my neighbors just painted their garage, and i can't find my dustpan.

liberator of dustpans

i looked out my window this afternoon and saw that the reason why my neighbors had moved their eight objects from their garage onto their driveway was that they had painted the walls in their garage. now, having spent 2 hours last week clearing junk out of my stinky garage, only to still not have enough room to park 2 cars, seeing this made me drop my jaw in amazement. there are only a few reasons you paint your garage: either you're martha stewart (they're not), are a perfectionist (they probably are), have EVERY other possible project in your home finished, or you don't have kids (they don't). don't get me wrong, these neighbors are awesome. their yard is impeccable. they decorate for halloween by september 24th, and Christmas, the day after thanksgiving. they even brought us the most delicious selection of goodies for the holidays one year. i'm not mocking them, i'm just in awe at just how together they are. maybe my standards are low, but painting your garage is the pinnacle of household success. i am tearing up at the concept of having the time to do it.

it just so happens that i make this discovery as i am ripping my house apart looking for my missing dustpan. jack had it yesterday, along with the broom. of course, i let him play with it because, as every mother knows, you don't interrupt a child who is entertaining himself. i thought a silent warning to myself, "he's going to hide it, and you're going to be sorry." the fact that i can't find the dustpan is either a testament to how crazy my house is right now or that my 16 month old is super talented at hiding big, red dustpans.