Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOL

http://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1199/article11689.asp

A Spy In The House of Stuff

Image by JAMES O'BRIEN
More Jim Walsh Articles:

When the going gets tough, the rich go shopping for their kids

by Jim Walsh

By Anonymous as told to Jim Walsh

I work part-time at the Pottery Barn Kids at the Galleria in Edina. I'm working
next Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. We had a meeting about it Sunday
night, and it's going to be a madhouse. People with that frantic look and a
list, just running around because they have to get everything done and wrapped
that day. It's the kind of people who have their Christmas tree up that
day--because it came out of a box, or their decorator bought it.

We sell furniture and bedding and toys. There's lots of crib stuff, lots of
baby toys. It's all very high-end sort of cutesy things. It's hugely expensive,
and people spend ridiculous amounts of money on stuff their kids don't care
about. There's lots of accessories for kids' bedrooms and toy rooms. A lot of
it is really ghastly.

The customers are unbelievable. Some are wonderful, but then there's these
women who come in dressed to the nines in shoes that cost more than I make in a
month at 10:00 a.m. on a Monday morning with their kids in outfits that cost
more than my mortgage. Perfectly dressed for the Galleria and what I call The
Edina Shopping Syndrome, where you have to be better looking to go shopping on
a Monday morning than you are on a Saturday night. If you're coming with your
kids in the morning, you have to wear an expensive jogging suit, although it's
switched recently from jogging to yoga. Ghastly.

There's one woman who's into a lot of pink leather. Perfectly manicured nails,
perfectly done hair, perfect infant--I don't know who got the kid up and
ready--and the most expensive stroller, and the most expensive baby clothes.
Everything is sort of the way I picture parts of Texas, but not Edina, or the
[metropolitan] area. We have to put their ZIP code in before we finish the
purchase, for demographic [purposes], but I can tell certain people by what ZIP
code they're going to say before they say it: 55424 (Edina), 55436 (Edina).

One day this father and son came in. The dad was sort of well groomed, but
nothing out of the ordinary. He bought an entire bedroom set, including bed,
mattresses, sheets, comforter, pillows, a desk, a chair. He spent about $6,500
in about 15 minutes without batting an eyelash: "Yep, yep. We need that, we
need that, we need that, we need that." And the kid just stood there, didn't
seem all that excited about any of it, picked out some things and his dad just
nodded at me. I put it on the list and ran and got it. They were so blasé about
it. I just do the scenario in my mind, must be a divorced dad who's making up
for whatever by making his son's room magazine-perfect.

There was a pink princess who reminded me of Veruca Salt. She walked in front
of her mother the whole time and just pointed at things while her mother ran
behind her, taking things in her arms, and things were just tipping and
falling: "I want that, and I want that, and I want that, and I have to have
that." She and her mother had a showdown about a pink telephone. She said, "I
have to have a pink telephone!" And her mother said, "No," and she said,
"Yesss!" Her mother ran and got it. Sixty-nine dollar telephone. For a
six-year-old. She's the one I had to glare at behind her mother's back. She
just glared back at me; she looked annoyed to be there in the first place.

There are some definite Veruca Salts. It's mostly six- to nine-year-old girls
who stare at their mother with that icy stare until their mother gives in. And
it works. And it makes you want to kick them, and it makes me worry about what
they're going to be like when they grow up.

There are people who redo their kid's bedroom every year or two, and have to
have it all matching. The one I always think about is the woman who was just
having a fit because she had to have her baby's room completely done this
weekend or she was going to lose her marbles. I said, "How old is your baby?"
And she said, "I'm just pregnant. Seven weeks." So that leaves you 33 more to
obsess about your child's room.

I love my co-workers. We talk about the customers all the time. There are some
who only certain people in the store can handle. They'll call and make an
appointment, and the rest of us just stand aside. There are some salespeople
who are much, much better about trying to sincerely not laugh in their face or
be polite with the condescension, which is unbelievable. We're there to serve.
And if you offer an opinion, like "Try this color," sometimes they sort of
smile at you, like "Just do your job."

I call them the Edina Vaginas. It's not original; I've heard it from other
people in Edina, which--did you know?--means Every Day I Need Attention. Some
women come in with their husbands. They lead them around the store, and the
husbands pay and smile at me wincingly and keep on going to the next store.
They're like sharks. They circle and leave. Or they come in with their kids,
who are not happy to be there, and they're like, "I'm buying this for you. You
should be happy."

It's incredibly materialistic. You don't need it. There are kids a mile from
here who don't have a blanket, and then there's kids who have the finest
flannel sheets and the finest cotton blanket and the finest down comforter and
they're three years old. It's made me give away tons of stuff and made me
realize how much I had.

I took the job for the discount and I've bought very little there, because 40
percent off of the perfect sheet set, who cares? They're just going to sleep on
it. I'm a social worker and I'm going back to it. I did mostly medical social
work with women with high-risk pregnancies--preemies and adoptions and crack
babies. I won't be here next Thanksgiving.

Is a perfectly coordinated purple and yellow room going to make your daughter
smarter or more popular? It's competition. I don't think the kids care nearly
as much as the mothers, showing off the rooms: If you have a perfect
showroom-bedroom, you're a good parent. Sometimes they'll be really apologetic
to me and say, "Well, we know this is a little obsessive." And I just sort of
smile sympathetically and take their credit cards.


-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown

In article <20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com>,
lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam (LilMtnCbn) writes:

I used to live up there in that metropolitan area that Edina is in. The people
are really like that! It is incredibly sad.

KL
Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOLhttp://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1199/article11689.aspA Spy In The House of StuffImage by JAMES O'BRIENMore Jim Walsh Articles:When the going gets tough, the rich go shopping for their kidsby Jim WalshBy Anonymous as told to Jim WalshI work part-time at the Pottery Barn Kids at the Galleria in Edina. I'mworkingnext Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. We had a meeting about it Sundaynight, and it's going to be a madhouse. People with that frantic look and alist, just running around because they have to get everything done andwrappedthat day. It's the kind of people who have their Christmas tree up thatday--because it came out of a box, or their decorator bought it.We sell furniture and bedding and toys. There's lots of crib stuff, lots ofbaby toys. It's all very high-end sort of cutesy things. It's hugelyexpensive,and people spend ridiculous amounts of money on stuff their kids don't careabout. There's lots of accessories for kids' bedrooms and toy rooms. A lot ofit is really ghastly.The customers are unbelievable. Some are wonderful, but then there's thesewomen who come in dressed to the nines in shoes that cost more than I make inamonth at 10:00 a.m. on a Monday morning with their kids in outfits that costmore than my mortgage. Perfectly dressed for the Galleria and what I call TheEdina Shopping Syndrome, where you have to be better looking to go shoppingona Monday morning than you are on a Saturday night. If you're coming with yourkids in the morning, you have to wear an expensive jogging suit, althoughit'sswitched recently from jogging to yoga. Ghastly.There's one woman who's into a lot of pink leather. Perfectly manicurednails,perfectly done hair, perfect infant--I don't know who got the kid up andready--and the most expensive stroller, and the most expensive baby clothes.Everything is sort of the way I picture parts of Texas, but not Edina, or the[metropolitan] area. We have to put their ZIP code in before we finish thepurchase, for demographic [purposes], but I can tell certain people by whatZIPcode they're going to say before they say it: 55424 (Edina), 55436 (Edina).One day this father and son came in. The dad was sort of well groomed, butnothing out of the ordinary. He bought an entire bedroom set, including bed,mattresses, sheets, comforter, pillows, a desk, a chair. He spent about$6,500in about 15 minutes without batting an eyelash: "Yep, yep. We need that, weneed that, we need that, we need that." And the kid just stood there, didn'tseem all that excited about any of it, picked out some things and his dadjustnodded at me. I put it on the list and ran and got it. They were so blaséaboutit. I just do the scenario in my mind, must be a divorced dad who's making upfor whatever by making his son's room magazine-perfect.There was a pink princess who reminded me of Veruca Salt. She walked in frontof her mother the whole time and just pointed at things while her mother ranbehind her, taking things in her arms, and things were just tipping andfalling: "I want that, and I want that, and I want that, and I have to havethat." She and her mother had a showdown about a pink telephone. She said, "Ihave to have a pink telephone!" And her mother said, "No," and she said,"Yesss!" Her mother ran and got it. Sixty-nine dollar telephone. For asix-year-old. She's the one I had to glare at behind her mother's back. Shejust glared back at me; she looked annoyed to be there in the first place.There are some definite Veruca Salts. It's mostly six- to nine-year-old girlswho stare at their mother with that icy stare until their mother gives in.Andit works. And it makes you want to kick them, and it makes me worry aboutwhatthey're going to be like when they grow up.There are people who redo their kid's bedroom every year or two, and have tohave it all matching. The one I always think about is the woman who was justhaving a fit because she had to have her baby's room completely done thisweekend or she was going to lose her marbles. I said, "How old is your baby?"And she said, "I'm just pregnant. Seven weeks." So that leaves you 33 more toobsess about your child's room.I love my co-workers. We talk about the customers all the time. There aresomewho only certain people in the store can handle. They'll call and make anappointment, and the rest of us just stand aside. There are some salespeoplewho are much, much better about trying to sincerely not laugh in their faceorbe polite with the condescension, which is unbelievable. We're there toserve.And if you offer an opinion, like "Try this color," sometimes they sort ofsmile at you, like "Just do your job."I call them the Edina Vaginas. It's not original; I've heard it from otherpeople in Edina, which--did you know?--means Every Day I Need Attention. Somewomen come in with their husbands. They lead them around the store, and thehusbands pay and smile at me wincingly and keep on going to the next store.They're like sharks. They circle and leave. Or they come in with their kids,who are not happy to be there, and they're like, "I'm buying this for you.Youshould be happy."It's incredibly materialistic. You don't need it. There are kids a mile fromhere who don't have a blanket, and then there's kids who have the finestflannel sheets and the finest cotton blanket and the finest down comforterandthey're three years old. It's made me give away tons of stuff and made merealize how much I had.I took the job for the discount and I've bought very little there, because 40percent off of the perfect sheet set, who cares? They're just going to sleeponit. I'm a social worker and I'm going back to it. I did mostly medical socialwork with women with high-risk pregnancies--preemies and adoptions and crackbabies. I won't be here next Thanksgiving.Is a perfectly coordinated purple and yellow room going to make your daughtersmarter or more popular? It's competition. I don't think the kids care nearlyas much as the mothers, showing off the rooms: If you have a perfectshowroom-bedroom, you're a good parent. Sometimes they'll be reallyapologeticto me and say, "Well, we know this is a little obsessive." And I just sort ofsmile sympathetically and take their credit cards.

In article <20031126233848.21642.00002613@mb-m01.aol.com>,
klbjornme@aol.comjunkhell (KL) writes:
I used to live up there in that metropolitan area that Edina is in. Thepeopleare really like that! It is incredibly sad.KL

Well, not all of us, I hope.

J.
Well east of Edina

"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in message
news:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com... Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOL

I *really* like Anonymous!

What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOL

Helen
http://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1199/article11689.asp A Spy In The House of Stuff Image by JAMES O'BRIEN More Jim Walsh Articles: When the going gets tough, the rich go shopping for their kids by Jim Walsh By Anonymous as told to Jim Walsh I work part-time at the Pottery Barn Kids at the Galleria in Edina. I'm
working next Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. We had a meeting about it Sunday night, and it's going to be a madhouse. People with that frantic look and
a list, just running around because they have to get everything done and
wrapped that day. It's the kind of people who have their Christmas tree up that day--because it came out of a box, or their decorator bought it. We sell furniture and bedding and toys. There's lots of crib stuff, lots
of baby toys. It's all very high-end sort of cutesy things. It's hugely
expensive, and people spend ridiculous amounts of money on stuff their kids don't
care about. There's lots of accessories for kids' bedrooms and toy rooms. A lot
of it is really ghastly. The customers are unbelievable. Some are wonderful, but then there's these women who come in dressed to the nines in shoes that cost more than I make
in a month at 10:00 a.m. on a Monday morning with their kids in outfits that
cost more than my mortgage. Perfectly dressed for the Galleria and what I call
The Edina Shopping Syndrome, where you have to be better looking to go
shopping on a Monday morning than you are on a Saturday night. If you're coming with
your kids in the morning, you have to wear an expensive jogging suit, although
it's switched recently from jogging to yoga. Ghastly. There's one woman who's into a lot of pink leather. Perfectly manicured
nails, perfectly done hair, perfect infant--I don't know who got the kid up and ready--and the most expensive stroller, and the most expensive baby
clothes. Everything is sort of the way I picture parts of Texas, but not Edina, or
the [metropolitan] area. We have to put their ZIP code in before we finish the purchase, for demographic [purposes], but I can tell certain people by
what ZIP code they're going to say before they say it: 55424 (Edina), 55436
(Edina). One day this father and son came in. The dad was sort of well groomed, but nothing out of the ordinary. He bought an entire bedroom set, including
bed, mattresses, sheets, comforter, pillows, a desk, a chair. He spent about
$6,500 in about 15 minutes without batting an eyelash: "Yep, yep. We need that,
we need that, we need that, we need that." And the kid just stood there,
didn't seem all that excited about any of it, picked out some things and his dad
just nodded at me. I put it on the list and ran and got it. They were so blasé
about it. I just do the scenario in my mind, must be a divorced dad who's making
up for whatever by making his son's room magazine-perfect. There was a pink princess who reminded me of Veruca Salt. She walked in
front of her mother the whole time and just pointed at things while her mother
ran behind her, taking things in her arms, and things were just tipping and falling: "I want that, and I want that, and I want that, and I have to
have that." She and her mother had a showdown about a pink telephone. She said,
"I have to have a pink telephone!" And her mother said, "No," and she said, "Yesss!" Her mother ran and got it. Sixty-nine dollar telephone. For a six-year-old. She's the one I had to glare at behind her mother's back.
She just glared back at me; she looked annoyed to be there in the first place. There are some definite Veruca Salts. It's mostly six- to nine-year-old
girls who stare at their mother with that icy stare until their mother gives in.
And it works. And it makes you want to kick them, and it makes me worry about
what they're going to be like when they grow up. There are people who redo their kid's bedroom every year or two, and have
to have it all matching. The one I always think about is the woman who was
just having a fit because she had to have her baby's room completely done this weekend or she was going to lose her marbles. I said, "How old is your
baby?" And she said, "I'm just pregnant. Seven weeks." So that leaves you 33 more
to obsess about your child's room. I love my co-workers. We talk about the customers all the time. There are
some who only certain people in the store can handle. They'll call and make an appointment, and the rest of us just stand aside. There are some
salespeople who are much, much better about trying to sincerely not laugh in their
face or be polite with the condescension, which is unbelievable. We're there to
serve. And if you offer an opinion, like "Try this color," sometimes they sort of smile at you, like "Just do your job." I call them the Edina Vaginas. It's not original; I've heard it from other people in Edina, which--did you know?--means Every Day I Need Attention.
Some women come in with their husbands. They lead them around the store, and
the husbands pay and smile at me wincingly and keep on going to the next
store. They're like sharks. They circle and leave. Or they come in with their
kids, who are not happy to be there, and they're like, "I'm buying this for you.
You should be happy." It's incredibly materialistic. You don't need it. There are kids a mile
from here who don't have a blanket, and then there's kids who have the finest flannel sheets and the finest cotton blanket and the finest down comforter
and they're three years old. It's made me give away tons of stuff and made me realize how much I had. I took the job for the discount and I've bought very little there, because
40 percent off of the perfect sheet set, who cares? They're just going to
sleep on it. I'm a social worker and I'm going back to it. I did mostly medical
social work with women with high-risk pregnancies--preemies and adoptions and
crack babies. I won't be here next Thanksgiving. Is a perfectly coordinated purple and yellow room going to make your
daughter smarter or more popular? It's competition. I don't think the kids care
nearly as much as the mothers, showing off the rooms: If you have a perfect showroom-bedroom, you're a good parent. Sometimes they'll be really
apologetic to me and say, "Well, we know this is a little obsessive." And I just sort
of smile sympathetically and take their credit cards. ------------------------- A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend
will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!" -----Unknown

>Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: "helicon" helicon@eircom.netDate: 11/27/03 8:09 AM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie>"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in messagenews:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com... Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOLI *really* like Anonymous!What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOLHelen

Veruca Salt was a character in Willy Wonka. She was a very spoiled and "me me
me, mine mine mine" all the time.


-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown

>Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: jmdjmh@aol.com (J.)Date: 11/27/03 7:46 AM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <20031127094657.01893.00001896@mb-m22.aol.com>In article <20031126233848.21642.00002613@mb-m01.aol.com>,klbjornme@aol.comjunkhell (KL) writes:I used to live up there in that metropolitan area that Edina is in. Thepeopleare really like that! It is incredibly sad.KLWell, not all of us, I hope.J.Well east of Edina

Yikes I had no idea when I posted it. I just thought it was funny/creepy that
this person was a social worker who did adoptions and stuff in her real life.
LOL


-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown

"helicon" <helicon@eircom.net> wrote in message news:<Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie>... "LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in message news:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com... Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOL I *really* like Anonymous! What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOL


Veruca Salt is a character from Rold Dahl's magnificent book "Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory". She is a spoiled girl who has bullied her
parents into giving her everything she wants.

L.

"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in message
news:20031127112607.08361.00000928@mb-m24.aol.com...Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: "helicon" helicon@eircom.netDate: 11/27/03 8:09 AM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie>"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in messagenews:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com... Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOLI *really* like Anonymous!What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOLHelen Veruca Salt was a character in Willy Wonka. She was a very spoiled and
"me me me, mine mine mine" all the time.

Now WHO does that remind me of? All those ems... :-)

Thanks!
Helen ------------------------- A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend
will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!" -----Unknown

"Lainie Petersen" <sfi30@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:671d8c26.0311271258.337d1cfd@posting.google.c om... "helicon" <helicon@eircom.net> wrote in message
news:<Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie>... "LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in message news:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com... Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOL I *really* like Anonymous! What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOL Veruca Salt is a character from Rold Dahl's magnificent book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". She is a spoiled girl who has bullied her parents into giving her everything she wants.

Adopted, no doubt. :-) (My husband did the children's bedtime reading, so
this escaped me!)

Helen
L.

In article <20031127112607.08361.00000928@mb-m24.aol.com>, LilMtnCbn says...Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: "helicon" helicon@eircom.netDate: 11/27/03 8:09 AM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie>"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in messagenews:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com... Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOLI *really* like Anonymous!What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOLHelenVeruca Salt was a character in Willy Wonka. She was a very spoiled and "me meme, mine mine mine" all the time.

I think one of my neices is channeling her ;)

Robyn
Resident Witchypoo & EAC Spellcaster
#1557

Robibnikoff <nospam@newsranger.com> wrote in message news:<Vtzxb.32453$cJ5.4972@www.newsranger.com>... In article <20031127112607.08361.00000928@mb-m24.aol.com>, LilMtnCbn says...Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: "helicon" helicon@eircom.netDate: 11/27/03 8:09 AM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie>"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in messagenews:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com...> Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOLI *really* like Anonymous!What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOLHelenVeruca Salt was a character in Willy Wonka. She was a very spoiled and "me meme, mine mine mine" all the time. I think one of my neices is channeling her ;) Robyn Resident Witchypoo & EAC Spellcaster #1557

I think that the majority of little girls and boys where I live, who
are dressed in hundred dollar outfits and are under the age of four
are channeling her. I loved the part about parents hardly being able
to pay their mortgages and dropping thousands for their kids perfect
bedroom. I see that all the time and it is STUPID! I guess one benefit
of waiting so long to finally have a child is that all of my friends
who had plenty of expensive clothing have older kids now and I got
their "hand me downs" for FREE! I love to dress my daughter cutely
and nicely, but in my opinion that can be done from Target. Maybe I
am in the minority here. :(

>Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: aspensky@knology.net (Debbie)Date: 11/28/03 7:04 AM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <4b23522a.0311280604.4d275754@posting.google.com>Robibnikoff <nospam@newsranger.com> wrote in messagenews:<Vtzxb.32453$cJ5.4972@www.newsranger.com>... In article <20031127112607.08361.00000928@mb-m24.aol.com>, LilMtnCbnsays...>Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of Stuff>From: "helicon" helicon@eircom.net>Date: 11/27/03 8:09 AM Mountain Standard Time>Message-id: <Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie>>>>"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in message>news:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com...>> Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOL>>I *really* like Anonymous!>>What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOL>>HelenVeruca Salt was a character in Willy Wonka. She was a very spoiled and"me meme, mine mine mine" all the time. I think one of my neices is channeling her ;) Robyn Resident Witchypoo & EAC Spellcaster #1557I think that the majority of little girls and boys where I live, whoare dressed in hundred dollar outfits and are under the age of fourare channeling her. I loved the part about parents hardly being ableto pay their mortgages and dropping thousands for their kids perfectbedroom. I see that all the time and it is STUPID! I guess one benefitof waiting so long to finally have a child is that all of my friendswho had plenty of expensive clothing have older kids now and I gottheir "hand me downs" for FREE! I love to dress my daughter cutelyand nicely, but in my opinion that can be done from Target. Maybe Iam in the minority here. :(

Nope. When the guys were little, it was Target or Walmart. Both guys grew so
fast. Big guy was hell on his clothes, rarely got a chance to outgrow his
jeans before he had holes in the knees. Didn't have too many hand-me-downs to
pass on to little guy. LOL

Now that they are teens though, it's ALL about the clothes. And the brands.
eek.


-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown

lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam (LilMtnCbn) wrote in message news:<20031128094656.16299.00000836@mb-m23.aol.com>...Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: aspensky@knology.net (Debbie)Date: 11/28/03 7:04 AM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <4b23522a.0311280604.4d275754@posting.google.com>Robibnikoff <nospam@newsranger.com> wrote in messagenews:<Vtzxb.32453$cJ5.4972@www.newsranger.com>... In article <20031127112607.08361.00000928@mb-m24.aol.com>, LilMtnCbn says... > >>Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of Stuff >>From: "helicon" helicon@eircom.net >>Date: 11/27/03 8:09 AM Mountain Standard Time >>Message-id: <Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie> >> >> >>"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in message >>news:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com... >>> Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOL >> >>I *really* like Anonymous! >> >>What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOL >> >>Helen > >Veruca Salt was a character in Willy Wonka. She was a very spoiled and "me me >me, mine mine mine" all the time. I think one of my neices is channeling her ;) Robyn Resident Witchypoo & EAC Spellcaster #1557I think that the majority of little girls and boys where I live, whoare dressed in hundred dollar outfits and are under the age of fourare channeling her. I loved the part about parents hardly being ableto pay their mortgages and dropping thousands for their kids perfectbedroom. I see that all the time and it is STUPID! I guess one benefitof waiting so long to finally have a child is that all of my friendswho had plenty of expensive clothing have older kids now and I gottheir "hand me downs" for FREE! I love to dress my daughter cutelyand nicely, but in my opinion that can be done from Target. Maybe Iam in the minority here. :( Nope. When the guys were little, it was Target or Walmart. Both guys grew so fast. Big guy was hell on his clothes, rarely got a chance to outgrow his jeans before he had holes in the knees. Didn't have too many hand-me-downs to pass on to little guy. LOL Now that they are teens though, it's ALL about the clothes. And the brands. eek.
See, that is the other part. If some kids are getting such expensive
clothes now what are they going to want when they are teens...OH I
know, MORE expensive clothing. I know that day will come so I am
saving early. :) Where I live, we have this awesome consignment sale
that comes around twice a year. They only get really good names but
items are priced very reasonably. Works for me. Dh and I would rather
take our child on vacations and do things we can enjoy as a family
than to go broke buying clothes. Just our opinion.

lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam (LilMtnCbn) wrote in message news:<20031128094656.16299.00000836@mb-m23.aol.com>...Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: aspensky@knology.net (Debbie)Date: 11/28/03 7:04 AM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <4b23522a.0311280604.4d275754@posting.google.com>Robibnikoff <nospam@newsranger.com> wrote in messagenews:<Vtzxb.32453$cJ5.4972@www.newsranger.com>... In article <20031127112607.08361.00000928@mb-m24.aol.com>, LilMtnCbn says... > >>Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of Stuff >>From: "helicon" helicon@eircom.net >>Date: 11/27/03 8:09 AM Mountain Standard Time >>Message-id: <Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie> >> >> >>"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in message >>news:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com... >>> Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOL >> >>I *really* like Anonymous! >> >>What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOL >> >>Helen > >Veruca Salt was a character in Willy Wonka. She was a very spoiled and "me me >me, mine mine mine" all the time. I think one of my neices is channeling her ;) Robyn Resident Witchypoo & EAC Spellcaster #1557I think that the majority of little girls and boys where I live, whoare dressed in hundred dollar outfits and are under the age of fourare channeling her. I loved the part about parents hardly being ableto pay their mortgages and dropping thousands for their kids perfectbedroom. I see that all the time and it is STUPID! I guess one benefitof waiting so long to finally have a child is that all of my friendswho had plenty of expensive clothing have older kids now and I gottheir "hand me downs" for FREE! I love to dress my daughter cutelyand nicely, but in my opinion that can be done from Target. Maybe Iam in the minority here. :( Nope. When the guys were little, it was Target or Walmart. Both guys grew so fast. Big guy was hell on his clothes, rarely got a chance to outgrow his jeans before he had holes in the knees. Didn't have too many hand-me-downs to pass on to little guy. LOL Now that they are teens though, it's ALL about the clothes. And the brands. eek. ------------------------- A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!" -----Unknown

Do big kids like yours still want expensive "games" and such for
Christmas or are they more into clothes? We are having a lot of fun
Christmas shopping this year, although aren't going overboard as she
will undoubtedly enjoy the wrapping paper and bows as much as the
actual gift. My favorite gift I got her is the book, "The Polar
Express" and the audio version. Anyone read it? I hope she'll keep
it for a very long time.

>Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: aspensky@knology.net (Debbie)Date: 11/28/03 9:28 PM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <4b23522a.0311282028.ad5ebba@posting.google.com>
See, that is the other part. If some kids are getting such expensiveclothes now what are they going to want when they are teens...OH Iknow, MORE expensive clothing. I know that day will come so I amsaving early. :) Where I live, we have this awesome consignment salethat comes around twice a year. They only get really good names butitems are priced very reasonably. Works for me. Dh and I would rathertake our child on vacations and do things we can enjoy as a familythan to go broke buying clothes. Just our opinion.
Wait until they're teens and will hide/refuse to wear the clothes you decide
they should wear. LOL Enjoy it while it lasts. ;-)



-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown

>Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: aspensky@knology.net (Debbie)Date: 11/28/03 9:31 PM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <4b23522a.0311282031.51eb9428@posting.google.com>lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam (LilMtnCbn) wrote in messagenews:<20031128094656.16299.00000836@mb-m23.aol.com>...Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: aspensky@knology.net (Debbie)Date: 11/28/03 7:04 AM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <4b23522a.0311280604.4d275754@posting.google.com>Robibnikoff <nospam@newsranger.com> wrote in messagenews:<Vtzxb.32453$cJ5.4972@www.newsranger.com>...> In article <20031127112607.08361.00000928@mb-m24.aol.com>, LilMtnCbn says...> >> >>Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of Stuff> >>From: "helicon" helicon@eircom.net> >>Date: 11/27/03 8:09 AM Mountain Standard Time> >>Message-id: <Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie>> >>> >>> >>"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in message> >>news:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com...> >>> Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOL> >>> >>I *really* like Anonymous!> >>> >>What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOL> >>> >>Helen> >> >Veruca Salt was a character in Willy Wonka. She was a very spoiled and "me me> >me, mine mine mine" all the time.>> I think one of my neices is channeling her ;)>> Robyn> Resident Witchypoo & EAC Spellcaster> #1557I think that the majority of little girls and boys where I live, whoare dressed in hundred dollar outfits and are under the age of fourare channeling her. I loved the part about parents hardly being ableto pay their mortgages and dropping thousands for their kids perfectbedroom. I see that all the time and it is STUPID! I guess one benefitof waiting so long to finally have a child is that all of my friendswho had plenty of expensive clothing have older kids now and I gottheir "hand me downs" for FREE! I love to dress my daughter cutelyand nicely, but in my opinion that can be done from Target. Maybe Iam in the minority here. :( Nope. When the guys were little, it was Target or Walmart. Both guys grewso fast. Big guy was hell on his clothes, rarely got a chance to outgrow his jeans before he had holes in the knees. Didn't have too many hand-me-downsto pass on to little guy. LOL Now that they are teens though, it's ALL about the clothes. And thebrands. eek. ------------------------- A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friendwill be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!" -----UnknownDo big kids like yours still want expensive "games" and such forChristmas or are they more into clothes? We are having a lot of funChristmas shopping this year, although aren't going overboard as shewill undoubtedly enjoy the wrapping paper and bows as much as theactual gift. My favorite gift I got her is the book, "The PolarExpress" and the audio version. Anyone read it? I hope she'll keepit for a very long time.

Deb, Deb, Deb. The price of what they want goes up each year. LOL They think
we poop 20 dollar bills every time nature calls.

Big guy wants a stereo system this year. We gave him a budget and warned him
that the higher priced the item, the less he should expect for a birthday
present (his b-day is a week after xmas). He's been responsible and has been
comparison shopping.

Last year, we all just gave him cash for his "big" presents. Silly boy
insisted on spending it all on another MP3 player (first one got stolen out of
his locker). The one that was originally stolen cost about 80 bucks. The one
he bought with xmas and bday money cost about 300. It was stolen out of his
locker ONE week after he got it.

We did file a police report, and complained to the school about security, but
the bottom line is (and son knew this)---school policy forbids bringing
electronic equipment to school (cd players, mp3, etc). Expensive lesson. I
think he learned from it. LOL

We've been lucky with little guy. Every year, all he asks for is a supply of
notebooks and markers and pens. Wow. This year, however, he wants a new
puter. He totally deefed his out over the summer, and it will cost more to fix
it than what we paid for it. We're looking for one that can hold all his art
software without overloading. ;-)


-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown

aspensky@knology.net (Debbie) wrote I think that the majority of little girls and boys where I live, who are dressed in hundred dollar outfits and are under the age of four are channeling her. I loved the part about parents hardly being able to pay their mortgages and dropping thousands for their kids perfect bedroom. I see that all the time and it is STUPID! I guess one benefit of waiting so long to finally have a child is that all of my friends who had plenty of expensive clothing have older kids now and I got their "hand me downs" for FREE! I love to dress my daughter cutely and nicely, but in my opinion that can be done from Target. Maybe I am in the minority here. :(

Ross Dress for Less!

When I first got to the US, and didn't know much about stores, I got a
party dress for my then pre-schooler from Macy's. It was okay, but not
lined and a bit scratchy. The next year, I got the perfect frock for
less than half the price at Ross. That dress became such a favorite
that it was worn, with various extensions, for about two years after
that.

But I think I understand about the perfect bedrooms. There's so much
choice available. And if you're having only one or two kids, there's
this sense of "They grow up so fast, this is the only time I can
indulge myself this way." (The rooms *are* for the adults, not for the
little warts.) One of my friends bought a $300 party-dress for her 4
yr-old. My jaw dropped, but her rationale really was, she's going to
grow up, and I'll never get to see her in those kinds of dresses. And
besides, her sister can wear it when she grows out of it. But I
suspect her sister will get another such dress instead!

By the time they are about 8, they wear what *they* want, and the
perfect little dresses are history.

Rupa

In article <20031128233257.29072.00001090@mb-m12.aol.com>,
lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam (LilMtnCbn) writes:
Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: aspensky@knology.net (Debbie)Date: 11/28/03 9:28 PM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <4b23522a.0311282028.ad5ebba@posting.google.com>See, that is the other part. If some kids are getting such expensiveclothes now what are they going to want when they are teens...OH Iknow, MORE expensive clothing. I know that day will come so I amsaving early. :) Where I live, we have this awesome consignment salethat comes around twice a year. They only get really good names butitems are priced very reasonably. Works for me. Dh and I would rathertake our child on vacations and do things we can enjoy as a familythan to go broke buying clothes. Just our opinion.Wait until they're teens and will hide/refuse to wear the clothes you decidethey should wear. LOL Enjoy it while it lasts. ;-)

Wait until they're teens and will hide/refuse to be seen with you. ;-}

J.
Father of precocious pre-teen

>Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: jmdjmh@aol.com (J.)Date: 11/29/03 7:23 AM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <20031129092314.21232.00002444@mb-m13.aol.com>In article <20031128233257.29072.00001090@mb-m12.aol.com>,lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam (LilMtnCbn) writes:Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: aspensky@knology.net (Debbie)Date: 11/28/03 9:28 PM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <4b23522a.0311282028.ad5ebba@posting.google.com>See, that is the other part. If some kids are getting such expensiveclothes now what are they going to want when they are teens...OH Iknow, MORE expensive clothing. I know that day will come so I amsaving early. :) Where I live, we have this awesome consignment salethat comes around twice a year. They only get really good names butitems are priced very reasonably. Works for me. Dh and I would rathertake our child on vacations and do things we can enjoy as a familythan to go broke buying clothes. Just our opinion.Wait until they're teens and will hide/refuse to wear the clothes you decidethey should wear. LOL Enjoy it while it lasts. ;-)Wait until they're teens and will hide/refuse to be seen with you. ;-}J.Father of precocious pre-teen

Yeah, that too. LOL


-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown

In article <20031128094656.16299.00000836@mb-m23.aol.com>,
lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam (LilMtnCbn) writes:
Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of StuffFrom: aspensky@knology.net (Debbie)Date: 11/28/03 7:04 AM Mountain Standard TimeMessage-id: <4b23522a.0311280604.4d275754@posting.google.com>Robibnikoff <nospam@newsranger.com> wrote in messagenews:<Vtzxb.32453$cJ5.4972@www.newsranger.com>... In article <20031127112607.08361.00000928@mb-m24.aol.com>, LilMtnCbnsays... > >>Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of Stuff >>From: "helicon" helicon@eircom.net >>Date: 11/27/03 8:09 AM Mountain Standard Time >>Message-id: <Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie> >> >> >>"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in message >>news:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com... >>> Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOL >> >>I *really* like Anonymous! >> >>What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOL >> >>Helen > >Veruca Salt was a character in Willy Wonka. She was a very spoiled and"me me >me, mine mine mine" all the time. I think one of my neices is channeling her ;) Robyn Resident Witchypoo & EAC Spellcaster #1557I think that the majority of little girls and boys where I live, whoare dressed in hundred dollar outfits and are under the age of fourare channeling her. I loved the part about parents hardly being ableto pay their mortgages and dropping thousands for their kids perfectbedroom. I see that all the time and it is STUPID! I guess one benefitof waiting so long to finally have a child is that all of my friendswho had plenty of expensive clothing have older kids now and I gottheir "hand me downs" for FREE! I love to dress my daughter cutelyand nicely, but in my opinion that can be done from Target. Maybe Iam in the minority here. :(Nope. When the guys were little, it was Target or Walmart. Both guys grewsofast. Big guy was hell on his clothes, rarely got a chance to outgrow hisjeans before he had holes in the knees. Didn't have too many hand-me-downstopass on to little guy. LOLNow that they are teens though, it's ALL about the clothes. And the brands.eek.

When we were kids, it was the Toughskins from Sears...do you remember them? I
always will. They had a lifetime guarantee, the knees would NEVER wear out.
You could even see where they had sewn in and reinforced the knees. My brother
went thru so many pairs of those. My mom was at the store nearly every week
exchanging a worn out pair for a free replacement pair. She still jokes about
how she had to make herself a costume so they wouldn't recognize her there. I
can't help but wonder how much money was saved from not having to replace those
jeans out of pocket. lol

KL

In article <20031127094657.01893.00001896@mb-m22.aol.com>, jmdjmh@aol.com (J.)
writes:
In article <20031126233848.21642.00002613@mb-m01.aol.com>,klbjornme@aol.comjunkhell (KL) writes:I used to live up there in that metropolitan area that Edina is in. Thepeopleare really like that! It is incredibly sad.KLWell, not all of us, I hope.J.Well east of Edina

Oh no....I meant those in Edina....or even St. Louis Park....if ya know what I
mean??

KL

Re: A Spy In The House of Stuff

Group: alt.adoption Date: Fri, Nov 28, 2003, 8:31pm (MST-1) From:
aspensky@knology.net (Debbie)
lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam (LilMtnCbn) wrote in message
news:<20031128094656.16299.00000836@mb-m23.aol.com>...
Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of Stuff
From: aspensky@knology.net (Debbie)
Date: 11/28/03 7:04 AM Mountain Standard Time
Message-id: <4b23522a.0311280604.4d275754@posting.google.com>
Robibnikoff <nospam@newsranger.com> wrote in message
news:<Vtzxb.32453$cJ5.4972@www.newsranger.com>...
In article <20031127112607.08361.00000928@mb-m24.aol.com>, LilMtnCbn
says...
Subject: Re: A Spy In The House of Stuff
From: "helicon" helicon@eircom.net
Date: 11/27/03 8:09 AM Mountain Standard Time
Message-id: <Fmoxb.2305$nm6.16573@news.indigo.ie>
"LilMtnCbn" <lilmtncbn@aol.comnospam> wrote in message
news:20031126084941.10131.00000969@mb-m01.aol.com...
Yikes. The perfect social worker. LOL
I *really* like Anonymous!
What are/who is "Veruca Salts"? LOL
Helen
Veruca Salt was a character in Willy Wonka. She was a very spoiled and
"me me me, mine mine mine" all the time.
I think one of my neices is channeling her ;)
Robyn
Resident Witchypoo & EAC Spellcaster
#1557
I think that the majority of little girls and boys where I live, who are
dressed in hundred dollar outfits and are under the age of four are
channeling her. I loved the part about parents hardly being able to pay
their mortgages and dropping thousands for their kids perfect bedroom. I
see that all the time and it is STUPID! I guess one benefit of waiting
so long to finally have a child is that all of my friends who had plenty
of expensive clothing have older kids now and I got their "hand me
downs" for FREE! I love to dress my daughter cutely and nicely, but in
my opinion that can be done from Target. Maybe I am in the minority
here. :(
Nope. When the guys were little, it was Target or Walmart. Both guys
grew so fast. Big guy was hell on his clothes, rarely got a chance to
outgrow his jeans before he had holes in the knees. Didn't have too many
hand-me-downs to pass on to little guy. LOL
Now that they are teens though, it's ALL about the clothes. And the
brands. eek.
-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true
friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown
Do big kids like yours still want expensive "games" and such for
Christmas or are they more into clothes? We are having a lot of fun
Christmas shopping this year, although aren't going overboard as she
will undoubtedly enjoy the wrapping paper and bows as much as the actual
gift. My favorite gift I got her is the book, "The Polar Express" and
the audio version. Anyone read it? I hope she'll keep it for a very long
time.



That is an awesome gift!!! I bought that for my niece and nephew years
ago. We opened it on Christmas Eve. As they sat by the tree with just
the lights a glow. We listened to the story while looking at the
pictures. It replaced "Twas the night before Christmas" in their house.
It is still a tradition today!
Windforest

In article <20031130161137.12501.00004273@mb-m04.aol.com>,
klbjornme@aol.comjunkhell (KL) writes:
In article <20031127094657.01893.00001896@mb-m22.aol.com>, jmdjmh@aol.com(J.)writes:In article <20031126233848.21642.00002613@mb-m01.aol.com>,klbjornme@aol.comjunkhell (KL) writes:I used to live up there in that metropolitan area that Edina is in. Thepeopleare really like that! It is incredibly sad.KLWell, not all of us, I hope.J.Well east of EdinaOh no....I meant those in Edina....or even St. Louis Park....if ya know whatImean??KL


Mary Tyler Moore in Ordinary People?

J.