I used to blog regularly about grocery shopping with all the kids in tow. It was always such an adventure. Especially back in the days when I had the twins in the stroller, which I pushed, and Charlotte strapped in the cart, which I pulled behind me, all while Rehm walked and talked our ears off.
Grocery shopping is not that interesting anymore but it is still interesting when all four go along and we are doing a full shopping trip. Today was no exception. Overall, they are great in the store. It doesn't hurt that they are big enough to send back an aisle or two to grab something we forgot or to send to the restroom in pairs when needed. But, having five people trying to stay together in the store and out of everyone else's way is not an easy task. I'm lucky that most of the other shoppers are patient with us and find them more endearing than annoying. Notice I said most.
My kids are loud. My kids are all over the place. My kids are oblivious of their surroundings. My kids have a short attention span. My kids get in other shoppers' way. My kids want to hold the lists. My kids want to be done, NOW! My kids are kids and no kid really wants to be grocery shopping. I can't say I blame them as it isn't my favorite activity either.
I do my best to make them aware of their surrounding and remind them to mind their manners. I try to use the grocery store as a place to work on reading, math, budgeting and other life skills. I try to keep them quiet. I try to discourage running, dancing and spinning in circles. But they aren't perfect and neither am I. Grocery shopping is just not a fun chore for any of us.
But, I had a giddy realization today. I don't have to take any of my children grocery shopping for the next nine months! Oh, my, goodness! Do you know how happy that makes me? Do you realize I can cut 50% off my grocery shopping time? Yay! I'm just thrilled. And you know what, I know four other people in my house who are also thrilled by this.
Now, I wonder how long it will be until I write a post about missing the kids while I'm grocery shopping?
Jenn
Showing posts with label grocery shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grocery shopping. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Summer is Going to Kill Me
We are only on Day Two of Summer Vacation and I am ready for the school year to start. I know we are all just getting adjusted to the different pace and schedule that summer brings. But, my goodness! My kids are whiny brats!
As of today, Day Two of Summer, I've already done the one thing I swore I would not do this summer. I took all four children to the grocery store to do the weekly shopping. Honestly, the car ride to and from the store were probably more annoying than the actual store time. And this is after re-arranging seats this weekend to split up the bickering children. Apparently, one certain child, that will remain nameless, just can't help but bug their seat mate.
At the store itself, Charlotte got mad that I wouldn't let her ride in the cart. She is almost 8! What is she thinking? Ruby and Eliza Claire insisted on riding in a cart even though I told them they are really getting too big. Their argument consisted of reminding me they are only four. So I'm taking that to mean when they turn five later this month the cart goes.
Of course, after procuring the humongo cart with the added two seats that is impossible to steer, five minutes into the shopping the girls didn't want to sit in it. Bummer for them, that wasn't a choice. I told them they were the ones who wanted to ride and ride they would, for the entire shopping time. I wonder if they will be so insistent about riding next time?
Rehm and Charlotte actually got a few Camp Life Skills lessons while shopping. Rehm was in charge of keeping a running total of what we had spent so far and Charlotte was in charge of marking things off the list.
Hopefully, we will all survive the first week of summer. I know it will get easier as we all get used to spending so much time together, but I really hope I don't have to take them all to the store again any time soon.
Jenn
As of today, Day Two of Summer, I've already done the one thing I swore I would not do this summer. I took all four children to the grocery store to do the weekly shopping. Honestly, the car ride to and from the store were probably more annoying than the actual store time. And this is after re-arranging seats this weekend to split up the bickering children. Apparently, one certain child, that will remain nameless, just can't help but bug their seat mate.
At the store itself, Charlotte got mad that I wouldn't let her ride in the cart. She is almost 8! What is she thinking? Ruby and Eliza Claire insisted on riding in a cart even though I told them they are really getting too big. Their argument consisted of reminding me they are only four. So I'm taking that to mean when they turn five later this month the cart goes.
Of course, after procuring the humongo cart with the added two seats that is impossible to steer, five minutes into the shopping the girls didn't want to sit in it. Bummer for them, that wasn't a choice. I told them they were the ones who wanted to ride and ride they would, for the entire shopping time. I wonder if they will be so insistent about riding next time?
Rehm and Charlotte actually got a few Camp Life Skills lessons while shopping. Rehm was in charge of keeping a running total of what we had spent so far and Charlotte was in charge of marking things off the list.
Hopefully, we will all survive the first week of summer. I know it will get easier as we all get used to spending so much time together, but I really hope I don't have to take them all to the store again any time soon.
Jenn
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Annoyed
At the grocery store this week, I got really annoyed with a fellow customer who was obviously annoyed with me. We had not been in the store long. One girl was in the cart the other was walking. We were talking about what we needed to get and of course were doing the grocery game. Whoever was walking was lagging behind looking at the bananas. I said something about going to see which bread we got free this week. The customer, a man in probably his 60s looked at another male customer and muttered "Jesus!" in a really annoyed, I can't believe her, tone of voice. I assume that he assumed we were getting "free" bread due to government assistance - we were not, and was offended by this and the fact that I was announcing we were getting "free" bread.
If you are annoyed enough to mutter things where I can hear you, then actually say it to my face. I would have been happy to explain that my free bread was due to a store coupon that reimbursed me for sliced cheese and bread when I bought a certain brand of lunch meat. I would have been happy to inform him that I was paying for my groceries but that I do watch my budget and am teaching my children to do so as well. I would have further explained that I completely understand that government assistance is not free and that maybe he should stop making so many assumptions when he didn't have the facts.
I almost turned around and told him these things. But I decided I really didn't care what he thought of me and my family because I had made my share of assumptions about him based on the one word he had said and none of my assumptions were favorable either!
And just so you know, I got $160 worth of groceries for $130. As far as I'm concerned, that is worth a few ugly looks.
Jenn
If you are annoyed enough to mutter things where I can hear you, then actually say it to my face. I would have been happy to explain that my free bread was due to a store coupon that reimbursed me for sliced cheese and bread when I bought a certain brand of lunch meat. I would have been happy to inform him that I was paying for my groceries but that I do watch my budget and am teaching my children to do so as well. I would have further explained that I completely understand that government assistance is not free and that maybe he should stop making so many assumptions when he didn't have the facts.
I almost turned around and told him these things. But I decided I really didn't care what he thought of me and my family because I had made my share of assumptions about him based on the one word he had said and none of my assumptions were favorable either!
And just so you know, I got $160 worth of groceries for $130. As far as I'm concerned, that is worth a few ugly looks.
Jenn
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Newest Form of Torture
Water boarding might have been outlawed but I have found a new form of torture that would break even the most determined person.
Taking my four children to the grocery store! Oh. My. Goodness! I would honestly prefer having sharp objects driven under my nails while simultaneously feeling like I was drowning to the experience from today.
We had a short list. It should have been a quick trip to pick up the 15 or so items we needed. The first 20-30 minutes weren't so bad. But it quickly went downhill from there. By the time we left I felt like my head just might explode if one more person asked for or complained about one more thing! By that point I would have agreed to anything, answered any question, and probably confessed to all kinds of crimes I had not committed if someone had told me they could make my children stop acting like crazy, whining, demanding alien children.
It didn't help that the Charlotte and Rehm convinced me to let them take allowance with them. Rehm was pointing out everything from bolillos to doughnuts to shampoo to pencil sharpeners to Charlotte. Charlotte actually had no clue how much money she had. Rehm in reality had about 5 times as much money as Charlotte. The twins had no money. Arg!
Rehm and Charlotte both decided they wanted chap stick. Easy enough. We found a package containing three sticks that had a dollar off coupon. We made a deal, Rehm would pay for one, Charlotte would pay for one, and I would buy one for Ruby and Eliza Claire to share (since there is no way I was going to trust them with a chap stick it would live in my bathroom). As soon as this was all settled Charlotte decided she didn't want chap stick after all. So now, I got to buy to sticks for the twins and Rehm was still committed to one.
Charlotte then informs me that she doesn't actually know how much money she has. She has not counted it. When asked why not she tells me she doesn't know how. Rehm apparently was supposed to help her and didn't. She of course is telling me this while commencing to sit down on the floor unzip her wallet and try to count it. In the middle of the store! I explain to her that is not an option. It is her responsibility to know how much money she has before arriving at the store. The twins are running like savages up and down the aisle, Rehm is smirking and all the other shoppers are giving me dirty looks!
We finally emerged from the grocery store with Charlotte the proud owner of a Nerd rope, Rehm the proud owner of chap stick, a Nerd rope and markers. Charlotte has 10 cents to her name and Rehm has maybe 50. I am barely holding on to my sanity by a very, very thin thread.
So the next time you see a parent being a bit short and/or loud with their children in the grocery store and said children are not being quiet, meek, little angels. Please, try to reserve your judgment and assume the poor parent made the mistake of letting at least one of those children bring allowance to the store.
Someone please shoot me if I even think of taking them all to the store again!
Jenn
Taking my four children to the grocery store! Oh. My. Goodness! I would honestly prefer having sharp objects driven under my nails while simultaneously feeling like I was drowning to the experience from today.
We had a short list. It should have been a quick trip to pick up the 15 or so items we needed. The first 20-30 minutes weren't so bad. But it quickly went downhill from there. By the time we left I felt like my head just might explode if one more person asked for or complained about one more thing! By that point I would have agreed to anything, answered any question, and probably confessed to all kinds of crimes I had not committed if someone had told me they could make my children stop acting like crazy, whining, demanding alien children.
It didn't help that the Charlotte and Rehm convinced me to let them take allowance with them. Rehm was pointing out everything from bolillos to doughnuts to shampoo to pencil sharpeners to Charlotte. Charlotte actually had no clue how much money she had. Rehm in reality had about 5 times as much money as Charlotte. The twins had no money. Arg!
Rehm and Charlotte both decided they wanted chap stick. Easy enough. We found a package containing three sticks that had a dollar off coupon. We made a deal, Rehm would pay for one, Charlotte would pay for one, and I would buy one for Ruby and Eliza Claire to share (since there is no way I was going to trust them with a chap stick it would live in my bathroom). As soon as this was all settled Charlotte decided she didn't want chap stick after all. So now, I got to buy to sticks for the twins and Rehm was still committed to one.
Charlotte then informs me that she doesn't actually know how much money she has. She has not counted it. When asked why not she tells me she doesn't know how. Rehm apparently was supposed to help her and didn't. She of course is telling me this while commencing to sit down on the floor unzip her wallet and try to count it. In the middle of the store! I explain to her that is not an option. It is her responsibility to know how much money she has before arriving at the store. The twins are running like savages up and down the aisle, Rehm is smirking and all the other shoppers are giving me dirty looks!
We finally emerged from the grocery store with Charlotte the proud owner of a Nerd rope, Rehm the proud owner of chap stick, a Nerd rope and markers. Charlotte has 10 cents to her name and Rehm has maybe 50. I am barely holding on to my sanity by a very, very thin thread.
So the next time you see a parent being a bit short and/or loud with their children in the grocery store and said children are not being quiet, meek, little angels. Please, try to reserve your judgment and assume the poor parent made the mistake of letting at least one of those children bring allowance to the store.
Someone please shoot me if I even think of taking them all to the store again!
Jenn
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Grocery Store
I was looking back through old posts this week and noticed that I had not posted about grocery shopping in quite some time. I was amazed as our weekly trip to the grocery used to be such a feat that it always resulted in some blog worth story and its own label for categorizing posts. Of course, thinking this jinxed me.
Today I took Ruby and Eliza Claire with me to the grocery store. Only having two kids for the trip meant it should be relatively uneventful. Overall it was. We stopped and had a nice chat with a grandmother who was admiring the girls. We got some of our Thanksgiving shopping out of the way so I wouldn't have to go to three stores to get pie crusts or bread crumbs the week of. Yes, I know I should make my own pie crust, but well the Pillsbury ones in the refrigerated section are just so easy and come out so close to homemade without the fear of it being tough I've just never saw the need to tackle one from scratch.
While comparing the different brands of rinse aid for the dishwasher I hear "yogurt! Yogurt! Yogurt!" I thought, "why are the so excited of the yogurt in the cart?" Then I turned around and found this:
This is what the girls looked like after Mommy told them they weren't supposed to open the yogurt. I mean a few grapes are one thing, but this?
I threw some random bottle of the rinse aid in the cart and decided this was my sign that we should be done with the grocery shopping. But at this point the damage was done and I let them continue with their treat.
I did remember to pay for the yogurt. Though in handing it to the check out guy, we dropped it and splattered some on the check out area, oops. The girl bagging the groceries was nice enough to give me a few paper towels for the girls as we left, I didn't even have to ask! How is that for customer service?
And Charlotte will be thrilled when she gets home to find out that Mommy bought three new curling irons while at the store. "Three?" you ask. Yes, it was $2 more to get three than it was to get one. So now I have a 3/4, 1, and 1 1/2 inch curling iron. Now we will have to see if she will let me near her with one or if she is still too scared I'll burn her...
Jenn
Today I took Ruby and Eliza Claire with me to the grocery store. Only having two kids for the trip meant it should be relatively uneventful. Overall it was. We stopped and had a nice chat with a grandmother who was admiring the girls. We got some of our Thanksgiving shopping out of the way so I wouldn't have to go to three stores to get pie crusts or bread crumbs the week of. Yes, I know I should make my own pie crust, but well the Pillsbury ones in the refrigerated section are just so easy and come out so close to homemade without the fear of it being tough I've just never saw the need to tackle one from scratch.
While comparing the different brands of rinse aid for the dishwasher I hear "yogurt! Yogurt! Yogurt!" I thought, "why are the so excited of the yogurt in the cart?" Then I turned around and found this:
This is what the girls looked like after Mommy told them they weren't supposed to open the yogurt. I mean a few grapes are one thing, but this?
I threw some random bottle of the rinse aid in the cart and decided this was my sign that we should be done with the grocery shopping. But at this point the damage was done and I let them continue with their treat.
I did remember to pay for the yogurt. Though in handing it to the check out guy, we dropped it and splattered some on the check out area, oops. The girl bagging the groceries was nice enough to give me a few paper towels for the girls as we left, I didn't even have to ask! How is that for customer service?
And Charlotte will be thrilled when she gets home to find out that Mommy bought three new curling irons while at the store. "Three?" you ask. Yes, it was $2 more to get three than it was to get one. So now I have a 3/4, 1, and 1 1/2 inch curling iron. Now we will have to see if she will let me near her with one or if she is still too scared I'll burn her...
Jenn
Friday, April 25, 2008
Math, Green, and a Miletsone
Several things have come to mind today to blog about so this will be quite the eclectic post.
Math: This is from an email Michael sent me today.
Me: "You're doing great, Charlotte. And they're the same numbers"
Charlotte: "No, they're not"
Me: "How are they different?"
Charlotte: "Math numbers are autofer. You know what 'autofer' is?"
Me: "No, what is it?"
Charlotte: "Autofer things are things you have to use both hands with."
Charlotte is really into math these days and has been playing the math game in the car with me as well. From this email I now realize that I haven't been asking hard enough questions I've not done anything that adds to more than 10, no subtraction and no word problems. What a slacker I am. She is also the queen of making up words for no reason. I don't really understand the appeal but she finds it very humorous.
Green:
OK so I really would not classify myself as a green mom. I don't buy all organic. I don't pack a no waste lunch. I don't drive a hybrid and have no current plans to. I don't believe in global warming or human's roll in it. But I try to do my part where I can. As part of that I invested in some cloth grocery bags. I love them! They are so handy. Not only do they hold twice as much as a plastic bag but they are easier to pick up and carry. A friend was talking about her freezer bags she also takes with her to the grocery and I bought a couple of those, too. In my store they are located with the freezer foods. They are labeled as thermal bags and were about $2 each. I love them as well.
I have found so many uses for my grocery bags besides groceries. They are great to haul all the kids stuff (think lunch boxes, snacks, shoes, toys, etc.) to and from the car. They are great to put my work stuff in when I have stuff that won't fit in the computer bag. Today I also learned they are great to take to Sams to put all those smaller things in I needed to buy today.
While at Sams today I saw they had some of the heat and serve meals that have become my new lifesaver. They are really good, not frozen and quick. Thanks to my freezer bags in the car I was able to pick some up even though I wasn't going straight home and I didn't have to worry about them staying cold. Did I mention the other day I bought ice cream and put it in the freezer bag and left it in the car for over an hour in (80 degree, sunny weather) and it was still frozen solid when I took it out? They really are great.
A Milestone:
Ruby had a first today. Not a first most would document but I'm sure knowing Ruby a really important first that she will be glad her Mommy did.
She got her toe nails painted for the very first time! She saw me painting mine and immediately ripped off her crocs and started saying "please, please" all while sitting down shoving her feet in my face :) How could I possibly resist?
Eliza Claire was oblivious as she was busy watching Sesame Street. But I'm not sure she would have cared if she had noticed. Now turn on ESPN and she's there, but nail polish, not so much.
Have a great weekend!
Oh, and if you are a green mom and/or you believe in global warming, don't waste your time trying to convince me. Trust me I'm doing my share of research. I'm just arriving at different conclusions than you.
Jenn
Math: This is from an email Michael sent me today.
When Charlotte and I were driving to preschool this morning she wanted to play "Math". So, I was giving her some straight addition and subtraction problems and some "word problems" "I have 7 apples and give you 2, how many do I have left?"). She was doing great and only slowed down when I gave her something past 10 (I think it was 9+2). She eventually got to 11 and said she was sorry it took so long but "I have to use my head a lot. I'm good with my counting numbers but not my math numbers."
Me: "You're doing great, Charlotte. And they're the same numbers"
Charlotte: "No, they're not"
Me: "How are they different?"
Charlotte: "Math numbers are autofer. You know what 'autofer' is?"
Me: "No, what is it?"
Charlotte: "Autofer things are things you have to use both hands with."
Charlotte is really into math these days and has been playing the math game in the car with me as well. From this email I now realize that I haven't been asking hard enough questions I've not done anything that adds to more than 10, no subtraction and no word problems. What a slacker I am. She is also the queen of making up words for no reason. I don't really understand the appeal but she finds it very humorous.
Green:
OK so I really would not classify myself as a green mom. I don't buy all organic. I don't pack a no waste lunch. I don't drive a hybrid and have no current plans to. I don't believe in global warming or human's roll in it. But I try to do my part where I can. As part of that I invested in some cloth grocery bags. I love them! They are so handy. Not only do they hold twice as much as a plastic bag but they are easier to pick up and carry. A friend was talking about her freezer bags she also takes with her to the grocery and I bought a couple of those, too. In my store they are located with the freezer foods. They are labeled as thermal bags and were about $2 each. I love them as well.
I have found so many uses for my grocery bags besides groceries. They are great to haul all the kids stuff (think lunch boxes, snacks, shoes, toys, etc.) to and from the car. They are great to put my work stuff in when I have stuff that won't fit in the computer bag. Today I also learned they are great to take to Sams to put all those smaller things in I needed to buy today.
While at Sams today I saw they had some of the heat and serve meals that have become my new lifesaver. They are really good, not frozen and quick. Thanks to my freezer bags in the car I was able to pick some up even though I wasn't going straight home and I didn't have to worry about them staying cold. Did I mention the other day I bought ice cream and put it in the freezer bag and left it in the car for over an hour in (80 degree, sunny weather) and it was still frozen solid when I took it out? They really are great.
A Milestone:Ruby had a first today. Not a first most would document but I'm sure knowing Ruby a really important first that she will be glad her Mommy did.
She got her toe nails painted for the very first time! She saw me painting mine and immediately ripped off her crocs and started saying "please, please" all while sitting down shoving her feet in my face :) How could I possibly resist?
Eliza Claire was oblivious as she was busy watching Sesame Street. But I'm not sure she would have cared if she had noticed. Now turn on ESPN and she's there, but nail polish, not so much.
Have a great weekend!
Oh, and if you are a green mom and/or you believe in global warming, don't waste your time trying to convince me. Trust me I'm doing my share of research. I'm just arriving at different conclusions than you.
Jenn
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
The Joys of Grocery Shopping
Yesterday was grocery day. I made my list, printed it, packed snacks, and got the three girls ready to go. The grocery list was surprisingly short and I thought it would be a quick, cheap and uneventful trip.
We pull in the parking lot and I reach for the grocery list. It isn't there. I know I had it. Where is it? Search the car for a couple of minutes, can't find it. Decide I can shop without it since we didn't need much. Besides there was no way I was turning around driving 10 minutes home to get the list and coming back to the store. So winging it would have to do.
Charlotte was upset that she didn't get to ride in the cart. Even with the big cart with the extra two seats, it just doesn't work for her to ride. And she is 4 1/2, she is big enough to walk.
About a third of the way through the store she had a shoe issue the top half of her sandal came off. If she had actually buckled them properly that probably wouldn't have happened but that is probably a different post altogether. She stopped to fix it. I looked back to see a set of shelves (about 2 feet wide and deep and 6 feet tall) starting to fall. I yell "Charlotte, NO!" She starts screaming and rights the shelves. Of course there are now 10 or so Snapple Water bottles on the floor, half of which are spilled as the lids broke in the fall.
At this point I think "now what?" Luckily an employee saw it and radioed for clean up. I offered to help and to pay for the Snapple but was told they would take care of it. I made Charlotte apologize and dried her tears. Then for the rest of the shopping trip I'm having a silent battle in my head - "I really should pay for those spilled drinks," "they really shouldn't have had so many heavy bottles on something that unstable." Back and forth and back and forth. Finally, I decided it really was their fault. All Charlotte had done was reach out with one hand and slightly leaned against the shelves just enough to reach over and buckle her shoe. I was very impressed that she was able to right the shelves and the whole thing didn't crash to the ground.
The rest of the trip was uneventful. The grocery bill was only $70! Woohoo! But I did get home and realize I forgot the sandwich baggies and string cheese. Oops.
Alls well that ends well,
Jenn
We pull in the parking lot and I reach for the grocery list. It isn't there. I know I had it. Where is it? Search the car for a couple of minutes, can't find it. Decide I can shop without it since we didn't need much. Besides there was no way I was turning around driving 10 minutes home to get the list and coming back to the store. So winging it would have to do.
Charlotte was upset that she didn't get to ride in the cart. Even with the big cart with the extra two seats, it just doesn't work for her to ride. And she is 4 1/2, she is big enough to walk.
About a third of the way through the store she had a shoe issue the top half of her sandal came off. If she had actually buckled them properly that probably wouldn't have happened but that is probably a different post altogether. She stopped to fix it. I looked back to see a set of shelves (about 2 feet wide and deep and 6 feet tall) starting to fall. I yell "Charlotte, NO!" She starts screaming and rights the shelves. Of course there are now 10 or so Snapple Water bottles on the floor, half of which are spilled as the lids broke in the fall.
At this point I think "now what?" Luckily an employee saw it and radioed for clean up. I offered to help and to pay for the Snapple but was told they would take care of it. I made Charlotte apologize and dried her tears. Then for the rest of the shopping trip I'm having a silent battle in my head - "I really should pay for those spilled drinks," "they really shouldn't have had so many heavy bottles on something that unstable." Back and forth and back and forth. Finally, I decided it really was their fault. All Charlotte had done was reach out with one hand and slightly leaned against the shelves just enough to reach over and buckle her shoe. I was very impressed that she was able to right the shelves and the whole thing didn't crash to the ground.
The rest of the trip was uneventful. The grocery bill was only $70! Woohoo! But I did get home and realize I forgot the sandwich baggies and string cheese. Oops.
Alls well that ends well,
Jenn
Saturday, February 23, 2008
The New Grocery Game
This morning we needed to go grocery shopping and no one had any scheduled activities. We took a suggestion from the book Baby Proofing Your Marriage that I read recently and made grocery shopping a game. Each parent got a big kid and a little kid and half the grocery list. The first team done won and did not have to help unload the groceries from the car.
It is amazing how much quicker the grocery shopping was done and how much easier it was. Everyone had a good time. Charlotte, Eliza Claire, and I won. But only because Michael didn't follow the rules. He stopped and picked up some things that were on my half of the list and that time was enough for us to win.
Now I know you are wondering why this idea was in Baby Proofing Your Marriage. If I remember correctly it was talking about excepting this new life after kids and making it fun. Thus the example of making a family activity out of a chore. It really did make for a fun morning and I think we all enjoyed it.
I definitely think we will be playing this game again.
Jenn
PS. I thought Baby Proofing Your Marriage was a good book to read. It is witty and good humored and peppered with quotes from real people. It also has some good advice as well.
It is amazing how much quicker the grocery shopping was done and how much easier it was. Everyone had a good time. Charlotte, Eliza Claire, and I won. But only because Michael didn't follow the rules. He stopped and picked up some things that were on my half of the list and that time was enough for us to win.
Now I know you are wondering why this idea was in Baby Proofing Your Marriage. If I remember correctly it was talking about excepting this new life after kids and making it fun. Thus the example of making a family activity out of a chore. It really did make for a fun morning and I think we all enjoyed it.
I definitely think we will be playing this game again.
Jenn
PS. I thought Baby Proofing Your Marriage was a good book to read. It is witty and good humored and peppered with quotes from real people. It also has some good advice as well.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
The Grocery Bill
Ruby, Eliza Claire and I went grocery shopping this morning. They do great for about the first half of the trip and then they are ready to be done. Today I was a bad mom and gave them unwashed grapes to keep them happy. Yes, I understand that I didn't pay for a couple of ounces of grapes and that my children may have ingested pesticides or other toxic substances. But I needed to finish shopping and it was the first thing I found in the cart that wasn't going to require me to explain to the check out person that "yes I was aware the box was open because I opened it to feed my starving children so they wouldn't scream in your store." Not to mention it was Ruby and Eliza who make a sport out of seeing what they can find on the floor to eat!
Going into to the store today I thought this would be a cheap week at the grocery store. I didn't think we had that much on our list. But when the final bill was tallied after coupons it was $142 and some change. Ugh! How do I trim the bill? Last week was a big trip - it had been a week and a half since we had been to the store - and it was $160. It appears we spend roughly $150 a week on groceries. That is $600 a month and doesn't include all the things we buy at Sam's (diapers, cat litter, laundry detergent, dog food, about 1/2 of our meat, etc.)!
So how do I reduce the bill? I try to buy meat on sale. I use some coupons. I buy a LOT of store brand items. I try not to buy too much prepackaged stuff - today I did buy juice boxes, sponge bob crackers, and propel that were prepackaged. I try to only buy the produce that is in season. I did buy strawberries today but only because they were finally under $3 a pound.
I did notice that all of the dairy items have gone up significantly in price recently and we seem to eat quite a bit of dairy. I probably purchased $40 of dairy products alone - that included block cheddar, shredded cheddar, 4 gallons of organic milk, and six containers of yogurt- it seems like there were other items but I can't think of them now. I know I'm paying more for the organic milk but at the moment feel like the extra $6 a week is worth it to not have growth hormones and antibiotics in my kids milk. Maybe not, I'm really still on the fence but that $6 a week isn't the problem.
So where do I cut? I feel like we are doing a good job of eating at home and packing our lunches instead of eating out but I feel like the grocery bill is still too high. I think I do a good job of price comparison and buying store brands. I try to use coupons when it makes sense. So what else can I do? Or is this just what it costs to feed a family of six?
Off to finish putting away groceries.
Jenn
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Grocery Shopping
Today I had the pleasure of taking all three girls grocery shopping with me. I really didn't want to go to the grocery store but we were out of all the basics. I could not physically feed them one more meal without grocery shopping.
I was hoping when we got to the store they would have one of the red carts that holds two and still has the spot in the basket for the third. Charlotte isn't feeling well today and I knew if she had to walk for the entire shopping trip I wouldn't get much done before I had to call it quits.
We were in luck they had 2 red carts left! I put the three girls in and all three cracked up. They thought it was quite funny to be sitting that close together and see each other. The laughing lasted for a good five minutes. It was adorable! I love it when they actually enjoy each other.
Of course since I had to go to the store that meant we had a lot of items to purchase and grocery shopping took a little over an hour. That is a long time to entertain three girls in a shopping cart. Ruby kept trying to pick up the eggs and smash the chips. Eliza was happy as long as she had a snack (we went through a package of nabs, a piece of fruit leather, some sample cake something or other, and a snack trap full of apple jacks).
By the end of the trip Charlotte was in tears and had lost "buddy buck" privileges for not being a good listener and for bothering her sister. She has this really annoying habit of messing with Ruby. She just won't leave her alone. Sometimes it is touching her head or holding her arm, today it was pulling up her pant leg and shaking her leg. Ruby did not like it but of course couldn't get away from her.
Ruby's solution? She bit Charlotte's finger hard enough to leave a mark but not break the skin. Sad thing is Charlotte didn't get much sympathy from Mommy. And I had a really hard time telling Ruby that "we don't bite." If I had been Ruby, I would have bitten her too!
Poor Charlotte...
The funny thing is grocery shopping took so long I had to pick up lunch on the way home. But at least I can now make dinner!
Oh Happy Day...
Jenn
I still need to write about our trip to Silver Belle Ranch, the Pine Wood Derby and Rehm's new career as an author...Hopefully I'll get caught up this weekend.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Ah, the Grocery Store
The grocery store had gotten easy, very managable, even enjoyable. And now preschool is out.
When we got to the store Ruby and Eliza were asleep. I thought if I got the stroller out then maybe they would go back to sleep in it. No luck. Of course having the stroller means I have to do the old push the stroller, pull the cart routine. And having Charlotte with me meant finding a place for her. We decided to use the buggy board (it attaches to the back of the stroller and gives her a place to ride).
What I forgot until we were in the store is I can't push the stroller one handed when Charlotte is on the buggy board. The stroller is too heavy. But I must push the stroller one handed or I can't pull the cart. I muscled through for a while and then Charlotte decided she wanted to ride in the cart. Much better. But of course then she had to go to the bathroom and we were on the other end of the store. Then she wanted out of the cart but wouldn't stay with me. And then she wanted to know if we were done yet. And then she had to go potty AGAIN!
We made it, got everything we needed and I managed to get home with all three girls.
And next week, Rehm will get to go to the store too! Oh joy, I'm so excited I don't know if I can wait till next week! Won't that be so much fun? Hmm maybe I won't need to go next week. I bought a whole lot this week...
Happy Shopping,
Jenn
When we got to the store Ruby and Eliza were asleep. I thought if I got the stroller out then maybe they would go back to sleep in it. No luck. Of course having the stroller means I have to do the old push the stroller, pull the cart routine. And having Charlotte with me meant finding a place for her. We decided to use the buggy board (it attaches to the back of the stroller and gives her a place to ride).
What I forgot until we were in the store is I can't push the stroller one handed when Charlotte is on the buggy board. The stroller is too heavy. But I must push the stroller one handed or I can't pull the cart. I muscled through for a while and then Charlotte decided she wanted to ride in the cart. Much better. But of course then she had to go to the bathroom and we were on the other end of the store. Then she wanted out of the cart but wouldn't stay with me. And then she wanted to know if we were done yet. And then she had to go potty AGAIN!
We made it, got everything we needed and I managed to get home with all three girls.
And next week, Rehm will get to go to the store too! Oh joy, I'm so excited I don't know if I can wait till next week! Won't that be so much fun? Hmm maybe I won't need to go next week. I bought a whole lot this week...
Happy Shopping,
Jenn
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
We've Graduated!
Today was grocery day. Which of course means I must write about how much I love my HEB yet again. Do I sound like a commercial? I should! I still need to make mine to submit for the sweepstakes, but I seem to never find the time. I still haven't decided what visual aids would make the commercial the most memorable so I keep not filming it. Ah, I digress.
Today was grocery day. When Eliza Claire and Ruby woke up from their naps (in the van - they fell asleep on the way to take Charlotte to school, so after dropping her off I let them sleep and hung out in the van) I decided to try the big cart today instead of pushing the stroller and pulling the cart. I figured why not? The worst that would happen is they wouldn't like it and I would not try again for a month or so. Overall the girls did great.
Brenda spotted us coming across the parking lot and came over to help me get the girls in the cart. I'm sure I was a sight walking across the lot carrying both babies with a huge backpack to boot. The fun part was trying to get my keys out of my pocket while holding them both to lock the van doors. Anyway, Brenda helped get everyone strapped in the cart. Getting to the cart and getting everyone strapped in was the hardest part of the excursion. And I'm sure the funniest for any observers.
The girls seemed to like the cart but did manage to swipe each other's sippy cup a few times and get fussy a few times. Ruby was quickly mollified when I let her hold a bag of shredded cheese. I think she liked the sound the bag made.
Brenda of course helped me unload the cart and Billy was thrilled to get to help us out! Everyone is so nice to the girls and so happy to help it always makes me leave feeling good. And wow, I know the employees by name! And they know what day I come in and look for me! Brenda stopped me last week to make sure everyone was OK because she hadn't seen me in a few weeks and had been looking for me! How great is that!
I did notice that we seemed to get stopped less today with the girls in the cart. I guess we are a little less conspicuous this way.
Happy Grocery Day
Jenn
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
This week at the grocery store
The big news this week is I got to go to the grocery store all by myself! Wow, what a different experience! It was so easy! It was so quick! It was so quiet! Who knew the grocery store could be such a blissful experience?
I also got my first true shopping experience with the Grocery Game and I have to say it seems to be worth the time and money. I bought $112 worth of groceries for $92. A lot of people see bigger savings than this but I buy a lot of generics and shop at a low priced store to start with so I was pleased with the result.
I did find that no only does HEB have GREAT customer service when you are shopping with two or more small children but they also have GREAT customer service when you are shopping by yourself! The only downfall about shopping on Tuesday is I didn't see my dear friend Brenda today and grocery shopping without her is just not the same!
Jenn
I also got my first true shopping experience with the Grocery Game and I have to say it seems to be worth the time and money. I bought $112 worth of groceries for $92. A lot of people see bigger savings than this but I buy a lot of generics and shop at a low priced store to start with so I was pleased with the result.
I did find that no only does HEB have GREAT customer service when you are shopping with two or more small children but they also have GREAT customer service when you are shopping by yourself! The only downfall about shopping on Tuesday is I didn't see my dear friend Brenda today and grocery shopping without her is just not the same!
Jenn
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Ah, the grocery store...
Yep, its that time again and if you've been reading AND paying attention you'll remember that I was supposed to go on Tuesday this week. Tuesday didn't happen because Rehm was sick and out of school Monday through Wednesday - running a fever only in the evenings but otherwise fine. So it was off to the store today.
Ruby and Eliza ended up on different schedules today because Ruby got up at 6:30 and Eliza at 8:00. So Ruby took a cat nap on the way to the store and Eliza didn't. We get to the store, get the girls in the stroller, get our cart and get in the store. All is well. About a 1/3 of the way through the store Ruby starts wailing. My girls don't cry! What is up with this? So I let her fuss/try to pacify her for a while and keep shopping. At about the halfway point I'm fighting a losing battle and get her out of the stroller. Did I mention that if someone stopped us and talked to her she was fine and smiley and as soon as I picked her up she was fine!
So now I am holding Ruby which leaves one hand free. I need to push the stroller and still pull the cart all with one hand! To do this I had to bend down and push the stroller with the elbow with the arm I'm holding Ruby with and still pull the cart with the other hand. Oh and I need to be able to look at my grocery list and coupons and actually get things in the cart.
Brenda finds me toward the end of my shopping and stops me to ask how much more I have to do. As I'm stopped to tell her (for all of 5 seconds) some rude man comes up and says "Excuse Me!" very rudely. Apparently between the stroller, cart and back pack, I was taking up more than my half of the aisle and he couldn't get by. Honestly, if I had thought for half a second I would have asked him which baby he wanted to hold so I could get out of his way, but alas I was too surprised by his impatience - especially given how nice everyone else seems to be when I'm grocery shopping - to do more than say excuse me and move out of the way.
I left the cart to go get my last few items and before I was finished getting them all Brenda was already unloading the cart for me! I can not begin to express my gratitude for the fabulous employees at My HEB! I would never get grocery shopping done with out them.
Now if I could just figure out how to get all of the groceries put away before 8:00pm!
Off to see what happened on GH today!
Jenn
PS Hallelujah, Rehm went to school today and stayed all day!
Ruby and Eliza ended up on different schedules today because Ruby got up at 6:30 and Eliza at 8:00. So Ruby took a cat nap on the way to the store and Eliza didn't. We get to the store, get the girls in the stroller, get our cart and get in the store. All is well. About a 1/3 of the way through the store Ruby starts wailing. My girls don't cry! What is up with this? So I let her fuss/try to pacify her for a while and keep shopping. At about the halfway point I'm fighting a losing battle and get her out of the stroller. Did I mention that if someone stopped us and talked to her she was fine and smiley and as soon as I picked her up she was fine!
So now I am holding Ruby which leaves one hand free. I need to push the stroller and still pull the cart all with one hand! To do this I had to bend down and push the stroller with the elbow with the arm I'm holding Ruby with and still pull the cart with the other hand. Oh and I need to be able to look at my grocery list and coupons and actually get things in the cart.
Brenda finds me toward the end of my shopping and stops me to ask how much more I have to do. As I'm stopped to tell her (for all of 5 seconds) some rude man comes up and says "Excuse Me!" very rudely. Apparently between the stroller, cart and back pack, I was taking up more than my half of the aisle and he couldn't get by. Honestly, if I had thought for half a second I would have asked him which baby he wanted to hold so I could get out of his way, but alas I was too surprised by his impatience - especially given how nice everyone else seems to be when I'm grocery shopping - to do more than say excuse me and move out of the way.
I left the cart to go get my last few items and before I was finished getting them all Brenda was already unloading the cart for me! I can not begin to express my gratitude for the fabulous employees at My HEB! I would never get grocery shopping done with out them.
Now if I could just figure out how to get all of the groceries put away before 8:00pm!
Off to see what happened on GH today!
Jenn
PS Hallelujah, Rehm went to school today and stayed all day!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
A Little Wrench in the Plan
Today was grocery day. For some reason it always makes for an interesting day. However, it seems that the challenges change from week to week.
Somehow I was running behind this morning and left to take Charlotte to school about ten minutes late - this put me off for the whole day. Of course that meant we got to the grocery store later than usual and then shopping ran later than usual as well. The shopping itself was uneventful and the girls were very cooperative. Ruby was even nice enough to nap for most of the trip. The employees were as nice and helpful as always, but it is a little disconcerting as they are all starting to recognize me and I think are becoming even more helpful.
I left the store at 11:30 which is typically when Ruby and Eliza Claire have their bottle. No
big deal, in fifteen minutes we'll be home, I'll unload groceries, get them set up with their bottles (yes, I prop bottles) and put everything away.
Well...I get home, open the garage door and it gets almost all the way open and stops - we've been having ongoing problems with it. Michael keeps working on it, it gets better for a few weeks then gets weird again. So no big deal. I close the door to try again.
Oops, this time it won't open at all! I get out of the van and can hear the motor running but the door isn't budging. Again, no big deal I can just go in the front door.
Oops! I don't have my house key. I let my in-laws borrow it a few weeks ago when the garage door wasn't working and it never got back on my ring.
So lets recap. I have two hungry babies, a car full of groceries, a bunch of which needs to be refrigerated and I can't get in the house!
What to do? I call Michael's cell, I get his voice mail.
I call Michael's office, I get his voice mail. What to do?
I decide I can take the groceries to my in laws (12 miles away) and hope they have room for the refrigerated stuff (this is definitely a gamble). Then I can stop at the store, buy a can a formula and feed it to the girls in their sippy cups. Oh joy!
I start driving. Michael calls. I tell him I need a key and will come pick it up.
Get the key. Get home. It is now 12:45 - gotta leave in 20 minutes to pick up Charlotte from school. Get the groceries in. Get Eliza Claire in. Lay her down to start feeding her. Something stinks! What is it? Smells like cat pee! Where is it? On the blanket for the girls to play on the floor. Can't move the blanket. Eliza is laying on part of the blanket to eat! Stupid cat! Get Ruby in. Get her set up to eat. Unload the refrigerated items. Change diapers. Clean up cat pee. Start a load of laundry. Make a sandwich. Back in the car to get Charlotte.
The day didn't improve. I was just behind all day! Of course the dishes didn't get put in the dishwasher. It was 3:00 pm before the rest of the groceries got put away. I didn't get the soup started for dinner! We ended up having hot dogs and mac and cheese instead - Rehm wanted mac and cheese. This is where my mother would say you aren't supposed to eat hot dogs and mac and cheese at the same meal because mac and cheese is a meat substitute! Oh well, at my house mac and cheese is a side dish :)
The good news is the grocery shopping is done until Tuesday (I have to change my schedule to accommodate the grocery game), no one got lost or left at school, we didn't eat out for dinner, and no animals were harmed in the process -though for the cat it was a very close call!
Off to indulge in some mindless TV
Jenn
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