what's really in your purse?

When I was still in the habit of bringing a diaper bag on every outing with Natalie, it was stocked with the essentials (diapers, wipes, baby lotion, diaper cream, baby sunglasses, a sunhat, a winter hat, at least two extra sets of clothes, sunscreen, toys, and more), and I was really careful to re-stock the bag every other day.  Seriously.  Probably a year ago, I stopped using a diaper bag and just started relying on oversized purses to hold a few extra baby things along with my wallet and whatever I felt like I would need on any given outing.  And I pretty much gave up on re-stocking & unpacking & cleaning out said purses.

I love to see other bloggers' "What's in my purse" posts, but I always have to laugh at how organized and practical all of their stuff seems.  After reaching in my purse for something this morning (my phone, maybe?) and sticking my fingers directly into a used tissue and then immediately into crushed Cheerios, I decided this was as good a day as any to empty out my purse and assess what I had in there.  Here's a look at what was really in my purse:

- Trash, and lots of it.  Napkins, receipts, cough drop wrappers, old grocery lists, Goldfish crumbs, and more.

- A pair of Natalie's sunglasses and a random winter hat that I don't think even fits on her head anymore.

- A large Ziploc baggie filled with scrap paper, crayons, and stickers.  Definitely an essential for any restaurant outing.

- A roll-up dry-erase mat made by our friend Erin for Natalie's 2nd birthday.  The thing is genius, and I consider it another essential to have with me when I'm out with Natalie.  It's stocked with dry erase crayons so she can color to her heart's content, and then wipes clean and rolls neatly up to fit in my bag.

- My wallet and cell phone.

- Sunscreen, Revlon Lip Butter in Red Velvet, a hand lotion stolen from a recent hotel stay, Tide-To-Go stick, and plenty of writing implements (a bundle of pencils & one lone pen).

- A couple of Natalie's toys & recent daycare art projects.

- Cough drops, a mashed up granola bar, some mint candies, and lots of business cards (both professional & blog).

- A wipes case c/o Bushel and a Peck and, surprisingly, not a single diaper.

A lot of randomness, yes?  Considering Natalie's recent carsick vomiting episode that required a full strip-down-hose-off in a McDonald's bathroom, you'd think I'd pack some extra toddler clothes and diapers around with me.  Nope.  Instead, I have a baker's dozen pencils and a hat that doesn't even fit her anymore.  Kind of ridiculous, but it's the truth.

Be honest--what's actually in your purse?