Monday, January 5, 2009

Dirt, You Suck!

You know you're all grown up when a new vacuum cleaner gets you more excited than your kids were on Christmas morning when they got their Wii.

I have been without a vacuum cleaner for a really long time. An infinity, if you will. It could be measured in eons, in fact. OK, I exaggerate- but it *has* been over a month since I have been able to vacuum my house. Our vacuum cleaner is perfectly good- we just needed to replace the roller. Trouble is, none of the stores around here that sell vacuum cleaners sell replacement parts. So while I was hemming and hawing for my husband to get around to finding the new part, over a month went by.

So like a very bad mother, I used my son's Wal-Mart gift card to purchase a new vacuum. My grandmother sent gift cards both for his birthday and for Christmas, which totaled $75. We used half of it on him for a basketball hoop, and the other half to purchase a new machine. We didn't really want to buy a new cleaner, because like I said the vacuum itself is fine, it just needs one stinkin' part, but Mamas, a Mama's got to do what a Mama's got to do. I could tell there was no way I was going to have a working vacuum cleaner in any reasonable amount of time. So I put my foot down and stole my kid's gift card made use of the resources I had at hand.

And a good thing, too. I just vacuumed my entire house. During the process, I had to empty the dirt container three times. Behold:

Ick.

What do you think, Moms? Am I awful in using my son's gift card to purchase something for the household? I prefer to think that I used the gift card to give him the gift of a clean house...especially now that he likes to sleep on the floor rather than in his bed. Yes, you read that correctly. We took the side off of the crib so he could have a big-boy bed, but he prefers the floor. Hubby made a little bed on the floor out of a pile of blankets. It looks much like a dog bed. But that's what he wants! At least I don't have to worry about him falling off the bed!


8 comments:

Haley said...

I think you did what you needed to do! The truth is, you used the card on something very practical that will probably last a long time.

How many toys do you have that can you say that about them?

And since he plays on the floor most of the time and you're keeping it cleaner, I would say this purchase justifies itself!

Anonymous said...

You did the right thing. Don't sweat it.

Awesome Mom said...

Like he is going to notice what you did and besides you need a clean house more than he needs more toys.

Erin said...

Oh my, that IS a lot of dirt. And no way do I think you're a bad mom! He probably doesn't need more toys, and anyway, if he's like Luke, he's making the messes that need vacuumed!

Heather said...

You sound like a smart mom to me!

Damselfly said...

I think you did the right thing!

I must be weird because I love seeing how much dirt my vacuum sucked up. I'm always amazed.

Jessica said...

I would have done the same thing! I'm sure if you came to my house right now and vacuumed, it would be a close contest to see who has the most dirt!

Anonymous said...

We have done that, bought groceries with Christmas money. You are improving his environment, that is the greatest gift :)