Shoe shop for a great cause!

Good news shoe lovers! Throughout October, which is NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, Marshall's stores is donating $1 for every pair of shoes you buy to the National Domestic Violence hotline.

With domestic violence reports up at an alarming rate, every $1 counts! So run to Marshall's and stock up on your Maryjane flats and cute and toasty Ugg boots.

New shoes & helping a great cause? Everybody wins! Especially the victims of domestic violence!

Somerset Collection

Today, Xander and Mommy went shopping at the Somerset Collection in Troy for Mommy's "back-to-school" clothes. Even us teachers need some new school outfits to look fashionable throughout the season (makes going back to work more tolerable!) Today, is also the day I decided to never again take a toddler to the mall.
Now that Xander can press a button and unlock himself out of his stroller, he refuses to stay seated. "I want out! Want to walk!"
He stiffens and wails when Mommy tries to put him back in the stroller upon one of his escapes. Besides putting a straight jacket on the kid, he's so stubborn he will get his way or die trying. "I want to walk!"

Ducking into the Gap dressing room to try on some jeans and pants, I let him walk around in my tennis shoes to keep him quiet. "I smell kaka, Mama." So I change his pull-up right there on the Gap floor on the dressing room. Five minutes later. "I smell kaka again."
Mommy changes it again. Mommy struggles to get toddler back in stroller. Mommy forces toddler against his will back into stroller. Toddler screams bloody murder. Salesgirl asks if things are alright.

Things are alright as Xander escapes from his stroller again and runs out into the mall.
Never again. In three hours, all I managed to buy is one shirt and two pairs of socks. Between tantrums, feedings, changings, strapping into stroller, there wasn't any time or any sanity left to shop. This teacher has finally learned a lesson.