Tuesday morning we found ourselves with an entire day of nothing to do...until dance class in the evening. Everybody woke up in a good mood, so I decided we should take off and go do something - I just had no idea what that "something" would be. After breakfast, I went upstairs to put away some laundry and found a bag from Gymboree with my most recent clearance rack steals inside. The receipt falls out as I'm unloading the clothes to the hamper...and Gymbucks are inside! (For those unfamiliar with Gymbucks, it's a $25 coupon you can earn during a purchase to use later on a separate $50 purchase.) That's $25 in free clothes! (My husband would argue that it's also $25 I wouldn't have spent in the first place, but I'm not really interested in the technical details.) I was not about to let my Gymbucks go to waste!
Three kids (and one Mommy) dressed: Check. Breakfast all around: Check. Snacks and Bottle packed for hungry tummies and/or bribes later: Check. And off we go to the Fashion Mall!
Now, the Fashion Mall - or truly a non-grocery store of any kind - isn't generally my idea of a fun place to take the kids but I decided to give it a try. We've gone before (the three kids and I) and the girls usually end up making themselves at home inside Pottery Barn Kids (because they have tons of toys out and the salesgirls think it's cute to watch them play!) and enjoying at least two trips to the super-kid-friendly family restroom and it's kid-sized potty, sink and paper towel dispenser as well as a great changing table and plenty of room for a stroller (single or double).
We were only 5 minutes from home when I had my first snack request (it was their normal snack time anyway, so I obliged.) I tell the girls we're only going in one store, then we'll head back home in time for lunch. They've got their game faces on and are ready to shop! Of course, Gymboree makes it easy when they have PBS on in the store and Sid the Science Kid happens to be the cartoon of choice at the moment. The girls sit (relatively) well watching Sid and checking out the super-cute Halloween costumes - all of which involve a headband, wings and brightly colored tu-tu (think ladybug, butterfly, fairy.) It's not long before I've found a couple of adorable sweater dresses for the girls (on sale!) and some pj's for my baby boy. Success!
We leave the store, hit the fun family restroom and start toward the car. On the way in, the girls spotted some giant posters of Disney villains (sadly, their favorite part of every Disney movie) and begged to get a closer look. I promised them we would stop on our way out. Suddenly, they see the posters again and break out into a run towards them yelling, "Maleficent! Cruella! The Wicked Queen (in Snow White)! That bad guy from Tiana!" I was about 3 storefronts behind them, quickening my pace (but trying desperately not to run) when I see them enter the MAC store. Ah, just what I need; for the girls to know there's more to make up than bronzer and chapstick.
Apparently the marketing professionals at MAC are geniuses. For as many times as I have been to the Fashion Mall, I have never been in the MAC store...until my kids when running into the store, full of excitement. There is a display in the front of the store highlighting each aforementioned villain and her (or his) product line. The estitician who met them at the door, with a smile on her face, had already gotten them a step stool to stand on so they could get a closer look. "Can they have some lip gloss?" she whispered to me. How could I say no to that?! She let them each pick which villain (ahem, color) they wanted and got a couple Q-tips out to put it on then pulled out a mirror so they could admire her work. A picked a neutral pinkish-peach color (very pretty, I might add) and C went with, what else, bright red (from the Cruella line of course). Oh Goodness...I hope she grows out of that soon!
Their new friend got them some stickers, which she puts in a little MAC bag, and I finally coerce the girls out of the store with promises of green tea and a cookie at Starbucks. No, we haven't eaten lunch yet, but baby D needed his bottle and, anyway, now that they had their "big girl" lip gloss on, I felt like we had to live it up a little :) Watching them carry their little MAC bags through the mall was hilarious! They looked so grown up!
After we enjoyed our treat at Starbucks, it was time to head home for our lunch of chicken fingers and yogurt...which they did eat by the way! (The three of us shared one chocolate chip cookie earlier - it could have been worse!)
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| C looks scary in this picture, but I promise it's just because the sun was in her eyes! :) |
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| Just finished his bottle...full tummy = happy baby! |
I'm sure glad I found my Gymbucks that day - we had such a fun morning together and got to relax for a few hours before dance class!
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ReplyDeleteAs soon as I read the part about the lip gloss, I thought, "Oh, I hope she had her camera!" Can't wait to see the pics! You are a brave, brave mommy to enter the Fashion Mall with 3 kids, though you do say the girls play nicely in PBK, and well, we know how Evan is. ;) I got those "Why are you here" looks BEFORE I was a mom, and now that I have Hurricane Evan with me, the looks have not diminished!
ReplyDeleteMaybe next time we should go to the MAC store...he's quite interested in my mascara. Ha! So glad you had one of those fun-to-remember days. They are the best! :)
So cute!! Haha...you are going to have your hands full, B! I love the new picture on top too!
ReplyDeleteExcellent marketing campaign by MAC. Cruella DeVille is my favorite and I am singing the song in my head right now. Sounds like a fun day!!
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