Hello homemakers and welcome to The Art of home podcast, where we are exploring how homemakers cultivate a place to belong. I'm your host Allison weeks. I am a wife, a mom and I have been practicing the art of home for 30 years. If you're new here, welcome here at the Art of home. We are all about encouraging and inspiring you to practice the occupation of homemaking as an art with confidence, skill, joy, and creativity with confidence not in your ability to be the perfect homemaker, the perfect mom have the perfect house have perfect kids perfect marriage, etc. But confidence that this is a legitimate way to spend your time, and that your identity is not in how well you perform in your role as a homemaker. But it is in Christ who has called you to and will equip you for this work. When we look at homemaking through that lens, we can be confident that he will give us the skill and the joy and the creativity we need to accomplish the work in our unique individual homes in a way that pleases Him and benefits others. We talk quite a lot about this concept in today's homemaker portrait of Leslie Lucado. With 10 years of marriage under her belt, and three little girls under her feet. Lesley is definitely in the trenches as a homemaker and she is not afraid to get real with us about what God is teaching her and changing in her during this very busy challenging stage of life. Before we get into the interview, I do want to thank you all for rating and reviewing the show. It means so much to hear your feedback and it also helps other homemakers decide if this show is a good fit for them and a valuable use of their time we think it is. But it's always helpful to hear honest reviews from other listeners. Think of it like an Amazon review of a product how many of us check the review before purchasing something I know I do. And while I take some of those reviews with a grain of salt because there are trolls on the internet, there is something to the persuasive power of honest customer reviews. You can leave us a review by clicking the link in the show notes below. One more thing before I start the interview. Leslie's one year old daughter was with her sweet and very patient babysitter in the next room. Usually she loves hanging out with her babysitter when mom is not there. But her little baby senses told her that Mama was right in the next room and she got a little upset. So you might hear crying in the background at a few points in the interview. But hey, this is real homemaker life friends. I know you're going to enjoy this super rich conversation. I will be back at the end of the episode to share a few of my thoughts and give you a little sneak preview of what is coming in season seven of the art of home podcast. So whether you are picking up your groceries or preparing dinner, I know you will enjoy Leslie's story of home. I'm here with my friend Lesley Lucado. And we are going to talk about her homemaking story as an in the trenches, Mama. But before we go back to the beginning of your story, Leslie, why don't you just tell us a little bit about yourself.
Leslie Lucadou:All right, I was born and raised in Houston. We lived there and thought we would live there our entire life. And then the Lord shifted our plans a couple years ago and we moved out to San Antonio, which we are loving. I live here with my husband and our three girls. They are seven, five and one. So life is fun and crazy and busy. And we love it. I before pre kids, I worked in the ministry. When we were in Houston and I went I got my seminary degree in I have my master's in biblical and theological studies. I have a passion for food, and cooking and eating and healthy living. And the Lord has been so kind to weave my passion for scripture and my passion for food together and somehow to raise three girls. All right,
Allison:yeah, we have the food, the love of food in common. And I know we're going to talk more about that later because we both have faced some similar challenges with regard to food and our families. Okay, so let's go back to the beginning. Yes. So when did you first become a homemaker? And did you bring any skills with you into this role?
Unknown:Um,
Leslie Lucadou:I so we've been married for 10 years. This April which is congratulations kind of mind blowing. Yeah. Thank you. field when we first got married, it was like we knew people who had been married for 10 years. And I was like, that's a long time. And so I guess I would start my homemaker journey at that. And our oldest is seven. So I feel like I had three years of non kid homemaking, and then it all kind of shifted seven years ago.
Allison:Yes, it does shift majorly when you bring kids into the picture. So did you have skills when you first got married? So
Leslie Lucadou:I have always loved food? Yeah, so one of my memories with my family and that my home is baking and cooking with my mom. And so I feel like in terms of skills of bringing into filmmaking, that is, I've always enjoyed baking and cooking.
Allison:So you were pretty comfortable in the kitchen already? Yes. Okay. Did you have siblings growing up? I
Leslie Lucadou:did. We had four full, there's four of us. There's
Allison:four. Where are you in the birth order?
Leslie Lucadou:So I have an older sister, older brother than it's me, and then a younger brother. Okay. Interesting. Yeah.
Allison:So did you. I mean, you're kind of in the middle, sort of, I mean, you had an older sister. So did you have much responsibility in the home as far as like laundry and cleaning and that sort of thing?
Leslie Lucadou:Yeah. I mean, when we I very vividly remember, Saturday's being like chore day. And it was we weren't up already, my dad would make sure we were up and awake. And I was usually able to somehow kind of sneak my way out of doing yard work. And I would help my mom inside. Some set some Saturdays we'd all be out pulling weeds and doing stuff in the house. But yeah,
Allison:okay, cool. Well, what was the hardest thing for you to learn as a new wife with this new role of keeping your own home? Sometimes we have a steeper learning curve for some things versus other things. Was there anything like that for you? That was a real steep learning curve.
Leslie Lucadou:I mean, I still can't really do laundry very well. Like the art of laundry? I don't know. I just can never finish it. I can never have it all completed. Well, I feel like my clothes are faded all the time.
Allison:You do have three kids. So I'm gonna give you that. I don't think you're ever done with
Leslie Lucadou:laundry when you have three young kids. Yeah, well, that would be that it's, it's, it's just looming over me at all times. So it's a skill that I have surrendered to probably never doing very well. I mean, and my husband makes fun of me. But there's always a shirt that we have to throw away because some stain from the washer, it was fine when it went in. And then when it came out.
Allison:It was it was dirtier when it came out.
Leslie Lucadou:So it's not my best
Allison:skill. Okay, maybe you have Gremlins in your washer or something, you know? That's good that we recognize our limitation. Right. Okay, let's talk about expectations a little bit. So what are some things that surprised you about homemaking, either good or bad? Something that you didn't expect?
Leslie Lucadou:So I think it's never finished. Yeah, ever. And I have a very achiever personality. And I like to set a goal and make a task, do the to do list and all of the things. And and homemaking is not that's it and the Lord has used that in a very sanctifying way for me because it is constantly causing me to lay down myself, lay down my expectations. Be okay with living in the messy and the mundane and the incomplete. And that's really hard. Dan is also really good, because it takes it all away from me. Anything I can do or accomplish, which is a constant reminder, and unless I'm having to work through and learn between me and the Lord, and he uses this calling for me as a homemaker, which I never thought I would fully do as literally a daily reminder of laying down myself and just allowing him to, to meet me where I'm at. Yeah,
Allison:that's really good. So it sounds like that's the expectation that you had to let go of, is just not being it's just not ever going to be finished. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Right? Yeah. That's great. Well, how about parenting? How did bringing children into the mix? Challenge and enrich your homemaking?
Leslie Lucadou:Well, I think it just kind of magnified the my previous answer that it's not about me and that ultimately everything I'm doing is in full surrender and open hands before the Lord and that I I want to perfect it I want to control it. I want to do it. Well, I want to complete it but even in parenting and teaching lessons and all the things it's not like other than you know, potty training and a couple of small things. I can check it off list. But for the most part, there's nothing I can check off the list. And there's nothing that I can really at the end of the day say, well, that's done, I don't have to do it again tomorrow. And for a personality like mine who is very goal oriented, and achiever, that is, it's a wrestle between me and the Lord. It's not something I can just lay down and forget about. So I think bringing kids and adds on to the Not only am I experiencing that in my home, but I'm also experiencing it in relationship with my kids and surrendering that I can only do so much. And the Lord is going to meet them where they're at. Just like he's meeting me.
Allison:Yeah, where I'm at. Yeah. Have you been able to invite your kids into they're still I mean, they're seven, five and one, but maybe the seven year old and the five year old? How have you invited them into helping and partaking in the art of home with you?
Leslie Lucadou:Yeah, that's something we're really kind of trying to figure out a good rhythm for right now. Because they're getting to be old enough to kind of have some of that more responsibility. But they also, you know, I, I really want them to be kids, too. So it's that fine balance. But we definitely do have responsibility and expectations. And luckily, that they're still at the age where they think some tours are fun. And so I just allow them to, for the most part, do what's fun and have fun with it. And
Allison:what do they most enjoy? What's a chore that they really love?
Leslie Lucadou:Vacuuming? Yes. And folding laundry? Okay, so I'm like, you know, you find joy in this, do it? Yeah. So I invite them in that way. But then I also, unfortunately, not unfortunately, but I have to keep it real. Yeah, you know, there's times that stuff just has to get done. And so we really are working through that right now of responsibility and cleaning up after yourself. And you know, things just have to get done, and mom has to do it, or you have to help mom. And so that's one way.
Allison:I think it's interesting how it crosses over into the area of discipline. And I mean, that in the sense of the word of you're teaching them to be disciplined right themselves by cleaning up after themselves, and by, you know, considering others, and maybe even serving others, as they, you know, help take care of the home. It's not so much just teaching them to do chores, it's actually helping to shape and mold them as little people.
Leslie Lucadou:Yeah, exactly. A phrase that we can use a lot is that God has given us these hands to help others, but we have to help in our home first, and that this is a place that we help and we serve, and we love and it is just as important as helping and serving and loving outside of the home. And that's a heart. I mean, that's the lesson I'm learning myself. Yeah, 32 years old. And so it's, it's an interesting and hard lesson to learn. And so it's speaking it over them as also the Lord using it in my life as well. And so it's been cool to kind of grow in that together.
Allison:I love that. I love that phrase. Because we often think that the serving the Lord happens out there. You know, we have to go out there to do it and helping others. But we can start it really starts in our own homes, right? And that's what we're doing as homemakers every day, right? Okay, let's talk a little bit about priorities. So what are some practical steps that you're taking to set your priorities and to keep your priorities straight, as far as the order that we need to be doing things.
Leslie Lucadou:So something I'm trying that we are trying to implement is, and it's very simple, but just this idea of non negotiables, and setting some non negotiables within our family, non negotiables, within our marriage, non negotiables within our kids and not trying to tackle all of them at once. But creating this essentially list of things that are absolute non negotiables. And if anything, you know, comes ahead, and if anything merges with that or messes with that. Yeah, it forces us to kind of stop and have a conversation and figure out well, this is non negotiable because of a certain reason and we can't move forward or
Allison:can you give me an example of like a non negotiable.
Leslie Lucadou:Some examples of those would be like going to church on Sundays. After COVID and a pandemic, we realized how easy it was to OEM knots because we had other options. You know, but our desires that our kids are in church and hearing and experiencing the word from outside of just the home and so going to church on Sundays, eating meals together at night, that is a non negotiable for us. Obviously, it doesn't happen every single night but more nights during the week than not we sit down at the table and have a meal to other things like that, that just really kind of shape our family and our time and my husband and I have realized how important quality time is for us and how easy it is to lose our sense of communication if we're not getting that quality time. And so just prioritizing a night a week to where there's no distractions, and you know, some other ones would be my personal health is something that I have to have very hardline non negotiables on Yeah, things that I can't eat, and I can't eat. And so those are simpler examples of, there's an actual list of things that I cannot partake in, and activities that we can't do because of it, or foods that I can't eat. Yeah. And so some of them are very small, simple list, and some of them are bigger schedule things, but having those in line and those in place, just prioritizes. You know, alright. It keeps it gives us the opportunity to dictate our schedule in our time in our home, instead of it being dictated by others schedules or scores or opinions or travel or any of anything,
Allison:I'm sure I can see how it gives you a framework from which you can then build your schedules in your in your other priorities. That's really great. Well, thanks for sharing those. So how do you maintain a healthy relationship with social media? I love asking this question to your generation, because this has been a part of your life, like probably for a really long time. Right? Did you pretty much grow up?
Leslie Lucadou:And well, I didn't have social media until high school. Well, high school, college. Okay. Ish. It's hard. It's really hard.
Allison:You also have a business, which we're going to talk about in a minute. Right. But that makes that brings in a whole nother level of complication.
Leslie Lucadou:Exactly. And so that is what makes it hard is because I don't love social media. I think a lot of good can be done in it. And I think it is a great outlet and creative place. But if used correctly, right. But there is a struggle with sometimes it would be easier to just set it down and focus on anything other than that outside, influence and world and noise. And especially being a mom of young kids, I feel like my life is very noisy. Yeah, to filter that noise out. It's, it's needed. So yes, I use it as a business. And so because of that, I've had to create some very set boundaries. Sometimes I'm much better at it than others. But it really just means recognizing sections of our day where I need to be fully present. And usually that's before about nine or 10am. And I can't I just cannot even touch my phone. And then like three to evening time. And I have to physically put my phone, in the bathroom or somewhere else. Yeah. Because if it's around, then it's a it's an easy escape, which is I think what's so dangerous about it, because if I mean if the kids are if they're extra whiny or having a hard time or I'm frustrated or flustered, then it has this weird power of I can just pick it up and I can escape and yeah, out of what I'm experiencing. And that I think is one small reasons why motherhood and homemaking so sanctifying for me because I have to lean into the uncontrolled uncomfortable moments. And so in regards to social media, for me it is it's not even an option. Yeah, in those times. And so just having set times where I turn it off, yeah. And I've I've tried to be very good about, I don't like my kids to see me on my phone. And I know that's not always realistic. But especially because I do use it as a business. I tend to be on it a little bit more. But I don't want them to ever feel less important than Yeah, than what it is. And so if I do have to be honest around them, or when they're there, then I try to be very intentional about letting them know what I'm doing or why I'm on it and that I'm not just ignoring whatever they need. But it actually is important. And Mom has some work that she has to do for a minute and then I'll put it down and be fully present.
Allison:Yeah, that's great. That's good. Do you have a plan yet? As far as how you're going to let me do you have all girls? I do. Yeah, three girls. Okay. I was just curious if you've thought about how you're going to let them interact with just media in general. Have you and your husband talked about sort of what your policy is about media with your kids and
Leslie Lucadou:it's an ongoing conversation with us and I think I think, thankfully, we still have some time. Yeah. And I think that makes it kind of hard to because I just have no idea where it's gonna go. Right? My tendency and personality is very black and white. So it's easy for me to say you will never touch anything regards to social media, or a phone or you know, anything. But thankfully, my husband is like, they're gonna need that in their world to survive. Because it is, as it's the culture that they're growing up in, and I want them to have a healthy relationship and know boundaries and know, the good and bad sides of different things and not just exclude out of my own fear. But I don't know what that looks like yet. And I think it will probably just depend on where it is at the time, different personalities and just kind of as our family morphs into that season.
Allison:Yeah. I love that. You said the word fear like you don't, we don't want to be motivated by fear. It's so easy to Yes, it's an easy trap to fall into. So it's great that you're that you're thinking about that. Well, let's move into talking about temptations and challenges in homemaking. And I'm going to give you some options and you tell me which one of these you struggle with the most. Okay? A comparison to other women or homemakers be I am just a homemaker. I'm not getting paid. So this is not real work. It's not a real job, or see Superwoman. Trying to do all the things.
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Leslie Lucadou:would say it's a combination of B and C, okay? Probably. So I think homemaking for me in the the early years of motherhood, I really fought it with with the Lord were a lot of pushback. I had just graduated from seminary I, you know, had in my mind this plan, how things would go. And then he called me, like, okay, so, like, what are we doing here? And so I don't think I ever have pictured it as not a real job. I know that it is a real job plus some. It's just not what I thought I would be doing. And so in regards to just a homemaker, I think it has been a lie that I've believed like, I'm just a homemaker. Yeah, it's a job. It's just not the job that I thought I would be doing. And then because of that, I tried to overcorrect by doing all of the things to make myself feel accomplished and achieved. And I've checked that could because homemaking doesn't have a to do list. Yeah, I tried to do all of the other things to satisfy that longing. When ultimately he seemingly crushes them all
Allison:and reminds me
Leslie Lucadou:that my my worth and my joy and satisfaction is found in him. And that this that homemaking is the highest and the deepest calling that he has called me to, and I praise the lord over the years have shifted the the wrestling and fighting of that and kind of fallen into it in a way that I love it.
Allison:That's great. Yeah. Cool. What's the particular challenge that you face? And you're homemaking and how are you working through that challenge to grow and adapt? And what's God showing you?
Leslie Lucadou:So when we first got married, we had been married? Oh, not even a year, I began having just health issues, lots of gastro stomach issues, lots of pain, just things that nobody could really figure out went to different doctors was told that I was fine. It was all in my head, you know, just lots of back and forth. And then over a series of three years, I found myself in the hospital for about a week at a time, probably a total of seven or eight times. And nobody could figure out what it was. I had a couple different surgeries. I had my appendix out, I had my gallbladder out, you know, I had a few different things done. I had pancreatitis, and all the things that just just constant one after another, but constant doctors telling me, You're fine. There's nothing wrong. I'm like, Well, I wouldn't be in a hospital if there's nothing. Yeah, like, Where's where's the mix up here? That season was incredibly difficult, because we couldn't figure it out. I never knew when it would hit I it was very frustrating as newlyweds to not feel good and then be hit with all of these medical bills and all of the things and so that kind of morphed into a season where we began to just look at health a different way. I saw some different doctors and really learned about the importance And of not just fixing what was going on, but really getting to the root cause of it. And at that point I was diagnosed with celiac, which is an autoimmune. And so once I kind of learned the how to take care of my body in a way that not everybody is taking care of their body. Because my body with an autoimmune functions very differently, I began to see drastic changes. And so there was a lot of healing, internally healing my gut, feeling my body in a different way. But then that also led to, again, just a lot of wrestling between me and the Lord have same, say less than I always learn. But that's fixed, but it's not checked off the list. But this is now going to be a lifelong thing that I have to work through. And he has done a lot of sanctification in my life and transformation in my heart of healing, my body is not healing everything else that has gone on in my heart in my life and the circumstances around me. And so it is used as a tool to step up and show up to who he has called me to be instead love. But I can't use it as a tangible check on my to do list to satisfy this broken, broken world broken body.
Allison:And you have a daily reminder. And celiac disease. For those of you that don't know what celiac is, like? Leslie said, it's an autoimmune disease. And two of my children have celiac disease. So I know that the good news is you don't have to take medicine for it, right? The bad news slash good news is that it will until they come up with a cure, there is no cure. But the food is the cure. Yes, the food is the medicine. That is how you heal your gut and prevent all of the nasty side effects and the increased like seriously increased risk of, you know, colon cancer and all sorts of other secondary things that can come along with it is if you eat a certain diet, yeah. So that's good and bad news, I guess, yes. But like, it's daily, it's every single day, it's not like you can just take a pill and forget about it. You have to make conscious decisions every single day to make sure that you stay healthy. And that, I'm sure requires you to be very dependent upon the Lord. Yes. So how did your business grow out of this diagnosis and this new lifestyle,
Leslie Lucadou:it has been a long time coming, for me to see the Lord working in my heart, in my body, a lot of resentment that I had to work through, have, I just want to be able to eat what I want to eat and not worry about it? Because it's a lot of effort. And it's a lot of mental effort, yes. Of constantly forward thinking or being in a situation where I can't have different things or whatever that might be. And so after working through that with the Lord, I, I found just this freedom and this joy in a way that that stinks, but like I feel good. Yeah, I really feel good. And I have experienced and seen how the Lord has designed and purposed us for fullness and abundance that He desires. And I think we live in a culture in this world, where it's told that it's okay to just get by, and to just live in maintenance mode and to just like, trudge through whatever it is you're going through to make it through the next day and I have snot what the Lord intended for us, right? And so I have found that how I physically fuel my body is what sets me up to, to step into the column that the Lord has given me. And if I don't feel my body, well, then I can't. Because while it does have a lot of internal effects, a celiac for me has also caused a lot of anxiety, inflammation in my body, which then causes exhaustion. Yeah, just physical pain. And so aside from the the major health issues, it's debilitating on a day to day basis if I don't feel my body well, and so, that has encouraged me to to encourage other women, that how you take care of your body matters, even if you don't have an autoimmune. We are not meant to live have exhausted, then we're not meant to live, frustrated, and with anxiety, and all of these things that are keeping us from fully experiencing the abundance that the Lord has, and I have found firsthand that feeling my body well and taking care of it and how I eat, it affects that even if you don't have an autoimmune and so my business has kind of stemmed from that if giving people the resources and the encouragement, and then also just pointing them back to truth, and the Bible, and that, to see who the Lord is, and, and what he desires of us, and that he is ultimately our satisfaction. Yeah,
Allison:cool. So tell me a little bit about what you started out as a as a blog. And then the end, the name of your business is
Leslie Lucadou:simply sweet wellness, simply sweet wellness, and
Allison:we're going to do all the links and all the things in the notes. So you can find Leslie online, but I'm just kind of where are you now with that, like, where to start? And where are you now with your business.
Leslie Lucadou:So it started just as a little bit of an outlet with I have this desire and this message, but I don't really know where I'm gonna go with it. And so it kind of started with, I would cook for other people who needed help making healthier meals or options or things like that. And then it kind of morphed into a little bit more of a food blog style. And I just realized that was not for me in this season. And I am much more have much more of a capacity right now to to share the truth and the encouragement behind why it matters that we take care of our body, and practical ways to do that. I love cooking, and I love baking. This season of life is a lot with three young kids. And but it's also not an excuse to not to take care of myself so that I can show up for who they are. And I want other people to have that opportunity. And so I do share different recipes. And, and things like that, that are realistic and sustainable. And,
Allison:and fast and fast. I love that. I think that was was that yesterday, you posted, you're like you have no excuse. You can make dinner in 15 minutes to show you know, like the little you throw the green beans in the bag and just microwave them and then you use the instant rice and then you use the meatballs or whatever, those chicken meatballs from Costco. Yes. Got that. It shamed me into making? No, not really. But I'm like she's totally right. It's really and I don't have three little kids at home. So yeah, there's so many ways that we can we can make better choices. Yeah, that's really good. So would you say that you're at this point, you're probably more. Educating is what you're doing?
Leslie Lucadou:Yeah, it's a mix of educating helping people see that it is like you just said, it's doable, and it's realistic. But diet culture is screaming at us that it has to be done in a three step process. 30 day, take this pill and you're gonna accomplish it. But that is not a sustainable lifestyle. And ultimately, if we want to take best care of our body, it has to be something that is sustainable. And, and so it's showing people educating them, why it matters, why it's important, and then pointing them back to the truth. Because ultimately, again, diet culture is telling us that this is what's going to satisfy. And it is important to take care of your body. It's okay to want to lose weight, it's okay to set goals and work towards them. But ultimately, we have to understand that that is fleeting, and that is not going to satisfy but that Christ is our reward and he is our satisfaction. And we can chase him and use our bodies for his good and for His glory. But that doesn't mean we can't take care of them.
Allison:Yeah, awesome. Well, thanks for sharing we're gonna make sure we connect everybody with you out there on the interwebs just check the show notes for links. So we're gonna go into a time of talking about hospitality for a little bit what's what's some practical ways that you show hospitality in your home making I feed people is your yes yeah.
Leslie Lucadou:There is this weird satisfaction and joy and people understanding that healthy cooking and gluten free dairy free baking does not have to taste bad. And I have found a lot of it is it is an outlet for me. So when seasons are stressful when life is crazy, you can find me in the kitchen. Because it's just it's an easy outlet. Yeah. And now that they're I have these restrictions and one of my daughters does too. It's fun to be able to create things that you tastes good but also are fueling our body. Well
Allison:yeah. What are some of your favorite resources? Like maybe some of your favorite things that you your go to like when you go to Costco? What's your what are some things that you always have in your pantry? How about that?
Leslie Lucadou:Oh, that's a good question. I always have good sources of protein in my fridge in my freezer so ground turkey, chicken, breakfast sausages or bacon, things like that. I always have frozen protein premade but still with like good ingredients, which is possible to find. Yeah, I get a lot of those from Costco. So like those meatballs like the like the jackets chicken meatballs and Adele's chicken sausage, and they had Costco has like these chicken and kale burgers. A lot of times I'll get rotisserie chickens or just cook a bunch of chicken and cut it up and then put it in the freezer, make some taco meat and keep it in the freezer. pre made chicken marinated. Keep it in the freezer. point of that is I always like to have plenty of protein on hand because you can use it to mix and match with anything. And then we always have lots of fresh fruit and veggies that can just be sauteed cooked and eaten with hummus Ranch, any of that. And then in my pantry. You know we like some of the chickpea pasta and like rolled oats I always have enough gradients to bake muffins or a cake like that is something that I always have on hand. Yep, we're having a stressful day. And I just want to make some cookies. Yes, needed.
Allison:Since we're talking about hospitality. We we show hospitality to the people inside of our four walls and then our neighbors. And then it just kind of branches out from there. So how do you think that homemaking helps build community?
Leslie Lucadou:I think something I have learned and seen is how it it truly just breaks down walls and invites people in to just the real life. The messy the unscheduled, the not put together. I think if you're willing to allow homemaking to become something that you invite people into, then you're inviting a much richer and deeper relationship with that person. And I, like my closest people to me are the ones that doing life together means seeing each other's laundry. Yeah. And being willing to step into the messy and, and having hard and good conversations amongst that. Yeah. So I think
Allison:part of it too, is being available. You know, one of the one of the great things about homemaking as being your main thing that you're doing, I know you're doing a few things outside of the home, but for primarily you're at home, right. And that allows you some freedom to be available to have the time to enter into those hard places with people. Because you know, if you are working a full time job outside of the home, it's pretty much all you can do to work your job. Come home, take care of the house, make sure you're having quality time with your kids and your husband. It's harder I think sometimes to enter into that with with other people, right? When you have all these other demands on your time. So it is one of the benefits. Personally, that's that I believe in homemaking. Yeah, no, I
Leslie Lucadou:agree for sure.
Allison:Yeah. All right. We're gonna do some rapid fire questions. All right, ready? What is your biggest homemaking fail? Laundry? Just laundry? That's laundry.
Leslie Lucadou:Yeah, probably that one time I was baking muffins with the girls. And then we had to go somewhere and we got to where we were going and I remembered I never took them out of the oven. Oh, no. So then I had to pack everybody up to go back home. Praise the Lord. I remembered that I did not take them out of the oven. But it was a moment of like, oh, oh my goodness. Like we started this task. And then we met we never actually finished it. So thankfully, that could have been a much bigger fail, but it was
Allison:Yeah. Wow. All right. How about a recent homemaking win?
Leslie Lucadou:I think lately a win would be just the rhythms that we're creating in our home. I've really been trying to personally be intentional about prioritizing just different daily rhythms that set us up for success that key Peace in our home. That keeps us moving at a slower pace amongst the busyness. And that has, it's felt like a big win because the temperament and just the overall peace and comfort in our home has I've seen the benefit through that sounds great.
Allison:Yeah, rhythms are important. They're important to everybody but especially to little children. Yeah. How about your favorite homemaking product or resource? Something that you're really loving right now? Could be anything.
Leslie Lucadou:I mean, I really love my coffeemaker.
Unknown:Oh, okay. I mean, you know, I like coffee. Yeah. And I,
Leslie Lucadou:I mean, I have a lot more energy. Now. When I feel my body. Well, I will say that but I still do love like an afternoon cup of coffee to get, you know,
Allison:to what you love us through what kind of coffeemaker we have all of
Leslie Lucadou:them. Oh. We have like the 12 cup coffee maker that we have the single one within that we have the Nespresso so I can make myself like a latte. I
Allison:do that we have one of those. And that's my treat in the afternoon. Yes. is I do a double long shot. Nespresso. Yep. So I have to use two pods, but it's still cheaper than going to Starbucks.
Leslie Lucadou:Did you know you can use one pot twice? Really? Yeah.
Allison:Is it still strong? Yeah, I did. Okay, yeah, I'm gonna try it and is because I put milk in it. So I make my own little, you know, milk latte. It's wonderful. I love it so much. I look forward to it every day.
Leslie Lucadou:Yeah. Now, I don't know that I do the long shot. I think I may do this. I don't know what size you do.
Allison:So the long shot. I don't know how many ounces it is, but it will it will completely fill up. If you have like an espresso sized cup. It will fill that to the top. Yeah. However many ounces that is it's probably like four ounces. Maybe instead of two.
Leslie Lucadou:Okay. Well, you'll have to try it and see. Okay, I use one pod twice. And it obviously doubles my usage. Yeah. And it lasts just as long. Or I mean, it tastes just as strong but the my Nespresso pod things which tend to be expensive they are they last twice Do you
Allison:have the little bitty pods? Or do you have the bigger because there's a newer version of Nespresso. It's really fancy and the pods are, they're bigger, right? No, I had the little one. Yeah, that's what I have to Yeah, okay. Hmm. I'm gonna try it. Yes. You said, Okay. Cool. Do you do like any other kind of coffee pour overs?
Leslie Lucadou:So we have the French press. And then we also have the pourover which is
Allison:she is not kidding. She has all the options and
Leslie Lucadou:coffee is it is priority. When you're young with with kids, and as great as it is, like if it's still so fun to just like, get it from somewhere else. It's just yeah, a it's there's just something very comforting about a good cup of coffee. And I think it stems from it. It's usually enjoyed with people and then community and then I don't know, it's just very
Allison:what's your favorite? What is your favorite way to drink? Like, what's your go to latte?
Leslie Lucadou:Um, if I am going to be like fancy, I do love a good. Honey lavender. Honey lavender is really almond milk. Yeah. Nice. Yeah. Or a honey. There's a place in Houston that I really like.
Allison:Do you make honey lavender? Can you do that at home? Or is that something you would get?
Leslie Lucadou:Or how do you do that? So you can get a lavender syrup? Yeah, okay. The, the brand that of all the coffee syrups that the coffee shops have. They have a lavender? And you can do that and with your little frother mix and some some honey and a little special lavender.
Allison:Nice. It's good. Good to know. Yeah. Okay. Well, alright, let's talk about oh, wait, I have another question. What's your favorite homemaking hack or tip? We would like to share.
Leslie Lucadou:Um, I really love meal prepping and grocery shopping on Thursday or Friday. All right. I don't know if that's considered a hack or a tip. But for the longest time I was doing it on Sunday and Monday and it felt very overwhelming to prep for the week and to grocery shop and to meal prep at all the same time. Yeah. And then I found myself at the grocery store again Thursdays
Allison:because all the food was gone by Thursday. Exactly.
Leslie Lucadou:So now I get to go on Thursday or Friday. And then we have our best meals over the weekend or the weekend when everybody's home. Exactly. And so and then it also frees me up to anytime during the weekend when I have a chunk of time. I can food prep, cut up veggies, mix up our protein or whatever, for the week make lunches and I'm not scrambling to get it all done on Sunday afternoon.
Allison:That's really smart. That's a great tip. Yeah, it's
Leslie Lucadou:it's been a game changer for me. And then if I need to run to the store on Wednesday or Tuesday have to grab like one or two things. I will but so you
Allison:shop on Thursday and you prep on Friday. Is that what you said?
Leslie Lucadou:So I shop on either Thursday, either or? Okay, it depends on the week and then you prep the same day. It depends. I'll sometimes I do like to prep for the weekend on Friday, but I usually find myself like prepping for the week, Saturday or Sunday.
Allison:Are you more of a prep? Like, do you prep ingredients so that you can quickly build things?
Leslie Lucadou:Yes. Okay, so I am a very mix and match kind of cooker. Not as much as big recipes. Okay, but I like to just have a lot of fruit, cut a lot of vegetables, cut our protein, yeah, ready to go. And then we have our pastas and our grains and all the other things in the pantry. And that just allows me to kind of grab a few different things as I need him. That's really smile. I don't like leftovers. And so I don't like meal prepping because I feel like it's just okay, eating food that was made three days ago.
Allison:I don't really have a problem with that. But I get something my husband really doesn't prefer leftovers and he'll tolerate them. But usually what I'll do is I'll sort of remake. I'll turn the leftover into something else. Yes. Like, I'll kind of change it up a little bit. So it doesn't feel like we're eating the same thing. Yeah. But sometimes we just see leftovers. And that's okay. All right. Let's talk a little bit about the art of home. How do you see homemaking as an art?
Leslie Lucadou:I think it brings out the creative in each person and each family and even if you don't necessarily consider yourself creative, I think just naturally taking care of your home stewarding the home, in whatever style is comfortable to you is bringing out a unique creativity that the Lord has given and no homemaking parenting journey looks or is the same. Yeah. And so I think that's what's so unique about it. And what makes it such a unique art is that it is very different. And creative. And so when you're invited into somebody else's, I think that's how you really get to see a unique and different sides of somebody and same as inviting people into ours is sure not trying to be something else but allowing just our own. Yeah, yeah, to show
Allison:no, that's great. How do you find beauty? When you're doing the laundry again, and you're washing the dishes again, and you're doing the same things over and over again? How do you find beauty in the midst of that,
Leslie Lucadou:I just have to keep my perspective on on Jesus, that He is my reward, he is my satisfaction. And then I'm not trying to accomplish anything to make myself feel better. Because I won't. Yeah. And, and when I lay that down at his feet, and the Wadey undertaking and responsibility that doing the dishes, or picking up the toys for the 100th time, or doing the laundry, while it feels very mundane and overwhelming at times, it is a gift truly that I get to do. And I don't always have such a sweet perspective of it. But I am keeping my eyes on the Lord and that it's a calling that he has called us to it's an opportunity that he has given me and I want to I want to steward it well with grace. And I want to show my girls the value of taking care of what the Lord has given us whatever that might be right.
Allison:That leads into the next question. Why is gratitude important for the homemaker and in the home? And how have you seen a grateful heart, enhance your experience or improve your experience? Yeah, I
Leslie Lucadou:don't think it can happen without gratitude. Because it is such a I have to lay down myself daily to take care of my home. It's not about my comfort. It's not about my own desires. Often it's about giving up my physical self and my mental self to take care of my home and my people and in a way that that honors the word. And I think I I was actually listening to a podcast recently and they were talking about how gratitude is is essentially a learned skill. Like it's not just something that comes seems natural. Yeah. And so I think in light of homemaking and stewarding My home is, is practicing gratitude, I have to practice gratitude and being grateful for what He has given me. And a lot of that comes back to my story and my health and knowing the value in this home is important. And taking care of it is important. Yeah, but I can't do it if I don't take care of myself. Right. And I'm grateful that the Lord has given me a healthy mind and healthy body. But I have to steward that well in order to gratefully take care of my
Allison:home. Yeah, no, that's great. How do you think that older women can help your generation of homemakers thrive? In their practice in the art of home? What do you need help with? What do you wish they knew?
Unknown:I,
Leslie Lucadou:I feel like it's easy to forget how noisy This
Allison:is. Yeah.
Leslie Lucadou:And then on top of it, the newness for us and this generation is that not only is it literally noisy every single day in our home, but then the world just get just throw so much noise at us. Whether through opinions or conversations, or social media, there is just a lot of noise, and it's exhausting. And I think it we don't need any more noise. Yeah, we don't need anybody else talking at us. We just need people to hold our baby while you eat, you know, or jazz, or just come into the mess. And I mean, you and I have gotten together before and made sourdough bread, you know, just something that allows us to, to feel normal, and to do do something. But not feel like we're having to then please in another way or Yeah. I don't know. Does that make sense? Yeah.
Allison:I don't. Just entering in, I think is important. That's kind of the point you were making. Just being willing to I love. I love that you said we don't need any body else to talk at us.
Leslie Lucadou:Yeah, maybe you can just end it there.
Allison:Okay, well, we'll move on.
Unknown:I was trying to think of
Allison:as I was going, we've had a lot of words, what is a word of advice or encouragement that you'd give to a younger homemaker coming behind you?
Unknown:I would let them know that
Leslie Lucadou:when we are truly leaning in, and finding our satisfaction, and abiding in Christ and His word, that, that is the only time that we can see the beauty in this season of homemaking. Because if we're looking to the standards of the world, or the people around us, who are constantly frustrated or seeking satisfaction and other things, and we're not gonna, we're not going to find it, and this season has a lot of potential for the enemy to step in and tell us that it's not important, or it's too exhausting, or you don't get enough time to yourself, or whatever those lies may be. And while all of the hard things are true, we will find the the relief in the satisfaction we need when we Abidan, the true vine and the true source himself.
Unknown:And then I would also say it is
Leslie Lucadou:fleeting, all of those encouragement are true, but it's okay. That it's hard. And I think that's something I've had to come to terms with to is just because I am admitting that this season is really hard, doesn't mean I'm not enjoying it. And it doesn't mean that I'm not doing it. Well. It means that it's hard. It's hard. And that's okay. And so when all the people say well, it's fleeting, or you're gonna miss it, you are and I will, but it's okay to recognize it. It's just really hard.
Allison:There there are there are parts that you're not going to miss.
Unknown:Yeah. And that's okay.
Leslie Lucadou:It's okay that I'm not going to miss certain things. And I think there is some guilt and shame in that. That often we are told, you don't know how fast this goes. Is this fleeting they only stay little forever. And so then we feel guilty when when you don't love every minute of art. Yeah, I love it. But that doesn't mean that that's a bad thing.
Allison:Yeah. That's a great word of advice. It's really good. Thank you. Well, thank you for being here.
Unknown:Thank you for having me.
Allison:It was a great conversation. I enjoyed it a lot. Oh man, this conversation was so rich. And so good. You know, when I record these interviews, I just record them, I store them on my computer, and my hard drive and then I put them away for a week, two weeks, sometimes three weeks, and then I come back to them to do the editing. So I'm sort of approaching it with fresh ears. And when I was editing Leslie's episode, I'm I always take notes as I'm editing. And I highlight things that I want to make sure that I bring out on Instagram, maybe for some of the quote slides that I do. And I found myself having to continually stop the recording so that I could record precisely the quote that Leslie was giving, because she just had so much wisdom and so many amazing things to share. I was just blown away by her maturity and her perspective with home when it comes to homemaking, and what God is teaching her through that. I love that when we were talking about expectations, she said, The Lord has used that the fact that homemaking is never finished in a very sanctifying way for me because it's constantly causing me to lay down myself, my expectations and be okay with living in the messy and the mundane. And the incomplete, it's really hard, but it's also good because it just takes it all away from me. And she is just very real about recognizing her failures and her faults in her tendency to want to be a perfectionist and, and she recognizes that God is using the calling and ministry of motherhood and homemaking as a daily reminder to lay down herself in her own plans. And, and let him meet her there and do what he wants to do through this work in the home. I also really love the advice that she gave to the younger homemaker. That when we're truly leaning in and abiding in Christ in His Word, that is the only time we can see the beauty in this season of homemaking. Otherwise, we're gonna miss it. Because if we're looking to the standards of the world, whether that's on Instagram, or HGTV, or your neighbor down the street, or your sister or whoever, you're not going to find it there. This season has so much potential for the enemy to step in, and speak different lies. I love that she talked about that. All those hard things are very true. But we find that relief and that satisfaction we need when we abide in the true vine. That is Jesus. And I talked about that at the beginning, that we here at the Art of home are wanting to help you walk confidently in this calling as homemakers whether you do that full time, part time, nights, weekends, whatever we understand everybody's situation is different. But whatever, you are a maker of the home, right? And we want to make sure that you understand your competence. And that calling does not come from your strength, your skills, or your ability to keep a happy face on it. Your Confidence comes in your savior, your confidence comes in Christ, the one who's called you to the work, because he is going to be the one that will equip you for the work. And we need to make sure that we keep that truth always in front of us. Because the enemy will try to shoot that down. And we'll try to tell you lies that you're not enough and that you're not cut out and that you're not going to be able to do this job well, or that it doesn't even really matter. Well, I will tell you it does matter. And no, you are not enough. That part's actually true. Only Jesus can supply every need that you have to walk in the calling that he's called you to. So be encouraged today homemaker, the work you're doing matters, it is valuable, it is eternally important. You are cultivating a place for eternal souls to grow and be nourished and nurtured and to become more like their Creator, who they were made to image in this world, for their good and for His glory. I hope you've enjoyed this conversation. I hope you've taken away something that will carry you along and encourage you today. Again, we would love to hear from you. You can send us an email, you can also send us a voicemail, just go over to our website. We'll link it down in the show notes below. But it's the art of home podcast.com/contact That's where you can leave us a typed message or you can leave us a voicemail over there. Make sure that you are subscribed to our free weekly newsletter. That's a place another place where you can get some regular encouragement and your practice of the art of home. I deliver that to your inbox every Friday morning. And you'll just have a little note for me. I usually tell you what I've been up to that week and I'll share some sort of story from my own homemaking journey. I often share recipes that have been a big part of our family life. I will share with the newsletter audience some sneak previews of what is coming in the next few seasons of The Art of home as well. So that's the place to be in the know is in the newsletter, you can subscribe by clicking the link in the show notes below. Or go to our website, the art of home podcast.com/subscribe and sign up there. And speaking of future seasons of The Art of home, today marks the last episode of season six. So we will be on a break for a couple of weeks. And then we'll come back for season seven. And we've got some wonderful things planned for season seven you will be getting some homemaker portraits. From all ages and stages. We will have seasoned newbie and in the trenches, homemaker portraits, and we will have a new deep dive series on this subject of words in the home. This is a fascinating conversation that I had with my great friend Karen Shepard, who was a guest on the art of home podcast last year she was one of the subjects of a homemaker portrait. She's been married for over 50 years, and has so much wisdom. She's a writer, she's a blogger. She is a thinker and a reader. She's in my book club. I just really liked Karen and we had so much fun talking about how we use words in the home and how words can affect our practice of the art of home. We talk about books and writing and the words we speak the importance of Word on Words on childhood development and relationships. It is just an amazing conversation. I am so excited to bring that series to you next season. So make sure that you tune in in a couple of weeks. We'll be back for all those exciting things. And until next time, keep practicing your art of making a home