Baggage

Now, the title of this entry may be a bit misleading. Most of the time today when one talks about baggage, one means the emotional things we carry with us that might hinder our days, nights and decision making in general. Today, I mean real baggage. And by that I mean purses.

My collection, if you could call it that, was started in 1981 with a strawberry shaped coin purse. It has grown a bit in recent years but is still fairly tame. I think I own right now a black back pack purse (which I used in addition to a diaper bag as a new mom), an across the body brown messenger type bag (my cool new mom purse), a tiny hot pink number (my I'm going out with my husband alone purse), a lime green sassy one (trying to not look like a mom purse), a lime green all purpose tote (summer mom purse), a red sophisticated bag (my okay I admit I'm a mom, but a good lookin' one purse), a shiny black (we're going to a wedding) purse, my most recent purchase - a silver ladies night purse and my every day leopard print bag.

I can't really call the last one even a purse because I didn't even get it in the purse section. I think it was in the luggage section of TJ Maxx. It's not really THAT big, but big enough to hold all of the mom essentials. What are the mom essentials you ask? Well....let's check it out.

There is not one thing in my purse that does not serve a purpose. What may seem like non essential junk to someone else, could be life saving material for me.

My wallet: no real money, just some plastic, receipts, id cards, check book, change, and a couple of pictures.

A small green card holder: It is the gift card/store credit keeper. This is perhaps my favorite item in my purse because it holds shopping potential without economic consequences if you know what I mean. I have a gift certificate to the toy zone from 2004, not sure if they'd ever honor it but one of these days I might try. A free rootbeer float from A and W. Gift cards in various denominations for Great Harvest, Java Detour (and I'm not a coffee drinker), Younkers/Herbergers, Old Navy, Victoria Secret, and GGP (whatever that is). I have store credit at TJ Maxx, Sam's Club and Children's Place and a $10 reward for Gap.

A second small green card holder: This is my "club cards" and coupon store house. Everyone who knows me knows I love a bargain more than anything so sign me up, I'll be in your club even if it only saves me a buck a year. I have member cards from the theatre, Hardware Hank, Build a Bear, Dunn Bros. Coffee (again not a coffee drinker) just to name a few.

My camera: this is essential because you never know when your children might have an historic moment. It could be the first potty and you might be at Target. I'm telling you, you never know when moments like that will occur.

My leopard print diaper/wipes holder: I'm not sure that this really needs an explanation. My mom made this for me and it was very freeing! It meant that I didn't have to carry a diaper bag anymore! I could just transer this from purse to purse. Let it be said that hopefully the diaper part of it will be retired soon and it will just be the wipes holder. Wipes are an entity in an of themselves when you are a mom. I think I'll still carry them when my kids are in college. Like I said, you never know!

My phone: This really doesn't need an explanation either. I do know that some of my family and friends get annoyed when they can't get a hold of me. I have my phone, but often it might be on silent or vibrate and I just don't hear it, honest.

Ibuprofen: Almost my number one mom essential. Many things give me head aches, not the least of which is the volume my children create when stuffed in the minivan together running errands that they don't want to run. Running errands is one of my favorite things, really, so I'm trying to pass that love on to my kids. A little twisted...I know.

My coupon folder: I am up for a deal at any time, so I always shop with coupons. If I see and and I know I have a coupon at home, I refuse to buy it and I will come back later. I mean, come on....it's free money!!!!

Many miscellaneous items float around in my purse. These include but are not limited to: a baggie of crayons, match box cars, an iron man or hello kitty notebook, dum dum suckers, smarties, bandaids, stickers, many rubber insects, hand sanitizer, chap stick, lip gloss, pony tail holders, bobby pins, and a few unmentionables.

I used to wonder why my mom had to carry such a large purse while I ran around with one as big as my 8 year old hand that held my strawberry shaped coin purse. Now, I get it....the mom essentials ruled even in 1981.