Super Gear

I've been thinking; where would Wonder Woman be without her lasso and bracelets or Spider-man without his web stuff or Batman without his bat-mobile and bat-shaped sharp throwing thingies?

Nearly every superhero has gadgets and gear to help him (or her) be more successful in saving the world. So, what are my "super gadgets"?

The first one that comes to mind is baby wipes. As my husband says, I like to "wipe down the world one wipe at a time." It's true. I use them for everything. Besides cleaning dirty bottoms, they can also clean dirty hand, faces, arms, legs, shoes, floors, walls, tables, windows, door knobs, cell phones, handles, high chairs, backpacks... Whew! I am working up a sweat just thinking about it! I really do use them for anything and everything. I do use paper towels, sponges, and washcloths when they are available but a package of baby wipes is all you need when you are going out. I actually prefer them for wiping down the steering wheel and they are great at getting ball-point pen ink off of skin.

Another favorite cleaning item is a chore-boy long-lasting sponge. I like the 2 sides. They do last a while.When they start to get nasty, I use them for dirty jobs like cleaning floors and shoes and bikes. I use them until they are completely worn out. When the commissary at out overseas duty station stopped carrying them I was very tempted to have someone ship me a case from the States. I also like the cell-o no stick scrubbers.

I like plastic baggies. I especially like the ones that have a zipper across the top. Even the cheap brands work fine for me. I use them with cake tips when I don't have a real bag available. They are great for simple things like writing a name or adding a few flowers. I also have used them for filling deviled eggs.  I use them for storing crayons, toys in the diaper bag, snacks, pretzel bags that were ripped open so someone could eat 3 pretzels, anything you want to keep clean and dry on a trip (like TP), leftovers, kids money and permission slips for school trips, and dirty diapers if you can't get to a trash can. Along with plastic baggies I love permanent markers. I write on the bag and fill it with whatever I want.

I also love spell check. I can spell fine when I am writing but I have trouble typing correctly. I often type words backwards or get all the letters but not in the right order. I have heard that this is actually some kind of disorder, like dyslexia, but I am not stressing over it. As long as I can proofread and spell check, I will be fine.


Okay, so those are small things. Here is a big one. Today I went to the Doctor with my 3 youngest kids. When I got there I opened the back of the Suburban to find no stroller! I was devastated. I almost went home. I decided to give it a try and it wasn't as bad as it could have been. My 3 1/2 year old was the worst one. So now my arms are tired and the day was much longer than it needed to be (because little legs move slowly!) but...IT CAN BE DONE!!! (Note: this is not the first time I have ever been without a stroller.)

Books on tape or CD are great too. I actually get more housework done when I am listening to a book. I want to get to a good stopping place so I do extra tidying and scrubbing (instead of doing a half-hearted job and running for some mental stimulation elsewhere.)

That will have to be all for now. Unless I include doors. Being able to put a screaming baby in his crib and close the door can be a truly magnificant tool for keeping ones sanity!