The Children's Place is really the parent's place.

With the final document en route to Russia and just the anticipatory wait for a court date, i did what any other nesting woman would do; I went shopping.  Firstly, retail therapy is grossly underrated, it cures so many ailments other than depression.  Think about it, you walk from store to store (exercise), you count money (brain exercise), you put multiple bags into your car (weight lifting), you encounter sales associates, ask for help and talk to strangers (social activity), and I did not even get to the endorphins that are released from the purchase itself !  Hey, whatever justifies it in my mind is of itself....justified !

We went into Pampolina, a European children's store with select boutiques here in the states. I look around the store I once loved and asked "where are the boys clothes? " the sales girl, dressed in an outfit that probably fit her 3 years ago, responds "Pampolina discontinued its boys' line here in the US, there was not enough of a demand for it here."   WHAT !!  REALLY !!!  The clothes were stylish, well made, trendy and adorable  and they discontinued them !!  But of course the store was filled with the usual multitude of colors of girls' ensembles.  So I dejectedly sifted through the 70% off racks and found a few items for Allyson for Christmas (Kathlyn's daughter), and although I was tempted to buy something for Gioia, my niece, I re-thought the purchase and did not. (It's a sad dad when an aunt can't spoil her only niece).

After Angie made several purchases for her granddaughter in the "girls only" store, we made our way to "Heartstrings"...finally a boy's section as large as the girl's section.  As I looked at the adorable clothing all marked with 25%, 40% and 70% off tags, my excitement quickly turned to dismay when I started reading the price tags and the discount charts; after the sale the small sweaters, t shirts, pants and vests would range from $24-$48...ON SALE !    Ok, I am by far NOT a cheap person, but REALLY??!!
I don't pay $48 for a sweater for me if its a designer, why would I pay that for a tint little sweater, a quarter the material used in my sweater, with a tag that states MADE IN PERU (doubt they have strong unions there).   I couldn't do it....I wanted it, it was cute, but ever moral fiber in my being said "you ARE NOT paying that kind of money for children's clothes."    I looked around the store at the usual lineups of yuppie parents browsing the racks like they were at KMart.  One little boy laughed and clapped as I made silly faces at him, he was obviously bored with the whole shopping expedition his "too old to have children" tired looking mother took him on. Her mouth pursed and soured when the child made bored sounds and fussed and she shot me looks of disdain when I made him laugh.  Sorry lady, didn't realize you were a miserable B, no wonder the kids' crying !

So I made the small obligatory purchase in the store and grew depressed that I could not get my boys some decent clothes without re-mortgaging the house.  Then we went to the next Outlet Center and I found THE CHILDREN"S PLACE.  I remembered shopping here at the mall with Kathlyn and her kids and I remember so many of my friends telling me how great the items and the prices were.  I walked in and it sounded like a choir of angels behind me went " AHHHHHHHHHH"...ok, not I'm exaggerating, but boy was I excited !
A full one half of the store was all boys and the signs and the discounts were REAL!!   After filling my arms to the point of hurting, I found a mesh bag to deposit my purchases in and continued looking for more things to add to the bag.   trying to imagine what will fit and what will not fit is hard when you haven't seen your kids in 8 months and the last pictures were 3 months ago.  I hoped that cinch able waistbands and a sewing kit would get me through the few weeks in Russia.  T-shirts, sweaters, socks, wind pants, sneakers, more shirts....you name it !  I get to counter and as the discounts mount, the woman says "if you apply for a card you get an additional 30% off."  ....My usual response to the credit card request is a quick NO, but I stopped and looked at her and said "Did you say 30% off".... "Yes Ma am.".......Well my momma didn't raise no fool and even I know that 30% IS a way to get more people to get your store credit card. The obligatory 10% just is not cutting it for experienced shoppers like me anymore! 
So when all was said and done and the card was approved my enormous bags of clothing for the boys came out to $116 total !! WOW !!   That yuppie store would have given me a sweater and pants for that money. 
So it is official...Been there, Shopped it, and I have the Credit card...The Children's Place is AWESOME !
We love Sales, we love deals and I have completed my therapy for the day.

Buying something on sale is a very special feeling. In fact, the less I pay for something, the more it is worth to me. I have a dress that I paid so little for that I am afraid to wear it. I could spill something on it, and then how would I replace it for that amount of money? ~Rita Rudner