Times Are Tough...

Most of us do our best to raise our kids right. I say most because I spent an hour today with a creepy sex offender who...well, don't EVEN ask.

We teach our children the importance of high moral standards like: "Honesty is the best policy." "Do unto others as you would have done to yourself." One of my personal favorites is, "Civilized people don't drink wine out of a box."

The other day I shocked my daughter by coming home with a box ‘o wine that an over enthusiastic PLCB employee talked me into (I’m so sorry she did—it was awful). The oddly shaped container of wine coupled with the cans of Corona I got for my father’s visit sent Kaleigh into shock. She asked me, “Mom, are we poor? I saw cans of beer in the fridge AND a box of wine and I just don’t understand it. I thought you had rules about that kind of stuff.”
This might sound bad out of context. We are certainly not the type of people who sit around, noses in the air, sipping on expensive wine and microbrews. I choose my wine based on the coolest labels under $9.99. My beer of choice at home is usually a bottle of Miller Lite…we’re not fancy. At all.

I do have my “things” though. Everyone does. I’ve tried to instill a sense of good judgment into Kaleigh. For example, “Good girls don’t buy fake bags”. That is one thing that I am a total snob about. Hand bags. My rule is, if you can afford the real thing—it’s not okay to buy a fake. I don’t do fake Coach bags….until tonight.

In an effort to support a good friend’s venture into the exciting world of knock off hand bags, I agreed to shop her store. It was quite an experience. Very classy. Right out of the trunk of her Yukon in “On the Border’s” parking lot. It was dark, people were gawking…and my daughter had an absolute blast! It was the single best moment of my day when that trunk flew open and my daughter eyed the only Coach bag of the bunch. You know when the “Mommy can I” comes out of the closet, you’re toast. 17 year old girls don’t call their Moms “Mommy” unless it’s to suck up. I’m totally okay with that. The look of sheer joy and contentment was the cherry on top of a perfect evening of dinner and conversation with my fabulously entertaining daughter.

She asked me, “Mom, are you sure? I know it’s a knock off.” I said to her, “Hey, times are tough. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.” I’ve taught her well. My work here is done.