One of my very least favorite things to do is assemble an artificial Christmas tree. The tightly wound steel wire ends shoot out like unassuming razor barbs waiting for me to run the palms of my bare hands down to release the “branches” into full, pine bloom. With each branch, more and more fake needles fall to the floor like winter’s first forest-green snowfall adding the extra duty of pulling out the vacuum when I’m done. Someday, all that will be left of the tree will be a pitiful, Charlie Brown, wire skeleton in the shape of a 7-foot-tall triangle.

Once it resembles an actual tree, I have to jam fists full of lights into it every two feet spiraling upward to the top. In the end, my hands and arms look as if I’ve helped Chino State Prison replace 100 miles of barbed wire fencing with no gloves on.

This weekend, while at Big Lots getting Barbie dolls and Matchbox cars for our favorite restaurant’s Toy Drive box, I happened upon a sale that actually made me rubber-neck and turn around for another look. It was an “easy assemble”, 7′ spruce with lights already attached! “Magnificant!” (I actually said the word aloud.) The best part, it was only $49.99. I doubled back to get a better look but by the time I got through the throngs of moms with kids and carts and stockroom boxes filling the aisles I noticed a man with his fingers locked behind the yellow packing band of the last tree on the rack. He was on the phone telling his wife, “The other store was out but I got the last one at this Big Lots”. I know it was his wife because no man in his right mind would call another man or a co-worker or even his parents and announce that he was spending his Sunday afternoon shopping the local Big Lots stores for the last $50 Christmas tree.

“My tree will last another year or so.” I thought as I made my way back up to the register where my wife and daughter were waiting.

As I stood there I started to run down everything I would have to do to make my house all “Christmas’y”. The mental notes started to pile up and, for some odd reason, I started to become very tired. 1) Bring the plastic totes in from the garage with all the decorations. Scratch that… 1) Move everything in the garage that’s in the way OUT OF THE WAY so I can first gain access to the totes with all the Christmas decorations. 2) Bring the totes in from the garage. 3) Arrange the containers for easiest access in order of importance. I know said “order of importance” because I’ve been a married man for a very long time and fully understand the chaos that disorganized containers can create. 4) Drag the oblong tree box into the house. 5)… 6)… 7)… The list went on and on. I was starting to get pretty stressed out when I looked over and saw my girls standing by an end cap near the “stocking stuffers”.

My 12-year-old was gazing longingly at eye shadow gift sets while my wife gingerly arranged small, ceramic figurines in a cotton-laden Christmas town display. My wife was mumbling something and when I made out what she was saying I realized she was singing along to the Christmas music being broadcast throughout the store. Then, my daughter made her way around the shelf to the dolls and smiled as she inspected the latest included fashion accessories. “Oooo… this one has a pretty dress.” she said to no one in particular.

Okay, so I’m a sucker for my girls. I am powerless in the face of their unintentional sweetness. It’s all I needed to remember why I drag that horrible, monster of a tree and 400 pounds of other decorations from the garage each year. Right there, in that overly packed and obnoxiously loud discount store I had my “Christmas moment”. Last year my Christmas moment didn’t happen until my wife forcibly dragged me out to look at the colorful strands of lights a bunch of guys had stapled to the eaves of their houses. The year before, not until Christmas morning. Why it usually takes me some time before I can get into the spirit of the season is beyond me. Until I notice what it means to my family, I just see it as, well, a pain in my ass.

For my wife, it seems to happen the moment Halloween is over and the TV commercials start to air. For her, the season means family and baking and laughter and providing thoughtful gifts for our children and giving. For my daughter, it means hopes and dreams and magic.

So there we were, buying these toys and it hit me… like a ton of glittery, green and red, Christmas bricks. My heart sank as I thought of all the fathers who will put these gifts under their little girls’ trees. I imagined their trees. Will they be big and beautiful like mine or will they even be able to afford one? If they had my tree, would they be thankful or dwell on why it sucks to have to put it together. I felt like an ass.

I didn’t let on to my wife what I was feeling. When I got home, I wasted no time in getting our tree assembled. Once it was done, I plugged in the light strands, turned off all the other lights and we all watched a movie together. And I was thankful for my tree.

I wish I could say I’m the picture perfect example of the Christmas spirit right now but I’m not. It’s not my style to run around with bells on my shoes or a wreath on the front of my car. What I am feeling, though, is the spirit of giving, love and togetherness. I’m looking forward to the older kids coming home from college for some much needed family-around-the-table bonding, laughing and eating my wife’s delicious, home-cooked meals. On Christmas morning, we’ll all clutch large cups of hot coffee (even the 12-year-old) and be blessed enough to be able to gather around the tree to exchange gifts. Our big, wonderful, Christmas tree.

Happy Holidays!

I get you! I know you don’t have the time and energy to buy all these ingredients, prep them and drop them into 6 other little bowls you have to wash! Now, I love my family and go to lengths to make them a wonderful dish now and then, but most evenings you’ll find me rushed and trying to get dinner on the table before the natives get restless!

It starts with a can…Here is a simple and easy recipe for a hearty autumn soup your whole family will love and it will not only be a staple for Halloween and football game nights, it is a dish company will love.

It is a pasta and bean soup but you can call it what you like. We refer to it as bean soup but it’s really called Pasta Fagioli (fa-jol) I know Giada has a much more complicated recipe, but I know your time and budget can be limited. Keep the ingredients in your pantry and you will always be ready. Another great tip is to buy these items when they are on sale! I stock up when Albertson’s has the 10 for $1.00 sale going!

Please note, I don’t always give exact measurements; I cook like you! Eye ball measurements and add to taste. The Food Network chefs always serve their food to a fun group of family and friends and you can too if you abandon guilt and expectations, keep it simple and skip to the fun part of enjoying your family!

Bean and Pasta Soup

Level: easy
Cost: amazingly budget friendly
Clean up: easy

Ingredients:

• 2 cans canneli beans *(white kidney beans)
• 2 cans chicken stock
• 1 large can of chopped tomatoes flavored with garlic, basil and oregano.
• 1 small brown onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• leftover ham or 4 slices of bacon or salt pork…whatever you have on hand!
• olive oil
• small sized pasta (salad macaroni or small shells, even alphabet pasta is a fun choice!)

Instructions:

1. In your soup pot, saute chopped garlic, onion and leftover ham or bacon in olive oil.
2. Rinse beans and add beans, chicken stock, tomatoes and about a cup and 1/2 of water.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste. (I add a few crushed red pepper flakes)
4. Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat and add about 3/4 cup of uncooked pasta.
5. Let this soup slowly simmer for about an hour.

Tips:

Be careful when adding pasta; keep in mind it can as much as double in size.
Serving tips: serve with a loaf of fresh baked bread always avail at the front of the store, canned bisquits, or corned bread.
Shopping tips: buy chopped tomatoes already flavored with herbs for quick and easy italian or mexican meals!  These tomatoes usually go on sale when the plain ones do.
Cooking tips: Cube and freeze those last few slices of ham from your next holiday dinner for this dish.

This year, my husband was in the kitchen when I was in my cooking frenzy. He watched as I poured two bowls of cranberry sauce and held one into the air. “This one,” I announced, “is for us”. He shrugged his shoulders and said “OK”. He was completely underwhelmed. He stole some shredded cheese from my bowl and said very casually, “I don’t like cranberry sauce”.

I have been feeding this man for over 17 years. I thought back to all the Thanksgiving dinners we have celebrated together. I mentally pictured his plate: no yams, no green bean casserole, no lime jello, double serving of stuffing and a turkey leg and, yes… my cranberry sauce!

“But you eat it every year! ” I was floored.

Every year since our daughters could reach the stove, we have made the sauce. Sometimes we make a fancy one with orange zest and nuts, but we always have one bowl of the original. It was so wonderful to see our little girl proudly place a dish she made on her grandmother’s table and listen to the compliments from family members.

“I only eat it because you make it.” he said as he casually ate more shredded cheese.

“But you don’t eat all the other food you don’t like. You don’t eat yams or jello and will pass up dessert completely if there is only pumpkin pie”. I really was confused.

“Yes, but you don’t make any of that.” he answered, stole more cheese and then went back to his office.

This was a learning moment for me. It was a lesson about the language of love spoken by a husband and father. You see, when a man speaks his language of love, it rarely includes words. A man’s language of love come from actions.

Every Thanksgiving, my husband must have watched me and one of our daughters making a simple cranberry sauce over the stove, put it into a crystal dish and set it on my mom’s Thanksgiving table. All these years, I thought he never really noticed or cared. But he had. Even though he never liked cranberries, he knew his wife and daughter would be watching to see who would eat what they had prepared. He always took a good sized serving and complimented us in front of everyone.

I love this about my husband. Even though he is a vet having served with the Marine Corps, this simple action every Thanksgiving makes him my hero. He would never want his wife’s or daughter’s dish to go untouched.

His language of love is there and I must remember to watch for the actions, which, after all, speak much louder than words.

Debi Gutierrez wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

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We women bolt around our homes and offices with lightening speed. We rarely stroll through a mall and often even grocery shopping is done a few days at a time; either due to budget or poor planning. Generally we have eaten breakfast. lunch or dinner, in our car, walking to or from the car, or while we sit at a computer, as we multi-tasked to tend to home, kids, husband or work. Even at my beloved prayer group, when women get together in the morning to pray for their families, we watch the clock. Our day ends and we still feel as if we haven’t given our families, friends, work, let alone ourselves enough time and attention and we vow to do better tomorrow.

My husband, like most men, can turn it off at the end of the day. He can shut the door to his office and unplug his phone and sit on the couch and watch television and zone out. Me, like most women, can’t. My mind is still spinning as I feel myself wind up again.

We try to unwind and turn on the television only to hear about a downward spiraling economy, political pundits battling it out over what they feel is beneficial for me, or “news” stories about Eva Longoria divorcing her husband who apparently cheated on her with her friend.

I feel the crying jag begin again. It is such an outburst of emotion saying “I am done, I am spent, I can’t think about being responsible one more minute. Rather than expose my husband to another unexplainable crying spell, I get up and go to my room. I switch on the t.v. but I avoid network dramas. local news and reality shows. I flip through the channels to The Food Network. Yes, the Food Network and settle into a comfortable chair and actually sigh with relief as I see Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa looking directly at me as she calmly and patiently explains to meet how to make the perfect chicken salad. I feel myself decompressing. For the first time all day, I feel myself relaxing.

Ina assures me that I do not need 200 pounds of chicken like most recipes call for; she laughs gently and goes on to say, “All you need is 2 cooked chicken breasts.” She goes on to make her chicken salad and tells me that she is using pecans and walnuts, but I can use whatever kind of nuts I like. She stirs in mayo and sour cream and again reassures me that I can use one or the other or both. She seasons without measuring all the while telling me that I know how my family would like this salad seasoned. I find myself soothed. I can do this. I know how to make chicken salad, I made it just yesterday. The only difference with The Barefoot Contessa’s is that she used some grapes. Hmmm, good to know. The next time I have a few on hand I will surely do that.

I often watch The Food Network and once mentioned it to my friend Michelle who said she records several shows and then sits and knits while the show keeps her company. That’s what it does! The Food Network keeps us company. Depending on the chef, the recipes could be complicated or easy. The featured entree could be a dish my family would never consider trying, or favorite go-to meal.  There are many chefs in many kitchens, but one thing they have in common is that they make me feel like I am a friend sitting in their home, chatting about my family, my day, or even my childhood. Some cook with friends or spouses, some entertain a large group or an intimate gathering.

During commercials, they remind me that not everyone is as fortunate as we are and tell me how to donate to hungry people right here in my own neighborhood. They remind me that I am the expert in my kitchen and with my family, they are simply there to give new ideas and tips to boost the flavor of traditional dishes. They laugh and they sing. They encourage me to give it a try and challenge myself.

The Food Network has put our friends on television where we can sit at their kitchen table, have some coffee and learn a little something.  Maybe we will make the dish they were cooking. Maybe we will knit a scarf while we admire their artistry. Maybe we just need the comfort of a familiar face and warm smile of a barefoot contessa to let us feel like at that moment, all is right in our world.

“The Holidays are coming! The Holidays are coming!” Every wife and mother hears the town crier roaring through her town before the Halloween decorations have come down! He rides through our neighborhood with his sales papers featuring great deals for under $1000, newest recipes from five star restaurant chefs, and the newest thing in pet gifts and stocking stuffers! It seems as if his cries get louder as every day passes November 1st!

I turn to the latest magazines, blogs and talk show feature spots to see how I, too, can be more organized and prepared for the Holidays. Hey, I’ve even written a few myself! But today’s blog is all about how to take care of the inner woman in you! And you can forget about a bubble bath or scented candles…every mom knows that by the time you scrub the tub so you can get in and enjoy the bath, you are too exhausted and maybe a little resentful!

Every year I host my girlfriends to a Girl’s Night Out and all it costs them is an appetizer and 10 dollars! Show me a happy hour, dinner out or movie night that costs so little! Once a year, 11 of my friends come to my home for Bunko – a wonderful night of fun, food and fellowship! I always host my Bunko night in October…right before the crazy Holiday season. October is usually a good month for most women. School is back in session, we have found a groove to our work schedules, and there is no big obligations like Christmas or Thanksgiving that involves in-laws, gifts and overblown budgets!

My home is decorated for Halloween and I ask my girlfriends to break out their fun Halloween shirts and jewelry. Everyone brings an appetizer and I supply dessert and cocktails for all. Speaking of which, my “ghoulfriends” look forward to the new cocktail I conjure up! One year it was a blood orange cosmo, one year it was a pomegranite martini and this year I tried a Cabernet wine made from grapes grown in Transylvania! Next year I plan on trying Ina Garten’s jet black espresso and Kahlua mixed cocktail.

I… (or should I say my husband) sets out 2 card tables, one in the den and one in the family room and I decorate the card tables and my kitchen table with Halloween tablecloths and set out the dice, a notepad, a novelty pen and of course, Halloween candy and spiced nuts on all three tables. The head table has the bell we use to signal the start and end of each round. All Buncos involve a “Bunco trophy” a pillow, a crown and a necklace that the latest Bunco winner wears until someone else wins it and snatches it away from her! At my Bunco we have used a “witches broom”, a light up wand and even a large witch hat!

You can go on line or ask some friends about Bunco, there are many ways to play. But most Bunkos involve moving table to table as the game progresses, keeping score each round, and a 1st, 2nd, third and Booby prize winner.

My Bunco starts with dinner, which comes from my friends as they all bring appetizers for 12 people. Have you ever been out to dinner and said to yourself, “I could make a whole meal out of appetizers!”? Well, that is exactly what we do! Some make home made dishes, other stop on the way over and pick up take out…either way, everything is delicious and we get a good assortment. Whether they’re coming from home or directly from work, the ladies love sitting down with friends to chat and eat a meal they didn’t have to cook and enjoying a grown up drink without tiny fingers grabbing for our tiny umbrellas!

As a special treat, I like to make up a grab bag for all my friends to take home. I find the bags at my local dollar store and, this year, I filled it with breakfast for the next day; a jumbo breakfast cookie (a mix right out of the box, just add water and an egg) and a disposable coffee cup with a packet of fancy instant coffee, sugar and sweetener packet.

This is a perfect Girl’s Night Out! It gives us all a chance to catch up and because the game rotates players and tables, we get a chance to talk to and visit with everyone. How many parties have you gone to and realized you didn’t get to talk with someone?! The ladies leave relaxed and ready to face the start of the Holiday season having spent time with good friends before their calender gets too busy!

Now, I like to do this in October, but anytime you feel like your girlfriends could use a break, you can do this. Girls Night Out…a night that is fun, inexpensive and over too soon!

• An honorable father does everything within his power to protect the safety and image of his family… not sell them out.

• An honorable father works day in and day out to support his family, not find the easy, sleazy dollar via a publicity stunt.

• An honorable father sends his daughter back in to the house when the hem or neck line of her outfit is inappropriate, not book her to pose naked or pole dance.

• An honorable father builds character in his sons by teaching them how to treat their sisters, mothers and other women with respect.

• An honorable father protects his family’s name. In his world, his family’s good name means they conduct themselves with integrity, not a title of a tawdry reality show.

The first father I will take on is Bruce Jenner.  When I posted this on face book, some asked, “What did Bruce Jenner do?” NOTHING!  That is what Bruce Jenner has done…NOTHING! And the worse part of it is that he isn’t absent, he is very much there, but still does nothing while his wife, Kris Kardashian, a publicity monster, continues to book her girls on one degrading gig after another.

Chris Rock, in his latest comedy special opened with a joke about fathers and how it is their job to keep their daughters off the pole!  I was speechless as I watched a clip of Bruce Jenner viewing a tape of his 2 youngest daughters, 10 and 12 years old, learning how to dance on a stripper pole.  When he brought it to his wife’s attention, (well, when a producer thought it would make good tv for him to confront her) Kris Kardashian dismissed it as part of growing up.  Bruce Jenner slinked away without an argument.

Bruce is a father, but not one of honor. An honorable father protects his daughters innocence. He cherishes her purity. He teaches her about respect and dignity and serves as her role model for how a man should view a woman. Where is your honor Bruce as your youngest daughters spin on poles? Are you aware of what grown men think about when they watch this? I mean, Bruce is a man and should know what men think about, fantasize about as they watch these girls slither on a pole.

At the risk of offending the reader, I must share some thoughts about a call I heard on the Dr. Laura show. I say I may offend in that Dr. Laura was extremely direct during this conversation. A frustrated mother of a 12-year-old called complaining that her daughter insisted on wearing short skits and low cut tops. The daughter argued that her look was just fine and people must have dirty minds. Dr. Laura asked to speak to the young girl. The girl got on the phone and proceeded to be very defensive as she said she was innocent in her choices and couldn’t control what others thought.

Dr. Laura let the girl go on about her up-tight mother and then she said something I may never forget;  Dr. Laura calmly said, “DId you know that when you wear those clothes, when men look at you, it makes their penis hard?” – The girl’s silence was so sudden it filled the air waves. Dr. Laura was so direct with the rest of her conversation. She went on to tell this girl that she wasn’t just turning on the cute boys a little older than her, she could also making 50 year old penises hard! You could hear this little girl gasp and then remark as only a junior higher can, “That’s Gross!”   It took an adult to be that straight forward (excuse the pun) with her and let her know that men will physically respond to the way she is dressed; and that as a matter of fact, she CAN control what they think.

C’mon Bruce! You’re a man. You know how they think. You are building your family name on one humiliating story after another. Your family wouldn’t even have a reality show if it wasn’t for Kim Kardashian’s sex tape with Paris Hilton’s cast off. When that tape came to light, an honorable father, a responsible step-father, a man with character, would have protected her from the media, gossip and shame, not ride that publicity into several reality shows. An honorable father would stand up to his wife and mother of his daughters and stop the whoring out of his family. A father of character, wisdom and integrity would raise a family with those very traits.

Some where, this Olympiad lost his footing and for the sake of his daughters, I hope he gets back on track.

I do believe children are a gift from God. I also believe God blesses moms with the ability to love all her children. But if God meant for us to have 20 children, He would also have given mothers an extra pair of eyes, preferably some that could rotate completely around our head, and some extra arms! Our knees would bend with ease in the either direction. We would have super sonic hearing and a voice that would never grow weary of explaining things over and over and over again! Mother’s would look like some freaky monster from a sci-fi movie!

But, to be serious, I do believe a woman’s body was designed by God and in that grand design, having 20 children and well past a healthy age to do so was not part of the plan! The Duggars claim to be a witness for Christianity and instead display irresponsibility. The 19th baby was born with serious health problems. Yes, any baby can be born with health problems, but if that bay is number 19 and mom’s body has not had time to recover from the last birth or is past the prime age to have children, chances are greater for this baby to be born with complications. Once it was determined the baby was so sick and would be fighting between life and death, the Duggars choose to keep those cameras rolling. How is this witnessing? How is this responsible? How could a husband or father put his wife and daughter through this? A husband is supposed to cherish and protect his wife and family, I see the Duggar dad doing neither! I see him as selfish and single minded. And now, they are considering a 20th child?!

Yes, it appears they can afford it, but for how long without the TV contract on each child! Yes, it appears they love all their children, but can they get to know each child or be there for one of them when he or she may need concentrated attention or wisdom? I know with 3 children, attention is a precious commodity. You have to be available to listen, comfort and observe otherwise they can run off cliffs, physically, emotionally and spiritually. How can you possibly do that with 20 individual children at various stages of growth?

Yes, the children help, but the children are NOT each other’s responsibility…they are the parent’s responsibility. Those children should be allowed to be children and teens without having to raise a brother or sister.

Medically, what are Michelle Duggar or the next baby’s chances of surviving another birth? If either or both do not survive, would this be God’s plan? Mr.Duggar, be a responsible father and husband and protect your family. Let’s start by taking the cameras out of their lives as they go through this. A responsible man like yourself should be able to cover all those bills without reality TV paychecks for 21 people.

This year would be different in our household. My youngest, Pilar will be going into 7th grade and for the first time ever…no uniforms! It has always been so easy to try one style of shirt and pants on her and then buy 5 uniforms in her sizes. We finish off with white socks, regulated shoes and the school hoodie! Done! Of course, like every mother of a private school kid, I went away licking my wounds at the cost of the uniforms, which incidentally, could only be at purchased at one store which never seemed to have items on sale!

As most of my readers know, I use the envelope system for cash. I withdraw each month, at the beginning of the month, the amount of cash I need and put it in envelopes marked, “Grocery”, “Dining Out”, “Gasoline”, and “Misc or Fun”. Using these envelopes have always made me stay on budget and think about each of my purchases; whether it is for going out to a restaurant or drive through Del Taco! And since the envelopes have been such a success, I decided to try it with our school budget!

I worked my budget to include school clothes and supplies and withdrew the cash. I showed Pilar her envelope for school clothes. We all agreed on $300 to begin the year and once she was in school, we would include an amount every month to update her wardrobe. Now, keep in mind, she has never been to public school and most of her wardrobe was made up of only uniforms and she wore those 5 days a week, so we had to buy everything!

I realize, $300 may not seem like much, but I wanted to see how far we would get. I told her school supplies and backpack were not included, however, if she wanted the cute mechanical pencils with fancy erasers instead of the box of plain ole’ number twos I was willing to buy, that had to come out of her envelope! Same went for an upgrade to the back pack or lunch box I was willing to buy.

We got up early and went off to the outlets. She knew she could get more bang for her buck at the outlet malls and we had time on our side to search. I was very impressed with her knowledge about selecting her wardrobe. She planned to shop with her favorite colors in mind so she could easily mix and match. I was concerned when she choose a gray skirt and gray cardigan, but she showed me how many colors go with gray…red, pink, yellow, lavender, pale bue…what a smart kid! She watched every penny and tried on all the clothes to make sure her money was spent well. She hit the information center at the mall for additional coupons and deals! She shopped clearance first, knowing that here in Southern California a summer wardrobe works well in to October.

The purchase I was most impressed with was her shoes! Like every girl on the planet, she loves her shoes! We went to the Converse outlet and she looked at various shoes and told me which ones she could find cheaper on line…something I didn’t even know she researched! I was shocked when she picked a solid black pair! “Really? Black? ALL black?” I asked. She beamed at me and walked over to the shoe lace aisle and grabbed 6 pairs of different colored shoe laces! I tell you, my baby is brilliant!

Every time we made a purchase, we took out our envelope and she saw her cash go down, she winced. I had to remind her that she was making great deals and buying exactly what she wanted. We found a 25% discount at Old Navy just for saying out loud she was a student and on a another day, camis for $2 dollars each for saying “I love Camis”! We came home with a 30% coupon off Converse on a purchase made next month. We are waiting for Kohls to have their blow out sale on jeans and Levi for a sale on a good quality jean jacket.

I am so proud of Pilar and her ingenuity to design her wardrobe from top to bottom. But I am truly most proud of her for respecting our family’s budget and working within it with no complaints; only an excitement to see what her next find will be! As we go out shopping, I see lots of spoiled girls clamoring and whining about what they want. Pilar doesn’t notice though, she is too busy making her money work!

It is the end of the month and Pilar has purchased a skirt, 8 camis, 2 pairs of shoes with six pairs of laces, a darling cardigan, a graphic t-shirt and she still has $107 left! This has taught us, as mother and daughter, a few lessons as well. I have learned how to be more patient with her and trust in her ability to pick what is right for her body and sensibility. She has learned how to be a good steward…a lesson which will serve her well…always.

Now, I grew up with a gas dryer.  I remember a neighbor having a clothes line and when it rained, my mom let her use our dryer. The closest I ever came to line drying clothes was in a hotel room. (And does a pair of panty hose and underwear count?)

I stared at the box for quantity, I went ahead and typed in 2!  I ordered a portable clothes line for me too!  Why not give it a whirl? I always had delicates to wash.  My clothes line was delivered and my husband put it up. I had a brand new bag of clothes pins ready and waiting! I washed a load of underwear and bras and went outside to hang it.

A funny thing happened outside while I hung the panties on the line.  The sun was warm on my back as I stood there in the sun. The dogs were sitting calmly at my feet while I fastened clothes pins on the bras and panties. They actually looked cute hanging in the sun.  I wasn’t feeling rushed or as if I was doing a chore. I could hear my neighborhood buzzing about; a dog bark, a gardener’s lawn mower, birds chirping, the mail man’s cart approaching our home. Before I knew it, the entire load was on the line. It was a warm California day and the clothes were dry in about an hour.

I went out to take them off the line and again experienced a calmness as I folded each item and put it in the basket. It was easy and I felt, well… I felt accomplished! I have been drying my clothes on the line ever since.

It took some research and a few tries to figure out how to hang jeans, dress shirts and that socks are hung from the toes. I found the fabric softener I loved and realized that the sun bleached my dishtowels like Clorox never could.

No matter how busy and hectic my days are, I find that hanging clothes on the line calms me and slows me down.  As I hang Pilar’s favorite Hawaiian Punch graphic t-shirt, or her favorite white hoodie, I find myself thinking about her. I stop and reflect on her smile or her laugh. I always smile when I hang my husbands sexy briefs on the line. When no one is looking, I make them dance! And for some weird reason, I always get an even number of socks! Not one sock has gone to live with Jesus since I have been hanging laundry!

At the risk of sounding like a commercial, my laundry looks brighter and  smells fresher. No matter how hard or stressful a day has been, I look forward to the calming effect I get from hanging my laundry.

Here’s a link to the same one I have. This is Target’s version: http://www.target.com/Household-Essentials-Portable-Umbrella-Dryer/dp/B001H1GUXW/ref=sc_qi_detailbutton