Like Having A Friend In The Business

That is the slogan of Spencer's TV and Appliances.  Sounds great right?  But they don't tell you that it is more like that friend from High School who secretly was always jealous of you and kinda hated you and has just been waiting to exact their revenge! LOL

A little less than 3 years ago we broke ground on our new house ( I still LOVE it!!).  It was a custom build so we got to pick every last thing, except the faucets but that is  another story.  We had always heard what great prices Spencer's had and when Greg was down for a CLE he decided to go in and check it out.  It seemed fantastic so we went in together to order a whole house appliance package.

We looked at EVERY appliance in the store and our salesman was very helpful, or so we thought.  We ended up going $3000 over our budget and paying that out of pocket.  But we had gotten the "top of the line, best buy for our money!"  The salesman even told us about our $1200 Washer that he "had just purchased this exact model for his mother because it is THE best!"

We purchased 6 appliances in all.  Now 2 years after moving in 3 of those are broken.  The main burner on our stove won't heat, the drawer handle on our refrigerator/ freezer is falling off, and the kicker: my washer is locked with the door open so I can't close the door which is quite the problem on a front loader!  Also the main computer panel is fried and the drain pump needs replaced. :S We called GE to see if they could set up a service call and after sitting on hold for 30 minutes I got a recording which told me that "there are no GE service providers near you, please try your local yellow pages."

So Greg called Spencer's to complain that half of the "top of the line" appliances they had sold us were broken in less than 3 years.  Their response was to call a service agent in Pinetop who is going to charge me $150 just to come look at my machine and see what it needs to fix it.  After that and parts and labor and the second $150 service call I could just buy a whole new washer!!

SOME FRIEND!

But on the bright side I DO have an amazing friend who was replacing her washer and dryer because her dryer was broken and she so kindly just gave me her top loader washer.  And you know what?  I LOVE IT!!  I have decided that in my laundry room set up I will NEVER get another front loader because the top loader fits so well and so conveniently!!  So I guess that is a good thing that came out of this story.

Rant over, thanks for listening! :)

Thanks so much guys!

I love all of the mommy funk cures you all sent and you all have amazing ideas (that is probably why you are all rocking good moms!)  I decided to use them all and compile them together into this blog.  If anyone has an idea to add come back and comment on this post and I will continue to edit this one.  This is my own personal  mommy survival wiki! :)

1.) Try to plan ONE fun activity a day and then DON'T expect it to go perfectly. That way, when your kids watch TV for the rest of the day and make huge messes, you can still feel like you accomplished something with them.

2.)  If we go out to a park or just for a nice walk the sunshine and fresh air are good for everyone. BUT, in cases where you can't go outside- I let my kids pile up all the pillows and jump off the couch. They love it and think I'm fun and they are darn tired after 30 minutes of it.

3.)  I find myself getting the most frustrated with life and my kids when I can't get anything done. SO, I change my list- all I have to do today is play hi-ho cherry o and read to my kids....and if I do that-I did a good job. 

4.)  Know that you are not alone.

5.)  When we are feeling bored and grouchy we go to walmart and buy some new small toys, like crayons and coloring books, a board game, new t-shirts, or Pillsbury cookie dough to make cookies. 

6.)  One thing we do is go to Dairy Queen for ice cream, then drive around town till we are calmed down. Just getting out of the house for a few minutes seems to help...

7.)  STICK WITH IT--- ONE day, one hour at a time. Looking at the whole picture is just too overwhelming.

8.)  Be proud of the little accomplishments you can make in one day whether that be getting your teeth brushed, controlling your urge to beat your children, or whipping up some boxed mac and cheese.

9.)  Sometimes I get so caught up in what needs to be done around the house or yard or whatever, and forget that my little ones need me! We have had story time, me and my daughter every day, she dresses up like a princess and we read a princess story. It is something so simple and yet something she loves so much.

10.)  Laugh.  Even when you don't really want to. :)

11.)  I always need a break to get away from my mommy funk. Plan something fun for yourself or with your husband. You will have something to look forward to and you will be refreshed from a break away from kids.

12.) One word: TOBLERONE! :)

13.)  I don't know how I got out of my funks, it seemed sometimes like just one big 20 year funk!! But I'll tell you this -- seeing/hearing my grown kids talk and laugh and tell stories together is the most wonderful reward for all those fights and fits.

14.)  It helps to go out or have someone over (every day if at all possible). This solves the not wanting to get dressed thing I have going on sometimes.

15.)  Sometimes when we get in a funk and need to get away we go to La Posada and sit in the swing in the back and watch the trains go by.

16.)  Another place that we spend alot of time at is McDonalds when it is cold, the kids can play, eat a 99 cent cheeseburger and a 35 cent ice cream cone and they are happy!

17.)  Girls Night Out (because, well, see number 4!)

Keep giving me those "Mommy Funk" cures!

Thanks to everyone who has posted a cure to the "mommy funk" I have found myself in. If you haven't left a comment please do, I am going to use them later! And they don't have to be "mommy funk" only cures, any kind of "funk busters" are welcome! So all of my single friends and my DINK (dual income no kids) friends that means you too!! I had to post this because one of the best "Funk Busters" I know is a good laugh, so go ahead, check it out and then scroll down and leave me a comment! Thanks!