Answer This

A while back my mom got me a subscription to Good Housekeeping magazine.

I like reading it quite a bit. 

There's lots of good stuff in there. 

And each month they ask a celebrity when they felt they had earned the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

They're reasons for earning the seal vary from planning the perfect party, organizing a pantry, thrifty purchases, etc....

So I ask you:

When have you felt you earned the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval?

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 I have had mini moments when I've felt so deserving of said award. 

But they are fleeting. 

I feel like a failure only days later.

The thing is: I want to be worthy of such an award. I love being domestic. I really do. 

I'd say that I'm most proud of my domestic abilities when one of three things happens:

1. I successfully grocery shop. 

This means I stuck to our weekly budget. 

Planned a menu in advance.

Have a refridgerator and pantry full of food that is good for you. No premade meals or anything of the sort. In our house you have to make it if you want to eat it (I usually do this always when shopping--it's the sticking to the budget part that's hardest)

2. When I successfully use the Winco bulk foods section. When I need ingredients that I don't have, if I remember to use that section, I am so proud of myself. There are things that I haven't had to buy in months that I've gotten from there, for the price that a container would have cost (i.e. rice, pasta, parmasean cheese, spices, baking ingredients, etc.)

My mother-in-law keeps all of her baking ingredients (baking soda, flour, sugar, etc...) in jars--because they live in the South it keeps the bugs out. When I was baking at Christmastime at her house, I found it so easy to access the baking soda from a Mason Jar instead of that stupid box. I recycle all of our jars (Miracle Whip, banana peppers, peanut butter, etc..) and I use them to contain all of my bulk food purchases. This always makes me feel proud! Silly I know. I don't feel wasteful and I feel a little more prepared when I have extra on hand.

3. We had Austin and Natasha over for dinner this weekend. It was a great weekend. Natasha keeps a clean and orderly home...like really....and she complimented my house. She said that it is clean and homey to her. She has a home that I can truly relax in...so to hear her tell me that she loves my house--well that was the compliment right there. My home is homey to someone else. It just added icing to the cake when Austin piped in in agreement. A boy much like Zach--agreeing that my house is homey. 

Approval awarded. 

So what about you?

When did you feel you earned the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval?

and if you have a minute...head on over to Misty's blog

She has an "Answer This" post for you, too!