I remember my mom saying she couldn’t have anything nice and now I know what she means. I hoped my kids would be better than me. My husband is so calm and laid back. Perhaps my spousal choice would breed this out of my line?
I mentioned this to his mom and she dolefully shook her head and said both her kids “done broke every pretty” she ever had.Well, at least he’s good looking.
I remember noticing how good our kids are at climbing. The back sides of the banister, baby gates, cribs, bookshelves–my kids could climb like monkeys. No cookies on top of the fridge were safe. No hiding spot was out of reach.
New, nice purchases are few and far between for us. We have a lot of kids and one job by choice, so we need to make sure a “want” is also a need.
When we moved into our house the previous owners had left the fridge in the kitchen. They must had left in a hurry because there was still food in the fridge. One. Year. Later.
Yes, the house had been empty for a year with the power off. I saw the fridge and thought “Cool, something we don’t have to buy!” And then I opened it. “Gross” does not cover it.
Still, we were stretching to purchase even this fixer-upper. My husband decided to clean the fridge and keep it. He gave whatever was in there a proper Christian burial, disassembled the fridge down to the walls, took all removed parts outside and washed and bleached everything. He did a great job and removed all lingering odors.
Then we used that refrigerator for almost ten years.
I almost wept with pleasure when it finally died.
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| Not this, but like this. |
I loved that new fridge. Sometimes I’d just gaze at it. It made me happy.
And then I heard the words I have grown to fear: “Oopsie!”
Oopsie at my house can mean anything from “I dropped a spoon” to “I made all the toilets overflow simultaneously”.
So now, my pristine chilling machine has a gigantic crack in the crisper drawer. Apparently you can’t slam the door shut while the drawer is pulled out. Grr. Replacement cost: $200. Not going to happen.
I have allowed the child to live and have continued to love her. My mom did it for me.
And when Mom visits and sees the crack, I hope she doesn’t smile too much when she sees it. Last time, she did an end zone victory dance. Tacky.
Have your kids done broke all your pretties? What have they done lately?
Awww Nota! It's always somethin' isn't it?
At my house if it isn't a kid it's one of the pets.
My wonderful loving purrrfect kitty tore a hole in the carpet at the top of the steps within three months of moving in here. He hasn't touched any carpet since (and he's never ever clawed the furniture – did I mention he's perfect?). It was like he felt incomplete with nice carpet and needed to remedy that. grrr
Where's the like button? I LOVE this post. So sorry about your fridge. Ours has a drawer that no longer slides. Instead it sits on the bottom shelf and has to be lifted out. Sigh. I hate things like that. I love your attitude. That was very benevolent of you to let your child live.
Yeah, I put all my pretties up about the time my oldest started to crawl, and never took them back out.
Along the same lines, I was thinking JUST TODAY that I will never have a clean house, or even the energy to keep it clean, until the last kid is out of the house 😐
My couch cushions are twisted from people digging their feet into them. Every table I own has someone's name carved into it. We just washed the walls – I found everything from regular dirt to crayon to snot. On the walls. Someday I will have nice things. 'Jen Moz
Robin, our pets are bad too, but I expect kids to know better. Will they ever know better?
Jamie Jo, you made me snort. Yes, I am a big-hearted person. She may live.
Andrea, I 'd rather have the kids at home, but I wish I could have kids and a clean house. I need a maid!
Jen Moz, I once blacked out from rage when I found dried nose mucus on the wall. I came to a day or so later and the kids were still quaking. My wrath is mighty!
Both the leather chair and ottoman have holes on them, and for some reason my kids are hell on doors and doorknobs. We have the lever type and replace at least 3 a year. (It couldn't possibly be due to a child aggravating a sibling to the point of furious pursuit, then slamming the door in angry sib's face and barricading it while they try to force their way in, could it?……. Naw.)
~tj
TJ, I believe it. You're lucky there aren't feet marks on your doors. What were my kids doing?!?
Oh, can I relate to this. We had a huge crack in our crisper drawer, given the same way too. It was so big a crack that we took the drawer out and just piled fruit on the bottom. Then we decided duct tape would work. It did. We have a drawer again.
You've all seen the bright orange spot where one child burned/discolored the couch with the space heater. And I'm sure I've mentioned my uncleanable walls a time or two. And the broken chair when one son or the other tipped it over backwards. Or the…well, you get the point.
". . .the words I have grown to fear, 'Oopsie!'"
Made me LOL! I'm afraid of "Oopsie!", "Uh-oh!", "Whoops!", and all their cousins.
Reader, duct tape is my friend. I just wish it weren't my decor.
Chastey, I also hate "*crash*…*pause*…'IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!'"
In the words of my dear husband:
"Caint. Have. NOTHIN'!!!"
Preach it, sister!