Oops!

Sometimes you have a moment when you wonder, what was I thinking? The answer was obvious and it still took forever to figure out. Well, that is exactly what happened last night.

We were driving to Target to pick out a birthday present for a party that was about to begin. Yes, we were going to be late, what a surprise, but in those last few minutes before we left I strapped the girls in the car, cleaned the downstairs and kitchen in seven minutes and was quite proud of myself when we pulled out of the driveway. I love coming home to a house that doesn't need to be picked up, there are no dishes in the sink. I can simply put the kids in their jammies and tuck them in bed. I was feeling good.

While we were driving I was drinking a Diet Coke that had a screw on top and was chatting with the kids. When we pulled into Target I threw everything into my bag and absentmindedly tossed in the Diet Coke. It wasn't like I needed a drink in Target. I certainly wasn't going to be drinking it with Brynn in my arms, pushing Kaitlyn in the cart while trying to keep three boys in view.

We trucked on back to the far left of the store to the toy department and finally found the Polly Pocket aisle when I noticed that there was a mysterious brown liquid that had dripped on to the floor. I thought I had simply selected the wrong cart and that the wheels were leaking something gross by my feet. As I scanned the dolls I looked down again and saw more liquid. This time I looked up at the ceiling thinking it might be falling from above. Of course it hadn't rained that day, but I was still puzzled.

At this point it seems obvious that I need more sleep, but more minutes passed and more brown drops appeared on the floor. Finally a light bulb went off in my mind and I realized this mystery liquid was none other than the Diet Coke I had haphazardly thrown into my backpack. I yanked off the bag thinking everything would just be wet. Oh how wrong I was. The nylon bag made a perfect little lake in the bottom . I spied my phone, camera, wallet, gum, chapstick, money and fruit snacks floating in two inches of cola. Oh no! I also saw Rich's moonlighting check shredded in three pieces near the bottom. What a mess!

I grabbed the phone, wallet and camera, threw the new toys and backpack in the basket and rushed to check out. I didn't dare look behind to see if we left a brown trail as we exited. Back at the van, I took the phone apart hoping it could dry out, laid the check out, checked the camera (it was fine- hurrah!) and tossed the rest.

After six solid hours of blank phone screen, it miraculously started to work, but the check got a failing grade from the bank. Sweet Rich called the clinic and explained the situation and I'm sending it back to them tomorrow so they can reissue a new one.

Pretty good luck that the phone, camera and wallet survived, but there is a moral to this story. Don't put Diet Coke in your bag. Leave it in the car and use the drinking fountain if you get thirsty. That's what I am going to do from now on! And one more thing, I think I'll try to get to bed before midnight- maybe then I can avoid these situations all together!