 By: Ashley B Today we are featuring a Guest Post from Ashley of the blog: Memoirs of a Modern Day Wife! She is also the author of Thesavingsmomma.com If you haven't checked out either of her blogs yet, you are definitely missing out! After you read this fantastic post, head on over to read more! If you live in Brewster you may already know about the Brewster Tidal Flats, perhaps you have even walked them. If you do not live in Brewster, or are unfamiliar with the town- you may just be missing out on one of Cape Cod’s many free outdoor activities.  The Brewster Tidal Flats, regarded as some of the largest tidal flats in North America, run from Brewster to Eastham. A walk along these flats provides you a firsthand glimpse at both marsh and seaside environments.
Though tidal goers are urged to not walk on the flats themselves for safety concerns such as the hazard of tidal creeks between sandbars, this remarkable expanse of nature is still guaranteed to please. If you plan on visiting the tidal flats, it is recommended that you walk along the flats on a clear day with little wind, while paying special attention to the tides on the day of your visit. For more information on the Brewster Tidal Flats such as parking, entry points, things to know, or a map of the tidal flats- please visit CCTrails.org and be sure to also read their Guide to Long Walks.
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 Today we are featuring a Guest Post from Ashley of the blog: Memoirs of a Modern Day Wife! If you haven't checked out her blog yet, you are definitely missing out! After you read this fantastic post, head on over to read more!
There is a lot to be said for the woman who stays home, raises her children, and takes care of everything house related, but there is also a lot to be said for the working wife and mother. There is always this internal struggle in the mind of a woman, between what is right and what is wrong in regards to how to raise happy children and how to keep her home in order. Whether she makes the choice to become a stay at home mother or a working mother-she is judged. One night last week my school aged son did not have enough time to do his homework. He is a proud Cub Scout and had a Cub Scout awards ceremony to attend, in which he was the recipient of several awards. My son didn't arrive home until 9pm that night, and he was exhausted. I weighed the consequence of making him stay up late to do his homework, with the consequence of not doing his homework so he could go to bed. I figured it would be best to send him to bed so he wasn't sleep deprived the next morning (I wake him up to get ready for school every morning at the asinine hour of 6:15am). I then wrote to his teacher telling her that he would make up his homework the next night. A couple days later, I received a call from his teacher asking, if next time, we could squeeze his homework in before he attends any extracurricular events. I replied explaining that there is not enough time to squeeze in his homework from the time I get home from work in the afternoon, until the time he leaves for his activities. That I do not have the pleasure of going home after picking my son up from the bus stop because I have to go back to work-and he comes with me. That he cannot do his homework while I am at work, because i takes me standing over him to get his homework done-and I cannot stand over him because I'm working. On top of all that, the after school program at my sons school is ridiculously overpriced. I could send him there, but I would have to work more hours just to afford it. I could hire a nanny for a few hours a day, and yet again work more hours to afford that service as well. More hours at work equals less time with my children, and I already feel that I'm robbed time with my kids because of my job. You see, there is very little balance in a working woman's life-and this homework example is just one of many examples in which I'm not able to bend and mold my schedule to other people's expectations of me. A working wife and mother works because she has to, not because she wants to. Her decision to work and not stay home is driven by a financial force, not a selfish force. What people don't know is that I would give my most prized possessionsto be able to stay home, but we need a roof over our head, food to eat, and heat to keep us warm. These things are not valuable possessions; they are the basic necessary needs of every family in the world-and it just so happens that I need to work to help provide them. When I am old and saggy, I'll be able to reflect on the past knowing I did my family right by working. Every wife and mother wants to know that she can look back in the past and be proud. People who judge working wives and mothers need to take a step back and think about it before judging. Sometimes what you think you see, and think you know, isn't a reality. I can proudly say my children are healthy, they are happy, and they want for nothing. Maybe a night of homework gets missed, but it will get made up the very next night. Maybe we don't eat dinner together every night, but we still have nutritious food to eat nonetheless. Maybe I am missing out on a lot of time during some of the best years with my kids, but they wouldn't be the best years if I didn't have money to provide my family with basic needs. I give credit to both working mothers and stay at home mothers. Our jobs are totally different, but as equally challenging. A woman has so many more responsibilities then she did 50 years ago. Tread lightly, stop judging, and remember that every family is different, yet totally amazing in their uniqueness. ~ Ashley Check out Ashley's Blog: Memoirs of a Modern Day Wife! My name is Ashley, and I live a half priced life. I live this type of life to survive, to feed my family, to save money for things I could otherwise not afford like unexpected car repairs or an emergency trip to the dentist. Sometimes I wish I had a "lavish life"-one where I wouldn't have to worry so much about my household budget, or how high the heating bill will be for a particular month. I do my absolute best in life in every aspect of my personal existence, but no matter how hard I try- I struggle with being healthy.
You see, sometimes I feel like "being healthy" is a luxury In the modern world, women are not only the primary caretakers of their family; they are also contributors to the female workforce. Women face quite the conundrum when it comes to taking care of themselves. At the end of workday, after homework, dinner, bath time, and bed time- who the heck wants to exercise? Also, who wants to wake up at 4am before the kids to fit exercise in? Humans aren't rabbits, so why eat bowls full of salad day in and day out? Personally, I need variety and depth in my food. I need two bites of a brownie (if not three) to satisfy a chocolate craving, and gosh darn-it sometimes I need an ice cream sundae! Yet, I always feel guilty when I steal a naughty nibble because I know I'm not going to get the extra exercise I need to burn those additional calories. Woman-guilt, it's a *bleep*! So, what happens if you can't afford a membership to the gym, or a sitter to watch your kids while you go to the gym, or even someone to help with the kids so you can exercise at home or go out for a run? What happens if you don't have the money to purchase healthy foods all the time? What happens if you can't make the time, or find the time to exercise because your schedule is so busy with work and family that you can't even see straight at the end of the day? What happens if you don't have a family to care for, but work 6-7 days a week to survive, allowing you little time to pay attention to your own needs? What happens?!?! Being healthy becomes a luxury. I would love someone to prove me wrong on my theory, or at least give me magical powers that will allow me to wake up at 4am without feeling psychotic. If you could also throw in a mute button for my extremely loud and co-dependent cat, who yowls at me, at the top of her lungs, waking up my kids the minute my feet hit the floor- well that would be awesome too! Seriously though, this post is meant to generate response- whether you agree or disagree with my theory. I want to know Do you feel the same way I do? Or, do you have tips to share with readers who feel this way? Share with me the good and bad, the thoughtful and helpful, your opinions and point of views-on my site The Savings Momma Please, don't misunderstand- I do exercise and I do eat as healthy as possible. I was just one of those people not blessed with amazing genetics, and for me- being healthy and staying healthy is an everyday struggle. I assure you, I do not sit on my duff, eating from my couponing stockpile, drooling on my couch. Promise ;) We have all been there at one point in time, a small grocery budget and a tight wallet, facing the fact that we need to purchase wholesome foods to keep our daily lives in motion. It's truly no wonder at all, that America is one of the most obese countries in the world. How are we to provide wholesome foods to our families on a shoestring budget? Is it not easier to purchase the inexpensive overly processed foods that line the shelves in the grocery store in shiny wrappers and elaborate looking boxes? Surely the boxes don't scream out at us “warning trans fat!" or "Going straight to your hips!" or even "It will take 5 days of running 1 mile each day to burn off the calories in this product!" Nope it is up to you, the consumer, to read the labels. That is-if you can even pronounce half the ingredients. As an avid couponer and blogger, I am inundated with questions from readers asking me (and sometimes sadly begging me) to help them with their grocery purchases. Particularly, how to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables to feed their family without breaking their ever-so-fragile grocery budget. My answer is the same for all my readers, and really the key to my own survival amidst the rainbow of colors in the produce aisle: Buy in-season. 
As an example, have you ever purchased Strawberries in the dead middle of winter? Yes you say? They weren't cheap were they? No, I didn't think so. Strawberries are in season now (now being spring). How does the cost compare now, to when you bought them in the middle of winter? About 50% cheaper and usually marked as a BOGO (buy one get one free) deal. Buying in-season miraculous! Not only do you save a good chunk of money buying produce in season, you can save even more money by purchasing said produce at a farmers market. Buying produce directly from the farmer/grower cuts out those dastardly packing and hauling costs that most companies pay when produce is shipped from state to state. Packing and hauling costs only mean more money coming out of your pocket. After all, the grocery store has to make up for those costs somehow. Farmers markets are also great because they are the very meaning of "farm to table", the newest notion to hit American tables. Supporting your local farmers and growers, and eating the wholesome foods you purchase at a farmers market, essentially represents the meaning of farm to table. You are practically guaranteed flavor packed freshness when you buy from a farmers market. You can't get any better than that! Lastly, let's debunk the myth that there are never any coupons for fresh fruits and vegetables............ 
There you have it, myth debunked-and yes, these are only just a few of the produce coupons in my possession.
If you want an easy, no hassle way of finding out what types of produce are in season and when, visit the Sustainable Table website. The Sustainable Table offers a search tool based on state and season, and also tells you the locations of Farmers Markets, CSA's, and Food Co-ops in your area. You can also conduct a general search of in season produce in all states. Doing so will help you determine what particular produce is in-season, at your local supermarket, throughout the year. Do you have questions, opinions, helpful tips, or thoughtful comments on this post? Feel free to express yourself, by leaving a comment on my website http://www.thesavingsmomma.com |
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