I'll Just Make a Quick Run...

"I'll just make a quick run up town on my lunch break for the last things on my birthday party list." 

When you are throwing a birthday bash, regardless of how prepared you are, how many lists you've made, how many items you've crafted and how many RSVP's you've calculated, it always comes down to the last list of random items to complete the vision. In this case, we're throwing a circus themed party! I'm very excited about it as it ties in well with the girls' latest love of The Greatest Showman.

I want to take you moms along on the whirlwind lunch hour that consisted of those last little tidbits. I swear this kind of thing always happens to me. In our family, we call it "Epley Luck" and I'm sure you have your own name for the ironic moments that I'm about to share with you. When all else fails, you just have to make humor of these kinds of situations. So let's dive in!

First, let's start with the smoldering heat. I instantly transformed from working office woman to sweaty Betty, but one must power through and let go of the fact that my curls and makeup were on point today. It's fine.

I take off and head up town with my inner optimist is saying "Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby and Hy-Vee are literally in a triangle. You've got this!" I crank up the tunes (and blast the air) and head to stop light number one.......................still sitting there........................a minute passes, then two, then three................the lane across from me gets to go first to make the left. I start tapping my foot and thinking about the precious minutes that are slipping away on my errand packed lunch hour. Finally it's green.

I make a right turn into Hobby Lobby........car nearly hits me crossing over to get Taco Bell. I really hope fine sir that your tacos are top notch! I park and run in, making a bee line to the party aisle with the circus items. I see a lady turn into the aisle ahead of me and I think to myself, "please for the love of wine, don't stop in front of the circus decor." Where do you think she stopped? Yep. Right there. I nicely say "excuse me" and was able to quickly grab my three items. The checkout process was fast, which never happens at Hobby Lobby on lunch hour. So I was thankful and feeling positive that Dollar Tree would be just as quick.

I run into Dollar Tree and speed walk to the party aisle on the hunt for two number 5 candles. I scan the shelf.....1.......2......3.......4.........................6 and so on. Apparently everyone in Quincy has a five year old who will have a shiny number 5 on top of their cake. I opted for individual candles, being that it was my only option. It's important for them to practice counting anyway, right? I go to get a gold number 5 balloon. I scan the shelf.....1.......2......3.......4.........................6 and so on. Yep you guessed it. All of those other 5 year olds will be enjoying a gold balloon. I tell myself that the balloon isn't the end of the world and make my way on the hunt for food scoops for the snacks. I searched high. I searched low. I almost gave up. I asked for help and by golly they had scoops in a weird spot. Yay!

Checkout time at Dollar Tree on lunch is always nuts, yet I always find myself there. Why is that? Only because it's so much easier to go without kids, because with everything being $1, it's really easy to wrack up your bill and before you know it, you've spent $50 on random stuff. That's similar to the lady in front of me who (I wish I was kidding) purchased 100 individual bottles of bubbles. It was either stand behind her or the sweet elderly lady with a cart load and several items to return on the second register. I stood ever so patiently as the cashier scanned them one by one. Beep.........beep.........beep..........BEEEEEEEEP. I swear they got louder with each one as I also heard my lunch minutes ticking away. It's been a while since I've worked a register, but isn't a quantity button much easier?

100 bottles later, I get to check out! The cashier was incredibly friendly, which actually calmed me down as my inner rage monster was about to be awakened by all of the bubble beeps. I had 15 minutes left and Hy-Vee across the street. Yep I'm doing this! I crank up the tunes (and blast the air) and head to the stop light.......................still sitting there........................a minute passes, then two, then three................the lane across from me gets to go first to make the left. I start tapping my foot and thinking about the precious minutes that are slipping away on the remains of my errand packed lunch hour. Finally it's green. Do you ever wonder how much of our lives we spend sitting at stop lights? I'm getting off on a side note here...back to shopping!

I find an open (far away) parking spot, grab a tiny cart, sweat some more and head into Hy-Vee. This sweet elderly man pulls in front of me with his motorized shopping cart. I simply smile at him and wait for him to pass. My inner crazy momma freaked out for a second, but my mission for caramel apple bar toppings had to go on. I actually tracked down everything down fairly easily. And....in case you didn't know, Hy-Vee now has SELF CHECKOUT! That's right! I scanned, paid, continued sweating and carried my bags to the mom mobile with maybe two minutes left of lunch hour.

I fly back to the office and realize that I am freaking starving. Thankful for delivery services right now and the large chocolate chunk cookie that I added to my order. Sometimes we just have to take a deep breath and enjoy a chocolate fix!

That all being said, this mom is all set for a night without sleep where I decorate and bake! Who needs sleep anyway? After all is said and done, I can't wait to celebrate my five year olds! They will never know the chaos that ensued. To them it will all be magical and that's what matters most. So bring on the stop lights, sweat, bottles of bubbles and lack of the number five. It's almost party time!