VOTE NOW: unplanned post: outfit vote request, traveling tomorrow, (read story later if needed)!

Packing central on my bed.
 This picture does not do
 the softness justice.  These pants feel like butter.
  They are like leggings, but heavier than that.
 A denim color with white flowers and some
 green leaves and a touch of pink.  Love.  

Mini and I went on a covert mission last night.  I am a weird shopper -one with expensive taste but who refuses to pay top dollar.  I buy things, and I hold off wearing them if I anticipate the price might be marked lower.  Then I try and buy them at a lower price.

In this case I bought the pants twice.  They were supposed to be $200.  I know.  But, they are cute, no?  I paid $150- knowing I would NEVER keep them if I could not get a price adjustment or buy them again at a lower price.  Then I bought a second pair at $100 several weeks later.  I have yet to wear either but Coach and I fly to NY tomorrow for Lad's senior water polo games, and I am ready to rip the tags off of ONE of them!

Last night Mini and I dropped Curly at dancing and then we drove to the mall.  I had called earlier and a saleswoman by the name of Joelle had told me that I could not return them and re-buy them right then and there. 

I dropped Mini off at a different entrance, because we were going to pretend we were not together.  You follow?  Our identical-ness is hard to deny, but we gave it a try.  I entered thru the door I always enter through.  I returned the pants at $150. 

Mini had cash in her pocket and planned to re-purchase the pants (that I had JUST returned) at a lower price.  I hoped they would end up being marked down to $50 after my return- a full 75% off the original price.  There were no more pairs on the rack, so we were hoping to buy this pair and then at a later date I could return the $100 pair I still had at home. 

Too bad you all could not have seen my daughter.  I am so proud.  She lived up to the Mini monkier.  She and I tried not to make eye contact.  Only communicated via text.  From across the store while I returned at the register, I spotted her in another section.  She waited until I saw her, and then she lowered herself like one of those fake electric animals on a Disney ride.  Once low enough so that I could not see her, she scooted to a nearby rack and slowly reappeared at full height.  I was watching her from over my cashier's shoulder.  I had to bite my lip to avoid busting a gut laughing. 

Option 1:  please ignore the orange sports
 bra peeking out at the top.  I quickly tried
 the clothes on when Mom stopped by so
 she could photograph me.  Um, that was
 an adventure.  My mom does not do cell
 phones.  She did something crazy and
 ended up taking like 35 pictures of each pose.  

Anyway, the saleswoman never put the pants back on the rack.  She left them folded on the counter.  Initially I continued to shop in an adjacent section and Mini circled the area like a hawk desperate for a pair of cute pants.  At one point, Mini texted me to meet her in the nearby lounge.  'Abort mission.'  I casually hurried to the lounge. 

Mini was worried that the my saleswoman (Joelle) and the saleswoman 'Evelyn' in the nearby section were talking about me.  Mini heard Evelyn come over to Joelle's section and say, 'I told her I cannot do a price adjustment unless there is another item still on the rack.'  I reassured Mini that Evelyn was not talking about me.  I had not asked her for a price adjustment.  We were back on track.

Eventually Mini and I met upstairs and continued to shop.  Me:  'Isn't this cute?'  Mini:  'For me or for you?'  Is there a difference?  Apparently. 

On our way out of the store, Mini tried again to buy the pants.  Now Joelle had them hanging on a tiny rack at the end of the counter waiting to be re-hung on a sales-rack.  I guess.  When Joelle walked away, Mini saw her chance, grabbed the pants, and started to march over to Evelyn's register. 

To avoid suspicion, I exited the building and told Mini I would pick her up at 'her' door.  She texted me that the pants had not been reduced.  The tag still said $150.  I texted back that the tag didn't matter - the computer would ring them up correctly. 

Alas.  It was too late, Mini had plopped them back where Joelle was storing them.  Joelle returned from the fitting room so Mini just stomped out to where I was in the car super frustrated.  I told her not to worry.  It was a rookie mistake.  I blame myself for not better training efforts. 

I knew I only had one baby to sit for today because another kiddo was sick, so I told Mini I would call the store in the morning and try to put them on hold.  If they were there, I would go back up to the mall with one baby and buy them. 

Option 2:  This is the white blouse option.
 Note the mean-ass pantry door in the
 background that tried to amputate my
 toe at 3 am.  My insides were still
adjusting to the colonoscopy aftermath and
I was experiencing a level of discomfort that
 only gluten free cereal can fix.  It is a cereal
I only eat in emergencies such as this.  I was
 left cleaning up blood and icing the toe while
 eating cereal.  Fun.  Before I went to the
 mall, baby and I stopped to have my stitches
 removed from a prior/separate injury.  THAT
 is another story.  I will share later.  It is quite
honestly, hard to be me at the moment.  All
kidding and colonoscopies aside, life has
 dealt a few frustrating hands of late and I am
waiting for something to turn around.
 Cute pants don't hurt. 
Especially when they are 75% off.

UPDATE:  Before I left for the mall, my mom stopped by to make sure she knew which key works in my door.  She will be unlocking the house on Sunday at noon so the kids can return from their friends' houses and work on homework and probably destroy a few things.  Anyway, I showed my mom my outfits.  I wanted to know if she liked it better with the blouse or the jacket. 

My Mom started laughing.  SHE BOUGHT HERSELF THE SAME EXACT PANTS MONTHS AGO.  Of course, she paid full price.  My description of what I do to get them at a discount makes her nervous as all Hell.

Show of hands for who thinks these are old lady pants?  That was Mini's orignal take on them when I bought them.  I think she has warmed to them, but knowing my mom bought a pair.  Hmmm.

I called right after my mom left and a different sales lady answered the phone.  She found the pants and put them on hold.  She told me they had been marked down to $49 - hallelujah!  I took the baby to the mall, walked in, and there was Joelle.  Now, I am not doing anything illegal.  The pants ARE for sale.  Anyone could buy them.  Still.  Awkward.

Joelle was standing on the other side of the register area talking to someone with her back to me.  A different sales lady asked if she could help me.  I pointed to the pants on the 'hold' rack and she grabbed them and greeted me with the fake name that I used when I requested them to be put on hold.  'Oh hi Veronica!' 

I whispered that I would be paying cash and I quickly put the bills on the counter and then bent down as if I was tying my shoe.  I messed around in my bag pretending to search for things for the baby.  I kept my face hidden by my hair.  Reached up from my bent position and accepted the change.  The lady put it in the bag and I checked to see where Joelle was.  She still had not turned around  - still talking to someone.  I took the bag from the saleslady and headed to the elevator with my stroller at record breaking, suspicious for shop lifting speed. 

People:  I have the pants. 

And that, is how it is done!

VOTE:  Sorry I was not going to tell THE WHOLE STORY, but it is a good story, no?  I head to the airport at 10 am tomorrow.  Would love your input beforehand - but will accept late entries. I did not think it would take me this long to post this little ditty.

I could wear the leggings/pants with a green jacket with a tank top under it.  I am not going to lie.  The jacket is from the early 90's.  There are slight shoulder pads in there.  OR I could wear it with the white blouse and a greenish cami underneath.  I had some cute new shoes I was going to wear but I was up in the middle of the night and I managed to open the pantry door across my big toe.  Bleeding.  Bruise.  I am now thinking I am going to go with open toe super comfy but very sharp sandals.