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School Shopping, Or Yes, this is a true story

ByThe Reverend Katherine

I went school shopping with our daughter and three of our grandchildren the other day. It was quite an experience. Every year we buy an outfit, a few supplies and new shoes for each of our grandchildren to help them get ready for a new school season. We usually buy a little something for the young ones too ( wink). This year it was more chaos then fun…if shopping with children in tow is considered fun, giggle.

I had a doctors appointment at 9:50am and our granddaughter had an appointment ( same clinic) at 10:00 we met there. My appointment was quick and then it was their turn. We waited..waited…waited…and waited. Jonah (our youngest grandson age 20 months) began to fuss, so I took both grandsons out to the van where we turned on the a/c and sang songs, laughed, played games and generally entertained ourselves for 45 minutes! Finally our daughter, Tiffany, and granddaughter McKenna ( age 9) arrived, frustrated. But raring to go.  A quick turn of the key and ..click.click.click.. dead battery. I pulled my car around and after a lot of  fumbling ( no need for more details) and a little help from two sweet young men, we were jump started and on the way to the mall. When we hear” I’m hungry” from our grandson Noah ( age 4) in the backseat. Now some of you are probably wondering why we didn’t just go to lunch and call the shopping off for another day. Others of you already know, we pressed on. With the promise of lunch soon.

We arrive at the mall and everyone is anxious to hit all the back to school sales. The two oldest grandchildren know just what they want. We put Jonah into his stroller and entered the MALL. Immediately after entering the first store Jonah let us know he was not a happy shopper. Actually he let the world know that shopping, in general, for him, was pure torture. That’s right, everyone in the mall, and various shops knew he was not a happy shopper. Amazing how the screams from such a  small person can echo so loudly inside a crowded shop, the acoustics in the mall are very good.

This continues until we find the FOOD. Are chicken nuggets considered food? Soon the smiles were back again. Once the bellies were full we assumed the smallest one would sleep. Jonah, no such luck. His continued declaration for his disdain for shopping continued throughout the rest of the shopping trip.

 

Finally at the last shop, we are in the shoe department, finding just what everyone wants, after nearly an hour of trying, looking, screaming… we checkout. Total rings up and both my daughter and I are gob smacked! “What? These are all buy one get one half off we say” in unison.  The young man behind the register shrugs and says “doesn’t apply to any sale items.”

My daughter ( we’ll call her Mount Vesuvius, image via google) proceeds to ERUPT. Now this was in no way directed at the the young man personally. But, more towards the  entire shoe department, ( and perhaps the universe). Soon she was off to the customer service desk and I ended up buying only one pair of shoes out of the pile. Side note,we did go to another shoe store and found something for everyone. On the drive home ( 4:30 pm), it had become very quiet. I was in a bit of a shopping coma, and yes, even Jonah had calmed down. The last thing I heard was from Mckenna saying” ummm…Noah’s nose is bleeding………….

Read The Sweet Smell Of Crayons

 

 

“May the Lord bless you and keep you; may He let His grace shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-6:26 NIV  

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64 Comments

  1. Pingback: First Day Of Kindergarten Tears | Katherines Corner

  3. Ugh. I don’t like shopping much to begin with, but try to get everyone outfitted for school with sale items is really tough. I feel your pain. I buy very few new things for the beginning of school and then fill in as we go along–I hate fighting the crowds for everything in August. Blech!

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  7. LOL Actually, I’m with Katherine. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry! Oh, what a day! I hope, when you got home, you made yourself a cup of tea or whatever and sat down and rested!

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  14. I hate shopping just like Shady and if I have to I am on a mission and I try to complete my mission as quickly as possible. Maybe it’s age, but if my grandsons comes to the house for a visit and stays pretty much the whole day it usually takes me a couple of days to get over it. God bless you for your sacrifice and I too hope you have a full recovery.
    Big Hugs,
    Odie

    Reply

  15. Oh my goodness…you are a brave woman 😉 Love the line about everyone being in a shopping coma. I can’t think of school yet, I’m sad this summer is going so fast. Hope you’ve recovered from your trip!

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  16. after reading that I’ll count my blessing-Hubby stays home with the kiddies while I go BTS shopping =)

    stopping through a bit late from Get Wired Wednesday, now following feel free to check out my blog-http://anoterote.blogspot.com/2011/08/im-almost-at-200.html

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  17. Katherine, you hit it exactly right! That is why this year, I chose to buy everything online for school and it went perfect! I did go out to buy shoes and besides losing my 4-year old who went running off in her new shoes to see if they “worked” and then turning down a wrong aisle when she came back to happily announce that they did and then ending up crying because she couldn’t find us, my 1-year-old pulling every box off she could get her hands on every time I let her go to feel the toe of another child, 2 of my girls not being able to find anything they liked and my 7-year-old finding too many things he liked, it all went pretty smoothly! ☺ Thanks for the entertaining post!

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  18. Oh Katherine, I feel your pain! I’m not a big shopper and school shopping is the worst! Eeek! I like to shop alone or with a friend in the morning before the crowds. School doesn’t start until Sept. but after your story, maybe I had better start now and get it over with!
    -Lynn

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  20. That last sentence had me laughling out loud!!! Thank you for a delightful story.

    I will be doing the same journey with my grandchildren. Thanks for the heads up. I will be bringing snacks for them and for myself. I will also try to bring a big cases of patience and humor.

    BTW I call my daughter Katy Kaboom!! : )

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  22. Oh my goodness, what an eventful day!
    I hope Noah is ok
    I have just entered you lovely giveaway..i have one on my blog at the moment if you fancy a peek
    jooles x

    Reply

    1. Hi Jooles, thank you for asking Noah is fine. He just started getting nose bleeds recently. No fun. Good luck in the giveaway and I’ll be right over to enter yours xo

      Reply

  23. Oh Katherine, I used to be able to spend an entire day at the mall, now I am in and out in a flash. I can sympathize with little Jonah. At least you bought lots of nice back-to -school stuff. xo,

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  24. Ha! Ha! Ha! … Oops! Sorry to laugh. It must have been a very trying day!!…But as with all happenings such as this, it made a very entertaining story for us…after the fact,…and with no dead batteries or screaming small children in sight! ^_^

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  26. Oh my goodness, Katherine, it sounds like quite a memorable shopping experience! It’s so irksome when you take something up to the counter, and it’s the only thing not on sale. I don’t blame your daughter for erupting! It’s almost like the stores do that on purpose. Well, hopefully you got your back to school shopping done in one trip, because it doesn’t sound like everyone would want to go back again real soon! lol!

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  28. This is a great story and perfect example of shopping with kids and why I hate shopping period. I would have been like your daughter, erupting away! Stores need to be more clear about their sales. But all in all, it does sound like an exciting day. ~Hugs

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  29. Ohhhhh Katherine ~ that does not sound fun at all ~
    I am smiling though because I know I will be in
    that place sometime soon ~

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  30. I truly enjoyed your story, Katherine! This sounds like my life with a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old! : ) I was cracking up at the part about the shoe sale!

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  31. Oh, I can so relate to this Katherine ! I’ve been shopping with my daughter, 19 month old granddaughter and her just 3 year old brother! Not a particularly fulfilling experience!! LOL!! Everything is wonderful when food is produced though! Glad you managed to get everything done by the end of it all. I expect you were exhausted when you got home!!

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  32. I shuddered as I read this, Katie. Jonah is a typical male. He hates shopping. I know that I do. When I MUST go shopping I want to get in, purchase only what’s on the list, and get back out again as quickly as possible (no lingering, browsing or buying extra items). I do most of my shopping at home on the computer. I hope you make a full and complete recovery from your ordeal! (LOL)

    Reply

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