Second Hand Fun

So...I lost three more library books. I'm blaming it on Scott this time. Partially because I think it really just might have been his doing...and partially because if it's his fault he can't be as angry about the $60 we're going to end up forking over to the library (for what it's worth, library fees don't bother me as much as say a parking ticket or speeding tickets...After all, the state doesn't need any more of my money, but the library could probably use a couple of extra bucks).

Here is what I think happened...I think those three books were sitting in the garage because we had a little garage reading, puzzle doing, coloring festival one afternoon about six weeks ago (the last time I saw said books), and I think Scott got all excited to rid our garage of some of the miscellaneous Goodwill stuff we also had sitting out there.

Now, you can see where this is going...I would have known not to put the library books in a bag with the Goodwill, but Scott, well, he didn't take those books out of the library, but should have checked with wifey before sticking any books in the Goodwill...hence, quite obviously his fault.

So, after searching the house high and low yesterday, every closet, every toy chest, every bookshelf I could think of, I determined that my only, slight, last ditch effort would be to actually take a ride to Amvets to see if the books were somehow still on the shelf, if that is in fact where they ended up.

While Ella was sleeping this afternoon, and Ava was NOT (did you catch that, NOT. NOT. NOT) napping...(sigh), I put Ava in the car and told her we needed to go to a special store to see if we could find our library books.

She willingly obliged.

We entered Amvets and the bargain shopping addict in me needed to sift through at least a couple of racks. We found some very cool yellow tropically flowered women's button downs...I held one up and Ava said, "Mommy, why do you like that?"

Good question.

(for the record, I didn't really, I was just being funny, though I think my daughter is now seriously questioning my fashion sensiblities)

And then, and this was my FAVORITE part of the trip, Ava held up this shirt, and with the most passionate and sincere voice said,

"Ohhhhhhh Mommy, I think you should buy this."

Oh my goodness. I almost peed my pants laughing when I looked over at what she had picked out for me.

Yes, she wants her mother to look like a tramp, errrr, Disney Princess, err, trampy Disney Princess. Did I say that out loud?! No more Ariel or Alladin for her!

For the record she did go on to say, after inspecting it a little more closely, that she was thinking it might actually be a bathing suit and not a shirt...

I agree. Definitely more bathing suit than shirt.

We then made it over to the shoe racks where she picked out a pair of camel colored peep toe 3 inch heels for me...I did try them on for her, with my fuzzy legs, dirty t-shirt and black running shorts. I also almost fell over and broke my ankle, right there in that Amvets aisle.

Finally making it to the book section I located 2 large rubbermaid bins of books.

Sadly, our library books were not in those bins.

I did buy 6 children's books for .33 each though!

And a stopwatch that I found at the counter for $1.98, perfect for the speed workouts I'm supposed to start doing for the 1/2 marathon I just decided I think I'm going to train for. I am serious...even though that may have sounded sarcastic.

So, all in all, it turned out to be a good afternoon. Honestly, THESE are the moments I absolutely positively will miss someday. The completely funny, innocent, unexpected things that our kids say as they try to process the world, their views of beauty and what they like and don't like, and their innocent cooperation to hang out at places like Amvets and not think any better or worse for it.