Not Really Impressed and Other Disasters.

Let's see, how was the Shop Hop Bus Tour??? Well, personally for me, I was greatly disappointed and if I had had to pay for any of it, I would have felt gypped. My first store was Scrappy Chic, which I love, but because I didn't know what to expect with the other stores, I didn't buy anything there, but I WISH I HAD! They always have what I want and the other stores did not to say the least. We did a really cool make and take there that was one of those framed glass necklaces, actually we did 2 of them and I was impressed that the make n takes in general were not cheap and not well thought out. So, as we were leaving it was pouring. My friend and I hopped on the bus and sat in the very back row. BIG MISTAKE!! I sat in the middle in the back row and I could see the road ahead of us and not to mention because of the rain, I had two leaks behind me one on each shoulder blade and one in front of me between my legs. My only consolation was that the rain did eventually stop, but not before the bus driver almost killed us and began fish tailing on the expressway due to a suddenly stopped vehicle. Next it was on to "Scrapbookers Inc." I'm not sure where it was exactly, but I think White Lake somewhere. It was a nice store, but because they were in the process of moving, they hardly had anything in stock, NOT COOL! The make n take was nice, a clip board that you hang with a ribbon and we stamped and embossed on it. It is pretty and I have it hanging in my hallway. Next we ate lunch, which was delicious and one of the only redeeming qualities of the whole trip and then it was on our way to "Maggie's Scrapbooking." Honestly, I don't remember where that one was. Here shop looked good when you first walked in, modern with lot's of room and a decent sized crop space, but she didn't have anything new, not even the new Making Memories stuff, which I thought was almost pretty standard in most stores, guess I was wrong. We made an ok plastic purse thing that we used glue and glitter on. Have you heard the saying that "Glitter is the STD of craft supplies?" You know it's true, once you get it on you, it takes forever to get rid of. Then finally, as we are running tremendously late, we head to fricking Sterling Heights to "Scrapbookers Emporium." Snooze fest and horribly ugly and long and boring make n take, I won't even describe it to you as I will spare you the U-G-L-Y details. We got there at about 4:45 and we were supposed to be back in Livonia at 5pm?!?!?!?! I had to be back home at least by 5:45 to get Stella ready for her Dance Recital, so I knew I was screwed and the other ladies didn't hesitate to tell me the same. We left that store at around 5:30, luckily and I was dropped off by my friend at 6:45 at the venue for the recital. I was so happy to see Stella there looking beautiful in her bun, kitty ears, makeup and kitty kat whisker face, which I was informed by my 4 year old that it was done in MARKER!?!?!? Luckily once I talked to daddy, he informed me that it was washable marker. MEN! Also, just before they were due to line up to go on stage she informed me that not only did she have to go potty, but she had to go #2, why now??? Well, everything went off without a hitch and in the end I bought her a rose to boot. The next morning when talking to her grandma on the phone who did not attend the recital, she told her that she "got a flower because she WON the dress rehearsal." I had to keep from laughing out loud as she was completely serious. My MIL told me that I did the right thing by getting her that little pink rose, because it was all she could talk about the morning of the recital.

Well, bed time for her that night was delayed by about 2 hours and we didn't even stay past the intermission, but the next day, she was just in a rotten mood by about 4pm and by 7pm we had had it, her screaming and whining at the drop of a hat was not what we could handle after such a long weekend. But, what made me really sad was that in the midst of struggling to get her ready for bed, teeth brushed and pj's on, she questioned if I loved her. What? Was this really something that was ever in doubt? Do brand new 4 year olds actually ask their parents if they love them? Did I do something horribly wrong? Have I failed at something? Tell me, have you ever been asked this by someone so young?

After all the good this weekend, I only hold tight right now to that one thought that lingered in my babies heart, "Momma, don't you love me?"