Hopeful Housewife

10. Pasta Carbonara leftover from dinner tastes even better when accompanied by chocolate milk and exhaustion.

9. Zote soap is remarkably moisturizing, which makes it even more enjoyable to be awake scrubbing Art’s collars.

8. Any excuse to use washing soda and borax in excess is good by me.

7. Piper is awake with me, which normally would make me crazy this late at night, but I’m rather enjoying her commentary on laundry.

6. Before going to bed, Gavin completely made my night by saying (while watching me take the soap bar to the collars), “Mom, boy, washing laundry like that in your day must have been a lot of hard work. Good thing you dont have to do all the clothes like that anymore.”  I dont dare correct him. Its too easy to use that to make him do laundry later on. “At least its not as hard as it was in  my day….”

5. The hubs will be home around midnight after working his second shift, and I’ll be wide awake instead of a useless heap taking up both sides of the bed.

4. I have starching to look forward to. My favorite chore. I’m not being sarcastic, ladies.

3. The sound of the dryer spinning in relative silence. Its incredibly soothing to me for some reason. Maybe its because I can actually hear it, which is not possible when all 3 kids are awake, LOL!

2. The smell of my homemade laundry soap.

And the number one reason its great to be up at 11:30pm doing laundry is:

Hearing Piper say, “Mama, that soap is going to work SO well on Daddy’s collars, and you know why? Its the catheters inside. They just go to work on that dirt, and clean it all up. The catheters in that soap is just amazing.”

I cant even begin to figure out where on earth that came from, but I dont dare try. Its far too entertaining to even bother. One of those things just best left alone and enjoyed entirely.

 Happy Catheter Using, ladies.

Tonight for dinner, we’re having a prayer meal.

 After praying, I searched through my pantry, freezer, and fridge, and discovered that if I buy some butter and cream cheese (which was on tomorrow’s list anyway) I can make what looks to be an awesome pasta carbonara recipe! God is so good. I love the things he shows me that seem to be so trivial. I love pantry cleanses for this very reason! You really get to have a chance to rely on God to help you in the kitchen. What an honor it is, indeed.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups uncooked tube pasta
• 6 bacon strips, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, cubed
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels. In the drippings, saute garlic until tender. Add the milk, cream cheese and butter; stir until smooth. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and bacon; heat through. Drain pasta; toss with sauce.

 I’ll use fettucine because thats what I have, and in lieu of some sort of bread, I’m going to make garlic and olive oil pita chips out of the whole wheat pita in my freezer. I’m out of bread, and my bread machine broke, so unless I find some huge slot of time that allows me to knead and rise bread before dinner, pita chips it is

Years ago, I came across Lainesletters.com. She has a particular post there referring to the use of aprons that I found to be SO incredibly motivating and sweet. You can read her entry here, along with a million other wonderful posts, recipes, and Bible studies.

 So I was thinking, lets bring aprons back, ladies. I know there are several homemaking sites that express their love for aprons, but I’d like to see them used even more. I saw an apron contest a while back and I thought I’d like to do my own version of it here at THH.

I have a collection of about 8 or 9 aprons, varying from bbq aprons to vintage hostess aprons. They all have a specific use, and I really do feel more productive with one around my waist.

So, with that, Lets see you in your aprons ladies! I would love for you to email me a pic of you in your favorite apron, in all of its feminine charm.

The winner will be selected by me and my daughter Trinity, based on creativity of the shot, feminine quality of the apron, and well, Trins opinion. She is, afterall, the resident apron expert! The winner will have her pic posted as “winner” here  and will receive her very own vintage apron in the mail.

Email me at Roamschooler@yahoo.com Contest will be active for the next two weeks, and will close on January 28th. All pics will be posted, and winner announced on my Mothers birthday, the 29th.

Trinity and I cant wait to see what you come up with!

*Here’s Trinity in our old home, wearing one of my favorite aprons. Truth be told, she gets first pick and usually wears it more than I do!