Monday blessings

We had a very "non productive" weekend, my whole house has been fighting this horrible cold thats not going away! It started with our middle son, daughter ,oldest son and now hubby has been hit the worst. Thank God I didn't get it bad, just some sore throat and a little coughing but I've been so run down. Most moms can relate, our job is never done. I told my hubby this morning, since he stayed home from work, that I have 4 kids not 3! What is it about our men that when they are sick they act just like a child? I swear, just about every woman I talk to says the same thing! I am a caretaker by nature and I am sure that I don't help matter by the way I "baby" everyone. Its just how I am. I feel if my hubby is good back to me what harm is it in being this way? Right? Well I am beginning to wonder if thats wrong. I have 2 sons and often wonder how they will be as grown men, will they be old fashioned or be more modern? I know that my oldest already is old fashioned, he is the one thats like "I want my wife to stay home and not work". Well, what if he falls in love with a woman who wants to work, or what if financially thats not possible? So many what ifs and marriage is a long way off for them but its still things mothers think about. Obviously I love all things Retro and we are a very traditional family but in this day and age its not always an option for others to have the ability to stay home like I do. I am so very thankful for that the most of anything. I don't think there is anything wrong at all with a woman working, I did before kids, and I would go back once they are grown. If I wanted to work now it wouldn't be worth it anyway with the prices of daycare! I don't want to raise boys who only think that a woman should stay home and not work only, I also have a daughter so I don't want her to be "Expected" to stay home but if this is the way they want to live and its a respectful relationship then have at it! I get a lot of smart remarks about they way we are, I have lots of different friends and their relationships are different then mine so they think its a sign of weakness that I "dropped" everything for my family. I don't see it as that, I see it as a sign of unconditional love and I wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world.

Birthdays and Blessings

Well my baby girl turns 2 tomorrow!! I can't believe it, and my middle boy will be 3 Feb 4th! My hubby calls them Irish Twins. Its funny because as a child I always heard that twins would be in my generation since our Grandfather was a twin and I always wanted a set, well I guess in a way I got them! I am so blessed even though many days they drive me insane, our oldest is 10 and he is like a mini dad. He is so good with the kids and they light up when they see him. I am so thankful always for my 3 little blessings. I can't imagine a life without them, its funny because when I try to imagine what life was like before having kids, I can't think of anything. I guess nothing adds up to the feeling of being a mommy for me, nothing is as important. . Today we are making a Spongebob cake but we are having their "Birthday Party" on the 4th since thats a Saturday and family can make it. This will be my first attempt at making a Spongebob Cake but I will be sure to post pictures later. Hug your little blessing tight today, no matter how big or little they will always be our babies.

Monday Blessings

I am staying true to my Monday blogs of what I am thankful for, so this Monday I am thankful that I have the internet to blog about this! We take so many things for granted, I am thankful that my hubby has a job which provides well for our family. We are not rich, but we are rich in what we have. I am doing laundry right now and even though I am complaining about 3 baskets full I am so glad that we have a washer and a dryer. Many people still carry theirs to the laundry mat, I remember those days. I can still remember when we were newly married and had no clue how to budget money and we were broke, I am glad that as the years have gone we are more aware of what we spend and how to spend it. God has blessed my husband with a job that provides and we have the insurance we need, so many people I know are without health insurance and life insurance. One of my New Years Resolutions was to get a budget together and try to stick to it for one year and see where is takes us. Its so hard these days with this economy, so many are unemployed its scary. Its these things that a lot of times we forget but they are huge blessings. So its a relief for me to remember what we have then what we don't.

Wednesday's Whats for dinner?

I often struggle with the same recipes over and over and I am really craving for some new ideas. I make an awesome pork roast with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes but this week I am just going to do some good ole fried pork chops. I often had a habit of over cooking meat in fear of it not being done, especially pork! Hubby says I've come a LONG way since we were first married when I would burn everything! Its been 15 years and I would like to say that I am a pretty good cook :) I love using my cast iron skillet, its so good and seems to lock in all the flavors. I am also going to whip up an awesome semi mashed potato and chive side dish, so good. I bought some fresh broccoli this past week and I am going to steam some and have that is well, adds such a bright color to the plate and who doesn't like broccoli?! I put the recipes here incase anyone would like to try them.

Cast Iron Pork Chops:

6 pork chops

2 cups of flour (add seasons, I use salt and pepper)

3 eggs

I mix the eggs up, add some seasoning to my flour in a bag and make sure the pork is dry, dip in the eggs and then to flour and shake, repeat to the egg mixture again it seems to make them much more crispier. Then I take the pork chops and drop in the skillet for about 2 minutes on each side and when they are crisp I put them in the oven on 400 for about 20-25 min. I have a meat thermometer so I check the temps. They are so yummy!!!

Sour Cream and Chive Potatoes:

I peel about 6 nice size potatoes and cube them. I them boil them and when they are finished I drain, empty into the nice bowl and put about 1/2 cup of sour cream and use fresh chives and mix. I add salt and pepper to taste. Sometimes I may add some shredded cheese, just depends on the meal but either way they are so good and its a nice way to play with the potatoes instead of traditional mashed, I love the chives.

For the broccoli I just steam it. Sometimes to flavor it up I will add a tablespoon of italian dressing and mix it up.

So this is our dinner tonight, we always have leftovers too and hubby likes to make a pork chop sandwich and the kids LOVE the broccoli and potatoes.

Living up to standards.

I am all to familiar with the Proverbs 31 wife. Those of you who are not the book of Proverbs in the Bible talks about being the Wife of "Noble Character". It talks about how the wife is so readily prepared for anything that may come her families way, her husband has full confidence in her, she brings him good, her family is fully clothed and never does she worry about the colder months or times of need since she is one step ahead. I would love to be this wife, or even feel like I am! So many times as a wife and mom I feel like I could be better, do you ever feel that way? Is is just me? I think today we hold ourselves up to the highest expectations and its a crazy busy world we live in. So many distractions. One child is crying, the other is yelling while trying to homeschool the next and it can be so tiring and hard. I wouldn't trade it for the world though, but I do sometimes feel like I am not the best at it. I think that we are too hard on ourselves as mothers. Nobody can love or teach our children better then we can, after all we know them better then anyone else does. I find the most satisfaction comes when I see my kids sitting around the table and we are all talking or learning something new and It clicks, this must be working, I must be doing something right! My hubby can tell me a million times a day that he thinks what I do with the kids is great but it never really clicks until you see the fruit of what you've been teaching them. I look to Proverbs 31 as my goal, what I strive for. I am not there yet, but its a good goal to have.

Blessed to be a Retro Wife

Awhile ago I had said that I wanted to start blogging on Monday about the things I am thankful for to get out of that dreaded Monday mindset we all seem to have. Its the beginning of the work week, the stress and the weekend seems so far away. So, this Monday I am so thankful for many things but, I will say that I am thankful for my ability to stay home and be a Retro Wife. Its not for everyone but its for us. I am truly blessed to be a stay at home mom. Many people take the term "Retro Wife" as something thats in the past or something to live up to but really to me it means being able to do what I believe God has called me to do for our family and thats to be at home and raise our kids and take care of my family. Its my job, my call and my life. Its something I take great pride and joy in doing. Yes, there are days I am screaming and would LOVE to nap or have a break but I know just as fast as they are kids they will be adults one day faster. The time flies and so for me I am so very grateful to be able to stay at home as long as I can. I always say its easier for my hubby to leave the home to work because there he has a time clock, theres not time clock in raising kids though. Until the day I die they will be my children and I wouldn't trade all this stress, frustration or feelings of failure at times for anything. Its worth it to me. What are you thankful for this Monday?

Mona Lisa Smile

I love the movie "Mona Lisa Smile" with Julia Roberts as the teacher at Wellesley all girl College. I love the fashion and everything about that era. I found the 1950 college admission book for Wellesley College and have been looking through it and comparing things with then and now. The average middle class family in 1950 made 3,000 to 4,000 a year, thats only about $65 a week BEFORE taxes taken out. So, to have a registration fee of $10 and admission fee of $2 it must have been a huge stress on a family, considering most people had 3 children at least. Times obviously change and many people say its basically the same today financially as 1950 but really its not, when you consider the man worked and mother stayed home and people had larger families times were definitely hard. Not saying its a piece of cake today, its unfortunate now that it takes 2 parents to work to make ends meet and even then people are still broke and stressed. Bottom line is whether its 1950 or 2012 we still have financial stresses. I am amazed at the wording in this book and looking through all the classes, its like taking a peek in the 1950 classroom, so cool...

I found this picture on the internet of a student, it said 1949 Wellesley College

Thankful

I have been going through some old historical photos from the 1920s to 50s and I keep coming across pictures of children, its extremely disturbing but it also gives me a glimpse of what life was like for these families. We are a family of homeschoolers and I try to teach my children that we have so much to be thankful for. Just the ability for them to be "kids" is a huge thing to be thankful for, the very thing that they are supposed to be! So many families had to send their children to work in order to eat, money was not available nor food like it is today. To send a 6 year old off to shuck oysters all day breaks my heart, I can't imagine the pain that the parents must have endured knowing the only way to eat would be to make the kids work as well. I can't imagine how tired their little bodies must have been when they came home. I am so very thankful that I am a stay at home mom, I can take care of my kids and teach them and not have to worry about whats for dinner. We have so many things we take for granted, I realize its a different time but it is necessary every once in awhile to reflect on the lives before us and see how blessed we are.