Homemaker:

Homemaker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

"A homemaker is a person whose prime occupation is to care for their family and/or home; the term is originally an Americanism, and while it has entered mainstream English, it is not in common usage outside the U.S. Finding a term to describe the modern man or woman who has left the paid workforce to care for their family is problematic. The term homemaker is used in preference to either housewife or househusband because it is inclusive, defines the role in terms of activities, rather than relation to another, and is independent of marital status. The terms (informal) stay-at-home mom and stay-at-home dad are also used, particularly if the person views their central role as caring for children. The euphemistic term "domestic engineer" has gone out of favor, being seen by some as satirical, as if to give a sense of mock dignity to a role held in low esteem by the speaker or writer. Likewise, the term "housekeeper" has come to describe hired cleaning help, and is no longer used -- other than in a derogatory way -- to describe homemaking. None of these terms adequately convey the diversity of activities an individual homemaker might choose to pursue, such as volunteer work, small-scale farming, education, religious ministry, political involvement, homeschooling, etc.

Traditionally the role of "homemaker" has been filled predominantly by women. It is still the case today that in many societies and groups, men and women alike view homemaking as the natural and most fulfilling

role for women. In recent years there has even been some political and societal backlash against "feminist" attacks on traditional roles for women; yet many who leave the workplace to become homemakers continue to respect other women's decision to pursue a career. This backlash may be attributed, at least in part, to both the increasing prominence of "professional" homemakers such as Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray, and a rise in religious conservatism which embraces traditional roles as being conducive to family stability and personal happiness. Homemaking is not always a lifetime commitment: many homemakers, for economic or personal reasons, return to the workplace."

Interesting. What an amazing role to fill. Yesterday was a day when I felt like a failure in my chosen profession, my house was a mess, I haven't been able to keep up, and was a little depressed about it all. Today is a new day, and feel like I have done a great job. The key for me is getting up with my husband and having about an hour, before the kids wake up, for my self. If I don't do this, I feel like my day is off. I LOVE sleep, and my bed, so this is a challenging task for me. I hate the sound of an alarm clock, and I hope to never use one, my darling husband wakes me up!! Another thing I've got to realize when I can't do it all today, is that it will be there tomorrow to do. Some thing are more pressing than others, but it will get done when it gets done. I love my husband, he understands completely that it's a hard task, and he doesn't expect me to 'do it all'.

I want to make things a bit easier with the day to day tasks so I've started to do something I've been wanting to do for like ever....well, since I heard about it, maybe 4 or 5 yrs ago. It's called Meal-Planning. Yes, what a novel idea!! Seriously, it's going to make things alot easier. I sat down last night and planned meals till next week Wednesday. I need to do this once a week, plan the meals and make sure we have what we need for those meals. I hope that now I've started it will make things alot easier. And that I can keep up with it from week to week.

I have also enlisted the children's help, which I've been doing for years, but making charts, and chores to do regularly, instead of every second day.

You stay at home moms, or should I call you Domestic Engineers, what do you do to make things easier? How do you make your house run smoothly? How do you keep yourself from becoming a lazy bones? That's my hardest challenge, my butt like to sit...lol Once I start cleaning, I enjoy it, it's just the starting part...

Please post what works for you!!! Have a great week!! We have nothing on this week, enjoying our nights together!

So, I'm 30 now...

That's wild to me, I don't know why. I'm sure it is to most people...But I don't feel 30. I still feel like the 18yr old newly married woman fresh out of high school. Seriously! Of course there are days when I'm tired and have no energy and feel older, but in my mind, I still feel 18.

The last few days have been nice. My hubby has been off since Monday afternoon, which of course is good and bad. Good that I am not on FULL duty, just partly full duty, but bad cause we don't do alot around here as far as house work goes, or what not. We like to spend time altogether as a family, and together as husband and wife, friends. Early in the week we went to Saskatoon to spend sometime at a hotel and swim. It was great, but I think we've decided we aren't doing it again. Two days is just too much. We were all wiped from the swimming by mid afternoon on Tuesday. Breanna had a good birthday and we enjoyed the time together. We all love swimming, well except Breanna, she stayed nicely on the stairs of the pool.

Yesterday, the BIG day, was full of lots of great stuff. My very first birthday (in a LONG time) I felt like I had absolutely no responsibilities. Started from the time I awoke! I got breakfast in bed with the birthday song from my family. Then I stayed in bed and snuggled with every child at different intervals!! Very nice! Then at 1pm I was enjoying a wonderful spa treatment, courtesy of my sister, bil, mom and dad!! It was so nice. I left there around 2:50 and came home, only to jet out again to run an errand, and after that I went into the little scrapbook/stitching store near the errand (thanks Renee for introducing me to that little store, it's fun). Bought myself a little bit of scrapbooking/storage stuff and came home. After a few minutes of being home I was off again, to go out for supper with my sister and mom. We also went to see 'Because I Said So'. It was ok, cute. We all rated it about a 5-6 out of 10. Got home at around midnight to cuddle with my hubby before bed. It was a wonderful day!! Thanks hubby for letting me have a wonderful 30th birthDAY. It was much better than last year, I spent the whole day and few after, in bed. I had a horrible flu.

Right now we are enjoying a little fire in the fireplace and watching a new movie. Hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend with your family and friends. Back to regular scheduled schedule on Tuesday!!

Happy April everyone!!

Wow, it's April already! We are thrilled to get away for a few days and have some fun family time and celebrate our baby's birthday. She is turning 4. It's kinda wild. Makes me a little sad.

This is a picture of her at age 2 I think, Funny Girl!

I don't have much to write about today. Easter is this coming weekend. My birthday is on Thursday! I have a spa date on Thursday too, thanks to my mom, dad, sister and BIL. Mostly to my mom and sister though ;) I get to have a hand and foot spa treatment!!! I also hope to get some stamp/scrap stuff I ordered this week and play with them sometime during this time that my husband has off. He is off today at 11:30 and has till the 10th off. Going to be fun times!

Hope you all have a wonderful week, we'll catch up towards the end of the week.

I quit my job on Monday!

Yep, you heard right, I quit my job on Monday. Some of you have a confused look on your face right now thinking what job is that? I'll tell you....the job I quit has no monetary pay. The job that I quit has really loooonnng hours, and has no lunch breaks, or coffee breaks. It is a job I've had the longest in my whole life, and I'm not 30 yet. This is a job I've dreamed of since I was a little girl. This job requires a committed and confident woman, a woman who can juggle more than 1 or 2 or 3 things at a time and still keep a little smile on her face, or try to keep one on. It is a job that will keep you on your toes. And on Monday at around 5:25, I quit it. And then around 5:50, I reapplied and was accepted without question. The job is a Stay at Home & Home school Mom of 4 beautiful children. It is a job that I will never quit, never choose to work outside the home and quit raising these wonderful blessings. A job that has so many rewards, some rewards that won't be evident till we get to heaven. This job has lots of hugs and kisses, and sweet gentle I love you's. It has many options, like getting up and driving to a near by city to meet up with my dad to get a new remote for our satellite tv. This job is endless, and worth while.

I've been thinking alot about Stay at home moms lately. What a job we have! It has been proclaimed that it is the hardest job on earth. People have said it's like working 2 full time jobs. Mostly they are right, but you know what, I wouldn't want to do anything else in this world. I love my job. And I am allowed to quit once in a while, cause it makes me think long and hard about what I am quitting! I read from Psalm 51:1-2 today. It is so good:

"1.Have Mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2.Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin."

I often say those first 6 words during my day as a stay at home mom. Our children have the unfailing love that is talked about in this verse, they love us no matter what we do. God loves us like that too, it says so right there in that verse. It is an amazing feeling to know no matter how much you think you fail as a mother, God loves you, and will blot out your transgression and cleanse you of sin. Love it!! Thanks be to God!!

Hope you have a great week, and up coming weekend! Wishing you many blessings!

The Bathroom, I LOVE IT!!

Sorry I didn't get to post a picture on Saturday or Sunday. Just too busy. And I didn't get the last coat of colour on till yesterday afternoon. I don't have a full before picture but here it what it looked like prior to what it looks like today.

BEFORE

AFTER

We still have the little thing to put up, toilet paper holder, towel rack, shelves (which are coming from Ikea in Edmonton thanks to my high school class mate and friend who is bringing them home for me) mirror, shower curtain, chair rail. But don't ya just LOVE IT!!!!! I do!! It looks like you are in a different house when you go into that room!!! I wish all the other rooms looked like that! I'll post a picture of the final final result probably late into next week!! We are heading up to Saskatoon next week for some family birthday fun!!

Keep reading for more weekend fun:

!!!Surprise!!!

And I was!! My husband, along with help from my sister and mom, surprised me with a birthday party on Saturday at the Golden Mile bowling. Here's the story of how it unfolded:

About a week and a half ago my sister sent an email to me asking if we could attend Riley's birthday, and that is was going to be a surprise. I was a little suspicious for a few reasons, why would she have a surprise party for him, he's only turning 29, and why wouldn't she have it at the north end, they live closer to that bowling place. And when I asked her if she wanted us to be there early, she didn't have an answer for me until just this past Friday. Also a few other things, my hubby was acting weird for the past few days. On Thursday I was out, and I was talking to my sister on my cell phone (it was like 9am) and she got a beep, and had to go. I hung up and tried to phone home, the message cut in right away which means they are on the phone (strange for him to be on the phone so early in the morning, he was off work on Thursday, remember) When I got home I hit redial on the phone and it was my sisters number. I asked him and he played the I don't know card, and I didn't push it. I didn't want to be the one to push him into telling me. And I didn't want to jump to any conclusions, and be disappointed. So I left it. Also, my mother-in-law came this weekend, when 3 weeks ago she had mentioned maybe coming up at Easter. But I honestly didn't think that she would be at this surprise party. So, that' the story! It was a lot of fun, a lot more people there then I thought, and my hubby did a wonderful job!