Finally getting into a routine!

Today is Monday, and I'm finally getting into a good routine now that the kids are back in school. Thursday and Friday I made sure to put on makeup, styled my hair, and wore decent clothes. I refuse to wear junkie clothes into public ever again. A shopping trip yesterday confirmed my feeling of that. Everyone seemed to be wearing sweats, pajamas, or really low cut and saggy pants. It was almost as if they had given up. I, on the other hand, felt like I was walking a little taller. I didn't have anything more than mascara and lipstick, and my hair was twisted into a bun, but I looked pulled together. I had planned on posting pics of my look this weekend but I just acquired a new phone and haven't had all of my pics transferred over yet.

On to another part of my new routine. I've always made my bed when the family left in the morning (husband is still stirring in bed when I climb out), but I've added more to my ritual. Every morning, once I've made my bed, applied my makeup, and done my hair I collect the laundry throughout the house and get a load going. This has kept me from being swamped by the ever breeding dirty clothes. I also make sure to do all the dinner dishes and shine my sink per the Flying Lady's method before I go to bed. When I wake up there is no mess to get in my way while I make my morning coffee. If I didn't fix husband's lunch while making dinner I make it while the kids are getting ready for school. I'm getting ready to add to my routine, and I'm really feeling confidant and motivated!

On a side note, I went shopping today. I bought a couple of vintage items to add to my collection and can't wait to wear them! There's only a couple of dresses, a handbag, some scarves, etc, but they make me feel like such a lady.

Okay, that's it for today. Have a great day!!!

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.