The View from Childhood: The Importance of Your Appearance at Home
“Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things – I am tempted to think there are no little things.” ~ Bruce Barton
“Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things – I am tempted to think there are no little things.” ~ Bruce Barton
Easter at This Lovely Place by Charlotte Siems Easter is a beautiful holiday at This Lovely Place. Over the years we’ve created family traditions, but we don’t do all of them every year. Perfection is overrated, and adds stress to a holiday. Some years we had circumstances that changed the routine a bit and…
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Do you have a hazy view of how hormones are related to weight gain, especially in mid-life? Teresa Tapp said “in my opinion, lat activation is the secret to menopause management.” [break][/break]Did your ears perk up? Secret? Menopause management? [break][/break]Even if you’re not at the age of coping with menopause, as a woman you are dealing with…
It was one of those Home and Garden type shows on TV. The housecleaning expert demonstrated expert techniques for cleaning while the audience ooh’ed and aah’ed. The host chose a member of the studio audience to ask the expert questions. With the trembling microphone held too far from her mouth, the woman asked, “What can…
T-Tapp Secret Weapon by Charlotte Siems In the children’s animated movie An American Tail, mice who immigrated from the old country have joined forces to oppose the evil cats. They spend nights working in an old warehouse, constructing a giant fake monster, “The Mouse of Minsk” based on their legends. When the alarm rings and…
Blinking in the dim light, you awaken to the sound of the shower. Your husband is already up and getting ready for the day, and you lie in bed for a few minutes thinking about what your day holds. Thoughts of all you have to do begin to crowd into your mind and you feel stress…
Most important is to grow your own memories first. By putting clothes you like and feel good in, you are feeling better and everyone will see and feel it – even in t-shirt, flipflops and jeans. Perception can kill a day and all the memories. How many times I heard people saying that woman looks so good in those jeans and yet, they were old and not that sexy. But as she was wearing them with the feel good attitude anything / everything became hers.
Our body reacts to what we feel in front of the mirror. We can put earings and feel better or not at all because it is not us – we force it. Be who you are and be proud, everything will make you feel feminine, girly and yes you can throw away the old underwears 🙂
Charlotte you are girly even in t-shirt, jeans and flipflops and I’m pretty sure you’re family will say the samething. The feel good attitude applies in every clothes. Perception of not being okay would destroy it in a second.
I would have prefer to see my mom in jeans, t-shirt and flipflops and seeing her happy instead of doing what was “better” to do . No memories there, believe me.
Honor who you are as you are. That’s the best memories you can leave to yours.
*I’m sorry if I killed the deal. You know me enough to feel what I wrote.
Sorry for the funeral you attended – blessings to the family and friends for their lost.
I really agree with you. We are a one income family, starting on our 2nd year of homeschooling our child and money just isn’t there for us. We are doing good to have 2 or 3 nice outfits for church, much less to be dressed up all fancy at home. The only jewelry I own is 2 sets of earrings, my wedding ring, and 2 necklaces. I can’t afford to wear them all the time because buying more isn’t an option right now. My husband often times says that he would rather the house be clean and our son educated and happy with a home cooked meal on the table and memories made then to come home and find me all dressed up. I try to take the effort to not be in pajama’s when he comes home but he says if he comes home and I’m wearing sweats and a tshirt and have accomplished a lot that day, then it is no big deal to him. It is a lot easier for me to get outside and run around the yard playing soccer or go ride our bikes or something with our son when I’m dressed somewhat comfortably then if I’m dressed up. I would rather be outside playing with my child then sit on the sidelines watching because I’m in nice clothes or fancy shoes or something.
I think this is a good reminder. Even if we don’t change the clothes we wear, taking care of ourselves by hopping in the shower, putting on some make-up and non-stained, non-ratty clothes is a good thing! Especially for those of us who are home all day, every day with our kids. I agree, how do we want them to remember us, sloppy or tidy?
I completely “get” what you are saying, Charlotte! I’ve had to work on balance over the years. I used to wear dresses ALL the time. I would even do yard work in them. I thought I was being a godly woman and upholding standards other godly women at church expected me to. Finally, my husband told me that he married a woman who rode horses and wore jeans and cowboy boots. He told me he really missed her. I felt awful! That very day, I went out and bought jeans. I was horrified that I had to buy a pair much larger than the ones I wore when he first met that horse-riding, boot-wearing girl. But, you know what? He LOVED the jeans and thought I looked great…and I could tell he was sincere. That was an AHA moment for me when I realized that he had been starved for the girl with whom he had fallen in love. Somehow in the midst of all the babies (eleven plus 3 miscarriages), I had lost track of who I was. My best friend helped me see that and I am thankful for his patience and love all those years he was wishing I was in jeans!
Having said that, I, too, have fallen into dressing painfully-practical at home. Since I teach the kids at home and run our business from a home office, I’ve been known to go to “work” in PJs. Thank you for reminding me to give my husband some “eye-candy” and my kids an attractive mother of which to be proud.
Have a blessed day!
Charlotte this is awesome. This is sooooo important and you really nailed it in your article. Thank you for writing this. We as women need to remember that we are beautiful and not frumpy. Wear those beautiful outfits to run errands! I do and it makes me even more productive. You rock!
Thanks for your thoughts, Charlotte! It really encouraged me!
Love this…really spoke to my heart and a part of me that I often don’t allow to shine. This is my favorite sentence ‘You are building memories every single day, memories for your marriage and your family.’ Thank you for reminding me so clearly that the picture of womanhood that my children will remember comes from my every day demeanor.
Very nice, but at the same time I appreciate that my family does care what I look like and loves me anyway. 😀
Perfect for me to read as I sit here with bed head and jammies – I love how your blogs word truth in poignant ways. :). Have a blessed day and thank you for sharing.