#targetprobs

I go into Target for one thing and this is what happens...  Why?  Because I whiz down every aisle on the hunt for red stickers, who doesn't love a good 30% off end cap?  If I were on Project Runway, Tim Gunn would take a look at it my cart and kindly, but firmly remind me that most of the success of anything comes down to the editing... In other words, put back the ORANGE CREPE STREAMERS, I don't care if they're only a dollar.  And yeah, that hot pink duct tape for fifty-eight cents can go back too.

Now being the creative genius that I am, I will say, "thanks for that feedback, Timmy, I will take that into consideration."  :wheels squeak as I plow ahead to the checkout line:

Shopping Like A Top Chef

Of course cooking programs are always a fan favorite in our house.  Jim and I are big fans of Top Chef- and have been since season one, we're no bandwagon-ers here.  Now, everybody knows that Top Chef contestants exclusively shop at Whole Foods, so Jim and I were stoked to see one coming into a shopping center a few miles away.  Finally, we were going to get the opportunity to buy high quality food at top notch prices so that we I can make mediocre meals.  (Notice I said "I" and that's because Jim is a really good cook, I other the other hand could be classified as "not terrible.")

Okay, so I've gotta admit, the prices are outrageous, but the experience of how a grocery store should be is all sorts of amazing.  It's not all thin, ink-stamped cardboard boxes, it's biodegradable containers and intensely fresh and vibrant produce and gloriously delicious looking fish and cookies that will make you literally slap-yo-self for thinking that the Pillsbury Dough Boy is actually a chef just because he's wearing the hat.

Well, now that I've got your attention with those fascinating descriptions, how about a little look-see at how our trip went.  Hopefully, seeing these pictures inspires you to blow all of your holiday money on a trip to a Whole Foods near you.

You Tell Him No

Last week, one of my friends asked me if I had an opportunity to do things individually with each of the boys, and after thinking about it, I told her, no not really.  As a parent of more than one child, I can totally relate to that little schedule that Jon and Kate (plus 8) used to adhere to: some sort of rotation for one on one trips with their children.  Now, I realize that the marriage dynamics were totally cray on that show, but the kid rotation actually was genius.  Spending time with just one of my boys makes it all the more special.

But there's this weird thing that comes over me when I'm out with just one of my children, usually they're so well behaved that I end up buying them something.  Most of the time, my inner monologue goes something like, "he's so cute and he's being so good, of course he needs that spatula."  Well, the other day, Arden got me with a chocolate donut.  We took an early morning trip to the grocery store and he conned me into letting him eat the donut right then and there; it was a mess.  The whole time I was thinking, "you know what? this probably isn't a good idea, but he's behaving so well, he deserves it!"

And that's the truth, he did deserve it.  He was definitely the happiest little guy in that store at that very moment and I was happy to just be spending some time with him all to myself.