Tis the Season to...ummmm...What did we come here for again?

The other day my kiddos accused me of hating Christmas.  I suppose I can't totally deny it.  I love the getting together with family (on a limited basis), hanging out with my nuclear family (on a much less limited basis), the time off from work, the unrushed mornings, and, as a teacher, being able to go to the bathroom whenever I feel the urge.  I really figured that now that my kids have admitted that they know the truth about Santa that we'd be off the hook for presents and be able to just give them each some cash and be done with it.  That, apparently, makes me a scrooge.  So, as I understand it, everything remains the same with the only exception being that I no longer have to be awake in the middle of the night putting gifts from the big guy in red all over the living room.  This change (or rather continuation) of expectations meant we had to go shopping.  Sigh....

How do the Parsons shop?  Well, I'll tell ya.  We leave the house to go to Target to get lights to wrap around the poles on our porch, a gift or two for our boys, and gifts for our sweet nieces and nephews.  That's it.  Easy, right?  Well, we head out and then Dave takes an unexpected expected turn and we pull in to a coffee shop.  I shoulda seen it coming.  It was lovely, actually.  Coffee was great.  Unfinished crossword puzzle was frustrating.  Discussion about the misbehaviors of dolphins...well, bleck!  I'm going to ignore this discussion and continue to imagine them surrounded by the ocean water and rainbows like on the covers of my elementary school folders.

We finally got to Target and grabbed one of the few remaining carts.  We tootled around randomly, seriously lacking a plan, and finally agreed to go to the Barbie section as one of my nieces needed a Ken doll as her Barbies were lacking a man around the house. Also, my nephew needed some kind of car or truck.  Well, I haven't been on a Barbie aisle...ever!  Even as a kid I only got Barbies as gifts or from garage sales, I think.  I have to say I don't remember Ken being so fashion conscious, so very much a metrosexual kind of guy.  OK, I have to admit it, I can't imagine these new Ken dolls doing the kind of activities that mine did with my Barbies.  I just don't think they'd be interested.  I think my niece's Barbie dolls are going to have a great time going shopping with Ken, though.  So much the better, I say.  We were overwhelmed by all the choices and made a failed attempt to text message a bunch of photos to my sister-in-law so she could help us choose.  Dave and I continued wandering around till we walked through the furniture section.  And, as Dave always does when such an opportunity presents itself, he set up shop on a chair/ottoman display (yes, it was all set up on a raised platform) and said I could do the shopping while he "held down the fort".  My feathers ruffled at first and then I realized this would be SO MUCH quicker if I just frolicked around by myself, sans cart, and got what we "needed".

Back to the Barbie aisle.  I grabbed the Ken doll with the most clothing coverage available and headed over to the Cars aisle and grabbed a little Tow Mater.  So, check, one stylin' Ken doll chosen for niece, check, one vehicle chosen for nephew.  Whew!  I boogied over to the hair aisle to get my other niece an assortment of hair do-dads.  They're about to leave the country, so no way was I going to get them a big old plastic toy they'd have to deal with or tote to afar.  To the pet area for raw hides for the dogs, and a can of wet food (total luxury for Pug) for the cat.  Check, check, check!  I made the trek back to Dave who was, indeed, holding down the fort, and deposited my latest finds.  Then, off to the candy aisle for an assortment of chocolate for our stockings (packs of gum for me as that's my current vice of choice). 

Cart partially full, Dave joined me for a trip to the new food section.  I hate change as a rule when it comes to stores, but I'm fully groovin' on being able to buy bananas and cheese at Target.  We got a few things and then headed to the front to check out.  And, BONUS, I received a 25¢ credit for using 5 of my own canvas bags.

We drove home having talks of our need to make our once-per-year trip to Toy Joy to get additional cool stocking stuffers.  Yay!  Can't wait!!  As we got out of the car I glanced over to our dark front porch...ack...we forgot the lights...the reason we went shopping in the first place.  Sigh....