I am a SAHM and I have SO MUCH TO DO

(all three of these pictures were taken by Addie... can you believe it?!)

I was feeling invigorated after an informal moms' club at my house, as part of a homeschooling group we participate in. We talked about how unappreciated it is to be a SAHM, yet how fundamentally important it is. And we thought about whether or not its importance should be shouted from the rooftops more often.

It is strange for me to think back to two years ago when I was in the thick of discerning whether or not I was called to be a SAHM. Motherhood was all so new to me. I had to work part-time and pray and think a lot about it before it was clear to me. I have come so far in those two years and I can't imagine doing anything else with my life, so it's strange to think I ever had doubts.

(Disclaimer: I'm not saying being a SAHM is better than a working mom, I just think it needs to e more supported. And the following applies to all moms, I just think more fully and particularly to a SAHM.)

Before taking the plunge and quitting my day job, I had made a list of all the things I wanted to do as a SAHM. Now I feel like I still have that list in my head, but I keep adding to it. I share this because I hope no one sees a SAHM mom as futile or airheaded or as doing unimportant tasks. At least that's not the way I live it. You are entirely devoted to building up your family, the primary cell of society.

Here are some of my goals as a SAHM:

Being a woman of prayer myself and provide a model and atmosphere conducive to prayer in our house. (The Little Oratory)

Caring for my kids' physical needs (nursing, health, cooking, naps, baths).

Caring for my kids' spiritual and social needs.

Being a facilitator of our family's friendships with other friends and families (dinners, visiting, etc.).. caring for our family's social life.

Making a home out of a house, a place of order and wonder (home-cooked meals, cleaning, tidying, coziness) (for order and wonder see likemotherlikedaughter.org)

Being the primary educator (along with my husband) of my children.

Taking care of some mundane business tasks (budgets, groceries, errands, etc) so we can have more time to rest and play as a family when my husband is off work.

Decide what to celebrate and how: celebrate the liturgical year and creat family traditions.

Being a good memory keeper (taking pictures, digital photo albums).

Spending more time... just plain time... with my family... so that we can build more family centered communities and not jus peer centered ones.

A roundup of pies

I realized the other day that I can successfully make a fair amount of pies. This made me feel very... American. :) I've decided to post them here because they are all online and if you have a good pie recipe ...you should share the love.

Best-Ever Apple Pie: This is from my favorite cookbook author. I have two of her cookbooks and all my recipes are from her. I made this pie for Christmas because you can prepare it and freeze it uncooked for up to a month. So I made it ahead of time. It was delicious. See pics above. I have an angel cookie cutter, by the way.

German Chocolate Pie: I wasn't expecting to like a chocolate pie, but alas I did. Yum.

Fresh Blueberry Pie: I saw this recipe on likemotherlikedaughter.org and it's unique because it uses a combination of cooked and freshed blueberries.  

Mud Pie: This is actually icecream. But perhaps my favorite dessert of all time.

Brown Family's Favorite Pumpkin Pie: I make this for Thanksgiving. Since we don't have canned pumpkin puree, I boil some actual pumpkin and blend it with a handheld blender. I don't usually like pumpkin pies, but this one is excellent.

Felt nativity set

Yes, I am posting about nativity sets when Christmas is definitely more than over because, well, life. I won't tell you how long it took to make this felt nativity set with a pattern I got off Etsy because I'm embarrassed. Okay, a year. And it was only done in time by Christmas Eve because my mom was visiting and sewed it all together.

At first I thought NEVER AGAIN WILL I GET MYSELF INTO ANOTHER MEANINGLESS CRAFT THAT TAKES FOREVER AND STRESSES ME OUT WHEN I CAN JUST BUY IT. But then I looked up Christmas stockings on Ebay and just couldn't do it. I couldn't buy them. They were all ugly and impersonal. So I'll be trying to knit stockings for next Christmas throughout this year. What's wrong with me?

And now I appreciate the time and stress spent on this felt nativity set. It will (hopefully) be used every year and by more than one child. That's what I love about celebrating the liturgical year, you can repeat things from year to year. It's a lot of work at first but then gets easier. Celebrating the liturgical year was one of the priorities I set for us at the beginning of the school year.

Happy New Year

Naptime, naturally

We spent New Year's Eve at Fatima and it was wonderful. We stayed at a hotel owned by friends and actually stayed up until midnight. We were seriously contemplating just going to sleep at nine in our hotel and sleeping through midnight... like we did last year (losers?)... but we got up courage last minute and it was beautiful. I hope to spend every New Year in Fatima from here on.

Now, however, I am battling a breast infection, flu-like symptoms and a messy house. Possibly related to one another or not. Bummer. Big, big bummer.

Article up on CatholicStand

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