Thursday, September 13, 2007

Thursday 13 and Then Some

Janelle, you are NOT alone.

I'm so far behind; I think I'm first.


I remember buying a key chain with this little saying when I was in Junior High and thinking it was applicable to my life then.

HA!

I really am behind.

Do you want PROOF?

Here are 13 reasons. Because after all it IS Thursday.

1) Richie's birthday was July 12th, I still haven't sent out the thank you notes. For those of you who aren't great at math...that's two months!

2) One of my best friends and one of my sisters both called to chat over a week ago and I have yet to return their calls. (In my defense I want to actually talk to them when I call so I'm waiting until I have a good chunk of time to invest).

3) We moved 19 months ago and I have yet to get the address on my license changed.

4) I have not been "caught up" on the laundry for months...probably closing in on a year with that one.

5) We have a gift certificate for a two night's stay at a RESORT here in town and we have yet to use it. And I don't see it happening in the near future.

6) Pictures. Need I say more? Actually, yes I do need say more. Some of you feel bad because you are behind on your scrapbooks. I have boxes and boxes of photos that are not even SORTED (I mean dated back to college...and I'm no spring chicken anymore). And you've already heard about the 4000 some digital pictures on my computer.

7) Will is 3 years old and very few of his baby pictures are printed let alone put into an album or scrapbook of any kind. Although he does have a baby DVD.

8) I have a few dents in the back of my car (not all made by me) that have yet to be repaired. The first dent was made while we were at our old house (you know...before we MOVED 19 months ago?)

9) We put our aquarium of fish in the garage after we moved (say it with me...19 months ago) until we could find the time to secure Richie's chest of drawers to the wall. As a result, how shall I put this delicately...um...let's just say the population of fish in the tank has declined quite a bit. Apparently they are not hearty enough for extreme temperatures.

10) On the top of the armoire in our bedroom, there is a little montage of picture frames. Our intent was to have our wedding picture in the middle and our parent's wedding pictures on either side. We had a picture the right size for Rich's parents, but needed to get a copy made of my parent's picture. That frame is still empty after 19 MONTHS!

11) I have a dead plant in my closet. Why you ask? Because (after we moved...anyone sensing a theme here?) I put it in there until I could buy a pot to put it in that would go better with our new decor.

12) I just replaced a blender that I broke 2 years ago...last week.

13) Finally, does anyone know the shelf life of spices? Because I have some that date back to my wedding shower...11+ years ago.

I don't know what my problem is. I'm really not lazy, although I could at times use my time more wisely (i.e. blogging about why I'm behind on things instead of tackling something I'm behind on...but hey...this is therapeutic...plus now I have a list for future reference). And despite your impressions after reading this, I'm actually fairly organized. What's the deal? I'm hoping it is the season I am in and that in the five hours a week without kids this year I can manage a trip to the DMV for the address change on my license, take some time to throw out some spices, sort through a few pictures, and dare I say it...catch up? We'll see. It seems like every time I think I'm getting caught up I MOVE, or have a baby, or have a baby AND move, or start a business, or have Christmas, or get addicted to blogging (okay, that last one was definitely my fault).

What about you? I figure you are either feeling better about yourself after viewing this post because you aren't THAT far behind, you're feeling comforted because you have a similar list, or maybe you're yelling "PANSY!" at the computer because I have nothing on YOU.

Feel free to share. I'm listening...

20 comments:

Darlene R. said...

I am so cracking up right now! I was just thinking today that I should be doing some of my list things, but I didn't. The dead plant in the closet is so funny. Here's one for you, one of my window boxes fell off of the house the other day and it's still lying there, dirt and all...right outside the front door. Yep, I walk by it every day and yet there is sits.
As you can see, because I'm blogging right now, I'm not really too concerned!
OH and our 4 ft. pool is like 1.5 ft. now because of a very slow leak. We might get it down before the first snow---yuck!

Rochelle said...

LOL!! Oh my... I almost could have wrote this myself. Except I moved 20 months ago... and Keilani, well she is 7 and I still need to print pics of her!! LOL!

Teresa said...

Oh Alana! How I relate! I too need to change my address (we moved 7 months ago so I guess I still have some time, huh) and I also have rubbermaid tubs full of pics that need to have some sort of organization put to them! I wish I had some great advice to share, but I need some myself! I do think some...maybe most of your spices have to go! I also feel your pain about the laundry situation...I'm trying to get caught up before convention...HA!

4000 pics on your computer?????? God love ya!

Shelley said...

I definitely feel comforted, because I have a very similar list. Janelle was talking about weeding...We've lived here for almost 8 years, and have yet to do "Real" landscaping! And Christmas...it's just around the corner! Yikes!

Janelle said...

Have you found a picture for that cute SISTER frame yet? HA!

Anyway, you know my list...but the one I really want to accomplish is decorating my master bed and bath. We moved in 5 years ago and it still looks like the day we moved in.

Great list!

kittyhox said...

You are not alone.

Here are a few things I wouldn't normally admit, but since you went first...

We moved to this house 22 months ago. Here goes.

1. There are still boxes in the garage. Unpacked boxes. Of what? I don't know.
2. I also have a pile of empty picture frames waiting to be filled and hung on the wall.
3. I have all Nicknack's first year photos printed - only because I did the lazy thing and ordered them from Apple/Kodak, rather than printing them myself - but NO ALBUM, so they are in sitting in a box.
4. I have a "to do around the house list" (organizing, deep cleaning, fixing, etc.) that has more than 100 items on it!!
5. I have a $200+ Amby bed in the garage that I bought for Nicknack when he was three weeks old, which he never used. I've been meaning to sell it on Craigslist ever since. He's now approaching 16 months.
6. I also have a closet full of china and other stuff for ebay. It's been sitting in the closet since the move.
7. I have a "launch pad" area with a wicker basket full of returns, which I need to made. It's basically like hundreds of dollars sitting there. I hate making returns more than anything!

PS The only reason our laundry is usually caught up is because there are only three of us and my husband does AT LEAST half of the laundry.

I'm Tara. said...

That was a great chuckle. I got a kick out of your "theme." Just today on the phone I was telling my friend how much more I'm enjoying living in our "staged" house while it's on the market, even though it is a SERIOUS pain in the patooker to keep it that way. She is pretty much Martha Stewart-ish and I'm pretty much not. So she says "See? When you move you have to do that RIGHT away!" What? 5 years is too long to wait?? Ha ha!!

You are so NOT alone!!

Earen said...

Ok, this blog made me laugh...you have a great sense of humor! I think as moms we can all relate in some way or another. It's never ending & just when we think we might be caught up..we're really not. Thanks for the great read.

Anonymous said...

Good news! You don't have to go to DMV to change you address. You are actually only required to carry a change of address card.

whoo hoo you can check one off the list!

Melissa said...

Well, I think I can top you in come of those areas:

~we moved into our home 4 years ago, and still haven't finished painting the trim

~I have about rolls of film (yes, I'm ancient) that need to be developed...some dating back to preschool, and CJ's in 4th grade now! Scrapbooking...I'm in the year 2000.

~I have dents in my SUV from 2 1/2 years ago.

~I'm FINALLY starting to clean my attic from where I shoved everything in 4 years ago, and kept on shoving ever since!

Hanging my head in shame now...

life with the wisners said...

well, preach it sister.

clearly, everyone (including me) knows what you're talking about. you're not alone.

hi, i'm janet. ("hi janet.") and sometimes. well, sometimes i'm lazy. and tired. and my children sleep through the night.

but going to the DMV...in person? dear, there's this thing called the internet. it's fabulous. there are all sorts of things you can do. like change the address on your driver's license. it's great like that.

Short Stop said...

This had me laughing all the way through! NO, you are not alone!! I am so far behind on things that there's no way I could list them on a "13" post!

I am with you on the spices. I have some from before I got married...almost 6 years ago. YIKES!

I thoroughly enjoyed your sense of humor on this one, Alana!! :)

Xandra@Heart-of-Service said...

LOL! I think we all have that list somewhere!

I am pathalogical when comes to moving, however. I usually have everything unpacked, boxes thrown away and pictures hung within the first 24-48 hours of moving in. I can't STAND having all that clutter.

Having said that, don't go poking around in my closets, because you are liable to have something fall on your head or stab you in the foot if you aren't careful. My house has the illusion of neatness and order. Shhhh...don't tell anyone!

Sparky said...

Here's my addition to the list: Two years ago Mr. Sparky gave me a note saying I could go out and purchase a new mattress (ours is lumpy and I don't even want to think of all the stuff inside it). Well, I was prego and didn't feel like buying a mattress should be done when pregnant. Ben is now 2 1/2 years old and I still haven't gone out and purchased that new mattress. Hummm....maybe I'll do that tomorrow :-)

Carissa said...

hilarious post! love it! my favorite...the plant in the closet. that is a riot! and girl...19 months can fly by - forgive yourself and enjoy the day! : )

I'm Tara. said...

Alana - -just wanted to let you know that you have a little shout out on my blog today. :) Happy Sunday!

Renee said...

I followed a link from Tara's blog, and came across yours. What a comfort it is to know that we're not alone in this sometimes (often) overwhelming mothering journey!!

I am definitely right along with you as far as having an ever growing 'to do' list. I usually feel that as soon as I cross one thing off of the list, 5 more things replace it. :)

Thanks for sharing! It was a good laugh!

BethAnne said...

Okay I am laughing with you. Mainly because I am with you on being behind, but I ask you: In light of eternity, will your piled up laundry make any difference?

(uh hum - thats how I make myself feel better)

Anonymous said...

•We should just send out combo thank yous/invites. That way we are ahead for next year.
• HA! you don't return phone calls in a timely manner either!
• If we changed the address on our licenses, then we would have nothing to talk about with the cashiers when they checked our ID when writing checks.
• I would really miss the baskets of laundry on our bedroom floor. Besides, all that fabric is good insulation for when the cold winds of winter blow.
• I forgot about those certificates. I am glad you didn't use them with somebody else.
• Pictures? Why do we need pictures in an album? We see him every day!
• We still got two fish.
• If we fixed our dents, we wouldn't be able to locate our vehicle when we got out of Target.
• Admit it. You ALWAYS had it out for that plant, didn't you!
• Yep, that new blender is Niiiice. I look forward to seeing it again in two years when we decide to finally blend something again.
• THOSE SPICES ARE STILL GOOD! So, they may have turned from dark green to slightly light off-brown. Anyone can get fresh coriander. Ours has a beautiful antique patina.

Unknown said...

For a while, I was stuck on the dent thing. You mean you're actually supposed to fix those? So I would have to bring them to Corey's attention, and have the inquisition? I don't think so.

Then the blender got me. WHAT are you actually blending? I would have given you mine. If I could find it, that is.

OH--and about the thank you notes. Let this be my public declaration that you NEVER have to send me a thank you note for anything. Use that time to blog instead :) My little gift to you, my friend!!!