Making Home Sweet

It's been said that the kitchen is the heart of the home.

When I want to make home sweet, I get to work in the kitchen.

               

As homemakers, we have the power to alter the atmosphere of our home. We can make it a nurturing place and a safe haven for our families.

~~~~~~~

My plans on this day were changed a bit. I'm usually out of the house every Wednesday afternoon for about an hour and a half because of my daughter's ballet class. My mom called, though, and offered to come pick her up and take her to her class for me. 

Suddenly I had some free time I wasn't planning on. (Thanks, Mom! :) 

The weather was wet and chilly. Perfect conditions for getting to work in the kitchen! Gloomy weather inspires me to bake. I've always felt this way. 

           

When I was a kid, the minute the weather would turn sour I would pester my mom to let me bake something. I guess what goes around comes around, because I now have a child like that, haha.

The moment we found out grandma was taking Nola to class and we could stay home, Roman said, "Can we make oatmeal cookies?"

We finished up his schoolwork for the day, and I turned on some appropriate cold weather/ baking music... (Ella Fitzgerald! Billie Holiday! Louis Armstrong! ...My, oh my!....)

I will never understand how anyone could think staying home is a dull and pointless life. Women today are being told that in order to be liberated and free, they should work. But I've worked various jobs throughout my life, and in every job I've had there have been the same things in common: 

-You have a manager telling you what to do, when to do it, and when you can or can't take time off. 

-You can only do what you've been hired to do.

-You spend your time and energy furthering the company's mission.

For me, the opposite of what our culture says about liberating women has been true. I've discovered that there's true freedom in being home! 

-I have no manger or over-seer telling me what to do.

-I decide my schedule; when I work and when I take time off.

-I'm not limited in what I can or can't do. (The homemaker has a sea of options open to her of various things she can pursue. Gardening, cooking, sewing, etc...)

-I spend my time and energy furthering my mission, which is my home, my kids, and homeschool.

So... On a Wednesday afternoon, I have the freedom to put on a floral apron...

           

And dig around for an oatmeal cookie recipe...

(I know that this is exactly what our grandmothers in the 60's worked hard to free us from, but I don't care. I love this life!)

Are you in need of an oatmeal cookie recipe? You can have mine:

(I like to use craisins instead of raisins.)

Roman helped me measure out ingredients:

By the time we reached this point I had to take a break to get the baby up from her nap:

(What a wonderful life this is...)

             

The music was on, the sleet was coming down, the kids were playing, and I was baking...

           

There is so much we can do to nurture our families and create a happy home. This is just one small thing. Mama's, let's make sure our kid's memories of home are filled with these things!

Bibles layed open, their mama in aprons, cookies in the oven, happy music playing....

...and a beautiful environment that's filled with love.

Let's do what we can to make home sweet.

Wish you were here. Would you like a cookie?

              

xo,

~Courtney