Shopping Trip

Every Christmas, Jenny, Sylvie and I have been meeting up in Springfield at White Oaks mall to do some Christmas shopping and hang out together. This year, we couldn't coordinate all three of our schedules to go in the month of December, so we went yesterday. We figured out early in the day that taking our Christmas shopping trip too early meant that any shopping we did was only for ourselves! Sylvie encouraged me to try some Origins products because they are supposed to be better for your body and for the environment. I tried some shampoo and conditioner, and a ginger body wash. It was a leap for a cynical cheapass like me, because the products are quite pricey ($13 for a 12 oz. shampoo) and they still have preservatives and fd&c colors in them. After my shower this morning I am not regretting the purchase! The shampoo smelled fantastic, made my scalp all tingly, and my hair is so thick and full I almost couldn't put a brush through it. Although I don't know exactly what it is, there is definitely something different in that shampoo. The ginger body wash again smelled heavenly and I only used a dime-sized amount of it, unlike Bath and Body Works products where you use like 1/4 of a cup to wash with.
Sylvie and Jenny found some great bargains at Macy's, Sylvie sweaters and Jenny a suit for work. So we all came away with some good purchases. I also found a completely rocking outfit at The Limited for Kevin's Cobalt Digital Christmas party, and any other holiday gatherings or parties we might attend. Last year when I was 4 months pregnant at Christmas and had already gained 25 lbs., I promised myself that this year I would get some kind of fun sexy outfit to wear. Jenny had a Limited coupon that starts today, so I didn't buy it yet but will head over to The Limited here in C-U sometime this week to get it with $50 off. It felt SO good to try on clothes again, (especially beautiful fancy clothes at Limited) because as I was trying on different outfits, I realized it had been about a year since I tried on anything that wasn't either sweat pants or maternity clothes! Anyway I had a great time and can't wait to buy that outfit and wear it this Christmas.
It has gotten to be so difficult for me to spend any length of time on the telephone these days, I haven't had as many chances to talk and catch up with Jenny and Sylvie, two of my oldest and dearest friends. Sylvie was one of the very first people I met in Allen Hall as a freshman at the U of I. In fact, I might have met her on my first night at college. If not the first night, definitely within the first week. I met Jenny shortly after that at St. John's in the 4:30 choir. So the three of us have been friends for almost 15 years now. They both live in St. Louis and see each other all the time. I often wish I could be there with them and be a part of that. Sometimes I ask Kevin, what is the engineering situation like in St. Louis?! I really like that city for other reasons too, and wouldn't mind moving there. Although, we do love C-U and have such a happy life here.
Jenny, Sylvie and I all have exciting things happening in our lives: new jobs, new babies, home remodeling, etc. and I looked forward to this visit so much. We had a wonderful day laughing and enjoying our time together. I think I will be lucky enough to have another visit with them over Christmas break - Jenny and Sylvie are Lucy's godmothers and they are great ones. They always do special things with her for her birthday and around Christmas too. They had the idea to have a "baking day" with her at our house, and make cookies and treats together. She will think she's died and gone to heaven.
It is hard getting back into the swing of every day life this morning after having a day off. I've got a chicken and potato soup to make, laundry to do, toys to pick up, dishes to put away, errands to run...but I did miss the kids yesterday, even though I was only gone for 12 hours.