The good, the bad and the ugly

That would be new clothes, shopping with small children and mom when she is flustered and about to lose it.


I dropped Nate off at school today and since I was in the area went to the Civic Mall. I just have to say that this mall drives me crazy. It is huge and confusing, there are too many people and I can never remember how to get back to my car because there are a few parking garages. It is way too much for me. I figured this time would be fine because I was only going to Target and I was parking right next to it. All I would have to do is get in the elevator, go down and it practically opens at Target's entrance.

I was determined to buy a new sweater no matter how many I had to try on but was getting more and more frustrated by the minute. I knew the exact sweater I wanted to buy but when I tried it on it was weird. Liam kept walking in front of the stroller and therefore getting bumped by it and complaining about how boring the store was. Jonas was kicking and grabbing everything we walked by. In the fitting rooms they were screaming and fighting and playing which echoed through the whole store I'm sure. Eventually I made my purchases and it was time to leave.

The parking garage is paid parking so you get a ticket when you come in and when you leave you put it in the machine, pay and then take your ticket back to stick in the other machine on your way out (you know how it works...). The whole process is a bit more of a hassle when you are trying to keep your 4 year old out of the road and your two year old from touching the dirty soda machine. After paying I made my way to the car, got the boys strapped in and started looking through my purse for the ticket. After a few minutes of looking I realized that I had forgotten to take my ticket back!! I rushed the boys out of the car (without grabbing the stroller) to try and get back to the ticket machine to see if my ticket was still there. Not surprisingly it wasn't. Who can resist an already paid for parking ticket. (But I have to believe that if someone saw it was me who left it they would have kindly returned it to me.)

I remembered seeing a parking office somewhere in the mall one of the times I was there so I rode the elevators up and down about 6 times (while the boys begged to press the buttons) and walked around a little bit (while Jonas jumped instead of walked because he gets a little wacky when you let him out of the stroller...which is why I NEVER do) until I found it. Almost in tears I explained to the lady that I forgot to grab my ticket and she said "no worries" just drive up to the gate, press the help button and I'll let you through. I was expecting them to say I would have to pay the daily rate of $25 or something insane like that!

This is why I don't like Civic! Even a simple trip to Target is a big flustery mess for me. BUT on the good side I did get two cute new sweaters. I'm not sure this is the right way to wear it though...