It's CRACK, I Say!

This morning I was up at 6am readying myself to coach both a 7am strength class and an 8am SPIN class.  

There was unusual commotion in the homestead because my middle son had an all day wrestling tournament and the "men" in the family were all heading there early.  So me and the boys were all on the run.

I finished up my classes, jumped in the shower and thought about what I wanted to do today.  The day stretched out in front of me with no obligations (and no menfolk) and I instantly knew.  My daughter has been earning and saving quite a bit of $$$ this past month or so.  I'm sure she'd love to spend some of that cashola...

Mom - "Broooooookeeeeee"
Brooke - "what?"
Mom - "Wanna go...SHOPPING?"

Well...do I need to tell you the JOY that spread across that girl's face???  When did my 11 - 3 weeks away from 12 - year old daughter become drunk on shopping?????  LITERALLY - she was GIDDY and JOYful and a bit TIPSY at the thought of going shopping!!!

Who ARE you and what did you do with my baby???

I HATE shopping!!  

I first experienced this sight about 18 months ago.  I suggested going to the mall for some back to school shopping.  I witnessed my, then 10 year old, go into a glazed, giddy euphoria as we walked from the car to the mall.  I was actually looking at a stranger.  This kid LOVES to shop!!  It's not like I am a shopper and she has been following me around malls all her life.  Grocery store - maybe - but certainly not the MALL.

But then I recalled.  Her girlfriend's mother LOVES to shop.  And Brooke went once or twice with them to the mall.  THIS is how she discovered crack shopping.

So off we went.  It was a raw, damp, drizzly day and we stopped for breakfast and then headed out to a mall.  Now - as I said - I'm not a shopper but I stopped in a few stores looking for boots and bored the hell out of her.  I quickly realized the stores I wanted to go in were NOT the stores she wanted to go in.  

So I let her lead the way.  J. Crew - nope.  Justice - nope.  Old Navy - now we're starting to find a few things.  Ok - so we pick out some goodies and I say, "Ok - so you have $80..."

WHATTTTTTTTTTTT??????   
What whattttt?
I have to use MY $$$$$?????

Seriously????  You never saw clothes get thrown back on the racks so fast.  WTHHHHHHH???????  Now I'm like - am I being a bad mom cuz I expect her to pay for these????  

Mom - "Grrrrrr -  all righttttttt, pick out a few things..."

So we walk out and she's all excited...TO HOLD THE BAGS!   

What?  She never wants to carry anything.  

Welllll - who KNEW???

Mom - "YOU want to carry the BAGS???"
Brooke - "I LOVE to carry all the bags.  I feel so all shoppy and happy carrying all the bags.  It's so cool to carry a bunch of bags."

HOW SHE THOUGHT SHE LOOKED.

Seriously - this was HER!!!!  You want to talk about catching JOY??

HOW SHE REALLY LOOKED!

Crack, I say!  It's CRACK!

Next stop, Rue 21.  What the heck is Rue 21??? Well - "just the best store I've ever been innnnn"  to quote an 11 year old.

In all honesty?  There were alot of "good stuff cheap".  So she has an armload and I'm like - ummm, I'm not buying all THAT!

Enter sad face.

Mom - "Okkkkkk - let me see what this would come to."

Sigh... 

Mom - "I'm only paying for half.  You need to cough up the other half."

Now we're talking.  

Big.JOYful.smile.Done.deal.





The moral of the story?  Close the deal RIGHT after:  "Wanna go...SHOPPING?"

And the happy, giddy, girl?

So happy and giddy and JOY filled all the way home - how does Mom NOT catch JOY?