I should be vacuuming my house right now.
It’s what I do.
I vacuum.
Every morning, I walk into our laundry room and pull out the Dyson. I used to delight in its cheery yellow color. I imagined that I looked like June Cleaver while doing housework, only less clean, swearing under my breath, and without a half apron.
Our yellow Dyson is not so cheery when I am forced to use it every day.
You are probably asking yourself, why, oh why Fran, do you vacuum as much as you do? Do your children have some sort of allergy? Has your OCD finally gotten the best of you?
The answer is no. (And, for the record, my doctor tells me that my OCD is totally in check.)
I must vacuum because Play Doh has invaded my home…again.
My children love the Play Doh.
What is it that makes it so appealing? Is the smell addicting? Maybe it is laced with some sort of kiddie crack that I am not aware of?
Recently, I forgot my disdain for Play Doh and purchased my kids this:
I thought we would happily sit around our living room for hours and create lovely little Play Doh figurines.
Because that is what the kids on TV do.
And, as everyone knows, everything you see on TV is real.
Shockingly, if my kids are not using the craft scissors to cut the Play Doh into tiny bits, then they are running around the house with it.
Here is a short list of where I have found Play Doh in my home:
Inside my refrigerator
In between the pillows on my couch
In those tiny cracks in between the buttons on the remote control
In the toilet bowl
(Warning: When wet, Play Doh morphs into a slimy, makes-you-instantly-shudder-and-gag substance. I pass along this tidbit as a Public Service Announcement to my on-line community of friends.)
Slimy, dry and hardened, or just normal and pliable, my vacuum and I are slowly winning the war. Before I know it, the Play Doh will be nothing more than a mountain of Fruit Loop colored bits inside my yellow Dyson.
It’s kinda pretty actually.
Although I may be winning the war against Play Doh, I am obligated to reveal that there are still some battles that I lose.
Yesterday, Giancarlo made me lunch. Since I was busy doing very important things, like reading my e-mail, I didn’t stop to really look what was on the plate. In my mind, I thought I was eating an extra large marshmallow, which is on my short list of all-time favorites foods, next to butter and chocolate.
After popping one into my mouth, I gagged.
I sunk my teeth into a giant marshmallow sized ball of the white Play Doh.
That warning label is a lie. Play Doh is harmful if consumed.
I practically died yesterday.
OH NO! LOL! That’s so funny! I would have done the same thing since I’m a sucker for a good marshmallow. Glad you didn’t die. Whew! That was close.
Becky´s last blog ..this year, Santa will be working the window…
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Oh Dear- death by playdough! But seriously, it could’ve been a couple of other, slightly worse, plyiable, clay-like substances…
May you and your Dyson win the war!
MommyNaniBooboo´s last blog ..Not a lesbian. Thanks for the sex hair.
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I’ve never liked play-doh. I plan on indoctrinating my future children with the idea that it’s evil.
Barbara´s last blog ..Get a Backbone. Please.
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That is too funny! I tried to keep playdough as far away from my daughter as possible when she was younger. LOL.
Annette´s last blog ..Dollar Tree Painted Glass Plate
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My children LOVE play doh. And it drives me crazy. Good luck on the war. I think I lost mine already.
Lady of Perpetual Chaos´s last blog ..I Had A Dream
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Playdoh is my nemesis. I hide the stuff b/c I can’t stand it. Am I totally depriving them or what?
Jen@ODBT´s last blog ..where’s mom (40 of 52)
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Oh, I can completely sympathize with you on the play doh fascination! I found the perfect solution….We go somewhere else to play with it and let the stuff at home dry up. It’s no fun to play with dried up play doh.
I am so glad to hear that your OCD is in check.
Lolli´s last blog ..Five Tips To Get Kids To Bed (And To Stay There!)
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Oh nasty!! I am so sorry. Gag.. uh shuddering just thinking of it.
I made homemade playdough once, best stuff ever! Not nearly as crumbly and so soft and smooth.
If you want you can find the recipe on my blog here http://emmymom2.blogspot.com/2009/06/playdough-thats-all-it-took.html
Emmy´s last blog ..The Second Time Around: New Moon
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Nothing like dried playdough crumbs underfoot first thing in the morning
Or, in your case, sprinkled over yogurt.
Ann’s Rants´s last blog ..Dear Crossing Czarina
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When I was a young and inexperienced mother, I freaked out b/c Hayden ate a whole jar of play doh. There is no reason for freaking out, it is nontoxic but it does create come pretty interesting poop.
Jen @ buried with children´s last blog ..A Letter to Santa
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Oh Franny, I can just imagine you with your cute dyson every morning vacuming away. It’s great to see the bond that the two of you have.
And as far play doh flavored marshmellows go, what a kind gester for Giancarlo, I love that kid. I would have loved to eat that when I was little.
Yep, I was one of THOSE kids. Forgive me.
Pooba´s last blog ..Wait, You Mean Pilgrims Weren’t Mormon?
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Stopping by here from Twitter. Love it when moms tell it like it is! I think this is my kind of website. Thanks for the great story!!
Jen
Jennifer Tankersley´s last blog ..list of instructions for making a holiday paper chain
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Eeeeewwwww!!! I literally gagged as I read that last part. Just the smell alone of playdough makes me wanna wretch!
Helene´s last blog ..How to get what you really want for Christmas….
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you know sometimes I have put of the vacumming and I always end up regreting it, there’s nothing worse than trying to remove dried play-doh from the carpet!
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hahahahhahahahahahhahahahahah!!!!! THAT is hilarious!! When I was a kid I had the playdoh ice cream factory. Seriously that stuff looked so good I always wanted to eat it. Good thing i didn’t. But maybe Ill make u a playdoh cone sometime
KK´s last blog ..‘Tis the Season to be exercisey, fa la la la la….La. La. La. La.
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Oh my, I feel your pain with the playdoh! My kids let theirs go dry, and I don’t make sure it’s packed away properly – because if it goes dry I can THROW IT AWAY!
pixielation´s last blog ..Leaving, on a jet plane. Hope the food is better than last time.
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I am glad that your Dyson has survived this Play Doh era. I could see that reeking havoc with the not so inexpensive machine. Just be glad you do not have dogs as well. Then it would be Play Doh and hair everywhere.
Jen´s last blog ..Carbs For Christmas: I Like It
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I personally can’t stand the smell of play doh. It kind of makes me gag. Be glad you have a Dyson! Those things can work magic.
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OMG, this just cracked me up. I LOVE the smell of Play-Doh. I just don’t wanna eat it!
Justine
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Justine´s last blog ..A Look Inside
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I am quite sure a man invented Play Doh… no mom in her right mind would have come up with this idea.
I absolutely loath the stuff, but I bought my boys this same caddy last year for Christmas. Why? ‘Cause it looked so neat and organized and it came with a plastic mat to catch all of the mess. HA! The mat does NOT catch all of the mess. In fact, I find Play Doh everywhere but the mat.
Brandi´s last blog ..Thank You, Daddy Bub
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My first time to your blog… This is hilarious. Play-Doh was short-lived in my house for those same reasons. I then decided to keep small containers of Play-Doh in my purse to use when at restaurants. SUCH a great distraction… and any mess stays.
H-Mama´s last blog ..The secret to Window Shopping
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This is my first time to your blog as well… Love the play-doh post! I actually have to keep that kind of stuff put up or it would be all over my house! lol Thanks for the follow on Twitter. You ladies have a great day! =)
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Ah play-doh. Always more fun to think about than actually use. I did eat it once or twice as a kid, and while I did not die, it may have had a detrimental effect on my sanity. I remember it being very salty.
Gen´s last blog ..Post-It Tuesdays (on Wednesday)
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I am laughing out loud! mainly because play dough has overtaken my house as well…but i am happy to say i have not ingested it yet…good luck
jessica jones´s last blog ..Blog Layout GIVEAWAY
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LOL! I feel bad that you put it in your mouth but LOL!
I feel your play-doh pain. My kids beg for it, and I only concede on cold and rainy days. We’ve had lots of those lately. My biggest challenge is to keep my youngest Nathan from eating it! He won’t eat dinner but he’ll eat play-doh!
Nancy´s last blog ..Cabin, wherefore art thou
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Disdain for play doh??? Dude I wanna bathe in that shizit. I lurrrrrrrrve it. I gave it to the dude recently. He had zero interest. The hubs and I, however, had a blast with it!
Kristin´s last blog ..Sponsor Spotlight
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Does this mean I’m crazy if I’m thinking of getting Zachie the Playdough burger station for Christmas?
Esther´s last blog ..Saturday Evening Blog Post/ 25 Days of Christmas Ornaments–Day 5
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Hee hee, I wish I had been there to see your face! I have a love hate relationship with playdoh too. Did you know it still smells the same?
Jo´s last blog ..Mountain Monday
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Nah, it is not that bad for you! When I was 3, I shoved play-doh up both nostrils till they were full, and see? I turned out just fine!
sara@ domestically challenged´s last blog ..Stuffed Animal Heaven
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Doh! You shouldn’t put it in your mouth.
Unknown Mami´s last blog ..Sundays In My City
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I am a firm believer that play-doh is for outside, other friends homes, and school…. not inside your own home
I so love squishing it, molding it, creating…. but no little bits of it hiding all over the house in little places because of creative children that forget and get sidetracked with other toys
Sara E´s last blog ..Amazing Etsy Monday!
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ACK! A mouthful of Playdoh??? I’m so sorry – I am totally laughing at your expense here. I’m a bad person.
*snicker*
Margaret (Nanny Goats)´s last blog ..Goat Thing of the Day: Curious Starers
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Play Doh is fun to play with! It’s even a part of the game Cranium which is by no means a kid’s game. Would not like it in my refrigerator on on my furniture though. Amazing how “creative” kids can get with that stuff!
Visiting from SITS.
Karen, author of “My Funny Dad, Harry”´s last blog ..Lenore, The Love Of His Life
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