Sweet Tomato

I love my new purse! I love it so much that I have named it. Yes, it’s big. Yes, it holds everything I need it to hold. And yes, I take it everywhere I go. That’s how handy it is.

This is quite a change from the tiny-pursed woman that I have always been. A tiny purse is easy to organize. But then here comes a baby. A tiny purse does not double as a diaper bag. So then you have a tiny purse plus a diaper bag. A tiny purse does not hold a sewing project. So then you have a tiny purse, a diaper bag, and a project bag. Why go through all that when you can have one big sweet Tomato?

I co-sleep with the Tomato. Why should I grab my planner, my notebook, my cell phone, and my mp3 player out of the Tomato when I can just take the whole thing with me? Besides, it holds my Purse Organizer which has a lot of things in it that I might need in bed. If I cut myself sleeping I have a Band-Aid right there. If I get a sliver from my night stand I have the tweezers to operate. If I missed a spot when I flossed, oh look, some floss right here!

When I come in from the car I grab the mail, water bottles, diaper bag, jackets, anything that is cluttering up the van and throw them all in the Tomato to carry in the house. I told you it was big! If it was a little bit bigger I could throw all the children in too. But I don’t ever abuse the Tomato. As soon as I get inside I put everything away and the Tomato is ready to go on its next adventure. That is the key to our loving relationship.

With everything organized into Bags, I can just take out what I don’t need at the moment, such as the diaper bag, and toss in something I do need, like my Lazy Paper Manager. Here is what the Tomato has in it at all times. Wallet, cell phone, car door opener, tissues, Purse Organizer, Receipt Organizer, Recipe List, planner, and a spiral notebook. Everything else comes and goes.
Here are some things I put in the Tomato as needed. Water bottles, scriptures, toys, camera (if I had a smaller one I would keep it in there all the time), diaper bag, blankies, items I need to return, snacks, gym clothes, sewing projects, books, etc. I even keep my medication (when I’m taking something) in the Tomato. If I forget to take it before I leave the house or go to bed I can take it as soon as I think of it because the Tomato is always with me. .

Emergency uses for the Tomato include; sleeping bag if I ever get trapped on a mountain, table cloth for a picnic, prom dress if I ever get asked, sled for a perfect snow day, water balloon launcher because you never know when you’re going to need one, or a parachute to stop the van if the brakes ever go out.

Do you see why I love the Tomato so much? So don’t ever snicker at it or make jokes in front of it about how it looks more like a suitcase than a handbag. Laugh at me but never at My Sweet Tomato because that would just be mean.