pizza.
I am thinking...
about what to give up for lent.
From the kitchen...
I am thinking about the pizza Im about to put in the oven.
I am wearing...
jammies
I am creating...
a puppy dog room for my baby.
I am going...
To church on wednesday for my ashes.
I am reading...
nothing at the moment although I would like to find a good book.
I am hoping...
It warms up so I can wear my new dress.
I am hearing...
mario kart in the background.
Around the house...
I need to clean before it gets out of control.
One of my favorite things...
the mountians!!! I can't wait to go back!
A few plans for the rest of the week:
work around the house!
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
6 months
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/
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