Why I Don't Go Shopping

This blog post is just a glimpse into 3 hours of my life (no craftiness here):
I am a stay-at-home-mommy (I'd say homemaker, but that implies that I may actually do some cooking, and I wouldn't want to lead you astray!). I get paid in hugs (and the occasional PB&J-coated kisses). Spunky, my oldest, just turned 5 on Sunday and Grandma sent him $5. (I think it's the first time he's gotten real money.) Yep, he's got more cash than his mommy, and he's only 5!!!
Anyway, I needed diapers, and "the baby store" and "the toy store" are connected (i.e. - you can pay for all of your stuff from both stores at one register). So off we went: me, one baby, one toddler with a mind of her own, and Spunky. We got all of our stuff at "the baby store", then went and got a special toy for Spunky. In the mean time, I lost my check card, picked up a pack of gum (I've told Spunky he's not allowed to have gum until he's 5 - hopefully he's mature enough to dispose of it properly), forgot my "rewards card account", looked it up but I finally ended up putting it on my sisters' account, and finally found my check card.
Went to Hobby Lobby. Why, oh why, do stores that are physically connected (Hobby Lobby and the aforementioned baby/toy stores) not allow mommies with 3 little kids borrow a cart to take it to the next store? I guess not all people return them? Well, I would have. So here it is, 100 degrees (F), now I have to get out the stroller (forget carrying that 20 pound baby in the carseat and trying to hold the toddlers hand!), which is about 150 degrees. Ugh. I must have been feeling adventurous, because I did take them to Hobby Lobby.
Spunky was fine, and Sprout was strapped in his carseat on top of the stroller. It's Sunshine I had to wrestle with. One of my crafty bloggy friends had a post about making a toddler handle so they could hold on to it instead of my hand. Yeah, that doesn't work with a toddler such as mine. Sunshine is very determined. Not bad, just determined. She wanted to smell every flower (the entire silk flower section!!!), pick all of the grapes (you know, the squeezable fake ones that are out on every shelf for display), and sit on all of the display chairs and ottomans.
Well, I found what I was looking for, and went to pay. I had to send Spunky after Sunshine as she was escaping through the automatic doors into the entry area. The lady at the register said "it's ok, they're right there." pointing out the window as she rung up my sale. (Bet she didn't have kids!) Yep, the entry area is one big display area. So I got my receipt and ran to the doors to make sure they were staying out of trouble (meanwhile, the register lady was running after me with my bag "m'am, you forgot your purchase!!"). Mommy-brain, for sure!
So we made it to the car without any catastrophes, and Sunshine fell asleep immediately.
On the way home I saw a lady with a little kid (probably about 3 yrs old) walking into our neighborhood. It was SO hot! Poor little kid was crying and wasn't wearing his shirt. I stopped to offer them a ride. They got in and I looked at my temperature gauge: 101 degrees!!! She lived about a quarter of a mile away, so I took them home and then went home to put my little kids to bed.

This, dear readers, is why I rarely go shopping.

On the bright side, our car is in working order, no one had a gross explosion of the toxic kind, no one was hurt, there were beverages available, and no one had a meltdown (not even me!). And it could be worse - I could have SEVEN kids (seriously - my twin has some stories!)
Thank you, Lord!

ps - stay tuned - I do actually have a crafty post coming up next - you'll get to see what I bought at Hobby Lobby :)