Adding to my wardrobe, thrift shopping, and zucchini bread

I registered my kids in high school today. My daughter is a sophomore and my youngest son is a...*gasp*...senior. And to answer your question, yes, I totally got emotional! My babies are growing up way too fast! Where in the world did the time go? What happened to filling cartoon character and superhero backpacks full of all those cutesy school supplies? *sigh*

After registering the monkeys and getting the boy's hair cut, we shot over to Wal-Mart. I've been slowly adding to my wardrobe, but frankly, buying true vintage can get quite expensive. Soooo, I've been making my own. (someday I'll post Outfit Of The Day). Here's the pattern I bought today:

I don't really have any circle skirts (although I have a couple dresses with the fuller skirts), so I decided to remedy that! I haven't bought the fabric yet, but I promise to post as soon as I find what I want. I'll probably make a few at one time so I have a good variety.

Now, I should totally be fabric hunting, but instead, I'm utilizing the last of my zucchinis for the summer. (I got sick for over a week and my squash and zucchini plants died since no one was taking care of them!) I currently have loaves 3 and 4 in the oven.

Yep, four loaves of zucchini bread from one zucchini! Once those are cooled I'll make some more and pop them in the freezer. How awesome will it be on cool autumn days or days when the kids and I are snowed in to run out and grab some comfort food straight from our freezer? Of course, I made these loaves wearing one of my sweet aprons. (Man, I really need to start taking some more pics!)

On another note, my mom and I took the kids thrift store shopping for some school clothes (hate buying a whole new wardrobe because it's hot for the first couple months, and my daughter is growing way too fast to buy anything too far in advance!) Check out this sweet dress I got for about $10!

I know the shoes are hideous, but they're all I have other than black flats, black heels, black knee high boots, and tennis shoes! I REALLY need some flats in different colors and some kitten heels!

That's it for today! I LOVE seeing what you've been adding to your wardrobes! Feel free to share you blogs with me so I can go stalk your pages!

Morals, Values, and the Modern World

Okay, so I wore a dress, hose, and heels in public Wednesday. I then had to work Thursday and Friday (washing dogs for a grooming salon), therefore, I wore ratty jeans, an old T-shirt, and my worst tennis shoes. Trust me when I say there's absolutely no way to dress up at that job. However, Friday was my last day. I was only working part-time for the holidays, both for extra money for my family and to help out the owner of the grooming shop who just happens to be my best friend in the whole world.

Today, I'm currently wearing a pair of pants (not jeans, but not slacks either) and an inside out sweatshirt. I have so much "dirty" work to do I just couldn't stomach the thought of ruining any of my nice clothes. I have yet to purchase or make a sturdy day dress to do my housework, so my work clothes will have to do for now. But, when I've finally obtained the sturdy feminine wear, I will be wearing them, even when I'm only writing. (Did I mention I'm an author and work from home?)

Several times now I've attempted the old school hairstyles. I've learned a couple things from these attempts - women kept their hair shorter because it takes forever to style, and women only washed their hair a couple times a week because it takes forever to style! I don't own curlers so I've had to use a curling iron. I recently bought sponge rollers, but after ten hours my damp hair was still damp. I had no desire to sleep in those things, so I rolled my hair and pinned them. Unfortunately, I twisted the hair while rolling it and it came out looking very 80s hair band video. The hair went into a braid for the day, but at least it was more than my daily pony tail. Yep, I wear my hair in a pony tail every day, whether my hair is long or short, or it's hot or cold outside. I don't generally wear makeup because, well frankly, I usually only see the dog, chickens, and iguana throughout the day. My thought process was 'who cares?', but I realized something....I should care. I should care how I look to both myself and my wonderful husband. After he works ten to twelve hours a day doesn't he deserve to come home to a clean house, a hot, home cooked meal, and a beautiful, pulled together wife?

I've seen so many comments on that old Good Housekeeping article, you know the one, where women ridiculed this thought process. Why? Wasn't part of the women's suffrage that we should be able to choose whether we wanted to work or not? Why is my choice to serve my husband and make sure I'm the one raising my kids instead of a daycare considered bad, antiquated, and less of a woman? I'm fully aware it's not always possible for a woman to stay at home, I was one of them after my divorce, but if both parents don't have to work, why shouldn't you have the joy of knowing you instilled your values and your morals into your child instead of letting the world dicate who they'll become?

Okay, so today is Saturday, Christmas is Tuesday. Starting....tomorrow (remember, I have a lot of dirty work today) my face and hair will be done, and I will be wearing clothes not fit for a mechanics shop. I will strive to be more like the 1950s wife we all have read about, and some have ridiculed me. No, this isn't an experiment, rather a way to improve our lives as a family.

Being the Change I Want To See

I've been thinking about starting this blog for a while. I don't know what I'm hoping to get out of it; maybe it's nothing more than a way to hold myself accountable, or maybe it's because I'm hoping for some cheerleaders and partners in the change I'm wanting to make.

Here's the deal - This world is a mess. Violence is as normal to our everyday life as, say, drinking coffee. Even the disgusting, horrible tragedy in Newtown Connecticut has become a market, a way for celebrities and politicians to voice their opinion. Our society applauses immorality, nudity, and violence (whether they're willing to admit it or not) and despise those of us who choose to spend our lives raising our children and serving God, our husbands, and our community.

I've been a work at home/stay at home mom for a couple of years, but I haven't embraced the role as I should. I've become a lover of the world. Every day I see women AND men walking around with the behinds hanging out. Boys (and grown men) wear their pants so that we see their underwear. Women wear shirts so low one sneeze will expose their entire chest. No...I'm not a prude. I like a fart joke, toilet humor, and a good action flick as much as the next person. But we have become a society of slobs. We no longer teach morals and values to our children. They have no pride in how they look, nor do they feel they have to work hard to be the best - society tells them there are no winners or losers.

Here's one example of the common attire of our society:

How about this shopper:

When did this become acceptable? When did it become okay to let your rear end hang out? I was raised to cover myself, to make sure my "private parts" weren't visible.

What happened to this?

These women were sexy, they dressed with class, they cared about their appearance.

I am in no way saying we should obsess over our appearance. Trust me, there are many, MANY days when I leave my house without makeup. Unfortunately, I have also began to leave the house in my pajamas, or dirty clothes and disheveled hair. How can anyone take me seriously or have respect for me when I'm showing I don't have respect for myself?

I'm fully aware this blog is a bit rambling, but I have so much to say. Here's the point of this blog - I'm going to put my money where my mouth is. I will no longer leave my house looking like a slob. I will wear clean clothes in good condition, even wearing skirts or dresses when appropriate. Our grandmothers only wore skirts and dresses in public, why can't we? Okay, I won't be doing that often, but that's because I don't own very many.

I will also take on my role as mother and housewife with self-respect, striving to keep a clean home, keep the laundry from constantly getting backed up, and the refridgerator well stocked with healthy food and snacks. I'm determined to become as close to a fifties housewife as possible.

Will anyone join me?