Friday, August 20, 2010

School Shopping with Eight Kids

Yes, you read that correctly.

I didn't intend to take all of them.

This morning I had the day all planned. The teenager would wake up in a happy mood and be ever so willing to babysit in the afternoon. The little kids wouldn't mind taking a nap and the big girls and I could go get some school shopping accomplished.

The best laid plans of mice and men....

The teenager wanted to go skate boarding all afternoon. Drat.

I decided to take all of the kids to K*hl's to see if they had uniforms for school. I figured if it was going badly, I could just herd them all back out to the car, right?

So after dropping Taylor off at the skate park, off we went.

It was comical to see people looking at us and wondering if we were a day care group. haha (Yes, I have been asked that more times than I can count.)

I am happy to say that K*hl's DID have school uniforms and we were able to get some for about 1/3 of the cost of the ones that the school recommended. Between that and the donated ones that the school let us have, the kids at least have something to wear their first week of school.

They were being so good that I decided to head next door to P*yless Shoes since I had a coupon PLUS they were having a 'buy one, get one for 1/2 price' sale. Woohoo!

Again, the look on the faces of the store clerks was priceless.

We spent over an hour there trying to figure out who needed what. And then there was Chloe who needs two different sizes--but sometimes the smaller sizes don't come in the same styles as the larger size she needs for her other foot. It was a challenge but we found her a set that matched. The clerks were so sweet--kept coming back to ask if we needed any help. It was a bit confusing trying to keep everything straight, but we finally succeeded. And then...we had to get all those bags out to the car while holding hands with the little kids.

Again...comical.

I kept thinking that I really wished I had brought my camera to document the bedlam in the shoe store and the walk to the car. But alas...you will have to use your imagination.

I did get a photo of Jillian and Molly showing each other their new outfits. They are so excited! And they look adorable. (and they look way. too. old...wah.)