life happens: back to school bags

Friday, August 1, 2008

back to school bags

This is but a smattering

(smattering?)

maybe i should say small sampling.

Any way you say it

This ain't all the bags!

The nice thing was that I didn't have to carry a single one of them.

That's what i had kids along for.

I was busy carrying my purse

which held the wallet

to pay for all that stuff.

And if you have seen my purse

you know that is not an easy feat unto itself.

I just wouldn't have felt right

making my boys carry my purse.

It just didn't have that man-bag look.

They were good sports and even went into

Bath and Body Works

but i think they would have drawn the line at the purse.

I had to do somethings for myself,

and that was my contribution.

My reason for being along.

I think back to school shopping
is worse than Christmas shopping.
Years ago i was able to do it by myself
as my children really didn't have an opinion
as to what they liked and disliked.
As they have gotten older
and their opinions more pronounced
those simple days are long gone.

I don't mind shopping with my kids
in fact i enjoy the time with them.
It is everyone elses kids,
the strollers,
and children wandering around
not watching where they are going
that bug me.
I don't like crowds
and yet that is what you are dealing with
when you wait till the last week before school.

And we won't even discuss the tight isles.

Having to squeeze around the store fixtures

it is enough to give you

claustrophobia and anxiety

but i reserved the anxiety filled moments

for when i had to pay.

I have learned not to take everyone on the same day.
It is far too crazy to shop for boys and girls together.
Someone ends up losing out.
So instead i do two days--
one with the girls
and one with the boys
(minus the baby since he still doesn't have much of an opinion)
some of my children are easy to shop for
since they are in uniforms.
It doesn't make for a very fun trip for them
but new clothes are new clothes.

Some adults have said that they just send their kids with money
and let them pick everything out.
I prefer to see for myself
what is available to them in the fashion department.
I want to see if i know my kids
likes and dislikes
like i think i do.
I enjoy our time together.
Just hanging out.
I was not real impressed with the styles
of girls clothes this year

I found easier success with the boys.

I did have to bring them together for a trip to VAN'S
It was my greatest deal of the day
SIX, yes 6 pairs of shoes
1 backpack
1 wallet to match the backpack
1 pair of shorts
1 pair of pants
4 happy children(priceless)
grand total spent at Vans
$130.00

If only these new clothes washed themselves....

I guess each time i do the laundry