{reality check}

was snapping pics during naptime yesterday of a fiskars project, and looked around and snapped a few of the kitchen too, bc honestly, i think i might find it all funny later on... and bc its GOOD to document the REAL everyday, too, right?!  ;)

this is SO my reality right now...

i will recap...

we've got in the upper corner:

* an uncapped bottle of diet pepsi - but i call it "coke" - sitting out on the counter bc really lets not lie here - i drink it nonstop all day, in an effor to stay caffeinated (sp?) and keep up with ev - so why bother putting it away?

* the baby monitor - which is on, while i HOPE that ev stays asleep longer than anticipated, and i can get some (or even any at all) work done...

and then, my favorite...

* Toby is in time out.  Yep.  TIME OUT.  i dont know if ive mentioned on the blog before - but he goes in time out when he barks.  i cant take the barking, and i dont have another solution...  ??  toby knows what time out means.  i threaten with it before i actually put him in it.  he runs away.  i catch him, and onto the counter he goes.  one time i forgot he was there and left him there for an hour while evan and i ran an errand.  oops.  for some reason it freaks him out enough that he stops barking.  and i get a few minutes of quiet...

and....

* my piles of fabric and sewing tools on the island - also known as my second desk.  i relocate to the island when my office gets too out of control to enter.  did this in mn too.  awesome.  means i have some cleaning to do.  ;)

and finally (or finally what is visible in this shot anyways)...

* the cookbooks that remind me that i need to find a new home for them bc evan tries to (and succeeds) pull them down at least 25 times every day.

awesome.

all of it.  ;)

Comments

[Michelle Cooney]

I've gotta try the time out thing with my dog!! For chewing on stuff! That's the only thing she really does wrong and no matter what I do she won't stop!!

[Jeri]

That is too funny that Toby actually sits in a time out. I had to put away all books at Brodie's level because he just wouldn't leave them alone. I got tired of picking them up!

[kim]

oh i SO need to do that with my dog! CANNOT take the barking. my house looks much similar. :)

[dawn]

I have never posted here before, but Toby's time out serously cracked me up!
I have a dog, and he also barks his fool head off.
I just threaten him with having to go in his "den" (kennel) and he shuts up.
Funny how dogs are so like little kids :)

[Debbie Cook]

oh girl, you are so cracking me up today!
mainly because it's like you took pictures of my house!
swap the poodle for a bulldog...which actually is too big and too feisty to put on my counter, but i SO would if i could. the barking. the barking is enough to make me dream up errands to run.
love this post!

[Bianca]

I adore your blog!!!!!

I found it in the weirdest way, I make baby shoes for a living and was searching online for inspiration for fall baby boots and a pic of your baby's UGGS came up in images and lead me to your blog. You are so good at it, its inspiring me to start blogging again! I was so bad at it! haha!!

Bianca:)

[Sarah VM]

I cannot stop laughing about the dog in "time out" on the counter. I so wish I could put my puggle up on the counter and get him to stop barking!!!

[Becky Trump]

Love this, Susan! Makes us all feel okay for sometimes having that REALNESS too! :0)
thanks for sharing!
Great stuff.

[Tonja Trump]

I'm so glad you don't have that perfect house..lol! LOVE the "coke" thing...we still can't get used to that! Let Ev read those cookbooks..he wants to be Chef Pierre..hehehe. I hope you're staying dry down there...no rain up this way yet!

[Sara]

Oh this post makes me so happy. Why? Because your reality is my reality and it brings me strange comfort to find another hip mama who sometimes has a mad mess on her hands! ;) I'm sure all good is restored in your world now but I appreciated the snap shot! Also, ditto on the stuff 25 times daily -- they never tire of such things. For us, its cups. :)

[gabby]

holy
crap
i am laughing SO hard at toby in time out.
i have captain danger dog who jumps off the vet table, though, so that would not work for us.
max gets threatened with losing his window when he barks.
one warning, and then the blinds get closed.
and he MOPES.
our dogs = hilarious.
love your real life, sweetpea.
xoxoxoxoxoxo.

[carrie bentley]

Your dog in time out = *rotfl*
The fact that you left him in T.O. for an hour while you ran errands is funny, too. Much funnier, in fact, than the time I sent my 6yo up for a time out and *forgot* he was there. And he didn't say anything because if they ask how much time is left, the time starts over (because 5 minutes is not THAT long, people). I had totally forgotten he was up there (in my mind, I just assumed he was reading) until my younger child asked if big brother could come out now. Yeah. We now use a timer... :)

[Jenny from Palm Bay FL]

TS Fay is headed your way... stay safe! We are pretty flooded here in Palm Bay.

[Dusti]

yep, I do that too. I always have my projects spread around the house! I do love your kitchen...more in the pics that I can see it, ha ha!

[Ann-Marie]

That is what I love about you Susan..you are a "Real" mom and not afraid to show us.. Glad I'm not the only one who slams caffeine to keep up with my boys. I don't think it even affects me anymore! Toby in time out is HILARIOUS. Keep us posted about the hurricane! NO hurricanes in MN..just tornadoes, blizzards and drought.:)
Are you coming for CKC in St Paul in Oct??

[Sue Thomas]

Toby in time out - hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!! I love it, Susan!!!!!

[Carla]

Crack me up!! Love the pics with the circles and the cute dog in time out!!

[j.j.]

oh gosh we used to have the two bottom shelves of our bookcases permamently being demolished by ms alla...so when we moved here we just put her books/toys down there and haven't gone back since. we'll see what problems we encounter with fish in a few months!

[lisa truesdell]

i'm in the midst of a similar mess here.. no puppy in time out, though. dying over that. =)

[Kimberly]

ah, that is sooo real. Wow, I felt bad about my soda addiction...does it stay cold? I've got to have my Dr. Pepper. mmmm...mouth watering as we speak and it's only 6AM... Lord help me... I haven't even been buying it, but then I wind up hitting a drive through or convienience store so I can get a fountain Dr. Pepper. Do you do this???

I am glad I am not the only one whose craft room gets out of control...I think I will post pictures today!! Thanks for being so honest!

[Kimberly]

OK, another post. I just finished adding a post about my scraproom on my blog. I was inspired by your honesty and let me tell you my room puts your kitchen to shame. Come check it out http://mimmersscrapbooks.blogspot.com/2008/08/creative-chaostodays-task.html

Does anyone else get this messy and work on like 20 projects at one time? Why do I do this? I'd like to hear you comments, questions, suggestions... or just come to laugh at my room and feel better about yours!!!

[Darcy Holsopple]

dude, I didn't get your doggie expertise on BARKING! The time out is hilarious... I think Wrigley would jump off and break his neck. I need to research more disiplinary action because the Terrier in him is DRIVING ME BATTY.

And this is such a good idea to take a picture of the mess. I always hate our mess but you are right.. it totally tells a story!!!

[laura vegas]

glad to know i'm the not the only one that has left someone it time out because i forgot. lol! although mine is usually a kid! and i have some shelves just like that at the end of my kitchen island. and i do daycare ... with lots of babies and toddlers. so needless to say ... those shelves have been totally empty for 7 years now! lol!

[Dawn McVey (dawnsing)]

Hi Girly! Just wanted to let you know that I gave you an award over at my blog! Have a great night!

Dawn

http://dawnmcvey.typepad.com/these_are_a_few_of_my_fav/2008/08/happy-friday.html

[Summer van der Westhuyzen]

Hi Susan, I'm glad you're happy in FL. This post made me feel so much better when I saw it! I am up to my ears in messes every day and it's nice to feel company in that. So funny about your dog in TO. Diet coke huh? I use dark chocolate for caffeination. Lots of it. :)