Hope for the future...

So this is a Mini Cooper. A Mini for short. I stalk them. I call out to my family when we pass one on the street. An obsession? you may well ask. Yes, perhaps, but only a little one. When I finally finish my degree I get to go in debt up to my eyeballs and buy a Mini. Theoretically, that should happen sometime this decade.

Meleah and I went shopping today. The annoying thing about that is that the younger two had to tag along. I don't mind them tagging, but they whined. I hate whining.

Meleah spent some money on clothes to take to church camp next week with my parents' church and to Baltimore the following week. At least she can wear shorts to Baltimore. Bless her heart, she is heading for Hot Springs for a week of wearing dresses and capri pants. I do not envy that...

Back to the shopping though, Meleah did an excellent job picking through what was available to find really cute clothes that were marked way, way down. Today we went to shops frequented by her friends. Normally, we shop at Kohl's, Penny's, Target, TJ Maxx and Old Navy, along with the thrift store down the street from us. And manage to not have her looking like everyone else. But today we went to Cato and Rue 21, which had cool stuff. And they had much stuff on sale, which helps our shopping experience.

Speaking of Baltimore, Meleah figured out just how little liquid is allowed in carry-on luggage (which includes hair products and cosmetics). That may inspire her to have to check baggage. Personally, I am hoping to totally avoid checking baggage since it is such a short trip. I believe that I can get everything I need for five days in a carry-on. Meleah, is not so convinced. (I do think that I will have to take a real suitcase to Virginia, though. Two weeks of living out of carry-on is too much even for me.)

The big kids are testing at Karate tonight to see if they get stripes to wear on their belts to indicate that they are complete novices no longer.