What do you mean you bought her a top?

This was the incredulous query I threw out at my husband as he cam back from shopping 2 days ago.

I'd just given my daughter $200 to buy her school clothes, with the understanding that we'd buy shoes, bras, a coat etc.

So when she pulled 2 tops out of an A/E bag, I assumed she'd bought them. But oh no, why buy something with "your" own school $$, when dad's around to bamboozle.

Checks, and more checks

It was registration day at my daughter's high school yesterday, and all I seemed to be good for is writing the checks.

Yearbook...$60. $63 if you wanted a name plate

ASB card...That will be $130 please. $50 for a replacement if you lose it.

Sports card...(yes, there is a difference) $30

PTSA...$15

And if we want a discount to all the games all year long, a family pass if you will that will be $180.

And this doesn't count the $$ for the school clothes shopping and the school supplies.

That sucking sound you here is my bank account.,

Actually, everyone was fairly civil

Especially when compared with the poor guy who was killed in NYC during a WalMart opening. Jennifer and I decided NOT to be insane this year, so we got up at 5:45 am, rather than 3 am, and headed out around 7 am, then down to kent station (only bath and body works was open, the rest of the fools didn't think it worth the effort to open the doors at 7 am), and then on to the mall and Kohls.

We ended up standing in a jewelry line for about an hour, and made some new best friends, as we held each other's place, and checked out the sales. The only probably is, after awhile, I get cranky and start putting stuff back, which I'm pretty sure is not what the store had in mind.

I was actually proud of my daughter when she looked at some $100 boots at Macy's and decided they were too expensive and passed. Maybe it was in reward for that I bought her a $100 necklace for x-mas (marked down from $450 !!!) and we bought most of our stuff at 50 to 80 percent mark down.

I'm working on the mantra "never pay full retail for anything" and hope to drill it into head along side the brainwashing of "you will go to college," and "you won't get pregnant until you wish to be."

I think I'll wait until the weekend to buy this

That was the comment coming out Jennifer's mouth at Hollister's yesterday, just after she received $100 as a b-day present from grandma.

Now, you might think this is evidence of self restraint. Not quite. I'd already promised to take her school shopping, up to about $200, which doesn't include shoes, this weekend once I got paid. So, wheels turning here, she's hoping I'll buy the top and the sweater she was drooling over on Tuesday.

I told her no. I'll buy that sweater, she's buying that top. That set off a bout of pouting, until she realized that I wouldn't budge. Anyone else out there care to comment on school clothes shopping guidelines for a 15 year old.