It's time to resolve for the year that is new!!... Yep!! It's New Year's Resolution Time!! WOOT!!... Which will survive into the year's end??? ;D
1. WHOLE FOOD DEDICATION TIME: Yup. It's time to make it official: NO MORE PROCESSED ANYTHING!.. easier said than done but worth a valiant effort!! I won't be making this my "religion" so to speak; and by cutting out processed crap and eating whole foods, I do NOT necessarily mean "organic or not at all!" either... Afterall, a non-organic potato for mashing IS far better than "potatoes" that come from a box, right?! ;) This is just a written in digital ink commitment to a more healthy, wholesome eating lifestyle for myself and the fam! WOOTS TO THAT!!
2. WRITING! I will not just FIND time to write, in its many avenues of self-expression; I will SCHEDULE time to do so!! Yes, this WILL be done!... I hope! :)
3. SELFLESS ACTS OF KINDNESS!! I am dedicating myself to the conscious decision of kindness in all things... The old or pregnant or hurried lady pushing the empty cart back to the store?? If I am able, I will take it for her.. The person at the register scrambling to find the few bucks they are short from being able to pay and leave with their dignity intact will find those dollars in my hand.. (This means that I had better start CARRYING a few dollars in cash on me!! ;) The residents at the local nursing home who do not have a visitor will now have me visiting them at least once every two weeks with my goal being once a week, every week.. etc.. I typically do similar random acts of kindness if the circumstances permit but without even thinking about it like most of us do, I hope.. This is a conscious decision to actively seek being kind to others, even and especially "strangers".. No: I will not be picking up hitch hikers!! ;)
4. MINIMIZE!! Okay... this is going to be tough for me as I am emotionally attached to.. everything! Ha!! Seriously. I will actually go through the mass of chaos that comes in countless box form which lives in our garage... I will then rid ourselves of all that is CRAP, sell what I can, then donate the rest.. I will purge our closets, even the ones that house many, many a'toy... Yes, this will be the year of toy reckoning and subsequent better appreciation for fewer had..!! Bye-Bye perpetually messy floors!!.. (I hope!! ;).. Basically, I want to do away with the "maybe someday in a far off distant land of usefulness I might maybe probably not ever use this" stuff... I might shed a tear (or have a coronary!) but really want and NEED to get this done!! Ideally, after all is said and done, every little scrippit of things that we own will have its very own little organized Martha Stewart madness inspired "home" within our home and will be easily found on a whim with a moments notice.. "Oh! You need vintage twine from the 60's to tie that bundle of newspaper for your (imagined) Beverly Cleary Henry Huggins inspired paper route of long lost bike peddling days tradition???... Oh, why that's right here!!" (clack-clack-clack from my super awesome heels on my freshly polished, toy-free floors....)..... hahahaha??? One can dream, right?!! Yes: dreaming IS allowed and welcome in my world!! :)
SO.. What's next??.. I'd say that's a mighty fine starting off point for the new year myself!! Who says that you need one list in its finality at the beginning of the year?? As for me, I will add to it as necesssary throughout!... Cheers!!
Now, to get to it.. In my best "old man voice": ONWARD & UPWARD, LADIES AND GENTS!! ;)
Showing posts with label HOUSEWIFERY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HOUSEWIFERY. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
"To Hell With All That!"
As I sit at my computer, keyboard atop pillow, relaxed and contemplating a recent read of “To Hell With All That” by Caitlin Flanagan, I ponder the notion that there really IS a HUGE difference between a “housewife” and a “stay-at-home-mom”.
I myself haven’t had a “real” job in many years – oh, besides the full-time “job” of caring for three children, three dogs, two guinea pigs, one handsome hubby that I adore which includes but is not limited to the preparation of countless meals at least three times a day with numerous snacks in between, homeschool “teachering”, chauffeuring the two older children to the many activities that I feel they NEED to have for social development, self-improvement, and my own gratification knowing that I am providing them MUCH more than I ever had in my own childhood while the little one trots along happily in tow; and of course, one must not forget the many extra duties that qualify me to call myself a “military wife” that have become more second nature and expected than anything else, though my non-military wife friends seem to view these extra duties as astronomical and daunting to say the least… Not to pat myself on the back and revel in my own self-glory avoiding that these things never seem a little much even for me, but more so to give realization to and acceptance that all of these things and more are all just a part of what makes me the mom and the wife that I am and represents what it is that IS my life – a life that I happen to love profusely and wouldn’t trade for anything in this world! Needless to say (but I will anyway ;) that I view the role of a mother and/or wife in very high regard right up there with any “real” job out there and beyond. At the same time, I have a great respect for all GOOD mothers, whether they work or are fortunate or capable enough to stay at home. Whatever the situation and whatever works for you, if you’re a GOOD mom – kudos to you, my hat is off.
Back to my pondering that recent read… I found so much truth (even in the parts disguised by humor) in so many of the points in this book that it really made me take a step back to look at my own life. Here’s one very fine example that was pointed out in the book about the “housewife” of the 50’s vs. the “stay-at-home-mom” of today: children used to trail behind their mothers following them to all of their many tasks and errands and chores performed throughout their daily lives – children took a back seat to what it was that their mothers needed to do and were HAPPY to do it and never questioned or even explored the thought that they themselves should come first and/or be put above all else! Nowadays mothers cater to their children’s every whim, chauffeuring them (as I admittedly do myself) to their many activities while letting their own needs or errands or chores go to the wayside… After all, who WOULD rather sit there folding clothes and matching socks (THAT NEVER SEEM TO MATCH! Darn that “sock thief” that lives in my dryer!!) than take little Johnny to practice or little Miss Suzie-Q to the sweetest (funniest, most-entertaining, sometimes embarrassing and mildly frustrating) ballet class?? I tell you, WHO?! Who are YOU, because we need to meet and chat – maybe even learn a thing or two from each other!
BUT here’s the thing: I really do want to better model myself after BOTH the housewife of the 50’s AND the stay-at-home-mom of today even equally, if possible. I want to be that super-efficient, one-step-ahead housewife that has everything orderly and knows (without using a book as a reference) the ins and outs of how to do EVERY household chore and when to do them all the while having a running menu and grocery list in my head that will complement each meal into the next, meaning that I don’t have the ingredients for seven different dinner meals that don’t complement each other at all and therefore cannot be incorporated into the next day’s meal in any means which leads to either leftovers that almost NEVER get eaten, or foods that go bad because they were never prepared… I would also like the TIME to cook all of these meals without being pulled away for one of those many child-centered activities that lend themselves to something easier and quicker for time’s sake (takeout) which also leads to waste for all of the obvious reasons. Sure, the answer may seem simple: cut out the child-centered lifestyle… BUT I don’t want to cut out all of those things that I do so well and love so much that are so much a part of today’s stay-at-home-mom!! There HAS to be a way to balance these things, and I am determined to find it, figure out it’s combination, and un-lock it for myself and anyone else who cares to know the value and cloud-nine (I imagine) feeling that MUST accompany the implementation of both such roles in your life as mother, wife – jack of all trades: mommyhood!... Wish me luck!
I myself haven’t had a “real” job in many years – oh, besides the full-time “job” of caring for three children, three dogs, two guinea pigs, one handsome hubby that I adore which includes but is not limited to the preparation of countless meals at least three times a day with numerous snacks in between, homeschool “teachering”, chauffeuring the two older children to the many activities that I feel they NEED to have for social development, self-improvement, and my own gratification knowing that I am providing them MUCH more than I ever had in my own childhood while the little one trots along happily in tow; and of course, one must not forget the many extra duties that qualify me to call myself a “military wife” that have become more second nature and expected than anything else, though my non-military wife friends seem to view these extra duties as astronomical and daunting to say the least… Not to pat myself on the back and revel in my own self-glory avoiding that these things never seem a little much even for me, but more so to give realization to and acceptance that all of these things and more are all just a part of what makes me the mom and the wife that I am and represents what it is that IS my life – a life that I happen to love profusely and wouldn’t trade for anything in this world! Needless to say (but I will anyway ;) that I view the role of a mother and/or wife in very high regard right up there with any “real” job out there and beyond. At the same time, I have a great respect for all GOOD mothers, whether they work or are fortunate or capable enough to stay at home. Whatever the situation and whatever works for you, if you’re a GOOD mom – kudos to you, my hat is off.
Back to my pondering that recent read… I found so much truth (even in the parts disguised by humor) in so many of the points in this book that it really made me take a step back to look at my own life. Here’s one very fine example that was pointed out in the book about the “housewife” of the 50’s vs. the “stay-at-home-mom” of today: children used to trail behind their mothers following them to all of their many tasks and errands and chores performed throughout their daily lives – children took a back seat to what it was that their mothers needed to do and were HAPPY to do it and never questioned or even explored the thought that they themselves should come first and/or be put above all else! Nowadays mothers cater to their children’s every whim, chauffeuring them (as I admittedly do myself) to their many activities while letting their own needs or errands or chores go to the wayside… After all, who WOULD rather sit there folding clothes and matching socks (THAT NEVER SEEM TO MATCH! Darn that “sock thief” that lives in my dryer!!) than take little Johnny to practice or little Miss Suzie-Q to the sweetest (funniest, most-entertaining, sometimes embarrassing and mildly frustrating) ballet class?? I tell you, WHO?! Who are YOU, because we need to meet and chat – maybe even learn a thing or two from each other!
BUT here’s the thing: I really do want to better model myself after BOTH the housewife of the 50’s AND the stay-at-home-mom of today even equally, if possible. I want to be that super-efficient, one-step-ahead housewife that has everything orderly and knows (without using a book as a reference) the ins and outs of how to do EVERY household chore and when to do them all the while having a running menu and grocery list in my head that will complement each meal into the next, meaning that I don’t have the ingredients for seven different dinner meals that don’t complement each other at all and therefore cannot be incorporated into the next day’s meal in any means which leads to either leftovers that almost NEVER get eaten, or foods that go bad because they were never prepared… I would also like the TIME to cook all of these meals without being pulled away for one of those many child-centered activities that lend themselves to something easier and quicker for time’s sake (takeout) which also leads to waste for all of the obvious reasons. Sure, the answer may seem simple: cut out the child-centered lifestyle… BUT I don’t want to cut out all of those things that I do so well and love so much that are so much a part of today’s stay-at-home-mom!! There HAS to be a way to balance these things, and I am determined to find it, figure out it’s combination, and un-lock it for myself and anyone else who cares to know the value and cloud-nine (I imagine) feeling that MUST accompany the implementation of both such roles in your life as mother, wife – jack of all trades: mommyhood!... Wish me luck!
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