The "Bestest" Money I Ever Spent

Abby on her birthday with her card! Abby with her card today! Note the chewed corners.

It isn't very often that you feel that being raped by Hallmark is the best money you have ever spent but in this incidence I do. Most of you are familiar with Hallmark's ability to suck in the customer under the guise of a "holiday" or attract you to buy Christmas ornaments in July (I am guilty of falling for both). Anyway this year my children accompanied me to the local Hallmark store to buy Valentines for their loving, generous father. While in the store Jack located the Gold Crowns version of "Don't Forget The Lyrics"- the musical greeting card. Jack and Abby spent most of the shopping excursion opening and dancing around the crowded aisle of the store listening to all of his favorite and newly favorite songs. I heard the Hamster Dance (annoying), High School Musical, Cars, 80's classics, nursery rhymes. As I dragged him out of the store he was pointing to all (there were probably 6-8 cards that he wanted) of the birthday cards that he thought I should purchase him for his birthday which was more then 2 months away.

In April when Jack's birthday finally came around I purchased him a Darth Vader card that played the Darth Vader song (Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun...). Jack is his father's son he loves to have his birthday celebrated on one hand but on the other he doesn't like all the attention. Jack quickly opened the card and carefully tossed it to the side to listen to later in the comfort of his bedroom without the audience. His sister was intrigued by this $4.99 card that played music. Over and over for the next few days Jack would attempt to hide his card to keep it nice (again his father's son) and while he was at school his sister would find it and play it over and over and over again.

In July Abby (aka "Little Mermaid") turned 3, I found myself again at Hallmark taking the beating for the $4.99 card. This time it is Ariel with Sebastian singing "Under the Sea" when you open it. I knew Abby would love it because she had made me promise that Ariel and Sebastian would both be at her party (this was as close as I could get to the real thing, short of dressing up like Donna Martin in the mermaid costume in front of all of my friends and family and Steve as a crab or lobster). On the morning of Abby's birthday we gave her her gifts... to this day I have no idea what Abby got for her birthday, all I know is that she got that card. Abby unlike her brother has gotten my money out of that card, it has gone to the car wash, Lowes, the grocery store, the doctors office, more places then I can keep track of. I actually thought today I should throw the card away because it had been sitting on the counter in the laundry room for more then a week. But less then 20 minutes after that thought crossed my mind Abby was asking me where her card was. Lucky for me I was too lazy to pick it up off the floor and throw it away. I told her where it was and the girl and her card were reunited. What did I get for this? A kiss on my hand and the pronouncement of being the "bestest mommy"- it doesn't get better then that!

Thanks Hallmark! I think I owe you!

Card Update- Monday, the card got some much needed TLC- scotch tape reinforcement- after making its debut as a family member in the family blog. Tuesday, I found the card in a cabinet in the kitchen. Wednesday morning during "Metamucil time" Abby remembered that she had put the card in that cabinet. "Oh Ariel! There you are! I have been looking all over for you! I love you!" Whose child is this?