Tired Mama.com

Christmas Shopping

I took my youngest daughter out to the local HUGE mall today and we did some Christmas shopping.

It was nice. We talked, we walked, we browsed and then we stood in line to pay for things.

She was so happy to get out to this particular mall that she talked a mile a minute all the way there and then she practically danced through the parking lot in her excitement to get inside.

We got a few things stroked off our lists and we had a nice dinner together too.

But really the best part for me was seeing her so happy.

She was happy to be out and she was happy to be spending time with me.

And at eleven years old, I am probably counting on two fingers the number of years I have left of her being happy to go Christmas shopping with boring old Mom.

But then again, she will still need me to pay for her things for a few years yet so maybe I can drag out this Christmas shopping together thing for at least a couple more years.

Here's hoping....

 

Tis the season...

I was out buying Christmas ornaments today when I met quite possibly the rudest store clerk that has ever blessed the retail world.

I stood in line and watched as the elderly lady in front of me couldn't figure out how to use the debt card machine and this clerk yelled at the poor women and called her a very rude name.

When I got up to the cash, this same clerk actually dropped and broke one of the glass ornaments I was about to buy.

When she went to ring it up I told her I didn't want it if it was broken. She huffed at me and then told me she would give me a discount on it.

Some how getting a glass ornament with a broken Santa head for 10% off didn't seem that great a deal to me.

I'm funny like that. 

So, I guess we're gonna be one ornament shy on the Christmas tree this year.

I e-mailed the store's customer service department tonight, it'll be interesting to see if they get back to me.

I'm planning on doing more of my Christmas shopping tomorrow at the mall, after today's experience, I just can't wait to see how that's going to go.

Fa la la la la la la la fail.

Sigh.

It's not close enough yet...

I was at the local mall today buying myself jeans.

And while I was there I discovered that there is something that can put me in a worse mood then trying on jeans. 

Okay, something that can even put me in a worse mood then trying on a swimsuit or jeans.

This other thing?

Hearing Christmas music on mall speakers on November 1st.

I mean, come on people, I haven't even got my Halloween decorations put away yet. I need at least a week before I can start thinking about Christmas.

Please.

Grrrrr.

Maybe those kids with ear buds and iPods blasting their own music into their heads are on to something....

 

You need shoes to get to University, right?

I'm off to take my oldest daughter to the College/University Fair this afternoon.

Yes, my oldest is old enough that we have to start thinking about things like this.

And yes, I am old enough to have a daughter this old. I just don't like to admit it.

Sigh.

I have no idea what we're going to find today or what my child is going to want to look at.

My eldest has no idea what she wants to study at University and she's one of those kids who does well at a few things so she has some choices.

I want to help her, but I want her to make the decision for herself as to what she wants to do and where she wants to go. She needs to decide the future that is going to suit her best and make her happy. I can help, but I can't make the decision.

I think deep down she'd like to follow her passion for art but she knows getting a well-paying job in that field could be a challenge.

She also has great marks in science so we'll look at those programs too.

She's got the marks for medicine and she's also an amazing writer.

So. Where does one start?

Personally, I think we'll start with lunch and part way through the afternoon, if things get too much, we'll skip out of the fair and go and look for some shoes.

Yep, shoes. 

The conference is being held in a part of town that has some nice shoe stores and when the stress of deciding ones future gets too much I think it's always good to distract oneself for a while

And looking at shoes? 

That's a good distraction.

Tea for uh, me!

I've been drinking more tea lately.

I've never really liked coffee and since I seem to be spending more time at coffee shops these days, either stealing power and writing on my laptop or grabbing some quick social time there with friends, I feel obligated to order something - so green tea it is.

I have actually begun to like green tea so much that I even make myself a cup now and again at home.

But, here's the thing, I like my green tea straight. I mean I want nothing in it. I just want them to give me a cup of hot water and a tea bag.

So um, how does one order that?

Black green tea?

That seems like too many colors.

Green tea straight up?

Virgin green tea? 

Empty green tea?

Green tea straight?

Anyone know?

I'm tired of sputtering at the order-counter like an idiot.

Blatant Self Promotion...

Blatant Self Promotion?

Yep, that's today's game.....

So, got some free time? Visit me at my other blog gig. Oh, and if you're ever in southern Ontario drop by for a visit too. It's a great place to shop and spend some time.

And...

Congratulations to Modern Mom! Visit her here.  

She won the copy of 'Saving Women's Hearts' that I was giving away last week. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and commented too.

Now, I think that's all the housekeeping I need to do.

Drop by in a few days, I promise I'll be venting again.

Now there's incentive...

I may get my picture yet.

I went Christmas shopping yesterday. I was being totally indecisive so I didn't get much done, but I did have a nice time looking at all the decorations and listening to the Christmas music. My local mall has a particularly nice looking Santa this year, he's plump, friendly and his beard even looks real.

As I stopped for a minute to watch all the little children go up for a visit with Mr. Claus I found myself remembering my own children's visits to Santa. My girls were always a little scared but they usually went bravely up, handed over their letters and smiled for a picture. 

My son? He simply refused to go near the dear old man. My boy was having nothing to do with the mall Santa's and he would pitch a fit whenever my hubby or I would try to encourage him to go up with his sisters for a visit. 

So, in my family album I have many pictures of Santa Claus with my daughters and none at all of him with my son.

But yesterday, as I stood watching all the little children line up for their visit with the red dressed guy, I noticed that this year my mall has fairies working as Santa's helpers.

These aren't just any fairies though; our local Santa has cute, teen-aged girl fairies working for him this year. He also has these adorable teen girls all decked out in short skirts, glittery wings and tight-fitting low-cut tops. These young ladies all had long legs, brilliant smiles and gorgeous floaty hair.

Did I mention my son is now thirteen?

Hmmm.

I may have finally found a way to convince my son to visit Santa.

Hello fairies? Can I ask you for a favor?

And could you get him to smile for a picture too? 

It's too hot for me

It's hot outside.

With the renovation going on our air conditioner doesn't seem to be working properly and so today in my house? It's hot.

When I am hot, I get grumpy.

I'm grumpy.

You've been warned.

I spent the day today helping my youngest daughter get ready for camp so I spent time at the shopping mall- the air conditioned shopping mall.

It is now my favorite place to be.

I don't even want to shop there, I just want to wander around in its sparkly coolness.

Unfortunately the darn place closes at 9 pm.

Is there anyway I can get the local mall to remain open 24-7 during this heat wave?

I might look like a bag lady when I'm sleeping in the aisles but at least I'd be cool and a lot less grumpy.

It works for me.

Sigh.

He's just nice.

Last week I had to take my darling daughter shopping for an outfit to wear to a family wedding.

Since my eldest daughter doesn't like to shop, I knew the trip was going to be difficult - and yes, that's an understatement.

When I came out of the mall after a stressful few hours I was surprised to find that my van had been moved in the parking lot. Yep, it had been moved three spots away.

No, I was not losing my mind.

My van was also clean and full of gas.

The note inside said this was a gift from my secret admirer.

Yep, while I was inside the mall Tired-Papa had driven there, picked up our van, filled it with gas, washed it and returned it to the lot.

Personally? I think it's the sweetest thing ever.

Some ladies that I know? Told me that he must be feeling guilty about something or having an affair.

Ah no, he's not. He was being NICE.

And he is nice - very nice. And that is just one of the many reasons why I love Tired-Papa so much.

Thanks, hon.

Roses are red...

We live close enough to the small center of our town that I sometimes let my twelve year old son bike or walk with a group of his friends downtown to get ice cream.

Last weekend they stopped on the way home and picked up hamburger buns at the bakery for me. So, this weekend I asked my son and his buddies to stop at the fruit stand and buy me some flowers.

Yep, flowers. I asked four twelve year old boys to stop and pick up flowers.

They were quite willing to run the errand since I was paying for the ice cream, but  they weren't that sure on how to buy the flowers.

'What kind of flowers?' one asked.

'Do we have to pick them?' asked another.

'How do you buy flowers at a fruit market?' asked the third.

My son, who has picked out many flowers for our kitchen table in the past, simply wanted to know what colour I wanted.

So, off the boys went and a short time later they returned with lovely yellow tulips for my kitchen table.

Perfect.

Then today I went into the fruit shop to pick up some things. The lovely lady who works there was happy to tell me that she had seen my son and his friends come in to the market to buy flowers on the weekend.

She also told me that the boys had declined her offer to help them pick out the flowers and had only smiled when she accused them of buying the flowers because they were in trouble for something.

She had then proceeded to ask the boys if the girl they were buying the flowers for was pretty. She reported that my son had answered, 'yeah, she's not bad'. Now this woman wanted to know who the lucky recipient of the flowers was.

Uh, that would be me.

But, not bad? My son thinks I'm 'not bad' looking?

I can't decide whether to be insulted or simply amused. I am, after all, his mother and he is twelve. I can't help but wish he would still think I'm beautiful like he did when he was two years old, but at least he's not telling the lady that I'm coyote ugly.

So, if you'll excuse me I'm going to go and smell my tulips. The ones my son bought for me.

Thanks, buddy.

I don't like this feeling

It's that time of the year.

Summer is winding down which means I need to attend the end of the year baseball and soccer finals as well as buy new shoes and supplies for school.

The family is coming over for a BBQ tomorrow because we haven't seen some of them all summer (guilt) and we've got a birthday party to go to tonight for a good friend.

It seems busy right now and school and all the fall activities haven't even yet begun yet.

I've started thinking about Christmas too. I even went to the local electronics store and pre-ordered one of the new video electronic thingys that's being released in October. My kids have already mentioned it and I'm not standing in line in December EVER again to find out I can't get one of these stupid must have teen things.

I've started making lists again. I haven't had to do that for a while - okay, I haven't done it for a few weeks.

I'm starting to feel it - that panicy busy feeling is starting to return.

Sigh. Where did the lazy summer days go?

Furniture is just too hard to buy

Tired Papa hates furniture shopping and I am indecisive.

For the past eight years we've needed a new kitchen table. We haven't bought one because I can't decide what I want and then when I do decide Tired Papa won't come and look at it so we don't get anything. 

This week however I am determined to buy a new kitchen table.

If Tired Papa won't look at it and then doesn't like it after it's delivered then it's his problem, right? 

I figure it'll go really fast because I won't want to be inside shopping when I can be out in the sunshine.

At least I hope so. This holding my plate on my knee to eat dinner is starting to get me down.

Sigh.

H Two O

We have a water cooler in our kitchen. It gets a lot of use from everyone in the family and I must admit that it's great to get a nice cold glass of water at the push of a button.

Yesterday however the water ran out and I haven't had a chance today to get to Costco for a new jug so right now the water cooler is uh, dry. 

My children are taking it badly. They've all mentioned to me at least once or twice today that the water cooler is empty and my youngest just came in AGAIN to ask me if I'd had a chance, since she last asked, to get out and buy a new jug for the cooler.

My answer was no, mainly because she'd just asked me the same question about twenty minutes prior.

I'm glad my kids are drinking water, they could be asking for a lot worse things.

But guys? The tap still runs cold water. It even tastes the same.

Gesh.

My family is spoiled in so many ways. 

Sigh.

What made me smile today

As I was waiting for my youngest to finish her dance class today I wandered into a gift shop at the local mall.

There was a sign in there for a baby's room that read,

'Before I had you I never knew how much I could love and how little I could sleep.'

I think that sums up being a new mother quite nicely.

Gone Shopping

I can't blog today. I have to shop and tidy and then I'm taking the kids into Toronto to see this.

I'll post a better picture after I get one tonight.

 My kids want to take the train into the city too. That should be fun but I can't help but think that I worked really hard in my youth to save for a car so we could avoid public transportation. Ah well, it's Christmas.

Oh, and for those of you who were asking after yesterday's post - the cat is fine (we have another hole in the drywall), the tree is up (and tied with a string to the wall) and there is peace in TiredMama's family again.

Happy days...

Gonna get it?

They have something at our local Toys R Us called, 'Gotta Get it Deals'.

One of today's one hour 'deals' is a toy that youngest daughter has on her Christmas list.

I'm thinking about donning my battle gear and charging into our local Toys R Us today to try and get it for her.

Yep, it's Saturday.

Yep, it's nineteen days before Christmas.

If I don't return in a few days, can someone please send my husband and kids an e-mail as to where to look for me? Oh, and I might still be in line waiting to pay so could you ask them to bring a sandwich for me too?

Thanks.

Blah Day

Blah de blah, blah, blah.

That about sums up today.

I spent the day at the mall.

I went with a girlfriend, we had lunch and we tried to do some Christmas shopping.

She seemed to do well. She had a list, she checked it more than twice and she bought things that seemed well thought out and practical.

Me?

Not so much.

I had no list, so no thoughtful gift shopping got finished and I basically spent a whole day looking at all sorts of stuff but in the end, I really accomplished nothing.

I came home with very little too.

Unless of course you count my headache - but I'm pretty sure that wasn't on my list.

Sigh.

I'm taking back my house

Toys can reproduce.

Yep, amazing I know, but it's true.

I have boxes and boxes of bright plastic colorful things all packed up, ready to be delivered to the local charity drop-off center tomorrow.

I know I couldn't have possibly bought my kids all this stuff over the years.

I mean I love to shop and I actually do find a lot of toys cute, but surely I'm not responsible for the huge amount of crap toys that were taking over my house.

Nope, not me.

Toys reproduce, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Now if you'll excuse me I have a shoe closet to sort through. Do you think shoes can reproduce too? This might be exciting.

I'll get back to you.

Gone shopping!

Tomorrow is a day where Tired Mama's calendar is pretty clear. My girls and I have nothing pressing to do. Yeah!

Should we be doing things? Sure, but we're not going to.

Instead, my two daughters and I have decided to go do some 'cross border' shopping.

Where are we going? Well, my daughters like Target and I love Anne Taylor and since neither of these stores are in Canada it's probably safe to bet that we'll start at these shops and then we'll see where the 'shopping winds' take us.

We'll talk, we'll buy shoes, we'll have lunch and we'll still be back in time for dinner.

I told hubby that we're going over to New York to get our 'back to school' shopping done. I'm just not sure he believed me when I told him that shoes were on both the girl's lists from school.

Oh well.

Glue sticks may be what's on the lists, but shoe shopping is a lot more fun.