Susie Homemaker

I just had a huge weight lifted off my chest as I confessed to my friend that I was playing around on her sewing machine (while she was away) and may or may not have broken something.  I felt like a little kid always admiring her mommas jewelry box when at one point she finally decides to have some fun with it's contents only to break the first thing she touches.  Then she must go and tell mom what she'd done and pray for forgiveness.  Of course, I am a bit on the dramatic side (those close to me know this)and my friend did not take a switch to me.  I just told her how much I have wanted to learn to sew and decided to give it a go on her fancy machine without having a clue what I was doing and all was forgiven. 

In fact learning to sew is not all I have wanted to do lately; I have had a huge desire to do all things crafty because, well...isn't that (and cooking) what stay at home moms are supposed to be good at?  Maybe this desire stems from having a single mother who did not have the time to stay home and make us hair bows and elaborate meals.  Or maybe it's because this is my new career and I feel like I should be accomplishing more than changing diapers and doing laundry.  Learning to sew or actually finishing one of my knitting projects may give me some sense of accomplishment.  I may not get a promotion, but heck I will at least have something to brag about in our playgroups.  I picture it now...one of the mom's says, "Oh what cute outfits Mia and Autumn have on" and I answer ever so proudly "Thanks, I made those"...hehehe.  In reality, though, I think Mia will be telling me how ugly my creation is before I actually make something she could wear. 

Then there's cooking.  I am actually good at this but I am a slacker chef lately.  I get on these kicks where I cook something good every night for a stretch and then I am asking my husband where I should get carry out because I haven't the energy to cook.  I realize where I fall short in this aspect...it's the meal planning thing.  I married a planner, but I am far from being one myself.  Yet, I have this beckoning to start improving in this area.  As a mom, shouldn't I have my little grocery list made out with ingredients for everything I am making for the week with corresponding coupons? 

I feel as though there needs to be a stew simmering on the stove all day and pre-made (by me) meals in the freezer for those days I don't have energy to do major cooking.  Yet, I don't even make grocery lists!  Instead I go to Publix and walk through the doors hoping for inspiration from the lady making the samples or the backs of the Campbell Soup cans.  If I happen to plan ahead and get meat for future meals I never remember to thaw it out at the beginning of the day and it's, "Honey, is Zaxby's okay for dinner?"

I could keep going on about how bad I suck at being Susie Homemaker, but I won't.  I am going to make a goal for myself to at least stop sucking so much.  It will take baby steps but I don't see any reason that I can't learn to function a sewing machine (I should at least be able to hem Mia's pants in the future since she's probably going to be cursed with Marino height deficiency) and I can try making a grocery list from time to time.  I'm sure there will be future posts on these topics...so long.