Well, I am going to be brutally transparent and share what happened to the Stines Saturday night. Matt and I decided that it would be fun (and a little on the "wild side") to eat dinner out. We never eat out on Saturday night because that's the time to prepare for church/go to bed early/etc. Well, we had a free meal at Logan's near Wolfchase since we'd had an awful experience there a couple of months ago. Just let me note that our Saturday experience was wonderful! Much better. Anyway, so I have been in dire need of new clothes. Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that my children dress lovely and I dress horribly! I've been pregnant for the most part from 2003-2008...so I have loads of maternity clothes and very few real clothes. And have you been shopping recently? Clothes cost a fortune! I'm very frugal (cheap), and I can't bring myself to spend $49 on a shirt...and that's a bargain at many places! I went in a place in Saddle Creek and saw a cute dress with a price tag of $250 in that store next to Gap. Are they crazy? $250 for a dress...that will eventually get some type of kid stain on it? NEVER! I want at least 5 dresses for that!
Anyway, we left Logan's and went to the mall (I don't really do malls...I am a boutique and online shopping kind of gal). But I love Macy's (INC, Style & Co., etc.). So we had to go to the mall. Well...we took all the kids in so that Matt wouldn't have to wait in the car. I think we've only taken our kids into the mall 2 or 3 other times in their lives (and never four kids). I believe in setting them up for success, and this is NOT setting them up for success. Especially nearing bedtime! But I really wanted some clothes and we don't have any nice stores near my home. So it made sense logistically. Well, they did good for a while...holding hands, being quiet, dancing in the dressing room. After I tried on about a dozen things, we decided on 3 items and got in line to pay. That's when we lost control. Isabella took off to look at some clothes. When I called her name, she took off farther. I chased her in horror. This is how kids get lost, kidnapped, etc. Thankfully, she made a circle and came back to Matt. (He was staying in line with the other 3 so that we didn't lose them!). Anyway, then she proceeded to have a meltdown and Ali Kate joined in too. Not pretty. In fact, the cashier even mentioned how wonderful Abby was in comparison to her sisters. Yikes!
I quickly told the cashier that I never do this (I only take all four of them into Target for quick runs where they are in a buggy and into small boutiques where we know the owners...and places like the Post Office that take only a couple of minutes). She then asked me how I shopped. I told her that I really don't shop much. Her eyes about bugged out of her head. I then told her that I shop online a bit and run out for an hour here and an hour there while Matt has the kids. It blew her mind that I'm not in the mall alot. Am I weird? I just don't have the time or the money to shop alot. I could have spent $3000 in an hour in Macy's....so I rest my case....I need not go there but once or twice a year except when I dart in to pick up makeup!
The lesson here? Don't take your kids on your shopping expeditions unless absolutely necessary. At least not all of them. This would have been totally different if I'd just had two kids with me...but four? Crazy! Carve out time to do your shopping and always strategize. I go to an "area" (i.e. Germantown, Collierville, Hernando, etc.) at one time and shop all the places I love in that area. Then I don't go again for a few weekends, sometimes many weekends. But I don't go all over creation in one time period. Stock up when you do shop. Buy it if you'll need it in the near future to save shopping trips! Learn from my adventure in Macy's....let the kids stay home and play!
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1 comment:
i am with you on the $250 for a dress! I would much rather have 5 things for that than 1 dress!
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