How to break a husband's spirit...

Months ago we had planned to see my Mother-in-Law for her birthday (this coming Monday).  Then we had the unexpected pleasure to be invited to a wedding that we had assumed was going to be "family" only...which happens to be next Saturday.  After determining that we would do both - because honestly, we can't NOT go see my MIL NOR can we decline this wedding invitation.  She is in her 80's, healthy but still...

And the groom is a child we've known since he was teeny, tiny...

So both are TOTALLY necessary.

Despite The Husband's misgivings (insert eye roll here...by now, we all know how he can be sometimes...God love him.), I told him that it was non-negotiable; we would be attending both - I promised him that when he gets to be 80 he won't look back and say, "Boy, I really regret that we went to that wedding so soon after going to see mom".  To his credit, he is cautiously optimistic that both events will be fun (they will be...as he will discover once we get there).

Knowing we had all this coming up, I have kept a running list of what needed to be done.  At the top of that list was purchasing shoes for The Husband to wear at the wedding (because God help me, if I have to hear him complain about his dress shoes ONE more time...).  Back in the day, I would have just bought what I thought best and brought them home for him to try.  But lately, he has decided he has an "opinion" when it comes to what he wears (I have informed him that's fine but I have final veto power - he has yet to question my power, thank God) so he wanted to come along. 

Except that was a dirty lie!!

I've been asking him for the past three weekends to join me in a shoe search.  And every weekend he has declined.

So guess what we had to do today?  In addition to laundry, packing, watering plants, etc.  If you guessed, find shoes, you get the gold star!

As we both had errands to run this morning we went our separate ways and then we met up at one store.  No luck. 

So went to the next...(he refused to pay THAT much for a pair of shoes.  Despite me telling him that this would probably be the last pair of dress shoes he'd ever buy - apparently, he took that to mean I was declaring him at death's door!  But what I really meant was, that as rarely as he needs to wear dress shoes these shoes would last him for YEARS...he wasn't buying it). 

And then the next. 

And then the next.  (Is it my fault that department stores cater to women and have a very slim selection when it comes to the men's department?! Or that he decided that he NEEDED to be involved in the selection process?)

Took a break for lunch and then hit the next store - success!

Although, to be truthful, I think he was just so worn down from the process of looking at and trying on shoes, that he just caved...on it all.  He didn't care how much the shoes cost (but we DID luck into a great deal!) or what they looked like...he just couldn't bear the thought of going to one or more stores. 

Now we are home - one of us is finishing up the laundry and packing her stuff (while simultaneously crafting this post).  And the other might be napping on the couch with nothing packed...

It's gonna be a fun week...if we make it!