Normal picture of my kids, right? Sort of, except they are actually making a tutorial video using the iPad all about kinetic sand. Drew is obsessed with watching tutorials of all kinds on Youtube Kids and now makes his own videos about anything and everything. A few of the topics he’s a certified expert in are “how to eat rice”, anything involving glitter putty, and the intricacies of styling your Barbie doll.
If I happen to intrude on the filming, it’s always “oh, that’s just my mom, haha.” Then he watches the video over but ultimately deletes each one to make room for more. I’m sure I would’ve done the same at his age if I’d had the chance!
In other breaking news, my kids have been eating a lot of cereal this week. Because everything is breaking news nowadays. Think about that. We live in a seriously strange world. I’m just playing along because it’s what I’ve always done.
But oh right! Today is all about thinking out loud, and what’s really on my mind this week (besides all the things I’m not going to tell you), is the final chapter in the slow death of my dishwasher and oven.
We can just add “death of kitchen appliances” to the list of things I enjoy being in denial about.
My oven started giving me problems after I used the cleaning function on it maybe 6 months ago. In fairness the darn thing is 20-25 years old and has served me well in the 6 years I’ve lived here (see recipes tab.)
After the self cleaning it started shutting off randomly when I had the oven and stove on at the same time, but would always come back on, again randomly. Still, I was so scared at the thought of losing it that I let a repairman come over and pretend to fix it in exchange for money and the ability to check off the “tried to fix it” box. I think all parties knew where it was headed.
Soon enough though, I realized that punching it in the face tapping it near the display area would turn it back on without fail. So, we lived that way together for 6 months or so, and I was still able to roast and bake and cook despite growing bruises on the heels of my hands from hitting it constantly.
It got worse though the past several weeks, shutting off after every use for hours at a time. I started to move out of denial and into anger. It wasn’t pretty and I have the bruises on my hands to prove it 🙁
The last things it baked!
Luckily, I suppose, I was moving into the acceptance stage with my dishwasher right at the same time. There isn’t much to say about the dishwasher besides simple fact a) it doesn’t wash dishes anymore, and, b) it makes dishes dirtier than they went in after supposedly washing them for two hours. This is all kinds of wrong and there’s no point in prolonging the agony.
To really move into the stage of acceptance, it required spending time with a functional dishwasher – which happened in Cape Cod. It was bittersweet to witness a dishwasher doing exactly what it’s supposed to do – wash your freaking dishes, flatware, cups, glasses to the point where they’re ready to be used again. I can’t remember the last time my dishwasher was able to do any of that.
How did I allow us all to suffer for so long? I was in the bargaining stage for probably a year, just hoping that if I washed the dishes completely before they went in, that would somehow make it as if the dishwasher was actually doing the cleaning. Sometimes I’m not a complete idiot, I swear.
Long story short, (okay I guess it’s too late for that) I ordered a new dishwasher and oven range from Lowes last night and I’m so excited that you might think I won them on The Price is Right or something. Early birthday present? Happy to accept.
Now let’s just hope the installation goes well because my heart can’t take any more kitchen appliance drama!
How old are your kitchen appliances?
What appliance (or 2) could you absolutely not live without?
I definitely couldn’t live without a dishwasher. We didn’t have one in our apt when we were first married and I just don’t know how I did it lol. My parents just needed to replace all of their appliances which they were not happy about but the new ones are so nice. I miss the double wall ovens in my house – they made baking lots of cookies at once really easy. Although, I sort of love where I live now just for the fact that if an appliance breaks, it’s not my problem and they have to replace them for free.
I have to say it was tempting to throw a new fridge into the mix, but even though mine is old it still keeps my food cold so I’m holding off! Double wall ovens is a dream! In my dream kitchen I’d have tons of counter space, new appliances, double oven and wood floors. Oh well 😉
Just a heads up, in my previous house, I had a two year old oven that I had set on self clean. After that it stopped working properly. The repairman said(I also cringe at forking over for a useless repair call and obsess over it till I do it) that the thermometers are very close to the heating elements and when you self clean them does something negative to their future proper working. Why the h?ll then do they have self clean???!! Anyway, put it on self clean self clean again. Several people I know have found the same thing. Btw, I make those baked stuffed sweets all the time. What are your loaded with in the picture? Enjoy the new appliances.
I heard about that too but the oven got to the point where it wouldn’t stay on to self clean after that time! Needless to say my new one won’t have that function – I used it all of once and it knocked the whole thing out. I’m posting the potato recipe tomorrow!
I”m so glad that you are finally gonna get that dern thing fixed. You have been mad at it for ages. I have lived without a dishwasher and disposal before (and currently without the disposal) so I could survive that. Fridge, couldn’t live without. Then I’ll probably say cooktop. You can do a lot of things on that sucker.
Also, I’m convinced that Drew will take over the world. Seriously.
I know, I’m giddy with anticipation! I agree the fridge is up there, definitely need that unless I want to live at a grocery store, with the other necessity being stovetop. I’m glad it’s the oven that’s out of commission and not the stovetop!
That is a bummer when appliances do not work. I have a new house and while my appliances do work I do not love them but I refuse to buy new ones until they go out.
I agree, not loving something is one thing but when they don’t perform basic functions it’s time to replace.
After not having a dishwasher this summer I realized how much I rely on it. Especially living with roommates I feel the need to clean up immediately after eating and sometimes I just don’t want to….that’s where throwing things in the dishwasher helps. I also rely on the microwave way too much. But the fridge is an obvious must.
If I lived by myself or just with my husband I don’t think a dishwasher would be necessary, but with the kids there are so many dirty dishes, forks, spoons and cups that it gets crazy. I think my new one is coming tomorrow! I agree the fridge must work, no way around that!
Your kids are so adorable! Love that they’re making videos. I live in an apartment so I can’t really say how old my appliances are…when we moved in our gas oven wouldn’t light, so they replaced it with a new one. That’s one benefit of apartment living- no responsibility to fix anything! Just call up the super and they take care of it while I’m at work 🙂 Good luck with your installation!!
So true, I miss just calling someone and having it taken care of! Crossing my fingers that it goes smoothly 🙂
So we never had a dishwasher until about 5 years ago, before that I had never used one in my life! Hahaha! I still prefer to wash dishes though 😛 But I love unloading the dishwasher! So calming!
Our fridge is probably like at least 20 years old or more, but that thing is a beast even though the shelves are all falling and broken and…yea..but it’s big which is good 😉
And 2 I couldn’t live without…well my microwave <3 and well I'd say the fridge! When the power goes out, I FREAK and the first thing I force my dad to hook up to the generator is the fridge so I don't die….(although he is more worried about the sub-pump so our basement doesn't flood….but I say screw it and save the food!)
I could do without the microwave myself but that is my husband’s lifeline so now way it’s going anywhere! And I have to side with your dad on the flooded basement – that is one of my worst home owning fears! Especially with some of the storms our area has seen the past 5 years!
I lived over a year without a dishwasher, but I could not go without an oven or stove top! I’m so glad you’re getting a new oven and dishwasher – that must feel like Christmas!
I use the stovetop more than the oven but yup, I hear you! With 3 kids the dishwasher really does save a lot of time. Since mine hasn’t been working I’m washing everything constantly. And yes, if I threw a fridge in there it would be birthdays and holidays combined! Luckily the fridge still has some time left!
I live for my Vitamix and toaster over. Since I’m usually only cooking for one, sometimes two, I don’t need a lot of large appliances. I lived in an apartment in Philly for grad school that didn’t have a dishwasher so I’m pretty accustom to living without one, but having one sure is nice! 🙂
I don’t have a toaster oven or even a toaster at this point, which is really strange! If I make toast for my kids, which is unusual, I cook it on the stove top like grilled cheese 🙂
Nothing is more exciting than getting new appliances! I rent in a pretty old house so I’m not even going to get started on how old and terrible mine are right now. I think I could live without a dish washer if I had to. And probably a microwave, but I’d rather not. I know its a laundry room appliance, but a washer would definitely be my biggest non-negotiable.My running clothes would be gross if I did them by hand… first world problems.
Our washing machine had trouble a few years ago and required someone coming to fix it TWICE, and I nearly died. At the time my kids were babies/toddlers and I had somehow even more laundry than I do now. My blood pressure is probably creeping up just thinking about it, so I say that’s a real problem 😉
My mom got a new fridge and stove for Christmas one year, and she was over the moon excited about it… which makes sense considering we spend so much time in the kitchen. I have no idea how old my appliances are, but it was definitely rough leaving my parents with their gas stove to switch over to my electric one!
I agree gas stoves are awesome! Cooked on two electric stoves while in Seattle and it was much slower, though I’m sure you just get used to it. Good kitchen appliances are huge lifechangers for people who cook all the time!
I have an appliance I can’t live without but it’s not G-rated. 😉 Ha ha ha… I’m kiddinggggggg. I’d die without my washing machine, I guess. Duh. We take these things for granted, eh?
Totally lol’ed 😉 But yes, the washing machine, even thinking about it malfunctioning has me twitching!
Isn’t it sad that we get excited for new kitchen appliances now? My 20 year old self is seriously laughing at me. And I hear you on kids watching tutorials. Mine were obsessed with toy tutorials. What?!?!
I know, it’s gotten to this point! Mine watch any and every toy tutorial and then tell me where I “need” to buy it!
wow i like ALL my appliances, hahaha! i’m not kidding. i’ve never lived without them – i went for a while without a microwave and didn’t notice, so i guess that’s the only one if i HAD to choose but honestly i like using to heat something quick. like my half cup of milky tea that i seem to keep leaving around 🙂 i use my toaster oven a lot as well. in fact i wish i could get rid of my oven but i know it’s not possible, literally, and there are times when we like to bake ‘larger’ things like pizza. thanks and happy thursday, Michele!
I could go without a microwave but Adam would be left eating everything cold! I really do need an oven since everything I bake is in large portions.
It is SO nice to have brand new appliances after having crappy ones in all the apartments I rented. But now I am sure I am spoiled and it will all be downhill from here as things will inevitably start to go wrong with these appliances after a few years. I don’t think I could live without a dishwasher at this point. I remember in college I shared an apartment with 5 other girls and we didn’t have a dishwasher. Our dishes would pile up in the sink and it would take forever to wash them all!
Your college apartment is probably a lot like my dish situation lately! The new one will come tomorrow and I’m on the edge of my seat, lol 🙂
we redid our kitchen just about 4 years ago so our appliances are new (stove is a little older and i wish i would have bought a better one but what are you gonna do). there are only 2 of us but we love the dishwasher ! it finishes in like 50 mins which is awesome. i second the cant live without a fridge. you only realize this when yours breaks after you get home with a sh*t ton of groceries when its 90 degrees out and you have to take them all to your mothers and either call a repair person (which did work thankfully) or buy a new one which wasnt happening cuz it was only ~ 3 years old. i will never take that behemoth for granted again ! when we redid our kitchen we got rid of the disposal and i love it. more space under cabinet and no gross smell !!! good for you to get something new. you cook soooooooooo much you deserve good tools !
Your fridge emergency sounds like a nightmare! At least it was easily fixed! I’ve never had a garbage disposal and so don’t know what I’m missing I guess. Can’t wait for my new toys 😉
Drew is going to be the next YouTube star… I just know it ;). I love how he is already talking to his audience and informing them that ‘it is just his mom’ ‘interrupting’ the video- priceless! Do your kids get along well? They look like they have a great relationship with one another!
They get along but also fight A LOT! Being so close in age there’s a lot of playing and fighting.
I thought I couldn’t live without a dishwasher until we recently moved and I have spent 3 weeks without one… Not so bad! Then again there is only the 2 of us!
I couldn’t live without my microwave for sure – cooking sweet potatoes in the oven takes far too long! Haha!
So true, I should actually use the mic for sweet potatoes more often 🙂
My fridge is my baby, although technically all my other appliances are newer. When we moved into this house seven years ago, we gutted the kitchen and got all new ones. The only exception was my fridge, which we brought over from the old house because it was less than a year old. It was also the nicest fridge I had ever owned and I refused to let it go, even when the new owners of our former house wanted it. Despite complaints from the Hubby and our realtor, who feared we’d lose the sale of our old home, thereby jeopardizing the move into our new home, I refused to let it go. I’m glad I stuck to my guns.
I can completely respect your passion for your fridge! I’d love a new fridge though, but mine is still hanging in, even though one of the shelves is taped up, it’s still keeping the food cold. That’s a very funny and unique fridge story 🙂