Wifestyle Hustle

Today we went way back to the beginning of motherhood for us. We talked a bit about how we handled transitioning from working woman to SAHM. This was a the good, the bad and the ugly episode. Switching from being a contributing bread winner to being home with the kids can be really hard for some women. But the good outweighs the bad in many cases. Many new stay at home moms struggle with still feeling like a valued and contributing member of the household. These are very legitimate feelings. It is hard to lose that part of your identity. We hope our talk today will help other women feel empowered to consider this first step.

A few things need to be considered when thinking about this transition. Things like changing expectations and financial obligations are two of the most important. But there are others too. Making time for you, finding friends whose lifestyle matches yours and scheduling are all parts of the puzzle for making an easier transition.

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Have you heard our episode about marriage? Listen to that HERE.

Transcript

Music is by Oliver Massa. It is called Weekend Chores

There's a saying that goes, "Happy marriages begin when we marry the one we love, and they blossom when we love the one we marry." And another, "A successful marriage is falling in love many times, always with the same person." Today, we talked about being married to the same person for a long time. We are not experts. Far from it, in fact. What we are are people in committed marriages that we plan to see through. Part of a successful marriage, I think, is deciding that this is my person. Come what may, we will figure this out.

We discussed being intentional in our relationships. It is about the day to day little things. There is a honeymoon period where you try to make sure your spouse knows you love them. The key is to make the honeymoon period last forever. Admittedly, it doesn't come naturally. You have to decide everyday to be intentional and care about this person you committed to do life with. Once kids enter the picture it gets even harder. That is where the real rewards are though. That is where life's greatest accomplishment is. Raising a family together, having dreams and seeing them come true, there is no better feeling than that.

Did you hear our first talk on this topic? Listen to that HERE This one goes almost all the way back to the beginning of our podcast journey. Be patient with our lack of editing skills way back then.

Transcript

Music is by Oliver Massa. It is called Weekend Chores.

Can you feel it? Those little changes in the air. The days are a little longer. It is still chilly but it isn't bitter anymore. The snow is melting. The mud is taking over. It is time to start thinking about the new growing season. Today we discussed how we handle the very start of our summer gardens. Starting your seeds is a great way to make sure you get what you want.

Too often, nurseries have the most common options. But, if you want something out of the ordinary, you can't find it available locally. By starting your own seeds, you can make sure you're getting things a little off the beaten path. We talked a bit about picking out the right seeds for your growing region.

Another benefit of starting your own seeds is you will save money! Nurseries have to charge a little more to offset their costs in growing the plants. By starting your own, you can cut out the middle man and save a lot of money.

The biggest benefit, in my opinion, is getting to spend winter months playing in the dirt. There is nothing better than getting your hands dirty when it is snowing and blowing outside.

Have you heard our episode on growing indoor plants? This is another great way to get your hands dirty during the cold winter months. Listen to that HERE

Transcript

Music is by Oliver Massa. It is called Weekend Chores

It is sometimes overwhelming to make sure your home schooler gets all the stuff they need. Today we discussed some very worthwhile activities for you home schooler. But, really, this list is good for all kids. Let's face it, kids in school aren't getting as many field trips as they used to. It is so important to make sure you get your kids out of the house sometimes. The walls start to close in after a while

Some of the things we talked about are obvious. Who doesn't love a good trip to the library, right. Some others were ones we have done with our kids. Museums and science centers are great for getting those little brains going. Nature hikes are great for exercise and learning about your local flora and fauna.

Did we miss anything? I'm sure we did. Where is someplace you like to take your kids to break up the monotony of school days. Leave us a comment here or on any of our social media platforms. We would love to hear from you.

Did you hear our two part series on sustainable homemaking. Listen to part 1 HERE and part 2 HERE

Hey! Did you notice? We started doing transcripts for our episodes. You will find them in a link at the bottom of our most recent episodes. So if you want to hear that list again but don't want to listen to that whole episode , check out the transcript.

Transcript

Music is by Oliver Massa. It is called Weekend Chores

You may be asking yourself, how can two people talk about houseplants for an entire episode?? There just isn't enough there. Oh, but there is! We are very passionate about our plants. In deepest darkest winter there is really nothing better than getting dirt under your finger nails.

Plants brighten a space in a way nothing else can. We believe it is best to start small but with an eye toward getting a variety of textures and sizes. That way your eye always has someplace to go. Something always need tending and love.

We spent today exploring a few of our favorites and why we love them. If you haven't added any plants to your indoor living space this would be a great place to start.

We talked about a few ways to propagate your new plants on a budget. There are lots of ways to start this new hobby without breaking the bank.

Hey! Did you notice? We started doing transcripts for our episodes. You will find them in a link at the bottom of our most recent episodes. So if you can't remember the details of something we said, try the transcript. We will be going back through our other episodes over the next few weeks and transcribing them too.

We mentioned a few goodies we love in this episode. Please find links for those items below

Ellyn's plant stand(pictured above)

Aerogardens we've used

Growlight

We also mentioned a study during the episode. Please find the link for that HERE

Did you hear the one about Time Management? Listen to that HERE if you're trying to manage your time better.

Music is by Oliver Massa. It is called Weekend Chores

This wraps up our series on sustainable homemaking. We hope you’ve enjoyed our perspective on it. If you have anything you do that we didn’t mention here please leave us a comment on one of our social pages or on our website. Until next time;..

By incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you can contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle at home. Remember that small, changes can make a big difference for your finances and your life. Until next time..

On our first episode in this series, found HERE, we talked about ways we try to make homemaking sustainable. We're finishing up our series today.

As with last time, some things you can do once and they're done. Other things you have to do over and over again. But once you get in the habit, things like waste reduction aren't as daunting anymore. Getting all members of the family on board is another big way to make everything easier. An added bonus of that is you are passing on sustainable practices. Your kids can then incorporate in their own families when they grow up.

Another big one for my family (Ellyn) is tackling home projects ourselves. We are big DIYers. We didn't come into adulthood with a lot of home improvement skills but with YouTube and internet articles we can figure out how to do most small projects ourselves.

Did you know we talked about sustainability one another time? Listen to The Road to Sustainability HERE

Do you have a show idea for us? We would love to hear it. Send us an email to [email protected]

Have you liked our social pages? We're found at Wifestyle Hustle on all the social media platforms. If you are enjoying our content we encourage you to go like our social pages. We post something new to enjoy most days. By liking our page, you also bring us up higher in the algorithm so we can be found by other people.

Music is by Oliver Massa. It is called Weekend Chores

Time management in a process and something that needs to be revisited often. As your kids get older the need for you to manage their time changes in a more support and oversight role. The trick is to know what to let go of and when. Until next time..

We all get the same 24 hours. What we do with those hours is up to us...Mostly. Learning good time management is so important to having a stress free and productive day, week, month, life. It can be hard to look at all you have to do in a day and want to tackle any of it.

Today we discussed how we manage it all, sometimes with grace, often without. We do our best to make our lives as stress free as possible. Being good with our time is a major piece of this puzzle. When you constantly feel behind and like there is so much to do, it can be very stressful. By looking at your day and planning things out you can reduce that stress and make your life more organized in the process.

Another thing we talked about today was helping our kids develop good time management skills. Being good with your time is a learned behavior. It is our job, as parents, to help our kids learn this skill. We talked about a few tips to help your kids learn how to be better with their 24 hours.

Have you heard us talk about our crazy lives? We have to be good time managers over here or we would lose our minds. Listen to that HERE

Do you have a show idea for us? Maybe you've been listening a while and have something you've been want to hear us discuss. Send us a private message on social media. We will see what we can do to answer your questions.

Music is by Oliver Massa. It is called Weekend Chores

Being a kid is tiring business. All that running, jumping, playing, wrestling, thinking, learning and fun will wear a person right out. They need their rest. If you've ever been around a kid who hasn't gotten enough sleep, you know it isn't pretty. They don't know yet how to regulate themselves. And that tiredness can show in a lot of different ways. The best way to avoid these situations is to make sure your kiddos are well rested. A consistent bedtime is key

Today we talked about making that happen. Gauging activity level, attitude, and natural wake time are great ways to figure out appropriate bedtime. A consistent bedtime routine helps your kids, even little kids, understand the what is happening. There is really nothing better than snuggling on the couch reading books. We love the relaxing time leading into bedtime.

Let's face it, bedtime is good for parents too. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all. It is so nice to get a few quiet moments in the evening to do things that you want to do. Or things you couldn't do while your kids are awake. It is lovely to watch a show or eat a snack without someone constantly needing your attention. I've always thought it makes me a better parent to get a break. I come back in the morning refreshed and ready to start another day.

Have you heard our episode on Sustainable Homemaking. Listen to that HERE

As always, if you have anything to add to the conversation please leave us a comment on any of our social media pages.

Music is by Oliver Massa. It is called Weekend Chores.

Today we started a series on sustainable homemaking. We will revisit this story again in the coming weeks so make sure and check back for more.

We talk a lot about homemaking here. It might seem like we have our act all together with our whole homemaking journey. Well, I'm glad we give that impression. But, we are working through the process too. There are things we always do. There are things we sometimes do. We have a few things we haven't gotten to yet but are working toward . Lauren and I went over all of that today. transparency is something we strive for here. We are on this road too. We're so glad you're on this journey with us.

With some things you can deal with it once and be done. Other things need you to be vigilant to make sure they get done daily. Things like high efficiency appliances and turning off lights are good for the environment. Additionally, These things save money in the long run.

There are lots of way to make homemaking sustainable. We will talk about a few more next time. We have a few more tricks up our sleeves.

How do you do sustainable homemaking? Please share with us over on one of our social pages. We love new ideas!

Have you heard our episode on January Funk? Listen to that HERE if you're having trouble getting over the post holiday blues.

Music is by Oliver Massa. It is called Weekend Chores.