IKEA

Ikea. Where to start? I had heard of Ikea before. People say great things about it. I have spent hours drooling over their website. My visiting teacher (aka my personal angel!) even got me a couple things from there to go into my huge basket of bridal shower gifts from her. I love the sauce tool she got me. It REALLY does keep sauces/gravies from clumping!

Anyways... We went down to Provo a couple weeks ago with Doug's family to see his aunt and uncle's new house, and to see all their kids who are in town from all over the country. The house was FABULOUS!! It was cool meeting his cousins too, since I hadn't met most of them from that family before. We had a great time. When we were leaving town, Doug's mom asked if we wanted to stop at Ikea since me and Stacey (my sister in law) had never been there before. We happily agreed and I was SO excited!

The first thing we saw when we walked in the doors was side tables for $12. WHAT?! Who sells side tables for that cheap?!?!?! The family split up and set up a meeting time and place to leave. Doug and I took the escalator upstairs to the "Showroom". It was amazing! The store is so huge that they have to post signs up so you don't get lost. They even have posted shortcuts in case you want to skip some stuff to go on to other things. THEY HAD COMPLETE HOUSES IN THE SHOWROOM! They showed how you can utilize space and fit a whole house into like 500 or less square feet. You just can't understand the monstrosity of this store unless you have been in one.

We were walking along in the kitchen tools area and I saw a big basket of woks. I have been DYING to get a wok. In the store where we live, they are like $39.99 and up. I walked over to the basket and was admiring them and asked Doug how much they were cuz there wasn't price tags on them. He replied, "7.99". I squeaked out in excitement and asked if he had seen the right price for these. He assured me that was indeed the price of the woks. I excitedly asked him if I could get one and he said yes. There had been a lady near us who must have heard the whole conversation.. As we were walking away, Doug said, "As long as you cook stuff in it." The lady started giggling and as she walked by me she whispered, "Or smack him with it!" I couldn't believe it! It was so funny, but...I would never do that with someone I didn't know! Haha!

We picked up some wooden cooking utensils for... 59 cents (for a set of 3).

I saw a pot hanger. My parents have been looking for one since they moved into their new house. They had one in their old rental and my mom hated it at first and then fell completely in love with it. They looked around where we live for one and came back empty handed. They were not willing to pay $250-$300 for one. This pot hanger in Ikea was $15. I called my dad and he told me to get it. I grabbed fifteen hooks...$12. Are you saying WOW yet?!

We continued on. I saw pretty vases that at home would cost like $8-$12....for $2.49. Can you say HAPPY MARCIE?! I of course grabbed one. We finished looking around upstairs and went downstairs, where all the loose stuff is and the rooms aren't set up. I wanted EVERYTHING. I think my heart rate doubled in the kitchen tools area, because I wanted one of everything. My brother in law somewhere around this point asked me what I want for Christmas and I said, "This whole store!" He laughed. We continued and passed into the decorations area. We were unfortunately out of time, so we could only briefly look. It's probably a great thing, cuz I would have spent more money. :) We got a lucky twisting bamboo and a gorgeous little vase to put it in. I bet you can't guess how much the vase cost! 79 CENTS!!! And it's not plastic!!!

Somewhere in the middle, I looked at Doug and concluded, "We've died in a car crash, haven't we? We are in heaven." That is my summary of IKEA.