Desperate for a Dress

Don't you hate it when you have to find something to wear to an event and you can't seem to find anything? Add to the mix that you have to carve out time to go shopping in the first place and you have a recipe for desperation.

This was the situation I found myself in up until this morning. My brother is getting married in two weeks. I will be in photos (although not many) of the blessed event and needed something decent to wear. This was not a situation of simply wanting something new, but I actually did not have a single thing to wear to this wedding.

And I have two kids, both of whom I love, but do not like to take clothes shopping with me. If you are a mom, you understand this. If you are not, then suffice it to say it is a big waste of time for me to take both of my boys with me for this type of shopping venture. There are just too many reasons to list them here.

So, I have been finding little bits of time when Casey is home to sneak away to a store (or two, if I'm lucky) to shop for a dress. I have had absolutely no luck. And going out in the evenings or on Saturdays when it's busy and I'd rather be home with my family has not been fun. Especially since I would come home empty-handed every single time.

I was starting to think that I was being too picky. I tend to be kind of picky. Or maybe I'm getting old and don't like the new styles. Entirely possible.

However, this morning my mom and I went to Northpark. I should have known to just go there in the first place. Logan rounded out our shopping trio since Ethan was at preschool. One kid, along with a mom to help, is easy as pie. My mom fed Logan puffs, loved on him, and helped me zip up my dresses all at the same time. Then, she helped me select the two (yes, two!) dresses that I ended up taking home.

I tried on a lot of dresses, people. Quite possibly the most dresses I've ever tried on at once. The amazing thing was that I ended up having several to choose from after weeks of no viable choices. Sorry the photo is blurry (I snapped it with my phone), but here they are all lined up in the dressing room (at Nordstrom).

What am I most glad about? The fact that I found a dress or that I don't have to go dress shopping again in the near future? Both, but definitely more excited about not shopping for a while!

Review: Baby Slings and Carriers

I have used three different baby slings/carriers with my two boys now. I am not a fan of lugging around a bulky infant car seat. And you can't beat being hands-free...especially with two kiddos. With both Ethan and Logan, I have prefered to "wear" them when I go out shopping instead of using a stroller just because it's easier for me. Babywearing is also handy for parents whose babies like to be held a lot and are difficult to comfort. Neither of mine were that way, but I still love babywearing. So, here are my opinions on each sling/carrier I've used:

1. Heavenly Bundle Sling. This is a traditional hammock-style sling. I used it with Ethan when he was under two months old. I loved this sling while Ethan was small, but as he got heavier, it was not as comfortable for him or me because all of the weight was on one shoulder. After a certain point, Ethan didn't like to be held in the cradle position any more either. However, you can use the sling with many different positions and even with a toddler. I didn't because of the aforementioned comfort issue.

Here is the Ethan sleeping peacefully in this sling. He is just a few weeks old here. Awww. I miss him being so tiny.

Here's a run-down of the pros and cons of the Heavenly Bundle sling (and likely most hammock-style slings).

PROS:
Easy to put on and put baby in and out
Folds up easily and compactly for diaper bag storage
Cute fabric choices
Several positions for baby
Usable up to toddlerhood (theoretically)

CONS:
Can hurt back because weight is carried on one shoulder
Not as comfortable to use with older/bigger babies (in my experience)

Can be difficult to find the right size for you and this brand of sling is not adjustable.

*I would like to note that you CAN use a hammock-style sling safely, although there have been some safety recalls lately. Use common sense and look at the tips on the Heavenly Bundle website to make sure you use this type of sling correctly and you'll be fine.

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2. The Baby Bjorn Carrier. This is what I used with Ethan after he "outgrew" the other sling. It was oh-so-helpful on our trip to Colorado when he was 2 months old. He slept really well in it, and as soon as I adjusted the straps to fit me well, it was fairly comfortable to wear. But it can still hurt your back just as any backpack would. And it's pretty awkward to store or carry with you.

The Baby Bjorn pictured in action in downtown Durango, Colorado with Ethan at 2 months old.

PROS:
Easy to put on and get baby in and out
Has head support for young babies

Breathable fabric
Dads may feel more comfortable wearing something like this as opposed to a sling
Baby can face in our out

Easy sizing (adjustable straps)

CONS:
Can cause some back pain, even when well-adjusted
Only two positions for baby; not as versatile
Awkward to store in diaper bag; bulky

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3. The Moby Wrap. My mom gave me this as a shower gift when I was pregnant with Logan. I was interested because I'd heard so many great things about it and because I knew it would be important for me to have a versatile sling/carrier now that I'd have two kids to keep tabs on when we were out and about. And it turns out that I love the Moby Wrap. It is by far the most comfortable and versatile of the three slings/carriers. It distributes the weight well, does not cut into your shoulders or back, and the fabric has some stretch to it. It's not perfect (see below), but the pros far outweigh the cons in my opinion.

Logan tucked away in the Moby Wrap at about 5-6 weeks old. Now I use this same wrap technique with him facing out and he loves it.

PROS:
Soft, stretchy fabric; available in many colors
Very comfortable to wear

Several different positions for babies and toddlers (even twins!)

Easy to master putting it on and baby inside

Easy sizing (one size fits all)

CONS:

Not as compact as I'd like just because of all the fabric

Learning curve to figure out the wrap techniques

*Here's a tip if you plan on using the Moby wrap...because there is so much fabric to this wrap, I have found it so much easier to throw it on quickly before we leave to go somewhere (if I know I'm going to use it when we get there). This way, you're not draging the ends in the parking lot or other dirty place when you put it on (it does touch the floor while you are wrapping it around yourself).

Talking Shopping List

Ethan and I did eventually venture out to Target last Saturday during the big thaw. So did everyone else in the area, apparently. This photo does not fully represent just how many people were there.

We did have a fun time picking up a few items and just being out of the house. I really like shopping with Ethan at this age. He still sits in the cart and is so fun to talk with while I'm shopping. He still doesn't ask to buy anything and is happy to just have a snack and water while I stroll around.

And I discovered that he can be really useful during a shopping trip too. When we were in the car on the way to Target, I asked him to remind me to get super glue before we left because I hadn't written that down on my list. (And I always forget things that are not on my list.) I was sort of just kidding...I didn't really expect him to remind me or to even remember himself. But he did. After I had gotten everything else, I remembered that I needed one more thing, but I couldn't think of what it was so I asked him. And he said, "super glue!" Cool. This will definitely come in handy.

It Never Hurts To Ask

This would be one of those things my mom taught me..."it never hurts to ask." Usually, I am too chicken to ask for things that I think are unreasonable or when people might tell me "no." But recently, I've been on a lucky streak that's proven my mom right...

1. Our new video baby monitor that Nonna (Casey's mom) got us before Logan was born was really acting up when he was about a month old. We had barely used it, obviously, so I was sure it was just a dud. But, I had already thrown out the gift receipt she gave us because I was certain that we wanted to keep the monitor. I didn't think about needing to return it because of a malfunction. We didn't even have the box or anything. And I knew she bought it at Target...infamous for terrible return policies no matter how much I love that store. I was just sure that they would give me a hard time, but I didn't have anything to lose. As it turns out, the returns clerk just took my drivers licence info and swapped it out for a brand new one just like that! Yipee! (New one works great, by the way.)

2. The adjuster piece on one side of my camera strap broke when we were at the lake house two weekends ago. I don't know what caused it, but I am sure glad that I was holding onto my big fat zoom lens and camera when it did break. I shudder to think of what could have happened if I hadn't been holding it. Anyway, I contacted Natalie at Cotton Candy by Natalie where I purchased my camera strap almost a year ago and asked her how I could get the part replaced. I still love my strap and didn't need to replace the whole thing. I offered to pay for the part, but she replied back that she would send it to me...for free! I didn't even have to pay shipping.

3. I had planned a photo wall with various frames at our old house just before we decided to sell. I even had the empty frames up on the wall. I didn't have a wall in our new house where I wanted to put the same frames up, although I have used a few of them separately. So I still had all these unused, but unwrapped frames from Aaron Brothers from over a year and a half ago. And no receipt. I decided to haul them into the store and see if they would let me exchange them. And you know what?...they did. They only gave me 80% of the full value of the frames because I didn't have my receipt and they were unwrapped. But, for goodness sake, that was way more than I was expecting. After the return and picking out some new frames and mats, I got out of there paying only $11. Sweet.

Save or Splurge?

After stocking up on several toiletries and other such items last week, I thought a little bit about why I buy what I buy. Specifically, which products I choose to splurge on and which products I try to save on. Here's a breakdown of a few items:

SAVE:

Body lotion: I put lotion all over my body every day, so I go through lotion like it's going out of style. And I've tried my share of brands. Ultimately, I choose to go with the generic version of the Vaseline lotion product and I've never been disappointed with it.

Shampoo & Conditioner: I've tried lots of brands of these products too. Some I will never again use (Pantene) and some I like a lot (John Frieda). But I am a TRESemme user now. I really like the product and how it makes my hair feel and act...and you really can't beat 40 fluid ounces for less than 4 dollars. I have to say that if I hadn't found a "save" option for my hair that I liked, I would definitely splurge in this area.

Body Wash: I have been using Ivory Moisturizing Body Wash (it's a liquid, not the bar) for years and I love it. It has a nice clean scent, it leaves my skin feeling great and again...you can't beat the size of the bottle for the price. It's husband-approved too (it doesn't smell like flowers or anything).

SPLURGE:

Body Lotion: Yep, it's in the splurge category too. I use the generic lotion on the majority of my body, but I am such a sucker for Bath and Body Works lotions and body creams. Sometimes I will use them everywhere, but most often I find I get more than enough scent by just using them on my arms. I love these more than perfume so this splurge is well worth it for me. Plus, I hardly ever have to buy them for myself...I get them for gifts all the time, which is fine with me!

Eye Shadow: All of my makeup is of the grocery store variety, with this one exception. I used that kind of eye shadow for a while and ended up going back to my old faithful...Clinique Eye Shadow Duo. This is hands-down the best eye shadow I have ever used. I love my stand-by colors and the formula is so smooth. I have given up trying to find anything cheaper that stands up to it. So, I definitely splurge on this one.

Razors: I pay for convenience on this splurge item. All razors are expensive, but the Schick Intuition razors that have the conditioning bar built into them (in place of shaving cream) are probably the most expensive. I am fine with that. Because for one thing, I don't have to buy shaving cream. But more importantly, I don't have to use shaving cream. It's such a pain in a small shower when it runs off before you've gotten to that part of your leg to shave. And traveling with just a razor is great too. I have been spoiled with this product and will never go back.

This and That

I always do my grocery shopping on Monday mornings. Two interesting things about the grocery store on Monday mornings: 1) it's rarely busy at that time and 2) I shop with the local retirment home folks. The bus drops off the elderly ladies and gentlemen just around the time Ethan and I get there and I assume it picks them up at a designated time later. Funny thing is, these people LOVE Ethan. They always talk to him. They also have a propensity to park their carts in the middle of the aisle, but they're so sweet when they finally realize it that it doesn't really matter.

A wonder of pregnancy...I have actually lost a couple of pounds but my pants (already) do not fit around the waist. Rubber bands to the rescue!

You veteran moms probably already know this (although no one told me!)...but most malls open their main doors at 9:00 am (or before) for mall-walkers, exercize groups, and others. None of the stores are open, of course, but the children's play area IS open and guess what? There's hardly anyone there! Ethan and I have historically not done the mall playground thing very much, but since he's gotten older and wants to go outside no matter what the temperature (and I hate being cold), we may be making a few more morning visits to our local mall for him to climb around.

I don't know about you, but I always like to hear what works for other parents in regards to their kids. I guess this doesn't apply to you if you don't have kids yet unless you just want to stock up on info. But, my friend, Mary, put together a fine list of parenting tips on her blog the other day. It is worth checking out.

Inquiring Minds

People with small children...I want to know how you handle your shopping cart in the parking lot after shopping. Personally, I have a system. Most of the time I unload my shopping bags (most often groceries) into the back of the car while Ethan is still in the cart. Then, I take the cart to the designated cart area in the parking lot and leave it there, taking Ethan back with me, of course. Then I strap him in his car seat and we go. Admittedly, I have wondered how my routine will be different if/when I have more than one child, but this is what I do now.

Recently, I heard a mom say that she was "one of those people" that left her cart roaming freely in the parking lot after shopping because she didn't want to leave her child alone in the car to go put it up. It had never occurred to me to do things that way. So, I want to know. What do you do?

Also, I want to know why the check out girl started bagging my groceries in plastic bags immediately after asking me if I wanted her to use my reusable bags that I had just handed to her. I answered "yes," by the way.

Summertime?

Hey, isn't it summertime? I thought it was. Because my calendar says it's July and the temperature is certainly summer-like. But I'm not sure the retail stores are going by the same calendar because today I tried to find some jean or khaki shorts and a bathing suit at a couple of places. There were slim pickings, I tell you. It's the middle of JULY...this should be prime season for swimsuits and shorts! I had to ask a sales person to take the pair of shorts I bought off their mannequin, for crying out loud. And I was lucky to get that. But maybe it's me who is behind the times, because apparently we're rushing into back-to-school clothing already. Really?

Like Mother, Like Son

My son loves lists as much as I do! Every time we go to the store and I bring a list, Ethan insists {and I do mean, insists} that he be the one to hold the list and my pen. He grabs for them as soon as we start rolling in the cart. I think he would love to scratch off the items when we put them in the cart if I would let him. But an almost one-year-old and an ink pen do not mix well.

Cart vs. Stroller Conundrum

My trip to Target this morning involved a puzzle for me. I had to decide whether to put Ethan in his stroller or put him in a shopping cart. Normally, I will put him in the stroller if I'm just getting a few small things or if I need to go into the dressing room {which usually don't}. But, I will put him in the shopping cart if I'm getting several things or anything large in size. Today I needed to go in the dressing room AND get several things. I was shopping for one clothing item {that I HAD to try on first} and some groceries so I wouldn't have to make another trip to the grocery store.

As most people know, you can't take a shopping cart into the dressing room, nor will you be able to fit very many groceries in various compartments of your stroller. In the five minutes it took me to get to the store, I was really having to think about this one. I could take the stroller and then drop it at the car after the dressing room visit...but that sort of defeats the purpose of the one-stop trip. But, there is no way I was fitting a whole cart in the dressing room and also no way I would take Ethan into the dressing room with me without him sitting in something. I could picture myself having to prevent him from crawling under the floating walls that separate the dressing room stalls, while being half dressed myself. Not fun.

What I decided defintely worked...I put Ethan in his stroller first and then in a shopping cart when we were done with the dressing room. I just folded his stroller up and put it on the lower shelf of the cart while we did our grocery shopping. Thank goodness my stroller folds up really flat and is really lightweight {I could write a book about how much I love my stroller, but that's another post}, because it fit on the bottom shelf...but only horizontally. So, I was a bit of a wide load strolling through the aisles. But, we made it. All in one piece. And all in one trip. Who says this job doesn't involve problem solving?

Shopping Reconnaisance

I usually do some scouting before I hit the streets for any shopping trip. I used to do this even before I had Ethan just to save myself some time. There are only a few select times that I'm up for hitting several stores just browsing until I find what I want. Usually, {especially if it's just something we need}, I want to get in and out and home as soon as possible.

This is how my recon usually goes before my actual shopping trip:

1. Look online to determine where to go. If I were looking for some spring/summer tops, I could look online at several stores and see what they have at the time. I can often eliminate entire stores this way and I never have to set foot in there to discover that they don't have what I want. Now, sometimes there is different merchandise in store vs. online. But still, this can save you some time. Even better...sometimes I'll find something online and if they offer free shipping {or I can find a coupon for free shipping} then I just go ahead and buy it online if I don't need it right away and I already know my size.

2. Look online to find the lowest price. The other day I was looking for something for our home and we could get it at one of several different stores. By comparing prices before I went out, I didn't have to do the comparison shopping in person. And again, if the right deal presented itself, I could just go ahead and buy online. But, if nothing else, I can go to one store confident that I'm getting the best deal and not running all over town to find it.

3. Look at mall maps online for convenience. Any time I visit a mall I am not familiar with or a store {inside a mall} that I'm unsure of it's exact location, I look up the mall website for a map of their stores. This way, I can park at the nearest entrance to that store so I'm not walking up and down the mall to get where I want to go. Sometimes I may be in the mood {or have the time} to browse, but usually, I'm not. And also...browsing makes me want to spend more money than I really want or need to spend anyway!

What did we ever do without the internet?

What Was I Thinking?

What was I thinking going to the Post Office on a Saturday during December? Luckily, all I had to do was drop off a package, and envelope and check a PO box. I would have pulled all my hair out if I'd had to wait in that line. But the parking lot was a nightmare anyway. For those of you planning a trip to the Post Office anytime soon...or just anytime at all, remember that you can do so much online (buy stamps, print postage, etc.)

I also plead temporary insanity for going to Target on a Saturday during December. I've never seen so many red carts in those aisles before. The whole back left part of the store was congested because guess what's back there? Toys. I just got held up trying to check out even though there were more lanes open than usual.

I thought DSW would be innocent enough. And indeed, it was not crowded. But just try and find a pair of black boots right now. They were so picked over. I did find a killer pair...but not in my size. They do have stock online so I'm trying there.

And finally, if you get the bright idea to make some fun Christmas candies and treats, be sure to buy your baking chocolate early. Trying to find any two weeks before Christmas could prove to be futile. I was actually successful...found it at Target, where I usually don't shop for groceries.

I did not try to go to Toys R Us to return a toy because these previous experiences prompted me to wait to go first thing in the morning on a weekday. But, I will be sure not to wait until after Christmas. Have you ever tried to return something after Christmas? Ugh.

The Green Scene

I've recently been evaluating what "green" practices we have in our household and brainstorming other ways to "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle." See...I was paying attention in elementary school. This is what we currently do:

1. Recycle. We use our city's recycling program by placing glass, paper, aluminum and select plastics in our blue recycling bin for pick-up each week. I have recently made this much easier by purchasing a $5 trash can at Lowes to put in our garage to be a catch-all for recycling items. Then, we just empty that can when it gets full into the large recycling bin. This way we don't have to walk all the way out to the recycling bin each time we have an item to put in there.

2. Use more environmentally-friendly cleaning products. Or make my own. This is going well so far although there are a few products that I still haven't let go of because I haven't found a product that works as well to replace it with.

3. Save extra plasticware and condiment packets from restaurants to use at a later date. As we are eating out so much less, we are not doing this as much. But sometimes restaurants will give you extra plasticware sets and/or condiments in your to go order and what we don't use at the time gets stashed for later instead of throwing it away.

4. I now use re-usable grocery bags at the grocery store and stores like Target. I started out by just buying a few at a time and now I have enough to fit all my groceries. Tom Thumb sells theirs for a dollar and I'm sure other stores have similar options. I just empty my sacks and put them immediately back in my trunk so they are always ready and available when I need to use them.

5. We receive ALL of our bills online and pay them that way too. No paper. No filing. Yesssss! We also reduced our junk mail a couple of years ago by visiting http://www.optoutprescreen.com/ to eliminate some credit card offers. Another benefit is reducing your chances of identity theft.

6. Use rags more and paper towels less. Target (and I'm sure Wal Mart and other stores) always have bundled plain white rags that we've started to use more and more. We keep a set in the kitchen and one set in the garage. This is huge to me since I love paper towels, which I admit I sometimes still use.

7. We use energy-efficient light bulbs whenever possible (not currently in the bathrooms because of the type of light) and open the windows and turn off the lights whenever possible. The benefits to this are that you have to change your light bulbs less and therefore spend less.

8. We invested in an energy-efficient front door. Ok, truthfully, it's because the old one was horrible about letting in the outside air no matter how much weather-proofing we did. But a bonus to this was that we got to take a tax deduction on this expense last year.

9. Reuse gift bags and boxes. The gift bags are a no-brainer but we also save our gift boxes that we recieve at Christmas and other various occasions and use them again...mostly at Christmas the next year. I have a stash in a closet and they really come in handy. Saves money too.

What am I forgetting? What else does your family do?

The Great Pantry Raid

This is the story of how I've cut my grocery bill in half the past two weeks. Something spurred me to take a deeper look at what was lurking in the recesses of my pantry. It was really a three-step process.

Step 1: I threw out all things that were no longer good or expired.

Step 2: I gathered up a few non-perishables to take to my church's food pantry. Not much, but every little bit helps, right?

Step 3: Then, I took several things that I've just never used and made my weekly menus from them. They were things like a can of pumpkin, a Shake and Bake packet, a meatloaf and meatball spice mix, a chili seasoning packet, some yukon gold potatoes and a couple of other random items.

Despite the fact that I shop strictly from a list I make at home from my weekly menus, these things have accumulated for one reason or another in my pantry. By cleaning out, which I love to do, and using these items over the last two weeks, I was able to save a lot of money at the store. That's killing two birds with one stone in my book.

A Brian Regan Moment

Last night I had a Brian Regan moment. If you haven't introduced yourself to Brian Regan, you should do so immediately. Laughing is good for you. Anyway...I was on my way to Sonic to get some drinks for myself and Casey. I was thinking about my grape slush the whole way there. But, for some unknown reason, as I was ordering, instead of asking for a grape slush, the words, "...and a regular vanilla Dr. Pepper, please" came out of my mouth. I don't know how that happened. But you know what? It's ok, because they're both favorites!

And I had a crazy moment too...but not related to Brian Regan skits in any way. I had to make TWO trips to the grocery store last night within an hour of each other. Why? Because the first time I forgot to get two things that were on my list. Again, how did that happen? I had a list. I remember checking it before going to the register. Hmmm. I really can't claim that this was a pregnancy moment, can I? But maybe a new mom moment? Is that possible?

On My Own

I ran errands on Saturday by myself since Casey was home with Ethan. I have done this only a few times since Ethan was born and I always feel like I'm going at super-sonic speed. I love how much I can get done. Running errands was almost fun...well, I enjoyed the fact that I got them all done in one afternoon anyway.

And the saying that you don't realize what you've got until you don't have it is so true. When I left to run the errands, I noticed that my mobile phone was completely dead. Not an ounce of power left. So, I plugged it in before I left and told Casey that I wouldn't have my phone with me. I am not exaggerating when I say that I wanted to call him no less than 6 times while I was gone for an hour and a half. Not to check up on him, but actual questions pertaining to what I was doing. If I'd had my phone, I probably wouldn't have wanted to call him at all. It just goes to show you how you can really get used to (and take for granted) technology. I need to run one more errand now...to get a car-charger for my phone!

The Coupon Fairy

I went to Babies R Us yesterday to exchange something and as I was shopping, I realized that I'd forgotten to bring the coupons that they always give you when you check out. I'd left them on the desk in our office. I was so annoyed with myself. But, I got up to the register to check out and another shopper - a mom with a precious newborn baby girl - was handing out her extra coupons to several people in line. She said that since they expired the next day and she wouldn't be able to use them by then, that she'd like for us to have them. So cool! This proves that there are randomly thoughtful people out there. Thanks coupon fairy!

Organizational Therapy

I spotted a billboard the other day on my way to work that says: "The Container Store: Better than a day at the spa." So, fellow organizing junkies, is this true for you? If you are not an organizing junkie, (which means that you don't get giddy about organization and don't break out in hives when surrounded by clutter), then I will probably go ahead and say that you're picking the spa! For me...I can see the theraputic benefits of both! Either way, it must be an effective campaign for their target audience because, myseriously, I found myself at The Container Store just yesterday. Hmmmm. (Actually, it's a mere coincidence because I've needed to stop in for something specific for a while now.)

Annoyed

A few annoying things about my trip to the grocery store today at lunch:

1. My grocery cart handle shocked me repeatedly as I pushed it through the store. Has this happened to anyone else or is it just me? I couldn't get it to stop.

2. The lady behind me in the check-out line was using one of those carts with the car attachment for her daughter, who was sitting in it. Unfortunately, this meant that she did not have a clear understanding of just how far her cart protrudes in the front as opposed to normal carts. She banged me about three times (hard) in the legs while I was being checked-out and pushed her cart up so far in the line that I had to lean over it to sign the signature screen for my credit card.

3. Another cart issue...I kept meeting this one lady in what seemed like every aisle who would park her cart in the dead center of the aisle instead of to one side when she was looking for something.

4. The wind was so strong that it blew my paper towel package clear off the bottom rack of my cart on the way to my car.

When Consultants Attack

Have you ever been confronted by a Mary Kay consultant while shopping in a store? This has happened to me no less than 5 times. Twice it was the same woman in the same department store about 3 months apart. I'd like to point out that I not only like Mary Kay consultants (I've known/know several) but I also really like Mary Kay products. That being said, I do not enjoy this particular tactic of "recruiting" potential clients. It does not work on me and I really can't see it working on most people. But, they must teach it at the sales training or something for it to have happened to me this many times.

If this has never happened to you, they usually stop you while shopping to say something like:
"Excuse me. I just noticed how put together you are! You have a beautiful face." (or other such flattery). Then they proceed to introduce themselves and they want to know your name too - so they can start calling you by your name. And then they move into the invitation to a party, etc., etc., etc. I have been confronted like this in department stores, while getting a pedicure and last night...at the grocery store.

Now, really. Am I the only one who doesn't want to be bothered with this while shopping? Maybe it's because I'm one of the few women who doesn't actually like shopping that much. This kind of thing only distracts me from my goal, which is to be done as soon as possible.