Where's Your Shoe, Cinderella?!

If you follow my adventures you already know how very much I loath Holiday shopping in stores. Most gifts were bought on-line this year and will continue to be in the coming years at least until both my boys can stay home w/ a sitter. However there is still a need for groceries during the Holidays and last week we were in dire need. 


Snow was in the forecast and Hubby gets his panties in a bunch at the mere thought of the frozen stuff. I knew he'd pull my keys if I attempted to go any other day so after Jaxon got out of PreSchool Monday morning, we set out for an adventure to the land of Wally World... a week from Christmas.


Our lil' adventure started out really well. Since we would get to town at dinner time I decided before we left that we'd stop at McDonald's for lunch. They have Chipmunk toys in their Happy Meals right now and I knew that would make Jaxon's day and work as a bribe all at the same time! To avoid an argument I ordered Max his very 1st Happy Meal (to share w/ Mommy) so he'd get a toy of his own as well. After finishing our dinner we were on our way.


It was cold that day but the parking lot was packed for a Monday afternoon so I didn't even bother trying to get close to the door. We bundled up in our winter gear and pushed our way through the wind to the entrance to Hell! There were people everywhere! I don't if certain individuals get the entire week off for Christmas but I am sure some of those Bozo's should have been doing something other than last minute shopping!


I needed some supplies from the craft isle for Jaxon's Christmas party so we made our way over (to the opposite side of the store that I needed to be on), to hunt for something they didn't carry anyway! And why did they have to go and move the crafts next to the toys?! Jaxon began his usual, "I just want to pick out 1 toy!", routine about the same time that Max decided he'd had enough of riding in the school bus sized cart we always have to get!


I settled with Jaxon on "looking not buying" and we headed over to the toys. Just as we were finishing an argument on whether or not my new niece/nephew would like a "rubbery creature" as a Christmas gift, Max went and kicked off one of his shoes. Luckily I was paying attention. After putting his shoe back on for what must have been the 125th time that day we headed towards the grocery isle. 


We had just finished picking out which types of chips to use in our cookies when I noticed that Cinderella was once again missing his shoe! I told Jaxon to walk around the side isle we were in and look on the backside to see if it was lying on the floor... it wasn't. We began backtracking through the store in panic mode and ended up stopping a sales clerk to have her ask over the walkie if anyone had seen a toddler's shoe... no one had. 


The clerk suggested that I finish my shopping and ask again at customer service before leaving the store. I decided that was a good idea but figured I might as well stop and look at shoes while we were standing there just in case. We picked out a new pair reluctantly and made our way back to the groceries. I can't even tell you how many things I forgot that day. We ended up going back through several isles several times because all I could think about was how badly I wanted to just be at home!


We wrapped up our shopping and waited in line for 15 minutes at customer service just to discover that no one had found the tiny shoe. I left my name and number and a brief description of the shoe with the clerk and headed to the checkout, sick to my stomach. That shoe was a hand-me-down from Jaxon. It was the shoe both the boys learned to walk in. A tiny pair of Nike Shocks my Mom had bought for Jaxon's 1st birthday... a pair I would have never sold on a garage sale but would have tucked away in a keep sake trunk to show them both one day!


I am still waiting for a phone call... unfortunately it's been over a week now and my hopes have completely faded that the shoe will be returned to us. AND I have now decided (after another trip to Wally World yesterday), that Max's shoes will be removed at the door upon entering... he gave me another scare in the electronic isle! Thank goodness the shoe ended up under the cart this time!!!