Part II - Day 1 - Annual Shopping Trip 2016

 Another gift....This harmonica was a gift I gave the original shopping trip girls.  It all started as a joke.  I had worked with some guys that were playing harmonica in a band.  They talked me into getting one and I played around with it for awhile.  Well, I brought it on one of our shopping trips and on the way there I would play a tune and they would try to guess what I was playing. Yep, I was that bad!  So then I bought everyone a Harmonica, with a lesson book!  And do you think they learned to play?  No....but then the next year Aunt Irene bought me a packet of play instruments that we all played on the way there.  Then Ashley bought us all recorders (which I had mine out a couple of weeks ago practicing!)  Then I think Vickie bought a bag of play instruments that we take every now and then....

And this year Vickie gave Taylor, Aunt Irene's harmonica (which apparently she never opened!)

And funny story...a few years ago I was backing out of the driveway, with Theresa in the front seat and Mom in the back.  I heard this loud 'sound', kind of like a horn.  I SLAMMED on the brakes.  It was Mom, in the back seat, blowing on her harmonica!

So...here we are... in our matching sweatshirts.   Click here to see a post of our matching sweatshirts over the years.

  In the last couple of years Mom and Gloria haven't gone with us.  And Taylor has never gone with us.  (Rule is you have to be 16.  We bent that rule for her)  So, the four of us had the shirts.  But when Mom and Gloria decided to go this year, Vickie and Ashley made a trip to Purdue and bought two more sweatshirts.  Then when Taylor decided to go, they made another trip over there!
Here we are!

And off we go....all crammed into one van with a car top carrier!

We actually got off to a rocky start.  We had a 'gully-washer' the night before and Gloria went out and drove her van through some water. WTH-Gloria! 

 Well, the catalytic converter messed up on her van, and a light came on her dashboard.  Thing is, she had the car top carrier on her vehicle.  So on Friday evening, before we were to leave on Saturday morning, she called.  I was on my way out the door and didn't answer right away.  Long story short, my sister and I were trying to decide which one of our vehicles we should drive, or maybe both.  Remember we have overnight bags too.  And at the same time Gloria was calling, Vickie was texting.  She didn't have power and couldn't get packed or the  house picked up, in the dark.

 But Vickie's lights came back on and she hustled and got packed.  And her husband, Robert, met Gloria at the car place early Saturday morning and all worked out.  So off we go....

 Theresa's getting into the donuts already!  Cute matching hats.

YUM!

 Robert trying to direct us out of the drive.  He started yelling...something about hitting another car in the drive.  We had to start over!

 It's ok Vickie...we'll get going sooner or later!

Ashley's been practicing!

 But we have not practiced!

 It was quite the morning for this young'n to take in!

  We finally arrived at the outdoor mall in Ft. Wayne.  As you can see, it was a bit cloudy, and it was also very windy.

Food Porn at the Vera Bradly store!  They didn't offer us one though (sad face) 

 So, we were getting ready to leave, but met at the tree to get our picture taken, as is tradition....

 and this happened!

 Can't see Theresa.....Can't see Mom....

 Mom need to squish in more...

 Still can't see Theresa...Ashley get in picture...That's better Mom...

 OK we're getting there....

 Oh no....the tree....

 we need to all move over.....We don't have the tree in the pic........
wait........the tree isn't in the picture....
hold up....I'm not smiling...
WAIT!......

 Nope...not waiting.....to the indoor mall we go.

 to be continued.....

Cindy