we consumed

Ikea was fun and crowded. We spent many dollars on furniture and ate delicious food that was totally affordable (close to half the cost of our family eating at the local family restaurant, and with much much better food and quicker service).  They have arrows on the floor so you don't get disoriented about where you are, and we would have, because we were following those arrows in HERDS. Evan had a hard time shaking that squicky, consumerish, disney feeling of Moooo.  I'm not sure why I wasn't having that problem except that I saw the day as the answers to my prayer: not to live among boxes the rest of my days.

There are many ways I think we could have made it go much more quickly, but it's that hindsight thing. The kids seemed to have a pretty good time even though it was a very long day. JJ had his friend JH along, and Katie (who got us properly enthused by greeting us through our van window, shouting "You're here!! It's IKEA!!") was there for the first few hours to spend time with Ryan.  In the end, I was too pooped to wonder why our final bill was so much lower than we'd estimated. When we got home and discovered all of the pieces we'd left behind on a big cart somewhere in that big warehouse, we realized why. It's ok... we bought just the right amount to fit in Evan's work van and we bought the most important pieces - bookcases and shelving, kitchen stools to replace the unbelievably sad stools we currently had in this house. They were acceptable when we moved here - spinny, vinyl covered cushion stools with wicker-ish backs.  Within two weeks, the children had destroyed the wickerish part, leaving them mangled. If I get my camera battery in the mail, I will post a photo for the benefit of Stefaneener, whose day it will make, I know.

I'm not sure what it means that I can be so chatty on the topic of Ikea and on most other topics you get a few words and a picture, but there you have it. I'd like to write more every day, but it doesn't seem to happen.

Comments

[suzee]

Because it's IKEA!

It *is* exhausting, isn't. I can't believe you brought all the boys...I can't even bring my spouse without wanting to send him to the ballroom.

Glad you found some good stuff.

[stefaneener]

Oh, yes it will! in fact, I was thinking that my kids would have chewed them apart double time quick too. Remind me to tell you why I'm buying yet another hasp for a padlock this morning. . .

I'm glad you got some more good things for your new place. IKEA makes me feel more like Evan, but occasionally I brave it. . .