i've been making a lot of bread.

I've been on a new kick lately. It isn't just bread making. Really, bread making is a product of a recent, much larger life trend I am starting. I'm working towards becoming more self reliant and as a result - more domestic. For all the feminists out there, the idea of making bread, cleaning house, sewing throw pillows, and arranging flowers isn't very working woman-esque. I feel that all of these things are very empowering. Let me explain.

Parker and I have revamped the way we spend money. We have been following Dave Ramsey's money spending suggestions and have already started to see a huge benefit. Part of his money saving strategy is learning to do things by yourself. I decided there were a few things that I wanted to learn that can contribute to my home and in turn save money.

1. Baking bread: Really, you spend about as much on materials to bake bread as you would on a cheap piece of bread from Wal-Mart. The difference, though, is that I now know how to make bread from raw materials. If in the event of a crisis, I can use what's in my food storage to adequately feed my family. Also, the recipe I use makes two loaves, rather than one. It's also much healthier than whatever you'd find at the store. The only problem is that I can't stop with one piece. Toasted. Cinnamon. Honey. Mmmm.

2. Sewing: My next goal for this year is to learn how to sew clothing. I know how to sew curtains, pillows, quilts, etc. I'm really good at straight lines. I want to learn to read a pattern. This will benefit me in many ways. I will list a few: sewing my daughters' (modest) prom dresses, making my children's Halloween clothing, mending torn clothing, and if in a real financial crisis, sewing my own clothes. I was watching a documentary on the Dust Bowl and learned that the farmers' wives made their children's clothes out of the bags that the seeds came in (or flour… I forget which).

3. Gardening: If I can learn to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs now then I will be in a great place when we own our own home and have access to more land to grow larger quantities. Hello Great Depression II, the Donners will be ready for you!

4. Piano: I am starting lessons up again. My mother teachers piano. I've quit and restarted like 5 times in my life. I haven't tried again since I was 19. My mother teaches lessons out of the home, which makes a little extra money. Also, we saved a lot of money by having her teach us, rather than someone else.

4. Other things I'd like to learn someday are: how to cut hair, how to recover furniture (well), how to lay new floors in a house, and the list goes on…

I've also recently learned how to color my own hair. I get it cut at a hair school now. I use glue on fake nails from Wal-Mart (200 in a pack for $5). And… I make homemade bread.