Catastrophe Averted!!!

Stacey and I had grand plans of getting our shopping done early this year, but as usual we procrastinated. Mara has been asking for this useless multipiece made in China overpriced pieces of plastic called Ponyville Amusement Park since before she could pronounce Amusement correctly. We thought this summer that it was a phase and would be replaced in her mind by the holiday toy de jour. But the Ponyville Amusement Park has prevailed despite its tenure at the top of Santa's list. So I set out yesterday in full force to find it. Starting of course, at my computer. Not available anywhere I could find. Fine, I thought. I know they have it at Target because I saw it there before (when Mara was with me). I go to Target mid afternoon expecting not to encounter the kind of pedestrian traffic (not to mention the lazy fat-asses on those little carts. Those carts aren't for you fat-ass, those are for people who can't walk, not those who just don't want to) that sends me into homicidal rage. I was wrong. On top of the annoying idiots on their phones taking up the whole aisle with themselves and their carts, Ponyville Amusement Park was nowhere to be found. I left Target angry and empty handed. Same thing at Walmart, except add the element of trashiness that Walmart inherently provides. I went home defeated. I'm not one that desires to spoil my kids with material things, but Mara really wants this. So Stacey put out a Ritter APB on Ponyville Amusement Park. I thought to myself, "There's no way." This must be the Tickle Me Elmo equivelant for us this year. But I was wrong.

Good ol' Aunt Dani to the rescue. Apparently Aunt Dani extended the APB to her co-workers and alas. The call came in at 6:40am. Ponyville Amusement Park had been located by one of Dani's fellow office workers on some relatively obscure toy website. Stacey armed with Blackberry, debit card, and laptop went to battle and procured Ponyville Amusement Park. Christmas has been saved. Thanks Aunt Dani!!!!!!