Target

It is supposed to be like an oasis for stay at home moms, right? Leisurely walking up and down the aisles admiring all the pretty things. Trying to resist the urge to put everything in your cart...

That is the image I had in my mind before I took all 3 kids to Target after school last week. We needed milk and I really needed a little {mental} break. Target seemed like the perfect solution. Two birds with one stone!

The reality of that trip was vastly different. Isaiah heard the word "Target" and immediately began begging for a new toy. He repeatedly threatened me with, "I will NEVER be happy again...unless you buy me a new toy!" Umm yeah. That is not going to work on me. This ain't my first Ro-de-O buckaroo:)

Then despite claiming they wanted to walk and NOT having to go to the bathroom while we were still at the front of the store...near the bathrooms and big shopping carts made for multiple children....my big kids ended up in my {normal sized} cart doing the potty dance together!

I had the nerve to try on shoes BEFORE going directly to the toy section. My children made their opinion on this quite clear. During which a middle aged woman commented, "Wow. You have your hands full, don't you?" Thank you Captain Obvious. No I didn't really say that. Instead I said, "Yes full of good things". Because deep, deep down I believe it to be true. Even if their whining was driving me to the edge of my sanity.

We eventually made it to the grocery section. It was painful. The number of times my kids said "I'm hungry" was astonishing (and irritating). I remembered the milk but forgot most everything else. The whining made it nearly impossible to concentrate. I forgot the pureed prunes...sorry Hannah:)

Charlotte decided we needed a grand finale for our big outing. At the check out counter she threw a lying-on-the-floor-limbs-flailing FIT like only 2 year olds can. Probably one of her best. And I am still completely clueless as to what brought on this particular fit.

It was at that point I almost called Joe to tell him his kids were at Target and he could pick them up if he wanted to see them again. Instead I loaded them into the van, tossed a nutrigrain bar in their direction and headed home. Once home I hid in my room while they fended for themselves until daddy came home to their rescue.  Not my finest moment. But it happened.  And we survived.  In fact yesterday I took the kids to Wal-Mart and I was pleasantly surprised by their excellent behavior. 

Like I told the lady at Target.  My hands are full but those things that fill them are good, good things!