Just Another One of Those Days

Every year I say that I am going to start Christmas shopping early and every year I am running around like crazy trying to get it finished. This year is no different.

Things have been crazy around here this week. Scott has been super busy with work so I've been doing a lot of single parenting. You all know about the debacle the last time I tried to go to the mall with the kids so I planned all week long to go today (Saturday). I knew that we wouldn't get an early start because of Scott working so much and because he dj'ed last night but I was hoping to at least be out of the house by noon. Nope, that didn't happen. We decided to go to the mall and take 2 strollers so that we could split up which meant that I had to pack 2 separate diaper bags and everything that goes with them, get myself ready, get all 3 kids ready, let the dog out and put him in the crate, the list goes on and on.

We finally walk out the door at 12:38 and just as I am getting ready to put Gracie in the car, I smell something. That's right, she pooped. So, I take her back inside, change the diaper, send her out and take the diaper straight out to the trash bin.

Finally, we are on our way to the mall but little did I know that Scott had to Fed Ex something out to KC. So we veer off toward the Fed Ex parking lot. He gets out and gets the package and can't find the packing slip. He searches everywhere in the trunk and no packing slip anywhere. In the meantime, Jeff and Dayna had called and we were going to meet them for lunch at Ruby Tuesday's. So Scott takes the package inside and has to fill out an actual slip, stand in line, etc. Meanwhile, out in the car, WWIII is approaching because apparently Gaga let Kanin wear his gloves but now Gracie wants one. I had 2 other pair of gloves in the car but they were screaming back and forth because they both wanted Gaga's gloves. Jeff and Dayna were able to get right in and get a seat at Ruby Tuesday's so they start blowing up Scott's phone wandering where we are. Wouldn't you know it? Who would have guessed that on the Saturday before Christmas at a mall restaurant there wouldn't be a wait.

25 MINUTES LATER . . . we finally leave Fed Ex and turn on Mid Rivers and are totally stuck in traffic. It is now after 1:00pm and the kids are hungry, Gracie's nap is approaching and Scott and I are both grouchy. We finally get there and eat a relatively uneventful lunch.

Now we have to decide what we are going to do. Initially the plan is to go to the mall, go to Costco and pick out my new camera and then head over to a car dealership to test drive a car that will actually hold our family comfortably. It is 10 after 2 now, though, and I'm thinking Gracie is not going to last long shopping so Jeff and Dayna took the kids and we just decided to go to the car dealership.

Get there and test drive a Traverse. Actually liked the car and decided to go get the Mercedes to bring back to see what we could get for it. Get all the way to our driveway and realize that we can't get into our house because we drove Jeff and Dayna's car to the dealership so we wouldn't have to remove all of the car seats and the only way into our house is through the garage door opener in our cars. We don't even carry keys to our house. So, instead of going back to the dealership, we just go over to Jeff and Dayna's.

Jeff and Scott have no desire to go shopping but I really need to get to the mall to get a gift for Scott so Dayna and I decide to go. It's about 4:30 and we don't plan on being there very long. We get all the way to the mall and I realize that I didn't bring my little wallet with my credit cards in it. I have a little bit of cash but not much. Dayna offers to drive me home to get it but, once again, I can't get into my house because we are in Dayna's truck and not our car and I don't have a stupid garage door opener.

I was able to get a shirt and tie for Scott and do some window shopping. Scott, Jeff and kids call and say they are hungry and we decide to go eat out at this new place that serves that buffalo chicken dip as an appetizer. Dayna and I get there first so we go ahead and order it and the rest of them show up a few minutes later with Caleb crying. It is 6:45 at this point and he is supposed to eat at 7. I get the diaper bag out and get ready to make a bottle but there is no bottle. When Dayna had fed him earlier in the day she had rinsed the bottle out and set in on her counter and when Scott and Jeff were packing everyone up to meet for dinner, they didn't see it. So, I grab Caleb and put him in the car and head home to get a bottle. It is only about 5 miles so it was really no big deal. After being in the car for about 30 seconds, he was asleep but I went ahead and went home and got the bottle and headed back to the restaurant.

So, I get back to the place and the buffalo chicken dip is gone. Scott asked if I wanted him to order more but I didn't want that whole appetizer just for me and they had already ordered pizza so I just decided on a bowl of chili. The chili arrives and I swear it was some of the most godawful stuff I have ever tasted. I tried putting in hot sauce and 3 packages of crackers to give it some texture and taste but it was just not happening.

Fast forward to now and I hear I sit. Christmas shopping still not completed, didn't go get the camera, didn't get the car and starving. Oh well, just another day in paradise. Next year, though, I WILL start shopping early.