I don't get up go to work and punch in and out. I don't have thirty minute lunches or fifthteen minute breaks, but that is ok. I can live with that, and in fact I love what I do. I eat when I can, I may or may not get a shower everyday, but again that is ok.
I remember going to an appointment when I was pregnant. There was this nice older lady that started a conversation with me. She asked me what I did. I said well I am a Stay at home wife and will be a stay at home mother. Concern flashed immediately a crossed her face. "You mean you stay home all day? Don't you want to work?" Then she got down to business and explained to me that I needed independence. I needed to have my own money and that I needed to save my own money. I nodded my head politely, and silently inside I sighed.
I tend to get this reaction often and by many women. Who seem to think I am messing feminism up for her and every other woman out there. Wait a second! Hold on! Just because I chose to stay home and take care of my home, and my family I am suddenly ruining it for every other women in the world? If anything am I not making a choice to do what I do? Am I not doing what other women generations before me did not have. A choice. It seems funny to me that we as women attack each other instead of congratulate ourselfs on what we have accomplished in this world.
I made a choice to stay home and raise my children, to take care of the household, to make my family dinner. Does that mean I think it is the only way? No. Does it mean that I hate all women that work and think they should all quit and stay at home. Of course not. I think to each their own, we should embrace each other in the fact we have choices. I may not have a 9-5 job but I still work. There is not many a day that goes by that I do not go to bed tired and still have to get up at night to take care of a child. Honestly I don't know how mothers that do work, do it. Go to work and then come home to take care of things there. I could not, and I give credit to them.
Wanted to point out here to that my husband did not force me to stay home. Nor did he tell me I have to work. Would I work if I had to oh yes in a heartbeat. If it came down to being on the street or putting food on the table I would be working as hard as I could to make sure we had what we needed. As for the reasons the lady gave me, about money. I am lucky enough my husband considers it our money. I never have to worry if it is his or mine. If you think that my independence is in jeopardy, just ask my husband I am very independent and make sure I am heard.
If anyone thinks that being a stay a home mom is eating bonbons like Peggy Bundy, they have no idea what I do on a daily basis. Oh that would be so nice, Bonbons and TV! Fact is as I said above I love what I do. I love taking care of the house, and cooking dinner for my husband and family. I love being able to do what I want on my time and not someone else's. I hope someday women can stop belittling and stop judging other women for a choice. A choice that women before us fought for us to have.
I am including a recipe for bread (I think this one is pretty simple/fast) and for my homemade chicken soup. Enjoy.
Betty Crocker: White Bread
(This can be made easy into wheat bread)
2 packages active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
2 2/3 cup warm water
1/4 cup of sugar
1tablespoon of salt
3 tablespoons of shortening
9 to 10 cups flour (I use unbleached)
Soft Butter or Margarine
Dissolve yeast in 3/4 cup warm water. (If unsure just use a meat thermometer) Stir in 2 2/3 cup warm water, the sugar, salt, shortening and 5 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
Turn dough onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place until double, about one hour. (Dough is ready if impression remains.)
Punch down dough; divide in half. shape into loaf. Let rise until double 1 hour. Preheat oven to 425. Place the loaves on low rack so that the tops of the pans are in the center of the oven. Pans should not touch each other or the sides of the oven. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from pans and brush with butter; cool on wire rack. (2 loaves)
To make this wheat bread instead of white just use half whole wheat flour and half reg. That's it.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
I usually cook a full bird in the crock pot and then skim off all the juice and seasonings from that in a jar. You can either freeze it or put it in the fridge for use. I never measure for my own recipes so make it your own if you think more carrots is what it needs go for it. Don't like celery don't use it.
1 med. onion chopped
1-2 stalks of celery chopped
2 carrots peeled/chopped
olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic (I use the one in the jar)
Broth homemade and chicken broth cubes
Half pk. of Whole Wheat egg noodles
Aprox. one pd. chicken breast
Salt/Pepper
Water
Cut up and cook the chicken breast in a little olive oil. Set aside. Take onion, carrots, celery, and the garlic and satuee in a large pot. As the onions start to soften add a little of the broth to help keep it cooking but not burning. Keep adding broth until it is all in the pot with the veggies. I then take 2-3 broth cubes and throw them in with then chicken and to start 6 cups water. Again I guess on a lot of things please add water and broth cubes to your taste. Add salt and pepper to taste and let simmer until the veggies are all soft. Add noodles the last ten minutes of cooking. Enjoy.
Sorry if the above recipe is a little all over it is the first time I have really wrote that recipe down. I usually just eyeball it and never measure.
