"What DO You Do all Day, Mommy?" (warning: long)

Well, Genevieve, it's not easy to explain, so I thought I'd try to record a typical day.

 I'm the homemaker, the housekeeper, the calendar-keeper, the cook.  If I'm keeping up with my work, you probably don't notice it because a well-run house is a background of comfort and stability with the possibility for hobbies, projects, and hospitality.  This is hidden work; I'm not bitter about it - I understand because I can't really sum up my homemaking in a quick sentence and I understand why people don't know how to start a conversation with a homemaker at a social hour over drinks (we stick to editing - more straightforward).  But nevertheless, let's not forget what it takes to care for a house and a family.  Of course, this is my version and other people have different styles and goals.

Wake up 6am to alarm.  Make coffee, bring paper in, clear stuff off dining room table (I usually do this the evening before). Turn washing machine on (there was a load soaking in there; one load is already clean and wet from the night before).  Go to the basement freezer for English muffins for breakfast.  Set out eggs.  Put away clean dishes in the dish drainer to clear the counter.  Pack Ben's lunch - realize I need to refill the peanut jar and go down to the basement freezer to do that and get a brownie for his lunch. Cast my eye over the 30-lb. bag of potatoes I bought last week to see if I can store potatoes successfully in the basement - feel a rotten potato and quickly dig it out for the compost pile. Get dressed, folding the laundry from the drying rack in our  bedroom. Fry eggs, toast English muffins, slice peaches. Get a cup of coffee and read paper for about 4 minutes.

At 7am, wake everybody except Phoebe.  Help everyone assemble breakfasts. Read paper some more.  Dump the bag of peanuts I picked up from my parents' freezer into two trays - put them in hte oven to roast. My husband volunteers to walk the kids to school - he's working from home today, hooray! - and I water the houseplants. Put the next load of laundry in (I sorted out 4 loads yesterday). Make the bed. Phoebe wakes up and starts calling for us - I get her up and change her diaper.  Fry her egg and get her breakfast set up. Keep stirring peanuts and setting timer to remind myself to stir.

At 8am, I quickly rush down to the basement to haul up the peanut butter maker - I can't run to the basement with Phoebe unless I put her in the baby carrier and we're going to be on our own the rest of the morning.  At 8:13, the school crew leaves and because Ben was the one who was 3 minutes late, he will do an extra job of 3 minutes in the afternoon.  I write the note to remind myself.  Help Phoebe with her breakfast. Put the final load of laundry in the washer.

Phoebe is playing on the kitchen floor, so I set up the peanut butter machine, pour in the still-warm peanuts, and make 2 1/2 quarts of peanut butter.  I get out cookie ingredients to warm up, using the empty peanut butter bowl.

Somewhere around 9am, I suit Phoebe up in her rain suit and rain boots (it's muddy) and Phoebe and I head out to the yard.  First I pick up all the black walnuts so Phoebe doesn't get them and stain her clothes.  Then I hang up 4 loads of laundry, working until a squirrel in the tree eats a black walnut directly over my clothesline.  Arghhh!  I dash for a sheet to throw over the wet clothes, but a few things are sprinkled with indelible black walnut dots already. I notice that my husband's white dress shirt has not whitened from its soak in Oxiclean, so I put it in a bucket in the sink with bleach (with a note! so no one splashes bleach around until I get back to it).

At 9:50, Phoebe and I repair to the kitchen where I make cookies and she fusses and plays.  While the cookies bake, I clean up the peanut butter machine.  My husband comes down for a snack, and I get to take the machine down to the basement again while he hangs out with Phoebe.  I give Phoebe a banana and a cookie for a snack - a big one because then we get in the car for some errands.  I added my list, return receipts, and a few entertainment options for Phoebe to my purse.  Oh - and before we leave, I change Phoebe's diaper and dress her.

We drive to a consignment store where I look for a stroller - I can see in 2 minutes that they don't have what I need.  We drive to Target so I can show them that the online price for Ben's Lego set was $5 less than the in-store price that he paid.  This errand has been on my list for several weeks - feels good to get it down.  Phoebe and I go quickly through the store, shopping for rain boots for Genevieve (too expensive, but cute), hiking boots for the husband (too unsure of his taste), bathroom shelves (a nice one in the right size, but at $129, I can wait and hope for a sale), cloth diapers (not toddler size), and then, yes!  a $3 clock for the big kids' room so they can keep track of time better.

We get home at noon, for lunch (leftovers).  At 12:30, as Phoebe plays, I quickly check email and respond to my sister's text about an upcoming vacation.  I shop for cloth diapers online - very confusing.  I put the cookies away.  I answer the door for the Fed-Ex guy. Phoebe and I go back to the yard to pick green beans, jalapenos, and bell peppers.  I also take down the two clean, dry tablecloths which I figure are big targets for the walnut-eaters.  Already there are spots on the one tablecloth! Drat.  I daydream about how to cover the spots.

Phoebe lays down on the floor and sucks her thumb - I ask her if she wants to take her nap and she says "da" (yes).  I fold the tablecloths, and suddenly, Phoebe trips and falls near the laundry room and roars in pain.  A big goose-egg jumps out on her forehead, turning black and blue immediately.  I call the pediatrician for help, and am reassured that the bump means the skull is not injured, but the black-and-blue could migrate down to her eye in a day or so.  Phoebe lets me put an ice-pack on the bump a little bit.  I change her diaper, read her a story, and plunk her in bed.

I return to my computer to edit -  I have a deadline in a few days - and I'm tired, so I drink a cup of oolong tea because it's faster than taking a nap. I work until the big kids come home from school, 3:30, and then it's time to juggle.  I supervise homework, snacks, changing clothes, putting school things away.  Ben does his extra job. I take down the rest of the laundry.  I start making supper.  Phoebe wakes up.  I change her diaper and give her a snack.  I wash the dishes. I keep making supper and drag Genevieve from somewhere to set the table.  After supper at 5:30, Ben washes the dishes (but this is not a linear process - oh no, it takes check-ins and reminders and some help).  My husband has to return to his desk to work. I give Genevieve her piano lesson (not much drama tonight, whew).

I run errands to Rite-Aid and the library with Phoebe and Genevieve; Ben wants to go, too, but he is still washing dishes so he has to stay home. When we get home at 7:30, it's time to clean up the toys and give Phoebe a bath.  I put on her pajamas, help her brush her teeth, and read her a story.  When she's in bed at 8pm, the big kids are basically ready for their story, too (Chasing Redbird by Sharon Creech - none of us have read it and we're all enjoying it so far).  Then Ben realizes that he forgot to finish his homework and we have a tense round of tears and natural consequences; he finally agrees that he will try to finish it in the morning (he's usually up early - a morning person).

They are finally in bed by 8:45.  I return to my computer to knock out a little more editing.  At 9:30, I watch an episode of Lilies while I work on a freelance sewing project that I am itching to get off my plate.  My husband joins me, and we end up in bed at 11pm.

That was long and a little boring to write.  But let it stand on the record!

Related posts:  job description for a homemaker, the details of one morning 8 months ago

Cinderella and Her Socks

Genevieve is currently a huge fan of Lily James and her Cinderella movie.  Let me tell you about her Cinderella get-up.  That's a thrift store bedspread I found for her for a dollar that has gone through several incarnations.  She loves it for its volume (look at it twirl!) and ruffle.  She begged me to trim the holes she cut for head and arms, which I did in pink bias tape.  She begged to go to the thrift store with me to look for Cinderella shoes.  All the heels were black and such except for this sparkly silver acrylic pair, which also happened to be on sale for $2.  We were thrilled together.

 My big beautiful girl.  We've had some good talks about style and "pretty" and makeup.  It's such a balancing act!

But Cinderella can also keep her feet warm when she's not dressed for a ball.

I finished these socks for Genevieve on a drive home from the beach, when the air conditioning in the car was making her cold and she was beyond happy to have toasty feet.

 I'm embarrassed to say that my Kitchener stitch at the toes was faulty on one sock, because it unraveled somehow after only a few wears.  I darned the toe.  I wish I had made the socks taller, but my lack of experience limits me to following the pattern.  Oh well - I think I have enough yarn left to make a wee pair of socks for Phoebe.  The sisters can go on matching!

Purple Hands

I bought 18 lbs. of local Concord grapes for $15 - I was asking for a half-bushel and this is the amount the farmer prepared for me.  I need to record how I processed them.

I made filling for two grape pies, following the recipe in Mennonite Community Cookbook.  I cooked the filling until thick, and I will freeze it.  My friend Jonel tipped me off to cook the filling again when it thaws, and then to cool it before pouring it in the pie shell.  There are two grape pies in my winter, and I am so excited for them!

Then I put the rest of the grapes in the top of the nifty steamer that Rebecca loaned me.  Water goes in the bottom, grapes go in the top, and they steam into juice in the middle that I siphon into jars.  I add a little water and 1 Tbsp. sugar to each jar.  Boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Finally, I made spiced grape butter from the stuff left from the juice.  Three pints of that, canned in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

And stained purple hands to show from all this.

Thrift at Camp

We went camping with our dear friends, the second annual tradition, and we're going to keep it going.   I'm even starting to feel a little bit competent at camping because every year I keep notes and try to refine my method.  This year, I discovered that if I started prepping a full week before we left to camp, I did not feel overwhelmed!  And I also realized that I strongly prefer to prep food in my own kitchen which is luxurious and beautifully outfitted compared to the rudimentary camp kitchen I set up.  So yes, I chopped all my veggies ahead of time and planned carefully to do as little fussing with food as possible at camp.  I even premixed the pancake wet and dry ingredients and it worked perfectly. 

Christy came up with this post title when we were laughing our heads off while she tried to break up some logs for firewood that she found in the woods (okay, and I did try to break a log by whacking it against a tree because I'm a city slicker and don't know better).  She did not buy the $18 hatchet at the camp store, but we did mess around with my husband's pocket knife to see if we could be pioneers and get them hacked up.

I feel obligated to report that Genevieve and some pals caught crayfish, boiled them in a pan, and ate them.  I didn't get any photos, nor did I eat any.

The weather was sunny and warm during the day and chilly and crisp at night.  The only annoying thing I forgot was Phoebe's bib.  The adults lazed around, the kids raced around, and we all agreed we had a fantastic time.

the suppers:

corn on the cob, wrapped in foil, on the tripod grill over the fire

marinated grilled chicken

buttered green beans

walking tacos with beans and taco fixins

Christy's chocolate zucchini cake

hobo packets – sausage, onions sweet potatoes, potatoes, green beans, peppers, mushrooms 

bread + olive oil

 applesauce

Christy's chocolate zucchini cake

the breakfasts:

pancakes + pb + butter + syrup

raspberries 

coffee, milk

fried eggs

fried mushrooms

sliced tomatoes

biscuits wrapped in foil and warmed over the fire

coffee, milk

granola, fruit, milk or yogurt, coffee

the lunches:

hot dogs over the fire + buns + sauerkraut + ketchup + onions

baked beans

crudite with hummus

mountain pies with tomatoes/pesto/mozzarella

or pepperoni/pizza sauce/mozzarella

crudite with hummus

a final roundup of all the leftovers and scraps

Summer Tomato Pie

I love this pie so much - its prep is straightforward, its ingredients are simple, and the flavor is wow! SUMMER.  Furthermore, I adapted the pie recipe that was recommended to me for my slow cooker because it's summer and the heat index was 104 degrees F today.  I use my slow cooker a lot in the summer - I run the extension cord out through the kitchen window and set the cooker on the table outside.

With this pie, I served our very own garden green beans (very proud of that!) with brown butter, and sweet basil ice cream with pine nut pralines for dessert.  Yes, truly.  That supper was the essence of summer for me.

Summer Tomato Pie

Line a 6-quart oval slow cooker with a crust for a 9" pie - bring it up the sides about 2".  I don't crimp it and the edges are definitely rustic. Prick bottom of crust with a fork.

Turn cooker on High for 30 minutes with lid propped open or cocked.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

Thinly slice 3 medium-to-large tomatoes. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tsp. salt and lay in a colander or other porous container in the sink.  You must draw some of the water out of the tomatoes or your pie will be too soupy.  Allow the tomatoes to drain for at least 10 minutes.  Blot moisture gently with a paper towel or old kitchen towel.

After the crust has baked for 30 minutes, carefully (the crock will be hot) layer the filling ingredients below in about 3 layers, ending with cheese.

sliced, salted, drained tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 cup grated nutty cheddar like Dubliner, or freshly grated Parmesan
3/4 cup grated mozzarella

Then, dollop 1/4 cup mayonnaise in tiny dollops around the top and gingerly spread it over the top layer of cheese.  Aim to get it distributed as evenly as possible, but don't stress.  It's summer!

Put the lid on the cooker (not cocked this time) and keep it on High for 1 1/2 hours.  The crust should be crisp where it shows at the sides, the cheese melted, and some tomato juice bubbling.  Remove the slow cooker lid and keep it on High for 15 minutes to evaporate some juice.  Remove crock from cooking unit and allow pie to set for as much time as you have before you want to eat. The longer it sits, the more it firms up (we ate ours hot about 10 minutes after it was done due to hungry kids, so the second helpings were much easier to serve). Serve warm or room temperature.

A Fun Skirt

For its comfort, amiability with all the shirts in my drawer, happy swish below my hips, and loopy flowers, I dub this skirt the Summer 2016 Fun Skirt.  I've worn it so much this summer I almost forgot to blog about it.

Even now, I can't explain why I love this fabric.  The colors are bold but clever, but that flower print?  Why do I like it?  I don't know, but I even thrifted a lavender tank top to match it.  I don't even like purplish colors!

I love this pattern, which Rebecca introduced me to:  a gored skirt with wide pleats, putting the
fullness where it looks good.  Unfortunately, my skirt turned out a little big so I sewed belt loops on it and wear the mustard-colored belt with it.  Easier than taking ripping out a pocket and a waistband.

And yes, Phoebe really did get down on the sidewalk on her forehead, wailing, when I told her we were not, in fact, going to the park but were just strolling so Genevieve could get some snaps of my skirt.

Phoebe puts her forehead on the floor and cries when situations do not please her.  When I am not keeping a straight face, I am wondering where oh where oh where did she learn that kind of drama?  Is it biblical? Hollywood-starlet-brat style?  She's a cool cat otherwise, so it just kills us when she turns on the drama.

Did I Break My Stroller For This?

I had onions on my list when I went to market, and the farmer said laconically, "how manyja want?"  And he handed me a heavy grocery bag full of seconds.  For free.  I had just canned my way through over a bushel of tomatoes and was not looking to preserve something.  I had never dealt with that many onions, some of which were slightly rotting and most had that black stuff which looks like mildew to me.  But I rarely decline FREE.  "Do not resist chances: take them like vitamins" (an internet meme I have pinned to my canning board on Pinterest).

I had a stroller full of market purchases, so I hooked the heavy bag onto the clip on the handle and creaked home.  The stroller collapsed on the porch as I struggled it inside - Phoebe was fine.

In the chaos of getting the perishables into the fridge, Phoebe found the sack of onions on the floor and took several mouthfuls out of an onion before we noticed.  She eats the bits of onion out of her food and says "yum", so I should not have been surprised.  I set aside the nibbled onion with the worst-looking onions.

I googled around until I found an easy onion jam to can.  I used this one.  When I tasted the finished jam, I didn't care for the lemon peel in there.  We'll see - sometimes citrus needs some time in the canning jars to taste right to me (for example, marmalade).

The jam wasn't done cooking down until around 9pm.  All my equipment was on hand due to the bushel of tomatoes, so I turned on the outside light and canned that jam in my canner on the grill burner (I do really wonder what my neighbor the judge thinks of all my machinations as she sits on her side porch in the evenings).

And while I was waiting for the jam to process, I filled up the recently-emptied slow cooker with sliced onions and olive oil to caramelize overnight.  My husband came into the kitchen at 10pm and very nicely got out the other big knife and helped me.  We went to bed with stinging eyes from all those onions, I'm afraid.

The next morning I had to cook and stir the caramelized onions with the lid off a few more hours to get them browner and evaporate some liquid.

I packaged them up for the freezer.  The only ideas I have for them right now are  a caramelized onion pasta sauce from Moosewood, steak toppings, and French onion soup.

And then, my husband looked at the broken stroller and said, oh, that's easy.  He got out his drill and fixed it somehow (Phoebe helped).  I think his drill died a natural death in the process because he told me he found a replacement on ebay.

I still have a number of onions to use up - good thing I signed up for chopped onions for all our Labor Day festivities!