Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Bigger Really Is Better

I have some exciting news. Seriously - hold on to your hats people, because....

I GOT A NEW PURSE!!!

I know, you're having a hard time containing your excitement. It's always so exciting when someone else gets a new purse. Actually, however, you really should be happy for me because I've been wanting - no, needing one - for a very long time. As in, over a year. I don't know about anyone else out there, but that is a really long time for me in purse-years. (Kind of like dog-years, i.e., one purse year is equal to about seven people years. And seven is really old for a purse).

Anyhow. For at least six months I've been on the lookout for the perfect purse. When I choose a new purse, it must speak to me. I must LOVE it at first sight, and immediately be able to visualize it gracing my arm/shoulder, and enhancing my entire wardrobe.

I love purses.

This time around, I was looking for something smallish. Something with pockets - as I detest the big open holes most purses these days seem to have. I wanted a print, but nothing too light, because I hate purses that show dirt. And I only wanted one strap - because I hate when you have two, and one of them is continually falling off your shoulder. And I'm cheap. Before the lay-off, my purse-budget was has-to-be-under-twenty. Then the layoff happened, and purse-budget turned into pretty-much-non-existent-so-stop-looking-you're-only-torturing-yourself.

Good thing I'm not someone who has unreasonable expectations, isn't it? I'm sure you're amazed I didn't find this perfect purse long ago...

Then the other night it happened. I was going shopping with the girls to buy stuff for the honeymoon basket, and my mom slipped me ten bucks. (Thank you Mom!!!) We walk into Target, and what do you think we see RIGHT in front of us?

PURSES!! CLEARANCE!! 75% OFF!!!!!

We're talking five bucks. Yessssss. Five minutes later I had selected a VERY large, mostly-white-with-a-little-orange-print, two handled, one-pocket number that was totally cute, for FOUR DOLLARS AND NINETY-EIGHT CENTS. And despite the fact that it is almost completely opposite of what I thought I was looking for, I love it.

It's amazing what a budget can do for indecisive, hard-to-please people, isn't it?

And I'm serious about the love. Ever since buying it I've been wondering why on earth I ever thought I wanted a smallish purse? I can fit my trench coat in this thing! Can I just say how nice it is too be out running around in a trench, think to yourself, "Gee, I'm getting a little warm in this coat," roll it up, give a shove, and realize it totally fits in your ginormous purse?

And what about this summer? It will totally double as a beach bag. The other day I shoved my water bottle, book, and Miss Two's coat in there with room to spare. Heck, on Sunday I fit my scriptures and TWO lesson manuals in this amazing (and possibly magical) purse.

Do you realize what this means? I can be that mom now - you know, the one who has everything under the sun in her purse at all times. It reminds me of a mother's day card I saw, and wanted to buy for my children to give to me in a decade or two. On the outside (with a pic of a fully loaded mom-purse) it said: Mom, Where ever we were, whatever we needed, you were always prepared...(open card and read)...It might have had a life saver stuck to it, but you had it!

So for now anyway, I'm sold. Who cares about back problems when compared with such convenience? Just today my husband was looking in the new purse for something, and his exact words were, "Geez, this thing is like a five gallon bucket."

But way cuter. (Insert imaginary picture, since I no longer even HAVE a computer to download pictures to). Thanks again mom - you're the BEST!

24 comments:

Claire said...

Use your new purse to smuggle your mum's laptop out of her house... she'll never know.

Camille said...

Hurray for new purses! And hurray for Target! and hurray for being able to stuff stuff in! It's a happy day!

Randi said...

I may have to go to Target to hunt down that purse. It sounds darling!

And congrats on the amazing bargain. Because let's face it, the perfect purse is worth any price, but to get it for a steal like that puts it over the top!

Anonymous said...

Yay! More space to lose things!

I thought, when I changed my last diaper, that I would never ever carry a ginormous purse, tote bag, or even briefcase around ever again, especially one with pockets for everything.... so now I have a medium sized, macrame little number, with no pockets at all, and it takes me half an hour to find a pen!

Kristin said...

You know guys really do have purse envy - comparing it to a 5 gallon bucket, that is some pretty high esteem from your husband. In a house with so many boys you had better guard your purse, next thing you know it will be filled with tools, amo, live frogs and a few snacks, hanging out by the tree house.

Barbaloot said...

Glad you found something you liked! I'm NOT a purse person. I think they're a necessary evil. My church purse is a black Puma bag my brother gave me six years ago (it's perfect size for scriptures). My mother cringes every time she sees it.

McFarland Family said...

That's great!! I've been thinking/wanting to get a bigger bag. My last one was only $3.20 though and I can't even make the commitment to spend $10. I'm going to look now though for sure.

Stephanie said...

Your purse sounds really cute. I hadn't bought a purse in years because I've been using this backpack-looking thing and it's pretty convenient. I know, it sounds lame, and it probably is. My MIL works at Kohl's and at Christmas time we went there and I went straight to the 75% off purses, plus we got her employee discount, plus a 30% off deal that they were having already, so I got it for just over $4, so I bought two, one for church and one for everyday. Reading this makes me want to go purse shopping again.

Kelly said...

Are you seriously up posting this at 4am?! Or is this some sort of East Coast time/Daylight Savings error?

So glad you found the perfect purse! I finally got a new one (thanks mom too-she bought it for herself and showed up at my house with it and ended up giving it to me. No I didn't ask, she's just that kind of mom :) after having the same mom/baby bag for the past 3 years!

Natalie said...

Congratulations.

{jane} said...

what a happy day! i love handbags. Biggest perk: they are very easy to try on!

life without a computer? Too bad we can't all pick up one of those on clearance at Target for five bucks!

Whitney Seaberg said...

Im curious about the 4 am post as well. I know you were still up at 11pm last night cuz I was with you and then you came back, so you didn't go to sleep right away...Did you just change the post time? So confused???
Glad you found the "perfect" purse and seriously under 5 dollars! What a steal! Sounds cute! Why didn't you show it to me last night?

Shelley said...

Did you ever think a purse would bring so much excitement into a day! I hear you on the size thing. I finally spent about $10 recently on a smaller purse because I felt like I was carrying around a 5 gallon bucket. I HATE IT! I'm going shopping for another one myself, and I love bargains so thanks for the hope!

annie valentine said...

It's about time. I guess I don't need to give you that blue purse of mine anymore...remember? The one you kept trying to shoplift off my shoulder?

J. Baxter said...

Barbaloot - do you realize that in purse-years your carrying around a 42 year old handbag?

Kel and Whit - I scheduled it to post at 4:00 am, while I was snuggled soundly in bed. I hate posting things at midnight when I know no one's going to be reading. I'm weird like that.

Lowd and Proud said...

You are too funny.

H.K. said...

I loved this post especially since I'm a purse-aholic! Every woman deserves to have purse of all sizes and colors.

nikkicrumpet said...

That isn't a bargain...that's THEFT!!! YOU STOLE THAT PURSE. But dang I sooooo wanted to see a picture of it!

Shelle-BlokThoughts said...

I'm SOOOOOO jealous... I'm a purse a holic and I would LOVE to find such a great deal! I love big purses also... easier to sneak in stuff at the movie theatre! :)

Laura said...

Jen, your pickiness in purses is nothing compared to your pickiness over a restaurant menu!! Hahaha!

melissabastow said...

You're hilarious. And a little Mary Poppin-ish, you know, when she first comes to their house and pulls full length floor lamps out of her bag? You have that kind of potential now. If you can get animatronic birds to land on your hand while you sing I'm pulling out a full Mary Poppins worship session for you.

And I just can't finish this comment without saying something horrifyingly shocking:

I HAVE NEVER OWNED A PURSE

I know, what kind of woman am I? But I will say that I have a heavy, sticky, full and shoulder un-leveling diaper bag, so it kind of counts.

Camille said...

Jen, did you get the cd's in time? I hope they helped!!

Melanie Jacobson said...

I have a giant faux croc black shiny purse I got at H&M for maybe $25. And while I like it, I'm so ready to graduate to a smaller purse again. However, I have a toddler, so basically it's an impossible dream.

The Kooky Queen--Rachel said...

Purse shopping is my favorite thing EVER!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to get a new one too and your post makes me think that it's about time!