When Mommy Doesn’t Feel Well
When mommy doesn’t feel well
Nothing seems to ever go right
Some things that are normally “no, no’s”
Aren’t really worth the fight
You’ll most likely see her
In a shirt caked in baby snot
Generously smeared on her
By her beautiful tiny tot
Her hair is unbrushed
Her clothes unchanged
For at least the last two days
And every night before she sleeps
“Help us feel better tomorrow” She prays
I am a hypocrite, plain and simple. I am right up there with Peter and his denial of Christ. Once again I chose fear over conviction despite the Holy Spirit’s STRONG nudging. I suppose you could add coward and faithless in there as well.
I have talked this whole election about how voting one side or the other is simply voting for the same thing, just with a different name, and I still believe that. I kept say that I was going to vote according to my conviction instead of the lesser of two evils. But when it came time, I was more afraid of 4 more years only without re-election holding him back. I fear for our country either way mind you, a party change is ever so slightly less scary.
Shame on me.
Many men and women fought for my right to be free and to vote, and I chose fear instead of freedom. I serve a God who is wholly in control and is bigger than any president, and bigger than any one vote. What if…. What if God wanted to do something bigger, then Democrat or Republican? How many others like me voted out of fear instead of conscience?
Regardless of the outcome, my God is in control. Regardless of what the next four years brings, my God will care for me and my family.
The guilt that will probably continue to sit on my chest for a little while longer will serve as a reminder, to obey no matter what the odds. You would think, after all the messages at church lately about trusting God and how much bigger He is, that I would have gotten the message, but alas, it was a little late sinking in. Hopefully this will serve as a reminder for many years to come to obey the Spirit when it prompts me.
Thank you Lord for the reminder.
Let’s talk deodorant. By a show of hands (or lack thereof) how many of you forget or just don’t bother with deodorant when you are at home? Anyone, anyone? Ok I’ll start. Hi my name is Libby and I forget to where deodorant more often then I remember to. There I said it.
The other day I was having this conversation with my husband. He said he needed to shower. I said why, you just showered yesterday (no I don’t shower everyday either. Deal with it). He said that he smelled, and though I said I didn’t notice he said he did and it bothered him. Then the real problem came out. He admitted to me that since he had started working from home he had become rather lacks in the deodorant department. I gently reminded him that he doesn’t put deodorant on for everyone else; he puts it on for me.
Yes, later it dawned on me that I was the pot calling the kettle black.
I wasn’t always this way. I used to work and applied deodorant religiously. But when you welcome a beautiful new baby into your life and say sayonara to sleep, you’re just happy if you make it out of your pjs and run a toothbrush over your teeth (and in those first few weeks the odds are not in your favor that either of those things are going to happen either.)
You know it’s bad when your four year old pushes away from you and say “momma you stink! You need to take a shower.” loud and clear for the entire world to hear. Aren’t kids just the greatest! In my defense that only happened during the hottest part of the summer, when even the I did put on deodorant it melted off like chocolate in the hands of a two year old.
I am pleased to say that I have managed to remember to put deodorant on every day this week (I think). And I hope that I can do better at this goal then must people do at their New Year resolution.
So do you have any basics that sometimes don’t even make it on a burner let alone on the front burner?
So I had this great idea a couple of days ago. All the laundry baskets were either in use with clothes waiting to be folder or put away or filled with toys, and somehow I still managed to have ever growing piles of dirty laundry on the floor. With boxes still waiting to be opened and emptied all over the house it was becoming difficult to think let alone DO anything. I needed a solution and I needed it now. Then I remembered that when you are getting ready to check out of a hotel they always ask you to throw all the dirty towels in the tub to make it easier on housekeeping. If it worked for them, why couldn’t it work for me?!?
So I started throwing all the dirty laundry in the tub and having my children and hubby follow suit. It worked wonderfully. Everyone had bathed recently so there was no imminent need of the tub which allowed me time and SPACE to get things put away. And the best thing is that the dirty laundry is all in ONE PLACE!
What are your creative short term ways of dealing with mess?
While Joel and I were painting our house in Nebraska getting it ready for sale, we were lamenting how we wished we could afford nicer drop clothes. We have always bought the cheapest plastic stuff you can find and have gotten what we paid for-rips, trips, and constant readjusting because it won’t stay in place. We have done enough painting over the past 8 years of marriage that an investment in the beginning would have paid for itself by now. Alas we were poor back then and sadly we are not too much better off eight years later.
As we were getting the dining room ready we took down the curtains that had been hanging in there for the last 6 years. They were cheap cotton loop curtains from Wal*mart we had purchased to cover the windows after our house was robbed. Looking at them now one could tell they had better days. The sun had bleached all the folds that were facing out towards the sun (they were south facing windows, so those curtains had no chance of lasting long term). I decided that I’d keep them for some project like totes or something out of the good parts.
Then I got a brilliant idea. Why don’t we use the curtains as drop clothes! The plastic that we had wouldn’t fit the whole room and the curtains we had would do great fitting into the odd spots. They also worked great in the bathroom as pictured above.
We can chalk that one up to making do with what you have!
What creative things have you done to get what you need/want without having to spend money?
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My mom got this recipe from a friend at church years ago. It makes a great punch to serve at parties, but it also makes a great summer treat. We just use an ice cream scoop to fill up a glass with the frozen mix and pour ginger ale on top. So delicious!
With the girls being so young, it can be difficult giving gifts from them in a way that allows them to feel included, not pulling out my hair, and keeping in budget. I decided I would pick up things on clearance throughout the year and then the girls can “shop” from my “gift store” for birthday and Christmas gifts. This way I can wait as close as possible to say, Christmas, for them to “shop” giving them less time to spill the beans.
Recently I was reading “The Tightwad Gazette II” by Amy Dacyczyn. In it was a tip from a reader who did something similar only she took it a step further. She would allow her kids to do special chores to earn “Mommy Money”. Right before Christmas her kids could cash in their “Mommy Money” and shop at her “Store” on at a time. She would pick up items at yard sales, often for a quarter.
I can see myself doing this for many years, at least until my children have learned to be thrifty and plan ahead!
What ways do you involve your kids in the gift giving process while still staying on budget?
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We have been busy little bees around here. Tomato season is upon us, and though the tomatoes around here are lacking in size, they are not lacking in taste. My mother-in-law recently made lasagna with her homemade tomato sauce and we discovered something. My husband REALLY prefers her homemade sauce over the canned stuff from the store. This may sound like a “guys always like their momma’s cookin the best” situation, but it’s more than that. The canned stuff always messes up his stomach a little, and he never likes to do leftovers the next day, I have to wait a day before sending leftovers in his lunch. Not so with his mothers homemade stuff. I think it has to do with the fact that there are also carrots and onions in her recipe that help to counter the high acidity from the tomatoes. That’s my best guess at least.
Did I mention that it is D-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s?!
The first batch we did we froze. Since our freezer is full of a recent frozen fruit purchase, we are canning the next batch. I think we will end up with 10 plus quarts of the tomato sauce. This is my first time canning and I’m so excited! Since its tomatoes there is no water involved, which is kind of a bummer since that is the part I’m really nervous about, but that will have to wait until next time.
This recipe is originally from Tupperware of all places. Back in the day when putting up food was still a normal part of life, Tupperware came out with their Square round freezer containers. They were trying to show how you could freeze your food instead of canning.
Tomato Sauce
You will need:
20 large tomatoes (or in our case, 7lbs of really small tomatoes), washed, cored, and cut into chunks
3 onions chopped (about 4 cups)
4 large carrots or 6 smaller ones (shredded or sliced)
8tsp Parsley
3T Sugar
2T Salt
3/4tsp Pepper
Place all the ingredients into a large pot. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring often.
Lower heat and simmer 45 minutes or until mixture is thickened.
Let cool slightly and then pour into blender or food processor. Start on low and work up to high speed until smooth.
If you are freezing- Pour into serving size containers and allow to cool completely before placing it in the freezer to prevent freezer burn. Secure seal, date it, and place in your freezer.
If you are canning- Return to pot and reheat. Pour into prepared jars, leaving room at the neck. Place sterile flat on and secure ring. Date it and place in your pantry.
Update: It’s probably best if you water bathe them in hot water. You can reheat, pour into the jar and just place them in your pantry, but you need to always pull from the bottom where it is hottest, and you risk them going bad if it wasn’t hot enough (that’s what happened to me. 5 jars of sauce down the drain. Made me sick.) It’s best to follow the instructions in “Ball’s Blue Book Guide to preserving” just to be safe. Sometimes old methods aren’t the best for beginners (like me!)
(Please note the amazon link is my affiliate link)
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WARNING: There is a gross factor to this post so don’t say I didn’t warn up! If we as women/moms can’t share this stuff and laugh about it then single women and soon to be mommies aren’t going to get the full, real picture of what our lives are like and what to expect, good and, well, not so good.
I have been blessed with a head FULL of hair. Lots and lots of it. You can ask my hair stylist, she can attest! I get it from my mom. Growing up she had LONG hair, like down to her butt long, and when it was braided it looked like a giant rope. I have not been able to grow it that long, but it is that thick.
I was fortunate that with my first two children I did not experience postpartum hair loss. I didn’t dodge that bullet this time.
Lately I have been spending half my time in the shower pulling off hair from my hands, shoulders, back, and the bottom of my hair.
The shower wall-I stick it there so it won't clog up the drain
One day Joel walked into the bathroom when I was drying off with my back to him and instead of “hey baby”, I got “you know you’re covered with hair right?” Totally not what a girl wants to hear.
everything I pulled off during my shower and I think from brushing my hair afterwards
Oh well, its starting to subside, so hopefully things will get back to normal soon. And really you can’t even tell, I have that much hair people!
Has anyone else been struck by post-baby hair loss?
Everybody knows that hanging you clothes out on the line instead of using your dryer saves you money. But did you know there are health benefits to line drying your clothes? Here’s a list I came up with (while hanging out a load of wash).
Get your vitamin D.
Experts say you need 5-30 minutes of sunlight twice a week without sunscreen to receive the vitamin D you need. Spending a few minutes hanging each load will more then get you the dose of vitamin D you need.
Elevate your heart rate. Lugging a basket full of wet clothes is quite the workout. For me it’s up a flight of stairs, through the back door, down three stairs and thirty feet over to the clothes line. Then it’s up and down, up and down, grabbing a new item to hang up. By the time I’m done I’m a little winded.
It’s free quiet time. Do you ever just need a minute of peace and quiet, a little mental health break from your dear children? They may express utter excitement to help you at the beginning of the day, handing you clothes pins and the like, but give them five minutes and they will be bored and leave you alone for the rest of the day!
Spiritual Health. It’s a great time to get some one on one time with God. Depending on where you live, you can even talk out loud without worrying about someone hearing you.
Chase those blues away. According to nutrition.about.com, in order to keep your serotonin levels up, you need 30 minutes of sunlight each day. Serotonin is what regulates whether you feel super good or depressed (i.e. its a mood regulator). Hang a couple of loads of laundry and you are there.
Do you have any other health benefits to add? Have you experienced any of the benefits listed above?
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