Catalogs Are Evil

I consider myself to be a pretty content person. I'm not the type to have an ongoing list of things I want. Until I get a catalog. When I start scanning page upon glossy page of temptation I turn into a heaving green eyed greed monster.

This was never more apparent than at a recent Pampered Chef party. I have managed to stay away from these kinds of things, but a good friend was hosting and a friend I hadn't seen in years was the consultant, so I went to catch up with them. It was great fun. We talked and looked at pictures of each others children. As the other guests started to arrive I made myself comfy on the sofa. Christy, the consultant, had set all the products up in a lovely display. I grabbed a cookbook and oohed and ahhed over the yummy recipes. No temptation. I am fine. Then the party got underway and she passed out blue file folders...like the one you had in junior high for your social studies homework, decorated with Kirk Cameron's name alongside yours and a gob of hearts. I opened the notebook as Christy began her demonstration. And there it was. I vaguely remember her saying she was making some kind of molton, skillet, chocolate something-or-other. But my attention was diverted by the shiny paper book. You guessed it...a catalog. I have lived quite some time without most of what Pampered Chef offers and have actually made some tasty food. But suddenly I realized that my entire kitchen was crap and I could never make a decent meal for my family if I didn't buy something to make it all better. What kind of a person serves their family food that wasn't cooked in heavy-guage aluminum cookware featuring a porcelain enamel exterior finish and DuPont nonstick coating?! How could I live with myself if I tried to scramble eggs with anything other than the professional quality staninless steel whisk that is rust resistant and dishwasher safe? And the kids...bless their little hearts...could they ever be truly happy if I failed to make nutritious look delicious using the Creative Cutters to make starry cheese slices and heart shaped sandwiches? Perish the thought!! I am Supermom! I must have every super power at my disposal! I spent the remainder of that party pouring over the catalog, going from front to back and back to front, scheming and plotting how I could work all the things I needed into our meager little budget. And after purchasing two small items, I even took it home with me, thinking I could mark all the things I couldn't afford and maybe Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny would bring them to me. I spent another two days looking and ogling the catalog.

Yesterday I went to the mailbox and found a Pottery Barn Kids catalog. As it turns out, my kids' rooms really need some redecorating...