All kinds of new things this year!

Last year, I neglected this poor blog entirely too much. And I apologize. Every year I write goals for myself, not resolutions, attainable goals. One of this year's goals is to update this page more often and find some awesome content for y'all!

As for the changes and goals for this year? Last year, I attended quite a few conventions and book signings. While I still intend on doing a few, I only plan on doing one that is not local and that will be CIL-Con in Mattoon, IL.Otherwise, I'm going to stick closer to home this year. Why, you ask?

My husband and I have decided to become foster parents. I'd done it in the past, but my license expired about two or three years ago. We'll be going through the classes starting this spring. We've chosen to do elevated needs, which can also be considered special needs. Since I've raised my own special needs kids, as well as worked with both special needs adults and kids, we feel extremely comfortable and confident. While previously I'd chosen to work with the teens, this time, we're focusing on newborns through six years old. Because I still have two teens, I didn't want the risk of any accusations or hardships on my own kids.

The only thing making me nervous is making sure I have everything we need. A lot of these kids come with little to nothing. I already found a toddler car seat, but I still need an infant seat, a booster seat, a crib, and some varying sizes of clothing in case they come with nothing. I'm extremely excited, and extremely nervous.

As far as my professional career, I still plan on writing. I figure I wrote when I watched four toddler boys, I can write with little ones living here. I put out my sixth book on December 30th and plan on putting out at least three more books this year. At least, that's my goal. I also plan on becoming better at marketing myself. I'm excellent at marketing for anyone else; time to work for myself just as hard. So, having said that, I'll be including links to my books on this blog, as well as my website, www.clparks.net.

That's all I have for you today, but keep your eyes open for new posts on cooking, cleaning, and being a housewife. After all, that is my primary job and I'm damn proud of it.

Day 2 - Why did I decide to do this again?

Day 2 started out fine. Got up, got the kids fed and off to school, then went about doing dishes and other housework. Because I've decided to take on the traditional role I went about with my feather duster making sure there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere, fluffing pillows, refolding sofa throws.

I didn't want to listen to the same ten songs again, so I turned on some Christmas music and danced along as I cleaned. What a great mood, what a great day! Ha! That is until I decided to clean my daughter's room. Let me give you a little background here; my daughter is fourteen but only has the mentality of a six or seven year old. When I tell her to clean her room that means she shoves as much as she can under her bed, in her closet, under her dressers, etc.

On with the story. As of last night there wasn't a single sock left in the laundry room - all laundry was caught up. Again...HA! After cleaning the darling daughter's room I ended up with FIVE HAMPERS full of dirty clothes from all over her room. That doesn't even include the summer clothes she hid that I still have to pack away, nor the trash I pulled out of some very interesting places.

Nonetheless, I'm Mommy Dearest this week. Wait, maybe that's not someone I should claim to be.

Whatever. I stretched a smile on my face, no matter how much it hurt to do so, and finished the room, and am now waiting for yet another load to finish washing and drying so I can put the clothes away. *sigh*

I ended up using the good old coffee maker instead of another failure with the percolator. I didn't sleep much and caffeine was much needed today. My knees are killing me, my feet are throbbing, my back aches...I can't imagine doing all this without my washer, dryer, vacuum cleaner, Swiffer duster. Oh, yes. My darling Swiffer duster.

I don't like using paper products (um, other than toilet paper, of course) so I make my own Swiffer covers. How appropriate that this pad has dog prints all over it. Do you realize how much hair I've cleaned up in the last few days? I mean, I always clean my house, but a good 50s housewife always made sure her home was spotless. I have no idea how they did that with toddlers at home, but I digress.

It was time to go to the grocery store. I made a promise to myself to stay as genuine as possible, and women in that day and age too pride in how they looked when they were in public, so it was off to slip this bad girl on:

You would think something so simple would be comfortable. You would think wrong. I don't know if my waist is lower than the original owner of this dress (this is an actual vintage dress), but I couldn't raise my arms and, with a belt, it was too snug. Anyway, here I go...

I assumed I would get looks...and I assumed correctly. Oh, you think I'm bluffing?

Yep, that's me picking out some bacon to go with my homemade potato soup. I opted for my usual purse instead of the pearl covered vintage hand bag. Really didn't want to have to hold on to it all night. Notice the cool updo? It was really easy, in case you're wondering. Pull your hair into a ponytail (I pulled my hair into a low pony), then separate the hair just above the rubber band and thread the whole ponytail. Just do that over and over again until there's just a little hair left and bobby pin what's left.

Anyway, as I was saying....everyone stared and the girls at the pharmacy started cracking up the second I walked in. They know me fairly well (I'm in there several times a month) so I let them off the hook. Once I got home, though, I stripped off the dress and changed into something more comfortable, yet a little more appealing to the husband's eyes than a grubby t-shirt.

Cute fitted, lower cut shirt, jeans, and flats. I even donned some pink pearls to go with it. After changing, it was time to make dinner like the good wife/mom I am. What housewife would be caught dead cooking without a precious apron.

Seriously, how cute is that baby! It's a vintage apron/pinny I found on Ebay sometime last year. I'm actually peeling potatoes in this pic. I know, I rock! lol

All in all, today was a little better than yesterday, especially since I realized I was going about it all the wrong way. Instead of focusing on the perfection we think of/romanticize about when we think of the 1950s housewife, I chose to focus on the importance of making my family happy, healthy, and comfortable.

I already live the life of a traditonal housewife, soooo.....

Why not do a 50s housewife experiment? I think we need to lay out some game plans before we start. Here's what the "rules" were of the time and how they will be altered in my home:

Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.

- I already do this, but for the experiment I will stick to cooking from scratch and use very little, if any, prepared foods.

Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

- I don't know about putting a ribbon in my hair, but I will follow this one.

Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

- I assume they meant happy, or I'm sure there would've been some very happy men in the 50s!

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the tables.

- Definitely something I need to stick to.

During the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering to his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

- Already do this.


*  Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet.
- As our kids are teenagers they're usually doing their own thing anyway. However, I will make sure they're cleaned up and presentable, as well as make sure they keep the bickering down.

Be happy to see him.
- Always am, but I think I'll greet him with more than just 'hey'.

Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

- Didn't we cover this already?

Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

- Ha! That's funny! Luckily for me, my husband is an extremely supportive person and has never subscribed to the whole caveman mentality!

Don't greet him with complaints and problems.

- Yeah, yeah. Got it.

Don't complain if he's late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through at work.

- If he's out all night he better have a really good reason for it. Did women really look the other way when men came home in the middle of the night reeking of women's perfume?

Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or lie him down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

A good wife always knows her place.

- I'll just comment on these four as a whole. I got it. I'm the wife, he's the husband. Make him comfortable and happy, yada yada.

Yes, that's really me.

On to the daily aspects of my day to day life:

- I WILL still use my vacuum cleaner. I have two dogs, a cat, a very large lizard, three kids, and I have a head full of very long hair. The vacuum is a necessity.

- I will forgo my automatic coffee maker for my beautiful vintage percolator. (suddenly I feel tired.)

- I WILL still use my washer and dryer. I have three teenagers, two of them boys. Clothes get dirty FAST here!

- There is no way I can walk to the stores. I live in the country, so I couldn't get the shopping done in time to be home for the kids.

- I will NOT be getting up before my husband to make him breakfast; husband gets up at 4:30 in the morning and I have issues with sleep as it is. However, I will set the coffee maker for him, have breakfast premade for him in the refrigerator, and I already make his lunch for him every day.

- Now, I will be getting up a little earlier than I already do so I can make sure I'm cleaned up, dressed, hair and makeup done, and cook breakfast for my darling monkeys.

- I don't own a dishwasher so I'll still be doing dishes by hand.

- I will make a menu weekly and fight to stick to it.

- I do plan on following the traditional wife's daily and weekly cleaning schedule, with the exception of spending an entire day on laundry, then ironing.

- Facebook, Internet surfing, text messaging, and Iphone use will be limited to updating this experiment and blogging. If you want to talk to me you need to call me. If you email or text me you need to include a mailing address so I can respond by mail. My phone will stay on as I have a special needs child whom I need to make sure can reach me in case of an emergency, and my family live all over the place and will need to contact me. However, I will limit my use of the phone outside of the home to emergencies only. If I don't answer I'm not home. If it's an emergency call back or text me the problem.

- No time suckers like television. I don't really watch tv with the exception of Sunday nights (The Walking Dead) and Wednesday nights (Revolution). I do tend to keep the tv on throughout the day for background noise, so I will stick to the radio/ipad and try to listen to as much 40s/50s music as possible. (My inventory isn't that large)

- If the husband/family is watching television I will find other things to do such as darning socks, mending clothes, sewing, quilting, or other housework.

- I will wear a dress or skirt as much as possible. I don't own an extensive wardrobe, so I will save the "cuter" outfits for errand running.

- There is NO WAY IN HELL I will make the traditional meals of the 50s! Have you seen those gelatin molds?

- I will attempt to host at least one get together with a friend or a small group of friends and play the good hostess.

That's all I can think of for the moment. I haven't quite decided exactly how long I'll attempt this experiment, as I just never know what the universe will throw my way. I can't see this changing my life all that much as I already stay home, clean, and cook all day long. lol But, the distractions of the Internet and Facebook have always been something that gets in the way. Yeah, I know it's totally up to me to walk away from these things, but COME ON! Anyone who plays on the computer knows how addictive it can be!

So there it is. I'm HOPING to start tomorrow, although I haven't really done much preparation. Hey, the day is young. I can still get things going for husband's breakfast and lunch as well as getting my clothing for the week. Tomorrow I will post my weekly and monthly schedules, as well as photographic proof of my appearance of the day (even if it was major fail). Feel free to join me in this quest.