Ever wonder if it would be easier to just live in your car?

That is what I am thinking today. I am so sick of schlepping stuff in and out of the car. It would be easier to just keep it in there.

My kids aren't in that many activities. Today was the straw that broke the camel's back. My kids are just bonkers today -- "wow, how energetic" seems to be the most frequent comment.

So....I pick up DD at the bus stop to get to swimming on time. She's hungry so I brought a snack for both kids (trash to take in later). Picked up the mail on the way to get her (paranoid about leaving it in the box). I stop by the grocery store on the way home for a few things (convenience of having milk delivered is LOST when you don't order enough milk). Kids are starving post-swimming so I have snacks for that too.

We get home to a starving "feed me now" dog and I (and DD, no?) have plenty of snack remnants to bring in, coats, backpack, mail, grocery bag, swim bag, scarfs, and younger DD and I'm nagging DD to bring her own stuff in. She is just a piece of work today and asked about 500 times if she can have a playdate with the neighbor. I reach in the house to turn on a light to feed starving dog and pop! blow a lightbulb. No problem, right? Wrong! It tripped a breaker for some reason.

The garage light is on the same breaker and so I'm working from the rapidly setting sunlight. Note to self to have a refresher on flashlight locations. Now it's "whhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy can't I have a playdate?" with Anna fussing about getting out of her carseat because I'm standing right there and can't I see that she wants out? I can barely see the breaker box and I'm going through the switches and getting closer to the furnace. I really don't want to flip that one because the furnace is running and I know the other lights can't be on the same breaker, especially if it is running, and the furnace has been acting funny and I do NOT want to screw that up. It was the switch right before the furnace. Flip it and voila, light! After this, I noticed that the breaker that flipped has a little orange square on it. Duhhhhh.....

And then I bring all the crap in. So, I'm thinking that maybe an RV would make things easier. Calgon?????

[fluffhead]

I have only one suggestion - leave the trash in the car. I just clean (pick up - not vaccuum!!!) the floor of my car once every week or so. It's a complete disaster zone, but saves so much time and aggravation.

[PrincessFiona]

:> I'm with fluffhead...my van is an embarassment. I cringe if someone takes a peek in side before the weekly cleaning up. By Friday it is awful...and I can never figure out how so MUCH junk got into it.

Sounds like a crazy day, Nellie!!!!

kris

[Phoebe]

OMG! Nellie, this is my chief complaint lately. DH has been on me about why I am not filling out our checkbook. My excuse is everything that you wrote, minus the breaker problem in the garage. I get so tired after errands and outings and then having to bring in gym bags, school bags, lunch boxes, coats and outerwear stuff and the kids screaming get me out! It usually takes three trips and then it is usually a meal time, a diaper change is needed and naps are due. I have no desire to do one more thing like put my reciepts in the checkbook at that time.

I am with you, sister! I have started keeping a plastic bag hanging in my front seat to put trash in so it is easier to empty. That helps a lot.

Jennifer

I keep zip lock bags in my car and toss the trash in them when I get the chance throughout the week, and toss it once a week. This works great in winter with huge bags. In summer, its the quart sized ones.

[mommax3]

I will just say that I go for WEEKS without looking at the second seat of the Suburban.....actually, I only look back there if something is lost or if we are about to take a road trip, and then I clean it out.

It does get so much easier when they can all walk and carry their own stuff, and *sometimes* the fact that they can unbuckle themselves from their carseats can be a blessing!

Good for you for packing snacks in the first place, Nellie!

Sally

I take Fluff and Kris' approach but I don't clean it out NEARLY as often as I should. I had to trade cars w/SueC for a bit today and was SO EMBARRASSED.

You're a champ Nellie.

[SueC]

This time of year that sort of thing drives me crazy, with all the gloves, hats, or misc. things hanging around in the car. Then they get trampled on by muddy feet. Today, my neighbor's son pointed out a half-eaten sucker that was stuck to the floor of my almost-new van. Pre-kids I was very anal about stuff hanging out in my car, now I'm less anal to the extent that there is crap in my car that I don't necessarily pick up, but it still drives me crazy!

[Cumberland]

What is a little orange sticker on the breaker? Why is it bad to flip it? I havent heard of that before....

The little orange thing was in indicator that the breaker was the one that tripped and was the one I should flip. It was getting so dark and the angle I was at I didn't notice right away that it was the only one with the little square of orange. Next time I'll look for that!

Here's a weird thing...one of the outlets in the kitchen quit working after this. DH said it was a cheap plug that he has been meaning to replace. At least it's not the only plug.