I like being a stay-at-home-mom, it turns out. I was formerly a self-employed graphic artist, and I still mostly worked at home, but my new job has a lot of facets: childcare (of course) and play time, but also cooking, gardening, home improvement (we live in what you’d call a “major fixer”), financial planning, etc. And then there are my hobbies, including this blog.
What I like most about my new “job” is that it’s a lot like working for myself. I must prioritize some jobs but I often get to pick what I want to do on a given day. Believe me, there’s so much that needs doing, I can throw a stuffed bear to hit a project around here that needs attention.
"Mom's White Bread" is actually "Dad's White Bread" to me: my Dad perfected the recipe to emulate his mom's yummy bread.
Also, I love to cook and plan meals. I’ve been on a bread-baking bender lately. I borrowed a stand mixer from my mother-in-law and have been working it to death making white bread, wheat bread, and my favorite, French bread (so easy!) I’m going to need to return that mixer soon, so this week I’m going to make about 10 loaves of each of my favorites and freeze them. Still working on perfecting the rising of the wheat bread, but the recipe in The Joy of Cooking for “All Whole Grain Bread Cockaigne” made with molasses, is the best!Â
Lastly, babies make you creative! I’ve found myself wanting to brush up on my very-amateur sewing skills, to make them toys and clothes. I’ve knitted tiny scarves for the girls and their friends. Best of all: I’m planning a “messy day” soon, in which I make some slime, and some homemade play dough, and we’re going to invite all the babies over to make a killer mess of the yard.
I’m looking forward to the messy day so much, because of course the girls want to experiment with their food and drinks constantly, which is normal, but naturally I’m not (often) allowing them to throw and mix and stir their edibles with their hands. They deserve their messy day. What else can I add? Ooh! Washable paints? Anyone know a recipe?
Raising My Twins 
Thanks for the credits about the bread.
Dad aka Grampops
But of course!
They say all mom are jugglers. We are just good at this! 🙂
True! I was always a good multi-tasker, but now it’s really put to the test!
Messy Day is an awesome idea! My husband enjoys baking bread which is handy because I love the aroma of it. I should let him know there’s a molasses recipe out there 🙂
It’s really tasty! I’ll post the recipe from TJOC above, in the post.
Hey, guess what? I found an even easier recipe, thanks to another blogger. She makes it with honey, but of course I switched it to molasses. Will post this info really soon!
OOBLECK!
Here is how to make fantasitc oobleck!
1 box of corn starch
water
food coloring if you want it to be green
Dump the box of cornstarch in a container — a bowl or tupperware — I used a square tupperware that was big enough to play in but could also be sealed and saved for later. Start to add water, mixing with your hands, until you reach a consistency that is both hard and soft at the same time. If you jab your finger into it really fast the stuff will be hard….if you sink your finger slowly into it the stuff will be liquidy. Hold a bunch in your hand and keep manipulating it…it will be firm. But let it stop moving and it will suddenly liquify and drip through your fingers.
My kids loved this stuff!
Cool! Thanks Cynthia!
I love that the bread recipe includes bacon fat! I always have a jar of bacon fat in my fridge.
I like the concept of messy day too. In our house all days are unintentionally messy until mommy gets it in gear. Things have a way of getting away from me quickly. And my kids are quick.
I hear ya! Same here. 🙂