It's been said numerous times before, but expectations can be killer. They can be very good things, but they can also steal our joy if we let them. The thing I've been sorting through is asking myself which expectations are right to maintain, and which ones I don't need to hold myself to any longer.
For example (basic though it may be), a right expectation I should have for my day is to get myself completely dressed and make the bed before I leave our bedroom door. This prepares me for the day right from the start. Furthermore, the entire house seems cleaner when the comforter is pulled up and the decorator pillows are in place. Funny how that happens.
An example of an unnecessary expectation (one I've recently been dealing with) is feeling like I have to check EVERY. LAST. THING. off my to-do list by the end of the day. I'm usually a glass is half full kinda gal, but lately those few unchecked items have left a bee in my bonnet that stings me through the night. Perhaps this is the root of some screwy works based theology leftover from childhood? Or my way of feeling like I've done something when at the end of the day I find nothing too vastly different from when I started out? Something tells me that every homemaker wrestles with such questions at some point in her homemaking.
Whatever the reason may be, and as strange as I feel saying this, God is teaching me to be a little more gracious with myself. It's not that this means giving myself license for laziness, but instead, offering thanks for what the Lord allowed me to accomplish once the sun has set, and leave it at that. My worth is not wrapped up in a completed to-do list. God reminded me of this the other day when Andrew came home. As he hugged me, he saw my to-do list on the dry erase board and thanked me in loooong drawn out syllables for each and every single thing I'd done that day. I had forgotten about half of the things he read and had to laugh at his silliness.
Another part of accepting the Lord's grace for my homemaking is realizing that it has vastly changed with the addition of a little person. What used to take me a menial amount of time may now take me hours depending on the day. Some things just can't always be accounted for, such as how long it takes to scrape banana off the floor, or change the crib sheets after an explosive diaper, or any of the million things that can happen when you have a baby. My expectations have had to change a great deal in the past year; for what I can accomplish as well as what I should reasonably expect of myself.
As the Lord is working on me, I'm realizing that "success" can have many different faces. Some days it may include a full nights sleep, a completely checked off to-do list, a clean, good smelling baby, and having a four course gourmet dinner on the table. Other days it may look a little more like not having banana on the floor. Or not being able to do as much as I'd planned, doing extra laundry so the baby has fresh sheets, and being incredibly grateful that my husband is just as happy with popcorn and smoothies for dinner as he would be with a four course meal.
March 8, 2012
March 5, 2012
Thrifting
There is a Salvation Army just south of our town that I like to peruse every so often. Lately I like it better than Good *cough* William because they seem to have gone up on their prices. What's wrong with Good William? Well nothing, but in my mind, the whole purpose of thrifting is, well, to be thrifty. Whenever I go on a mission...urr, thrifting, I keep a pretty strict list of what I'm looking for. If I didn't I'd be trapped, wandering aimlessly in a Twilight Zone of thrift. A list keeps me on task, and makes the little one happy since we're not spending unnecessary time for Mommy to get lost in creative thought, wondering what she could do with "x" item in hand that's begging to be repurposed.
Last week I stopped into the Salvation Army to hunt for a few bargains. I first checked out the dishware section. You know, just in case someone had happened to donate my favorite vintage restaurantware...just in case. But no dice. After that I glanced through the furniture, then headed to the clothing area. Each week the S.A. (Good William, too) lists a certain colored tag that will be on sale, so I usually keep an eye out for whatever label is the color of the week. I do this because it's just more fun when you find inexpensive things even more inexpensivishly. Okay, so I know that's not a word, but it's fun to say!
Being my mother's daughter, I keep my antennas up for anything vintage. To my delight, I found a caramel colored button up sweater jacket by Sidney Gould; cute vintage tag and everything! It fit nicely and would make a great layering piece. Another notable discovery was a vintage blouse: cream with red polka-dotted button up. The collar extended into ties for a bow and after trying it on, I just couldn't help myself.
You know, sometimes it cracks me up how much of a kick I get out of hunting through a thrift store. I don't go very often, but when I do go, it's like a treasure hunt. We're talkin' serious bid'ness. Going to a department store is the easy thing to do in comparison to digging through a 2nd hand store for something really unique.
Just in case any of you doubt my enthusiasm over thrifting, below is me wearing my genuine vintage polka dotted blouse accompanied with my bargain face. I burn calories with that grin! ;)
Last week I stopped into the Salvation Army to hunt for a few bargains. I first checked out the dishware section. You know, just in case someone had happened to donate my favorite vintage restaurantware...just in case. But no dice. After that I glanced through the furniture, then headed to the clothing area. Each week the S.A. (Good William, too) lists a certain colored tag that will be on sale, so I usually keep an eye out for whatever label is the color of the week. I do this because it's just more fun when you find inexpensive things even more inexpensivishly. Okay, so I know that's not a word, but it's fun to say!
Being my mother's daughter, I keep my antennas up for anything vintage. To my delight, I found a caramel colored button up sweater jacket by Sidney Gould; cute vintage tag and everything! It fit nicely and would make a great layering piece. Another notable discovery was a vintage blouse: cream with red polka-dotted button up. The collar extended into ties for a bow and after trying it on, I just couldn't help myself.
You know, sometimes it cracks me up how much of a kick I get out of hunting through a thrift store. I don't go very often, but when I do go, it's like a treasure hunt. We're talkin' serious bid'ness. Going to a department store is the easy thing to do in comparison to digging through a 2nd hand store for something really unique.
Just in case any of you doubt my enthusiasm over thrifting, below is me wearing my genuine vintage polka dotted blouse accompanied with my bargain face. I burn calories with that grin! ;)
March 2, 2012
Apple-Cakes
Alrighty folks, it's time for a recipe!
A while back I found a picture on Pinterest showing how someone dipped apple rings into pancake batter before cooking them. My first thought after pinning it was a typical response of: "Why didn't I think of this before?!" I mean really, apple rings in pancake batter...how simple is that? Having recently lost my mind and ordered 20 lbs. of fuji apples from co-op, I knew I had to try to make these.
One night when breakfast-for-dinner seemed the only right thing to do, instead of looking up the recipe, I lost my mind and decided to make up one of my own. Right there! On the spot! Just because I could. As it would turn out, whipping up a bunch of ingredients into our magic bullet worked out really well. We devoured our apple-cakes and it's become a new family favorite.
Normally I am terrible about writing down impromptu-inspired recipes, but having an inkling this one might be good, I scratched it down on a sticky note. Here's what's involved:
1 cup of oats (we had some g-free, organic)
4 T. brown sugar
1/2 tsp finely ground salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 T. flax seed
1/2 c. milk (moo-cow or coconut)
2 eggs
Place all of these ingredients in a blender, magic bullet, or whatever you have. Blend until everything is completely combined. Add more milk or oats depending on if you need to alter the consistency. I've found that a thicker batter is easier to work with. All you need now are your apple rings and a baking you can go!
Two large fuji apples, each cored and cut into 6-8 rings did a good job using up all of our batter. With a preheated and lightly greased griddle at the ready, I hand dipped each apple ring as I went, cooking 3 at a time before flipping them and making another batch. It's kind of a messy process, but so worth it! Oh yes, and since it takes a little while before all the apple pancakes are done, I stuck a plate in the oven (at 200*) to throw the pancakes onto as I cooked. It kept the little beauties warm until we were ready to eat.
We buttered our apple-cakes and dusted them with powdered sugar before diving in, but they are also fabulous with maple syrup or a drizzle of honey. Since our crew is small, we usually have leftovers which are a treat for breakfast the next morning, or eaten plain as a snack on-the-go. So there you have it! Apple-cakes! Let me know if you try them...but in case you found the "real" recipe on Pinterest to be better, please just leave me in blissful ignorance. :)
**Apple coring tip: Slice that sucker (the apple that is) in half before coring it. Working on half of an apple is far easier than the whole fruit!
A while back I found a picture on Pinterest showing how someone dipped apple rings into pancake batter before cooking them. My first thought after pinning it was a typical response of: "Why didn't I think of this before?!" I mean really, apple rings in pancake batter...how simple is that? Having recently lost my mind and ordered 20 lbs. of fuji apples from co-op, I knew I had to try to make these.
One night when breakfast-for-dinner seemed the only right thing to do, instead of looking up the recipe, I lost my mind and decided to make up one of my own. Right there! On the spot! Just because I could. As it would turn out, whipping up a bunch of ingredients into our magic bullet worked out really well. We devoured our apple-cakes and it's become a new family favorite.
Normally I am terrible about writing down impromptu-inspired recipes, but having an inkling this one might be good, I scratched it down on a sticky note. Here's what's involved:
1 cup of oats (we had some g-free, organic)
4 T. brown sugar
1/2 tsp finely ground salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 T. flax seed
1/2 c. milk (moo-cow or coconut)
2 eggs
Place all of these ingredients in a blender, magic bullet, or whatever you have. Blend until everything is completely combined. Add more milk or oats depending on if you need to alter the consistency. I've found that a thicker batter is easier to work with. All you need now are your apple rings and a baking you can go!
Two large fuji apples, each cored and cut into 6-8 rings did a good job using up all of our batter. With a preheated and lightly greased griddle at the ready, I hand dipped each apple ring as I went, cooking 3 at a time before flipping them and making another batch. It's kind of a messy process, but so worth it! Oh yes, and since it takes a little while before all the apple pancakes are done, I stuck a plate in the oven (at 200*) to throw the pancakes onto as I cooked. It kept the little beauties warm until we were ready to eat.
We buttered our apple-cakes and dusted them with powdered sugar before diving in, but they are also fabulous with maple syrup or a drizzle of honey. Since our crew is small, we usually have leftovers which are a treat for breakfast the next morning, or eaten plain as a snack on-the-go. So there you have it! Apple-cakes! Let me know if you try them...but in case you found the "real" recipe on Pinterest to be better, please just leave me in blissful ignorance. :)
**Apple coring tip: Slice that sucker (the apple that is) in half before coring it. Working on half of an apple is far easier than the whole fruit!
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