Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Turns out...

I can easily be swayed from this:

To this:

We were on the verge of planning that family vacation, booking hotels, planning restaurants, making lists of things to pack. When it occurred to me... that the money to be spent on the vacation this year could be used on something that would be an investment for our family. A back yard play set. My kids looooove being outdoors! My kids also love going to the park and I have to admit that while I wish I loved the park... I don't. I actually do all I can to avoid taking the kids. I have to have an eye on Teagan 85% of the time. I'm fine with her running off and playing independently. I don't hover. But there are times she calls for help with equipment- climbing or monkey bars. And I just like being able to know where she is. So if just she and I go, it's all good. Add Zach to the mix... trouble. The boy is a daredevil. He thinks he can do anything. He thinks he can climb, crawl, dive, slide, swing, run. He tries to walk off the edges of play equipment. He does everything he can to get away from me and stay right by his sister. Add in the parents who don't care what their kids are doing, the parents who hover and get in the way, the kids who are rude or bullying, the teenagers who take over pieces of equipment... It just ends up being less fun. So the idea of having our own playset in the backyard... letting the kids run and play and climb and slide and swing... in the safety and controlled environment of our fenced in back yard. Our own playset also means having friends over, having family over, having something to do in our own yard for years to come. And because family vacations are still really important, we are taking a trip to Cincinnati. A visit with my family one day, a day where the kids stay with Grandma and Jeff and I go out for a day of fun, and then 2 nights in a hotel (with a gorgeous pool) and a day at the zoo and a day at the museum center. So we are back to our original plan- nothing big this year, back to Sesame Place next year. Zach will certainly get more out of it next year than this year. We already talked with Teagan about it- she is way excited about getting a playset. And going to visit Grandma and go to the zoo and museum. *** Back on the subject of that playset... it has been very frustrating to find what we want! I generally have a "3 strikes" policy with retail stores. Treat me badly 3 times, I'm done shopping there. Sometimes it doesn't even take 3 strikes. Toys R Us has hit the 2nd strike and I'm very close to being done. In my vast searching and learning about wooden playsets, I've found a builder that I like. Big Backyard. That picture up there is the Ashford and we LOVE it. Big Backyard advertises on their website that you can find the Ashford at TRU. TRU has it on their website- but the shipping is $500. Ouch! Then I see a coupon on the TRU website- 20% off, in store only, all wooden playsets. Whooppee!!!! Last night, after work, I head to TRU to check it out. I called first- I asked about the Ashford and was told it was no longer carried in stores. But I thought I'd go see what else they had. With a 20% off coupon in hand, I might upgrade and be happy enough, right? I walk in the store. I pass a handful of associates who never greet me or ask if I need help. I finally make eye contact with one and ask about the wooden playsets. She directs me to the other side of the store. I head over and see the wall of pictures of the playsets. You are supposed to take a little tag to the register and then pick up the boxes. But all the slips are gone for all the playsets. Huh? I find another associate and ask for assistance. I'm informed that "most people" bought their playsets in February so they are out of stock on everything and the warehouse is out of stock on everything and nothing can be ordered by the store anyway because Corporate does all ordering. So... Corporate issued a coupon for product that stores don't have and can't get?? I'm sure I'll be posting an update soon- a follow up to my next steps. First, I'm calling a different TRU to see if they have any playsets in stock. There are only 3 TRU stores in the Indy area. If I strike out across the board, I'll contact TRU to complain about this coupon and about the lack of stock in store and warehouse and the lack of helpfulness on the part of the employee. I also plan to contact the manufacturer of the playsets to inquire if they sell elsewhere and also to discourage them from selling through TRU. So frustrating. So, so frustrating.