Not quite how its supposed to work...

I know it's the season but we have been busy, busy, busy around here

Thursday we schooled in the morning and then partied with Taite at lunch and into the afternoon!! The kids had soo much fun and they love seeing their buddies... Andrea has a ton of pics on her blog and flickr:) After naps we were supposed to eat and head over to choir practice.... the kids were boucing off the walls, so I played it "safe" and stayed home with them! No reason for us all to "go crazy"!! LOL

Friday, Brian headed out-of-town for a friend's graduation:) Congrats, BLAKE!!!

I had barely started my Christmas shopping, so I was determined to catch the sales I needed to knock off a BIG portion of my list as well as pick-up some baking supplies:) So YES, I took all 3 kids Christmas shopping... insane, I know... but no other options!!

We stopped at least 6 different stores, one being Toys R Us!!

My plan for Toys R Us, was to bring my BIG reusable bags and "sneak" toys into the bags while they were distracted (idea from Andrea).... hmmm, nope didn't happen!! As soon as they got into the store, I hear "I want..." from all 3!!! And then I knew I my plan had to change!!

So I told them that we had planned to get them ONE toy from the store and since they were there they got to pick ONE toy!! They are little so I didn't give them any other limits, except I had to say it was "ok"! It's really funny because the differences of their personalities really came out:



Anna saw a toy she really liked, a new double stroller for her baby dolls (I would have never picked this out for her). But she knew that she could only choose one, so she opted to look around longer. 30 minutes later she pulled me back to the same aisle and made the final decision to get the stroller... she really didn't like anything else.



Christopher would have taken the whole store home. He would have been pleased with ANYTHING:) There were a couple of Lego sets he REALLY liked, but I know he's too young and it would have been Brian's set!! I'll share after Christmas what he ended up with!! LOL!



Lydia really liked the Baby Alive. She has been asking for this doll for months (like she really needs another doll... LOL)!! She picked it off the shelf and put it into the cart.... she was done in like 20 seconds:) The problem is that she already has the baby... friends gave her theirs but I don't think Lydia realizes that it's the same Baby because the baby at home didn't come in the same box. So when Anna made her final decision I again reminded Lydia that she had Baby Alive and if she wanted to change her mind.....


She pointed to another little doll furniture/accessory that was from the same set as Anna's and put that in the cart. I reminded her that she could only have one and she got the baby out and put it on the shelf.... LOL!! Just like that no drama:)

I did "sneak" a few gifts past Lydia and Christopher who were busy looking at their toy or all the other toys:) So there will be a few surprises Christmas morning;)


We ate a picnic lunch in the car as the kids tried to convince me that they should have their presents when we got home... LOL!! It's not quite how getting Christmas presents is supposed to work..... anyway, we left the decision up to Daddy:)


Then the kids followed me through Kohls... where Lydia got a new outfit (since she dumped water from lunch on her and I forgot extra clothes!) and I picked up a few more gifts!!


I dragged them through 2 grocery stores... it should have been only one, I was soo disappointed with the prices at Aldi's!! At Lowes Food, they were getting very tired. I just got the items on my list and then let them pick out a treat! As I headed out I browsed in a health section... I turned a corner without Chris. I knew where he was and the store was deserted (it was sleeting outside) so I didn't worry that he was behind me. Anyway, I heard the loudest cry... it was Chris afraid that I had left him and he couldn't see me. He stuck to my cart like glue after that 5 second incident!!


The two youngest CRASHED on the way home! Chris still had a lollipop in his mouth (a treat for being soo sweet at the stores!) when he fell asleep, Anna pulled it out for me and he didn't even notice! Poor little things!!


But the trip was very successful!! We got most of the items we had listed! And I'm finished shopping for the kids!! But most importantly was that we had a good time together.... the kids were good, I stayed patient and understanding and we worked together!
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Here's another "not quite how it's supposed to work" for you.... brought to you by the Veggie Tales nativity in Christopher's room:)