how does this happen??!

the previous homeowners completely gutted the kitchen when they remodeled so i know for a fact the grime inside the oven can't be more than five years old. how does it get to this stage in less than five years???

if i was more diligent in opening appliances and rummaging through drawers when we first saw the house, i might have requested professional cleaning as a contingency.

instead, this is how i spent my day:

1. applied baking soda + water paste to oven window, let it sit for 20 minutes

2. SCRUBBED like i've never scrubbed before. my arms got a good workout - i scrubbed for a good 40 minutes...and this was only the WINDOW!
        i know you're not supposed to use a scratchy sponge on the oven glass, but that's what i had to use to get that grime off...and i figured i'd rather live with scratched oven glass than THE NASTINESS.

after scrubbing the glass!

3. set the oven to self-clean (4 hours).

4. went for a walk with lil' archer, toured a nearby daycare center

5. came back to find the heat from the self-clean melted my snickers bar left on the counter beside the oven

6. had lunch on front porch with lil' archer while chatting with neighbor from across the street - YAY for friendly neighbors!

7. put lil' archer down for nap and started organizing makeup into (small) dresser that has been in storage

8. discovered GIGANTIC dead bug in one of the drawers

9. FREAKED OUT

10. abandoned makeup and soothed myself with melted snickers

11. researched SUVs for a soon-ish purchase, liking the hyundai tucson or santa fe

12. woke lil' archer up

13. self cleaning cycle finally done! discovered oven, though greatly improved, not nearly as clean as i'd like

14. went to town on oven with easy-off BAM. twice.

15. after long day of not getting nearly enough done, watched lion king with lil' archer

16. put lil' archer to bed then drank half a bottle of chocolate-flavored wine

17. #%*\?!#+#•<~?!%+

18. fish finally came home after HIS long day and i gabbed and gabbed about MY long day (wine makes me chatty). may have also made him admire oven...

* mari