shopping trip highlights + lauren conrad mini haul

It has been a while. There were several years back to back to back when my mom and I took a shopping trip to Erie, Pennsylvania. It was a tradition of sorts for a little while. Then the pandemic happened. Well, this year, we decided to venture back out and see how the shopping was in Erie once more. We took a bus shopping tour recently to check some items off of our holiday shopping list. It included some stops off at a mall, outlets, and lots of other stores. Keep reading to find out how the mini getaway was and to take a peek at a small Lauren Conrad collection items that I purchased at Kohls. 

The first day did not start off well. Not only was the bus a half hour late (it was a long wait in the bitter cold) but there were no seats together left on the bus and people travelling solo were unwilling to switch. I was...not happy. Half the point of the bus trip was to spend time with my mom, but there I was, sitting with a stranger in silence. Thankfully, a few hours into the ride, someone decided to make the switch and I was able to sit with my mom the rest of the time. It was a frustrating start to the short getaway, that is for sure. After several hours, a stop at the duty free store, and border security, we arrived in Erie, Pennsylvania. We were dropped off at the Millcreek Mall for a few hours. My mom and I went from store to store looking at what was available. I found some Christmas gifts for my husband, a few CDs, an Olivia Rodrigo t-shirt, and a Christmas cardigan. After that, it was time to check into the hotel nearby. Once we settled in, we went to a few stores, like Ulta Beauty, Five Below, and Ross For Less. We then had dinner at a local restaurant that was within walking distance. It was a very full day of shopping.

The second day was long and tiring. It started off early at Walmart (where I found all sorts of wonderful Christmas items) and was followed by time at the Grove City Premium Outlets and then dinner at the Cracker Barrel. After that, we went to Kohls and Burlington. Kohls was exciting simply because the store carries the Lauren Conrad collection. Burlington was exciting because I love a good discount. It was a very late night, because we had to pack everything in our suitcases to head home the next day. The next day was another early one, because we spent time at Target and Marshalls followed by Wegmans before heading back over the border.  Oddly enough, the highlight of it all was Wegmans, which is a grocery store. Here's the thing: I was on the hunt for something special. Little Debbie's Christmas Tree Cakes are always always always on my list of seasonal favourites. Unfortunately, Little Debbie's products are no longer sold in Canada. (Not cool.) I looked at Walmart and Target for those Christmas Tree Cakes and...nothing. Thankfully, there was a display at Wegmans and I bought several boxes to take home. It was a Christmas miracle! I'm so glad this holiday tradition was able to continue. I am doing my best not to open them.

Now to take a peek at the Lauren Conrad collection items that came home with me from Kohls. It's no secret that I am a fan of Lauren Conrad (check out this recent blog post for proof of that). There were a lot of tempting items to choose from, but the prices were high, and I was trying to stick to a budget! I ended up finding a gorgeous brown sweater with golden tinsel woven through for $20 USD. It is gorgeous and super comfortable. Then there were accessories. I tried to be very thoughtful about what I added to my jewellery collection and opted for a crescent shaped moon ring in rose gold and a pair of amazing dinosaur earrings. Though I wasn't able to take everything back that I wanted...these Lauren Conrad pieces are definitely standouts. 

Though there were a few hiccups when the short shopping trip started...it all worked out in the end. It was wonderful to find those Christmas Tree Cakes, some holiday gifts for others, and a few special treats for myself. That being said, we made the decision not to take this bus tour again next year and might visit somewhere else instead. I suppose time will tell.

Have you started your holiday shopping yet? Will you take any vacations this month?