My Secret Life of Domestic Mom (Secretly Speaking)

I am a Real Housewife of DP County.

I am not sure I have shared this is in the past.

And I hate keeping secrets, so I must share with my 3 readers what is really going on here.

On my days at home,I do things like,

lay dough in a sunny, warm spot and hope it to rise...

IT DOES!

I am shocked.

I kneaded this sucker for 10 full minutes,

watching the clock every second till my biceps were burning.

Would somebody please get me the KitchenAide mixer for my birthday?

I promise to use it.

Often.

Look at the heavens I created!

Imagine if I only had the right tools! Come on, please?

Anyone, mixer?

Oh not only that, I am getting obsessive with the cooking/baking bit. My days are consumed with braised short ribs, chicken cattiore, lamb shanks, whathaveyou.

Come on.

I think beans are pretty.

Something has happened to me.

The Food Network has taken me for their own.

I am so Rachel Ray, for sure. Except, I have very visible assistance, and assistants.

At. Every. Given. Moment.

If I need to use the sink, they have already filled it.

Need to throw something away? They are in front of it.

These girls are ON.

They have this uncanny way to work with me, that they are always so helpful

(and so always in my way)

copying EVERYTHING I do.

Notice the dishtowels on their shoulders? Soooo Me-ish (as Lil would say) of them!

(SECRETLY, since this is such a secret post...

they are so cute in their wanna-be-helpful-ways, right?)

I have gotten so good and confident with my cooking, I thought I should go Full On (Bring It) with my domestic graces. Mom and Paul gifted me (by request) with Grandma G's sewing machine at Christmas.

It THRILLS me to have it.

To see it sitting there in the corner of my office, pretending like it now belongs to a sew-er.

Let's me honest. I asked for it. Its been a month and I can barely look at it, much less touch it. Its the first tool to scare the wits outta me!

But today, I took the plunge.

I took it out.

I dug in the drawers...

I had my first EASY project in mind.

Hem these newly bought $20 super clearance West Elm curtains for my bedroom.

So EASY.

Only a hem, for goodness sakes. I can do this.

Make the women that went before me proud!

Just iron and cut and sew. Duh. A straight line.

OMG so easy.

Really, like a bobbin?
What's a bobbin? Is it in these drawers?

Do I really NEED it?

Oh what's this? Something a hundred years old
(the label says :$1.29 with tax IF they charge tax")
We are talking WAY back to simpler times here.

It also says "Iron" and "Perfect for things like HEMS"...
We are talking like so futurist here and now.

I am only doing a HEM after all.
This sewing machine is so broke, I mean where's the bobbin?
I'll just get on this stool from Darin's Grandma and measure and iron...

I mean, I already have this awesome stool...I'll just climb on it, like any old Grandma and by doing that, learn to sew my life away....here I go...
Oh there you are!
Jesus(literally) in the middle of the safety pins.
I knew I could count on you!!!
Can you imagine how much love from the heavens is being gifted to poor, clumsy me, right now?
How many sweet- ever- loving- Grandma's I am feeling in the heavens
and a few here on earth at this moment?
I do not want to disappoint!

I did it.
My first sewing project.
Thanks to those that went before me,
...it actually took no sewing at all and I was able to hem these curtains.


I was so inspired at my non-sewing first sewing project that I made a matching valence for the masterbath = all without actually sewing.
Thank you to every sewing and non sewing Grandma ever!
Mostly thank you Grandma G.

I have been meaning to tell you about some other projects of mine that have been getting great reviews around here, like my jewelry bulletin board in my closet...(no sewing involved!)


Or my recent decor that consists of the little jars of buttons and things from the sewing machine drawers.

Its ART to me!

Labeled. Categorized. Organized. Ahh.
I can't believe Grandma G stashed these away!

Once found, I promptly put them on display in my powder room.
Then I realized, Grandma G, didn't have a "powder room" or a knowledge that shabby chic was about to be so "in".


This Lady Love was ALWAYS ahead of her time.





Us girls are just having too much fun with these gifts and these memories this potential.

All day long the girls were saying to me"are you still sewing?"

and I am all like "sorta, yes, IRONING Honey's."

as they dig through the treasures in whimsy and awe.




And I think, as I go along,

I am finding who I am meant to be.

And I think this picture (courtesy of Lily) shows the person I am growing into.

A woman that loves running and yoga and dance (and is about to learn raquetball),

a person with a passion for cooking, nurturing, hosting,

a person that strives to be design and fashion and handy,

and above all, attempts to be a super wife and a great mom.

And I see these kids of mine dressing everyday and acting everyday JUST LIKE ME,

and I can only hope I am bringing goodness and kindness to the world,

by being the best me I can be, as oxymor-ish as I am.

Aren't we all?

Aren't we all so totally fabulous-just-as-we-are, that is?

And once again, I, with as little as I know about everything.

I know myself as a unique person and yet my thoughts about life and motherhood are not unique and have been felt by so many women that went before me.

And also by so many women that are doing this motherhood with me today.

And tonight as I write this, I thank THE HEAVENS for the all of us, and for all the children that have given us this oportunity.

And for some reason that I think must have everything to do with Grandma's I am ending this post with..

Amen.