An adventure so epic...

I remember a time, when I felt like i couldn't go anywhere without my kids.

They were little, attached, and couldn't be left alone.

 I would wait for Lee to get home, then sneak out the garage door before they could even sense I was leaving, just to return something to Target or grocery shop alone, uninterrupted.

It was a real treat.

I dreamt of days of freedom, days of when one of them would be old enough to watch the others while I ran out.

Fast forward 4 successful potty training's, 4 kindergarten graduations, and 2 visits from the puberty gods, and here we are now...freedom.

It was great at first.

Then it got boring. In some twisted way, I missed their company.

And so I would tell them I was going to run some errands, anyone want to come?

No takers.

I had to get clever.

So, I announce to the village people that I am about to embark on an adventure so epic, no one will want to miss it. There will be stores filled with food samples, great places to play hide and seek, wide aisles for wearing their heelies and wheeling around.

Stores filled with toys and even video games to play on.

Escalators to ride up and down on...

more fun and adventures than you can imagine!

"Off to run errands again mom? Can you get more hot pockets while you're at costco? And if you really make it to the mall, check out the vans store and see if they have those shoes in my size yet. See ya."

Really, still no takers?!

And so, I resort to bribery. 

"I will let you pick out a king size of your favorite candy bar!"

Kendall pipes in, "King size candy bar AND a churro from costco and we're in."

I take the deal, load up the two youngest and head off.

My afternoon is full of running in the aisles, playing tag in the grocery store, bumping into other shoppers, arguing over the current "made up rules of costco tag" and lots of "how many more stores?"

I get lots of looks from other shoppers. 

That one that says, "keep your kids in line."

And I feel like saying, "Yah, they begged to stay home with their older brothers. I could have come here all alone, Scot free. Instead, I am actually paying them with chocolate and sugar sprinkled pastries to come and stress me out and annoy the heck out of you!"

What is wrong with me?!

I don't know, but this makes me smile big everytime I look at it.