Works For Me Wednesday - Vinegar for Cleaning

My kids all have eczema to varying degrees, and after being told that eczema was related to allergies and asthma I decided to keep as many chemical cleaning products out of my house as possible. So I use plain white vinegar to clean many things. I pour a cup of it into my washing machine instead of fabric softener, use it in conjunction with ice to freshen sink disposal, and pour it on counters/stovetops to clean and degrease. I keep a spray bottle of vinegar on my kitchen counter for quick cleaning at the end of the day - just spray down all the counters and use a dishrag or hand towel to wipe. There are a number of other ways to use it, these are just my most common. And don't let the smell turn you off to this, it dissipates very quickly. So, cleaning with vinegar works for me!

I'm Not a Good Housekeeper

I admit it, I am not very good at what I do. Being a sahm, being a housewife - that is my job. It is what I do. And if I worked outside the home, I would probably be fired.

Growing up, my mother wasn't very good at keeping house. I say this not to make her look bad but to explain what I learned through watching her. She did a lot of things, including attending college and working outside the home, but keeping a tidy house wasn't on her list. I can't begin to count the number of times we cleaned like crazy in the last few hours before someone came over, and I can't remember the house ever being clean when there wasn't a visitor on their way.

These are the things I have brought to my own home. My house ranges from clean-ish to so cluttered it becomes difficult to walk when it's just the 5 of us, which it often is since we live far away from our family.

Which brings me to one of the reasons for making this blog. I hope that, with such a place to talk about my feelings and actions, I will feel more accountability for keeping a tidy home. I know that I am letting my family and my God down by not doing my job "as for the Lord," and I really want to change. It may take a while, but with God's help I know I can.

Rye Bread with Recipe

I love hand making bread. I wouldn't say that I am an avid bread maker, but I'm slowly becoming one. Along with the benefit of knowing exactly what my family is eating in their bread - I am trying to avoid soy products and I found that it's almost impossible to do with store-bought bread of any type - there is something so comforting about making bread by hand. The kneading, the warmth of the oven, the smell while it bakes...I love it all. This is the latest fruit of my labors.

It is a rye bread, and I kinda-almost made up the recipe. I started with a recipe on Allrecipes.com and then added, substituted, and took away ingredients until I had this.

Rye Bread

• 2 teaspoons instant (breadmaker) yeast
• 1.5 cups warm water
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 cup rye flour
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder (optional)

Optional Seasonings

• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon caraway seed
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed

In a large bowl mix together yeast, rye flour and 1/2 cup bread flour. Add water and mix well. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, or until bubbly and puffed. Add vinegar, salt, oil, molasses, sugar, cocoa powder, coffee (if using), and seasonings of your choice. Mix until well incorporated. (A wire whisk works well for this) Add remaining flour all at once and stir as well as you can, then turn out onto floured board. Knead, adding more flour as needed, until the dough comes together and is smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in well-oiled bowl and let rise until double, about an hour. Turn dough out and shape as you like. Place shaped dough on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper or sprayed with non-stick spray, cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour. Bake in a 350*F oven for 35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 190*F. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

I formed my bread by placing it on the counter and rolling it out with my rolling pin, then folding the long ends into the middle and folding it in half. Then I pressed the side of my hand into the middle of the dough and folded it again, using the heels of my hands to seal the edges together. I then rolled the dough against the counter with my hands to form an even tube.

Money....aaahhh!!

I've never been very good with money, even though I am in control of tracking the family finances. When Sarge and I were new in the military and living away from home for the first time we had a tendency to over-draw the account. Not such a big deal when it was just the three of us (Sarge, Bean and I), but now that we have added two kids it's a bigger deal. Put that together with our impending separation from the Air Force, and I am suddenly motivated to work on my ability to deal with the finances.

So this is my new plan: pay cash for everything other than bills. The car payment, Bean's tuition, phone bill and the like will still be payed with checks. Some of our bills are automatically taken out of the account, and I have set our credit cards up for e-pay. Everything else will be payed for in cash, and when the cash is gone we won't spend anymore money (except for baby formula or diapers). I'm going to leave a few hundred more than needed for bills in the checking account and work very hard to keep that money in the account.

Hopefully, this plan will enable us to save some money and pay off the credit cards without putting anything else on them. We have one points-earning card from USAA that we're planning to keep after it's payed off and continue to make small purchases on. I figure that, as long as we make small purchases and pay them off in the grace period, any points we earn are like free money, especially since the point count to cash back awards and gift certificates. The other card is one put out by the military and will no longer be available to us after Sarge's separation anyway, so we don't even have to worry about cancelling it.

What I'm reaching for

I've always been in awe of the Proverbs 31 woman. It is my goal to take care of my family to the best of my ability and, with God's help, I am improving all the time. So, to remind myself and educate anyone who passes through my blog, here is the proverb I am trying to live, as impossible as it may seem.

Proverbs 31:10 - 31

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Hello

I'm Rebekah. I'm a 23 year old homemaker/stay-at-home-mom/all around domestic executive. I am also wife to an active duty Air Force sergeant and the mother of 3 beautiful blessings, 2 boys and a girl, all between 5 and 1 years old. This blog will cover my efforts to be the woman, wife and mother I think God wants me to be, trial and error, stumble and bumble as it may be.