Bits And Pieces
The McDonald’s in our mall has a new sign on their counter. It is a chart depicting how many containers of sauce you get with each of the different sized orders of chicken nuggets. Apparently, you get one sauce for a four nugget order. From a six piece to a nine piece you only get two. If you get the family sized order you get three. And if you want more, you pay a quarter a pop. They also refuse to trade the pop in a Happy Meal for a juice, like the new company campaign for better eating suggests. They will only let you have the juice if you pay a dollar over the cost of your happy meal and forgo the pop. This is the same McDonald’s that is running a Happy meal special with two surprise toys in each meal. The catch is that they only open one box of toys at a time so, if like me, you go in and order two Happy Meals, you get four of the exact same lame toy. Can we say Psycho Cheapskates? We don’t eat there much, but it’s always interesting.
I am the world’s most awesome mother because I spent an hour designing a super cool layout out of our Thomas the Tank Engine track and then I glued it together and onto an old coffee table so it is permanently set up and ready for play. We have about $400 worth (don’t freak out I bought almost all of it on major discount) of Thomas junk and the fact that it was all sitting there not being played with was making me crazy. Jonas couldn’t seem to drive the trains around the bridge without collapsing it and Maggie thought playing with it meant knocking the track off the table, so now- it’s all better! And the hottest toy we have! All thanks to Elmer’s glue!
We were out shopping last night and I was very stressed at Jonas, and questioning whether or not I was as ok mom, when this horrible woman walked into the store we were in with her four small children in tow. The kids were being fairly decent when all of the sudden she lit into them cussing up a storm, calling them every name in the book and using every combination of four letter words I’ve ever heard and a few new ones. The children looked unphased, which made it clear to me that this was a frequent occurrence. Jonas watched the entire thing, and I was very tempted to ask her to watch her language in front of my kids (I’ve humbled a fire-mouthed retired Colonel in the commissary, so it’s not like I’m a wuss) but she was so incensed I really thought she’d hit me, and filing assault charges would have taken up the rest of my evening, so I just watched her leave and patted myself on the back for being a decent mother.
I have spent the past few days listening to a constant barrage of, “I want noodles. . .I want go store. . .I want ice cream. . .I want apple juice. . .I want Gramma Sue. . . I want apple juice. . . I want watch movie. . .I want apple juice. . .” and “Where’d you get it? Where’d you get it? Where’d you get it?” The talking was fun at first, now I’ve reached the point where I am really looking forward to preschool next year!
Oh! Good News! My Camera Is On It’s Way Home From The Evil, Bad Warranty People At Best Buy! It’s Fixed! They Say I’ll Have It In My Hot Little Hands By Tuesday! I’m So Excited I’m Capitalizing Things!
If anyone out there has some baby shoes in size 3 and up they would like to send me, that’d be great. I’m having a horrible time finding shoes for Maggie. Correction, I’m have a horrible time finding shoes within my pathetic budget. I found an adorable pair of K-Swiss shoes for Maggie. I just couldn’t pay $40 for something she was going to outgrow in six weeks. Our Payless bites and I couldn’t find anything in her size at Target. Even Gymboree doesn’t have any good shoes out right now! Where are all the shoes people?
Oh and speaking of shoes, Jonas did the cutest thing yesterday! He had just put his shoes on the wrong feet and was sitting on the floor with his feet in front of him. I told him he needed to switch them and he said no. I told him we couldn’t heave until he put them on the right feet. He thought about it for a second, grinned and me and then crossed his legs so it looked like the shoes were right. Cute and brilliant, folks!
Thanks for de-lurking, my readers! How fun to get to know you guys a bit! Thanks for being here!
I know somebody who has some stuff to get rid of. If you send me your address, I can send a pair or two of little girl shoes your way. G’s sister was just lamenting how I didn’t have kids yet to pass the stuff on to.
Comment by Manda — January 14, 2006 @ 8:43 pm
I found your blog through blogexplosion. Wanted to let you know that I enjoyed reading your posts.
Comment by Julie — January 14, 2006 @ 9:08 pm
Some of the McDonald’s near us are doing the same thing. I haven’t been in one in a while but I wouldn’t doubt if they all do it now.
Good for you for having some patience while listening to that woman cuss out her kids. How sad that she does that. I hope someone has explained to those kids that is not the way to speak to people.
As usual, love reading your blog.
Comment by Shann — January 14, 2006 @ 10:26 pm
Thanks, for renting at LETS TALK ABOUT IT. I’ve posted a welcome for you there.
Comment by Larry Sadler — January 14, 2006 @ 11:26 pm
I think it’s the Happy Meal part. I get the kid a regular meal and replace the pop with milk, and the fries with the fruit yogurt thing.
Just go in next time and shout “Oh that Supersize Me dude must have been right!!!
Comment by tj — January 15, 2006 @ 12:37 am
The Target by me has all of their little girl shoes on clearance right now-$2.98 and $4.98! I bought a ton of size 3, 4 and 5 shoes for my DD that are really cute. Have you scoured the back aisles at your Target?
As for McDonalds, we always have the choice of fries or apples, and we always have the choice of pop, milk (chocolate or white), apple juice box, or a milk shake. There is only a slight charge for the milk shake, but other than that it’s all interchangeable. Wonder why!?
Comment by Tracy — January 15, 2006 @ 2:20 am
I’ve got a pair for her for when she get’s a little bit bigger. I was holding on to them but the third kid thing ain’t gonna happen and they are way to cute to gather dust. I’m gonna e-mail you a picture.
Comment by Irish Breen — January 15, 2006 @ 3:39 am
I’m still mad about the MacDonald’s. That is all.
Comment by Kathryn, the daring one — January 15, 2006 @ 4:05 am
So many topics I don’t know where to start. Hummmmmm I buy McDonald toys at a doll show I like for $1, love um. GIRL shoes, looks like you are getting some. Yeah! about your camera. Jonas shoes, verrry cute. I will no longer lurk . . . but I don’t aLways have anything to say. Don’t forget to laugh, its just LIFE.
Comment by Soli — January 15, 2006 @ 4:43 am
Flee! You don’t have to go there! Those play areas smell like sweat and farts, and the food isn’t much better. Plus, the toys don’t last
Comment by scott — January 15, 2006 @ 6:45 pm
That is so silly about McDonalds mine is similiar to the one above, they really don’t mind interchanges and don’t charge you for em. That is screwy!
Comment by Shannon (Sentimental) — January 16, 2006 @ 1:00 am
McDonalds is the equivalent of Walmart. Both evil. Let’s try to monopolize the market and make people pay for crap.
Comment by C- — January 16, 2006 @ 2:56 pm
Have you checked Ebay for shoes?
Comment by soapbox.SUPERSTAR — January 16, 2006 @ 7:58 pm
*sigh* very disheartening to read about your McDonald’s experience. Our local branches ALL willingly trade out the soda for a juice box for no extra charge and we often buy the apple slices and caramel dip for all of us as they are so yummy. Luckily kiddo is getting to the age where the toys don’t interest her too much and the food is not really enough now. Trying to phase her into the adult menu to fill her up.
Shoes…hmm, I would suggest Ebay too. I would send you the ones I have hung onto for the past 8 years as they were super cute, but I am kinda hoping I may have another squidgy baby to fit into them one day soon, so am being totally selfish and keeping them!
Good luck in your search Lou!
Comment by DenimRose — January 17, 2006 @ 6:00 am
Brilliant idea with the Thomas stuff. We have way too much of it stored in assorted bins, and the only time it gets used is when I pull it out.
Boycott that McDonald’s! That’s lunacy.
Comment by dena — January 17, 2006 @ 8:30 pm