Making the Morning Pleasant for the Family

The sun is just now rising. The house is warm and cozy. The family is still sleeping. This is the quiet time of the morning kitchen. This is the time to start the coffee, or make the tea, and begin the housework.  Pull out your best china cup and have your favorite hot drink while you work!

I will be making chocolate chip muffins today. I will get right to work in just a little while. The aroma of freshly baked muffins and coffee in the morning will help cheer up the family.

I have some errands to do and other adventures to accomplish. This is my to-do list. Instead of writing what I have to do, at the top of the page, I write "Today's Adventures!" and then write my list. It is all in the attitude!  Our morning will go smoothly despite any grumpy- morning- people, if I am cheerful and prepared for a happy morning.

There are other ways to brighten the day for the family. Last month, Mr. White bought a cute little stuffed elephant. He set it on the kitchen table in our 16-year-old daughter's spot. When she woke up, she walked into the room, saw the elephant and her eyes widened. She smiled and said, "Is this for me?" She was so happy. It really helped make her day pleasant.

My daughter told me later that she thinks everyone's day should start with a little elephant.

What are your ideas for starting the day happily?

Blessings
Mrs. White

  - To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -

Find cleaning inspiration and encouragement in Mrs. White's book, "Gracious House Keeping."

"Gracious House Keeping: Advice, Encouragement, and Cleaning Help for the Christian Housewife."

Complete with Encouragement and Work Charts to cheer you along in your homemaking!

115 pages, paperback.

The Old Sunday Dinner

LOC: Sunday dinner on the McLelland homestead, Florida, 1942.

In the Old Days, American Families would gather round the table after Church for a big Sunday dinner. Often relatives would come by - like a brother, aunt or cousins. There would be laughter and happiness and a joyous day of rest from labor. There were Blue laws * so the stores were all closed.  It was like the country encouraged everyone to stay home and have family time.  This was still going on in the 1960's.

Mother went out of her way to plan and prepare a hearty meal. She would get the children to help her set the table and then send them off so they would not be "under foot." Mother made a big pitcher of lemonade or iced tea. She also had plenty of freshly brewed coffee. There was often fresh baked bread, or biscuits, that she had prepared the day before. This big meal was a way to nourish the family with comfort and love.

After dinner, the women visited and cleaned up.  Sometimes they talked about the state of the culture or  comforted each other over some trial. This helped make getting through the week much better, knowing they would get together each Sunday after Church.

The men would head outdoors or in the living room and talk and visit, while the children raced out to the porch, or the back field, to enjoy each others company.

This was a precious time of remembering the morning sermon, refreshing the soul with good fellowship and enjoying a rest from worldly cares.

I think we lost a little something when the blue laws were mostly repealed. 

Blessings
Mrs. White

*The Blue Laws were In Effect in Massachusetts, where I grew up, and where my Mother grew up.  Other states had similar laws.*

From the Archives -

Old Fashioned Advice for taking are of the family - - A Comforting Sick Room.

Ration Books from 1942 and helpful advice - Adapting to the High Cost of Living.

- To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -

 

Mrs. White's special book for homemakers: 

 

"Introduction to Home Economics:  Gentle Instruction to Find Joy in Christian Homemaking." 

 

Paperback, 200 pages. 

 

A Charming Vermont Blizzard

(Our Driveway, 2025)

It all started yesterday afternoon. It was the heavy snow falling from the sky. It snowed and snowed and snowed. It snowed all night. This morning I looked out the window and saw a beautiful winter scene!

Normally, I let the men do the shoveling, but I was energetic and wide awake. I couldn't wait to head outside! But when I opened the back door, I could not believe how deep the snow was. From what I have been told, our area got 29 inches of snow since last night. This on top of several feet that was on the ground already. One thing you should know about Vermont is that, usually, when we get snow, it stays all winter. More and more snow falls and adds to this pile. It makes for a beautiful place to live, but it also delights the skiers who come here from all over the place.

When I was outside, trudging through the snow, I shoveled for about 15 minutes. Mr. White came out and was surprised to see me. He smiled and said, "I didn't know where you were. You never shovel." In this case, I could not resist!  The whole thing reminded me of the blizzard of '78 when I was a child in Massachusetts. Who would want to stay indoors when this charming sight was happening outside? The weather was just lovely! Sure it was cold, but it was a pleasant cold. The snow looked beautiful and almost, magical!


Then I got tired and went inside.


I made hot chocolate, fresh homemade doughnuts and listened to Mozart.  The schools were closed. No one went to work. Dance classes were canceled. Colleges were canceled. Even our local bank closed early!  Our long driveway had not been plowed. We were, literally, snowed in!  It was wonderful!

And just think... In only two weeks it will be spring.

Blessings
Mrs. White

From the Archives -

Missing my Neglected Parlour.

A Story to Encourage you - Mother's Legacy.

Pleasant times - Puttering Around the Home.

- To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -

 

What Sundays Used to Mean to Housewives

LOC: Praying during the sermon at the First Wesleyan Methodist Church, 1943.

 

The Housewife of old used to look forward to Sunday Morning. She would spend the morning in delightful anticipation of fellowship and Church services. This dear mother would get all dressed up in her best and help the family get ready. As she walked out that door, with Bible in hand, she would take one last look around and know that her work at home had been done well. It was time to rest. It was time to be refreshed and take a break from the world and all its trials and labors.

I like to think of going to church each week as an example of the end of our lives. During the week, we housewives do all our work.  We do laundry, wash floors, make meals, handle appointments, phone calls, shopping, bills, and heavy cleaning. This is our labor in the world. When that church day arrives, we take a much deserved rest. We have our reward.

To me, the end of my life will be like Mother's day. I will be sitting in a church pew with my dear husband beside me. All our grown children will have put aside their wanderings in the world and will be there with me. They will have the hearts of humble servants and everyone will be grateful to be there. The precious sermon will start. . . Yet there will be tears welling up in my eyes because all my children are with me. They made it! And it will be just like the way it was supposed to be all along.

May it be so.

Blessings
Mrs. White

*This post can also be found in Mrs. White's book, "Mother's Faith."

From the Archives -

A Precious Lesson! - All of God's Children Have Shoes.

What it Takes - Old Fashioned Duty of a Homemaker.

Encouragement in Duty - Make an Effort.

 - To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -