A "Grab a Button" How To

This took me two hours of searching trying to follow directions from many different posts and not quite getting it to work. (There might have been a bit of yelling and name calling going on between me and my poor computer. hehe) Any who I finally found a blog with not great directions but a really great picture (I'm hoping it's okay to share the picture with you as long as I give the site link along with it.) So here we go, my attempt at a tutorial.

1. Create a picture you want to use for your button I don't have any fancy programs on my computer so I just used "Paint"
   
2. Get an account at http://www.photobucket.com/ and up load your picture.


3. On the top left of the screen you will see a bar with your pictures HTML code, copy it.


4. Back at your blog click "customize" on the top right of your screen, then click "layout"


5. Click "Add a Gadget" then choose HTML/Java Script


6. Enter the code just like it is in this picture making all the necessary changes with your info, if it doesn't work go back and make sure you have it exactly the same.

This picture came from: http://accidentalmommies.com/blog-buttons/how-to-add-a-grab-our-button-section-to-your-sidebar/ If you don't understand my instructions maybe theirs will be helpful, they also have lots of other good stuff, definitely worth giving them a looksy.

Keeping things organized

The life of a homemaker can be a very busy one, there are just so many things to get done and keep track of, just like any other full time job. However we have an added danger we are at home with so many distractions, Oh there's a great show on, or ooh I should see whats new over at my fave blog, maybe I'll just finish sewing that new apron, etc, etc. If we are not careful half the day can pass us by, then the kids are home, dinner needs cooked and hubby will be wondering what you've been doing all day while he is hard at work. So then, how does one stay on track but still find time for life's simple pleasures. (like blogging hehe) How about a "Home Management Binder" I have been working on mine for almost a year now. I down sized to a much smaller binder 6"x9" or (something like that) even found sheet covers at "Staples" I filled it with the following sections;

• Calender
• Cleaning Schedules (Including daily, monthly and laundry schedules)
• Menus & Grocery Lists (these are blank I like to make new each week)
• Bills & Budgets (this has monthly forms I made so I never forget to pay, or what I paid to whom or when)
• Things to make our house a home (this is a section of wants and needs for the home so when there is extra money in the budget I know where to spend it)
• Recipes (this is just for the recipes most used so I can get my hands on them quickly)
• Cleaning recipes (for cleaning the dishwasher or washing machine, even recipes for detergents should I run out and need some quick from house hold stuff)
• Books and projects ( this is a running list. I tend to start soo many books and projects that I loose track of what needs to be finished next)
• Child, Health & emergency Information (this is a section of all really important info and numbers should something happen when I'm not around hubby will know all that I know)
• Pet Information (this section is small but has important info, like Vet #'s and Rabies Certificates, God forbid the dog ever bites someone etc.)
• Addresses (I think you know what this one is for :)
• And then a small section just for me for the things I find and think, I should print that out so I do and then never find it again lol Now I can find them.

So as long as I write everything in this book and look at it every day, I stay completely on track and have time for fun stuff like computer time and sewing, Hello I'm Sophie and I have an apron addiction hehe

And now just for fun here are pictures of my boys, when they saw I had the camera out this morning to take a pic of my binder they immediately grabbed their favorite things and yelled take a picture of this mom!!!!

Matthew and his beloved Buzz LightyearElijah and his best friend "Lou Lou baby" She was Lilly but he renamed her. Not really sure how he thought up that name but it's hers none the less :)

Gardening

I am starting my first garden, it's so tiny it's cute :) I'm a little afraid to put a lot into it, I tend to kill every plant I touch :) Hopefully if all goes well this year, I'll be able to plant much more next year. I have dreams of a great big garden full of fruits and veggies, I want to spend my Autumn harvesting, canning and freezing all my garden goodies. My little garden won't do that for me this year but I'll be happy if I get a few tomatoes and cucumbers for sandwiches. I will post some pictures of my little plot when it's done. Oh and the best part is, now I have a good reason to make a gardening apron yea me!! :p

Starting small

Okay where to start in my mission to take this job seriously? Well the obvious place would be with the uniform, one simply must be dresses for the job. lol Now I'm not talking about June Cleaver in high heals and pearls, as much as I LOVE her and her clothes, she is NOT real and ladies as long as we try and be her we are never going to succeed at the real task at hand. So then what is a homemakers uniform you are wondering... well an Apron of course (silly rabbit) here's the thing, what you wear really does effect the way you act and think. So with your apron on you feel cute to start with and that's always good but even better you are ready to get into the nitty gritty of homemaking without any fear of messes, bleach from the laundry...not a problem, food splatter while cooking...not a problem, junior just wiped his nose on you...well icky lol Anywho I find that I jump right into what needs to be done when I put my uniform on, it just makes me feel so feminine and mommyish I love the big pockets on mine, as I find missing toys belonging to my youngest I stick them in my pocket and when we have a snuggle he checks my pockets knowing something good will be in there sometimes I even stick some candy in there, he never knows what he'll get but he loves momma's apron. Ladies, women have been wearing aprons of one form or another since forever, it's only been the last forty years at most that they have gone out of fashion hmm that's also when dresses and skirts were replaced by pants and woman left their children and went to work oh and the feminist movement swept the country but that's a whole other story... anywho if they lasted that long maybe they were good for something???

Becoming a Homemaker

I am a wife, a mother... a Homemaker. However I haven't always been a homemaker and though I have had some lessons and experience as to how to cook and clean and even care for children, I am very new to "Managing" my home, treating it like the very important job it is. Being on time, keeping track of things, you know like paying the light bill before they shut you off or showing up to a doctors appointment on the right day (hehe I have shown up on the wrong day before) or how about something as simple as having clean socks for your husband, or showing his hard work some respect and being frugal with the family income. I am on a journey to change the way I think about and do homemaking. To start seeing it as the most important job there is. After all we who are staying home and raising our families, we are raising up the next generation, we are molding the future. We have a most important job and don't let anyone tell you other wise, no more listening to nay sayers who try and tell you you're not contributing to your family or society these are lies! We are contributing more than anyone, but it is time we start taking this job seriously, and that is where I am in my journey. I am ready to take this job seriously. I will be seeking out all sorts of good old fashioned homemaking skills trying them out and posting them here. I hope some of you will join me in this journey to reclaim our homes, our children and our loving husbands, and stand proud of the job and title we carry... Homemakers. (Okay I'm jumping off the soap box now someone else can use it lol)