The Truth

The truth is that I "pinned" an item on pinterest called "40 bags in 40 days" -- it is a nice list that makes decluttering your house manageable by breaking it into 40 smaller (much less daunting tasks).  I have managed about 4 items on the list...seems my promise of the new year of getting more organized is going to take a bit more time than I had hoped...oh well.

So, in the name on all things truthful, I though it would be fun to just be totally honest and name off the things that are on my counter space.  Why not...y'all know a lot about me up to this point anyway.  This, however, could get ugly and cause you to organize an intervention:

**disclaimer: I have a LOT of kitchen counter/island/table space....as far as you know...

1.  Kitchen table: 1 pen (never mind these are not allowed within my 3 year old's reach) and a notebook of paper (that I threaten my girls to NOT touch because it is MINE....I can never find notebook paper!!!!)  On the paper is written something like... "To: Elesa".  We do not know anyone named "Elesa"...so this is either one of my girls' imaginary friends OR a foreign penpal that I know nothing about.

2.  Top island barstool area:
 * my kindle
 * a Judy Moody book that my 9 year old finished reading 2 days ago
 * a hairbrush (because when you have kids, you keep hairbrushes in strange places as you never know WHAT they are going to look like as you are trying to rush out the door despite ASKING them to brush their hair WAAAAY in advance of departure)
 * my cellphone
 * the half empty can of diet coke that I am nursing before I hit the sack
 * my watch (gets in the way while I am typing)
* the entire Sunday paper....though it appears to have been read by someone, since it is in disarray...that person was NOT me.
 * 4 bandanas...you know...like blindfolds?  I used these for a Christmas party game in my 9 year old's class...evidentally my kids find them fun to play with and the bandanas migrated OUT of the playroom/dressup area to the kitchen.
 * A book: "The Complete Walt Disney World 2008"...a little dated?  Yes.  But my kids like to get it out of the cabinet (and obviously LEAVE it out)...plus we are planning a surprise trip to Disney before too terribly long...the kids do NOT know.  You tell them?  I hunt you down! ;-)
 * A pad of post it notes -- I am addicted to these boogers -- the one on top reads "Brock" in very 1st grade looking handwriting.  Who knows what this is code for?
 * A hot pink DSi that will no longer charge and the charger that goes with it...both are waiting on the counter for me to mail them back to the company for repair...mail does not run tomorrow, therefore they will STILL be sitting there tomorrow.
 * The shipping label for said DSi
 * a book titled "I Survived Hurricane Katrina" -- it originally belonged to my 9 year old -- but somehow my 3 year old commadeered it and carries it EVERYWHERE referring to it as his "homework".... "I need to do my homework, Mom. It is in the book." or "Oh Man!  I forgot to do my homework!"
 * A PILE of papers...some giving directions to how to access my kids' cafeteria accouts online...some dealing with local charities that I have been meaning to send donations to for MONTHS now.  A packet of patient information that I have to fill out for my upcoming dermatologist appt. 
 * All of said paper are sitting UNDER my daily planner/calendar.  Mainly to hide the pile of paper from me.  It is exhausting just looking at those things every day!

3. On the barstools:
 * a MINIMUM of 4 jackets hanging on the back of one of them...we are waaaaaay too lazy to walk to that hall closet or bedroom closet....plus hall closet cleaning out isn't until like bag #20 on the pinterest list I am following so, pretty sure there is not ROOM for the coats in there.  Plus, heck, you wear them every day in the winter!  Why put them away!?
 *3 year old's backpack (used to be diaper bag)...not we just carry snacks, a change of clothes, emergency undies/pullups, wipes, and all his allergy rescue meds.

4. On the island bar area level with the sink:
 *decorations (so these barely count as they are really SUPPOSED to be there) -- a pretty coobook on a book stand, a scented candle, a framed copy of "The Lord's Prayer"
 * SEVEN different meds and the temperal thermometer...only 3 of these meds are used daily, but I have a superstition about putting away meds.  WHEN I put that Motrin into the cabinet, that WILL be the day that one of the kids spikes a fever.  Mother's Murphy's Law....so, it stays out on the counter.
 * paper towels and a dishtowel...normal fixtures.
 * the most gigantic bottle of handsanitizer you have EVER seen...we are sick a LOT around her.
 * hand soap (again, normal fixture)
 * two trivots
 * my purse
 *my 9 year old's rosary from her first communion in a white leather case.  Have no idea why it is down here.  Maybe church inspired her today??
 * two cordless phones (really?  neither on them on a charger?? BOTH on the counter next to each other?  Can't even get those bad boys into different rooms?)
* my 6 year old's charger for the battery in her digital camera that Santa brought
 * a bottle of baby oragel....WHAT?  No one has bee teetheing in this house is YEARS.  NO idea where it came from, surely it has to be expired, and definitely have NO idea how it made its way to the kitchen!
* a gift that I am sending to a friend who recently had a baby...here's hoping my kids do not touch it with cheeto or chocolate fingers before I get that bad boy shipped.  This is probably on the list of things that needs to move QUICKLY off the counter.

5.  Counter space beneath cabinets:

 * homework necessities for kids: notebook paper, agendas sent home from teachers, spelling lists, crayons, a pencil sharpener, 2 pencils, 1 pen, 1 smencil (because I am sure a teacher reallllly wants to smell "Very Berry" while grading your spelling homework), and 1 highlighter.
 * a bottle of apple juice (don't talk to me about how it is full of arsenic!) -- I had no room for it in the fridge -- which could be a WHOLE other scary blog list
* normal knicknacks and neecessities: large decoreative jar, toaster, knife block, 2 bottles of decorative oils, 1 set of decorative ceramic oil/vinegar carafes and salt/pepper shakers, another trivot.
* a bottle of pinor noir that has approx 2 oz left in it...b/c leaving 2 ozs. means that I did NOT, indeed, polish off the WHOLE bottle.
* a ceramic cereal bowl that my hubby's mom brought to our house on Christmas Eve...it had salad dressing in it...which spilled all over her car since, you know, cereal bowls do not have lids.  She is getting Tupperware or Gladware for her next birthday.
* a gallon ziploc baggie of rescue meds for 3 yr old's alleriges...had them out last night for the sitter to have easy access and have just not put them away.
* to keep with the "First Communion" theme...my 9 year old's pocket-sized mass and communion book.  Again, why is this DOWN here?
* my dear husband's pile: wallet, keys, a handkerchief, pile of bills he is taking to work tomorrow to pay online.
* the empty box that my 9 year old's camera from Santa came in...the instructions have been removed...but I am still wary about throwing away the actual BOX.  Weird. I know.  But, we all know she will eventually break that sucker!!!
* Hubby's cell is charging...mine will soon follow suit
* a phone book with 9,000 things piled on top...included empty DVDs for burning all of our homevidoes. 
* change jar
*bag of little cuties clementines
* IRONY: a black "desk organizer" that actually HAS pens/pencils/scissors, etc. in there in a SEMBLANCE of order...unlike the rest of the kitchen counter.
* IRONY: a docking station where you are supposed to be able to dock/charge all kinds of devices simultaneously.  This worked great until we need to move one...then it all went to crap.  Nothing stays in the docking station to actually CHARGE.  It DOES however hide MOST ipod shuffles, ipods, and chargers for many things.
* a manicure set of my daughter's...it is in a case shaped like a flip flop
* eye drops
* nail trimmers
* a tub of trail mix I made as a dessert for the neighbor's get together tonight...damn them for not eating it all!
* a bag of mini oreos (these were my answer to my 3 year old not beaing able to eat the nut-laden trail mix)
* random tools...wrench...pliers..a screwdriver or two.  Do these even HAVE an official place in this house?? Because the counter just does not seems right.
* a glass candy jar filled with mints
*more visible charger cords...like to my kindle
*the box to my new iphone...too scared to get rid of it yet for fear I NEED that box..I could really screw this phone up, people.  I have secret powers like that.
* a OLD video camera that we do not use...sitting next to the NEW video camera.  REALLY?  Yep.  My OLD digital camera that I do not use anymore is over there too!????? WHAT?
* a pile of car rider/bus rider notes that I stock up on ahead of time...so any time my kids need to NOT ride the bus home, I jsut yank the proper note and date it.
* an envelope of information I used to write sorority recommendations this supper for Panhellenic....yes...this SUMMER.  I am afraid if I put it anywhere that I will forget where it is and will then NEED it.

**Please do not call "Hoarders" on me -- I recognize the problem and that is the first step.  Surely one of the days on my "40 bags in 40 days" will list "clear off all kitchen counter tops"..if not?  I am screwed.

Love y'all!
Have a great day!
xoxo Jennifer