Let the Shopping Begin

Once a week my in-laws (aka Mo and Pop Pop) watch Molly and Aidan. This works out well for all parties involved. Mo and Pop Pop get their weekly Molly and Aidan fix, Molly and Aidan get to spend time with their beloved grand parents, and good old Mom gets out and about. A true win/win/win situation. Yesterday was the day and I used my time off to begin Christmas shopping. This is quite a change for us since prior to the arrival of M & A Pat and I would do all of our shopping the Saturday before Christmas in one big blitz. Not gonna work anymore. Silly me, having rarely been to the mall during the week at holiday time I thought that it would be empty. Boy was I wrong ever wrong. The place was rockin' and I enjoy being out in the hustle and bustle.

I'm off to a good start. I purchased a fleece blanket, pin and sweater for our "secret senior" (senior in a local nursing care facility)and a princess tea set from The Disney Store for Molly. I was also looking for a holiday sweater/vest for Aidan. Has anyone recently tried to find a such a thing for a toddler boy? Next to impossible. I looked in two children's stores and three department stores. Nada. Hundreds of pretty dresses for girls (which we don't need since Molly received one from Aunt Leen and Uncle Ron for her birthday) but nothing for toddler boys. Fortunately when I arrived home and shared my plight with my MIL she remembered that she had forgotten to tell me that she found a vest for Aidan. I'm glad the search is over.

Speaking of Christmas shopping....has anyone received the F*A*O Schwarz catalog? Blew my mind. High-end doesn't describe it. Here are a few examples: 1) Life size Santa (6' tall)...$3,000 2)Custom Lionel Train Set...starting at $10,000 (contact a personal shopper to discuss the details) 3)Your House as a Doll House (detailed scale model of your own home)...starting at $10,000 and 4) Life-Sized Lego Batman (6' 6" tall)...$27,000. YIKES!! They do have one page with items priced at $25. These must be stocking stuffers.