Ode to My Ironing Board

The title may be an exaggeration, but I AM going to talk about my ironing board :)

It comes to my attention from time to time that people don't like to iron their clothes. Really?!? This always shocks me. I like to iron, there is such a sense of accomplishment with ironing. There is a task, it can be finished, and the results are visible. Perfect! Some may even say I love to iron...that probably isn't a far stretch. I even have "ironing shoes" I always wear when ironing. Crazy? Maybe, but we roll with it.

As people talk about not liking to iron I find that they have a terrible set up for it. No wonder they don't like it. To properly enjoy a task, one must have the right tools.

So I am going to share the best tools for ironing with you now.

*Disclaimer: All I learned about ironing I learned from my mother. She is totally the world's most amazing ironer (is that a word? oh well)*

Here we go:

First the ironing board. Oh this is so important. My ironing board came from Walmart. It wasn't fancy. But it HAS been modified!!


The standard cover that comes with a basic ironing board is AWFUL!! AWFUL!! For two reasons. One, it slides around all over the place. Second, there is barely any padding. And where there is no padding there is no good surface to really get in to the clothes and get the wrinkles out. This padding can also slip about because it isn't secured to anything. This will cause you to iron wrinkles INTO your clothes and potentially to say naughty words to your ironing board. This isn't fun for anyone.

So you MUST get a new cover. People, I am NOT talking a serious investment here. Maybe $15. and you are set. I have had the same one for years. Here's the thing: It must have elastic around it so that it fits snug on the board AND it must have a thick padding. This padding must be sewn into the cover otherwise it will slide around and make for an uneven surface. Again, most of the $15. guys will have this.


This picture here shows the padding inside and the elastic band. Super easy. Super important. Ironing board is modified. Done.

Next part. The iron. It kills me how people hate to spend money on household appliances. These are an important part of your life, folks.


I have a Rowenta iron and I refuse to buy anything less. This baby can make some serious steam and get wrinkles out in a New York minute. Since I use this every week, I am willing to spend some money here. Even so, you can get a decent Rowenta for about $60ish. Make sure it has a full range of settings and steams well.

And that is IT. With just two simple investments ironing becomes a joy (ok, maybe still not for everyone, but at least you are not fighting the process anymore).

Maybe I really am crazy with the whole "I like to iron, doesn't everyone" attitude. BUT I have introduces many people to the combination above and it never fails to make ironing at least pleasant.

Let me know if you try these tips and how it worked for you!

Marinated Salmon and Purple Potatoes

This recipe is a true Bennett Family Favorite. I think I found it on-line after Husband said he liked the salmon dish at Lonestar Steakhouse. We don't have one of those near us, so this is what we came up with. So far, we like it better!!

Marinade:
1 sweet bourbon marinade
1/4 c pineapple juice
2 tb soy sauce
2 tb brown sugar
1 ts kentucky bourbon
1/4 ts cracked black pepper
1/8 ts garlic powder
1/2 c vegetable oil

Combine the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, bourbon, pepper
and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add
the oil.

This covers 2 8 oz fillets nicely.

Place the fillets in a shallow dish & pour the bourbon marinade over them,
saving a little to brush on the fish as it cooks. Put a lid over the
fish & refrigerate for at least an hour. A few hours is even better.

After the salmon is done in the marinade, it can be cooked any way you like salmon. We have tried it grilled and baked, both are tasty!!

The purple potates add a nice splash of color to the dinner. These seem to be getting more popular and can be purchased at major grocery stores now (for those of you in Florida, almost all Publix carry these potatoes).

What this blog is all about

Welcome to the first post of the Stay at Home Wife blog. Here are a few things about what is going on here...

Who am I? I am a 26 year old wife who loves the role God gave me! I have been married 1 year, 5 months, and 5 days (yes, I am counting!). My passion is being a helpmeet for my husband. I have a unique chance to do this and still work a "regular" job since I work from home for a company named "Bennett Research Services" (yup, I own the company). No kids (yet, everyone keep their fingers crossed!).

What am I up to? I love, love, love being a housewife. It is more fun than I even imagined when I was playing "house" as a kid. I actually like to cook and clean and even (gasp!) iron. I also like to do the added touches of being a house wife...decorating, baking, and making Husband his lunches before he leaves in the morning.

So why a blog? This has been running around in my mind for awhile now. I am always in search of cool new things...books, recipes, clothes, friends, ideas, decor, cars...anything. Sooooo, I am generally excited about something or other to do with being a housewife all the time! And it just bubbles up inside of me and I want to TELL someone!! Here is where all of you (I hope that number grows from just my mom soon!) come in...I can share with you tips and tricks and really cool ideas I come across! Aren't you totally excited now?!?

So, stay tuned.....