Monday, December 15, 2008

Child's Play

Yesterday afternoon I was getting in the Christmas spirit with my giveaway and all and I decided that I wanted to make some Gingerbread Men. I thought it would be something that the girls would enjoy decorating and the rest of us would enjoy eating, so it was a win/win situation. That is until I started to get the ingredients together and I realized that my molasses had been thrown away with the Big Move.

I planned to go to Price Chopper, I hadn't been there since the Dance Party , but Julia and Jenna, who just recently started their own soap making business-- Two Sisters Soaps, ran out of glycerin and wanted me to get some at Walmart since Hobby Lobby was closed.

Now I detest Walmart. Really, really, really detest Walmart. It was Sunday late afternoon 2 weekends before Christmas. It would be total insanity to go to Walmart.

I think I've redeemed my Mother of the Year Nomination.

It was cold yesterday afternoon, as in frigid cold, so I decided to just take Emma with me. We left a crying Ryan (oops, lost Mother of the Year again) and drove to Walmart. The parking lot was completely full (of course) and I almost left, but I didn't want to disappoint Julia. She was in the middle of a soap batch and she doesn't know much about delayed gratification. Like mother, like daughter. Who was the one who had to go to the store in the first place?

Amazingly enough, I found a parking spot close to the door, the aisle's weren't overly crowded although they didn't have Julia's glycerin, and I got right to a cashier without waiting in line at all. I was thinking to myself, I think this is the best Walmart experience I've ever had!

I loaded the molasses, frosting, a Christmas dress I found for Emma, a couple of pizzas for dinner, and a few other things onto the conveyor belt and as the cashier scanned my items I reached into my purse to get out my wallet to slide my new, shiny debit card. However there was a slight problem. My wallet wasn't in my purse.

I was feeling deja vu from my most recent Costco experience and my new debit card. I looked down at happy, sweet, innocent looking Emma and said "I'm going to kill you."

I definitely lost Mother of the Year with that one.

You see, my two youngest children can entertain themselves. They play alone or together for the longest time although sometimes a dose of Yo Gabba Gabba helps. As Emma has gotten much more mobile, she has become like a One Baby Path of Destruction. The house is littered with her examinations of the interior contents of drawers, cabinets, baskets, etc. As I'm cleaning up one mess, she's behind me creating another. Some days I don't even bother until she goes to bed. And then some days I don't even bother then.

I said I was honest here.

But one of Emma's new fascinations is my purse. Not exactly my purse, but something inside my purse: my wallet. I usually put my purse next to my computer desk, on the floor so it's definitely easy access. It's not unusual to find the child with wallet in hand and open pulling out cash and credit cards. She takes nothing else out of my purse, just the wallet. Smart girl.

You think that I would figure out by now that I need to put my purse somewhere else. Hello!!! But the question is where? Upstairs is inconvenient and everywhere else down stairs is too low. So I knew instantly what happened to my wallet and where it was.

I told the cashier that I didn't have my wallet and that I was calling my son to have him bring it to me. I was utterly embarrassed, although less so after the Costco Incident, but it was ironic that this was actually kind a phobia I have, that I'll got to check out somewhere and not have my wallet. It seemed the ultimate of embarrassments. For the record, I've experienced far worse. Besides, its good to face our fears.

The cashier told me she'd set my bags to the side while I waited at the front for Ross. After waiting for Ross much longer than necessary for him to show up (he had a bathroom emergency after his earlier Starbucks run, gotta love the Starbucks to get the pipes moving) I finally had the cashier recheck my items, I used my working debit card and I took my purchases and my baby home. Don't worry. She was already forgiven.


Seriously, how can you look at this sweet face and stay mad?

I brought Emma and my 3 bags inside and started to unload my items and I looked around asking "Where's my molasses?" It wasn't there. Apparently it was one of the few items she didn't rescan.

Some days I just can't catch a break.
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18 comments:

Ann On and On... said...

All I could say was, "oh NO...". I totally feel for you. I usually never use this word but I HATE Walmart almost everyday of the week, but Saturday/Sunday...during the holidays. I would rather go to the gynecologist. (My doc. saved my life twice and I still dislike going.)

I hope you somehow got your molasses...and the gingerbread cookies tasted better than you ever imagined.

Cassie said...

Oh, that really stinks! It's times like this that it seems everyone in the whole world is looking directly at you. I've been in a similar situation, and I wanted to yell as loud as possible "I have money people!".

I went to Walmart Saturday night totally against my will. I went out to eat with my Mom and my Aunt. They wanted to stop after dinner (ugh). Surprisingly enough, it was practically empty! I too, can't stand going there. Before I moved to the boondocks I would go at like 2am. Nobody is there then!

Denise Grover Swank said...

When I lived in Little Rock, the wierdos were there then! The few times I went extremely late I saw the STRANGEST people!!!

Denise Grover Swank said...

Ann, I DID get some molasses this afternoon and we MIGHT make them tonight.

Carey-Life in the Carpool Lane said...

Thanks for sharing another day in the life of Denise. I visit your blog daily because I enjoy reading about you and your kids so much.

I recently (VERY recently) decided to start my own blog and it is all because of you. I hope to be as good a writer as you one day. Thank you!

Shell in your Pocket said...

Oh my...so been there my blogging friend. Some days you just want to forget! She is very cute, though!
-sandy toes

Kristin said...

Oh my! That sounds like some of the days I have with my 3 little girls!

I've been meaning to Thank you for your post on my blog about losing someone you love, and about adoption.

I truly have always loved the fact that I was adopted and always thought it made me have something special that most didn't have. I hope that your little ones feel the same way when they are older.

I read that every person has a story, and you're the only one in the world with that story. I try to look at life that way. No matter what has happened, the good and the sad, it's part of my story and I'm so proud of my story. I think it's wonderful that you're writing a story about your husband. That's something I would love to do about my adoption and my mom. My blog was just a little way for me to start that, I guess.

Sorry for the long post. Thanks again! I love reading your stories about your precious kids! They're so funny and I can so relate to them! LOL

Eve said...

Haha - been there (done that)!

Today I "let" my 8 year old carry my wallet for me. She made a bathroom run and it wasn't until a good 30 min. later that I realized a very important piece of me had gone missing. Yup - we made a 'run' for the bathroom and luck was with us (we weren't in Walmart, thank goodness). Whew!

That little Emma is ADORABLE!

Carey-Life in the Carpool Lane said...

Denise,
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I would be thrilled and honored to be added to your blog roll.
Thanks, Carey

Denise Grover Swank said...

Carey, got ya added girl!

The Johnson 5 said...

I also CAN NOT STAND Wal- Mart. I remember when the first Super Wal marts were coming out and I thought oh this is amazing. Now I feel like I lose part of my life ever time I go in one! I'm there for DAYS.....

Let me know how your cookies come out!!

Were having a Cookie Exchange party this weekend and I'm looking for some new recipes:)

I'm Grace said...

I feel for you too, I dislike Walmart, the whole experience.

I remember when my son was little
(a long long time ago!) I checked out at the grocery only to find my purse full of "Hot Wheels", nothing else!
They wouldn't take them in exchange for groceries!

Brandy said...

Oh no! On Saturday we were charged for two packs of socks, and one pack of underwear that didn't make it to my car. Apparently it was still on the dial-a-bag thingie. We didn't figure this out until Sunday. Stevie called and went back up there and they replace everything that was missing. Except for some hairbows that we didn't know were missing until even later. ~sigh~

At least they were nice about it AND I did eventually get everything.

Janne said...

It really is impossible to stay mad at that sweet face!

AndreaLeigh said...

Omgoodness! That is a terrible walmart experience. That is also one of my fears... but mine is eating a meal, and then realizing I don't have my card to pay... or that my card gets denied. Whew!

Crystal said...

Some girls have all the luck........note the sarcastic tone. Sorry, Denise! Seems as though you never win and here you are being so sweet as to have a giveaway!

Vickie said...

I hate days Like this. I am not crazy about Walmart. I think they are rude.

debi lynn mattingly said...

What a great story, and you tell it like I am right there with you! :) I too, HATE and I mean HATE Walmart!!!! If you notice on my blog and comments, I also use A LOT of !!!!!. Guess great minds think alike???? (also use a lot of those too)

xo...deb