My purse ...

Okay...it has been sad and depressing around here for too long...on to some other stuff!!!

MY PURSE! um...well that could be cosidered rather sad and depressing, but I digress...

Before we moved to Florida last year, my "purse" was the Land's End Do-It All diaper bag. Holy cow!! It is awesome, holds everything including the kitchen sink, but it is a monster!!

Before my Mom passed away last year she made the comment to me that I needed a purse now...not a diaper bag. I reminded her that Lili was still only 1 and in diapers, but she said that I needed to find something else because I needed to start carrying a purse again and not that big diaper bag everywhere. Her comment was, "Yes, but you are more than a mother...you are a woman too and you need to have a purse not just a diaper bag". She suggested that I find some sort of "Mom bag" that could contain all the essentials for my two girls, but could also contain my purse. Whatever Mom...but I do understand your point!! So, the first quest began.

She had just ordered from somewhere...okay wild guess here, but I'm thinking QVC!!!! Anyway it was a neat little bag that went from small to large with the zip of a zipper. I thought...COOL...I can leave it unzipped when I need to put the girls stuff in it and zip it up when it is just me. AWESOME...dilema solved!!! here it is:

here it is unzipped as the large version

here is the smaller version. I left it partially unzipped so you could see what I mean.

I have been using this since last summer. Well...actually I have been frustrated with it for about 5-6 months now. It just isn't working.

Here are my points of contention:

1- it looks as though it has great big shoulder straps, but in reality it is very difficult to keep it on my shoulder and when it falls off and into my hand, it actually drags the ground. NOT good!!

2- It is very bottom heavy...that would be because EVERYTHING falls to the bottom of the bag. It is like a bottomless pit!!! There are some pockets inside toward the top, but because the fabric is so flimsy and thin, stuff falls out of the pockets and into the bottomless pit when the top of the bag falls over. REALLY NOT good!!

3- The mouth of the bag doesn't open very wide and again, is very flimsy when you are trying to get something out of it. Not at all good when I have Lili in one hand and need to find something one handed. It just isn't possible!!

4- on the up side, this would make a good bag to travel with because it expands, but it isn't very practical to use as a Mom Bag.

I have not really used it very much lately and am about to lose my mind!!! Surely I can find something!!

*I want something that is sturdy, but doesn't look like diaper bag.

*It needs to be big enough and have an opening big enough to put in several "organizer bags" of some sort...one for the girls stuff, one for my "purse". That way I can just grab and go with what I need.

*It needs to be able to fit on my shoulder and stay there, yet not dragging the ground if I have the strap in my hand.

*A light colored interior is a plus ( for ease of finding stuff) but not a must have.

*It needs to be relatively inexpensive!!! I WILL NOT pay BIG BUCKS for a purse!!! That is insane!!! Who has the money for that!!! :-)

Okay...I'm open for suggestions. I want to see what you use, too!! Leave me a post with a link to your site and a post about your purse!!! Tell me what works and what doesn't. Take pictures. I need ideas people. If I need ideas, then surely I'm not the only one!!!!

Can't wait to see how you all carry your "Mom and baby" stuff around!!! :-)

Blessings

Shelley