Shop 'til you Drop

Back to school shopping.  *Shudder*  I've known it was something we were going to have to tackle for awhile now, but have been avoiding it like the plague.   I do enjoy shopping, but shopping in the chaos of others attempting to get ready for school, with a three and five year old who'd much rather be out enjoying the sunshine instead of being wrestled in and out of clothes and dragged all over heck and back is not my idea of a good time.  And I knew it wasn't something I'd even think about tackling with them solo.  Not shopping on the scale we were talking.  So I convinced Grant last weekend we just had to pick a day and get it done.

And somewhere this week, I was struck with even further inspiration - ask Mom and Dad if they wanted to come with us :)  Have I mentioned lately how much I adore my parents?  Not only would we get to see them and hang out for awhile, but Dad and Grant are great together at kid corralling (plus the mall has a great indoor playground) and my Mom is an expert shopper who has made it through countless back to school expeditions.  I was delighted on many levels when they said they'd come with.

We met up for lunch at Chili's, did a quick early birthday celebration for Grant and then headed to Great Lakes Crossing Outlets.  For the most part, three plus hours later we all emerged relatively unscathed.  I put a MAJOR dent in getting the kiddos squared away, snagged an adorable U of M wrist watch for myself, helped Mom pick out one super cute hat and believe it or not, with an assist from Papa the kiddos even 'celebrated' today's food - Soft Ice Cream!

Three cheers for most of the school shopping being done!  Four cheers for Grant who I rewarded with a 6 pack of Ocktoberfest when we made it home (heheh)!  Five cheers for the Papa who bought root beer floats with soft serve ice cream in them even though, technically speaking, the kids didn't see a deer. (They've seen multiple deer this past week, but you know Papa, changing the rules on them...)  Six cheers for the Mama of mine that has the patience of a saint (with her grandkids and her goofy eldest daughter) and was immense help in picking some really cute clothes my twosome.

After all that shopping and cheering I'm exhausted.  We're headed to Toledo tomorrow night to see the Mud Hens game with my favorite brother in the whole world and his most wonderful girlfriend before they both head off to college this week.  (I can't believe I just typed that Scott is leaving for college...)  It's also Potato Day and Hot & Spicy Day, so we'll manage to get that in there somehow.  Until then...

Thanks for helping us celebrate, Papa!

 OK, so I don't know if they count as soft ice cream, but Noah has been begging for weeks to try Dippin' Dots.  When I went to the store to grab Grant's treat, I snagged some for my twosome as a treat as well.  They both (for the most part) totally earned it after today