Monday, September 29, 2008

Cleaning cupboards leads to unnerving discoveries

I cleaned out my cupboards Saturday. It's safe to say this job is not one that happens very often. There's really no point as far as I can see:

Empty cupboards
Wipe down shelves
Neatly re-align boxes of pasta, cans of tuna, and baby fruit on the shelves
Stand back
Admire
Congratulate self
Realize there's still a pile of stuff lying on the counter
Lose patience
Start cramming the leftover stuff in on top of previously neatly aligned items
Stand back
Cringe

No point. Except I did find one interesting thing. It was almost worth the whole project. I unearthed an extremely detailed set of instructions about what Lydia should eat and do the first time we left her overnight at her grandparents. I had such a good time reading it- the list for what she could have for breakfast was longer than the choices my kids get in an entire day now.

I was standing there reading it, my eyes growing wider by the second, going, "Heyyyy. Good ideaaaa. Cut up apples with her oatmeal. Who would have thought?" Now my kids get two choices: Marshmallow Mateys or Wait-Till-Lunch. I'm starting to sense that I've gone downhill. Lost control, spiraling downward. What was once a healthy, hearty breakfast of oatmeal and fruit is now... sugar coated cold cereal?! And I wonder why my kids act the way they do? I cringe to think of what I'll be doing in all my laziness a few years down the road. I have this sinking vision of me standing there starring blindly into my cupboards that haven't been cleaned since September 2008 going... So. Um. You guys just want some syrup or what?

Ah, well.

Maybe what I should do is begin consulting that list of instructions for ideas. In fact maybe I'll tape it right inside my cupboard door where even in a sleep-deprived stupor I should still be able to locate it.

But, seriously. Who was that woman who wrote that list? It appears at one time she knew what she was doing. I think I'd like to meet her. I have a few other questions I'd like to ask. Like... Was her daughter really satisfied with rice puffs and banana slices for a snack?!?

7 comments:

Cami said...

LOL! The rice puffs and banana slices come long before the kids have a chance to try the good stuff; cookies, candy, etc. : ) Glad to hear I'm not the only one grabbing the quick and easy for breakfast and lunch!

Anonymous said...

you sure have a knack for words..and honesty. I love the syrup option a few years down the road. :) and we all know exactly what you're talking about.

Aleena said...

yep, you had me chuckling with the syrup bit!

Anonymous said...

Believe me, it only gets worse. Now, the older kids bike to the candy store and sell treats to the youngers all the time. The dentist was giving me a hard time, wondering if I give them too much watermelon or grapes. ?!? At least I was able to answer no. ~Brita

Tina H. said...

Sarah-I loved this post:) Even with no kids of my own, I always appreciate your viewpoint!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for making my day start out with a laugh!! We all know what you are talking about. :) Christy

Anonymous said...

yeah - and i'm still at the stage where we can eat eggs or bootua every day for breakfast with no complaints. but some days, when i have work to do and Rodney's hungry, oh is it tempting to grab a healthy, made with lard, chocolate chip cookie and stuff him in his chair. for. five. minutes... of peace.