Resting Up

So today was my first week being "free" from the temp job....Well I suppose I'll be rebooting my routine next week because I spent the week at meetings, running errands with my dad and a doctor trip to find out I had strep again. So it's Friday, here I am recuperating...doctor's orders!! So what shall I do? Blog, edit pics and crochet while catching up on Netflix!

But come next week I want to attack my schedule. I have tried to work out times to clean, blog, work, exercise. I will be limiting my Facebook and online work to certain times. I'm sure I'll get sucked in (damn you Pinterest...) but I'll do my best not to!

I like routines, schedules, lists. I also like knowing I'm not BOUND to them....I'm not a fan of deadlines, but do well with structure and a routine.

And since we will be again listing our home for sale, I'm going to need those routines to keep the house clean and up to par for showings...as best one can with two kids, a messy husband, a dog and two guinea pigs....I need more wine.

So, I shall sit on my behind today, crochet and netflix the day away and rest up for my busy week next week, which still includes a day off of school for the boys, a field trip and doctor's appointment for E, and bringing H's guinea pig to school for show and tell! PHEW. I'm tired already. For now, yarn and coffee.

Later taters!
~amy

Multi-tasking?? I Stink at it.

Hi, my name is Amy and I'm the friendly owner of this little blog. You might not remember me because all that has been on this blog for awhile is crickets. I have determined, I cannot multi task. I started a temporary job in early August that has sucked my brain, heart and life dry. It's a good job, I'm good at it, and I LOVE the people I work with. It's a job I believe in, support and could do darn well if I was in a different stage of my life.

But at this point...my brain hurts.

The job was supposed to be six weeks, but as you know, life happens and I will be staying until early January...a date that I said I just cannot stay past, because I needed an end date, a date to reclaim my sanity. I have learned something.

Working Moms do NOT GET ENOUGH CREDIT. Seriously. I am trying to work, just 30 hours a week (yet getting 40 hours worth of work done in it!), take care of the kids, homework, housework, cleaning, cooking, groceries, AND running my handmade business. (I refused to stop my business as I have worked my behind off to build it and it's currently doing well. No way, was I giving that up.) I AM TIRED.

So this is why I've not blogged much, because there isn't a ton to blog about. Very little time to create, zero time to cook other than what I am legally obligated to provide to the small people for them to survive. No time for household management tricks or funny jokes.

I miss that. I miss my happy little handmade home life. And I'll get it back. But in the meantime, I wanted to say hello, I miss you dear readers, whether there is only one of you or a few, or a ton. I love that ANYONE takes their time to read what mindless drivel I have to say and love when someone can use a tutorial or pattern I made for themselves.

So watch out in January...I hope to have a TON of fun stuff to show you!

In the meantime, catch up with me on Flickr and Instagram (I'm "mamaslittlemonkeys") to see the little shots I have been managing to take of life and the things I've created!

I'll leave you with some gratuitous photography shots. :)

Bought myself some roses...

Ferris wheel at Orange Beach, AL.

Hats I've been crocheting, awesome pattern from UnravelMe Designs

My gorgeous great nephew.

Hope y'all have a fabulous fall and I'll try to check back in!!
~~Amy

Baby Birds....

So, I wanted to try my hand at gardening....right? I got a hanging strawberry plant, lime tree and an ivy. With the help of my more green thumb friend, we got them all growing. (QUITE a nice selection of limes growing also...bring ON the vodka and cranberry!!) I'm all proud of myself, not having killed anything yet, ya know...and then it started...

First, she was just hanging out on the ivy, which hangs by my back sliding glass door which overlooks the yard of toys. Then she's bringing stuff IN the ivy...sticks...straw...etc.

She's apparently setting up shop, Mrs. Bird.

Now, I'm not an animal HATER by any stretch of the imagination...I grew up with pets and until the past two years, the man and I had cats (til mini-me became allergic). So, naturally, I was not a bird person as that would have been cruel to try to have wild birds around the cats, albeit, amusing.

So I had NO clue what to do with Mrs. Bird setting up shop in my ivy...not to mention I was not pleased that I could not water my ivy. Thankfully it's a hardy plant and thus far, survived.

Thanks to several facebook friends, I've learned a thing or two about birdies, and Mrs. Bird built herself a lovely little nest and took to creating some life. After much sitting and giving me evil bird looks if I walked out the back door....some little eggs appeared in the nest. (before you yell at me...no, I didn't take the plant down once the eggs appeared, I held the camera up to take pics.)

Five little white eggs appeared. We've deduced she's a wren.

So Mrs. Bird sits on said eggs for quite some time...and lo and behold...weird things start appearing (I'm still curious where the eggshells end up?)

They all hatched pretty darn fast and looked pretty odd at first. SO tiny. Mind you this nest is probably less than 8 inches across in total.

So Mrs. Bird continues to care for her babies, and I continue to NOT water my ivy (meanwhile, the strawberries and limes are rocking!) and we start to coexist. When she seems to realize I'm NOT going to take her precious babies and deep fry them, she stops trying to attack me when I go outside. She lets us play outside and she remains on the nest...watching us, but not as scared of us as before. I start to understand her call, and recognize her call out of all the birds flying around! It's pretty remarkable actually.....I'm being all Jane Goodall....

Naturally, the boys are LOVING this. Eli wants a peek every day...Harrison isn't as interested unless I bring it to his attention (the birds probably have a longer attention span than he does..) I admit....while I was once miffed she set up home in MY plant..I am willing to take one for the team and lose a plant for birdkind. And if she feeds her babies the slugs and caterpillars attempting to eat my lime leaves...then heck yeah she can stay put!

The babies are getting stronger. They poke their heads up now, look like real birds and one actually moved his wings a little bit today. Harrison wants to name them...suggested names included: Flappy, Fuzzy, Thor, Thomas and from Eli, "Birdie".
I personally will be naming this little guy, Elvis.

He's kinda cute, isn't he?

Of course I do have an incredible urge to hurl one of them at a pig...but that's probably because I play too much angry birds...

I promise not to throw any baby birds! I should point out, Mr. Bird has made quite a few appearances and he is the main 'worm bringer' of the couple. He is the one feeding them the most, and I found that quite chivalrous.
I suspect the baby birds will attempt to take flight in the next week or two, since one was already moving his wings a bit. I'm told they come back and lay eggs in the same spot, so I've not yet decided if we'll reopen Hotel Wren again, but in the meantime...we're enjoying our little natural sciences lesson! 

I'll do my best to get some video and pics of them flying!!

Until our next birdie update...
~~mama

What Mama's Been Up To...

I admit...I take on too much...and things slip through my fingers...such as blogging. In my defense, I have stayed on top of Daily Handmade Picks!! I have help with the lovely Danyel of Crazy Socks Crochet helping me do picks. If you haven't checked it out, please do! We really aim to choose unique, quality, lovely pieces each day! One little jewel to feast your eyes on each day!

So, I've not been able to add any tutorials and such for a bit, I apologize! Just WHAT have I been doing?

Well, I've been continuing my Year of Living Frugally! It's going well, I sufficiently stocked up in Nov-Jan so that Feb/March required much less grocery shopping! Couponing, watching sales, stocking up, it really does work!

Also, my littlest one started 3 hour a day preschool early intervention. While that gives me a few precious hours, business has picked up and kept me busy. He is LOVING school, and for those that followed his story, his Autism is what I consider nearly 'cured'. If you didn't know he had it, you wouldn't even notice. Sure, he has meltdowns, and has his little obsessions that you have to work with, but he's three, and some of that is normal!! He's adjusted wonderfully to school, and his speech is doing fabulous! If not for the food issues we have, I'd consider him completely 'cured'. (I say cure, but I look at Autism as you would cancer...you may beat cancer and put it in remission but you never take away the fact that you had it and it could come back. I see Autism like that. If we gave him gluten, stopped his therapies, his symptoms would return.). So I feel very confident by the time he's in kindergarten or first grade, he will no longer need his IEP services and may be able to just need a 504 plan (for his sensory issues). He's doing wonderful, my little buddy!

His big brother is also doing well in school, learning to read and loves kindergarten. I can't believe the school year is almost OVER!! Where has it gone?? He's working hard to learn to ride a bike, and Daddy is working on that with him. :)

Personally, I've been busting my tail on my businesses, my handmade goodies. I thank everyone who takes the time to check out my shops, share my work and purchase my work! I truly enjoy what I do and can't imagine not doing it. Who knows what the future holds, but I hope I'm buried in fabric for a long time to come!! :)


I'm also continued my Operation Simplify! I've successfully purged the house several times, donating the items. I've even purged my supplies! (GASP!) I gave up making handmade soap for profit, as much as I loved it, I realize I just didn't have the time. I will soap some for my boys but has sold or is selling the rest of my supplies. If you need anything, please check out Destash City, I plan to list more there ASAP.

My Handmade Louisiana team is about to celebrate two years!! I can't believe it's been 2 years since Merry, Lisa and I sat in that coffee shop and created Handmade Louisiana!! Stop on by if you haven't lately, we have a lovely new blog author, Baby Deary who is helping me out a ton with the blog!

Overall, things are well, I am happy and the family and businesses are good! I pray each of you are having the same experiences and enjoying this life while we have it! Things are bad out there, life is scary, but I go to sleep each night safe in the belief that we are not alone, God is in control and I pray for all our safety and joy!

Stay tuned, April will be a busy month! It's Badge Reels' 1 year anniversary and since Earth Day is in April, Micro Mops will be having some goodies!!

Happy Spring!!~~
Amy

A Y ear of Living Frugally--Be Entertained....

Ahh, we continue the year of living frugally. I've been diligently cutting coupons, scouring the net for deals and tricks. I have to say I think it's going fairly well. I am now stockpiled with enough meats to get through our family dinners for several weeks or more!


So carrying on with my little experiment....how shall we entertain ourselves on the cheap?

Entertainment
This is one area where we don’t need much help because we rarely do anything! We are the family that has no problem using a TV we got for free until it literally falls apart, we rarely go to the movies, we take walks, play games, read books....we're rather low key.

Here’s what we’ve done so far that helps:

MUSIC:
Pandora.com: This is a free music service you can use on your PC (and I’m guessing it has other mobile apps, but that’s obviously something I don’t waste money on). You create custom radio stations based on your fave artists, songs, music genres and viola---free music! I believe you are only allowed 30 free hours a month, so use it wisely. It took some time but I have trained myself: I pause the music or turn it off when I’ll be out of the room for any length of time. It automatically stops the music for you in some time if you are not ‘active’ on the site for some time. It has nifty features like song lyrics, the ability to buy a song, and social networking connections. You have to listen to a few ads every so often, but who cares? I buy CD’s only for the artists I REALLLLLLLY love.

Movies/DVD’s: Okay seriously, we RARELY buy or even go see movies. We don’t even belong to anything like Netflix. But if we did, it would probably be Netflix where you can stream videos on your computer or with your Wii! We just aren’t huge movie people. We buy the ones we REALLY love that we want to keep forever, and the few that the kids want (and we do so on sale or with discounts!). With as much is on television these days, we don’t have time or need for buying/watching movies.




Redbox is also a great way to get movies. There are tons located around the country and for 1.00 you can check out a movie. Return it the next day and you have spent 1.00 and tax (and a little gas) for a movie! You can use Redbox.com to pay, hold movies and if you sign up for the emails, they usually send freebie coupons every so often!

Television: We currently use Dish Network. It was cheaper than DirectTV and WAY cheaper than our local cable company.  We have the 2nd cheapest plan meaning, for us, we get the channels we want for the most part and a DVR for under 50 a month. Your plan will vary for your families needs. For us, the DVR is priceless, because instead of buying my kids movies, I simply record their fave tv shows and viola…30 minutes of peace. Dish Network also regularly previews other channels not included in your package so if you see a show you like on that preview channel…just DVR a whole mess of them. That is how I have my stash of Golden Girls episodes. Don’t be hatin…you know you love the girls.
Dish even showed a marathon of all the "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" episodes that were off air when Dish and Fox had their little spat over money and airing their Fox shows. I find their customer service to be superb over DirecTV.

Hulu.com is also a great resource for FREE television. You can also watch many of your fave shows on the website for their network, for example, you can watch ABC Primetime shows on www.abc.com.

Books: Seriously, do I even NEED to spout the benefits of going to the library???? REALLY? Books for free. DUH. Videos too! If you simply MUST purchase books and you do it on a regularly basis try your local bookstore chains rewards program. Some cost, some don’t. But if you buy books enough, the cost of the program should be far less than the savings you’ll receive. If you do NOT save more than you spend on the program, um, duh, drop it. Amazon and Ebay are great places to get good priced books as well. There are also various swap websites and trading websites for books, but I don't have experience with them. For that you shall google.

And get your behind to the aforementioned library.

Black Friday and this time of year is the time to stock up on family board games also! One Black Friday (when my oldest was a newborn and I was up before dawn ANYWAYS) I stocked up on several of the traditional kids games (Candy Land, etc) for 5.00 each a game!

Memberships for Local Activities: These things will vary based on your area. Generally speaking, if you are even a small family and you visit your local museum, zoo, aquarium, etc more than a few times a year....joining the membership is worth it. For us, we also go more since we are members. We may still only go to the zoo 6x a year or so...but if we even go 3x we have paid for our membership. We are blessed to have access to the Audubon Institute were we can go to the zoo, aquarium and get discounts at the IMAX and the Insectarium. Keep an eye out and scope around for deals on local activity memberships on the cheap!

I hope these were helpful tips and saves you some moola! Do you have any tips you can share with us!!??
~~~Amy

Fall Back...into Hell...

The seasons they are a-changing. I LOVE this time of year....the falling back, the cooler weather, warm slippers, long pj's on tiny humans, sweaters, hot chocolate, football, fires, no hurricanes, pumpkins, turkeys, mommy wanting to drink because her child has lost his ever loving mind....

er what?

Yes, perhaps you mommies of children with Autism or other special needs are aware of this phenomenon. I do NOT have any data to back this up, but my son's therapists have told me he's not unique that when the weather changes, seasons change or even if a bad storm is approaching, their children on the spectrum go NUTS.  Children who were making fine progress may regress, others may have rampant mood swings, others may stim a lot more than before, and overall it just drives parents/therapists/the poor old lady at walmart INSANE.

Eli has taken the rampant mood swing route. If I did not know he was a nearly 3 yr old boy, I'd swear he was PMS'ing. We LITERALLY had this exchange this morning...

"HI MOMMY!" (happy as can be)
"Hi Eli!" (returning happiness)
"I...want...jerky" (fruit strips from target)
"Okay buddy!"

Mommy gets out jerky, unwraps it, hands it to Eli..

Commence meltdown of Chernobyl proportions. I take jerky away. Screams. I give back. Screams.

This continues over EVERY DECISION HE COULD MAKE DURING THE DAY.
Socks on. Screams.
Socks off. Screams.
Needs Diaper changed. Screams.
Clean diaper on..Screams.

God bless naps and daddy being home on Sunday...

Let's just pray he adjusts to the temp/season changes soon...we're stuck home ALL DAY tomorrow awaiting a UPS package I have to sign for. Oh the suspense...

~~Amy

Home Again....New Directions, Cleaning and another Addiction...

Hello friends! I am home again after a recent trip to Gulf Shores, AL. It was beautiful, and a great trip for spiritual and family renewal and I am grateful we take such a trip every year!

I shall reopen my shops hopefully on the 10th. I'll be evaluating where I want certain items to go. I took advantage of the Artfire 5.95 a month deal and would like to refocus my energies on selling on Artfire for 2011. So we shall see how that goes as I reopen, move things around and put certain items on SALE :)

I'm still blogging also at Daily Handmade Picks if you've not taken a gander over there. I'm enjoying it, simple, short and to the point!

Our trip also brought me home with a new computer since our old one was slow as molasses, and that also brought me back to memory lane---I got Sims 3. I forgot how addicting that game is. So if ya'll don't see me make new stuff for awhile, you know why, I'm spending all of Eli's naps in Sims land! Nahh I don't have an addictive personality!

I also tried a nifty technique today. See, I am determined to get my household ORGANIZED so I can better focus my time on kids, house, work, creating, bible study, and fun. So today I tried my friend Dee's tip of cleaning for 10 minutes at a time. I decided to do 15 minutes every hour. So on the 45 of every hour I will clean, tidy, put away!

It is amazing how much you get done in that uninterrupted time! In 15 minutes I was able to load dishes, wipe down counter, make bed, pick up toys and clothes, sweep and still had minutes to spare to change a diaper!! :) I will not do the plan during Eli's nap which is my "work" time...sewing, creating, photographing, listing, etc. But I'm hopefully that I can keep it up. I'm guessing if you need a major DEEP clean you should do that first, then this is a great method at KEEPING things clean!

So what's new with you guys? How is your fall going? Fall is my favorite time of year! Cooler weather, football, hurricane season ends! Its also a time to clean out, decorate for harvest time (we don't do Halloween or Christmas but I love to prepare for Thanksgiving and fall season!) and just enjoy the beautiful weather!

And on that note guys, hot chocolate calls me!!

~~amy

Sensory Tag Blanket--Impatient Craftaholic Series

Let me share an evil word in the handmade industry...

TAGGIES.

Boo, Hiss, MEOW! What are Taggies? Taggies is a company that makes tag blankets..you know those blankets our grandma's made? Well, they copyrighted it, as of course they have every right to do so. I most certainly do not begrudge anyone their right to the almighty dollar and I am a big fan of capitalism. But the copyrights these owners have on Taggies is INSANE. They want to copyright EVERY blanket with four sides and looped ribbons. They even want to copyright pretty much any fabric with looped ribbons inside. I have had EVERY ITEM I made with looped ribbons pulled off Etsy, Artfire, and other venues because of the lawyers for the Taggie company. Do they have the right to do so, Sure. Do I have to like it? NOPE.


So here you go my friends, since they say I can't sell any blankets with tags in them (which by the way Mrs. Taggies, you should probably call up WAL-MART because they sell tag blankets too. Oh wait, you only go after small time moms at home.) Anyways, since I can't sell mine...I'll share with you how to MAKE your own.

MATERIALS:
Two fabrics (I used Flannel and Minky)
Ribbons to coordinate or contrast your fabrics
Scissors
Cutting Mat or Surface
Thread
Lighter/Flame/Candle

Step One:
Choose the size of your blanket. You may want a large blanket or just a small lovey. Whatever size you choose, put your fabrics right sides together and cut them the SAME size/shape.

Step Two:
Gather your ribbons. The type is up to you, grosgrain, satin, solids,etc.

Step Three:
Cut your ribbons to approximately 4-5 inches long.

Step Four:
I like to then lay out my ribbons to see where I want to place them along the edges of the blanket. Rearrange them to your liking.

Step Five:
Now take your ribbon and FOLD it (not making a hard crease, just a gentle fold) with the pattern on the OUTSIDE where it's visible.

Step Six:

Now take the RAW EDGE of your ribbon and insert your ribbon (Still folded) in between the fabric while it's right sides together.

Now your raw edge of the ribbon and the raw edge of the fabrics LINE UP. Pin to keep it straight.

Step Seven:

Now continue this all the way around the edges of the blanket, using the pattern you wanted for the ribbon placement.

Step Eight:

Now head to your sewing machine! You will choose a starting point on your blanket, and remember that you are TURNING and TOP STITCHING this blanket, so you'll be leaving an opening large enough to turn the fabrics right side out. Where you start/finish your opening is up to you.

I prefer a walking foot because I am using minky. But you can use a regular foot, particularly if you are using cottons/flannels, etc. If using stretchy fabrics you should use a ballpoint or Microtex needle.

Step Nine:
Sew along the edge of the blanket in a straight stitch, turning when you get to the corner. You should stop roughly 2 inches from your starting point so you have room to turn the blanket.

Step Ten:
Now you'll need to turn your blanket right side out.

Step Eleven:
Once your blanket is turned right side out, gently tug on all your ribbons to assure they are secure. This also helps gently pull the seams straight. You can iron your blanket at this point, although I did not iron this blanket because you should NOT iron minky.

Once your blanket is smooth, head back to the sewing machine to sew your top stitching.

Step Twelve:

Continue straight stitching (or zigzag, or even decorative stitch if you wish) all the way around the edge of the blanket, making sure you go over the opening you turned your blanket in. If you used a walking foot, you'll need to use a regular foot to backstitch your seams because you should not backstitch with a walking foot.

VIOLA! You have a beautiful taggy blanket!

Step Thirteen:
Now for the clincher....The Taggies company will hunt you down if you SELL a blanket like this. BUT last I checked, their patent does NOT cover if the ribbons are not looped. And quite honestly for my own protection, I'd prefer not to sell a blanket with looped ribbons anyway due to the risk of babies fingers getting stuck in them.

So what to do, what to do? EASY. CUT the loop on the ribbon and HEAT SEAL the edges!!

There you go! Now you have a cool sensory tag blanket and you did not break their patent! Naturally, before you make the blanket if you plan on cutting and heat sealing, you can do that before you make the blanket, but I was showing you both options.

Feel free to ask any questions and share this tutorial, but please give me a link back! :) Check out my other tutorials in the left hand side bar!

Enjoy!

Blog Flashback...

Taking a trip into the way back blog files and reposting this one from March 2010:
____________________
It is often hard to explain Autism to people because EVERYONE knows about it, but quite honestly, unless you know someone WITH it, it's really hard to describe. There are also lots of myth's and preconceived notions about Autism.

Here are some thoughts I had from my son's point of view.

~~~
I am blonde, beautiful, and happy.
I am two years old and love circles.
Don't bother arguing with me that two is too young to be diagnosed with Autism..
my Mommy took me to the best.

I may repeat your words but I don't really "Talk.". But I am not stupid.

I am a sensory seeker and love rough play..but don't assume my friends will. We are not all the same.
I am Autism.

I will scream when you cut my hair, take away my puzzle pieces and turn off Baby Einstein.
Sometimes you may leave a room and I won't notice.
Sometimes I will...and proceed to tear it apart until you return.
I am Autism.

You will get dirty looks from strangers who think I am just a bad kid having a meltdown and
you stink as a parent.
Go ahead..give them a dirty look back...I'm too busy having a meltdown to notice.
I am Autism.

I will eat bananas on Monday.
But not on Tuesday.
I may try the juice you give me...
but only if its red...
and in a green cup...
or I may just throw the darn thing down and fuss.
I am Autism.

I may sleep great, but  my friends may not.
Potty training may be a fantasy...
Simple errands may drive my mommy insane...
I am Autism.

But despite all that...
I am a child, and "A Person is a Person, No Matter How Small"
As Dr Seuss says (and I like Dr Seuss.)
I do love you, I do need you, and I do miss you when you're gone.
I may not run and hug you (or I may!) and I may not say your name,
but you know I'm in here, waiting for you to help me come out.

And I know you love me more than I will ever know.
I know it by hugs, kisses, and that we try it all again the next day.

We'll try therapies, we'll try games, toys, books--everything "THEY" say to do.
I'll try it all with you Mommy, because I know you know,
I am Autism.

And that is okay!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mommy here now...

I am 110% thankfully every day for my life. Eli is extremely high functioning and I remind myself that is a huge gift. He is not dying, he does not need surgeries or meds, and he DOES hug me, love me and look at me.

But some days those blessings are a curse. How can a child who can name colors, not say Mommy? How can he not call my name, his dad's or his brother's? How can we do a puzzle in peace, but when we go to the store we MUST go get a banana so he can hold it through the entire store? Why are some of the simplest tasks the hardest, but then the next day they'll be a breeze? How do you make sure your other more 'typical' child (with issues of his own) is given the same attention as his Autistic brother?

People have asked me, are you sure you're done having kids? When I say yes, and they ask why, I reply, "I have one son with sensory issues and one with Autism". They often say, "so?"

Obviously those people have never spent any reasonable amount of time dealing with even a high functioning Autistic child. They have never had to wonder, will I be able to potty train my child? Will he function okay in school? Will he be able to work one day? Those questions don't go through most people's minds because at first glance, Eli is adorable, he says colors and shapes and he (most of the time) listens to simple commands.

But for the good days there are bad, and sometimes it makes me think. I know I do the best I can, and I have faith he will continue to improve. But the downside of him being high functioning, is it's easy to forget that we STILL need to "fight" for him to continue to grow..it's easy to become complacent. Going to the grocery store, park, bank or what not should NOT be a drama..but it is...and until the day it isn't...I will keep working...fighting for the 'real' Eli to keep coming out.

I hope this makes you think again about any Autistic children (or any special needs) children you may know. Please don't ever judge these families until you have walked a mile in their shoes. And just because it LOOKS like a mom may have it all under control...it could be an act... maybe you can just lend a hand...hold a diaper bag...make a dinner...do SOMETHING for a mom who needs a helping hand.

Thanks for letting me vent my friends! :)
~~Amy

Mommyhood IS a Job....

So, there I was, relaxing in the tub, reading the most recent issue of Good Housekeeping. They are celebrating their anniversary (125 years!) and have been reprinting articles from the past. The article that peaked my interest was one from 1960 penned by Betty Friedan. Friedan authored "The Feminine Mystique" (1963) and was a cofounder of NOW (National Organization for Women).  She passed away in 2006.

First off, hats off to Friedan for her successes and achievements in her lifetime and beyond. Assuredly, she inspired MANY women to be their very best.

But, this article struck a different chord with me. Honestly? It insulted me.

Yes, insulted. Here is why.

Friedan writes, "Is THIS all there is?" Friedan describes generations of women who questioned their role in life as a wife and mother...they wanted, yearned for more but were unfulfilled and sad. (Read Friedan's article here.)

Friedan writes about a woman that "Sometimes she goes to a doctor with symptoms she cannot describe, "I have a tired feeling"...."I get so angry with the children it scares me"...I feel like crying without any reason." She may spend years on the analyst's couch, working out her "adjustment to the feminine role," her blocks to "fulfillment as a wife and mother." And an inner voice may say, "That's not it." A woman may life half her lifetime before she has the courage to listen to that voice and know that it is not enough to be a wife and mother, because she is a human being herself. She can't live through her husband and children.."


This is where I turn on the article.

Let me disclaim...I am absolutely grateful for much of the 'feminist movement' and the advances we have seen.  And I am not bashing any working mothers. I wholeheartedly support my fellow women and the choices they make. Naturally there are many, many women who have no choice but to work for a variety of reasons.

But I'm talking about me. This article makes me feel as if I should apologize for my choices. As if I am a lesser woman because I DO enjoy being a wife and mother. This article makes me feel as if I am the odd duck out because I am content, happy, and love my life as a wife and mother! I work on occasion outside the home, but nothing permanent. I do have my own hobbies and things to do that are me and mine alone. Perhaps that IS why I am happy. But even before I started sewing and crafting, I was happy. I was completely content to hold my babies, clean the house, cook for my family and keep our lives orderly.

Being a wife and mother is just fine as a job and lifestyle for me. It IS my job to support my husband however I can as he breaks his back earning a living for us. It IS my job to rear my children and guide them in the roles I want them to play. It IS my job to cook healthy meals, keep a clean house and it is OKAY for me to find satisfaction in that.

Why am I made to feel inferior by this article? Obviously my feelings are mine alone, and perhaps I am interpreting this article wrong. But the way it is written makes me feel as if my choices ARE inferior to other women's.

I've BEEN a working mother. I do not enjoy it. I cannot give my all to my family when I am a working mother....and that is the most important to me. Magazines, books, websites, galore all state "Family First" but why am I made to feel less because I choose to do just that? Why do Stay at Home Moms (SAHM's) be considered to not work? Why is a homemaker NOT a respected and appreciated job?

I do not live THROUGH my husband and children, Mrs Friedan....I live WITH them by supporting, caring for and loving them the best I can....with me being AROUND as much as physically possible.

I'm currently working a temporary full time job in a field I enjoy, and it will soon come to a close. I enjoy the work, the people and don't mind doing it to help out a friend. But honestly, yes...

I want to be home being a wife and mother...and that IS ALL THERE IS for me...

and I love every minute of it.

Operation Simplify 2010 Update

Hey gang, it's been awhile since I updated my Operation Simplify 2010 plan! I'm doing OKAY at it! Let's face it, its hard for a supply hoarder to SIMPLIFY!!! I have however, continued to purge the house and giveaway or sell things we don't really need. When the seasons change it will be time to purge the closets and everything that the hanger is still facing the wrong way on--OUTTA HERE!

I'm aiming for a more organized life, that's for sure. Harrison will be in kindergarten in a few short weeks and that frees up my days a little, going back to having only one child at home much of the day. The online shops are doing well and I'm looking forward to having that uninterrupted naptime!!

I've been a hermit lately, but I think that's because I've taken a more active role in keeping this house in ORDER! I've got a goal to keep it tidier, more organized and with less STUFF!! (OKay so I still do the frantic 5:30 clean before my husband gets home so it LOOKS like I've been cleaning all day.)

I'm definitely no Martha Stewart, never will be. A clean house is a sign of a wasted life, I agree. But one's clean is another one's messy!!! LOL

Sooooo, I've purged, given away, found lost clothing in closets, given away supplies (YES FOR REAL) and tried to stick to a schedule. My next goal is to keep track EVERY DAY ALL DAY of what I do for a day and see where my time sucks are.

Thus ends this update on Operation Simplify 2010....purge people, purge!

~~mama

Lazy Mama Recipes: BBQ Chicken

It's Lazy Mama Recipe Time!

BBQ CHICKEN:

Ingredients/Materials:
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Tenderloins (We use one pkg)
BBQ Sauce (your choice, I use Kraft most often because I know it's Gluten Free)
Glass Baking Dish with Sides (size based on how much chicken you want to use)

1. Spray baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Do whatever you're supposed to do to chicken before you cook it, wash it, pat it or whatever. But I'm lazy so I just throw it in in the dish. You don't even have to have it thawed...but if it's frozen it'll all be stuck together..so separate the pieces before you freeze em. Ehh, just throw it in the dish.
3. Cover chicken with 1 bottle of BBQ Sauce. Make sure all chicken pieces are coated.(regular size, unless you're cooking for a bigger family...and really love BBQ sauce, then just pour whatever the heck you want in.)
4. Heat Oven to 425 and cover your dish aluminum foil.
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove, stir chicken around, turn pieces over, recover and cook for antoher 20-30 minutes. (the more chicken you have you may have to add a bit of cooking time.)
6. Remove and serve! Check to make sure the chicken is not pink in the middle. Serve with baked beans and corn on the cob. Easy, cheap and quick (well, quick to prepare.)

Enjoy!
~~mama

Friend or Parent?

As of late, my almost 5 year old, Harrison, has been asking me, "Mommy, are you my friend?"

He's been asking this... a lot. Incessantly. At weird random times during the day, not always when he wants something or I'm fussing at him.

So when he asks this, my mind wanders for a second...is he going to be this needy, whiney little child who needs constant gratification and praise? Will he be 40 and running off his third wife because he can't stop asking her if she really does love him?

I only ponder these things for a bit and then I reply, "Yes, honey, Mommy loves you and is your friend, but I'll always be your Mommy more." Sometimes we continue and talk about how mommies are teachers and our jobs are to teach our children how to be healthy, happy people.

Sometimes we don't.

What is my point? My point is, although I'm satisfying his growing need to understand family relationships, at this point, I will have to teach him at some point that mommies are parents first, friends second.

Why is this important? Because I really do feel that too many parents are too worried about being a friend to their child, than a parent. My mother always tried to be my friend first so when she wanted to slip into the parent role and lay down the law, I scoffed at the idea.

I am constantly reminding myself that his few minutes of happiness if I give in to something he does not need, or I backtrack on a consequence, are not worth the years of heartache it could lead to down the road. He is slowly learning that Mommy and Daddy are the parents, the 'bosses' as he says. :) We take the time to explain the hierarchy of families and WHY we believe in them, using the Bible and our religious beliefs as our base of understanding---explaining it in kid terms of course.

Pretty soon, Harrison will start Kindergarten and although he's been in preschool for two years, alas, public school is a whole new ballgame. He will learn the ropes of real friendships, enemies, fun and heartache. Hopefully he'll find those few good true friends who will stand the test of time like I have, and hopefully he'll continue to learn that although Mommy is always there for him, my role is not as a friend per say but a role model, teacher and "boss".

But for right now....I'm happy giving him a hug and saying, "Of course I'm your friend buddy....but you still have to eat your peas!"

~~Amy

Terrific Tuesday

Ahhh...summer vacation...I'm enjoying having my boys around all day, and settling into life as a WAHM again after deciding not to return to work full time :) Soooo content with that decision.

So here we have a Terrific Tuesday.

Woke up early before, the boys, and enjoyed the peace and coffee.

Gathered my goodies for chicken gumbo in the crock pot...:)

and THEN...the mail came with a goodie box of FABRIC!!!

So that's a nifty Tuesday as far as I'm concerned!! How was your Fourth of July weekend?

Content Decision....

I am sooooo happy to report I've made a decision...if you recall I started a new job back in February that was a temp position through the end of May. The job was among a company I formerly worked for and very much enjoyed. It worked out great that I could work at Harrison's school and my mother in law watched Eli.

Well, the time has come to make a decision...keep on working or stay home? After a short deliberation I decided to stay home! It's not even decided yet if the position I had would be returning or not, but that's okay with me, I'd already made up my mind. It wasn't an incredibly easy decision, I do love the job, it's in social services so I got to work with children but help families also. And I greatly enjoyed my coworkers. They were a blast and made me feel very welcome!

But I have to be real, my family is most important. Eli is only 2.5 yrs old. He has Autism, albeit high functioning, but he's just begun ABA therapy and that is extremely important to helping 'retrain' his brain. The problem is, it takes a lot to DO ABA Therapy and we feel its best that I be home to follow through with what the therapist says to do. He's already made great strides in it in a week's time!! His 'homework' this week was when he pulls me to something, I'm to get him to point and say "I want milk" or whatever it is. Well we've been doing that over and over, and earlier tonite he walked up to the pantry, pointed and said, "I Want Fish!" (Swedish Fish) without me prompting him at ALL. HUUUUGE Step for him!! He's been talking more and it's like he knows that it's on like Donkey Kong and I'm going to stay on top of this!!

So I am very happy with my decision, very content. My online handmade businesses are doing good to the point I can have a little bit of spending money for me (okay for more fabric buying...) and I enjoy doing it! The challenge of new projects, the comfort in making familiar ones, are all reasons I like creating handmade. So the beauty of staying home allows me to get that stuff done while Eli naps.

Harrison also starts kindergarten this year! (YIKES!) I'd like to be involved in his school. When Eli turns three in January there is a chance he'll go to school full time also. Perhaps then I can revisit the work situation. But right now, I'm happy to substitute from time to time, do my handmade thang, and be a MOMMY! :)

So I guess you'll be hearing more from me than the past few months!!
~~Amy