Are They Serious?

Lance brought this little "guide" home the other night. He started the evening by saying things like, "And now it says you should bring me a drink and rub my feet." We both got a pretty good laugh about it. I checked with Snopes.com for reference and it is undetermined as to if this was an actual article, saying "It has become fashionable to portray outdated social behaviors and attitudes -ones we now consider desperately wrongheaded- to be worse than they really were as a way of making a point about how much we've improved." Either way, I can't imagine living in such a time of repression. I would not be a very "Good Wife".

True or not...I am sure you will get a good laugh.

Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.

Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the tables.

During the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering to his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet.

Be happy to see him.

Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

Don't greet him with complaints and problems.

Don't complain if he's late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through at work.

Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or lie him down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity.

Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

A good wife always knows her place.

Feverish Times..

'Tis the season I guess...First it was Ausha, then it hit Roxie...then Ausha spiked up again. I have barely worked all week. (if organizing and taking breaks to nap with my babies doesn't count as work...some pretty good meatless meals cooked too)

Here is a photo of Roxie in one of Lance's shirts (she was giggling with pleasure...cause "Daddy doesn't even know!"), trying to beat a fever with a fruit Popsicle and also enjoying a few rays of sun.

Enough sun, that is, to get my first good solar dry of the year...YAH! We've missed school, work and dance...hopefully next week we'll be back to normal...whatever that is!

Finding Time...Rambling on

Blogging is a treat, if I don't get so much of something done (I'm talking house chores and the like...remodels with just a bit left to do here and there), I don't give myself the pleasure of writing in this space. I still get a bit of blog surfing in, but when it comes to putting my thoughts out there, I don't have the time.

Today, before heading to the job of de-stuffing our home...some more, I am posting a bit...I'll start here: I have worked from home for ten years. Since making this transition, the chores that were easily done before are now piling up and taunting me. I am a clean freak. Having three kids and two hairy dogs (and a husband) makes for a challenge when it comes to playing "keep up". I have decided the problem is more all the stuff we have and not so much the dirt the dogs bring in from the muddy outdoors. Stuff is everywhere! Stuff is crowding out my thoughts and balanced time for my creative ventures, totally bringing me down. I have to create or...I'll just say I am not that fun to be around, and I can admit that. Working at Tribes definitely gives me creative time with my hands, and I learn something new everyday. But it also needs to flow into my home life. I have not sewn anything for more than a week!

Dance class helps, it gives me creative body movements. And the fact that it is something I leave the house for helps as well...dishes and laundry done or not, I get to leave the clutter of my home and enjoy music and dance...And I guess the plan to move and sell our house in a year, puts even more pressure on me to de-clutter and finish projects...I am already thinking, "12 months...that is not a lot of time to organise and ready a home for selling!" Luckily we have the opportunity to camp out in my parent's large basement while we sell. I can't imagine trying to sell with the traffic we have in our home. I would go crazy and no one would want to be around me...no joke. Can buyers look past the dog hair swirling in the corners of a room? No.

I am doing some serious rambling here. If you have made it this far, thanks for listening...

Besides working on weeding out the stuff we have acquired, trying to find my balance when it comes to working outside our home, sewing for a new online shop, training my Great Pyrenees and being a good vegetarian (you know, making sure my family is eating what they need to be healthy -planning meals and such), I will share some of the thoughts floating between Lance and I for our next home:

*Will it be an old farm house, made green? A yurt or straw bale?
*Humanure
*Chickens, goats and sheep
*cob ovens
*gardens and canning.
*sewing for a better future...more on that later.
*native laundry detergent

I really could keep listing thoughts here...but I should just get back to work...or moving forward, as I call it.

(I guess it is time to compost my tulips)

Creative Kids...

Here we are working on Roxie's Valentines for school and her dance teachers. For all three of my girls I stuck with the rule..."No spending money, work with what we have". I am so proud of them! They did so well and were super creative. I also said we were not buying candy to go with the Valentines. Buying a bunch of candy just did not flow with limiting consumption and litter. And really, kids get too much candy anyways. The girls didn't complain and again, I was proud of them.

This project just needs old crayons, wax paper (sandwich the crayon shards with two wax paper heart shapes), an iron, newspaper and ribbon. The picture doesn't really show how pretty the hearts are in sunlight.

Heart Day...and More

Valentines Day...another day where society tells us if we don't spend money on our loved ones, we're cheap and heartless. Ba hum bug! Even though I am not a roses and diamonds kind of girl, I still like to be loved on. With Lance out of town this week (and honestly...Lance doesn't have a very good track record on this so-called holiday) I bought myself some tulips (roses are so over-rated!) and a bottle of wine. My plans for the evening include a lovely dinner with my three Valentines -Ausha, Ziah and Roxie, a close friend and her son, a bottle of wine and a movie. And let me tell you...a movie on a school night is a big deal.

Also, I have been away from this space a lot lately...just been super super busy. More craft-crazy stuff here and my master bath is sooo close to being done. Not everything is in place (like the toilet) but I did get a shower for the first time since Sept '07. I am so over baths! Here is a glimpse...I'll share the whole thing when I can. (Remember this and this?)

Soap Nut Comment...

This informative comment was left on my blog a few weeks ago. I love using soap nuts(berries) and think anyone who gives them a shot will be won over as well. Read on and link over to the wordpress site. I buy my soap nuts from Maggie's Soap Nuts -a great company to work with. Of course, how far they ship is also a consideration...look around for your best option. On that note, I am researching a soapberry that is native to our area...more on that soon.

Soap Nuts (Soapnuts) – Nature’s Natural Detergent

I’m not an environmentalist by any stretch of the imagination, but I do consider the impact of what I am doing has on the environment. That is why when my wife started using Soap Nuts as our household cleaner, it sparked my curiosity to learn more.

What are Soap Nuts?

Soap Nuts are actually not nuts at all. They are berries (also known as Soap Berries) that grow on trees in India & Nepal. There are two main varieties of Soap Nuts: sapindus trifoliatus (The Small Soap Nut) and sapindus mukorossi (The Large Soap Nut). The Large Soap Nut is the most commonly used in cleaning (probably due to its size & ease of harvesting), but both varieties are quite effective.

How do Soap Nuts Work as a Detergent?

Soap Nuts contain large quantities of saponin in their shells, which acts as a natural, gentle detergent when it comes into contact with water. Without added chemicals, fragrances or dyes, Soap Nuts are safe and gentle for handwashing delicates, yet tough enough for regular laundry. They will leave your laundry soft, clean and fragrance free, without the use of fabric softeners.

Will Soap Nuts Clean Difficult Items?

Yes and No. Soap Nuts are one of the best detergents out there to get rid of bad odors. Musty towels and wash cloths, even cloth diapers, come out smelling fresh and new. When it comes to stubborn stains, though, such as blood & red wine, you will want to use a stain remover to help the cleaning process.

What About My Allergies to Soap?

Most allergic reactions to soap are due to added chemicals and fragrance. Soap Nuts are naturally grown and chemical free. When we began using soap nuts for our laundry detergent, the eczema which I had across my chest and belly cleared up and has been gone now for 6 months. Soap Nuts are 100% non-allergenic.

How do I use Soap Nuts in my Laundry?

For Laundry Detergent, you can use Soap Nuts one of two ways:
1. Toss 3 half Soap Nut shells in a small muslin bag (provided with most Soap Nuts orders) and throw it in with your laundry. (Make sure that you take the soap nuts out before putting your clothes in the dryer). The nuts will do 3 or 4 loads.
2. Boil 100 g of Soap Nuts in 12 cups (3L) of water for 30 minutes. The liquid you have is now a concentrated, chemical free detergent. The leftover shells can be placed in your compost. Use 3 Tbsp or 45 ml of this detergent with each load of laundry. This allows you to do approximately 45 loads of laundry. Not bad for under $10!

Can Soap Nuts be used for More Than Just Laundry Detergent?

Yes. Soap Nuts can be used, in the liquid form, for cleaning just about anything. From dish washer soap, to window & glass cleaner, to repairing oily or dry hair, Soap Nuts are a multi-purpose cleaner. For more information on particular applications visit SoapNuts.Wordpress.com

The End Product Still Goes Down the Drain. Does That Hurt the Environment?

No. Soap nuts are antimicrobial. This means that they actually help in breaking down the grey water in the septic system. Also, you do not have to do a rinse cycle when you do your laundry with soap nuts. This can save gallons of water every wash cycle. Don’t worry, though; if you forget to stop your machine before the rinse cycle the Soap Nuts are just as effective. The amount of saponin left in the rinse cycle will just leave your clothes feeling soft.

Soap Nuts are a Win-Win Situation

With great cleaning power, no harmful chemicals, & prices that rival any other detergents, Soap Nuts are one of the best cleaning agents you can buy.

For more information on Soap Nuts & pricing, visit Stores.HotterThanHealth.com

Tagged...

Shannon has tagged me with the "Six Unimportant Things" meme.

The rules for this meme are:

(1) Link to the person that tagged you.
(2) Post the rules on your blog.
(3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
(4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
(5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

So here we go:

#1 My toenails are always painted a dark red color.
#2 I have been to four Rainbow Gatherings, loved them all.
#3 My favorite drink is The Margarita.
#4 I love to sew, but rarely use a pattern.
#5 Five is my lucky number. Five was my Dad's race car number, my softball number and I was born at 5:55. More to the number then this, but moving on.
#6 I am not a morning person, Night-owl describes me best.

I have a hard time posting without a picture, so here is one from three years ago at "Camp Corona".

(Oops, I forgot to tag other bloggers.....How about a number 7 -I am not very good at these sort of things...)

Love Mail...

The blogger world is constantly surprising me. It has connected my family with people whom I would never have met. Friendships made, ideas shared and love mail sent...fun fun!

A cold, snowy Saturday found me lying around watching HGTV, thinking "I really should get up and sew or paint something..." But, I continued to lie there, drinking my beer. When a package showed up from Shannon, my spirits were lifted. Inside the box I found fabric, "Father Forest" and dinner...yep, dinner. Shannon said, "Since we can't have you over for dinner (1700 miles between us) I'm sending you dinner." Such a lovely gesture.....

After Lance and I made dinner together, something rare...I do all the cooking around here...I was ready to take something on, like my sewing machine. The rest of the evening found me cutting, sewing, adjusting and smiling...click here to see what I made. Stayed up way too late, but that's how I like it!

Thank you Shannon. Your friendship is greatly appreciated.

Here is her recipe for Israeli Couscous. (we also added sun dried tomatoes) I plan on using it as a side dish to my lemon salmon. Super yummy.

Boil one package of Israeli Couscous per package directions. This type of Couscous is usually by the pastas or rice section. It's a type of pasta and it almost seems to take on a firm yet creamy texture when cooked.

Cook either fresh or canned spinach in saute pan and throw in a little olive oil, basil, and lots of fresh garlic. Toss in one can of marinated artichokes. If you have any Parmesan around then throw it on top of the dish and mix it all up.

Mix Couscous and spinach mixture together in a bowl.

It's a simple dish that was full of flavor, rather economical and veggie friendly. I served it with a loaf of low carb nut bread and sliced raw veggies.

Over There...Craft-Crazy

A new schedule has me away from home a bit more than usual...and I'm loving it! My schedule includes a balanced square of my favorite things...I am still with my kids, painting and learning new tricks everyday and my new sewing machine has me in a trance. It is a good life when I go home to change out of my painting clothes and into my dance clothes....I will never stop dancing, it is in my blood.

...Check out craft-crazy for more of my new sewing machine madness.

Lance and I are off to a kid-free, live jazz and wine drinking kind of an evening...Cheers!

Soy Tempeh...Another Way

Another way to cook with Soy Tempeh...Tempeh Nachos. I just threw the Tempeh "block" into my food processor and we were in business. If I were to do it again, I would not add water with the seasoning. Doing so makes the Tempeh melt together again. This was my first go at using Tempeh.

Although the kids loved it, I didn't. Prefer my nachos the Quorn way.

"They Call Me Frosty!"