My secret weapon

I have never gonna say I am a great homemaker (hey I'm working on it!). My house is often a clutter-on-every-horizontal-surface kinda place. (who am I trying to kid.. it's ALWAYS a clutter-on-every-horizontal-surface kinda place!). I don't dust nearly enough. Mt Laundry often gets away from me.

TIP#1 = Never ever turn off your ceiling fans and no one will know they look like they are wearing fur coats! (my power went off the other day... and I saw them for myself. Oh my!)

TIP #2 = If someone comments on your impressive dust, just tell them that it is your thrifty idea to protect the patina on your antiques! (I am sooo smart! or pathetic... But I like to think its clever and smart.).

Anyway... my point, (yes, I do occasionally have one.) On those rare occasions that I feel the urge to clean and do all the needed housekeeping things I do have a secret weapon... My Apron!

An Apron?? You ask.. Yes, My apron, I answer. Before you click away and decide I have finally lost my ever-loving mind... listen to why...

#1 - I am a messy cook. I wipe my hands on my pants, skirt, shorts, undies (whatever is on my hips at the time.). My apron makes it ok. Now, don't get me wrong, I am SOOO not the 50's cliche June Cleaver-type wearing my best dress and pearls while I clean. Far from it! (I'm lucky if I remember to brush my hair little-lone have full war-paint perfectly applied!)

#2 - I actually get more done when I am wearing my apron. I really do! I don't flop down on the couch and veg out watching Dora The Explorer with The Little-Foreman-In-Pink. I keep busy. Now, I know this may be because I am simple-minded and just need a uniform to complete any task.. but it works for me.. it really does! (My hubby would be happier if I wore it a little more often... this place might be dustless once before we die!)

#3 - This one is going to be hard to believe.... I warned you. Someone needs to alert the media and do a scientific study as to why... But... My kids listen better when I have on my apron. Maybe it's because they know I am serious and mean business with whatever I am doing when I have my apron on.

Maybe it's because my apron makes me look more "Mom'ish" I don't know. But it is true.
Maybe it's because they want me to get done with whatever I am doing even if it means they have to help just in case their friends stop by, maybe then I'll be apron-less for them. (because you know I do it just to embarrass them! that's my sole purpose in life, ask em... they'll tell ya!.)

When my family and I did the Wife Swap TV show, that was one of the first things I did when it was my time to make the "rules" I wore my apron and got some for their girls to wear too!

I have several aprons.

Plain Aprons

Fancy Aprons

Frilly Aprons

Denim Aprons

Apron Sets (for myself and The Little-Foreman-in-Pink)

I have a garden apron

and even a matching bucket apron for gardening.

I use my aprons for cooking , cleaning, gardening, working outside (have held more than one hatching chick in a deep apron pocket), I can carry several missed-the-first-time cucumbers & peppers & tomatoes in my apron pocket. Or I can bring in the whole crop by holding the bottom up hammock-style!

I have wiped dirt from noses, blood from skinned knees, even snotty noses of the young ones around here with my apron! It's a really useful tool!

And did I mention you can hide a pretty impressive fat roll with the correct apron!?

That's reason enough for me!

I am not the only one who is fond of the apron... I found a few poems about them too.

And if its good enough for people to write poetry about, it's gotta be a good thing!

Aprons used to be commonplace, because they are useful! Get yourself a good full apron and see if it works for you as good as it works for me!!

I double-dog-dare you!

Some of my everyday aprons

(please don;t look at the messy bedroom! I may need to put an apron on and get it cleaned!)

This one is my favorite everyday apron. It looks like a quilt!

My Bucket Apron stuffed with several other aprons.

(I also had a matching garden apron made to go with it, but its in the washing machine)

One of Our matching "Mommy & Me" sets.

This one is my favorite half apron.

(I just love the detail on the edges!)

Apron Poems

Grandma's Apron

I can still see grandma's apron

she wore most everyday. At night time it was folded and,
on the foot of her bed it lay.
She wore it to protect her dresses,

from all her daily chores.

While washing all the dishes and scrubbing all the floors.
The memory of all her aprons are with us day to day.

With their many faded spots Where she dried our tears away.
Some are torn and tattered from many years of wear.

Showing we will always have her precious love and care.
The colors in the rainbow aren't really from the storm.

They're just our grandma's aprons through her years,

"were proudly worn."

author = Ruth Stuart.

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Grandma's Apron

The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath,

but along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the oven;
it was wonderful for drying children's tears,

and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
From the chicken-coop the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks,

and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company came those old aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids;

and when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.
Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow,

bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling-wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
From the garden it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled it carried out the hulls.
In the fall it was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road,

it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out on the porch and waved her apron,
and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields for dinner.
It will be a long time before anyone invents something that

will replace that old-time apron that served so many purposes.

Author of poem unknown