Target has sooo missed the target--BEWARE!

I am fed up with Target right now. Daniel had his boss pick up a pair of shoes for me while she was shopping there. She owned the shoes, and he really liked them and wanted them for me. Daniel told her that I wear a 7.5 which is correct. However, he brings them home, and they are just a bit too small on me. I really needed an 8. No big deal, I thought. I will just go and exchange them for the correct size. No big deal, ha!

Target by far has THE WORST return policy of any store I have ever shopped at. Apparently, you must have the receipt to do anything at all. I could not even exchange the size on them. They were clearly a Target product considering they are Isaac Mizrahi--their brand. Yet, they refused to be of any help. I asked for the costumer service number to complain. I called that, but I was met with the same crap of not being to do anything.

I am just blown away that a company that deals with people to make money would be so terrible at it. Maybe instead of assuming that all costumers that bring in items with out a receipt to return are returning stolen merchandise as the cause for having poor sales and start focusing more on the costumer, they would actually make more money. IDIOTS!!!

So for the record, you will need to do the following things in order to return anything there:

1. Have a receipt.

2. Make sure the item was not purchased more than 90 days ago.

3. Make sure that you have not returned more than two items in one year (yes, they will only let you return two things a year-- no joke).

4. Smile pretty.

5. Offer to wash and wax the employee's car that is handling your return.

6. Find a genie in a bottle and make a wish that they will take your item back.

7. Perform animal sacrifice in the return department to honor the Target gods.

8. and threaten to put a curse on any employee that stands in the way of said return.

And if that doesn't work, I reccomend shopping elsewhere. Don't find yourself with two new bookends that look like cute shoes like I have.

To read more return horrors, go here.

Gabriella Grace Anderson 04/11/06- 10/03/07

Well, this has been a rough week for me, and I am just now able to really write this down today. A dear friend of mine, Randy, lost her little girl, Gabby, on October 3 from a very rare and aggressive brain cancer called AT/RT. Gabby was only a few days shy of turning 18mths old. She was actually born the day after my precious Leila.

I have been in close communication with Randy since the diagnosis, and it just moves me to see her strength throughout Gabby's battle. It is truly inspirational. Gabby left this earth with the people that loved her the most surrounding her, and I believe she carried all that love with her. She has touched so many people and was a reminder to take advantage of the precious little time we have here. She will forever hold a special place in my heart.

In the end, Gabby really lived up to her name, "Strength in battle".

To read more about Gabby please go here.

Please don't call CPS

Daniel and I were discussing what our plan was for dinner tonight. He has to head into to town for a meeting, but he said that he would pick up a pizza for us on his way home. I explained that the kids would be in bed by the time he got home, though. So, we were trying to figure out a way for him to get home sooner.

At that point, Ava is really excited at the possibility of pizza for dinner and decides to throw her two cents into the conversation:

Ava: "Daddy, I really think you should bring me pizza home for dinner."

Daniel: "Oh, yeah. Why is that?"

Ava: "Because....I don't think Mommy really wants to feed me anymore."

Gee, thanks kid! Hopefully, she doesn't say things like this to strangers, or I could get in some real trouble.

I knew this day would come...

So up until recently, Ava has had absolutely no interest in picking out her own clothes. I was stupid enough to actually believe I could get through the preschool years without this struggle.

Well, that has all changed now. Ava insisted today that she was big enough to decide her own outfit. Fair enough, I thought. She seems pretty good at knowing what goes together when she helps me pick things out. I mean, maybe she just has a natural knack for style. So, I let her at it.

Well, Ava glides downstairs triumphantly declaring that SHE MATCHES! Oh, my sweet girl. Stripes and plaid together? You have so much to learn, my love. No worries. I was so proud of her for trying hard and for workin' it.

And yes, I certainly let her out in the neighborhood for our walk today in this. In fact, she was sure to tell everyone that she picked her outfit out. I was thrilled to see her so proud of herself. I could never take that from her.

What am I going to do with this kid?

Oh, Leila Rose is going to give me a heart attack one day soon. Today I ran outside for a minute to adjust the sprinkler while the girls were peacefully playing upstairs. I was only out for a couple of minutes when I came in to find that Leila had climbed on the kitchen counter. I have no idea exactly how she managed this, but I have a feeling the high chair was involved.

Anyway, I immediately go to pull her off since she was on a very narrow section of the counter only to find her munching on something. I stuck my finger into her mouth and pull out a small piece of it. She is eating Daniel's orange slice candy that was sitting in a jar on the counter!

Those of you that know me well know how anti-candy I am for young kids. I immediately stuck my finger back into your mouth to retrieve the rest of it. Of course, this sent her into a massive fit. I can't blame her though. I would be mad too if someone snatched candy out of my mouth. Once she recovered, she stood up with the saddest look on her face and begins to sign more...More...MORE! I laughed and told her that there was no way, and she begins her fit all over again. I fear a candy monster may have been created today. I need to figure out how exactly she managed to get up there and also hide the candy bowl.

Our evening walks

I am so happy that we are getting some relief from the oppressing heat and humidity we endure here in the Gulf region of Texas. It is rough when you can hardly let the kids outside to play for months on end. I mean, it is a sad thing when you are cheering for temps in the low 90's.

Anyway, I am thrilled to be able to take the girls on an evening walk everyday. We have been going up and down the streets of our new neighborhood. I have not met many of our neighbors since we have moved being that no one wants to venture outdoors longer than the time it takes to walk to or from their car. Now, I seem to be seeing many people outside tending to their yards or chasing kids around. I have met a few moms with two daughters that are similar ages as Ava and Leila. One in particular, I see every evening walking with her girls, and we always stop to chat for a minute. I still have not met any one I would call a friend as of yet, but it is nice to just meet new people.

The other great thing about our walks is that I am lugging 50+lbs of kids and wagon behind me. Let me tell you what a great workout that is. In the week that we have been going out, I have noticed a huge difference in my shape. I really haven't had the opportunity to work out well since moving and giving up access to a gym and remember the heat. So, this is great for me. I love the feeling that a good work out gives me. That and the body change is such a huge motivation to keep getting out there every evening. Not to mention that the girls LOVE riding in the wagon and look forward to it as soon as dinner is over.

Adventures in plane-making

We had a fun day making paper airlplanes. I don't know where Ava picked the idea up from, but she was so great at folding. Here are our results:

Mommy's

Ava's

...and Leila's

Hey, it flew when thrown hard enough. What more can you ask for from a 16mth old?