The Big "O".

Don't worry....this is still a very family-friendly blog. No, I'm not talking about THAT Big "O" :) I'm talking about my first experience at an IKEA store......The big "O" stands for totally OVERWHELMED, OVERSTIMULATED, and OVERSPENT! Whew. What a place. It takes a long time to even get over the brightness and loud colors and huge crowds, and once you figure out how to even begin making your way through the store.....wow, what an experience. I was planning a short "run in and check it out" type of trip, but I ended up being in there for nearly 2 hours. There are so many room displays and little gadgets and so much stuff to look at, that it is totally visual candy scattered over something like 20 acres.

I could have done some serious damage in that store. Some of it is poorer quality, but a lot of it is just plain fun and colorful and design-savvy. So what did I end up with in my cart?

• 8 Colored storage bins for Kennedy to sort her little toys and collectibles into.
• New curtains for Kennedy's room.
• New curtains for my newly painted laundry room (so cute).
• 4 sets of magnets for our chalk board.
• a metal tree that I am going to use for a Tree of Thanks to hang tags on throughout the month of November (a separate post will be coming on this.)
• a few random stocking stuffers for the kids.
• A new striped rug for the laundry room.

So, I got out with a grand total of $130.62. Not bad. And the look on the old guy's face as he watched me taking a photo of myself in the IKEA parking lot. Priceless. I chuckled about it all the way home.

What a great weekend, but I'm so happy to be home and cuddling with my kids. I even got to come home to a clean house....what an amazing husband I have. Thanks, Honey. You know how to make me feel like the most blessed woman in the world. Love you.