Hello, Ladies! Long time, no talk. With that said, can we talk about something a tad taboo? Something like, “I’m struggling to adult these days because covid made me stagnant, anxious, and I’ve lost my passion.” I call it taboo because I don’t hear anyone else saying these things. Is it something we’re just not talking about?
Can anyone relate? Us SAHM’s, or housewives, have a lot riding on us and the inability to complete the “norm” (pre-covid), feels shameful. I’m ashamed. I’ve lost my motivation, my drive, my passion for the whole reason I ever became a SAHM, or housewife. (Hence my absence on this page.) Something’s gotta give though. I need to undo what covid has done to my brain, my schedule, and my mental health. I want to find my passion for writing again. I want to find pleasure in cleanliness again. I want to find that satisfaction of preparing good meals for my family.
Part of my plan to get back to myself pre-covid, is step one: taking care of myself. If I’m feeling good physically I think I’ll be able to build that motivation I’m seeking from before. Step two: go back to routine. I need a routine! I had one before the pandemic and it worked for me. I was an early riser, which helped on so many levels. I had my time in the mornings for correspondence and Journaling over coffee. It really set the day.
With all this said, I’d like to continue growing my @housewifekronicles and welcoming more women like us, or women wanting to be a SAHM mom. I hope you’ll enjoy the content, and recipes.
Gamechanger
Who isn’t looking for those hacks and well thought out time management skills? I think I found the perfect solution to keeping your home in order. And it’s not overwhelming!!It’s called the Flylady app. I know for sure it’s in Google Play store. I’m not sure if IPhone has it currently in their app store so please let me know if they do!
This app provides you with a morning, afternoon, and evening routine that you have the ability to adjust and customize to your own liking or schedule. The app divides the house into Zones. For example I believe Zone 4 is the Master bed, bath, and closet. Each zone you can click on and it has for you, listed step by step instructions on how to knock that Zone out! You start with a new Zone every Sunday. You do bits and pieces of the Zone throughout the week.
Also it doubles as the Flylady’s blog. And she’s completely interactive!
I’m on week 3 of the app and I love how it dumbs down the process I go through in my head (which is overwhelming), and organizes everything for you to aid in keeping your home clean and functioning all the time, so you’re never behind!
Check it out!
Happy Anniversary
I dont believe I’ve written a piece yet on my husband and I so let me introduce us and tell you our story.
I was eighteen years old. Fresh out of high school. It was Summer, 2006. My friend Beth came to pick me up one Saturday morning and said “were beaching it today.” So we drive down to the part of the beach where the locals go because it’s away from the tourist area. She was looking for a group of her friends, whom I had not met, but we were having trouble locating their exact location. After about thirty minutes of looking I said to her I’d like to go home as I was growing impatient. (I’m not the most patient person.) Just then she finally figured out where they were. This is where my life changed, and our story begins.
Jay was twenty-eight years old, so quite a bit older than me. As it turned out it was his party they were throwing on the beach. We met when I decided to get in the water and join some of the people on the raft. (Though I mentioned I didn’t know her friends, there were still people there I knew.)
I swam up through the hole and ended up next to him. We’d never met. But we just struck up conversation and hit it off.
From that day we were together most of our time; for about two weeks, then fate stepped in. He had to go to Texas, where his mother lived and we lost touch for two years.
Fast forward to October, 2008. I was now twenty years old. I was living my life. I had a job I loved. I was currently dating someone else, though I was incredibly unhappy. One day, I went to my mom’s house to visit and she told me she had to tell me something. It turns out Jay was trying to find me and had stopped by her house three times. The third time he left his number.
She told me years later she felt like if she didn’t pass on the message, she was messing with fate. So I immediately called him. It seemed like it rang forever. When he picked up, and I heard his voice, I immediately knew I had to see him. And the rest is history.
Were happily celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary next weekend. We have two kids. I’m still incredibly in love with my husband. I couldn’t be more blessed. I’d love to hear your love stories too!
Long Time, No Write
Since the beginning of the year I’ve been on a writing hiatus to kind of take advantage of the New Year and gain some things into perspective. I am a mother, a wife, and a homemaker. But there’s so much more to life than the day-to-day. There’s so much more to me than a clean kitchen and three meals every day.
First, I took a good look at my health. Mentally and physically I had some changes to make. I am overweight (with the help of this pandemic), I am anxious a lot of the time, and just a general sense of complacency overwhelmed me to my core.
I started reading. I started meditating. I began to look deeper into me as an individual. Of course I kept up with my housework but for the first time I was also keeping up with me. I’m diving into my spirituality. I’m working on a morning routine to get me started for the day before the day starts me.
My routine looks something like this: Self care
-5 minute breathing exercise
-stretch 10-15 mins
-warm lemon water
-workout 30-45 mins
-cold shower
-meditation & sound vibration
-gratitude/affirmations/journaling
-get presentable for the day
After chores and all are finished, and I have a break, I am sure to do some reading and rest a bit before I have to cook dinner.
My words for this New Year are “health” & “growth.” I intend to focus on these two things to keep me going. Life in a pandemic isn’t easy for any of us. But how we handle it is up to us individually. I encourage all my readers to stop. Take a look at themselves, and tweak what they can to keep your spirits up and yourself healthy.
Happy Homemaking, Ladies!
Happy New Year
Well, Ladies. It was one of the most difficult years of our lives; of the century even. Some of us made it through. Some of us aren’t here anymore to ring in the New Year 2021.
Our world changed. This pandemic changed us. Some have come out strong. Some have come out lost. Personally, I’ve used the last nine months to both keep things as normal, and flowing as possible for my children and husband, while also using this time to grow; to figure out what I want in life. For me, my family.
I have realized now more than ever how truly blessed I am. I also have compassion for those who are suffering.
Now, more than ever in my life, I finally feel like I’m doing exactly what I’m meant to do. At this exact time. In this exact moment.
I want to continue this growth and I’d like you to grow with me. Now, I’m not perfect, but as long I’m learning and living, I can’t go wrong. Every experience, every day, every Holiday this year has taught me so much. I’m learning who I am.
In preparation of this upcoming year, I’ve used my Commit30 planner to not just come up with a word for the year (health & growth for this year), or make that resolution, but I’ve made twelve different goals – one for each month.
Each goal has six action steps to reach that goal, and a healthy reward for each goal once I’ve reached the end of that particular month.
For January: I’m going to work on improving my mental health. (I think we all can relate given this year’s circumstances.) How will I do that?
Ask for help if I need it. So many of us ladies have trouble accepting help from others. For me, its a matter of bothering another person. It’s SO hard for me to accept help from anyone.
I’ve come up with a list of healthy coping skills I enjoy and are good distractions. They include reading, baking, music, talking to my husband (my best friend). Healthy coping skills are so important for mental growth.
Exercise is on my list of action steps. Whether it be brisk walk, following a YouTube video, or my daily household tasks, it all counts.
Following a good diet is going to be key for my mental clarity. I’m currently participating in WW (formerly Weight Watchers) as it allows me to eat great food, be healthy, and lose weight.
I’m going to begin taking a multi vitamin with my regular medication. Keeping up with this regime will keep me healthy also.
Lastly, I’m diving head first into a spiritual journey that I began years ago, but up until the last two years I hadn’t been active in. Ill be relearning the art of meditation. I’ve joined a few support groups with like minded people to make the process a little easier. Not that a spiritual journey is easy.
My reward for the month of January is a trip to my favorite sushi spot at Yama Chen. I haven’t had that treat since my 32nd birthday. (I’m thirty-three now.) It’s the least I could do for myself as I navigate my goals, and maintain my duties as a modern housewife.
So yes, it’s been a difficult year. But it was not in vain.What are some of your goals? I’d love to hear from you!
Happy Holidays
What a year! Ladies, pat yourselves on the back. We’re keeping up with the house and have added “teacher’s assistant” to our homemaking resume. What work it has been.
From trying to keep our kids motivated, happy, and content to still finding time to fold the laundry, prepare meals, and oh yea… make the Holidays happen, we’ve been busy, and admittedly sometimes overwhelmed.
I’ve got my Christmas cards out, cookies baked, and presents wrapped. Christmas movies and singing carols. I love this time of year.
As a little girl it was the most magical time of my life. I try to keep that same magic going for my kids. My ten year old found out this past year Santa isn’t real. But I explained to her the secret of Santa and the magic she can now bring to someone else. I explained how she can help me keep her brother believing for another year or two, and decided to let her pick an unsuspecting person to gift something to. Leaving it on their front porch with no “from” could bring such joy to the receiver.
For my little man who still believes, we have the Elf on the Shelf still doing her business. She’s a mischievous one. Her name is Isabel and we will be sad to see her leave tomorrow when Santa leaves his presents.
Normally the family and I would travel to my mother’s for the day after we had our Christmas and spend time eating and opening presents together. This year, we’re just going to stay at our home watching Christmas movies, drinking hot cocoa, and I’ll be preparing a big feast for dinner.
What are your plans? What are some of your traditions? I’d love to hear all about your Holiday magic.
End of the Year Reflection
Its almost the end of what has been a year we’ve never experienced anything like before, and one we’ll never forget.
As the year ends, and my audience grows, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on what I’ve gone through, because I know I’m not alone here and I’m positive we can relate.
As the year began I had high hopes for 2020. I mean, yes they pulled Friends off Netflix, which should’ve been my first que, but anyways… come February the talks of the pandemic began. At first I thought “no big deal, its all the way in another country. No way it’ll make it here.” I couldn’t have been more wrong. By March 13th, our whole world changed, but I had no idea what 2020 was about to reign down.
I mentioned in an earlier post I have a few health issues. I’ve talked about my thyroid, but aside from that I also fight off anxiety, depression, and mania. The anxiety and depression have been up, causing me to seek help when I needed it. I feel isolated, bored, lonely. I miss my family. I miss dates with my husband. I miss running errands when I need to without a second thought.
Holidays: I’ve spent every holiday this year away from family, and it kills me I won’t see them this Christmas.
Housewife duties: I’ve had a hard time keeping up. I’m finding it hard to motivate.
With all of that said, there’s been some good that came from 2020. Family has never meant so much to me, as it does now. My kids and I feel closer. I’ve taken life for granted for far too long, and I’ve learned I’m not getting any younger. Its caused me to take a look at what I have and for the first time in life I’m perfectly content and feel very, very blessed.
How are all of you ladies doing or keeping up?
A Day In the Life
I know! It can seem daunting. I hear a lot of “yea right”, and, “PSH” , and simply “I’m not doing that.” The truth is, Ladies the cleaner the home, the better the positive energy in the home; the better everyone’s health is, the more you begin to feel like its your space. Sure some of what’s on the list can seem a bit much, BUT, I will say once you get it done the first time, the easier the second time because there’s less to clean. So, see its really not all that bad. Plus… PST… Its nice for when people drop by unannounced.
Monday: bedroom day
- change sheets
- dust and polish furniture
- clean mirrors
- clean fan
- sweep/vacumn floors
- declutter 10 minutes
- laundry – sheets
Tuesday: bathroom day
- clean shower and toilet
- clean sink, counter, and faucet
- clean mirror
- sweep and mop floors
- restock toiletries
- change towels
- laundry – towels
Wednesday: kitchen day
- clean out refrigerator
- clean counters
- clean table and chairs
- sweep and mop floors
- take out trash
- laundry – lights
Thursday: living room day
- dust and polish furniture
- clean TV
- freshen fabrics
- sweep/vacumn floors
- declutter 10 mins
- laundry – darks
Friday – alternative
-week 1 – all appliances
-week 2 – kitchen cabinets
-week3 – windows and blinds
-week4 – walls and baseboards
Laundry: whites
Housewife Kronicles 