A Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... is a super cute little orange and white scooter that I am longing to ride!

I am thinking... that I am not sure how much longer I can take being immobilized.
I am thankful... that I have help in caring for my little Pickles

From the learning rooms... My lesson plans book is dusty

In the kitchen... Chicken cookin in the crockpot! Yum yum
I am wearing... a skirt and 
I am creating... a sign language book for the baby

I am going... to get on that scooter when no one is lookin!

I am wondering... what religion are the Duggars?? and with 20 acres of land, why aren't they farming and teaching their 19 kids to be producers instead of consumers?

I am reading... an awesome book called "The Book of Negros"
I am hoping... That by next week my MS relapse will be done and I can get on with my life
I am looking forward to... spending the next month learning to be a good wife
I am hearing...the water in my front fountain trickling

Around the house... lazy dogs are lying everywhere!

I am pondering... how I can get my hubby to go buy me paint for the living room...(I've changed the color twice in three months)
One of my favorite things...

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

(add your picture here)

Old School Baby

Before Pickles was born I made a pledge to use only cloth diapers. since they don't have any of the fancy AIO here in Thailand, I spent a ton of time sewing diapers.  OM goodness they are soooo cute!  Unfortunately the whole thing has been a bust. We tried many different patterns and Google even designed his own before we could get a good fit, but we still have major problems. Basically we can't get the right fabric here to make the diapers waterproof and so wearing cloth means changing bedding or pads continuously!  Good Lordy the laundry that makes. Well,our motto around here is "Try, Try, Again" so, we instead of giving up on the whole cloth diaper bit we are going to give up the prefolds, and go old school.

So here is the new plan....

Back in May Dirty Diaper Laundry placed a flat diaper challenge.

Here are the rules:

• You MUST use Flats.Ok, no problem you can get them here.
• You MUST handwash them.  How is up to you.  (bathtub, sink, large wash tub, portable non electronic washing machine, or camp style washer (bucket and plunger- think churning butter) Again, no problem, we hand wash the majority of our clothes.
• You MUST air dry them.  (indoors or outdoors, makes no difference) Is there any other way??? (I haven't had a dryer in 10 years)
• You MUST limit your number of covers in rotation to 5 or less. Yikes, now I need to makecovers!
• You can use any detergent you want.  (Keep in mind that you still want cloth safe detergents)
• You can still use your nighttime diapers but I ask that you try to make flats work.  Maybe try a prefold wrapped in a flat.
• You can use disposable liners. Yeah helps for poop!
• You CAN’T use a diaper sprayer.  I thought long and hard about this one, but at an average cost of 40.00 this is one diaper accessory that is out of range for many families.  Dunk, swish, flush, or scrape! Sorry Not giving up my sprayer It's Thai culture
• You MUST start the morning of May 23 and end the evening of May 30. OPPS I'm a day late and a dollar short!
• You MUST fill out a completion survey about your experience.  Results will be published here and can be republished on your own blog. 

Can you believe that 400 moms took this challenge?? Holy Guacamole!

So, I am to late to do the formal challenge, but I figure it's never too late. Google and I have been contemplating this for months.  Prefolds are cool, but what ever happened to good 'ol diapers and rubber pants?? I used them for the Grown Ups and never had a problem, so why not use them now?  So in traditional 50's housewife style I am going to start my own little vintage baby challenge. Starting September 1st our little jungle home is going retro and using flat cloth diapers from now on.

Sorry if I don't blog for a while, I might be busy washing diapers!

The Good Wife~ To Be or Not To Be

Can I just say, I WANT to be a "Good Wife"?  I have read so many posts about this article originally ran in the 1955 Housekeeping Monthly. It goes like this......


* Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.
* Prepare yourself. Take fifteen minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.
* Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.
* Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.
* Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering to his personal comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.
* Be happy to see him.
* Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.
* Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not one of them. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.
* Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.
* Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself body and spirit.
* Don't complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.
* Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.
* Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.
* A good wife always knows her place.


You HAVE to read all the controversy!  Good Golly Miss Molly, have we become an uptight , outspoken society or what???  Ladies PLEASE, is it really so bad that  they say a good wife knows her place? If you are a Christian girl, there is no arguing! God said it, we gotta do it.  Now, don't get me wrong there are things I am just not EVER going to do cut his nasty toe nails. But, my husband knows HIS place and would never ask me to do these things if he knows what's good for him..  But I do honestly want to be the wife that Housekeeping Monthly suggest we be.  And YO SHOULD TOO. At 43 35 years old I have been through a lot of relationships and have a lot of experience so I can tell you ladies, Christian or not, that the  key to a good marriage is learning to take a step back and try to acknowledge YOUR part in the relationship.  According to the book The Truth About Cheating:

"Ninety-two percent of men said it wasn't primarily about the sex. "The majority said it was an emotional disconnection, specifically a sense of feeling under appreciated. A lack of thoughtful gestures," Gary says. "Men are very emotional beings. They just don't look like that. Or they don't seem like that. Or they don't tell you that."

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/relationships/Why-Men-Cheat_2/2#ixzz1UWIOMLMp

We have been raise as strong, independent bullheaded woman, which is good, but girls we need to understand that sometimes we imasculate our men.  Now Please, don't be a hater and yell at me because I am NOT saying to kiss your husbands a** or be a doormat. What I AM saying is that if you LOVE someone, you WANT to please them and to make them happy.  There is a balance, we just have to learn it.  Being a single mom for 12 years, I can be a bit of an over powering, know it all bitch. I am learn day by day to step down and let my husband take the lead as the head of the household. It's not always easy, not always fun. So sorry critics, by I am using The Good Wife as a reminder so I don't have to take the "Is your husband cheating" test.

For more fun Check out Roxanne and Haven of Home for her SUPER take on this too!

Time for a Tune-up!

"The rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself falling down a very deep well" Lewis Carroll 

 Do you ever feel like Alice in Wonderland tumbling down the rabbit hole?? Some days I feel like everything is just wooshing(yes that's a word) by me as I grasp for a moment of sanity, while others days I feel like I've done nothing of use to myself or anyone eles.  Learning to balance time and energy sure is a job all in it's self!

I am slowly getting use to this SAHM thing, but I find that I am starting to get a bit depressed by it. Maybe it's that idea that school starts in a few weeks and for the first time in 25 years, I am not setting up a classroom. I am beginning to realize that I have identified my existence as 'Teacher". I never thought I would be lost without 20 small humans to care for each day!  I am now really trying to  focus on being wife and mom, but with my stupid sucky illness (MS) I know that I also need to take the time to care for myself and not get lost in the shuffle.

I came upon this great blog  from Roxanne at Haven of Home awhile back and I think it hits the nail right on the head.  Here's how she sums it up....

I realized something the other day. I take better care of my car than I do of myself.

Case in point:

If the Car gets new tires when they begin to be too weather-worn,
Then I should keep my finger and toenails up-to-date.

If the Car gets to go to the car wash regularly to keep in shiny,
Then my daily shower takes on a newer purpose.

If the Car gets its oil changed,
Then I should moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.

If the Car has an outward appearance that is sleek and smooth,
Then my legs, underarms, and eyebrow area deserve the same.

If the Car's color begins to fade or (gasp) peel, showing the sheet metal beneath warranting a new paint job,
Then I should make sure my gray stays covered on a regular basis.
(Note: Others embrace their gray. Mine will be held at bay for many years to come.)

If the Car gets its fluids topped off routinely,
Then those 8 glasses of water each day are critical for me.

If the Car gets decluttered and neatened on the inside,
Then I should declutter the fat.

If the Car gets to have high-priced gas,
Then I should buy organic when possible.

If the Car gets its upholstery and rugs vacuumed,
Then I should keep my clothes in great condition.

If I want my chassis to last a lifetime, I need to pay it better attention.


Pretty good huh?  I am totally  guilty of this. I actually have a service that comes to my house every week to wash my car, but half the time I don't even brush my rat's nest hair!  Looking back on those awesome 50's wives, they may have been totally devoted to their Dear Husbands, but they always took the time to care for themselves.  My MaMaw died at 78 years old with a full set of make up on. she would NEVER have dreamed of stepping out of the house without being done up!

So to keep my engine running smooth here is what I am commiting too:

• Dry brushing before every bath/shower to remove the rust
• Moisturizing everyday to keep the "Dents" out.
• toping up my fluids by drinking water everyday (I really hate water)
• getting a monthly wax (the all over kind not just the brows!)
• mani/pedi twice a month
• weekly massage (don't hate me cuz your jealous!)
• Facial every two weeks
• Weekly shampoo/set at the salon
• Dye my hair ever 4-6 weeks (if my hair wasn't naturally this lovely auburn of course)
• start my engine everyday and by that I mean get my lazy butt outside for a walk every morning!
• use premium fuel instead of filling p with the fast food low grade crap
• get better tires (stop wearing $2 flip flops and get something better on my feet!)
• take her out for a spin (go out and have fun more often!)

Sounds like a lot of pampering tome.... HHMMMM maybe I am starting to like this SAHM stuff!

PS.  If it seems a bit over endulgent to you please remember I am in Thailand where I can get a massage, mani/ped, facial and shampoo for about $20.00 (for all)  Ahhh I love Thailand, even without Taco Bell!

The Good Wife~ To Be or Not To Be

Can I just say, I WANT to be a "Good Wife"?  I have read so many posts about this article originally ran in the 1955 Housekeeping Monthly. It goes like this......


* Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.
* Prepare yourself. Take fifteen minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.
* Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.
* Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.
* Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering to his personal comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.
* Be happy to see him.
* Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.
* Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not one of them. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.
* Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.
* Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself body and spirit.
* Don't complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.
* Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.
* Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.
* A good wife always knows her place.


You HAVE to read all the controversy!  Good Golly Miss Molly, have we become an uptight , outspoken society or what???  Ladies PLEASE, is it really so bad that  they say a good wife knows her place? If you are a Christian girl, there is no arguing! God said it, we gotta do it.  Now, don't get me wrong there are things I am just not EVER going to do cut his nasty toe nails. But, my husband knows HIS place and would never ask me to do these things if he knows what's good for him..  But I do honestly want to be the wife that Housekeeping Monthly suggest we be.  And YO SHOULD TOO. At 43 35 years old I have been through a lot of relationships and have a lot of experience so I can tell you ladies, Christian or not, that the  key to a good marriage is learning to take a step back and try to acknowledge YOUR part in the relationship.  According to the book The Truth About Cheating:

"Ninety-two percent of men said it wasn't primarily about the sex. "The majority said it was an emotional disconnection, specifically a sense of feeling under appreciated. A lack of thoughtful gestures," Gary says. "Men are very emotional beings. They just don't look like that. Or they don't seem like that. Or they don't tell you that."

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/relationships/Why-Men-Cheat_2/2#ixzz1UWIOMLMp

We have been raise as strong, independent bullheaded woman, which is good, but girls we need to understand that sometimes we imasculate our men.  Now Please, don't be a hater and yell at me because I am NOT saying to kiss your husbands a** or be a doormat. What I AM saying is that if you LOVE someone, you WANT to please them and to make them happy.  There is a balance, we just have to learn it.  Being a single mom for 12 years, I can be a bit of an over powering, know it all bitch. I am learn day by day to step down and let my husband take the lead as the head of the household. It's not always easy, not always fun. So sorry critics, by I am using The Good Wife as a reminder so I don't have to take the "Is your husband cheating" test.

For more fun Check out Roxanne and Haven of Home for her SUPER take on this too!

Thankful Thursday July 21, 2011 Thankful for Groovy Chicks!

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
~ Psalm 100:4 (ESV)

Often, when you live in a New Baby jungle, you find your days meshing together in the tangled vines of diaper changing, feedings, and doing the walk and rock. "grown up" time goes on the back burner and even the basic daily things (like brushing your hair) get over looked.  One major part of my life that I have let slip is my gratitude journal. After reading the lovely postings over at Grace Alone I have decided to dedicate time every Thursday to really contemplate all the blessings in my life.

Today I am grateful to all the wonderful women who inspire me with their beautiful blogs. I have been a mama for 23 years, and a teacher for 25 years, but I find each day that I learn something new. Amanda at Soulemama, Sara  Mincy at Sara's Art House and the wonderful Mamas at Earth Boys and Earth Mama 101 you all inspire me and give me the encouragement  that I need each day to continue on my journey raising my funky, fun, free range family. Thank You!

Word Less Wednesday July 20,2011