The kids and I ran errands galore this afternoon from noon until 4.  We hit four different stores to return things and purchase new things.  Meg warned me that I better be ready to buy and return with a new house since it takes a while to figure out your style for each room.  She was correct.  And I feel like I can’t spend money on anything more until I return what I don’t want.  Hence, why we had to hit four different stores.  I cannot stand to spend my time doing such tasks but I resolved it had to be done and put myself in the mindset to get it done.  It is a little easier to accomplish this task now that it is cold outside. 

The kids were surprisingly very good and even listened to me when I commanded them to come.  At the last store, I let them each buy a small toy for being so good. I have mixed feelings on that choice: I don’t want them to think they will always get that if “they act good” but I also dragged them all over god’s creation and thought a $5 toy was a special treat that they earned.  Who knows what the right answer is? Actually, the right answer is whatever we feel comfortable doing in that situation so I guess I picked the right answer. 

As we drove home, my friend Amy called and told me she was going to see the 6:30 pm movie, Happy Feet 2.  When she called, I was hesitant to commit because I wanted to continue to get the shopping done that I needed done.  But after walking in the front door and laying down our bags, I thought “what the heck” – I need a break and movie popcorn is too tempting.”  The movie theatre, Mill Run, serves food.  You sit at a counter and watch the movie.  It was strange.  I am not sure if I liked it better or not.  I kinda like the intimacy of the regular theatre seats where your shoulder is up against the next and the popcorn sits on the armrest between you.  But the kids liked it because it was something different. 

Jammin' with the chipmunks after the movie

 Happy Feet 2 did not impress me.  I thought it was rather dull and the only good music was in the beginning and the very end.  The baby penguin, Will, was cute but the plot never thickened to the point you cared and the entire movie seemed disjointed.  They tried to make some political points with global warming but I don’t think the kids got the subtlety with which they were made.  Nonetheless, the kids sat through the entire movie so they must have found it interesting (Mario did make me play with his wrestlers for about 15 minutes but stayed tuned in the rest of the time).

I would have rather seen Puss-n-Boots but that could have been just as bad.  I have never been a big kids movie fan.  Rio was the first one I had seen that I enjoyed.  But the popcorn was delicious, and Mario’s corn dogs weren’t bad.