Wild Goose Chase

Our "Countdown to Kindergarten" is down to 13 days (OMG!!) so yesterday Emma and I spent some quality time looking at backpacks online. I wanted to get her an LL Bean one, monogrammed but she insists on a Hannah Montana "Girls Rock" one. Whatever. We saw the backpack on toysrus.com but I'm too cheap to pay shipping so I thought we'd just check out the stores and see if we could find it locally. Plus, I have a $3 off coupon for TRU.

So we leave gymnastics this morning and head to Walmart to pick up some bday party stuff (and an new coupon organizer to replace the stolen one) and check out their backpacks. Do you know what they had? Nothing! That's right - no cute kids ones - so disappointing. So Emma is really wanting to look for the backpack so I thought OK - we can to to TRU - it's not too far from here. So, we drive about 15 min down the road to where I think there is a TRU and guess what - it's not there. Apparently things change when you move away for 3 years. Go figure. So we're out burning up the gas anyway so we head 15 more min to where I'm sure they is a TRU. We get there and guess what? No backpacks of any sorts. None. Nada.

I should have just ordered the darn thing online. I'm sure I spent WAY more on gas today looking for the backpack than the shipping would have been. But it's so frustrating that stores here don't have much back to school stuff. I wouldn't necessarily expect them to have tons of stuff but really, we've had year round schools here for years. Haven't they figured that out yet? Perhaps I'm the only parent who would like to be prepared for school before it starts?

Anyway..that's my story of the day. And, guess what else - the new vera bradley I picked out from ebags isn't available so I had to pick out another one. I did get a great deal (already on sale and an extra 25% off and free shipping) but still frustrating. Very frustrating. Guess I'll look and see how long it will take the Hannah Montana Girls Rock backpack to be shipped...