A New Loaf...

Yes, I know the expression is "Turning over a new leaf", but this seemed more applicable.

I have decided that I have my strengths and my weaknesses, but one of my BIGGEST weaknesses as a mother/wife is that I really don't do enough "home-making" type things.  Some distinct reasons I feel this way:
I haven't made rolls in years
I've NEVER made a loaf of bread without assistance from my Granny
I am good at making meals healthy, but...
I'm not very valiant at having dinner ready every night (or ever, really)
I don't ever sew - period.
Mending is generally sent out to Grandparents

One thing I feel that I am good at is keeping a clean house, although that has its better and worse days too.

Either way, I looked at the situation and decided that I am simply going to make a change!  So I have!

We had an enrichment on meal planning.... and I've applied it!  Wow does it make things a lot more simple.  Shopping becomes easier, money is saved, we have better food, and we're all happier because dinner is on time and not something like , peppers, lettuce, leftover rice and either ham or roast leftover from Sundays dinner...

I have also decided to really pick my Mom and my Granny's brains (as they are both amazing cooks AND their houses are always impeccably clean) and see what I can do to get these things going.  Their advice has been SO helpful.  Gran talked to me about chores to do daily, weekly and monthly.  She talked to me about the philosophy, "Just do it now!"  If you see something that needs to be done - seize the moment....just get it done!  Now is almost ALWAYS the best time.  It is SO much easier to maintain a clean house than to get it clean in the first place.  Mom has always said those thing to me too, but I suppose I may not have been listening as much as a teenager.  I also have been told multiple things to remember for getting a really clean look - fast!  Things like "If your floors are clean and your dishes are done, everything still looks pulled together." OR "If your bed is made, your room looks clean".  This really works!  No matter how much laundry you have piled on your bed to fold, it looks like a temporary thing because you have your bed made.  Also, making your bed gets you in the right mood for cleaning all day long.... you just get more things done when your bed is made.  I don't know why, but it's true!

This past summer, Gran also walked me through making bread at my moms house and I got a little bit of a feel for it.  She taught me how to utilize a Bosch to make this really work and how to knead and shape the dough into loaves.  My mom has an awesome Bosch Bowl that is bigger and better for bread dough, so (with some help - as they've been discontinued) we hunted one down and I bought it so I can make bread more easily, more frequently.  I made my first loaves by myself just yesterday (had to borrow a couple loaf pans) and they turned out fairly well.  I suppose it'll get easier and better with each attempt!

I also recently started making rolls again.  I started with white rolls and then I just got creative and made some whole wheat.  I was so excited at how easy it is and how yummy they are.  There's no going back, really.

My kids REALLY enjoy helping me shape the rolls!

Talking to my Sister-in-law, Manya, has given me MANY ideas on how to make a recipe more healthy (as she is a health nut) and I have used her banana muffin recipe multiple times.  I've also learned that you can throw things like Zucchini in almost anything and not taste any difference (except maybe better), but change the health level in it ASTRONOMICALLY!

Seeing my sister, Alanna, become a quilter has made me feel really behind in this field as well, but I learned this last summer, while staying with my Mother-in-law, how much fun quilting is.  She had made a quilt top for Jarett while on his mission and left the backing, tying and binding for his wife so she could pick the proper material.  We really had a lot of fun bonding while she taught me how to quilt.

Who would have thought that sewing could be fun?  Okay, I know a lot of you do.... but I sure didn't.  I really enjoyed it!  It made me even venture out and I sewed my own table cloth.  Extremely simple, but I still did it - and that is the first step!

I have also learned how easy mending something can be.  It has seemed so often like a tedious task, but if you just sit down and do it.... seriously, just a couple minutes!  My Mother-in-Law fixed a shirt for me that I was wanting to wear to church last time I was there and I was amazed at the ease in which it was done.  Surely I can do something that takes such a short amount of time...  and I DID!  I finally sat down last week and fixed the little hole in the cushions on my couch.  Those holes have been there for about 3 years and have been driving me crazy.  It took me maybe 5 minutes to finish both cushions.  Then I moved onto a couple holes in a shirt that I bought for Jaymeson and I've really enjoyed the sitting down time!

Gran also, while teaching Kaia, taught me how to knit over Christmas.  I have enjoyed doing a quick row when I have a minute and then putting it down for later.  I have almost a quarter of a square done for what's going to be a scarf.  I perhaps need to focus on that a little more....but at least I know how to!

Well, I still have a LONG way to go, but one day I'll be a cross-stitching, croqueting (watch out Aunty Beryl - you're my next teacher), knitting, sewing, baking, cleaning, healthy little Housewife.  I really would long to be there and I'm just taking it one step at a time... but I'm excited at the change that one year can bring!  Thank heaven for friends and family who can teach me patiently one step at a time...