Sometimes and Always #3

I'm linking up again with Megan again this week!

Sometimes... I want to go crazy on rude people.

Always... I try to hold it in and not cause a scene.

Sometimes... I try to get all of the errands done during the week.

Always... there seems to be something that my husband needs to help with on the weekend.

Sometimes... I try to save money by doing the "cheap" thing.

Always... I regret it and realize that it costs more to fix it than if I would have gone with the more expensive thing first.

Proof:

I call this "embrace the ugly". Do not get your hair done at a beauty salon. I was going for blonde highlights and dark blonde low-lights. They talked me into "copper" and assured me it wouldn't be red. Ha, riiiight.

Sometimes... I get a little energetic and do random things.

Always... He says he still loves me, but it's a little much.

Sometimes... I can't believe that we're married!

Always... I love being married and wouldn't change it for anything!

Why yes, I do have a job!

It's officially been a little over a month since I started staying at home and I still love it! To me, being a stay-at-home wife is not just eating bon-bons and watching Netflix all day.

It's about organizing, running errands, cooking, cleaning, and sewing for my business.

I have been busier staying at home than when I was teaching four different English classes. When I tell my husband my schedule, he says it exhausts him just hearing about it. Ha! His schedule exhausts me. He has the 1.5 hour commute each way to work every day and he clocks in over 8 hours each day!

Since being at home, I've definitely had mixed reactions from friends and family. Some think it's great and see how happy I am now. Others think that I'm making a huge mistake and should "get a job."

I realize that in 2012 it's more uncommon for the wife to stay at home and look after her husband and the household, but staying at home is a job! It's rewarding and I work hard. I have days where I get more done than others, but the beauty is that I have all day to get things done so if I'm not feeling it one minute, I can go back and take care of it later.

Today's agenda includes: washing and changing the sheets, dishes, running to the post office, putting clothes away, sewing, making dinner, and general pick up of the apartment. It might not sound like a lot to some people, but once you start doing it, you realize how much you actually do!

Basically, we all have jobs. Some work at home while others work out of the home, but everyone does something that contributes to their family and that should be recognized and not devalued.

Saving Money Saturdays #1



Saving Money Saturdays (via)

 Since I love saving money, I figured that I should try to do a weekly post on ways to save money!

This week I'm going to talk laundry. We know that I make my own

 laundry soap and love the fact that I can customize it depending on what scents we like and how scented we like our clothes. But, this post isn't about washing our clothes, it's about drying our clothes!

My husband and I grew up on different coasts. I was born and raised in California and he was born and raised in Maryland. To say that the way we grew up was a bit different would be an understatement. At my house, we always used a washer and dryer for our clothes. At his house, they used a washer and line dried their clothes in the laundry room.

I have to admit, I was taken back at first. I mean, who does that? I really thought that was for people who lived on a farm or the Amish. No, really I did. So when they let me do laundry at their house for free I had to change from using the dryer to line drying my clothes.

Line drying worked well there. Of course we use the dryer for towels and unmentionables, but other than that we hung them up on the line.

Once my husband and I got married, our laundry privileges were taken away and we started doing laundry at our apartment complex. The washers are small and it costs about $2.95 per load to wash and dry and we do about three loads of laundry a week. That comes to $460.20 per year just for the facility cost! Ouch.

Since we live in an apartment and don't have a good spot to hang an actual line, my husband found drying rack at Joann Fabrics while I was looking at fabric. It was compact and with a 40% off coupon it came to $18. It was easy to assemble and fits perfectly in our living room off to the side.

As you can see, it holds a good amount of clothes (30 pieces) and can be out of the way so the clothes can dry.

Right now we have a fan on it to get it started for a couple of hours, but when the weather is nice tomorrow we will keep the windows open so it will dry faster.

We are hoping to do this with all of our clothes throughout the week by spacing out our loads since it will take 2-3 days to dry before we can put the clothes away. If this works out, we can save $140.40 per year! {Based on drying only one load per week in the dryer for towels and personal items}

Line drying might not be for everyone, but it's defintely worth trying out!

Homemade Baby Wipes

Since I've been staying at home, I've been making a lot of changes. I haven't had a fast food burger/fry in a month, stopped drinking soda, and have started making some things that we would normally buy in the store myself.

I saw a tutorial for homemade baby wipes and decided to give it a go. My husband and I use baby wipes on the regular and they can get kind of pricey which prompted me to try it out.

I read many different tutorials and watched a couple of YouTube videos to make sure that I would have a good "grasp" on how to make them.

Here's what you need:

• A roll of 2-ply paper towels {I used Bounty Select-a-Size}cut in half
• 2 Tablespoons of Baby Shampoo or Baby Wash
• 2 Tablespoons of Baby Oil
• A Tub with a lid {that your paper towels fit into}
• 2 Cups of Water
• A bowl or pitcher to mix it all in
 

Once you have all of your supplies you can start!

First, boil 2 cups of water (you could also use dilluted water and skip the boiling process). Let the water boil for a few minutes, turn off the stove, and let it get to room temperature.

 

While the water is boiling, cut the paper towel roll in half {length-wise} and place into your tub.

 

Once the water has reached room temperature, mix in 2 tablespoons of baby shampoo and 2 tablespoons of boiling water.

 

Next, pour the mixture over the paper towels {making sure to saturate it as evenly as possible}.

 

Put a lid on the tub, set a timer for 10 minutes and wait. Then, flip the tub upside down and set the timer for another 10 minutes.

 

Open the tub, remove the cardboard center and you're done! The wipes will come out from the center just like cleaning wipes.

 

These wipes work so well and stay moist as long as you keep the lid on once you're done!

 

And that's it. Super easy, super cost-effective!



So What Wednesday

I'm linking up again with Shannon at L.A.I.D..

This week I'm saying SO WHAT....

• If I'm staying at home now and I love it. My husband and I decided that's what is best for our family and negative comments are not needed.
• If I get a little annoyed when people ask me if I'm pregnant. If I were, that would be great, but no, I'm just fat thanks.
• If I've been eating lunch foods for breakfast almost every day this past week.
• I don't have a plan for dinner tonight. I'll figure something out, but I've been busy sewing all morning

Sometimes and Always #2

Sometimes... I think I have all the fabric I will need for the next craft show.

Always... I end up running out to Joann Fabrics to get some last minute stuff.

Sometimes... I plan a surprise and think I'll actually surprise my husband.

Always... I end up telling him what it is because I'm so excited.

Sometimes... I think that we have people over too much.

Always... We have a great time and I want to have them over again.

Sometimes... I tell myself that I'm done shopping for the week.

Always... It seems that I've forgotten something and end up running out to the store.

Sometimes... I think that the parents and kids on Toddlers and Tiaras are crazy.

Always... I have to watch the show to see how crazy!

It's Ok Thursday

It's Ok...

To be a stay at home wife. So many people have their own ideas of what's ok and what's not, but for us, it works!

To have a difference of opinion and to {nicely} let someone know that is not how you feel.

To laugh when you fall into a puddle and keep going.

To watch old episodes of The Hills everyday starting at Season 1 Episode 1

To take pictures of things that make you laugh and send it to your friends to see their reactions.

To have a low key anniversary. I loved spending time with my husband and we were so happy to be together!