Things were better yesterday and today with summer stuff. My mom bailed me out yesterday when Elizabeth had a doctor appointment that was at the same time I had to pick up Edward and Henry (I tried to reschedule the appointment, which I’d made long before signing up for summer stuff, and they said, “Let’s see, our next available appointment is…July 28th”), and then today there were no piano lessons, no karate, and no doctor appointments, so actually everything went well.

Oh, wait, there was an orthodontist appointment. I forgot about that because my mom and I combined it with a shopping trip that went extremely well, and so it felt like it just merged with that. We did the appointment first, then we went to KFC: I am having a little problem with their 10-bites meal, which I had for the first time this past weekend and now would like to eat every single day.

Then we went to Goodwill, and I don’t want to make the acid of envy burn the back of your throat, but they had HANNA ANDERSSON stuff for $1.79 per piece. It made me feel like pawing through every single item on every single rack looking only at the brand names—but that way madness lies. Instead I just went through the rack of Elizabeth-sized clothing as usual, and if I happened to find something Hanna Andersson, then how nice. Here’s my final haul (each item $1.79):

• Hanna Andersson bright pink jeans

• Hanna Andersson stripey leggings in teal and purple (possibly pjs)

• Hanna Andersson pink polka-dot cotton-knit button-up round-collar (HYPHEN AWARD) blouse that matches the pink of the pants

• Hanna Andersson brown velour zip-up sweatshirt with pink, blue, and purple polka-dots

• Gymboree denim shorts with jeweled pockets

• Gymboree corduroy heart-patterned skirt

• Gymboree appliqued short-sleeved shirt

• Gap pink fleece hooded jacket

• Old Navy cat-applique t-shirt

(I probably should have started with the Old Navy and worked up to the Hanna Andersson; that would have made for a more impressive impact.) I also got two things in brands I don’t recognize: a Kingkow polo shirt (very cute tiny cow where a preppy alligator would be) and an “SO wear it declare it” top (declare what?).

Other days I go to Goodwill and come out with nothing, after looking listlessly through rack after rack of pilled, grubby, Walmart/Target-store-brand clothes. Today I PASSED OVER a Hanna Andersson Christmas dress ($1.79) and several Gymboree things, just because I didn’t love them, and a Gap zip-up sweatshirt because I already had a Gap jacket and a Hanna Andersson sweatshirt in my hand.

After Goodwill, we went to Target. I wish I’d remembered to buy candy, but I just didn’t and there’s no turning back time. I bought more sunscreen, which involved clenching my teeth because Henry somehow lost a brand-new $8 bottle of it on his FIRST DAY at camp, and even though it had his name all over it in permanent marker, it is apparently gone forever and he needs a replacement. I also compared the ingredients of the Target brand multivitamin I usually buy on sale for $4.49/100, and found it’s completely identical to the Target brand “adults under 50” multivitamin which is sold for $10.99/400 and was on sale for $9.89. And I got milk, so now I don’t have to go all the way to the grocery store just for milk. A triumph.