Journey to Domesticity

I am smitten with Smitten Kitchen

2010-04-30T22:36:00.000-07:00

In the past 2 days I have made 3 recipes from www.smittenkitchen.com and each one has been amazing.

http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/breakfast-pizza/#more-5827

http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/11/one-for-the-sling-files/

http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/st-louis-gooey-butter-cake/

I am never buying bread or pizza dough again! They were all easy and delightful :).

A new home...

2010-04-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

So, I have been preoccupied for the past month or so with thoughts of a new home. After some searching we found what is practically my dream home. It is big (3x the space) and open and brand new!! I a really excited and that has made it hard to be in my current home. The new one won't be done until July so I need to keep that in perspective and keep cleaning and so on here.

On the note, I am working on "cleaning" out my freezer. It is a treasure trove of meals I have been saving for when I "need" them and desserts for when I "need" those. I started the process of stocking my freezer over a year and a half ago as I prepared to go back to work. Now that I am home I kept adding to the freezer faster than I subtracted. The goal is to eat 3 things from either the deep freeze or indoor freezer a week. That could be meat that I bought in bulk, bread that I bought on sale, or whole meals I have in there prepared and waiting.

I am also trying to use up what is in my cupboards so we don't spend $$ moving food. It reminds me of finding a bottle of anise in my mom's cupboard that EXPIRED in 1983 - and this was just last year people!!

I guess I am eating us out of hose and home :)

I haven't stopped crafting so I will be sharing some of those projects at then end of the month.

From Good Days

My boy isn't the only one I have been sewing for

2010-03-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some projects for me:
A dress the was unraveling got turned into a skirt. It had a tied empire waist so I cut off the top (that was falling apart) and replaced the tie with elastic. It just needs a wide belt.
An organizer for my very small car...to keep the diapers, wipes and snacks in order.
A removable cover for my ottoman...since Carter is constantly dirtying it.
A dress using the pre-smocked fabric from JoAnn. We are going to Florida in May :)

My sewing circle, Simply Sewing, met last night. It was a lot of fun and I am super excited. I got to pick the next project so there should be an apron post coming...

For my boy

2010-03-10T16:45:00.000-08:00

My son is loving the PBS show Super Why right now so I made him a cape, Super C.

My first real applique so don't look too closely...

Here are the jammie pants I made using this tute. It took me significantly longer then 15 minutes but I did make the waist band adjustable...

And a shirt for him to wear to a "semi-formal" birthday party...also applique :)

February

2010-03-03T20:41:00.001-08:00

I have been busy crafting for the past month. I took an old sweater and made a pillow, leg warmers and a caplet for my friend's daughter. For my cousin's daughter I made a pair of leg warmers out of clearance socks and a bag using a technique that allows the handles to be continuous and not need to be attached - NOT worth it. I finished a flannel blanket that my cat loves. I made bakerella's oreo balls for my son in the shape of Elmo and I need practice. I also made him a cube with a button, a zip, a snap and a buckle that took hours and he ignore. I then spent hours making fabric letter magnets and he LOVES them. The red bag is my sewing circle project for the month. I am super excited about this new group of women forming.

The last project I did in February was to make 2 purses. One for my friend and one for myself. Mine is boring but the one I made for my friend is pretty - I just forgot to take pictures. It is like this bag but with wooden handles. Sorry Carlie, no pic :(.

Wow it has been a while

2010-01-27T21:41:00.001-08:00

Well, I kept up with my tasks until my boy got sick with a double ear infection. He had many sleepless days and was crabby but cuddly so I got nothing done. I am trying to get back into it, but mostly sewing.

So, I saw some towels on clearance and decided to grab a blue one to make a hooded towel for my kiddo. As soon as I finish I realized I should have grabbed the red towel. I went back and got it and transformed it into this:

He loves it!

My kitchen is sparkling

2010-01-08T13:50:00.001-08:00

And bare. Today is Friday which is clean the kitchen day but it is also the 8th which is wipe down appliances (the 6th was dust anything hanging on the walls and the 7th was Windex all other glass - maybe too similar...). Since they hit on the same day I decided it was a double whammy and I SCRUBBED my kitchen. I took EVERYTHING off the counters and stove and scrubbed the counters. I took the utensils out of their canister and the pasta out of the jars and the tea out of the tin...and I washed it all...well my dishwasher is washing some of it. Don't forget that your dishwasher can be a workhorse: Surprising Uses for Your Dishwasher Real Simple. I cleaned the inside of the toaster oven and scrubbed the espresso maker. I even washed out the recycle bin.

The only thing I didn't do was my fridge. Clean the inside of the fridge and microwave is the 20th and I was out of space to put all of the pictures that are on it so I will wipe it down that day too. I forgot I had a special day for the inside of the microwave so it will get done twice this month.

Almost an hour later I am relaxing and wishing I could make a latte (but can't because some of the parts are in the dishwasher).

New Plan

2010-01-05T14:09:00.001-08:00

In 2010 I have a new plan for keeping up on my least favorite domestic duties: the ones that involve cleaning!

Each day I am going to have a weekly chore and a monthly chore. For example today was a Tuesday so I did my 1st floor floors and today was the 5th so I cleaned the inside of my windows.

Here are my weekly chores:
Monday - Laundry
Tuesday - 1st floor floors
Wednesday - pick up upstairs (downstairs gets done nightly)
Thursday - upstairs floors
Friday - shine my kitchen
Saturday - orgainze the entry way (put away shoes, clean the drop zone and hang all coats)
Sunday - meal planning

I will post the monthly chores later but so far I have:
1 - check in with my finances, bills, receipts
2 - update calendars and display board
3 - clean light fixtures
4 - dust ceiling mouldings
5 - windows

So far so good :)

I am still trying to do 1 thing a month for myself and last month I got a new haircut that I love:

Apron

2010-01-01T09:20:00.000-08:00

It took me two naps but I finished an apron yesterday. There is a pic of our friends' baby on the pocket (hence the blurring). It is a gift for baby's grandma since she is always so sweet to us. I even got to use my new decorative stiches :).

Sew busy

2009-12-31T14:55:00.000-08:00

My computer had to visit the Dell repair center so I have been without it for a bit (then on vacation!). While it was away I had time to play with my new machine.

I made a cross-body bag for myself and a pouch for our new dvd player. I did my first zipper on a bias pouch (idea from the purl bee). I also made my own baby legwarms (shown with babylegs) which fit my toddlers chubby thighs :)...

I have a new chore plan for 2010 that has me doing a weekly chore and a monthly chore each day. We will see how it goes :)

Recent Projects

2009-12-18T20:26:00.000-08:00

The pillow is for my grandma in memory of my grandpa. He took lots of trips to China and brought back dolls just like this one.

I made the blocks with my MOPS group. Now if only I could figure out where to find more...the boy loves them.

The owl is my terrible version of this.

I also made a yet to be photographed bag that I am quite proud of...

Holiday gifts

2009-12-10T21:16:00.000-08:00

Each year I whip something up in the kitchen for my local cousins and neighbors. This year it is chocolate dipped apricots. These tags really spiffied them up.

I used rolled a third in coconut and a third in salted nuts...mmm.

Scones

2009-12-07T14:55:00.000-08:00

I made these Cranberry Orange Scones yesterday and they are delightful!! The dough was a bit sticky, like all of the comments say, but otherwise they are amazing (and pretty easy). Use fresh cranberries, like the recipe says, not Craisins like some commenters. Fresh (or frozen) gives it such a great flavor and texture that Craisins can't. I made a double batch to give some as gifts with Starbucks gift cards and have some to eat. Now I am looking for another great cranberry recipe since I have about 2 cups left. Hmmm...

More crafts

2009-12-01T21:02:00.000-08:00

I have been doing somethings other than crafting: windows, floors, dusting, a bit of Christmas cheer... but crafting is the most fun. I decided to give this tutorial a try. Some thoughts:
No one has that many pristine target bags around...hmmm
Really it isn't worth it...they are super cute but too labor intensive

I made my "cloth" using Target christmas bags with Albertson's bags in the middle. The "cloth" took forever to make.

After making this shopping tote I wondered why the seams are on the outside... so when my husband requested a lunch bag I put them on the inside.

It is big enough to hold a square ziploc storage container flat in the bottom and a few more lunch goodies. It velcos when you roll it over just like the one he had in Jr. High.

I am done with that "cloth"idea. For me:

I also made this scarf and it was a breeze. Instead of a rectangle I made mine a trapezoid...rhombus...whatever...it had points

I am a bad pom pom maker

2009-12-01T20:57:00.000-08:00

That is all.

Ready for Christmas

2009-11-27T22:04:00.000-08:00

5 stocking for my siblings & siblings in-law... My embroidery needs help...

I made this into a sachet for a friend (dirty word blurred).

I am about 80% done with my Christmas shopping and 95% done with the items I needed to make - yeah!!

Since he likes it so much

2009-11-24T10:43:00.000-08:00

Everytime I sew something for my son he has a great reaction. Either a "cool" or a "sank you" and it warms my heart and makes me want to do more. I decided to give this tutorial a try. I skipped the bias tape (since I need to practice and just tucked, ironed and sewed the handles. It turned out nicely... We will see what he thinks when he wakes up :)

To go with his bean bags

2009-11-24T10:39:00.000-08:00

I made a game pad. One side is tic-tac-toe andthe other is a bullseye. He thought it was a mini-blankey...it was pretty cute to try to watch him lay on it.

Another sewing project

2009-11-15T21:02:00.000-08:00

I put together some quick beanbags for my little one today (well, I cut the fabric yesterday). There is 1 Elmo, 1 Cookie Monster, 1 Big Bird (he has no idea who that is) and 3 Curious George. They made for great Sunday afternoon fun.

Here is a better shot of my finished tags:

I was going to make a tutorial...

2009-11-13T13:52:00.000-08:00

Last week I decided to make some labels for my son's toys. I wanted words on one side and pictures on the other. I had this great idea in my head. Honestly if I were to do it all again I would do it quite differently, but they really did turn out nicely.

They were A LOT of work: 3 nights on the embroidery (I am slooow), 1 night cutting, 1 night folding, ironing and pinning, 2 nights with the stupid vinyl and a final night sewing (I love clear thread), taking and printing pictures and putting them in their place. It all became worth it when I said to my son "Look what mommy made you" and he said "cool" (he is 17 months).

A place for everything

2009-11-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

I decided that I needed a place to better store my craft supplies and the vintage secretary in my bedroom seemed perfect. The only problem was that it was serving as a desk (shocker!). So I needed something else to be a desk. The chalkboard cabinet in my kitchen was perfect except that it stored kids crafts and kitchen odds and ends. So I needed a new place to store those...

Anyway, it was a big undertaking and I am far from done but here is the kitchen "desk".

The kid craft stuff is neatly stored away in a cabinet in the family room and the craft supply desk is coming along nicely.

Thanksgiving cards

2009-11-09T10:54:00.000-08:00

Last week my son and I made some Thanks giving cards for his grandparents and great-grandparents. We stamped his hand then he colored while I assembled the card. Next he applied stickers and I put on the eyes.

We threw in a few recent pictures and a message and sent them on their way. I am sure his relatives will enjoy these "hand" made treasures.

Shoes

2009-11-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

I have been sick with the flu and then catching up on some cleaining and other neglected chores. I thought I would share my new shows though. They make me smile.

I am cranking these out...

2009-10-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

...almost as fast as my friends are cranking out babies :).

Trying my hand at embroidery

2009-10-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I gave it a try on this curtain I made to hide the vino...not sure it is my thing (or I need a better tutorial).

Tools

2009-10-21T23:23:00.000-07:00

I worked on a Christmas project tonight (since it is a gift - no pics) - again with the sewing machine...I think I am having an affair with Ken(more) :). We have been on again off again for about 4 years but the past few weeks I have been seeing him almost nightly. Here he is:

My husband found him on the side of the road in Seattle and he required a $100 tune up but he gets me by. I have often dreamed of trading him in for a newer model, drawn by decorative stitches and tensioners that actually work. Maybe someday. As you can see he is set up at the kitchen table. I sometimes use him on the antique secretary but that only works for quick projects. While I am talking about my tools, here is the rest of the gang:

I have 3 pairs of scissors, indulgent, I know.

The nice pair, in the black sheath, were a Christmas gift a few years back. They are still super sharp and pretty amazing. The black handle are pinking shears that belonged to my great-grandmother. They have a dull portion towards the handle, but I can avoid it. Finally my nippers were a gift from my mil. These are so much better then the string cutter on Ken(more).

An old self healing blue mat and Sears yardstick (that my mom gave my Grandma in the 70s then my grandma gave me) are how I measure...hence the problems.

I also have my grandfather's ruler (he passed away in May) which is nice for small projects (like cutting a baby blanket every inch). It measures 6" and a pinch and is very handy - just like Bud Carter (who happened to be just about 6').

My final tool is a wonderful husband (no picture - sorry) who never complains about hauling Ken(more) in and out of the kitchen or about my fabric $pending or how I spend my evenings.

Sometimes I feel like I am working with some pretty old stuff, but then I remember the prairie women sewing clothes and quilts by hand and I think I am pretty lucky. Projects may take me a bit longer, but that just means they have more love in them.

My first big blanket

2009-10-19T23:12:00.000-07:00

Last week I started work on a picnic blanket following this tutorial. All of the top fabrics are from my stash. I had intended a different layout but got mixed up and it would have take a lot of seam ripping to fix it, so I left it. (I was near tears that night.)

I had to purchase the backing fabric and batting. In the pictures you can't see but the white and red fabrics have small yellow flowers and since I couldn't match the red, green or blue, I went with it.

I followed the tutorial except that I added a ribbon to tie up the blanket, it is sewn into one of the seams. This was my hubby's idea.

On another note, I made this small blanket from this tutorial to go with my other flannel blanket. All of the ribbon was stuff I had on hand!! I tried to use one of the decorative stitches on my ancient machine and it didn't go to well, but it will hold tight. :) I think I will be doing more of these, it was super easy!!

Blanket

2009-10-18T22:18:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine had a baby Tuesday and I realized I needed a gift. I decided to make a blanket and followed this tutorial. Here it is cut out, sewed and snipped. It is still in the process of going through the wash and dry cycle.

I am becoming more and more fond of my sewing machine. I am working on another blanket but it is taking longer. So far one day I cut it, one day I sewed the top pieces and one day the back. Now I just have to put it all together. Hopefully I will have it up soon. :)

Memory lane

2009-10-15T10:22:00.000-07:00

When my husband and I were first married we lived in a less then 500 square foot studio. I wanted everything to match so we had blue sheets with a cream duvet, a hand-me-down blue, cream (or was it dirty white?), and goldish 70s couch that was a wedding gift to my parents and I used this fabric to cover my painted white dining chair seats.

3ish years later my husband and I went to Florida and left our (3rd) apartment (now a bigger 1 bedroom) and kitty in care of friends. They draped the couch in red (a color I hadn't warmed up to yet) and covered the chairs in green. I was horrified when we got home but the damage was done. The white/cream in the couch was stained pink from the red fabric (that was too slick to stay on) so I bought a cream duvet and went with the new colors with this: My mil helped by making me throw pillows.

Unfortunately the green on the chairs was lightweight cotton and didn't survive long, so my mom helped me pick out a red and green that matched the red painted (it came that way) kitchen in our new townhome and didn't look like Christmas. The thing is, while my husband loved the colors and the stripes, I didn't. Well, we had a baby and had to rearrange the living room and suddenly the Ikea chair that was covered in the stripes was an eyesore. Maybe it was just me staying home with the boy but I was staring at it all day everyday. Finally I picked up some light blue fleece and covered it up and that began the transformation. Here is the pillow I covered Tuesday.

Now the pillows are 2 navy, 1 red, one blue and red, one 3 blues and the lovely one that incorporates all, seen above. The thing is - no green. So the ottoman (previously green) is next on my list. I am going to make a removable (kid-friendly) cover in a yet to be determined fabric. There are also the kitchen chairs but those are fine (for now). :)

Thank you for reminiscing with me.

Stash

2009-10-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I undertook organizing my stash. Most of my fabric is not from purchases that I made. I have raided my mom's stash and been given a lot of remnants by my mother-in-law. All of it collected in a big box under my bed unfolded, unsorted, unorganized and basically unknown to me. Yesterday I pulled it all out. I folded the big pieces 1-2 yards and bigger that are mostly from my redecorating projects. I then sorted, trimmed, ironed and folded the smaller pieces.
Here is half of it sorted by color (and out of reach of my little one).
Here it is in process. I used the guide to fold it all into 5 inch squares.
And here it all is.
I even discovered some great 'vintagey' stuff.
I can easily tell where I got each piece. The pieces from my mom (the craft-er) are mostly unwashed quarter to half yard pieces with squares cut out of them. The pieces from my mil (the sew-er) are washed, surged on 2-3 edges but they had ragged pieces cut out of them for applique. I trimmed the edges before folding and only had to throw a few pieces in the wash (cat hair). The pieces I purchased in highscool are mostly not 100% cotton, not washed and overall crappy. I am excited to look at my project list and see what I can use. I need to find an easy apron pattern for some of the blue, red, green, yellow 80s stuff.

Remember that inspiration...

2009-10-13T15:57:00.000-07:00

The colors in my September Calendar fit so perfectly so I cut up the calendar and made a catch-all for the entryway:

Long time no post

2009-10-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

Let me work my way backwards.

Today I got my house back in order.
Sunday we had a couple over for BBQ ribs.
Saturday we had two couples over for soups, caramel apples and a beer tasting.

Let me stop here and tell you that I LOVE cloth napkins! They take a get-to-gether and make it a dinner party. They take a little more effort so choose carefully (I skipped them for the ribs night). A quick trip into the washer and a snappy pressing and they are ready for the next time.

Friday we had friends over for mac & cheese and good company (not that the others weren't good company this night was just more comfortable). My friend and I also finished the relaunch of our business: www.greenonthevine.etsy.com.
Thursday I sewed this pillow:

and these eye pillows.

Wednesday I did all of the cutting on the aforementioned projects. I used this premise for the eye pillows.

Tuesday I made refrigerator cookies. I won't post the recipe because they were not worth it :(.
Monday I caught up from being out of town since the previous Friday.

Don't think I have been slacking...well, just in my blogging.

Business

2009-10-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

My friend and I have a business and we devoted a good chunk of time to it yesterday. Check us out: www.greenonthevine.etsy.com! Our fall line should be appearing soon.

Today i got down to the business of packing...a good thing since we are leaving today. I am working on a master packing list too. Maybe I will share :)

Purple

2009-09-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

I painted my toenails purple today. I decided to take a little time for me whily my boy napped.

On my son's due date I got a pedicure with my mom. I chose a bright coralish pink. I wanted them to be a happy color when my baby (we were surprised with the gender) came...just in case they were they first thing he/she saw. I have continued painting my nails that color for 16 months. I am not sure why it was time for a change, it just was. We will see if my sweet pea notices.

Back to cleaning

2009-09-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

After neglecting my home for almost a week to finish the chairs...here they are:

So today I dusted and swept my kitchen floor (not to mention the 4 loads of laundry I folded and all of the minor picking up). I am tired!

What have I done

2009-09-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...it feels like we have been so busy. There are 2 coats of primer on the chairs. After spending last Monday calling around, the wee one and I are in a tumbling class on Mondays. I bought make-up for my September treat: foundation and blush from Bare Escentuals and a sample of mascara. Life had been so hectic for the last week that a day "off" felt odd, really odd. So I packed up my boy and we went to visit my husband for lunch (and to get mommy make-up :)). I need to learn to enjoy the free days.

Squashy

2009-09-20T22:02:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful day in the northwest so instead of painting my chairs I had friends over. I made a butternut squash soup for starters then a chicken pot pie with parsnips, rutabega, carrots, peas, lima beans, leeks and, of course, chicken. We also had a salad with goat cheese and raspberries. We ended with a pumpkin pie that I didn't make because I didn't have time to make an apple crisp :(. Everyone was full and happy but I forgot to photograph the food. Oh well.

Let there be...FIRE

2009-09-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

If yesterday was about eliminating light, today was about adding it.
We put in the new fireplace front (there was nothing but a dirty brick hole (sounds like I am calling someone a name) before. Now, as we sit enjoying our first fire in years, we wonder why it takes us so long to do these things.

Maybe I can sleep in tomorrow

2009-09-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

Just as the sun is rising later in the morning, my blinds arrive for the master bedroom. They are a week early but we put aside any other plans (sanding chairs) and snapped them up. I am pleased. On another note, the fireplace front arrived more than a week early as well so we will work on that tomorrow.

Pampering myself (September)

2009-09-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

So, September is halfway over and I have yet to select my personal treat for the month. Last month I bout the $25 eye cream and have seen no improvement. I have been going back and forth between new makeup (bare minerals) and a haircut. I need both but I still have some makeup (no blush though) and my son loves to bury his head in my hair. It is getting pretty long, longer than it has been in years...that gave me a new idea for September. A perm. I have been toying with the idea on and off for years, so maybe now is the time.

For about the last month I also tried a foot treatment I read about where you rub your feet with something like an Oxy pad then vaseline then wear socks to bed. After subjecting myself to socks to bed in August and September I do not see much inprovement so I am stopping until it is cooler out.

Containers

2009-09-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to me how difficult it is to store storage containers. I just spent 15 minutes re-organizing my food storage container drawer. I have Ziploc Snap n' Seal food storage containers, a few odds and ends mostly from Ikea and glass jars and lids. It seems that no matter what I do this drawer gets destroyed within 24 hours of any reorganization efforts. I tried "systems" but the containers were never good sizes and usually cracked after a few rounds in the dishwasher. It is an endless struggle...that and the sippy cup drawer...another day...

Clothing

2009-09-14T22:26:00.000-07:00

I wish this post was about me and my clothing...but it is not. Keeping up with my son's clothing is a full time job. Out with last season, in with this one. Out with last size, in with a bigger one. When he was just born he ran through sizes at an alarming rate, shooting into 12 month clothes by the time he was 6 months old. He has given me a break and spent the summer in 12-18 months (except for his pjs - 2T). He is just too big for anything in the 12 month range and I got a bundlee of clothes in 18-24 months from my cousin so I spent sunday sorting and laundering bith the new clothes and the old. Today was folding and putting away... He now has too many pants for his drawer. I feel like I have been growing out of my clothing too; I had better watch that.

Sunday also brought a roadside find. I picked up these chairs (well, my husband did the actual picking up) for $10 on the side of the road. They feel sturdy and have nice back support. I think I will paint them white...

Lint

2009-09-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

Today I cleaned the dryer lint trap....you know that thing you clean before/after every load? Well, you would be amazed how much lint had accumulated down in the hole that didn't cling to the screen. I got a huge pile! I purchased a lint cleaner from Target (that I cannot find on their website. It looked like a toilet brush un-looped...all bristly. I had wanted a microfiber one but couldn't remember where I saw it so I went with what they had. This is another chore for my dad :). Floors and vents are his crusades (I have never seen him dust).

I am still devoting my free time to needle felting :)

Speaking of Christmas

2009-09-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

For the kiddos in my life I put together a fun little kit:

I love needle felting

2009-09-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

Last night I began to research needle felting. I went to JoAnn today and bought some supplies (my coupon came in the mail 3 hours later :( ). I see some Christmas gifts in my future...it is amazing...pics to come.

Where I have been

2009-09-09T06:56:00.001-07:00

I gave myself some time off from blogging this weekend, though I still reorganized the snack cupboard. I am beginning to find it difficult to find something to do that still "counts" since I didn't want to do the same project twice and I didn't want to count the everyday items. Today I put things on my calendar. I had some stuff sitting in email and I moved it to my google calendar (nice little resource). I just read an article about being on-time and I have realized that I have gotten tardy, or just stopped having start times for events other than "lunch time" or "after nap." Since I haven't had to be time conscious I have chosen to let it go. I have a few events coming up this fall that have real start times so I need to work on this. My mantra has always been to let sleeping babies lie but I have to admit that I now have a little boy and if we need to be somewhere at 9:15 I can't count on him getting us up on-time.

Surprise

2009-09-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

Walking around my living room I saw two things that made me think of my new color scheme (that I have yet to find the right pieces for). Obviously the second one is the page from a calendar so it will eventually make it in the garbage, but the first has been hanging on my wall for years. It used to be in the kitchen but got bumped to the living room about a year ago. Now, if only it were a rug...

Two small jobs

2009-09-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I bought new containers for my cupboards. I make muesli and that requires a lot of weird ingredients. They were taking up many of my food storage containers so I decided to get these ones so they will stack nicely together. (Old on the left, new on the right.) Here is the recipe I use for muesli.

I also made pico de gallo with tomatoes from the neighbor, jalepenos and onions from my garden and store bought garlic, lime, and cilantro.

I used about 2 garlic cloves (crushed), 2 LARGE tomatoes (seeded and diced), 1 1/2 diced jalepeno, 1/2 white onion (diced), the juice of 1 lime, 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro and salt to taste. It is pretty good if I do say so myself (and since my hubby doesn't like pico de gallo, I do have to say it myself). We will take a pot over to the neighbor later today.

Cheating

2009-09-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

Today I picked up some stuff in the master bedroom. See, a little after 5 this morning our cat knocked over a small bookshelf (I have no idea how) so I had to pick up the books and computer stuff that was all over the floor on my side of the bed. I also cleaned off the top of the dressers, updated the bulletin board in the kitchen to September and ordered pictures from my wee one's first trip to the zoo to put on it tonight. I feel a bit slackerish...I am not sure what projects to do this weekend but I can always find something to clean :).

Back to cleaning

2009-09-03T06:54:00.000-07:00

After so many projects, today was a cleaning day. I got back on my hands and knees and scrubbed the floor in the entry way. We really hadn't cleaned up from the dust caused by drilling so it was easy to watch my progress. I feel like that room is done. For about a 10 square foot space we have packed in a shoe cabinet that holds more than a dozen pairs, 6 double coat hooks, a mirror and a umbrella stand doubling as a scarf, hat and mitten holder (yes, I have become an umbrella-less true northwesterner).

Super productive

2009-09-02T21:06:00.000-07:00

In another slow project we finished the new coat rack in the entry corner today. We hung two pieces of moulding with a total of 6 hooks. 2 are at kid height and 4 are for us big folks. I am most impressed that my hubby and I pulled it off without fighting :).

I wish I had this much energy

2009-09-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

I was reading a blog recently and this wonderful woman churns out sewing projects at the rate I do loads of laundry (and I am sure keeps up on her laundry as well). Amazing

A week long project

2009-09-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

Last week I began a project that has been on my to do list for a long time...sprucing up this:

(before)

When I was first married my mom and aunt bought this for our microwave to sit on in our first apartment. My dad and I built it. It has followed us home to home ever since. I have long thought it needed new handles but it wasn't until I painted a chalkboard on the side and decided that the drawer handle would be the perfect chalkboard tray that I swapped them out. Now I have nice new handles, a chalkboard with tray and a new top that overhangs in the back to offer wine storage. The top was a free piece of scrap wood and I found faux stainless contact paper to cover it, I just need one more roll. The whole project should come in at around $20 since I already had the chalkboard paint. I am really pleased with how it has turned out.

We also ordered a new fireplace front while at the hardware store. I bought some childproofing supplies that should work and hooks for our entry room coat rack (I decided to change the tone I had purchased before). My little man is becoming well acquainted with the hardware store.

Scanning

2009-09-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

Today I scanned...odd huh? There have been some legal documents on my scanner for a few months and today I got them scanned. I got started since I needed to scan and send in the order form for the blinds in the master - so that is done too!!!

Whirlwind

2009-08-31T08:21:00.000-07:00

My husband and I were super productive yesterday. We went to the hardware store and got so many of the items for my projects. We got handles for the cart in the kitchen and a new top. I will have to post pictures of that project soon. We got boards and hook and will be making coat racks for the entry way once I decide if I want them black or white... We got some child-proofing stuff (some I have to return). We got a Christmas gift for our son (yep, I start early). We looked at prices on blinds and are going to go with Costco.

We also made hot sauce with jalapenos from our garden. It has to sit for a week before we can try it but I am sure it is good.

Today I cleaned up some leftover mess from the projects yesterday but am going to take it easy (I think).

The best laid plans

2009-08-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

I forever have plans floating in my head, probably 5 at any time. I have trouble getting started...well, and finishing. Part of my problem is never knowing the measurements, sizes, colors I need to know when I am out. Today I went around and recorded all of these things on one slip of paper. So far I have:
the measurements for the master window for next time we are at Costco
the measurements for my kitchen cabinet thingy (I will tell more when I finish this one)
the measurements for new handles for above and a chalkboard ledge (curious?)
the measurements for new hooks in the entryway
some kitchen childproofing items I need (since my hubby is wanting to open up our son's world)

Oh, yesterday I made some lavender chocolate chip scones that were not very yummy...

Dark hole

2009-08-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

Today I sorted out under my kitchen sink. I was afraid of this project but it went surprisingly well. There was much less down there than I expected and the project went quickly. I found 3 cabinet locks for childproofing and it made me think that maybe it is about time to open the kitchen to Carter, at least some of the time. I put the locks on and let him in. He made a beeline for the triangular shelf in the corner and the Roomba...maybe I will childproof tomorrow.

On another note, my dinner went nicely last night. The cake was well received. I have a crystal cake plate but no dome so I had to plastic wrap it to keep my cat away. To keep the plastic off the cake itself I used specialty food picks, you know the ones for serving appetizers? Mine have stars on top so I spaced them around and it looked quite nice. If I wasn't such a glutton for cake I would make it more often.

Small things

2009-08-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have a VERY small entry way. A few months ago I purchsed the most amazing shoe cabinet from Ikea. It was a big help in the shoe department, but it gave us a new place to pile junk...
Today I cleared off the top of the shoe cabinet. I found a new place for the sunscreens in the top cabinet. I moved the things that were not supposed to be there to their rightful homes (mostly in the garage). It looks very nice. I figured after yesterday and the exhaust fans I deserved a break!

Ewww

2009-08-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

Today I cleaned the bathroom exhaust fans...ewwww. At this point I can't think of anything worse to clean then a dusty, grimy cavity above my head with lots of build-up to scrub. I am guessing it had never been done - or not in a looooong time - so I shouldn't need to do it again for awhile. :)

To balance that out I am making a cake. It is a 3-layer cake but I am only going to frost two and freeze one. My Grammie told me when she was first married she would bake 1 layer, cut it in half and frost it like a two-layer cake. I thought it was ingenious. I am having some friends to dinner tomorrow so I will serve the proper two-layer cake then.

Lost Art

2009-08-25T09:11:00.001-07:00

Today I wrote 2 notes. While both were to thank my hostesses on my recent trip, so I consider them a necessity, it reminded me of how few thank you cards I receive anymore. Most of my friends do not write them for their young children or make their older children write them. In fact, many of my friends do not write them for gifts they receive. I think thank you notes are extremely important, but so are handwritten notes in general. It feels really good to go to your mailbox and get a piece of mail that is not a bill, a credit card offer or a flyer. It really doesn't take much effort to pick up a $.99 card at Hallmark and write a quick note to let someone know you are thinking of them. Even better, try throwing in a picture, a recipe, a comic, or a magazine article that made you think of the person. My mom used to mail e comics all the time; now she scans them and emails them...not the same.

Here are a few ideas:
Grandparents
Childhood teachers
New moms
Friend (send a postcard to try to get them to come visit)
Nieces and nephews or any children in your life

A weekend away

2009-08-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

I am back and did a small task today, I wiped down inside the cupboard under the sink. We make at least 2 lattes a day and dumping the grounds causes quite the splatter! My husband also did a task for me while I was gone (without being asked). He rotated the mattress :).

It was nice to get away for a weekend. No dishes to wash, no meals to prepare, no one to clean up after but me... I had a nice relaxing time and came back refreshed. My baby was so happy to see me it made my heart soar!

Nothing today

2009-08-20T07:57:00.001-07:00

Today I pack; I am taking my first solo trip since we became a family of 3. I get back late Sunday night but I am sure I will have plenty to do on Monday...

Counters

2009-08-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

My counters are laminate made to look like stone. And they are green. For the most part I don't think about them and when I do I remember I don't like them; except for one thing. They hide crumbs. When you look at them they always look clean; but if you get down on eye level you can see the crumb collection. Today I cleared them off and gave them a good wipe down, including the lip at the back. I gathered the crumbs from behind the pasta jar and the fruit bowl and bid them good-bye. When I sat at the table to finish my morning latte I noticed a few missed spots in the middle and gave it another wipe down...sat back down and saw a crumb clinging to the edge so I nabbed him...while it may be nice that they hide crumbs, they sure make it hard to clean.

Sore knees

2009-08-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

I did it - I scrubber my kitchen floor. Actually, I did the kitchen and about 1/3 of the dining area before I had to get up. I don't know how Cinderella did it! I will have to finish the dining area and maybe get the entry way another day. I got the important part, under the high chair, and even tacked on the vent under the fridge for good measure. My knees are sore and wet, my feet cramped and my back aches. I am a cleaning wimp.

Wonderful husband

2009-08-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

You may think I took the day off yesterday, but I didn't. I cleaned (tidied and dusted our bedside tables. I started with my husband's side, a square wooden table passed from my grammie to my mom to me. After clearing it off and dusting it I used to rag on the antique secratary, the only other finished wood piece in the room. As I wiped it down I started to notice the first signs of a migraine. My husband walked in and I told him "medecine and water, now"; he knew what I meant. He went to fill my request but I was determined to finish what I had started. I cleared off my round metal bedside table and started to wipe it down. My husband came in and gave me my medecine then asked why I wasn't laying down. When I told him, he told me to lay dowwn and he finished the job. He took great care of me the rest of the day.

Today I have the dull reminder of yesterday's headache so I am taking it easy. I cleared off the top of the TV. It is the gathering place for dvds and Wii games as well as anything else we want out of the baby's reach. Now it has nothing :).

So hard to clean

2009-08-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

It seems that everywhere I want to clean needs to be tidied before it can be cleaned and once I tidy I have no energy for cleaning. Today I was going to tackle the kitchen/dining area floor; I mean hands and knees with a scrub brush! Instead, when Igot down on my hands and knees I found a mess. I gave my husband an "area", the bottom shelf on a corner shelf, to keep his computer and whatever else he feels needs to be kept accessible. Well, unless I move it, the computer is always on the table and the self is full of clutter. There are 3-4 things that need to be plugged in the one outlet there, including the Roomba that lives under the shelf and it is never the winner of the plug war. In a fit of anger yesterday I came up with an obvious solution and moved a surge protector that was unused in the boy's room (since the TV left with all of the other clutter that used to live in there pre-baby). I set it on the floor over there in hopes the hubby would do the plugging but that brings me back to getting on the floor today...
So, today I arranged the plugs, picked up the clutter, debris and stray toys and found everthing a home. Maybe tomorrow will find me with a scrub brush...

Expiration

2009-08-14T08:03:00.001-07:00

Today I cleaned out the medicine cabinet of all expired goods. I don't actually keep medicine in the cabinet, it is all beauty products...some of which expired before my wee one was born. Here are some guidelines. Lots of products have a symbol on the back of an opened container with an amount of time in it like "6m" so you know you can keep it for 6 months after opening.

I also cleaned out my medicine drawer which is on a high shelf in my linen closet out of the reach of little fingers. This has been cleaned out more recently. I was feeling awful and looking for cold meds when I discovered that almost everything was expired. When you go for about 18 months only taking Tylenol (due to pregnancy and breastfeeding) everything else goes to waste. This time the only thing expired was a left over prescription and a sunscreen. I also need to buy Tylenol and cold medicine since I still have none :).

Ranch Crackers

2009-08-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

Ok, so there are all of these new amazing goldfish flavors - totally addictive. While I can't make my favorite, graham cracker, I thought I might buy a big box at Costco and try to make a flavor that my baby likes - ranch. I thought it would be cheaper...

I adapted a family recipe that we use with oyster crackers:

Ingredients
12 - 16 oz. Plain oyster crackers (GOLDFISH)
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk Recipe
1/4 t. lemon pepper
1/2 - 1 t. dill weed
1/4 t. garlic powder
3/4 - 1 cup salad oil
Directions
Combine Hidden Valley Ranch mix and oil; add dill weed, garlic powder and lemon pepper. Pour over crackers, stir to coat. Place in warm oven for 15-20 minutes.

They are in the oven now so we will see...

Pictures

2009-08-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

I take hundreds of pictures of my little one each month. Every few days I transfer them to my computer and at the end of the month I back them up and clear the camera memory card for the next month. On occasion I also send off for some of the pictures to be printed. Then I send them off to relatives but my stack stays just that, a stack. Today I put them in chronological order, best I can remember, in a storage box from Creative Memories.

During my baby's first year I made a little picture gift each month for the grandparents and great-grandparents: An egg for his birth, a star for the Fourth of July, a pumpkin for Halloween... each with a picture of my boy. In my sorting, I was hoping to find the missing Thanksgiving turkey but I didn't; I guess I will have to recreate it...

Tidy

2009-08-11T12:15:00.000-07:00

Today I tidied my bedroom. It is amazing to me how often this room gets neglected and how good I feel when it looks nice. Since the beginning of the year I have been making my bad, and while that is a big help, my bedroom seems to attract messes... a suitcase from out last trip, the price tag off a pair of socks, loose change...they are all drawn to my room. Well, for today they are banished and it looks good!

Busy weekend

2009-08-10T10:16:00.001-07:00

So, I gave myself the weekend off. We had a rehearsal dinner and wedding and a company picnic then a concert to attend all while my baby was cutting teeth. Starting last night he was running a fever so today I am taking care of him. Also today, I took care of myself. I made a much needed appointment to see my doctor. Well, my patient calls...

A day in two parts

2009-08-07T08:13:00.000-07:00

I am only allowing myself to post this now because I can't do the second half while my wee one is awake. I did a quick clean and organization of our stair landing; it was a gathering spot for clutter...extra diapers, streamers (from his first birthday - in May!!), a piece of the bassinet I need to return, extra outlet covers...

The second half of my project to day is to hem a pair of pants for a friend and switch out the buttons. I have had the pants for a while but just got the buttons yesterday. I want to have them done for Saturday night when she is watching my baby while the hubby and I go to the fancy pants wedding of a friend of his. I need to remember to pick up his suit at the cleaners today since we have the rehersal dinner tonight and a company picnic tomorrow morning. This will be our busiest weekend in quite a while.

7 Layer Bars

2009-08-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

Today my project was once again in the kitchen. We have a company picnic to attend on Saturday and my husband signed us up for dessert bars. I am making 7 Layer Bars which always receive rave reviews. I usually use the recipe on the can of sweetened condensed milk, though I have it memorized other than temperature and time. I measured out my ingredients but upon looking at the can, found that the recipe was different! I must have purchased a different brand. I will give you my recipe with theirs in ().

1/2 cup or 1 stick of butter (same)
1 cup crushed graham crackers (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup chopped nuts (same)
1 cup chocolate chips (2 cups)
1 cup butterscotch chips (none!)
1 cup coconut (1 1/3 cups)
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Place butter in 9x11 inch pan and pop it inthe oven while it preheats to 350 degreed. 325 for glass. I line the pan with parchament first for easy removal and cutting. Sprinkle the crumbs over the melted butter and squish into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle in nuts, chips and coconut; drizzle the can of sweetened condensed milk over the whole thing and pop in the oven for 25 minutes. Let cool before cutting.

If you used parchament you can just lift it out onto a cutting board and cut it on a board. I usually cut the uneven edges off (and eat them) and then you can make perfect squares, rectangles, triangles or whatever shape you wish. I like rectangles but I don't know why...

I decided to increase the graham crackers and coconut (you can't have too much of a good thing, right?) but couldn't imagine the bars without butterscotch chips. That got me thinking about the name 7 Layer Bars...I guess butter is a layer. I stuck with the order I remembered from the old recipe but theirs called for the sweetened condensed milk after the graham crackers, not on top.

Well, my bars are about to come out of the oven and I have yet to do the breakfast dishes...

Two-for-one

2009-08-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

I gave myself two small tasks today:
Decorate the small display board I mentioned here
Do 5 exercises from a magazine article I tore out some time ago

While they are both completed here is how it went:
Go through pictures I printed recently to sort out the "beach" pics as that is my theme
Decide it is time to send off a round of pics to the relatives
Sort, envelope, address, stamp... for 6 different groups
Work on board
Get distracted by clutter on my work space and do some cleaning there
Finish board (which now looks great with pictures from the Washington coast and Cape Cod)
Peruse magazine article
Sit on couch and "practice" counting with son
Get on floor to do plank exercise
Get toes tickled by son - feign laughter
Get raspberried by son - feign laughter
Do plank exercise until son thinks I am a bridge and tries to crawl under, so I have to go higher, then I collapse the bridge on his toes.
Continue until son is sleepy and ready for a nap
Finish other 4 exercises half-heartedly

At least I finished :)

I did not clean today

2009-08-04T09:06:00.001-07:00

Unless you count dishes after baking. After a long hot streak, we finally have a cool morning here in the northwest. I decided to turn my oven on and use some of the zucchini from my garden. I found a recipe for pineapple zucchini bread at allrecipes.com. Instead of 2 loves of bread I made one loaf and some muffins...mmmm

The muffin liners are silicone from my mom...this was their first time out of the package and I think they worked quite well.

Color Scheme

2009-08-03T21:33:00.000-07:00

Eventhough redoing my family room falls pretty low on my project list I have been searching for a site to help me pick colors. My search was in vain, but here is what I came up with:

One week down

2009-08-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I started my journey one week ago and I am still going strong. Today I finished cleaning my appliances in the kitchen. I cleand the microwave inside and out and wiped down the oven and stove top. The inside of the oven will have to wait for a cool day and the inside of the fridge until it is not so jammed full of food that would spoil in the 80+ degree room.

This month my project will be blinds for the master bedroom. Thinking about this made me decide that I should do a personal project as well. Each month I will do something for me. This month I bought some eye product I have been wanting to try but passing up on since it is about $25. Some other ideas:
Trading my makeup for Bare Minerals (which I love)
Haircut
Pedicure
I can't wait!

Clutter

2009-08-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

Today I took on a small clutter project. We had the ribbon board on the side of one of our kitchen cabinets and, in theory, it was a nice place to stick things. The problem was the things I stuck there:
business cards (then I forgot I had a business card and looked up the info online)
gift cards (then we would forget we had them - though finding $8 on a Starbucks card is nice)
postcards from my grandparents
cash (my husband asked me how much cash I thought was there and I guessed $20, I was off by $60! of and 50 in Filipino money)
bottle openers

The only thing that ever got touched again once it made it up there was the Broncos bottle opener (the Cape Cod one was worn out). So I took it down and disbursed the item to other "stash" places in the kitchen and am getting rid of the board.

On that note, I have another board for display and I like the idea of it, I just never know what to put up. I did the months of the year while I had a dye-cut membership and I have put together one or two displays but I am out of ideas. When my baby is older I have grand plans on making it a learning board where we choose something to study, say another country, then put up pictures and facts and one night cook a traditional food... But what to do with it now...

Projects

2009-08-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

I have been coming up with a list of projects I want to do around the house, some big, some small, some energy improvements, some cosmetic... I have 3 tiers of importance and I plan to take on one project a month:
Tier 1
New coat hooks in the entry- two rows (one for adults and one for kids)
Programmable thermostats
A fireplace mantle
Blinds in the master
Tier 2
Organization components for under the sinks
Stain the TV cabinet to match the bookshelves
Organization for the snack cupboard
Tier 3
New bed pillows for the master (may move up to tier 2)
New curtains, throw pillows and fabric in the family room (I have come to loathe the current scheme)
New couch!?!

As you can see Tier 3 items all say "New" since what I have is perfectly serviceable. The Tier 1 "New" coat hooks made the cut since the one I have is falling apart.

Window sills

2009-08-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

Today I didn't finish the appliances; I cleaned the window sills. I got out my Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and it was a piece of cake. Only the smallest amount of elbow grease and the dirt came right up. I keep forgetting how amazing those are for getting grime off paint. I am "lucky and only have 3 to do so this task took about 4 minutes (the family room window was disgusting).

Redecorating

2009-07-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

I am thinking about redoing the color scheme in my family room. My kitchen is RED and my husband loves it. You can see 75% of my kitchen from the family room so they need to "go". The current scheme is dark blue, red and green with a few light blue touches. I am thinking about bringing the light blue to the forefront. replacing the dark blue curtains with a light blue/white combo, maybe kicking out most if not all of the green. Not that my room looks anything like this, but I am playing around...

Appliances

2009-07-31T07:39:00.000-07:00

I was going to clean my kitchen appliances today but it is more daunting a task than I thought so I did the espresso machine, the toaster oven and the outside of the fridge. About a year ago we replaced our toaster oven (a cheap one from the drugstore) with a nicer one, mostly because we hadn't taken care of the old one and it wouldn't come clean. We promised to take care of the new one but we really haven't. It sits next to the stove top and gets splattered on occasion. I wipe it with a clorox wipe but it doesn't really cut the grease. I think there was also something burned to the crumb tray... I used a toan of soapy water like my Grandpa Bud taught me, but I didn't pull out the fridge, sorry dad.

Beating the heat

2009-07-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

We have been running the ceiling fan in our master bedroom continually since, oh, about Sunday, but today I decided to dust the fan. I had heard a trick for the blades where you use an old pillow case so the dust doesn't just fall off the fan onto whatever is below, in our case a bed. As I didn't have an old pillow case, I used an old t-shirt and it worked quite well. You just encase the whole blade and pull back applying pressure along the top and sides (at least twice in my case since it has been more than a year since it has been done). I then used the shirt to wash the lights and motor area as well.

Last night we decided to use the grill for anything we might want to eat in the next few days. I cooked zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms and kielbasa and mixed them with Orzo and feta for last night. I used left over zucchini and mushrooms in a lasagna with no cook noodles for the freezer (and one for our friends who are expecting). We grilled a pepper for tonights Boca burgers with guacamole and some ears of corn because my little man loves corn on the cob (maybe a corn, avocado, tomato salad for tonight as I picked about 2 dozen more cherry tomatoes last night). I will do something with the left over kielbasa friday, perhaps breakfast for dinner.

Ewww

2009-07-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

Today I wiped down my cabinets, well, the outsides of them. My cabinets are a light faux wood and they hide grime much better than I would have thought. I am amazed at how many little things there are to clean. I do think I need to find something other than cleaning to do. I was going to back a chocolate torte for a gathering I had last night but there was no way I was using the oven on a 100 degree day. I still need to do something to make myself feel more goddess like especially since I have been avoiding the hair dryer and make-up.

Bonus

2009-07-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

Since it is sweltering here in the northwest, I have decided not to exercise. You could say I am on strike. This has freed up some time during my little one's morning nap. I just finished labeling my husband's dresser drawers. I love my label maker. I also love my husband. He keeps his drawers pretty neat so I only have to reorganize them every few months. When he can't find something he flips one pile onto another to look through so the items stay folded, just not in the right spots. I know I should let it be but I am the one to put things away so I like to be able to put them where he can find them (and avoid needless pile flipping and "have you seen my...?"). I thought about doing my own but since I am they only one who sees them it would be a waste of label maker tape. I brought the labeler down to my kitchen to see if anything needed labeling but got distracted by the cans of tomato sauce from Costco tucked in a corner and after putting them away I lost the urge to label.

Domesticity

2009-07-28T06:52:00.000-07:00

Today I windexed everything that can be windexed on the first floor of my house. I even did my windows on the inside. It was hard to wipe away the finger prints and kitty noses but I know they will be back. It is surprising how much grime collects on the inside of your windows. Now I need to do the outside. I want to try the new windex product, especially since one of my windows would require a 2-story ladder. I am up before my boy thanks to heat, opened windows and the garbage man.

I looked up domesticity: Home-life or devotion to it. Hmmm...nothing about the balancing act of running a home...the cooking, the cleaning, the bills, the childcare... I do like the word devotion though. I wouldn't say I am devoted to my home as I would gladly trade it in (for a bigger one of course) but I am devoted to my husband and son, my home-life. Off to pick some zucchini. I will have to write about my garden sometime.

Day One

2009-07-27T15:21:00.001-07:00

I have been staying home with my son for 10 months. I think I am a pretty good SAHM but as I look at my house, I find I have been neglecting to keep house. There always seems to be something better to do when I am not playing with my boy, but more often than not it is on my computer where I get sucked into a time wasting world. So, here is my challenge to myself: Do one domestic thing each day before I "log-on" and post it here. Today I dusted the crown moulding downstairs. Mmmm...boring but important. So I am allowed to post and play on my computer.

In my quest for domesticity I grabbed a book I bought a long time ago but never looked at. It is How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson. I want to be a domestic goddess. After about 2 minutes I put it back. Being a domestic goddess goes so far beyond the kitchen Nigella! I think the first step to being a domestic goddess is keeping. In order to move on to cooking magnificent recipes and having dust free moulding the rest of the house must be kept. The laundry and dishes done, the bills paid and the beds made. Since those come before I can achieve goddess status, those don't count as my one-a-day... well unless I am laundering my curtains or polishing the copper bottoms of my pots.

Another part of keeping is keeping myself. I need to do the things that make me feel like a goddess. This is also part of my goal to put my needs first. I am going to schedule myself a much needed hair cut!