Homemaking Meme

I've seen this on a couple of my favorite blogs, and traced it back to Sallie. Most of the time memes don't really thrill my soul, but this isn't your average meme - it's about homemaking, one of my favorite things!
And to be honest, it's got an idea brewing in the back of my mind for a meme of my own to create. Just what the world needs, right? Another meme!

Aprons – Y/N? If Y, what does your favorite look like?
YES! I love aprons. My favorite is vintage and handmade out of a red calico with white flowers. I took it from my home when I left to get married.

Baking – Favorite thing to bake
Bread. Nothing smells quite like freshly baked bread. And the satisfaction of knowing that you made it yourself with freshly ground whole wheat flour – unbeatable! Hmm....I’m getting the urge right now.

Clothesline – Y/N?
Yes, oh yes. But I go in spurts on how much I use it.

Donuts – Have you ever made them?
Yes! From scratch are wonderful, and also from refrigerator biscuits for a quick treat.

Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day
Dishes – Praise the Lord for my Grandmother! She arrived at my home just hours after the birth of my fourth baby, noticed the lack of a dishwasher, and decided to take matters into her own hands. Very shortly, she had purchased for me a portable dishwasher at a garage sale – my very favorite present ever!

Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freeze?
:( No. And I do miss it SO much. At this house we have no garage, basement, or electric in the barn. If I wanted to have one, it would have to be in my living room, unfortunately, and that just doesn’t work so well.

Garbage Disposal – Y/N?
Yes. I hate it, though. They are terrible for septics, which we have, and happen to scare the heebie jeebies out of me.

Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource?
Umm....that would be the internet, I suppose. I have a mennonite cookbook I refer to and of course the lovely red and white Betty Crocker cookbook. But mostly it’s the net for me!

Ironing – Love it or hate it? Or hate it but love the results?
Ironing? What’s ironing?
No, really. I only iron when I sew.

Junk drawer – Y/N? Where is it?
Yeah, a corner of the drawer that holds the ziplock baggies, plastic wrap, and wax paper.

Kitchen – Color and decorating scheme
Walls are a sage/spring green. Above the cabinets are an assortment of mostly red willow pieces and some red glassware pieces. Basically, it’s a cheery green and red and white.

Love – What is your favorite part of homemaking?
Using my creativity to make things pretty – adding my personality and uniqueness to my home. For example – having my collection of bird nests all over the place. Some people would think that messy and unsanitary. But, I LOVE it.

Mop – Y/N?
Mop? Rarely. Mostly spot clean on my hands and knees with a rag. Works better on our awfully cheap, white, and installed before we bought the home linoleum. But the kids think it’s great fun to take a spray bottle and rag to the floor. They do that for me occasionally.

Nylons – Wash by hand or in the washing machine?
Never wear them. Okay, MAYBE once a year. And I can’t remember washing them. I know it’s not by hand, so it must be in the machine.

Oven – Do you use the window or open the oven to check?
Door, definitely. My oven window is tinted and effectually useless.

Pizza – What do you put on yours?
Were I to make a pizza JUST FOR ME – it would probably have toppings like basil pesto, grilled chicken, and fresh tomatoes, or maybe alfredo sauce, spinach, grilled chicken, and fresh tomatoes. Gourmet all the way for me, please. Usually, I don’t care to eat much of traditional pizza – just occasionally.

Quiet – What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Sometimes read books, sometimes read blogs, sometimes catch a cat nap on the couch, maybe write some ideas into my freedom journal, sometimes catch up on housework. Quiet moments are infrequent and don't last too long around here. :)

Recipe card box – Y/N? What does it look like?
Nope. I use memory, creativity, a couple of cookbooks occasionally, and the net.

Style of house – What style is your house?
Small ranch. Taupe siding, small wooden front and back porches.

Tablecloths and napkins – Y/N?
No, I would enjoy using them more, but since we have a custom made table out of a door, most tablecloths don’t fit. But the primary reason is we use our table for everything – eating, school, playdough, making snacks, and so on. I like my wipe – off table for now. :)

Under the kitchen sink – Organized or toxic wasteland?
Organized, but definitely needs to be swept/wiped out.

Vacuum – How many times per week?
At least once, sometimes daily. Again, it seems to go in spurts about how frequently I do this. Shedding season does seem to influence it somewhat. Hee hee.

Wash – How many loads of laundry do you do per week?
Seems like a lot. I’ve never kept track of the weekly loads. But with 4 children under 8, you can imagine.

X’s – Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
Yes, usually, especially if they are out of the ordinary things I generally do. I don't list everything - just the most important things so I don’t get sidetracked as easily.

Yard – Y/N? Who does what?
Yes, 5 wonderful acres. Marty does the mowing – he loves it. Occasionally, he’ll let me do it. It’s a rider, after all. We both garden (vegetable and flower) together, with the children. Planning the gardens is my specialty, and Marty helps with the muscle work and upkeep. We both love to be outdoors.

Zzz’s – What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
Preparing the kitchen table for my morning Bible reading time. That means I clean off the table, wipe it down, and set out my Bible, freedom journal, and My Utmost For His Highest devotional book, a cup for tea, and a candle and matches.
Then, I turn on the stove hood light – our night light for the house, lock the doors, prepare our bed, and make sure my water cup is filled on my nightstand. However, my 4 year old has taken over filling my water cup for me lately without me asking. Isn't that sweet?