Princess Laughalot

Best advice I got before getting married: "Keep it light, laugh a lot." Couldn't be truer.

P.S. I'm a little annoyed that Jasmine is often left out of these cartoons! She was my favorite!

etiquette lesson 1. my lipgloss is cool.

Lipstick & lip gloss etiquette: To apply or not to apply? Admit it we've all done it. So is it okay? Or just plain tacky?

According to Emily Post's Etiquette Guide:

"It’s okay to quickly apply lipstick at the table if you’re with close friends or relatives in a non-business situation, and at a non-deluxe restaurant. In general, personal grooming should be done in private for the simple reason that it can be annoying and it’s tacky. But putting on lipstick without using a mirror and without fanfare is one grooming ritual that can sometimes be performed in front of others. Still, think first! When in doubt, don’t do it, such as when you’re at a business meal or with people you don’t know very well."

The best time for a make-up and hair touch up? After using the restroom, come back more comfortable & refreshed!

cereal for dinner

It is important to remember that value does not come from a check list of to-do's, how well I cooke dinner, or even if I got to the gym that day. When beauty fades, and my skin begins to sag, when I burn blueberry muffins... it's inner beauty and the heart that matters. It's a lie to believe a person is worthless when they fail. We are all beautifully and wonderfully made! We are worthy of love and joy! Take heart when your biggest critic is yourself.

Sometimes I miss the single days of coming home and playing my guitar for hours on end and eating cereal for dinner while watching 20/20, doing a face mask, while wearing sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt. Now that I am married I put so much pressure on myself to have dinner ready by the time my husband is home, and the house perfectly tidy. Not that those are bad things to do, in of themselves. But it's also not bad to once in awhile enjoy the day, forget to make a meal and have breakfast for dinner. If it's that important for your hubby to have meat & three for dinner, and he doesn't like the idea of raisin bran, then he can whip something up. I'll be honest though, my husband enjoys just about anything I give him to eat, and he's just as grateful! Take heart when your biggest critic is yourself.

us and them

I think we would all agree that we have come so far in America, but depending on the area you live that will determine the popular attitude towards being a working woman, stay at home wife, or both. According the Jordan Dee's, she grew up in an area of Texas in which most women were housewives, and those who worked were looked down upon. In Northern Virginia, I would argue it's the reverse.

There is also the category of women like my Mom ( __ years old today! Happy Birthday Mom!) who did not have the choice to stay at home, she had to work to make ends meet. But that did not mean she outsourced her duties as a wife and mother. She gave her all to her family regardless of how tired she was. I learned so much from her, and I respect her so much. She went back to school for her bachelors degree, pregnant with her sixth child, and oh-yeah with pneumonia. But that didn't stop her, she earned her degree. Recently she spent the past two years in grad-school getting her Masters in HR at the age of 45. Yes, ladies and gents my Mother is super-woman. She, and all the woman in my family, have been models of what woman's liberation was all about! They have been single mothers, nurses, teachers, personal trainers, administrators! You name it they have done it to provide for their families without playing the victim. I am from a family of resilient and brilliant women, who encourage one another in the choices each woman has to make for her family.

I want to repeat this blog isn't about "us and them", though it is an interesting topic of discussion, and that attitude does exist. It is an attitude that should be brought to light and shamed. I am guilty of judging women for their choices just as much as they judge me, and thanks to some insight from my wise Aunt.Katie, that attitude has been extinguished and I want to change just as much as I want others to change in that way of thinking!

I want to use this blog to continue to talk about these differences, and the consequences of our choices, but mostly I want to use this as an exploration and education tool for myself. Truth is there is a lot that was LOST in being a housewife, and being feminine. Being a housewife isn't just about the latest gossip or spending four hours in the gym, or wearing dresses and pearls all the time. When you are a housewife, it IS A JOB! My Aunt.Katie puts it like this, you are the "Vice President of Operations" when you are a housewife. This is just as much a full-time job as your husbands job. Both men and women should view it as such. I have found that people who respect and agree with this, have either had a wonderful mother that stayed at home, or at least know some great examples. On the flip-side, people who have negative attitudes about this title have very bad experiences or none at all of what a housewife is.

When you are a housewife, you are answerable to your husband... go with me here. If he comes home at the end of the day and you are still in your robe, you haven't even bothered to shower that day, and you have spent the afternoon shopping online and watching soap-ops he has every right to be upset and say "What have you been doing all day!". In the same way you have every right to say to him "What have you been doing all day?" if your husband were to get up, get dressed, and go to work but the pay-checks stopped coming. In his job, he is contributing the the well-being of the family, and in your job as a housewife you are also contributing (even if it's not financially).

a real nail biter and other childish habits

I have been biting my nails since... well since I can remember. I have gone through stages of not biting, biting, not biting, then biting again. Currently I have allowed them to grow up - I mean grow out! Much to my husbands enjoyment (who loves a good back scratch)and much to my feeling like I am going to go crazy.

The only thing that keeps me from biting is when they are painted. So I spent about $30 getting all the at home manicure supplies I could find; the base coat, the top coat, color, cutical oil, etc. I do a decent job, I am actually getting better, but I still enjoy the pampering of a mani-pedi. It's like getting a neck message - sure you can manage on your own but something just feels better about having a professional do it. Too bad I don't have $40 to go every two-weeks to Angel Nails.

So today, while waiting for my kitchen floor to dry, I painted my nails and caught up on Dancing with the Stars! Got to be productive in-between housework! :)

Anyone else have bad habits they can't kick?

"there's no place like home"

A sweet note from my Brilliant Mother, who just became a first-time Grandmother this morning....Congrats to Casie & Paul on their baby boy Jackson Parker Kozlowski.

"I love the topic and I love you. I know I put the same pressure on you that was on me. At least you realized it and are taking a stand. But what do you do with so much to offer. My thing was that I wanted you to have the chance and never wonder what if. So you had it, you choose not to go that route; at least you know what you are walking away from. As long as you're not walking away out of fear, then walk tall. It will be interesting to see how you find an outlet for your talents. That is vital because they are part of you. But they don't have to propel you past your own front door if that is where you want to keep them. Gee, that reminds me of Dorothy at the end of the movie talking to Auntie Em about never needing to look any further than her own back yard. Well, I love you little mrs." - Mom

"modern housewife"

When you google image search "modern housewife" this is the second image shown... I about peed myself laughing.