The dirty car fairy comes to visit me often.  I'll have cleaned it out just four or five days ago and then after school dropoffs and a requisite errand, I'll notice that my van, is now, utterly destroyed. 

This tends to infuriate me, because with 3 kids, cleaning out my car is not an easy task. It takes many grocery bags, multiple trips in and out of the house, a laundry basket or two and usually some baby wipes.  (the all-purpose cleaner, right?)  

How DO cars get so cluttered in the first place? My husband doesn't understand it one bit.  His rationale, is "why don't you just empty everything out each time you get out of the car?" (easier said than done for someone who doesn't transport 3 children all day)  Well, once I've started out with a cleaned car, I have every intention of removing each unnecessary item from my van whenever I exit the vehicle.  My brain and body have other plans.  Usually when I'm getting out of my car, I've got in my arms: an 8 month old, my purse, the diaper bag, a fast food cup, a pacifier or two, infant toys, my keys and a partridge in a pear tree.  Since these items are taking up all the available space on my body, that leaves no room for school papers, receipts, gum wrappers, the Target bag, lip gloss that fell out of my purse, an empty bag of snacks, the kids' socks that they didn't have room for in their hands and a backpack or lunchbox.  As for making two trips?? HA! I'm usually rushing home to get the kids down for a nap before I, myself pass out from sheer exhaustion due to that day's activities.

After a week of this happening daily, it gets to the point where I'm scared to open my sliding doors for fear of what might fall out.  I'm embaressed to admit that I occasionally will opt for a further away parking space at school, because I don't want the other parents to see what's lurking inside my van.  I just know that the parents of the kids that my children attend school with, have perfectly attended to vehicles at all times.  

But now everything changes!!! (hopefully?) On Saturday my husband took the van to get an oil change, tires rotated and washed.  He came back with a MUCH nicer surprise - a fully detailed car including shampooed carpets, a clear windshield and a shiny paint job.  The almost 3 years of dirt and grime on the floor mats was gone!  The Starbucks that was spilled during the holidays had been erased! and I could even see clearly out of my rear view mirror.  I had to promise I'd keep it this way and so far, so good.  I even went so far on Sunday evening as to make the kids remove their shoes after playing at the park. 

The dirty car fairy has been fired.  Anyone met the clean car fairy yet???