Ikea

Last Saturday our family took our first trip to Ikea. We walked in the exit side of the store and didn't realize that it would be a problem. I saw someone with a map, but figured since we were just there to look around it wouldn't matter. Little did I know it would. It was like we were in a giant maze.

After we had been there for awhile I noticed arrows on the floor. No wonder I felt like we were going the wrong way(I wonder if I had that deer in the head-lights look on my face). I heard one of the workers say something about a shortcut. Gradually we realized that this wasn't a store...It was a family get-away. A child's dream come true for playing pretend. They had all sorts of places for kids to play, and circles in between the walls of displays for kids to crawl through. It was Saturday entertainment for many families. We must not be in a recession in Utah. The whole store was busy, busy, busy. I felt like I had gone back in time and it was the Christmas season all over again. As we walked out the door almost every loading zone parking spot was taken. It was a bit of a mind overload for me. So many things for sale all packed into small display areas. Of course I was trying to picture how every book shelf, end table, coach, etc. would look in our future home.

Next time I will go with a game plan. Go look at one section, take a break (let the kids play), look at another section, eat, look at another section, take a break (let the kids play), snack time (those cinnamon rolls smelled fabulous!), and so on. Now I see why they say when you go to Ikea make a day of it. And don't make that day a Saturday!