365 Days to a Homemade Life: Week 2 (The New Stove and a New Attitude)

As you can see, I’ve decided to report on my 365 Days to a Homemade Life project once a week. Not only was it too hard to keep up with daily posts, I was unable to give you recipes, tips and tricks, etc., because the posts were taking up all of my time. (I don’t want to send out multiple posts per day!)

I’m cooking and documenting the recipes I’m making so that I can share them with you. My plan is to work through the recipes that mom and grandma passed down to me, as well as some of other favorites I’ve located over the years. Most of the recipes are thrifty, good, fairly easy to make, and use pantry items. No fuss. No special, expensive ingredients required.

This Week’s Three Big Things

1. We replaced our broken stove! In case you don’t remember, our oven was leaking gas fumes. The door kept falling off and the bottom drawer didn’t work. We had thought of replacing it for several years, but I just didn’t want to spend the money. But when it starting leaking gas (and I got a bad headache from the fumes), we decided that couldn’t wait anymore. This meant that we had to replace the stove, the microwave, and the dishwasher otherwise, the kitchen would look funny.

Gulp.

Thankfully, we got some great deals at Lowe’s Labor Day appliance sale, so it worked out okay. The microwave only cost us $199! I LOVE this stove. It has a huge burner on the front-right side which is perfect for canning. All four burners are different sizes. There is a long burner in the center of the stove top to use with the included griddle. (A griddle!)

I’ve baked a few things and everything came out so nice because there aren’t any hot spots in the oven. And wow… it pre-heats so quickly! That should save us some money because the old oven took at least 15 minutes to warm up.

But bummer… when we got the dishwasher home, we discovered that they had accidentally sold us the wrong model (the cheapest one in the line). We decided to install it anyway. However, it isn’t cleaning properly and the dishes don’t dry even if I leave them in there overnight, so Lowe’s has agreed to swap it out with the one we wanted in the first place. Gary will take care of that tomorrow.

2. Julianne and her family moved out. Oh man… I knew I’d probably miss them when they went, but I didn’t know how MUCH I would miss them – especially Miss Baylee. She lived here ever since and it sort of feels like someone has kidnapped my child – only the kidnapper had every right to take her. Julianne was here this morning and she told us that Baylee is having trouble sleeping in her new bedroom. She’s fine otherwise.

I think kids are more adaptable than their grandparents are.

Oh, how I love this little monkey!

She was so cute when she came in this morning. She ran in the door yelling, “Pampa! Pampa!  (She calls  us both Pampa.”) Then she ran from room to room, making sure that everything is the same.

We didn’t get to see Miss Ayla today because she started pre-school this morning. (Ahh…. where does the time go?)

Last night, I was feeling kind of sad about them being gone and suddenly, I remembered a song I wrong in 1998 called If Only I Had Children.  I wrote it when my kids were all still at home (and driving me nuts). Suddenly, the last verse is very meaningful.

Oh, if only I had children I’d be happy.
I’d smile a lot and take them to the park.
Have Happy Meals and ice cream at McDonald’s
and drive to the mall in my big car.
Oh, what a happy person I would be
if only I had children.

Looking ahead, never looking behind
Forgetting to look all around me
Looking ahead, I wonder what’s there
In that great someday I’ll be happy!

Now I have some babies and I’m thinking
I really wish that I could get some sleep.
The pillow on my bed looks so inviting.
Babies are so very hard to keep.
Oh, what a happy person I would be
if only I could sleep.

Looking ahead, never looking behind
Forgetting to look all around me
Looking ahead, I wonder what’s there
In that great someday I’ll be happy!

My kids in school are going to drive me crazy.
The mess and homework ’round me is knee-high.
I’m looking forward to the freedom coming
When finally, I can wave and say goodbye.
Oh, what a happy person I would be
if only I had my freedom.

Looking ahead, never looking behind
Forgetting to look all around me
Looking ahead, I wonder what’s there
In that great someday I’ll be happy!

My kids are grown and gone and now I’m lonely.
I wonder when they’ll come and visit me.
My house is clean. I have no trouble sleeping.
But now I wish my kids were ’round my knee.
Oh, what a happy person I would be
If only I had my children…my children…my children…

If I could live my life over, I’d spend more times with the kids. I’d squeeze every minute out of every day. I suppose my parents with grown children think that same thing, right?

3.  I’ve had a major attitude adjustment. Heavenly Father has answered my prayers and now, I am enjoying being a homemaker! Instead of resenting the work I have to do, I am having fun. Yesterday, I realized that I am so blessed by all the bounty our fruit trees and garden are producing. Not only do I have a couple of small trees of peaches left to put up, I’ve got a nice bunch of pears in the basement ripening.

Tomorrow, I’ll have Gary pick the apples. I’m thinking of making apple pie filling. My mom gave me a super recipe years ago and even thinking about it makes me kind of drool.

Isn’t this a beautiful pear? I’m going to make some freezer spiced pear jam once they are ready. Pears have to ripen off the trees or they get grainy.

The apples aren’t perfect, but they’ll make good pie filling.

Because of our current circumstances, I’ve got to be thrifty, so it’s a good thing I’ve got on this band wagon. My mind is spinning with low-cost meals, homemade bread, putting up the fruit and produce, and more. I’m also thinking of  doing some painting and repairing around the house to get things in ship-shape. (It will have to wait until my canning is done.)

This all means that I’ll have a lot to share with you in the future. I’m excited.

The point of this story is that taking on this 365 Days to a Homemade Life challenge is one of the best decisions I’ve made. It feels so good to feel good to enjoy my home and family more! Yesterday, my friend Wendee brought me some lunch and as we were chatting about various things, she said, “You seem so much happier now. You seem relaxed.”

She’s right. I certainly do feel better now.

So tell me… what have you been up to this week?