For the Love of Homemaking

Isabelle and I have decided that this is going to be the week when we start on her home management binder. She is really looking forward to these next few weeks and so am I.

The purpose of this little project is three-fold. Firstly, it will provide a wonderful opportunity for the two of us to build some wonderful memories and get in some great one-on-one time. Secondly, it will give me a chance to put a true joy, love, and respect in her heart for all of a homemaker's duties, and to show her just how important and incredibly rewarding this job is. And thirdly, this will be a perfect introduction to home-economics, and will provide plenty of learning opportunities amidst the fun.

The home management binder that we are going to create is not going to be like the typical home management binder that so many of us rely on for keeping all of our important stuff in one place. Instead, we are going to make her binder into a scrapbook of sorts. I am hoping we'll make at least a few trips to our local scrapbooking shop to pick up some things for us to use as we go. The first project will be the cover of her binder.

We are going to fill her binder with favorite recipes, which she will choose and which we will then make together, hopefully getting lots of pictures in the process. I am hoping we'll get in at least one of her favorite recipes everyday.

We'll also create a schedule and chore list together, putting my list and hers side by side. We'll discuss the importance of getting certain things done every day and what happens when they don't get done. (I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunities to review that first hand.) We'll also write out tips about cleaning and organizing as we go. I know this will be fun for her because she loves sharing tips with me that she learns! She also loves researching as much as I do, so we'll read through some home-organization books together.

One of the things that Isabelle has been really wanting to learn for the past few years is how to knit, so I'll be teaching her this month. I think I'll give her the option of making some dish cloths or a scarf. Then she can choose whether she wants to keep them or give them as a gift to someone. Once she gets the hang of it, she can sit on our back patio and knit. She is really excited about this one.

We'll also be filling in the pages with appropriate bible verses that show God's happiness in creating a loving and functioning home. I feel God's hand in all that I do, and I want to point this out to Isabelle as we work together.

These four things are the primary focus as of right now, but that might evolve as the weeks go on. While this next month will be a very focused time of working on her binder, I'm hoping it will be an on-going project throughout the years. My dream for this is that someday it will serve her well when she is setting up her own home. And in a few years, I'm sure she will be anxious to watch me create binders with Olivia and Gracie.