Holidays Are Almost Done

Well, we managed to make it through Christmas. We didn't go anywhere like my Husband had originally wanted which was a good thing because we didn't have the money to spare to go anywhere and still get presents for the kids. So we did manage to get a little extra money to get presents for our two girls and the family and friend's kids. As long as the kids got something that's all that mattered. We don't care if we get anything. It's the kids that can do with the presents rather then us. I have gotten a little bit progress with my aprons that I was making for me and my oldest daughter. But I have been slowing down a little bit because I am running low on thread. I have slacked a little on my housework, but have tried to keep up a little bit over Christmas. My brother-in-law tried to tell me that I wasn't supposed to do any dishes or work on Christmas. I tried to tell him that I needed to do dishes if I was going to be doing any cooking for supper. He tried to argue that I wasn't supposed to work on Christmas, it just wasn't right. So I turned it around and told him that if I wasn't supposed to work then I didn't have to cook supper. Then he decided it was fine for me to do things. Since we didn't have the turkey we had thawed out for Christmas I made baked chicken with mashed potatoes. But we had it thawed out the next day, so we had the turkey the day after Christmas. I managed to do better with this turkey then I did on Thanksgiving. The one I made here the day after Christmas was the perfect golden brown and just falling apart. Not dried out or anything. I was proud of myself. I am hoping to get caught up with all the house work again here sometime soon. Then maybe I can slow down a little again and enjoy at least a slight amount of down time. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I hope that everyone has a great New Year as well.

Smell of Pie

Today was a semi productive day. I did get my dishes washed as usual, cleaned the counters and swept. So I got most of the kitchen done. I had to do a little rearranging with my 5 year old's books today. My 8 month old is pulling herself up to the shelf with the books and pulling them down. So I got them up higher so she couldn't reach them. I don't mind her playing with books. But the ones with regular pages she will just rip into pieces anyway. Today while I was in the kitchen I took some apples that we had at the house here that needed to be used and made a pie with them. This is only the second apple pie that I have made in my life. I had found a recipe for a Dutch Apple Pie. So I decided to make it. As far as the Husband and his brother have said I did good. Tomorrow is when I am going to make a pumpkin pie using my grandma's pumpkin pie spice recipe. So I am hoping that turns out as well. But everyone else in the house is asleep, so I should shut things down for tonight and curl up on the couch and go to sleep. My Husband fell asleep on the couch watching a movie tonight and I can't sleep in the bed without him. Our couch is one of those corner sectional ones. So I am going to sleep on the other section from him with my head by his. We'll see if he wakes up at some point. Sometimes he does and we go to bed, but sometimes he doesn't. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Anyhoo...I need to get some sleep myself if I am going to get any cleaning done tomorrow and get that pie made and some cookies too.

Catch Up

Well I think today was kind of a catch up day. I kind of let things around here slide this last weekend. I was trying to spend some much needed time with the Husband. It was just me, him and the kids this weekend. So I didn't have to compete for his attention from his brother or his friends or anyone. Don't get me wrong, I think it's good for him to spend time with his family (even the one that lives with us), and his friends. But there are times when we are supposed to spend time together and he ends up running around with his friends or his brother or someone. Something almost always comes up with someone else that makes him have to leave when we are supposed to be spending time together. So I enjoyed the little bit of time that we actually spent together this weekend. We really don't get that much time together. So as I mentioned, I kind of let things slide around here. So the kitchen looked horrid, and the livingroom/diningroom didn't look much better. It didn't help that while the baby was sleeping I drug out everything to get presents wrapped. So I had all that stuff strewn all over the place too. But I got my butt moving today and got the kitchen pretty well cleaned up. Counters cleaned off, floor swept. Got the livingroom/diningroom picked up and vacuumed. The house went from horrid mess, to not so bad. So I think I did pretty good myself for catching up that much in one day. So it went over good in my opinion anyway. Now it's time to feed the army and clean up at least a little after they all get done (everyone eats at different times). Then it should be a little chill time before it's lights out and then up to do it another day.

Progress

Well it's been a long day or two. Things with the homemaking are going okay. Not super great, but okay. Which is fine for me. Becoming a Homemaker is something that you can't do just over a night or two. It takes time. I have been getting the dishes done and the kitchen swept at the very least every day. I am making some decent progress on my apron as well. Plus my daughter wanted me to make one for her too. So I am actually making 2 aprons at the moment. It's amaizing what you can do with the fabric of old clothing. That's what I am using to make the aprons. I am using parts from old clothes that don't fit us anymore and fabric from a comforter that fell apart. They're not perfect, but I think they're turning out well considering I am a beginner at sewing and I don't have a sewing machine, so this is all being done by hand. My husband has been a little better the last day or so. He is a little less distant than he has been. I like it that he is getting better too. I hope he continues on the track he is on. Today will be interesting. I am going to try and make a chicken in a crockpot. We have a couple of frozen chickens in the freezer that my father-in-law gave to us. So I am going to try and cook one in the crockpot today. I found a recipe that I am hoping goes well. With something like this I don't want to go all free style with still learning to cook. I don't want to make my family sick and I don't really want to completely mess up a whole chicken. But as of right now things are going okay. I am hoping that they continue to improve. Both my skills and everyone's mood as well.

Are You A Stepford Wife

Congratulations! You are a blue-ribbon,
www.Stepfordwives.org-certified Stepford Wife. Self-fulfillment in life for you is to serve man.

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Desperate Housewife

Well I took this quiz on which Desperate Housewife I am. I got Lynette. Which for the most part does fit I guess. The part that fits the most is that I am too wrapped up in taking care of others rather then taking the time to take care of me. I don't really set aside time for me. I am hell bent on making sure that I have everyone else taken care of first. Then at the end of the day, after everyone else is taken care of, there really isn't time for me. It's about time to crash out for the night. Last night was a night of sleeping on the couch for me. No I didn't do anything wrong. My Husband was watching a movie last night lying on the couch. Well, he ended up falling asleep. So I shut the TV off, shut down the computer, made sure his phone was charging, set the alarm on mine so I could get up in time to get him up for work, turned on the baby monitor, grabbed and extra blanket and went to sleep on the other section of the couch. It's one of those corner sectional couches. So my head was up by his. That is how I spent the night. I know I could have gone to bed, but honestly I really can't. I have a hard time sleeping without him there next to me. So I wouldn't have gotten even less sleep trying to go to bed in the bedroom. But I made sure that everything was ready and everything so that way when it was time for him to get up for work I wouldn't be running around this morning to work on it. The thing is, this morning he was talking about me going back to where my dad lives and his friends live and visiting everyone there, just me and the girls. He will more then likely have to work this weekend. But the thing about it is, we really can't afford for me to go visit everyone. If we have the extra money to get me and the girls there, then I would rather use the money to get the girls some presents for Christmas. As of right now, we have no presents for them from us, or from Santa. So if he is willing to spend the money to send us there, then why not pass up on going back to the hometown and get gifts for our own kids so they can have something to open on Christmas day? That would make more sense to me. Honestly it feels like he is more worried about his friends and stuff back home. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to visit everyone. But when he sends just me and the girls, I have to run around town with two kids by myself to everyone's place so they can see the kids. But I am so busy running around making sure that his friends and what not see them, that I never have time to visit with my friends and hardly see my dad while I am there. So I really don't want to go without him. So if he has to work this weekend and wants to spend the extra money that we can't afford to spend, then I say we spend it on the kids, rather then running around trying to visit everyone back home. But that's just my opinion I guess. But I suppose I should get something done today. Work on this house some more. I am making good progress on it to me anyway.

The Challenge Of Life

Since I got up this morning to make sure everything was ready for my Husband to get ready for work, I could tell it was going to be one of those days. There was just something that I could feel in my mind and gut that told me today was going to be a challenge. But that's what life it about, right? Challenges. But I have to hold my head up high and do what I have to do to make it through. When I turned on the TV this morning for my daughter to watch cartoons before school, I noticed that the satellite was shut off. So we have no TV anymore. Just movies now. But maybe that is a blessing in disguise. Maybe that will help us to do more together as a family rather then sit on our butts watching the TV. Maybe we could play one of the many Monopoly games that we own. My Husband has a thing about collecting Monopoly games. So we have a few different versions of the game. I am to transfer about $50 into my brother-in-law's account so he can put gas in his pickup, even though we don't have much money left really either. And what we do have has to get my Husband back and forth to work till the 1st when he gets paid again. Plus we still have not been able to get anything for the girls for Christmas. But at the very least I picked up a little candy. So that way they can have something in their stockings at the very least. But then, as I said, it's just one of those challenges of life I guess. I just have to keep a positive mind. Remind myself that everything will be fine and work out in the end. Today will just be a good day to work on this house really hard and get a lot done. There won't be the distraction of TV to sidetrack me. I just need to keep from getting side tracked with this, the computer and internet. But I can do it! Keep positive, stay motivated, don't let the mind worry. Everything will work out in it's own way. All I need to do is keep myself happy and positive and that will help in keeping the family happy and positive. Wash dishes, vacuum, wash a load of clothes, sweep, figure out an idea for supper and then I should have time to work on my apron today even. I just need to wake up first. My 8mo old daughter was up off and on all night last night, so I didn't get a lot of sleep. Maybe I can get her down for a nap after I drop my other daughter off at school and do my workout DVD. That might wake me up. Besides I need to get back into doing that when everyone is at work. I am self conscious working out in from of other people, even my husband. I always have this thought in my head that they are judging me or are going to make fun of me. I don't like that. So I just do it when everyone else is at work and it's just me or me and the kids.

A Successful Day So Far

Okay, so today has been a successful day so far. I got my errands done in town that I needed to. Talked to the lady at the bank without breaking down into tears. So I would say that went well. I did the little bit of grocery shopping done that I needed to do. Picked up some candy canes and a couple bags of candy for stocking stuffers. I want to at least be able to have something in the girls' stockings. After everything has gone through the account though, there really isn't enough left to get the girls Christmas presents and get gas for my Husband to get back and forth to work. So I am not sure how it's going to go on Christmas morning this year. But as my Husband always tells me all the time. Everything will work out somehow. So I am trying not to worry. I did get the tree put up today. I left the candy canes and the star for my 5 year old to put on. She was so happy and excited to put them on the tree. Now it's down to doing the dishes, finishing the laundry for the day and deciding on what to make for supper. I have been searching around to find recipes for something different to make. That is one thing that I am working on improving, my cooking skills. I was never really taught how to cook when I was younger. So I am kind of learning as I go now. I had the few things I knew how to make that I made all the time. Well, needless to say, my Husband and his brother are getting tired of the same things all the time. So I am trying to make different things. I have had ups and downs on the experimenting, but that's how it goes. But I should get going for now. Figure out what I am making for supper and wake up my Husband from his nap so he doesn't stay up all night.

Made It Through

Well yesterday went okay. I did manage to get some housework done, which is good. I really can't be slacking on that. I made a cake for my brother-in-law, and even made homemade frosting for it. The little store down the block didn't have any frostings that anyone here would eat. So I looked into making my own. I also made Chicken Dumpling soup for supper. For some reason it turned out more like stew then soup, but it worked. When my husband got home, the only thing he said about it was I should have added a little more water or something. But everyone lived. When it came to them trying the cake with my first time homemade frosting I was nervous. I had never made my own frosting before and to me it didn't look quite right when I was done and spread it on the cake. But my husband, who is the pickiest eater in the house said I did a good job. So I was happy about that. Today I have to run some errands in town after I drop my daughter off at school. I am not looking forward to talking to the one lady at the bank. My husband wants me to talk to her about seeing if we can skip the one loan payment this month. We are tight on money right now and every little bit helps. But I am not good at talking to people about things like that. So I am sure that I will tear up when I am talking to her about it. But if we can't I am not sure if we will be able to get ANY presents for our girls. I would like to be able to get them at least one a piece. But after I get home I am going to work on helping get the house in a little better spirits. I am finally allowed to decorate for Christmas today. My husband is not a big Christmas fan, so he said we had to wait to decorate till after his brother's birthday, which was yesterday. So today is the day that I can decorate. But I am going to have to end this post for now. I have to finish getting my daughter ready for school and get the other one and me ready to go into town. Wish me luck and I will post again later when I get a chance.

Slow Day

For anyone who read the previous post you know that things kind of went downhill last night after my husband got home from work. Well, my mood from yesterday kind of carried through to today. Plus my husband was a little snippy with me when he woke up this morning. Then calls me after he was on his way to work to tell me that I need to make a cake today for my brother-in-law. It's his birthday today. Yes I understand that it's his birthday and it's nice to get a cake and all. But this year no one here made me a cake. My mom came down to visit me and the girls and bought an already made cake the day after my birthday. Then last year there was no cake at all. The one that was supposed to be one of my best friends that was living with us at the time, didn't even remember my birthday till late that night after someone said something about it. That really hurt. So I am not in the best of moods today. With everything that has been going on lately, and the way I have been treated the past few days, I am basically in a depressed mood. So I am going to admit that I might not get much done today with the house. I am just not in the mood to do much today. I know, I know, part of being a good homemaker is to suck it up, put on a happy face and move on with the day. But I will admit that I am an emotional person. I cry easy even if I don't let people see it. My feelings can get hurt easy. I mean, I bust my butt every day all day long working on the house, taking care of the kids and doing just about everything that my husband and brother-in-law ask. And what do I get? My husband trying to act like a big man in front of his dad joking that our daughter listens about as well as her mother (she wasn't listening well that day). I know he wasn't meaning to be serious that I don't listen to him, but it still hurt to be told that I don't do what I am asked and don't listen when I do everything that is asked of me (withing reason). My husband used to notice when I would do a thorough cleaning of parts of the house and tell me that I did a good job and the house looks nice. But lately it's just snippy remarks and bad sarcasm and seeming almost as though he's been avoiding me. I don't like it. It makes me feel like I am doing something wrong. That I am messing up all the time somehow, in one way or another, or that I'm not doing a good enough job. I am going to try and suck it up and get more things done today, but I am not making any promises. I feel like crying right now honestly. But that's life I guess. I should get off here though and attempt to get something done today. Figure out what to make for supper and all.

End of the First Day

Well it's now the end of the first day. Apparently I didn't exactly do very well. It was a long day. I did the best I could at the time. I got all dishes washed. Pretty much all the clothes washed, and I was going to make supper, but that ended up not happening. My brother-in-law that lives with us went into town today. So I asked him if he could pick up a gallon of milk while he was there. He came back with the milk and a bag of hotwings to cook. So there went my plans for supper. At least I hadn't started cooking yet. That would have made me mad. But I had to figure out something for my 5 year old, since she doesn't like spicy food. My Husband got after me about a few different things after he got home from work today. I had changed our 8mo old daughter and had gotten up to go do something and then went to go to the bathroom. Well apparently I forgot to throw the diaper away. She had crawled over to it and was getting into the diaper and the wipe I had used. My husband hollared at me and then told me what happened. It wasn't a poopy diaper, it was a wet one. Yes, I should have thrown it away right away. But he can't say that he's never forgotten things and scewed up ever. Everyone has. No one is perfect. But I got chewed out about it regardless. I got reminded of other things that I didn't get done that I was asked to do, "If I Had Time". Well I was working my butt off working on the whole rest of the house, so I didn't really have time. I didn't even really get to spend any time with my husband aside from sleeping next to each other, and even that wasn't the whole night. After my husband got home from work, he ate, then went and sat by the comp. His brother was on Craig's list looking at vehicles, and he was right there beside him pretty much the rest of the night. That and it was a fight to get our 8 mo old to sleep last night. After we went to bed, she decided to wake up a couple of times throughout the night. So I barely even got to spend time with my husband while sleeping. Sometimes, us homemakers just aren't appreciated. Let's hope this could better the next day. But I should go for the night. It's getting late. Will post more tomorrow.

The Start Of the Change

Okay, this is the first post in this blog and will be a short one as I have alot to do today. I know there are alot of blogs out there of the Susie Homemaker and the Vintage wife. Things like that. Well I am going to add another one to the mix. I am begining my journey into becoming a Susie Homemaker. I have a wonderful husband and 2 wonderful girls and I would like to be a better Homemaker for them all. I would like to be able to keep a clean house, take care of my daughters better, and be a better cook. Basically be an all around better wife and mother. So I have joined a couple of groups online and am working on creating my Home Management Binder and am doing my best at going through the transformation into a true housewife. I am a beginner at pretty much everything. I am a beginner cook and a beginner at sewing as well. I don't have a sewing machine, so any sewing that I attempt right now is all by hand with needle and tread. I have made a pillow out of recieving blankets, but the fabric started to come apart in the wash. The sewing stayed together. So I apparently did a decent job at sewing, but the fabric decided to start to come apart. So needless to say my 5 year old that I gave the pillow to wasn't very happy. She was upset that her pillow fell apart. Maybe one of these days I will be able to repair it and keep it together. But for now, my new sewing project if I ever have time is going to make an apron. Not sure how it will go and how much grief my Husband will give me, but I am going to give it a try when I have time. But I do need to get going and working on the house work. I need to get a thorough top to bottom cleaning done on this house, so I can make an actual cleaning schedule. Then maybe have time to do other things throughout the day. Wish me luck, I am off to work on the house cleaning!