Confessions of a frugal, eco-minded, health-conscious, working mama…

Being a mother isn’t easy. Being a working mother… as in, works outside the home 5 days a week without maid service… is not easy. There are so many things I want to do right here at home, but sometimes, I just can’t.

I spent too long beating myself up about all the things I wasn’t doing, instead of focusing on what I could do. No more. I know I’m not superwoman (no big surprise there!), and I know my limits these days. I simply can’t grow all of my own food, but I can grow some of it. I can’t bake all of my own bread, but I can bake some of it. For me, that’s okay.

Dinner on a work night has to be something simple. It has to be healthy, but it also has to be something that cooks up quickly and something we all like to eat. I use my slow cooker for dishes that take longer so they will be ready when I come home from work. I usually save my baking and more elaborate meals for the weekends.

I am by nature, a frugal person. I buy in bulk when possible. Some of what we consume comes from Costco, as in the taco seasoning above. I have found that organic milk, butter, coffee, and ground beef is much cheaper there. Costco has a great selection of organic and eco-friendly products at reasonable prices. For most of the things I can’t find locally, I usually buy them from Costco.  I’ll plant a garden this spring, but for now, our organic produce comes from a local CSA, Grow Alabama. Occasionally, I splurge on handmade organic lotions and soaps made by a friend.

At this point, I don’t make my own cleaning supplies, but I would like to one day. Rhonda Jean has some great information on how to make your own green cleaning supplies. But for now, I buy environmentally friendly cleaning supplies at Costco. They cost no more than their chemical counterparts there. And I feel good about washing our clothes and dishes, and cleaning my home, with eco-friendly detergents that don’t break the bank. Right now, that’s enough for me. I’ve finally learned the art of compromising with myself.

I’ve learned to prioritize. Otherwise, there would be no time to garden, sew, or bake my own bread. Is it really a big deal if  my bed doesn’t get made everyday? Not to me. Won’t that pile of laundry still be there tomorrow? It sure will. Sometimes you just have to seize the day. I love to sew. I love to bake my own bread from freshly ground grains. I love to be outside getting my hands dirty in the garden.  We have apples, pears, cherries, figs, blackberries, blueberries, and muscadines on our property. I’m learning to can and preserve what we grow. One day, I want to raise livestock.

I realize that I can’t do everything right now, but I can do something. It’s a start. And I feel good about that.