Getting organized...and singing in the shower

Admit it, when you read that title, you started singing that Becky G song "Shower," didn't you?

I'm about to do something I never thought I'd do- invite my readers into my shower. Sort of.  There are a few reasons why this is a rare occurrence- we are currently saving money to do a bathroom remodel here in a few years. Our bathroom fixtures, except for the vanities, are cheap and not in good shape. The bathtubs are horrible.

Our bathtub in the master bath is horrible for a different reason. On any given day, when I or my husband are in the shower, this is what you might hear: *running water, running water, crash! running water, running water, BOOM! running water, running water, BANG!**

You get the idea. But why all the noise? Well, our tub and shower are kind of on the narrow side. And by kind of, I mean REALLY narrow. Plus, the inside of the shower looks like this:

Bottles, bottles everywhere. Did I mention that the majority of them are EMPTY? 

Kid shower items in my shower? But their bathroom is down the hall. And do we really need 6 cups to wash little girl hair? 

Ok, this part doesn't look so bad...

I want to get a bigger shampoo rack (or whatever you call this thing) so I can fit more things on it, but in the meantime, I decided to do what I could. I started by throwing away those empty shampoo bottles.

I also looked at what is being kept in the shower that we don't need- I removed all but one cup for washing little girls' hair, and while I left her shower products, I moved them. I also removed that bottle of baby oil gel that was taking up the bottom of my shampoo rack- can't remember the last time I used that. 

Then, I moved that bottle of Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body to my cabinet. I don't use it everyday, and I figured I could get it out when I want to use it. By the way, if you don't use Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub, stop reading right now, get in your car, go to Wal-Mart, and buy some right now. It'll be the best $7 you ever spent and you'll wonder where Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub has been all your life.  Wonder how many times I can say "Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub" in one blog post? 

When all was said and done, I stepped back to admire a shower that looked like this: 

My husband and I both start and end our day here in the shower- we might as well make it an organized and simplified experience. Not to mention, a much quieter one. 

Linking to Stonegable, Worthing Court, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, Confessions of a Plate Addict, and French Country Cottage!

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Of maternity leave and toilet plungers

As most of you know, we just had a baby.

[Hillary Graves Photography]

She is now three weeks old, and I took about four weeks off from blogging. I wanted to tell you I am back now and will resume a normal schedule.  Today we are decorating for Christmas, and boy, has it been fun!

But first, a funny story...that may or may not be TMI.

Someone in our house clogged the toilet. 

After calling out for the husband to bring a plunger, we realized we didn't have one. Even though we always have.  Where it went, I don't know. 

A short time later, my hubby amateur plumber called from the hardware store. 

"Can you look at the toilet and see what the flush capacity is?"

I told him I'd be happy to, but at that moment, I was nursing. 

"Why do you need to know?" I asked.

He then told me that he was shopping plungers and needed to make sure the one he was buying was appropriate for our toilet. 

Huh? I hadn't ever realized there were varying degrees of toilet plungers. I thought they were pretty much "one model fits all...." that you just went to the store, bought a plunger, and then came home and well, plunged. 

Clearly, I have a lot to learn. By the way, it's called a magic plunger and apparently, you can use it to unclog sinks as well. Who knew? I'm not sure how it stacks up to regular plungers, but it got the job done.