Monday morning humor...

We could all use a little humor to start the week, right?

Well -- sit back and enjoy the detailed explanation of ....

... taking TWO - TWO year olds ... SHOE SHOPPING!

Paying a visit down memory lane .... shoe shopping has always been somewhat of a family outing for us.

I've really never done it alone - with the exception of picking up a clearance pair of shoes here and there -- when we do the major shoe shop - daddy and I go as a team.

This "team" was never more necessary this past weekend when it was, again, time to SHOE SHOP for the girls.

Speaking of memories... take a quick peek at our first shoe shopping outing ... the girls were about a year old....oh the MEMORIES! ;)

Not sure if it's because I have twins ... but I've never been that mom who put shoes on her kids when they weren't really walking. I guess I don't see the point.  They didn't want to keep them on (still don't) and I found it to be a waste of money. Perhaps if I just had one babe -- I would have indulged a little more.  Who knows.

When we started buying shoes -- again - we kept it simple.  I've splurged here and there on shoes for the girls, but usually they have one or two main pairs and that's it.  Shoes are spendy (as in we dropped $100 today) and so the girls shoe wardrobe remains limited......

Anywho -- back to TODAY ..... we ventured out about 10am with our main goal to find good quality shoes .... and we were hopeful that the we'd find some that would be more challenging for the girls to remove.

To date -- I've not found anything that they can't get off pretty easily.  And, we struggle with it - big time.

They don't want to wear them anywhere -- including the park which is a FILTH pit ... or in the stroller on our walks -- and now with the temps in the 40's and 50's .. well, shoes are required.

I also wanted to get the girls the exact same pair.  In the past -- we've often gotten the same shoe in two different colors.  They've recently started really noticing what the other is wearing -- and so in the name of avoiding the shoe fight each day - we wanted two pairs of the same kind.

Sounds pretty easy, right?

When we've purchased shoes back at home - we've typically purchased Stride Rite or Pedipeds....good quality and pretty fashionable.

The mall we selected today had neither option - so we hit up an athletic shoe store that looked promising.

Here's how it all unfolded:

The girls' feet are no longer able to be measured while sitting in the stroller ... they need to stand up on the foot measuring tool ... so their chubby little (oxymoron?) feet can be accurately measured.

Basically - letting them out of the stroller was like letting monkeys out of a cage they'd seemingly been in for about 10 years.

Gone was the nicely organized racks of shoes.  Gone was the peaceful shopping atmosphere.  Gone was my sanity.

Oh how I wish I had this chaotic even documented in photos -- but here is the one blurry pic I managed to take.

In store #1 - Ms. K did not want to be measured.  Instead - she started checking out all the shoes ... attempting to try on anything she could get her hands on....from size WAY TOO SMALL to a men's size 14.  Not kidding.

Ms. R obliged with measurements ... but wasn't at all interested in trying anything on.

Once we FINALLY had the shoes on the girls ... they came around to the idea that it was fun to prance around the store in spankin' new shoes.

Ms. K had on a pair of WHITE, WHITE Nike's ... not at all what I had in mind.  And, they were size 9 -- the correct size, but they looked HUGE.

Ms. R was sportin' some Puma (white and pink) ... somewhat cute, but again, not really what I had in mind.

So -- we basically had two little girls prancing around the store in shoes neither of us were fond of.

On top of that - they didn't have two of the same kind that worked for both girls.

Time to get the shoes OFF and head to the next store.

Ha ha -- meltdown #1.

Basically had to pull off the "new shoes" ... daddy carried both (screaming) babes out of the store (shoeless) and set them down in the middle of the mall to regroup and get old shoes back on.

Now the girls were on foot - lose in the mall - there was no going back into that stroller.

Store #2: We thought we found a pair (that we could both agree on), but now the size 9 in the previous store was way too big on Ms. K.

The hunt began for size 8.5.

The store was super busy ... and low staffed.

Ms. R was trotting around in size 11 rain boots -- and trying on jewelry.

Ms. K was wearing the "too big size 9" shoes -- when we learned that NOPE ... none avail in our size.

Options were limited in this store for some reason - so we bolted.

Again - with two very unhappy, shoeless girls .... back into the middle of the mall.

Our eyes darted for another shoe store.

Please, Lord, don't make this a fruitless trip.  We've come this far....I thought to myself....which wasn't far at all considering we had NOTHING after 2 hours.

Store #3..... Sketchers.

Lots of bling and glittery shoes for the girls.  Not my typical style.... but the store was empty and we came upon a very nice and helpful salesman.

The girls were, of course, drawn to the bling and glitter!

I (kindly) told him --- we needed two pairs size 9 shoes of the SAME kind ... and they had to have laces that could be tied tightly.

He quickly headed to the back --

Meanwhile ... the destruction began.  The nice display was immediately knocked over.  Our efforts to keep them from dismantling the entire store - completely useless.

To make matters worse -- there was a huge gum ball machine in the middle of the store.

Free gum balls.

Seriously.

No quarters required?

Just the turn of the handle and the girls had huge white gum balls in their little mitts.

They were in pure heaven.

The nice salesman returns .... with 6 boxes.

At this point - I really didn't give a rat's patoot what the shoes were going to look like.

The hubs grabbed the pink ones (as opposed to silver) ... managed to get them on Ms. K.

The glitter -- the metallic canvas -- and me oh my -- the red lights blinking on these shoes!!!!

Ms. K was sold!

And ... it didn't take long for Ms. R to join in the fun.

Both girls .... shoes on feet -- literally DANCING around the store.

Oh - and you should have seen Ms. R -- she spotted a life-size cardboard cutout of a man wearing Sketchers and she managed to push him from the back of the store all the way to the front -- all in her new shoes!

I can't make this stuff up people!

It seemed like we were nearing the end.....but not quite yet ...

On the way into the store -- the hubs spotted a pair of shoes he wanted to try on.

Really daddy?? ;)  You STILL want to try on those shoes?????

But - he has issues finding shoes that fit well -- so I (patiently) obliged him.

All the while -- the girls danced and pranced and took over the store.

And by took over -- I mean .... went up to the front window and started waving to passers by.

One women commented ... "what a great marketing tool" ...

Mind you - they are still in their new shoes!!

Ms. K had the most fun with it -- people would stop to smile and wave at the girls and she just lit up.  Her smile was priceless.

Ms. R on the other hand ... got over the attention and started tearing apart the window display.

Ahem ...... TIME TO GO DADDY!!!!!!!!!

Only this time .... the girls pretty willingly went back into the stroller WITH their new shoes on.

We were DONE.

Shoes were PURCHASED.

Mommy and Daddy -------------- EXHAUSTED...... a mere 3 hours later.

I am really not sure if this process will ever get easier.  I seriously have my doubts.  All I can do is be thankful shoe shopping only comes up a few times a year (so far) and that daddy and I are such a great team.

Not to say I'm against calling in MORE team members next time.

Hello??

Anyone??

Hello??

Not a problem ... just let me know.....

Oh ... and hope you're starting your week with a SMILE.... really it's the least that I can do.....don't feel obligated to volunteer!

With love,
Cuz I'm the mama!