Thursday, January 26, 2017

{ What Inspires me to be a Homemaker }


What or who inspires you to be a homemaker?  Why are you ok with being home instead of having a career outside the home?  How do you keep from going stir crazy in the house?  How do you feel when someone calls you old fashioned or tells you that you are *just a homemaker*?

I get asked these questions pretty often, and I think I've replied a few times, but I thought I would actually sit down and compose a post on homemaking and why I do what I do.

Yes I've made a few posts about this in the past, but I keep being asked the same questions, and I really don't mind sharing my life or why I do the things I do.

So from a very young age, I knew that I wanted to be a homemaker.  I wanted to be a mom, a wife, I wanted to have my house and clean it and keep it cozy and take care of my family.  When other kids would play hopscotch or draw, or play tag, I would often be found inside playing HOUSE.  I would pretend I was cooking, cleaning, and took care of my dolls, often lining them all up and pretending they were my babies.  It was just natural for me, it was something I wanted to do and I got the biggest joy out of.

What many don't know is that I did work, after I graduated high school I worked until I got married at 24, so it's not like I never worked outside the home, but from a very early stage my husband and I decided that I should stay home and take care of the kids.

But where does the inspiration to be a homemaker come from?

I would have to say without a doubt, that my biggest inspiration came from my greatgrandmother Ema.  I've talked about her before, and the fact that she had the biggest impact in my life and who I am today.  Many other women in my family did the same, my grandmother, my stepmother, but my greatgrandmother was the one I looked up to.  I wanted to be just like her, with her apron on, sitting at the kitchen table snapping beans with a huge smile on her face.

Homemaking is not for everyone, and that is perfectly ok.  There are many women who want to have a career, who don't want to stay home, who love working outside the home, and I take my hat off to them.

For me though, I am happiest being a homemaker.

January 26, 2017

Aside from my greatgrandmother and other family members, I get a lot of inspiration from watching period dramas, from learning from the old days and reading books on the way life used to be.

I've never made it a secret that if I had the chance, I would go back in time and live a much simpler life.

January 26, 2017

How do you keep from going stir crazy in the house?

Well I really don't think there is much chance of getting bored at home, there is always and I mean always something to do, something to cook, something to clean.  Time flies, I find myself wondering where the day got to because I end up with things I wanted to do, still left undone.

Homemaking doesn't have to mean boredom, homemaking doesn't mean you can't ever leave the house, so if you find yourself going stir crazy, and trust me I do sometimes, that is when I head out the door.  Whether you're grocery shopping, heading to the farmer's market, or just going for a walk or a drive, it helps.

You're old fashioned.

That's another biggie for me, I have lost count how many times I've been called old fashioned, like it's a bad thing, like it's a stigma that I would want to steer clear of.

I think the biggest thing people tend to forget, is that homemaking is as equally important as any other role we have in our society.  We need all these different roles and people in order for things to work, for life to be what it's supposed to be.  Bakers, pharmacists, doctors, policemen, military, secretaries, managers, retail workers, homemakers and so on and so forth.

Every single one of those is important in it's own way and contributes to society in another.

Just the way I think of it all.

January 26, 2017

But back to my personal inspirations for homemaking and loving what I do.

Books. Over the past years I have collected a few that I really enjoy looking through and reading, and I've been gifted a few by some very special friends.

Every one of these books inspires me in a different way.

January 26, 2017

I love the book above, it is one of my favorites from my stack, it is all about teaching you the skills that you never learned, living the prairie way.

January 26, 2017

January 26, 2017

January 26, 2017

The cooking books have been one of my biggest inspirations in preparing filling, delicious meals for my family without killing our budget.  Not to mention I love seeing what they used to cook with, and how they produced these meals without the modern ovens and stoves of today.

January 26, 2017

January 26, 2017

My wonderful friend Jen gave me the book above.  She lives near the Genesee Country Village and Museum and often visits.  I've always told her how jealous I am and how I wish I could go as well, so on one of her visits, she got a few things for me.  Best gift ever :)

January 26, 2017

January 26, 2017

Reading about simpler times inspires me to enjoy all the moments I have in my own home.  I also get ideas for simple decorations, candles, quilts, just small ways to make every corner of my home seem warm and cozy.

January 26, 2017

January 26, 2017

January 26, 2017

I want to encourage all of you to follow your hearts.  And if being a homemaker is your calling, something you love, then do it, but do it fully, don't worry about the naysayers, don't worry about the comments or feeling like you are falling short, because you're not.

I've dedicated my life to being a homemaker, a wife, a mom and yes my job as a mom of young ones is quickly coming to an end.  My daughter is graduating high school in May, my son is starting High School this year and I'm not longer needed in one way, but times are shifting and I'll be needed in different ways.  

So I'm moving with the tide, adapting, continuing to contribute to my home and my family the best way I can.

I'm not ashamed to be old fashioned, not when I look around me and see what being a modern woman means in these times.  I'm a homebody, I always have been and I don't think that will ever change.

Embrace your life as a homemaker, friends.  You ARE important and what you DO is necessary.

I would love to know how many of you out there find inspiration for homemaking and just how you deal with the almost always negative opinions on homemakers.

9 comments:

Dawn Marie said...

Well said. I also love being a homemaker. Before having kids I worked a job that was underpaid and highly stressful. My husband and I decided that once we had kids I was better off being at home with them. I'm so grateful for that because I have been able to care for them in every aspect. There are women who choose other paths and that's okay too. We all do what we feel is best for our family. This is what's best for mine. My mom stayed at home until I went to school. My sisters stayed at home until their kids went to school. My kids are in kindergarten and third grade so I will soon be finding some part-time work while they are in school but I will be here with them when they are home. I know the time I have with them is short. It won't be long before they are grown and able to care for themselves. So I'm enjoying every moment I have with them now. Yes, being a homemaker can get monotonous and many do think we stay-at-home moms actually keep ourselves at home ALL the time and that's not true. Homemaking definitively deserves more credit.

AFord said...

I am also a housewife, which I mostly love, but I find my connections to the outside world somewhat limited now that I don't go to school or work outside of the home. My husband recently retired from the army and we are finally planted in one spot for the foreseeable future. I'm finding it difficult to develop a community outside of my family. Other the church or the PTA, what are some ways that homemakers can develop a social community?

Livia Rachelle said...

I'm still a home with my parents but I've always wanted to be a homemaker too. My mom owns this book Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping: Timeless Wisdom and Practical Advice. I loved pouring through it. It's got all sorts of old-timey advice and the arrangement of the book is so fun.

I also have Log Cabin Cooking. I've been meaning to "raid my shelves" in order to stop and enjoys books and magazines that I own, so I'm pulling that one out now.

carrie@northwoods scrapbook said...

Love this Sandra! I relate with so much of you stay - right down to being inspired by a Grandma!

I worked for almost 9 years as a social worker once I was out of college and it was a very stressful job that had me on ulcer meds and wearing a mouth guard to sleep at night - due to TMJ issues. I was clenching my teeth so hard in my sleep and I would have horrible headaches. They thought I had migraines and eventually at a dentist appt he told me I had TMJ. I don't miss that part of my job!! '

I loved different parts of my job - but eventually the stress became too much and my Hubby was "of a means" by then where I could stay home with my kiddos. It's amazing how all the health problems disappeared after a couple of months of "decompressing" from all of that stress. I started to find more interest in baking and cooking and reading cook books. I found a love for scrapbooking and gardening and other activities that brought me joy... but that I found brought happiness to my family as well.

I did do some caregiving for my MIL with Alzheimers for several years until she had to go to a facility. I've also kept busy being involved in PTA committees at my kiddos' school, and church activities. etc. This is the first year I haven't had a child at home or been caregiving so I feel a freedom to find what else I'd like to do for me besides my love of homemaking.

I'm currently working on an Etsy store and looking into volunteering. I think it's important to feed our souls as well as giving so much to others.

Blessings HOn. xoxo

TheFishie said...

Not meaning to sound judgey, but what will you do when the kids leave for college? It sounds like you have the housework down to a science and much of your time is spent homeschooling and otherwise taking care of the kids.

Mrs. Chrissy T said...

I love my calling and minstry of being a homemaker. What a special collection of books.

Pamela said...

What a lovely post! I was a homemaker for most of Sophia's school years (I worked briefly when she was in elementary school but homeschooled the middle school years and then was at home when she was in high school). At times, I felt less like a homemaker and more like a chauffeur! It seemed that we were always on our way to choir, 4-H, riding events, youth group, but I was glad that I didn't have to juggle that with a work schedule. When she graduated from high school and went to our local community college, I was still at home but had quite a heavy volunteer schedule and then when she went off to college away from home and Vic was underway a lot of the time, I went back to work. I found that I had really missed working - running the lives of adults (the managers and supervisors who depended on me) was just as fulfilling as running a household. So, I guess you could say, I'm on the fence. I strongly support whatever works in any woman's life.

Simply Quaint said...

A wonderful post....I too worked all through my children growing up, no choice we needed the funds....I dreamed of being a stay at home mom....I'm now 52 my children are grown and I'm a stay at home wife...lol...I keep house, garden craft, which is now my job, I sell in a primitive shop and on line....I run errands, cook all our meals at home, I bargain shop, meaning thrift stores, garage sales, good will..we live on a tight budget, but we do fine.....I am told I was born I the wrong era as well....I love to cook, preserve and I make most of our things we need for our home, blankets, curtains etc......

Thank you again, a wonderful post.....

Blessings
Rhonda

Sally said...

Great post and comments!! I love being a homemaker!! Blessings!