Trip to IKEA

So yes, lots of people think Calli looks just like Lana. Still, it never hurts to dress them alike. Here are some "sister outfits" Nana got them this summer. Trying to convince Lana to wear shorts instead of her usual dress was like pulling teeth. We were going to IKEA and I prefer she wears shorts shopping and whatnot with running around and riding in the buggy anyway. Besides, it was just too much fun.



IKEA is almost an hour away so Melanie and I decided to pile all the kids in Brent's truck one day last week and take them. Elane even decided to come with Blake in her car following us just for fun. Here's all the kids piled in the backseat.


There is definitely plenty of room for them in there, but Lana kept bugging Calli and waking her up just because she could touch her. She also gave her all sorts of things we didn't want her to have (like a paper napkin and Lana's shoes). She likes to share with Calli.

Mel was looking for a play table for Jack with some storage and everything and I was looking for a new kitchen table. I need to sell my old kitchen table and my dining room table but I need something bigger. What I'm really looking for is a big farmhouse type table with a bench for under the windows and maybe three chairs on the other side plus I could add two chairs at the end. Since we got rid of our dining room, I need to make enough room in the kitchen for holidays and such when we have everyone here. Of course, I found the perfect kitchen table (and Mel found the perfect play table) only to have neither of us be able to find it when we were hunting downstairs. If you've never been to IKEA, they have all the furniture in boxes on shelves downstairs. You write down the row and bin number and pick it up yourself. It's a bit of a pain, but it's cheap and we love it so we do ok.

Despite the disappointment of not finding what we were looking for, we had a lot of fun. And the kids did great. All the older kids rode in carts or a stroller for the top floor while we traded off who carried Calli. (I forgot my double stroller at home when I was packing up Brent's truck.) At the end of the top floor, we got lunch and let the kids play in the kid area. (Yes, IKEA is the most family friendly store I have ever been in.) Of course, it was impossible to get the kids back in the buggy and carts so we let them walk, but Lana and Jack had a rule. They had to walk behind me (where I was pushing Calli in Elane's stroller that she loaned us) and in front of Melanie (who was pushing the cart) and they had to hold hands. (Sorry for the bad quality pic. I couldn't get my camera out fast enough so this was taken from my phone.)


and Calli asleep in the buggy...


They did really well with this except if we wanted to stop to look at something. At that point, anything and everything was fair game and they went running off all over yelling and playing their version of hide and seek. Ok, it wasn't that bad and they were great for two-year-olds and totally patient. Still, Mel and I are going back sometime in a few weeks with just Calli so we can spend more time looking downstairs for the furniture we want and have a chance to ask someone.