Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Outings.

Of all the years to move to the greatest state in the union (Minnesota), this year would NOT be the one. In addition to Dayton planning to tax the wazoo out of everyone (highest taxes in America, people), our precious summer months are being rained out. We had rain everyday last week, and we're gearing up for another week full of rain. It's actually cold today!

If we can conquer -20 below, we can certainly cope with a bit of rain. So, our outings have consisted of a lot of trips to the post office and library.

I love the library. Seriously, love it. Going to the library for me almost carries the excitement of buying a new pair of shoes, except without the guilt. What? I can get anything I want? And it's free? And there's no limit to how much I can bring home with the exception that I need to be able to physically remove it from the premises? Wow.

Our local library in the Great White North isn't what I'd dub "child friendly." The children's section is right next to the entrance doors, and a great divide of computers separates the children's books from all other materials. That means that I am left to caravan the kids with a list of call numbers in hand whenever there's a book I'm after. We always manage to get "shushed" by the information desk while my kids try their hardest to whisper (kids trying to whisper always sounds louder than their actual speaking voice, don't you think?). Yes, we must be quiet at the library, I remind my kiddos. After all, we wouldn't want to disturb the 90% of patrons who are actually truants using the library solely for Facebook 

On we trek through the board books, easy readers, DVD's, fiction, non-fiction and magazines until each of us has a backpack full of books. Add a Britax Chaperone carrying a hefty boychild to the mix (goodness, those things are heavy!), and we're quite the sight. We lug our bags onto the counter, hand over our "ticket" and then we're off, each of us tilting slightly to the side over the weight of our books.

When we get home it's like Christmas morning! Something for everyone...

5 comments:

Sarah said...

Love the library!! I get the same "high" that you describe . . . it's thrilling!! Glad to see that I'm not the only one who walks away with a huge stack of books. Sorry to hear the weather is so icky.

Theresa said...

YES! We hit the library yesterday and brought home MORE books - we already had a stack at home we weren't finished with yet. I love it! Our library has a website where you can search their catalog and request a book/movie/audio without leaving the house. It's a great feature. Perhaps your library has it? Then all you gotta do is put in your order, pick it up when it's ready, and then your set to coral your kids in the children's section.

Libraries are AWESOME. But one thing that might be better than a library?.....Barnes and Noble (with Starbucks). mmmmm......simple fantasies. ;-)

Mallory said...

We are coping with the weather with good spirits. We just are bummed that we can't go swimming. We'll just have do double-time in July ;-).

Our library does have an ordering feature, which I do use, but the library is only one in a branch of six, and the ordering service takes FOREVER. So, I'll put in an order for a stack of books, but they'll trickle in over the course of three weeks or more. Actually, we're off to the library this morning to pick up one of the books on my "order" list, even though there are ten or more books on my queue. Hey, it's something to do :) .

BTW, Theresa, they DON'T have the book The Family Dinner. Bummer!

Erin said...

Claire's take on the weather:

"Mommy, when's it going to be summer?"

"It IS summer, honey."

"No, I don't mean this, I mean REAL summer. You know, when the lake is warm and I can wear my dresses and flip flops forever, not just one day and then never again."

Yeah, I think we're library bound tomorrow. That is, now that we're finally off the library's most wanted list after finding the Harriet book that went missing during our nightmarish move...

Mallory said...

Yeah! I'm so happy that everyone loves the library as much as I do. I have to agree with Theresa that Barnes and Noble, plus some foo-foo coffee drink would definitely cake the cake, but for everyday with the kids, this will do.

Erin, I have REFUSED to wear sock and shoes despite the rain. My flip flops are in full swing--right along with my jeans and sweatshirts. Today marks day 12 of overcast skies and scattered showers!

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