Finding Ninee » Sharing our parenting and special needs stories with heart and humor.

Ghetto DIY. A homemade carwash.

The hardest part of my day is the three hours when Tucker should be napping but isn’t.  He’s cranky. I’m cranky.  I would much rather be working sleeping fucking off online connecting with you lovely people than trying to entertain an overtired, over-stimulated three-year-old boy. Like a good friend said to me, when you’re on your third playground of the day, you know you’re in trouble.  I had to come up with a new activity to fill those frustrating napless hours.

Anybody who knows me knows that whenever possible, I prefer NOT to “Do It Myself” (that’s DIY for all you crafty weirdos friends).  So that you understand the depths to which I take not Doing It Myself, here are a few examples.

  1. My stepdaughter’s stuff was removed from her Disney-on-acid-pink bedroom in January.  I immediately went out and bought paint to redo the walls Tucker-style. Six months have gone by and the paint is still sitting on the closet shelf.  I finally told the hubs that we should just hire somebody to come do it.  He agreed.  I haven’t called anybody yet.
  2. Even though I quit my job when Tucker was born and was home all day doing nothing caring for my newborn, I retained our cleaning service.
  3. I hired a handyman to install a doorknocker.

There’s a bunch of other shit that I don’t do myself but the above gives you a good enough idea of my laziness.  Anyway.  I was recently faced with another napless afternoon, playgrounds that were too wet to play on, and could no longer take huddling in a pint-sized castle playing stupid flashlight games.  So I got motivated, became all Martha Stuart like and invented a homemade carwash for Tucker.

Presenting Ghetto DIY.  A homemade carwash.

Tucker loves carwashes almost as much as ninees.  If your children are also fascinated with carwashes, here’s an easy DIY project comprised of things you already have in the house.

Take a box,* cut a doorway into it and on the other side, cut fringe to act as the carwash cloth-things that, um, wash.

Give your child a hairbrush, a toothbrush, some soap and a bucket.  Strip him down, put him in your shower and voila.  An hour of free entertainment. You’re welcome.

Use a hairbrush for more bristle action.

From cranky and tired to happy and content.

*Yes, that’s a Tampax box. It was handy. And colorful. For those of you who are less ghetto than I, feel free to use a classier box.  Like Franzia or something.

 

New to Finding Ninee and disgusted with this trashy ghetto DIY post?  I write real stuff, too.

This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post using the sentence “The hardest part of my day is…”
Your lovely hosts:
Janine’s Confessions of a Mommyaholic (Twitter, Facebook)
Can I get another bottle of whine? (Twitter, Facebook)
Mommy, for Real (Twitter, Facebook)
Dawn’s Disaster (Twitter, Facebook)


by Kristi Campbell

email a friend

  • Janine Huldie - Hands down best invention ever and actually just gave the girls a bath this morning, because last night was just crazy and admit they went to bed without one (another story for another time) and so could used this one. But will be trying this out out now!! Thanks for sharing and also for linking up with us again!! 🙂June 14, 2013 – 10:41 amReplyCancel

  • Courtney - This made me laugh! I call my classroom, where I quickly made a bunch of things “Pinterest Gone Wrong.” People laugh, but I totally serious!June 14, 2013 – 10:49 amReplyCancel

  • Kerri - And this is why we are friends. I did not think there existed on this huge Earth a less craft or DIY person than myself. And here you go proving me wrong!! Love it!!June 14, 2013 – 10:57 amReplyCancel

  • Lori Lavender Luz - Franzia I can do!

    You are a genius. And I bet I could out-lazy you any day of the week.

    As long as I don’t have to get out of my Barcalounger to do it.June 14, 2013 – 11:21 amReplyCancel

  • Kenya G. Johnson - Hey whatever it takes. I am impressed that you cut a box WTH fringes no less. That’s major for non-crafters. I have a Pinterest board (I think) of neat stuff I pinned that I’ll probably never do. We’ve got 8 empty bottles here waiting to put water and food coloring in to make color music whatevers. Sigh.

    Side note. Throw that paint away and call somebody!June 14, 2013 – 11:23 amReplyCancel

  • Julie Sparks - Wow. I love the idea! I wish I had thought about it when the boys were younger!June 14, 2013 – 11:39 amReplyCancel

  • Sarah Rudell Beach - So funny! And great idea for a project – my son will love that. I am dreading the day he stops napping!June 14, 2013 – 11:53 amReplyCancel

  • Sara - Ha! I confess I thought Tuck was going to BE the car in this scenario and I thought that 1st pic was of a BIG box, big enough for Tucker to crawl through! I couldn’t figure out what product would come in a box so big with so much writing on the side. LOL.

    Very cool and as ever, very classy.

    (Maybe a big cardboard box with wash clothes tied to one end could be a Tucker wash…..)

    Whatever the genetic defect in me is that makes me want to be helpful against all odds or reason, immediately started plotting how I could fly out to paint StepDaughter’s old room. I would much much MUCH rather be out there painting your room (and listening to tunes w/ Tuck while I taught him how to “help” ….and then patiently re-paint everything he did without complaining b/c my OCD must be obeyed)…than sitting at yucky work doing Nothing Special. It’s good to dream.

    Will Tuck move into the new room? ….or will it be Tuck’s Room Adjunct? …and will you add a Kristi Special Drawing a la the painting of Chief in his current room? (which, if I’m not mistaken was a Hubs Special, not a Kristi Special….am I remembering that right?
    Way to rock the DIY project!June 14, 2013 – 2:19 pmReplyCancel

  • Stephanie @ Mommy, for real. - I. Am. Dying! I loved this so much- one of my favorites of yours, for real! This is so clever, first of all, and second of all, every single thing about this post was hilarious and awesome. Calling crafty people weirdos, the third playground thing, your description of the car wash, and then when I got to the Tampax box I totally snorted out loud. My daughter would have heard me, but she is busy glued to the TV because I, like you, am not crafty. And I am lazy. And I am on the computer instead of playing with her. And shit- she’s too old for the carwash thing. This is the best!!!June 14, 2013 – 3:46 pmReplyCancel

  • Dana - You are brilliant. You should write a book of ghetto crafts – it would be a bestseller. You can include using maxi pads as Barbie mattresses. You’re welcome.June 14, 2013 – 3:54 pmReplyCancel

  • Bianca @ Track Pants and a Tot - I’m with you on the nap strikes. I love all your side comments as well. Too funny. I like the car wash idea. Who cares if it’s ghetto, it keeps the kids entertained!June 14, 2013 – 5:02 pmReplyCancel

  • Considerer - Necessity is the mother of invention and you clearly needed some You time. Well done for fixing that 😉June 14, 2013 – 6:59 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - (from the bottom up and I miss nested comments and I have said that before)
    —-
    Considerer,
    Me time and smiley time from Tucker!
    —
    Bianca,
    Nap strikes just plain old suck. Ghetto is cool right? Er…
    —
    Dana,
    SNORT to the maxi pads as Barbie mattresses! Brilliance!
    —
    Steph,
    Thank you for seeing the funny. The first couple of comments had me wondering whether people thought I was trying to share a real craft (I mean I was but the whole point is that it sucked so bad).June 14, 2013 – 7:26 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Sara!
    Actually a real size car wash for Tucker sounds AWESOME – great idea with the washcloths! Awesome! Thanks. Also…
    Please DO come paint my walls. I think Tucker will move into the new room and yes, the plan is to paint firetrucks and airplanes in there for him (although Robert is leaning toward getting those decal things that you remove which bleh).
    Yes, he is the one who painted Chief and the monkey. I actually wanted Chief near the floor like he was sitting down for real but Robert said no because he didn’t want to bend down. I can respect that.June 14, 2013 – 7:27 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Sarah,
    Yeah, no nap days are so hard. It’s like they still need them but have figured out how to not take them. I hope yours takes naps for YEARS!
    —
    Julie,
    🙂
    —
    Kenya,
    I don’t suppose my crappy car wash will make it to your pinterest board, huh? Oh well. And YES to calling somebody!
    —
    Lori,
    HAHAHA awesome comment! Franzia for all of us.
    —
    —
    —
    SARA – another comment for you. See Lori here? She used to work at CFU and we found each other through blogger friend Stephanie. Weird small world, huh? She’s still friends with Lisa and Ethel.June 14, 2013 – 7:32 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Kerri,
    I’ll sell you your very own Tampax carwash for Boo. At a discount. Unused, even. Oh wait. You mean you are better at crafts than I am. Oh. Well. Cheers, friend.
    —
    Courtney,
    Glad I made you laugh, woman! HAHA to Pinterest gone wrong! Love it!
    —
    Janine,
    In my world, it’s totally fine to go to bed without a bath.June 14, 2013 – 7:34 pmReplyCancel

  • Emily - Oh, you are so right about that dreaded nap-less afternoon…I remember that as being such a hard time. He was no longer napping and I suddenly lost my down-time, along with my sanity. But, what you did was absolutely the best approach…I think as moms we always feel like we need to entertain our kids every waking moment and then we feel guilty if we’re not engaging them and this is especially pronounced when you have a child with special needs. But, to come up with an activity that will keep your child entertained without you is incredibly smart — it’s good for him AND you.June 14, 2013 – 7:52 pmReplyCancel

  • Lisa @ The Golden spoons - OMG!!! That is hilarious!! I don’t do DIY either and if I ever did it would probably look something like yours. I say it’s quite inventive and took a great deal of ingenuity!June 14, 2013 – 10:36 pmReplyCancel

  • Kate Hall - I was looking closely at the box…is that a juice box? Is it a…it’s a Tampax box! LOLOL! Very funny! One time I took a Xerox paper box and cut a hole in the top and doors on the side and put red construction paper all over it and made a fire house. They played with it for a long time, but your idea is less work and therefore I like it better.June 14, 2013 – 11:19 pmReplyCancel

  • Shay - Um, have you been cyberhanging out with me too long? Because your ass has become as trash-ay as mine! Haha! Seriously, though, I LOVE this. I am SO going to do it. Too cute and fun!June 14, 2013 – 11:21 pmReplyCancel

  • Melissa@Home on Deranged - Good to know there are others in the “too lazy to do that” department. I scroll through Pinterest, laughing at how I’m never going to do that. Or that. Or that.
    Your car wash idea is brills. And is way better than putting them in the tub until they are so pruny they beg to take a nap. 😉June 15, 2013 – 12:15 amReplyCancel

  • Rich Rumple - Gee, I want one of those! lol I’m still waiting to see the Tunnel Of Horrors toy you make out of a Preparation H box! 🙂 We may have another “Mommy Dearest” novel forthcoming in the future! “I remember all the toys my mother used to make me out of strange boxes. I never felt like a normal child, and always wondered what strange creation she was going to come up with next.” 🙂 Great post!June 15, 2013 – 12:17 amReplyCancel

  • Kimbra - LOVE that it is a tampon box, I laughed so hard I was crying, so seems like something I would do, especially since like you I am totally not a DIY person like at allJune 15, 2013 – 12:57 amReplyCancel

  • Sarah Almond - You know, my Kotex U boxes are very pretty. I’d feel pretty classy using that one. You are brilliant my dear!June 15, 2013 – 1:41 amReplyCancel

  • Katia - This was priceless, the ghetto tampax carwash box! I love you even more now! I am totally the same way, things spend months waiting to get done around here and it’s so comforting to find a post like yours in a sea of crafty DIY I do my best to ignore. More power to you, my friend, and I may just adopt that idea! I feel like Ben would love this!June 15, 2013 – 1:25 pmReplyCancel

  • Anita@ Losing Austin - I’m really not the DIY type either- I always think I want to be, I even pin crap, but I still have 15 empty wine bottles in my pantry from almost two years ago that I *swear* I’m doing a craft with one day!

    So I love your ghetto car wash. I’m lazy and just drove Ben through a real one for $5 today.June 16, 2013 – 7:37 amReplyCancel

  • Christina Morley - Get the guy to paint the room! You’ll be happy when it’s done. And, your child takes a lot of your energy, so you don’t have to try and be a great housekeeper too. Getting help is always a good idea if you can afford it. The car wash game was a great idea! By the way, I bought stickers for the girls’ bedroom walls in Feb. and I still haven’t removed the big poster and cleaned the walls to apply the stickers. That’s my lazy!
    Thanks for linking and leaving a comment on Amanda’s Books and More!June 16, 2013 – 4:05 pmReplyCancel

  • Tatum - What a great seque into having a “mommy’s crabby days” talk with young boys!June 16, 2013 – 9:28 pmReplyCancel

  • Jen - OK Seriously? Genius. What can I say. You and I are clearly sisters in the laziness department, and with a kid who needs someone to play with them ALL THE TIME. Wait until he’s done napping. Then you might need some serious medication.
    Believe me, we will be playing Ghetto Car Wash. Maybe crank some Eminem.June 17, 2013 – 11:15 amReplyCancel

  • Jak - That is an amazing piece of craftsmanship! I’m a little jelly. I’ve never gotten into the whole DIY movement I seem to find everywhere now. I may be too lazy for it? Motivation is a bit lacking I guess in that department.

    Though, I used to make large playgrounds for my cats (when they were kittens) out of boxes. They are pretty short lived once they aren’t kittens any longer.
    –
    Does that mean Tucker still has a Disney-on-acid-pink bedroom? >.> Maybe that is why he refuses a nap? lol
    –
    Jak at The Cryton Chronicles & Dreams in the Shade of InkJune 18, 2013 – 8:39 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Jak,
      No, it means Tucker still has his baby room and he’s almost four! Freaking fucking crafty shit. I hate it. I’m impressed that you made a playground for your cats. I’d love to see a photo.June 19, 2013 – 12:34 amReplyCancel

  • Jak - ACK you best get to calling a painter, Sucka! He is going to outgrow his room he’s already outgrown 🙂
    –
    It was pretty sweet. Wish I had pictures. Even used a White Castle Crave Case box, because I’m classy like that!June 19, 2013 – 2:01 amReplyCancel

  • Sarah Almond - I loved it the first time and still love it the second time. Thanks for giving us something to make with our used feminine item boxes, and thanks for linking up with us at the Humor Me Blog Hop!July 2, 2013 – 11:07 pmReplyCancel

  • Terrye - Desperation is the mother of creativity. 🙂 Great job and I hope Tucker loves it as much as you love mommy time! 🙂July 4, 2013 – 10:58 amReplyCancel

  • Jessica - OMG. I just saw this, and that is the best thing ever! LOLFebruary 25, 2014 – 1:49 pmReplyCancel

  • Blaire - Oh you’re funny! You just brought a smile to my kid filled busy day! Thank ya.June 16, 2014 – 1:44 pmReplyCancel

  • Jill - Any post with the word “ghetto” in it will get my attention. This is a fabulous idea and we’re so trying it!October 21, 2014 – 7:22 amReplyCancel

  • Lisa @ The Meaning of Me - Oh my god I LOVE this – all of it. Thanks for sharing that link in your TToT!March 4, 2015 – 1:00 amReplyCancel

Your email is never published or shared. Required fields are marked *

*

*

N e v e r   m i s s   a   n e w   p o s t !