An Evening Out

The title is really a lie.

Well, unless you count a quick trip to Kohls, Target and the Y an evening out.

First off, the only reason that I was leaving my warm house and family on a cold, snowy Sunday night was because I needed to go to Kohls to pay my credit card bill.  Yes, I am bizarre like that.  I take care of all of our bills online, but my Kohls credit card is not one that I use that regularly, so I just pay it as it comes.  Well, actually I remember the day it is due and than I pay it in store on that day (yes, I realize that it makes zero sense, it is just one of those things that I do).  And it is craziness like that which draws me out of the house on a Sunday evening in January.  As I changed into Yoga pants in anticipation of a quick run at the Y, I caught myself wishing for a friend to run with, running with someone is a great motivator.

I walked into the store and took care of the bill.  I wandered past all the clearance clothes and thought again how I really, really need a new wardrobe- maybe a whole new look- when I lose this last 15 pounds of baby weight.  But now is not the time.  I need to resist the urge to shop when I am postpartum- it makes no sense, because whatever I buy will no longer fit in another month.  And so the waiting game persists.

The baby section was nearby so I went in to see if there were some footie pjs for Berean and Everyn.  There was a pair of girl 2t footies for $5 on the rack.  I considered them.  I do laundry once a week, so it is really nice for her to have 8 pairs of pjs, since she still wears that stinky diaper.  Wow, 8 pairs of footies, that seems like a lot.  It isn't that hard to gather that many pairs, however, since she still can wear some of her 12 month ones as well as 18 months and now 2t.    The NFL playoffs were on and I knew she was home sporting a pair of the boys old football footies.  The holes in the toes are only very small, and her feet don't reach the ends anyway.  $5, should I buy them?  No, I decided, she doesn't need them.  Saving $5 here and there is what makes people rich. Actually, inventing facebook makes people rich, but that has already been done. I do what I can.

I left Kohls emptyhanded: visions of my children's full closets firmly documented in my mind.

Target was next.  I only needed a couple of things there, and considered the possibility of getting out of the store for less than $50.  Target is a money sucker.  They sell so many things there and it seems that there is always something to be purchased.  I head for the nursing bra section and made my selection.  A nursing cami caught my eye.  $26.  My eyes quickly slid to the promise of it slimming my tummy.  Tempting.  "No" my mind shouted.  "You do not need to spend $26 to slim your tummy, go get on a treadmill for free and do it yourself!"  Of course, treadmills and Y memberships are not free either, but I was living in the moment and not concerned about such details.  I determined to run a 7 min mile at the Y.

And then I moved on to pick out a bag of french fries.  I vaguely wondered what I was doing.  My mind is screaming about 7 min miles, while I am picking out french fries.    I thought about the inconsistencies in my life as I wandered by the valentine's candy.  Thoughts like that helped prevent me from buying more starbursts, so I headed to the checkout lane with only 2 items: a nursing bra and a bag of french fries.  You gotta love Target.

The Y was next.  I had time for a quick run before heading home for bedtime routines.  I was walking down the corridor when I heard someone calling my name.  I turned around to see a woman I know from homeschool gym and swim.  She was heading up to the the fitness floor, so we found treadmills together and got a nice run in.  No, I didn't attempt my 7 min mile, but I did run a couple of 9 1/2 ers and walked a little too.  And on top of that, we had a nice conversation.

Hmmm...

Kohls, Target and running with a friend.

Maybe that can be considered an Evening Out.