I don't know how you do it

I hear that phrase all the time...usually by our non military friends trying to imagine themselves in our lives or in reference to how I am a SAHW (stay at home wife). Really it is not such a bag gig but I do more than watch soap operas and eat bon bons!
I love my life, I love cooking, I hate cleaning but I get lots of help, and I love helping my hubby have a great day...I would love to have me as a wife! That is the secret do the things that you would like if you had a "SAHW".
Packing Yankee's lunch not only saves me an estimated $50 a week ($10 a day X 5 days) and I know he is getting proper nutrition. Cooking for dinner also saves tons of money and I get to monitor our nutrition goals. We both feel better and look better when we eat healthy and fresh foods. Not that I don't have pizza once and again!
Here is how I usually work my weeks:
Mondays - Me Day, after the week I am tired so each Monday is my day for me, no cleaning just doing little things I want.
Tuesdays - Bathrooms, a quick weekly cleaning keeps it all shiny and fresh. Grocery Run unless it is pay day then I just wait a few extra days...I don't go on post on a pay day!
Wednesdays - My laundry...part of this happy marriage is separated laundry bins and we each are responsible for our own clothes. Not that I don't wash something if he really needs it.
Thursdays - Weekend Prep, clean sheets are put on the bed and a quick overall pickup and trash run, along with dishes
Fridays - Lately we have had 3 day weekends so my Fridays are getting messed up but Friday I like to go over plans for the weekend and get extra things done .
Saturdays - Nothing specific, sometimes Yankee's laundry
Sunday - Trash pick up is on Monday morning so we get all the trash out on Sunday night and usually we have plenty to pick up from the weekend.
So that the run down, sometimes more if we have friends/family coming over, sometimes less if I'm not in the mood. This keeps things running pretty well and from getting too out of control...which is the way it is right now. We were gone Fri-Sun, then I was sick yesterday so I am running behind this week and with Mom coming on Sunday, I have got to get back on schedule so we can have fun next week.

Wednesday Night is Date Night

Yankee and I have Wednesday Date Night, usually to Starbucks for 1 hour without electronics. How do we survive? They (the cellphones) can go for a car ride for safety reasons but they are not allowed inside.

This works really well for us, we have been doing these little dates for about 5 years now. I'm trying not to think about all the $$$ Starbucks has made off us!

More importantly, by the time it is Wednesday, we are tired, disconnected and just running on empty. I always think just make it to Wednesday night and then the weekend is almost here.

We have had some life changing conversations on those Wednesday night dates. In Texas we would get our drinks to go and drive to the DFW airport observation area. Here in Tennessee we are still looking for a great quiet spot. The local Starbucks never seems to have the atmosphere we crave...there are always people talking on cell phones and screaming kids. We are going to check out a local place next week and hope to find something more our style.

Yes, we even had these dates in Korea. More often than not we had to make our own coffee but we did ride the bus to town a few times.

Find something that works for your relationship. Steal a few minutes away from the world and make it count.