Birthdays are great!

With January, comes the New Year-but for us we get to celebrate some special birthdays. Megan and Mason both have January birthdays. It is always a little hard to plan for them, because we are just coming off of the holidays and they already get so many gifts at Christmas. Then, I face the fact that the week after Christmas the toy sections etc. are depleted. So, I really have to be on the ball.

This past year, my cousin Kim gave me the idea that she had done with her girls (because they are all getting older). That the girls could either have a birthday party, or they could take one friend and the money that we would have spent on a party and go on a shopping spree. Well-Mikayla did this last year, and it was a BLAST, and I loved it, because there was no prep work, and I got to spend time with her.

This year Meg turned 9 and she wanted the cash too. SO, we told her to pick her very best friend or someone that meant alot to her and invite them for an evening of shopping and dinner. She picked her cousin Ashley. Now this was an experience in itself. I think I laughed more this night than I have in a long time. Have you ever shopped at the mall with 9 year olds? Hmmmm well let me give the run down.

First to preface this all (and I love you dearly Suzie-Suzie is Ashleys mom), this all started as Ash was getting out of the van. Suz is a bargain shopper, a coupon clipper and a deal finder. Steve only wishes I would be that way. But-in the meantime of all the bargains, Ash has become her mother. It cracks me up. The first thing she said as she was getting out of the car was "Aunt Ker-I have an $8 off coupon at Build a Bear!". I was cracking up. I also raz Suz a lot about this and she heard Ash and was dying. OK so the question is--How many 8 year olds are looking for bargains and are using coupons? Again Steve thinks I should take note and teach the girls this concept. My girls dont even have a clue what sales items mean! (bad mom)

This experience was not like a Mikayla experience. Kayla was all about clothes and accessories-as was her friend. So I gave Megan her loot and I gave Ash $20. Do you think I could get them into a clothing store? Not on your life! They had their route picked out throughout the whole mall. Needless to say, we own another build a bear and a few outfits, and Ashley used her $8 coupon and got an outfit for $2. Now thats a bargain! LOL! We came home with 3 more webkinz pets-and they were on sale too. PLUS they each got a winnie the pooh which was 70% off the original price, and we ended up with new diaries for $6 each. I did make Meg buy some new snowboots though. Wow what a night! We had dinner and by the time we got home they already had their first diary entries entered.

Oh the life of a little girl. I love my Megs, and I was so glad to spend time with her, get a good chuckle, and enjoy watching her and Ash make some fun choices for themselves.