Monday, August 23, 2010

We better have the cleanest teeth known to man or so help me...

Now that school is in full swing, I have been trying to get my routine put together. I forget with the chaos of summer how much I love a rigid schedule.

Like, laundry on Mondays and Thursdays. Bathrooms on Tuesdays and Fridays. Random closet organizing on Wednesdays.

It's pure OCD bliss, I tell you.

[And yes. I realize I'm totally weird. And, no, I do not care.]

This morning I decided to tackle the top level of our house. I started in my own closet, worked my way to the Husband's, and ended with both bathrooms.

There was dust, 409, and magic erasers flying everywhere.

So when I got to the kids' bathroom, I was prepared for the usual globs of toothpaste dribbled down the cupboard. I expected to find at least eight empty shampoo bottles lining their bathtub. [Which, naturally, I did.]

But what I was not prepared for?

The secret stash of old toothbrushes that someone has been collecting in the bottom drawer of the kids' bathroom.

It was like the serial killer trophy case for toothbrushes.

Remember that scene in the movie The Ghost and the Darkness when they find the lions' den and there are just piles and piles of bones?

It was like that. Only with toothbrushes.

I counted them (whilst wearing rubber gloves and tossing them into the trash) and there were 23.

Yes. TWENTY-THREE.

I am pretty sure that is like every toothbrush they've ever owned in their lives.

The question I have is why. Why?

I sort of get the rock/stuffed animal/coins/paper airplane collections. But old toothbrushes?

They have to get this from their father.

20 comments:

marta said...

hilarious. i wonder what that's about. and hey, i'm doing the same thing with my bathroom!! i seem to have an issue with throwing out almost done shampoos and conditioners. i have about a bilion. am wondering if i am a secret hoarder!! i guess it's a halvie thing.

jen@odbt said...

There's just no explaining this. Hopefully you don't have a hoarder on your hands. Or maybe it was a conspiracy on their part...how many brushes can we collect before mom finds them?

3leftturns said...

If your feeling crafty, you can always make 23 of these: http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/bristlebot

Annemarie said...

That is hilarious...and a little gross.

You, my OCD friend, completely speak my language when you talk 409 & laundry. I am right there with you.

Cathy said...

Maybe they're saving them so they can scrub the mold off the grout in the shower. Not saying that you have moldy shower grout. I do. And that's what I save my toothbrushes for. They just want to help you with the housework. I don't know.

Jake said...

Hoarders in da house!

For some reason any dental products used by my children give me the totally skeeves. That's why I never turn the light on when I go into their bathrooms.

Stefani said...

Ooooo, same as my kid's bathroom... except the 23 used toothbrushes! Ick! :D.

I've been having a toothbrush conundrum myself. We've gone through 3 Costco Packs of toothbrushes since the beginning of the year (there are 5 of us) and everyone claims they've had the same toothbrush for 6 months (which in and of itself, if it's true, is a little icky)

Karey said...

It's amazing what you find when you start digging. So funny.

Empty shampoo and conditioner bottles are where my OCD kicks in. When everyone else has given up on the remnants at the bottom, I have to take them over and finish them off myself. I don't want to be wasteful!

Thanks for the Spanx recommendation. I've never tried them but have always wondered if they actually work, so I'm inspired to give them a try. I don't think I'd ever heard of them when I tried my insane plan, though.

Juli said...

Kids save the weirdest things. My friend's daughter saves candy wrappers. See, it could be worse. -J

the wrath of khandrea said...

gagging.

Travelin'Oma said...

I think they did get it from Josh. When he was little he used Dee's toothbrush to stir in the toilet. (I always rinsed it off good before I put it away.)

Emily said...

ha ha--just got back from vacation and had a good time catching up with you! Also--Matthew started up second grade today with nary a picture taken--we will be pretending later on today :). And that photo display--it's getting me itching to take a trip to St. Louis, I'd love to see it.
Good to be back reading you!

Lauren in GA said...

At first I read that you used four hundred and nine magic erasers...and then I noticed the comma...

It never ceases to amaze me the things I find in my kids' rooms and bathroom.

You should have saved them...you could have played some sort of Toothbrush Jenga...or toothbrush pick up sticks...

shrink on the couch said...

Saving them up for the day that toothbrush art becomes the rage? And I am envious of your routine. I am without a rudder of any kind when it comes to keeping my house straightened. And it shows.

Annie said...

Make a toothbrush wreath?

I'm afraid collecting things IS on the OCD symptom list so you might not escape blame completely on this one, friend. :)

shilo said...

I'm OCD about brushing, flossing, Scoping, and tongue scraping, but apparently it's not enough. Maybe if I had a toothbrush collection like that it would have helped me avoid the 2 crowns I got this month. Mouth roytalty. Grrrr...

Lala said...

That is a little creepy. Laughing hard, but still creepy.

jessica said...

At least it was just toothbrushes, it could've been worse like a stash of boogers...

Stuart♥Maren said...

Oma - that is gross... and, oh, so very funny!

Becca @ My Crazy Good Life said...

That is SO Jack. It's scary, you know, what they think is important.