The detritus of my van

I've always wanted to use the word "detritus" in a posting, and Shannon has given me the perfect excuse as she hosts a blog carnival: clean your car out and post the list of everything in your car.

Before Konrad was born, I usually had the van washed at least once a month, and often twice a month. Since he's been around, I haven't figured out how to take three kids to the regular inside-and-outside car wash...I think I've done it once since December, and that's when Cammie was watching Natalie.

With Shannon's challenge, I decided this was the thing to get me off my bottom and clean out the car. Here's the list that Lukas helped me collect, the detritus from my van (in the interest of full disclosure, this list does not include the contents of the glove compartment or CD storage case):

2 strollers (a Sit-and-Stand and an umbrella stroller)
Floppy seat (for the shopping cart)
2 picnic blankets
Baby Bjorn
Portable potty (folds up)
Windbreaker
3 Costco reusable shopping bags
Trader Joe’s reusable shopping bag
Extra diaper bag (goes with Natalie to therapy and in the church nursery)
California map
Southern California map
Freeway map of Southern California
2007 LA/OC Thomas Guide
Kings Canyon/Sequoia Park Visitors Guide
1 umbrella
Unopened package of sand toys (so Russell isn’t the only one bringing toys at the next park day)
First aid kit
Girls floppy hat
Baby boy hat
Extra clothing for Konrad
1 jacket for Lukas
Thomas the Tank Engine sunglasses
2 stuffed dogs
Baby rattle
1 baby blanket
3 decks of playing cards
1 go fish cards
Digital timer (so I can say, “Lukas, you may speak again when the timer goes off”)
3 pens
3 $1 coins
Unopened chapstick
Hair band
6 full water bottles
CDs in cases: Jack and Jill; Baby Mozart; U2 Zooropa
Hand lotion
Sunscreen
3 bottles of hand sanitizer
Lysol sanitizing wipes
Potty topper (paper toilet seat covers for kids) never opened
New pepper spray bottle (unopened)
The Bible that we take to church
2 Richard Scarry books
1 coloring book
Doll
Toy elephant
2 board books
Car trash bag that has kept the car more tidy than it would otherwise be

Here’s the stuff that was removed from the car after the cleaning:
3 empty water bottles
2005 Orange County Thomas Guide
Poopy onesie (Konrad) from last Friday’s hospital visit (can you tell I was distracted?)
Hospital conditions of admission papers (from last Friday’s hospital visit)
Bed Bath & Beyond 20% off card
Music lyrics I printed off for a road trip two years ago
Empty plastic Ziploc bag
Empty Taco Bell cup
Paper clip
Syringe and tube for Natalie’s g-tube
Another tube
Invitation to birthday party we attended a month ago
1 rock from Joshua Tree (Lukas was quite remorseful when we told him he’s not allowed to take anything from a National Park)
2 pens
Unused pencil
1 straw
2 Cheerios
1 goldfish
A myriad of crumbs from Cheerios, goldfish and animal crackers

After quiet time was over and Natalie had a snack, I loaded the kids in the van and we went through the car wash at the gas station (the kind that you stay inside while the car is washed, and they don't clean the inside).

I guess this is how the van will get cleaned from here on out!