As far as I'm concerned, today was Christmas.

If you know me at all, you know that, materialistically speaking, there are few things I care about besides books. I do not have a shoe fetish. I care about clothes only because I wish to be warm (oh, and not naked), and if my husband bought me expensive jewelry, I would return it to the jeweler...and use the money to buy books.

That is why I was in Book Heaven this morning. Shortly have the children stumbled out of bed [at 9am], we piled into the car and made the hour-long trek to the Scholastic Book warehouse sale. You already know the special relationship I have with Learning Things in Georgia. I have missed LT, but I am afraid LT may have been replaced. The aisles at Scholastic were endless, and everytime I thought we were at the end, there was another turn...and another row of books.

In addition to the rows upon rows of 50% off books, I was handed a good sized box and told that whatever I could fit into the box was mine for $24.99. You better believe I packed and repacked that box until not an item more could be squeezed in.

I was at first hesitant about the whole trip because I knew I would have to drag the kids along, and there's nothing that ruins a stroll through a bookstore more than impatient, whiny kids. I know this from experience. They were not as fond of Learning Things as I was. The difference between LT and Scholastic, however, is that there are just regular ol' books at Scholastic versus the curriculum-type products that fill most of the shelves at LT. The kids were even more cooperative because I was rather liberal today in my agreement on how many items would be allowed in to the cart.

The kids made out like little Book Bandits, and I have already resolved to get a babysitter (or a daddy) next time so that, instead of making it immediately into the precious hands of my children, items such as the ones they got today can be wrapped up and placed under the tree.

As if all of the goodies they scored at the warehouse were not enough, they were further spoiled by lunch at Friendly's. AND they were permitted to order from Level 2 which means the ice cream sundae that followed their meal was even bigger. Spoiled rotten. Who was the mother that took my children out today anyway? I did at least have a coupon for Friendly's. And besides, this is the Christmas season...giving, generosity, and all that other stuff, right?