July 13th - Home Ec

Thursday, July 13, 2017

When you think great homemakers, who do you think of?

Well, at least maybe you used to. 

I have no idea who the most relevant homemakers are now.

Any idea on who was the great homemaker before Martha Stewart?





Start Quote
During the decades that Nell Nichols reigned 
as queen of the home front, 
"efficiency" 
was the buzzword in women's magazines. 

Women were exhorted to consider homemaking 
not only an art the way their Victorian mothers had, 
but as a science - home economics. 

One bit of wisdom for which 
I'll be eternally grateful to Nell 
is her plea that women 
"plan more 
to work less 
in the kitchen."

Two home caring tasks that consume 
a great deal of creative energy each week are
 grocery shopping and meal preparation.  
End Quote 



I never forget my phone, so that's where I keep my list.



Sarah suggests, and I agree, 
that you should make a master grocery list. 

You can divide your list two ways,
one is in categories 
and the other is by aisle or section at your grocery store. 



She suggests keeping the master list on the computer,
and print it off and check mark what you need. 

My mom's been doing this for years. 
This is not a new idea.


She also suggests either keeping the list up on the fridge 
or a paper and pen, or white board,  
so family members can add things as they run out.

Robbie and I use Wunderlist
We share the grocery list, and it makes life really easy, 
especially when we go grocery shopping together. 
We each take a section or two and check things off as we go. 
It automatically updates, so we don't have to worry 
about getting double of things or who got what.



She also suggests another well known fact, that if you 
make a meal plan and a grocery list 
you only need to go to the store once. 
"This gives me an opportunity to control,
not just grocery costs, 
but what we're eating."

So that way when you're in the middle of making a meal 
and you find out that you don't have one ingredient 
you need to complete the dish, you don't have to run to the store
or pick a new dish for dinner. 
Or have to go to the grocery store every day, or every other day...
Time and money saver.


She also suggests putting together a cook book 
of about a dozen of your family favorites. 
Go to meals, for variety.
Experiment on the weekends. 



"Just one word more
-please steal time every day,
if you cannot find it in any other way,
to lie on the grass, or in a hammock,
under a huge tree this lovely month...
and relax.


What a tonic this is for the soul!
What a rest for weary nerves!
Our husbands, children, friends
-yes, and the nation-
will profit by our relaxation. 

The greatest need today is for calmer homes, 
and no fireside can be calm 
unless its guardian is at peace with the world...

Won't you agree with me, 
as you lie looking up at the leafy canopy above you,
that a home now and in every other month 
must be a haven to the spirit as well 
as a place in which the physical needs are supplied?"
-Nell B. Nichols 


 “The strength of any nation is rooted within the walls of its homes.
 We urge our people everywhere to strengthen their families 
in conformity with these time-honored values.”






***
Gratitude Journal
***

1) Max Force Fly Bait. Watching flies die is pretty amazing, I definitely obtain some sick pleasure from it. 

2) I made dinner yesterday, so I didn't have to cook today. Homemade lasagna is so amazing.

3) Lee Child. I love the Jack Reacher novels.

4) Another lazy day with the kids. Summer is awesome.

5) Sprinklers.

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