if I knew at 18 what would turn me on at 32 ....

I am SO excited about my new (used) washer / dryer I found on craigslist.com. I got 1 yr old Maytag Performas for $285, and thanks to SueC's husband (and his truck), I'm FINALLY able to enjoy my 2nd floor laundry room! I can't tell you how happy a 2nd floor laundry room makes me! Frankly, it's pathetic.

Thanks so Kris, as well. If it weren't for your little "obsession" with imsn, I wouldn't have found SueC (and made a friend already), my transition to KC wouldn't be going as smoothly as it is, and I would have ended up paying to rent a truck (and person) to help my dh move the washer / dryer in my house! You rock! :ra:

So - what makes you happy that you never thought would??

[DCJenn]

A clean bathroom and vacuumed floors. Sadly...

Jenn

[pstone]

Oh my!

This will sound so sterotypical but for a SAHD it is a crazy thought.

1. Wife to say, "the house looks great"
2. When the mail comes and there is something other then a bill or advertisement.

3. When the boy takes a 2 hour nap in the morning.
4. Drug rep lunch day, so I don't have to make the DW's lunch the night before.

[Sheherezade]

Going to geeky family friendly vacation spots? I've become obsessed with a Disney Cruise Line brochure that I got for free outside a local travel agent. I can't believe I'm willing to pay a premium to experience Disney's "aggressive friendliness" (from the brochure) in person. Also, the song Kokomo by the Beach Boys. Can't seem to get that out of my head. Maybe I'm just dying for a sunshine vacation!!

I am also spending a lot of time thinking about disposable toilet brushes. I never would have thought that I'd have to decide whether that was a "luxury" item or not. Now that was definitely TMI. I'll never be cool again.

[pstone]

Luxury item for sure, although I have not tried any of them. I just gave up my swifter dry clothes because they are not cheap, and well....we own a broom...such is my life.

Re: Oh my!

4. Drug rep lunch day, so I don't have to make the DW's lunch the night before.

Absolutely! I HATE making lunches!!

1. Going out for dinner. We can afford to do it so rarely, it is really a huge treat. I love the anticipation of what to order, having it served to me, and leaving all the dishes right on the table for someone else to worry about. 8)
2. Laundry dried on the clothes line, especially sheets and pillow cases.
3. Ceiling fans in every room.
4. DD sleeping late in the morning, or taking a longer than usual nap, of course.
5. CENTRAL AIR!! := Our wonderful landlord just had it installed early this summer. I swear I would be living at my mom's house and leaving DH to fend for himself this summer if it wasn't for the central air. Especially with all our our bedroms being on the second floor.

When I was 18, I could have never imagined how much I enjoy complete silence. It is amazing....I find myself, just sitting in a dark room after everyone is asleep and crying, no wait, I mean just relaxing.

I also enjoy the mail more too....weird.

1) I agree with Annie: Sleep, Sleep & more Sleep (what kind of vacuum is it...I'm looking for a new one to withstand 4 kids and a dog)!

2) Going grocery shopping without kids.

3) Laying around in PJ's all day reading a good book (not like this actually happens).

4) Clorox wipes (a luxury, I know) so I can just throw them away.

Sara

a massage....
it beats just about everything else...and I really mean EVERYTHING else!

I often fantasize about having my own little spa set up at home so I can have therapists come to my house several times a week!

[SueC]

Going somewhere in the car by myself, not having to go through the rigamoral of buckling everybody up but just getting into the car, putting the key into the ignition, and driving off.
Eating a meal by myself--when I was a teenager and worked at Arby's (I was a dork if you didn't pick up on that already) I was horrified at having to take my lunch breaks by myself and being seen eating alone in the loggy--now I would kill for that kind of alone time.
Eating a really yummy ice cream treat, again by myself. When my kids are with me I have to share.

[twinsmom]

These are cracking me up... because I am nodding my head and completely understanding ALL of them!!

Being able to go anywhere without the whole buckle in, buckle out of car seats makes me out of my mind happy (not to mention being able to walk up and down the store isles without a giant 3-seater cart with kids dangling like wild monkeys off the ends...).

The moment when ALL the kids go to sleep and I realize its only 8:00, and I actually have energy to do some alone things is also a good day in America!!

But I mostly say AMEN to all of the above posts (especially the making lunch posts - I HATE having to do that every night... and you can actually see steam come out my ears when DH 'forgets' to tell me that he didn't need it for the day, but it was kept outside the fridge, so now it's all spoiled so I get to throw it AWAY and have to start over...).

I'm sure more will come to mind...

Jen B.
(Ya, what vacuume was that? I am dreaming of owning a dyson one day...)

[Vishenka69]

If someone told me at 18 that I'd prefer DH to do the dishes without being asked to flowers/chocolate/lingerie/jewerly, I'd never believe them.

If someone told me at 18 that I'd prefer DH to do the dishes without being asked to flowers/chocolate/lingerie/jewerly, I'd never believe them.

AMEN

[HeartRN]

If someone told me at 18 that I'd prefer DH to do the dishes without being asked to flowers/chocolate/lingerie/jewerly, I'd never believe them.

You read my thoughts completely! And clearly, this is a RARITY in our home, also!

For me, everything mentioned, plus:

1. The idea of running away without my child to see my best friend in St Louis. The scenario also involves her abandoning her child and the two of us going someplace and drinking an obscene amount of alcohol.

2. Any clean area, free of toys and DH's "stuff". The clean area can also be at work!

3. An ear infection-free child in the fall

4. To hear DH say "Oh, sit down...I'll get it for you" (another fantasy)

What a great post!
I guess mine would be -- just going out for a few hours and returning at 9pm. Wahoo! DH and I have been taking a dance class together and the 15 minutes in the car and on the way home have been heaven.

Sleep is right up there too. Earlier this week DH let me sleep an extra 30 minutes and it was wonderful. Even better, when I woke up and walked into the kitchen, he had a slightly exasperated look on his face and said -- do you want a cup of coffee? For some reason it has taken me 30 minutes to make any!
Hmmm....I wonder what that is like....