My husband said that while we're at the lake house, I should just relax my homemaking and buy a loaf of bread or a jar of pasta sauce. But as bizarre as it sounds, I find that focusing more on homemaking gives me additional energy and a greater sense of accomplishment throughout the day. It sounds counterintuitive, that somehow spending my toddler's naptime peeling vegetables instead of resting in front of the laptop gives me additional stamina; but I think staying constantly busy around the home really does lead to higher satisfaction levels.
The challenge, as I've discussed with several homeschooling homemakers lately, is striking a balance between homemaking and mothering. It's entirely possible to spend the whole day in the kitchen making food from scratch, so I try to do as much as I can while my toddler naps and during other quiet play times.
The rewards are the delicious smells from my kitchen and the hope that maybe-- just maybe-- my kids will actually eat something I cook for them.
