Car Wash

For the most part, I don't have time to think about what life was like before having kids. Then sometimes, reality sneaks in and smacks me right in the face with a memory of how different things have become! For instance...
Before kids...
Ah, what a beautiful day. I think I'll wash my cute little black sports car.
Motivation: Work on my tan while making my car look beautiful.
Preparation: Put on bikini top and cut off shorts. Grab a sponge and a bucket. Crank up the music and get to work.
The task: Spray car with water. Wash car with sponge. Rinse car.
The wrap up: Put away hose, wring out sponge, dump bucket.
Stand back and admire the results of all my hard work.

And now, with kids...
There's only an hour until lunch. That's not enough time to walk to the park. We might as well wash the ginormous, gas guzzling kid taxi.
Motivation: If I have to hear one more cartoon voice I will pull my hair out!! The sun is out. Let's go wash the car!
Preparation: Put on t-shirt and capris. (No more bikini tops and cut offs for this chick!) Get kids dressed. Drench them in sunscreen. Find enough sponges for me and both kids. Fill bucket with soapy water.
The task: Unravel the hose. (Not as easy as it sounds!) Watch Presley dump the bucket of soapy water out as I am walking over with the hose. Refill bucket with more soapy water. Spray car. Encourage the kiddos to help. (That lasts all of 1 minute.) Continue to scrub the car. Get drenched with the hose by Presley, then chase her across the yard trying to retrieve the hose. Rinse the car. Scold Luke for trying to pee on the dog. Pick Presley up out of the bucket of soapy water. Spray both kids until they cry to relieve some of my frustration. (Hey! I had to get the soapy water off and it's not like it hurts, it's water for crying out loud!) Trip over sponges that the kids abandon after 1 minute of "helping". Rinse off parts of the car that the kids thought needed more soap on them. Stop Luke from smacking the car with a stick.
The wrap up: Dump out bucket of soapy water. Wring out sponges. Roll up hose while the kids run into the house soaking wet and dirty. Shew the kids back out of the house with Capri-sun's in hand. (Hey, all that work made them very thirsty!) Pick up all of the toys that they brought out of the garage while I was washing the car. Search for the shoes that they took off two minutes after they walked outside. Grab the camera so that I can have a visual reminder of all of the fun we had! :)
Stand back and admire the car before noticing the dark rain clouds approaching. Make a note to add money in the budget for professional car wash so that I never have to do this again!
(Even though I sound bitter, I know that one day I'm going to miss this.)