field trip

the sun is so deceiving when it is freezing cold out. i was reading all of the comments from local folks on facebook about how poor the road conditions were but after lunch i decided to go ahead and run my errands (somehow i was out of a few staples). it was the warmest it was going to be for the next few days, it hadn't snowed in a few hours, the sun was shining and i was hosting book club on thursday night - i wasn't really going to have another chance. so we bundled up and headed out.

the roads were much better than i was expecting and better than they were yesterday, but the really weren't as clear as i would have expected. i guess it has to do with the salt shortage and that it is too cold for salt really anyway. we made it to bjs quite safely. maddux was complaining about his face freezing as soon as we got out of the car - i think it was around 9 degrees without wind, not sure about the 'feels like' temp.

the kids were very excited to be out of the house! maybe a little too excited. they were like wild animals set loose! not poor behavior, but very lively. i usually frown on putting public things on their heads, but they really enjoyed this impromptu fashion show.  i think they are turning into real browns and indians fans. maddux just likes the orange and even manning insisted on getting out of the cart and having his picture taken in a browns hat.

the best part was when mason put it on he said, "see? they are kid sizes. it fits me perfectly!" i didn't have the heart to tell him that he just has an adult sized head! the indians hat was already reduced so i think we will watch for the browns ones to reduce to put away for his birthday.

bjs went so well that i decided to swing by the grocery store too (for a few things i couldn't find at bjs). the big kids were excited because the child care would be open (our store has free child care available). manning stayed with me without complaint (you have to be 3 to get to stay). but remember how i said i wasn't brave enough to be in a public place in the afternoon? yeah. i should have remembered that... he wanted to get out of the cart and he walks nicely holding on to the cart so i often let him. we were getting our last item - some paper plates. he wanted to carry them (again nothing unusual) so i let him. but then he decided that he wanted to put them back on the shelf and that i could not get them. when i told him that we needed them and tried to continue shopping, he lost it. i mean full screaming on the floor of the store. sigh. i just needed to pick him and the plates up and get to a register. and, of course, there were only three lanes open and the lines were long (i guess a lot of people saw this as their last chance to run to the store). thankfully, the manager came and offered to open a lane for me.

we made it. our outing was a, relative, success. so glad to not have to go out again! love.