(Warning: Not for the faint of stomach.)
Tonight, after dinner, I was holding two-year-old Sweetpea in the living room. She was snuggling in my arms, and I was telling her it was almost time for bed.
Without warning, she hunched over and puked on the rug. Several times.
In the two seconds after the first volley, I made a decision. The decision was something like: “This rug is done.” Ten years, two homes, three babies and one elderly dog are enough. More than any rug should really have to endure. More than any mother wants to clean up. So when the first splat of black beans/chocolate milk/pears hit the faded stripes, I did not move my daughter. I let her finish, there, over the rug.
Because this rug is done, and I do not want to clean it ever again. My cheap self called out to the rest of me, “Wait! It can be cleaned! Rugs are expensive! You’ll miss it after it’s gone!” I silenced Ms. Tightwad with a reminder of BLACK BEANS. With CHOCOLATE MILK. For a rug I paid $15 for TEN YEARS AGO. She finally shut up.
Now the condemned rug is rolled up in the garage, awaiting execution by garbage truck compactor. And I will never clean it again.
All that is to say, my home did not get the gussyin’-up that I’d hoped it might before I displayed it for BooMama’s Christmas house tour. So here are a few meager photos.
Our creche, displayed on the mantel. Four-year-old JellyBean turns her toybox upside-down and uses it to climb up to play with Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus.
The stable, arranged according to JellyBean’s exacting tastes.
I always think a Christmas tree belongs in front of a window, so its lights can welcome my husband home.
The children are so enthusiastic about Christmas ornaments that they have been picking up random toys and putting them in the tree. Here is baby PoppySeed’s rattle, hung from a branch by her older sister.
Now, BooMama wants us to include a recipe, but after my story, you really don’t want that, do you? Stop by BooMama’s house tour to see lovely homes decorated for the holidays and recipes unsullied by sickly toddlers.
Merry Christmas and thanks for stopping by.
So sorry your dd isn’t feeling well, hope she’s all better soon. I love the nativity, it’s beautiful.
Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas.
Jamie Lea
So sorry to hear about your little one being sick! Your tree is really pretty!
And lo, the decision to casteth off the carpet was deemed good throughout the land. And much rejoicing was heard amongst the peoples.
(Whoops! Sorry. Sue’s latest post has flipped a switch deep within my gray matter.)
I couldn’t agree more with you about the tree sitting by the window, by the way. Seeing a lit Christmas tree shining from inside a neighbor’s house is the very epitome of holiday cheer to me. Such simple warmth.
I totally laughed at “this rug is done”. I have sacrified many pajamas to ye olde trash can after similar episodes. And I’m usually cheap too, but there are some things I cannot do.
The creche is lovely, and I hope your girl is better soon.
i think you made the right decision on the rug. good call there. i love the wooden nativity. so beautiful.
i forgot the recipe too. not that i have a recipe.
How cute is that! I love the toy in the tree! I do hope your daughter feels better soon! Lovely home and what a great picture of your tree in front of the window ~ I am sure it is a welcome sight for your husband! Merry Christmas from Okinawa, Japan.
Ah, the toss or not to toss dilemna, one I am all too familiar with. Usually involving something less substantial than a rug, but still. When it’s shoes? It’s a tough call.
I can’t keep my kids away from the nativity either. Something about it just cries out to them to play with it. And it’s always so sacreligious. “And then, pretend the Baby Jesus was running away from the dinosaur, and the dinosaur was saying, “I’M A GONNA GET YOU BABY JESUS…” That kind of thing. It seems so wrong.
Kelly, you’re a nut ;>
Beautiful nativity set. Thank you for sharing your lovely home. Merry Christmas.
Right move with the tossing of the rug, sugar. Hope the stomach bug doesn’t travel through the family. We’ve dealt with Christmas as “’tis the season to throw up” here in the house of generations several times. Ho, ho, heave, etc…
I share your sentiments about the tree welcoming someone home. And I enjoyed the peek at your nativity. Merry Christmas!
Aw. Your poor baby. I hope she’s feeling better.
I think your house looks lovely, Veronica, and I always put my tree in the window for the SAME reason!
The creche is just so very cool. I love it. I like that the kids can touch it. Hope all is well.
If you hadn’t decided to send the rug to the trash, I was going to offer to send you a new one if you would.
Good decision on the rug.
Once upon a time, my parents were driving through their town and spotted a rolled up oriental on the curb. They jumped out and tossed in the station wagon, took it home and unrolled it. It turned out to be COMPLETELY stained saturated sullied by dog excrement. They rolled it back up and put it on their curb. It disappeared quickly. For all we know, that rug is still making the rounds.
I love your beautiful tree decorated and reflected in the window!
Hope she’s feeling better. Man that stomach bug is going around, we just got over it.
Good decision on the rug, sometimes it’s not worth the effort anymore. It’s had a good life, let it go quietly to that garbage truck.
Good for you on squelching the inner cheapo. When you live on one income it’s an excellent thing to have but sometimes it needs to be silenced. Black beans are a very good reason to shut it up momentarily.
Your tree is beautiful!
Good for you for saying goodbye to the rug and not cleaning it again. It takes a lot to beat back the frugal one whispering in your ear.
I love the creche! It is beautiful and beautifully arranged.
I love seeing Christmas trees in Bay Windows. Perfect location for them.
And I really like your nativity set, very handsome.
I’ve had the black bean puke too. (I mean, the kids have.) Oh, the glamour!
I have (and probably will again) thrown away clothing just too grossly dirty with rejected bodily fluids.
Your nativity set is beautiful! So unique, I’ve not seen one like that before. Thanks for sharing the pictures. Hope your little one feels better soon.
My condolences on the puke. There is no substance on God’s earth as potent as toddler puke.
The rattle hanging on the tree is darling. Ellie has been festooning ours with Barrel of Monkeys pieces.
well, i missed the whole recipe thing lol so no worries about that!
i like the rattle in the tree.. ours is covered with cut outs of teenage mutant ninja turtles LOL
Guess I’m late for the tour…. but I love your nativity.
It’s stunning! Hope your daughter is better now.