Changes are in the Air!

I hadn't planned on talking about this, but....I'm officially enrolled in cosmetology school! I start March 13. That's two and a half weeks away and I'm a nervous wreck. I'm wondering if I should chronicle my journey through school after over twenty years after high school or not. Of course, being a writer I have to research everything. So, I've been watching videos, reading blogs, and researching the crap out of this industry. I feel pretty confident I've chosen the right path for my life, and being as my daughter (and youngest child) is starting her senior year in the fall and turning eighteen in the spring, I think it's finally time for mom to find something just for her.

Don't get me wrong; I love being a housewife, but with the daughter always gone at school, basketball practice or games, church, my son always at work or friends, and my husband always at work, pinstriping a hot rod or playing in his band...I tend to be alone a lot. I'm ready to get out in the real world, start a career, make some friends, and enjoy my midlife! lol Yep, that's right. I turned forty in December. Can you believe it? Honestly, I don't feel forty. And hopefully, don't look it, either. (feel free to lie to me if you think I look my age!)

Anyway, that's what's going on in my household. I know I said I was going to try to blog more often, but honestly, I haven't had much to say, yet so much on my plate lately.

I'll let you guys know how school goes. Feel free to send me any questions you might have and I'll do my best to answer them as soon as I have a good reply for you!

Glamorous Housewife or Work at Home Mom?

Or can we be both? I strive daily to look at least presentable to my husband. The Retro Housewife Life once did a blog on this topic, and for the life of me, I can't find it. But the page is still beyond worth looking at. I LOVE Nicole's take on being a housewife.

But, I digress. There was a time when people truly believed we should be almost perfect when our husbands came home from work. Hell, there was even a song written about this topic. When you get a chance, head over to YouTube and listen to Wives and Lovers. In the meantime, here are the lyrics:

Hey, little girl

Comb your hair, fix your make-up

Soon he will open the door

Don't think because

There's a ring on your finger

You needn't try any more

For wives should always be lovers, too

Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you

I'm warning you

Day after day

There are girls at the office

And men will always be men

Don't send him off

With your hair still in curlers

You may not see him again

For wives should always be lovers, too

Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you

He's almost here

Hey,…

The song has been covered by several artists, but my favorite version is by Dionne Warwick. Anyway, while I don't take the words to that song to heart, I have to wonder how much value it has. Of course, any husband who would cheat or leave simply because their overly tired wife isn't donning a pretty dress and perfect hair and makeup doesn't deserve a good wife. But, have we become so comfortable in our marriages we no longer care, that we no longer try?

As I sit here writing this, I'm wearing makeup, have on cute clothes (although not at all vintage. Most of my vintage clothes are for the summer, and frankly, I'm freezing right now), but my hair isn't curled. I let it dry naturally, so my long hair is just kind of hanging down my back. Oh, and I'm not wearing lipstick. Why? Because Loreal's Infallible lipstick is NOT worth the money. It peels and flakes and ended up on my teeth within ten minutes. Grrrr. My favorite is a brand from Sephora, and the dang label is worn off so I can't even tell you what it is.

Man, once again, I've run off on a tangent. Sorry about that. Back to our topic. Looking good for our spouses....or at least making an effort. Yesterday, I had to run some errands and wore nothing more than a sweatshirt and jeans. Did my husband complain? Of course not. But, I'll show you what I would normally look like...

These are two of my favorite go-to outfits.

Even when I have to do housework, I try to at least look somewhat pulled together. It actually has worked to my benefit on more than one occasion when I got an unexpected visitor or had to run out the door on short notice. I'll post a couple more pics, but keep in mind, they look so good because my sister is a professional photographer. But these are a few of my favorite summer time outfits, as well.

This one was taken by Rutster Photography for a calendar shoot I was involved in.

Obviously, the hair takes a little more effort, but if you can get used to sleeping in rollers (I prefer the Pillow Rollers), the next day all you have to do is brush the curls out and shape. Seriously only takes about thirty minutes from start of makeup to end of hair.

The heels? Nope. Those are for pics and special occasions. Because of my arthritic knees and stupid plantar fasciitis, I can only tolerate heels for short periods of time. So, I wear Mary Janes, Saddle back oxfords, or even Chuck Taylor's.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, you don't have to spend a butt load of money or even spend hours to look good for the day. Hell, put on a clean, nice shirt, swipe on some mascara, and brush your hair. You'd be amazed at how your attitude changes for the day.

My Day to Day Schedule

Okay, now that I've posted my cleaning schedule, let's talk about my work schedule. As I said a couple days ago, I'm a writer. Which means, I work from home. Also, I'm recording my books on audio, so I can only do that when everyone is at work or school.

After stressing about never being able to get things done, I decided to make myself a day to day schedule. Now, don't get me wrong - I don't always stick to this one hundred percent. There are days when my mom calls and we head out for some thrift store shopping and breakfast. Or maybe there are unexpected errands that fall on my lap. But, barring unforeseen activities, I've tried really hard to stick to this to ensure there's enough time for everything.

Of course, this schedule won't work for everyone. Maybe you have toddlers that take naps at a certain time. Maybe you work outside the home. Maybe your spouse works from home or you homeschool your little ones. Whatever the case, make a schedule that works for you and stick to it. I've had to, on occasion, set an alarm on my phone to ensure I don't get distracted with one project.

This is the schedule I made on Photoshop and printed out. It's currently hanging in my Cave. (My little space where I work).

It's a little hard to see, but here are the time blocks:

8-9-:30 Walk, Breakfast, and Shower. In this allotted time, I try to walk no less than twenty to thirty minutes. This is also the time I make sure I look somewhat presentable. lol I'm trying to wear makeup daily, but anyone who lives in a colder climate knows how dry it is right now. Between my skin refusing to keep any form of foundation on, and my eyes constantly watering (along with my nose), I've had to adapt my makeup accordingly. (No liquid liner most days)

9:30-10:30 Daily cleaning chore (this goes along with Thursday's cleaning schedule)

10:30-Noon Marketing, Promotion, Emails. Okay, this was is a hard one to stick by because I get messages and calls throughout the day and end up having to run back to my laptop. I'm trying to break myself of it and stick to this time slot, but anyone who works for themselves knows how hard it is to get your name out there.

Noon-12:30 Lunch. Again, hard to stick by because I tend to forget to eat. I'd love to say it's a writer's curse, but I think it's a woman thing!

12:30-3:30 Writing Time! At this chunk, I force myself to sit at my laptop. I might not be able to punch out 3k words, but as long as I'm doing something related to my books, I feel like I've accomplished something. Even if it's editing or plotting.

3:30-5 General Housework. At this point, my daughter has come home from school. I use this time to pick up the house, vacuum, dust, etc. for any rooms not assigned for this day. The deep cleans are saved for their specific day, but daily cleaning is how I keep up on the tornado...I mean, family.

5-7 Dinner and Cleanup. This is prep, cooking, and cleanup for dinner. We sit down at the table every single night for dinner. And since we don't have a dishwasher, all dishes are washed by hand. On the weekends, however, I make the kids take turns doing them to give me a break.

7-Bedtime Family Time!!! This is when we watch TV, movies, talk, etc. It's also shower time for the daughter. Again, I try really hard not to work during this time, but since my husband sometimes works odd shifts, my daughter is on the basketball team and goes to church on Sunday nights, sometimes I'm home alone and use the time to work a little more.

10:30 Bedtime We can all have a good laugh at this one. Okay, sometimes I'm in bed by 10, but I rarely go to sleep before around 11:30. Between reading in bed and mild insomnia, I don't sleep well. Although, I've recently begun taking melatonin and I think it's actually working. I feel like I'm falling asleep sooner and staying asleep longer.

So, there's my daily schedule. Like I said before, this schedule won't work for everyone, but you can adapt it to your lifestyle. It definitely eliminates stress of feeling like there's too much to do and not enough day to do it in.

My Cleaning Schedule

As promised, I'm trying to blog more regularly. Hopefully, I can keep the momentum.

Now, while this schedule works for me, please remember we all have different needs, different families, different lives. If this schedule doesn't work for you, tweek it to your liking. Switch the rooms around. Alternate days. But, make sure you find a schedule.

Before I start, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my favorite tools for housework. (I am not paid for these endorsements. These are actual items in my personal arsenal and I'm willing to post pics to prove it. lol)

I love this duster! It bends so you can use it on your ceiling fans and you just pull the sleeve off and throw it in the washing machine. You can find it here.

I bought the pack of different colors so I could use them for different rooms. I use green in my kitchen, yellow in the bathrooms, and blue is for dusting and polishing all the other rooms. You can find them here.

I used to run a housekeeping company and have used so many different types of vacuums. This is the one I ended up buying years ago and I still love it. I only have carpeting in my bedroom, but I can use it on my hardwood floors to get up the dog hair and dust particles that a dry mop would miss. You can find this here.

Okay, as far as the cleaning detergents, I make my own. I'll post the recipe for it below, but you can always use what you have on hand or your favorite store bought brand.

All purpose Cleaner

-1/2 cup of white vinegar

-Several drops of lavender and pepperment essential oils. You can also use lemon and bergamot if you prefer a citrusty scent

-1 tbs Dawn dish detergent

-Spray bottle

-Enough water to fill the bottle

I use this formula to clean everything, including my mirrors and windows. Used with the microfiber cloths, it won't leave streaking. It smells lovely and cuts through grease and grime as well as any store bought detergent,

On to the schedule:

Monday - Bedroom

Change and wash sheets

Dust all furniture

Make sure all meds and jewelry is put away and no clutter is on the floor

Reorganize the bottom of your closet (where all our shoes get tossed after a long day)

Vacuum/sweep and mop floor

Tuesday - Kitchen

Move all items on counter to the side and deep clean counters

Wipe off top and sides of fridge

Clean out inside of fridge

Wipe down outside of cabinets

Sanitize trash can

Sweep and mop floor

Wednesday - Bathrooms

Scrub down tub and shower walls

Scrub inside of toilet with toilet brush

Sanitize outside of toilet, including the sides near the floor

Remove items from sink and deep clean surfaces

Polish mirrors

Dust any wall decor

Sweep and mop floor

Thursday - Living/Family Rooms

Fluff pillows and fold all blankets

Dust all furniture (use oils is real wood)

Whisk/vacuum under cushions

Clean under sofas (where all the discarded socks and missing pens seem to land)

Sweep/Vacuum and mop floor

Friday - Outside/Office/Misc

Office - Sweep front and back porches (this is where most of the dirt comes from)

Pick up any trash in the yard

Water plants and weed (seasonally)

Office - Clear clutter from desk

Dust desk

Sweep/Vacuum floor

I also use Fridays for groceries and errand running

Saturdays and Sundays I tend to rest a little, but I still keep up on the general messes and dish washing. Since we don't have a dish washer, all dishes are done by hand. On the weekends, I make the kids help with some of the housework, including meal dishes.

So, there's my schedule. I actually got the idea from Nicole over at The Retro Housewife Life. If you haven't already, make sure you check out her darling blog!

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.

Am I JUST a Housewife?

I've come to the conclusion that I'll probably never work outside the home again. Between my daughter needing me accessible 24/7 (people don't want to hire someone with an unreliable schedule) and my inability to drive 15-20 days out of the month, not to mention no marketable skills (other than writing, of course) or formal education, getting a job doesn't seem like it's in the cards. But is it such a bad thing to be a housewife? Someone asked the question here, but no one really had an answer.

On a good day, I fancy myself Donna Reed or Doris Day. I do my hair and makeup, don a dress and apron, and flutter around my house making it beautiful.

It makes me happy. A clean and organized house makes me happy. My family drooling over what I made for dinner makes me happy. But being happy and making my family happy doesn't exactly pay the bills.

Since the day I stopped working outside the home (daycares don't allow teenagers, regardless of their disabilities) I've felt somewhat guilty that I don't contribute financially to our family. Sure, I sell books and even sometimes make more than a few dollars on my royalty checks, but that doesn't exactly keep a house afloat. But is the guilt rational? Is this something I've been ingrained with because of societal demands? What happened to having respect for those men or women who stayed home and ran the household? Why is it when I tell someone I'm a housewife, I immediately follow it up with "but I'm an author, too", as if being a housewife isn't a good enough "job"?

Housekeepers Guide To Saving Money On Cleaning Products....

I have never been apologetic about being a "stereotypical" housewife. No, I don't flutter around the house in my dress and heels, but I do make sure my house is as clean as possible for my family. Lately, though, I've been knocked onto the sidelines by an illness that just does not want to go away. Therefore, I've had some time to do some thinking and researching. Wanna know what I've learned so far?

Here goes:

We'll start with things such as cleaning supplies. Do you know the best place to purchase premade cleaning supplies? The Dollar Store! Yeah, any dollar store, Dollar Tree, 99 Cent Store, whatever is near you. Believe it or not, the price of a cleaning agent will not affect the effectiveness of the product! Trust me on that! The dollar stores are also the best place to save money on things such as personal hygiene items, greeting cards, gift bags and gift wrap. I would skip things like vitamins, though. You want to make sure you get the right balance, otherwise, your body will just dispel what it doesn't need and you're right back to wasting money.


Want another way to save on cleaning products? Make your own! Yep, that simple. I prefer to use things such as vinegar, tea tree oil, or even just plain old Dawn or washing soda to clean with. Baking soda is much better for your surfaces than, say, Comet.

Here's a list of my fave homemade cleaning products:

Liquid Laundry Detergent
1/3 bar of Fels Naptha (Zote or Ivory works well, too. Just nothing with moisturizers in it.)
1/2 C Washing Soda
1/2 C Borax

Grate soap and put in a pan. Add 6 C of water and heat until soap melts. Add washing soda and Borax until dissolved. Remove from heat. Add 4 C of water and stir. Add 1 gallon plus 6 C of water and stir. (16 C = 1 gallon). Let sit for 24 hours. Now, the directions say to use 1/2 C per load, but I tend to use more for my kids clothes. Maybe just a full C. I also use baking soda or vinegar for stinky clothes or sheet. BUT NOT BOTH! lol

Dry Laundry Soap
I don't tend to use dry soap because I can NOT get all the crystals to dissolve. But:

8 C Borax
8 C Washing Soda
2 bars grated Fels Naptha
1 C Pyrex Crystals
Several Drops of essential oil. (the smell doesn't stay after the clothes are washed. If you want the clothes to be fragranced with essential oil, but a few drops on a dry cloth and throw it in the dryer with the clothes)

2 Tbsp per load

Add vinegar to towels or soiled sheets

TIP:
If you line dry your clothes (saves SOOO much money on electricity) use vinegar in the rinse cycle to keep the clothes from getting stiff and crunchy while drying. The smell of the vinegar fades as the clothes dry.

3-1 Household Cleaner
(All purpose, Window/mirror, Air freshener)

1 C White vinegar
2 C water
1 Tbsp dish soap
30 drops of essential oil

I just funnel these ingredients into whatever empty spray bottle I have. I've been using a 409 bottle for years, but you can go purchase a new spray bottle if you'd like and just write or print out a label of what's in the bottle.

TIP:
I tend to use lavender, orange, or lemon in my cleaning products. But recently I started adding peppermint. Over at Housewife How-To's she said peppermint helps to deter mice, ants, and even roaches. I live in the country and I can tell you the peppermint has definitely helped with the ants! Haven't seen one in months!

Household Disinfecting Wipes (reusable)
Mason jar or some sealable glass jar (wide mouthed)
2 C water (distilled preferably)
1 C white vinegar
Your choice of essential oils. My fave is:
15 drops lavender
5 drops lemon
5 drops Tea Tree oil
cut up squares of fabric of your choice. I cut up an old flannel nightgown, but you can use t-shirts, washcloths, etc.

Just put the squares of fabric in the jar, Mix the ingredients in a bowl and pour the cleaner over the cloths. You can just throw the cloth in the wash after each use. No more land fill waste, no more wasted money.

Window Cleaner:
If you're worried about using soap or essential oils on your glass or mirrors just use vinegar and water with a microfiber cloth.


Here are some sites with natural and homemade cleaning products that I love:
Houselogic - This site has a comparison of different laundry detergents and how they worked for her.
Housewife How-To's - She has great money saving tips, cleaning tips (love her book on the 30 days to a clean house), and how to build a schedule among other things!
Keeper of the Home - has a ton of homemade cleaning products, as well as tips on housekeeping, children, cooking, etc.

Do you have a favorite cleaning recipe? I'd love to hear it! Just share it in the comments!

Vintage Cleaning and Household Videos!!!

I guess some of these videos may come off as sexist to some, but at this time in the world it was just normal for the woman to run the home. In fact, the woman was literally the CEO of the home and ensured that everyone's life ran smoothly. It seems to me more and more women are not just dreaming of returning to the life of a vintage housewife, but are doing it. I'm one of them. I've always been proud to call myself a housewife - aka, stay at home mom. 

It's Time For Self Improvement!

I've never been one to subscribe to the New Year/New Me nonsense...but maybe it's not nonsense. Over the past couple of days I've been busy jotting down different goals for myself.

I've compiled the lists into three categories:

Business/Professional Goals - What I will do to grow my Damsel In Defense business
Personal Goals - Things I will do to improve my own life, health, mental, home life, etc
Writing Goals - My career as a writer has slowed down as of late due to health problems and good old fashioned life getting in the way. This will change this year.

I've seen others create dream boards, goal boards, etc.

I've seen some do actual posters, while others are using Pinterest or Tumbler for their boards. I really don't know if I can sum up all my goals on one piece of poster board, nor do I know where I'd post it without it being a total eyesore. lol Being as one of my major goals this year is to continue with the Great Purge of 2014 (guess it's now called the second great purge? Or maybe the Great Purge of 2015?) I really don't want to add more clutter to my home. The only place I truly allow any clutter on the walls is in my Cave - I write in here, do my crafting in here, and have all my goodies from Damsel In Defense in here so I definitely need the creative vibes I get from my The Walking Dead posters. lol

What I'm curious about is how do you keep track of your goals? Have you even listed your goals for 2015? I highly suggested having them written down somewhere, even if it's just a file on your laptop. You need to have something tangible to go back and refer to whenever you feel lost, or can't remember why the hell you work so hard every day.

After the New Year (probably on Friday) I'll share with you my goals for the coming year. They'll more than likely change and/or grow as time goes on. I mean, how vague is lose weight? Or how about get organized? lol Oh, and don't worry, I've been taking pictures of my projects before I get started and as I go along. See y'all next year!

Day 1 - 1950s Housewife Experiment Take 2

This morning started out fairly well. I got up, showered, did my hair and makeup and proceeded to make coffee and breakfast. Promptly after breakfast I got to work. Now, while most housewives of that time generally cleaned about 3 hours (their homes were also smaller than ours) they cleaned every day. Since I've let some of my household chores slide a little this cleaning is taking me all damn day. Did I mention I have three teenagers home from school today and tomorrow?

While I originally started out cleaning the basement to some fabulous Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett records, that eventually ended when the first child decided they wanted to watch TV. Okay, cool. Whatever.  I just proceeded to clean, and finally moved upstairs. Have you ever heard the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I think that title works perfectly for mothers. I seriously can not tell you how many times I cleaned the exact same mess, the exact same room, until I finally exploded. The oldest boy had the audacity to ask me why I was mad. I just glared at him, sweating rolling down my forehead, while he munched away on pizza and dropped crumbs all over the table I had just wiped down and the floor I had just swept.

Deep breath in, deep breath out. I broke my own rule at one point and popped onto Facebook to vent. Mothers who lived in that time assured me it was nothing new. However, my best friend's theory is that mothers were able to beat their kids back then. Either way, I can't see my grandma allowing my mom and uncles to constantly make a mess as she cleaned.

Now, on top of trying to be the perfect vintage housewife around three kids I'm also dealing with a now three-legged cat. She was originally a stray who appeared one day and refused to leave. I really didn't want twenty more barn cats so I had her spayed. Well, either some kind of a predator got a hold of her, or she got into the engine of a car and the car was started. Either way, this is Grace now.

*Grace the Wonder Cat has her own Facebook page if you'd like to keep up with her recovery.*

I don't know if you can tell by this pic but she has massive damage to her right hip and rear end, damage to the left side of her face, cuts along her back, and had her right front leg amputated. So, on top of dealing with my normal day to day life, and attempting to live life as close to the genuine 1950s housewife, I've had to play nurse to this little girl. In case you haven't guessed yet, she will now be an inside cat.

I've tried several times to download the pics I've taken through out the day, including pics of my homemade chicken and dumplings I made from my 1954 Betty Crocker's Good and Easy Cookbook.

Sorry for the horrible pic. Took it with my phone,

I had my doubts as not only was this my first attempt at making chicken and dumplings, but it was from an old cookbook. There were so few ingredients for the dumplings, yet they were delicious since they were boiled in the broth made from stewing the chicken.

Sorry I can't post a pic of the actual meal. Stupid laptop! When I figure out where I'm going wrong I'll post, I promise.

Now, on to the rest of the day...I'm freaking exhausted! I swear I'm limping and my back is so sore! The only time I sat today was to fold laundry. Other than that I was on the go non stop. Oh wait, that's not true. I had to sit while driving to find a police officer to unlock my daughter's handcuffs. Yes, you read that correctly. My darling daughter threw her key in a huff, and her brother didn't know that when he locked her wrists in those damn metal contraptions, We were able to get one wrist out with soapy water, but the other was way too tight.

So there's my first day in a nut shell. Not really a failure, but not exactly a success...not in my eyes anyway. My makeup is smeared, and my hair went crazy hours ago. Tomorrow I'm babysitting my nephews for a few hours so I'll just pretend I'm going to my bridge club or whatever they did with the other ladies back then.

Night, y'all. My poor booty needs rest!

1950s Housewife Experiment - Take 2

For those of you who have been following this blog for a while remember my first 1950s Housewife Experience. Well, guess what? I'm doing it again. This time you can find everything on my other blog, I'd Rather Be Blogging. I will be cross posting so nothing will be missed, and this blog will stay up as I plan on continuing with my housewife posts.

In the meantime, enjoy some fun, vintage commercials:

Day 3 - Total FLOP!

Today was not a 1950s success. Because we have those little things called bills I had to find a way to find some money. Like so many people in the country these days we're struggling financially. Our pay check (meaning, the husband's as I don't work outside the home) was cut in half by higher insurance premiums and higher taxes. Of course, at the same time, all our bills have gone up. We're not shoppers or spenders, and have lived on as tight of a budget as possible. Regardless, bills are late and Christmas is coming up.

Today, I spent hours posting things I'd made for a craft fair on Etsy and Craigslist, as well as posting some things we no longer use on Craigslist. I also spent hours looking for a job that would work around my very strange schedule. *sigh* Nothing. I'm disheartened to say the least.

In the meantime, I continue writing books and trying to get published. Writing has always been a passion of mine, and seeing my books in bookstores (both online and in brick and mortar) has always been a big dream!

I am a true believer in everything happens for a reason, and God puts us where we're supposed to be. Apparently, writing and taking care of my family is exactly where I'm supposed to be. Today has been emotionally difficult, but I'm going to put a smile on my face and go upstairs to make dinner for my beautiful kids and unbelievably supportive husband. Have a great night, y'all!

Putting My Money Where My Red-Painted Mouth Is!

I said I was going to do it, and I have! All last week (with the exception of the day I received news a friend of ours passed) I have put in an effort to wear makeup, do something with my hair and wear decent clothes. I refuse to go into public with ripped clothing, my behind hanging out, or ratty tennis shoes.

This all paid off last night! I decided to go ahead and reveal my look to my husband's band members. I slicked the red lipstick across my lips, and applied eye makeup in the traditional fifties manner. I even curled my hair. I received more compliments last night than I have my entire life...I'm not kidding! Some said I was "glowing", another said I "looked classy", and another said I looked "elegant". Really, they had always seen me where makeup to their gigs, but I put some effort into my appearance.

Today, I volunteered to help my sister with some promo shots for her Valentine's Day pin up specials. Here's me in my interpretation of Rosie the Riveter. (ps. This may or may not be the only pic of my face ever put on this blog).

So, I started writing this days ago, and am now finally finishing the post. For an update, I was out and about several times this week. When I was home I still wore makeup and a decent shirt, but wore jeans when I was home. Yesterday, I left the house with my hair in a forties style complete with victory rolls. I went shopping with my mom, searching for a pencil skirt, and instead came home with a new coat. All the skirts were just too short for the style I'm going for, so I guess I'll be hitting some vintage shops next week.

Have a great day, everyone!

I have a game plan!!!

Okay, so this is the second post of the day. I've done so much since my last post, and still have so much to do to get my home where I want it. I've heard of people doing just fifteen minutes a day to keep their homes up, but they don't live with my kids. They have dirtied the same room three times now, so I've put them to work.

I came across a website some time ago and revisited it today. It's called flylady.net. The way these women do it is by forming routines, or habits. They're big on "not being behind, but starting right where you are". Their program splits up the home into zones, and you work on these zones throughout the week, while doing your usual upkeep of the home. In other words, your home gets a deep clean every month, rather than just your typical spring cleaning.

Another huge focus is getting dressed to lace up shoes as soon as you get up. In other words, get up, get dressed all the way to your shoes (including hair and face) before starting anything else for the day. Now, I don't know about doing my hair and face first thing in the morning, but there's no reason I can't get dressed, brush my hair and teeth and have my shoes on before I start my coffee or wake up the kids. I mean, really, how long does it take to throw on some clothes and run a brush through your hair. Granted, we start our day at 6am, but that's no excuse for looking like a slob every day!

Okay, so there's my game plan. While I'm working the steps on Flylady.net, I will also tackle one project every day. I have so many projects that need to be done, anything from socks to be darned (yes, I do this. I see no reason to throw them out if the elastic is still good in them), to walls that still need to be painted. We've lived in this house for over a year and I still haven't finished painting.

Here's the deal: I will post a pic of what I'm wearing and what project I've tackled every day (or at least I will try to. I do work from home as a published author, and writing must be done in order to get paid). I will also post what I've accomplished on the Flybaby list for the day. I hope you will join me in reclaiming my life!

Have a great New Year's!

Yet another failure at being a vintage housewife!

It's now Sunday, New Years Eve Eve, 12:20pm and I'm still in my pajamas. No, I don't wear nighties, or anything like that, but they're still what I slept in. I have yet to brush my hair or even my teeth. (I know, ew gross!) I keep trying to tell myself it's okay because I'm packing away the Christmas decorations, and will be making several trips in and out of the garage to hoist the boxes into the attic, but we all know this is nothing more than an excuse to avoid doing anything with my appearance. Why are we, as a society, so against spending time on ourselves? What is so wrong with wanting to look nice, even if it's just for your own family?

I aimed to look like this everyday:

And instead, I've looked like this everyday:

Okay, maybe not quite...I don't have a mask on, nor am I carrying around chocolates (only because I don't have any.), but you get the point. Why is it so hard to convince myself it's perfectly fine to look nice while cleaning? It's not like I'm sweeping the chimney or something. Well, at least not today. There's really no cleaning I have to do that would destroy my clothing, even without an apron.

I'm contemplating posting pictures of myself every day as a way to keep myself accountable. But, being as I have no followers, I'm pretty sure I could get away with a lot since no one will see them. lol

I would love to know how the women who are pulled together every day keep themselves motivated. Is it something they had to work at, or a way they were raised? My mom used to never leave the house without lipstick, but I think I'm rubbing off on her. She's been known to go into public without a stitch of makeup quite often lately. Is that a sign of low self-esteem on both of our parts?

Okay, So I'm a Hypocrite!

Yep, I'll admit it. It turns out I'm a total hypocrite. I complain endlessly about how there is no chivalry, how men and women no longer have defined roles. Tonight, I went to the grocery store, and was standing in line to check out when an older gentleman complained about the young girls outside gathering the carts from the parking lot. He said it wasn't safe with all the weirdos. Without a second thought I blurted out "I can't believe you actually just said that. Don't you think we women can take care of ourselves in this day and age." The moment it escaped my lips, I realized I had become part of the problem.

How can I, a self professed traditional housewife, declare chivalry is dead when I single-handedly shot it dead in one grocery trip? That man was doing exactly what those of us with old fashioned values crave, yet I very vocally stopped him in his tracks. Now, I wasn't rude about it; I was smiling and joking with him, but you could tell by his body language I had made him uncomfortable. So, how do we break ourselves of these "worldly" and "feminist" thoughts when it's been drilled so hard into our heads?

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?