The British Homemaker - One day at a time

The History of 'APRONS' I don't think our kids know what an apron is. The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a pot holder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears. From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.. And when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the ...

Do you like white Christmas trees? I have to be honest I have never, ever liked or appreciated them, that is until I saw my moms last year and I kinda sorta maybe almost liked it, a teeny, tiny bit! Being in temporary accommodation when Christmas came last year we had zero tree/decorations so I set out building my own, or at least I planned to when my mom offered me to use her green one. The kids jumped at it and who was I to say no? I mean, they'd had so much to deal with for the previous 8 months that I was going to do anything to put some magic back in their lives if only for a couple of weeks. I think I should learn to stop digressing! ;) This week I went into town to get a couple of things I'd 'added' to my list, one being a 6' white Christmas tree. Now for those of you that know me in real life will know that my Christmas tree is the pride of the season seconded only to the Saviour himself. I usually have a huge one, 8' high by 5' wide at the...

I meant to post this on 1st December to see if it could be added to and/or altered for other fun crafts. My teen isn't huge on crafting but the dude is, he will sit for hours making, drawing, designing, writing, colouring and creating something from almost nothing. Add that to the fun of Christmas crafting and it makes for a happy mommy! Every year we have our own little routine in preparation for Christmas, quite simple really and it keeps the kids happy on the colder days and longer nights. Goes something like this: 1st - Tree goes up and decorated 2nd - Decorations around the house From here on we have a rough sketch of what we want to do each day up to Christmas Eve: Make window decorations paper chains operation Christmas child boxes {between 2 ad 6} paper bunting felt ornaments bread and pastry goodies soap/hand lotion gifts teacher/church teacher gifts salt dough decorations personalised baubles chocolate and marshmallow chocolate gifts cookies, cake...

Christmas is a little late in our house this year. 11 days too late to be precise. First we decided we’d get a fresh tree so we moved round the living room, re-homed the piano to the dining room, swapped the display unit in the hall and voila, one room ready for a super tall, super wide tree. Just not on the 1st December! Severe weather conditions meant that many of the tree’s weren’t able to be delivered here so we were on ‘hold’. Through this last week whilst waiting to get internet connection by the new supplier (see The British Homemaker Diary for more info) I worked through my to-do list like it was a marathon. The temptation was almost overwhelming to just give in and go buy an artificial one. Today I’m glad we didn’t! This baby has made himself totally at home in the living room, so much so we had to cut his diet branches back an inch or two! Next challenge comes from the erm, lack or ornaments! Last  year I gave a lot away and dumped the rest. The few I kept ar...

For about a year now Charley has enjoyed playing on the Lego site testing out most of their games, entering competitions and printing off there colouring pages etc. Some days he will get an hour straight after school while I begin dinner. Most days I am running up and down the stairs because he wants to go back a page or something. Tonight, after not hearing him call after about 15 minutes I went up anyway. Yep, he is totally super glued to the screen, he is on the edge of the seat racing against the clock on a game! When I asked him if he needed help with anything, he simply said: No mom! I am 6 and I know what all the buttons do and I know when to use them! Of course, what do mothers know? :D   Debs

I couldn’t help but sing the old Modern Romance song as the kids and I walked through the woods on Friday looking for the right kind of foliage for some of our Christmas Decorations. Remember that song? Back in the 80’s? Sweet! Yep, that’s my daughter in 3/4 trousers and Uggs!   The boy loves orange. EVERYTHING is orange! Boo! We walked a long way. 200 yards into it the heavens opened. Big Time! So we took cover! Charley wanted to wait for the deer to come out but erm, I wasn’t waiting till it was pitch black. Sorry son! But this tree amused him. And me. Cute eh? We’ve called him Bert. We had a super couple of hours out, rain and wind didn’t spoil it either. The dog looked like a lil rat, my hair hung like I’d just got out the shower and lets not mention my jeans that wouldn’t come off (when I got home) cos they were stuck to me so much! The goodies we came back with will be magically transformed and shared over on The British Homemaker’s Dairy soon as I hav...

Monday Charley nominates me to be one of 4 to make Christmas goodies for the school fair. Tuesday Having 2 ear infections/sinus trouble and a head cold qualifies me to not cook dinner. Yay to two kids! Wednesday There is nothing better than sitting and talking in front of a log fire with someone who is as as appreciative as me on the rights and wrongs of life. Thursday Official meetings can be fun. Businesses can grow by just a good and balanced reputation, which thankfully I happen to have. Friday The day we go for a walk as a family. The Kymin - steep but awesome views and a great trail for gathering natural foliage for my winter/Christmas projects.      

Every year I throw out the inside of the pumpkin. This year I’m going to see if I actually like eating it. Not sure what I will make yet, but be warned, I will be back on that one! Kirsten came home and got all excited about our lil Halloween efforts and wanted to work on her pumpkin with some fancy face or design. Naturally, Charley followed suit: Not the best photo, it was flippin’ freezing out! The trick or treating that Charley has never been into has also came alive. He informed me that he wanted to go knock, knock a-knocking! Oh boy, I’m still reeling that he’s even bothered! I still hummed and arghed about it but in the end we went: We didn’t knock too many doors, I didn’t want him Charley to get carried away with it all. After all, why should I pay for our dentist to go Bali? :D A happy lil power ranger (who forgot his talking helmet!) returned home rather eager to check out his loot and dig into the goodies on the last minute Halloween table! Next post: Homemade...

For those of you who are Lds you will know those commercials they do that remind us that time is more important than anything else when it comes to our kids. When I got up this morning, the first thing I heard when I put on the byu.tv (the ritual I have each morning whilst we are getting ready) was the commercial where the little girl repeatedly asked her daddy to read her a story. Each time he put her off for one reason or another. Eventually, late into the night she goes to her dads bedside and asked him yet again for a story, his drowsy words were to ask her mommy. Cutely, she walked round the bed, tapped her mommy and said ‘mommy, can daddy read me a story?’   I laugh each time I see that but it irks me too. I was often caught saying the same thing to the kids, I’m busy or later. What hit me though was hearing the kids talking, Charley wanted something and Kirsten asked him to ask me, to which his reply was ‘mom will say later’ I was arm deep i...