Thursday, March 3, 2011

GROCERIES...do I have to get 'em??!!??


                       I hate grocery shopping with ALL four of my kids. I would do almost anything to avoid it, although, due to the logistics of Z's job ,more often than not, I find myself grocery shopping with some to most or ALL of the kids whether I like it or not. Fortunately, compared to some of the stories I've heard my mommy friends tell, my kids usually only induce mild homicidal rage in their mother when I take them along. I try to go once a week and this time it has almost been 2!  I've have put off going to the store just because I hate grocery shopping with kids, and now we're out of almost everything. I try to go during a Tues or Thursday morning with just Q when Ace ,Boomer and Tank are all at school. I have been lazy about it recently because Q now almost refuses to stay in the cart or by the cart when "released"! So I fight with him the entire time to listen to me and all I can hear and see is him taking things off the shelves or racks and causing a ruckus! I dread it...I forget ALOT each time and I can never plan meals ahead of time with a screaming toddler. AHHH! I don't think that I have been alone on a grocery shopping trip since Boomer came in 2005! Crazy now that I think of it!!!! 

  Take this morning for example.
 Today is the day that I technically always  go to do the grocery shopping, so  lots of staples and other things are running exceptionally low. As soon as my feet hit the floor this morning, the kids started clamoring to be fed. (Did you know they expect to be fed every single day? Multiple times a day, too. Snacks for school and after school snacks and toddler snacks....oh, the little moochers.) lol! So, I made eggs and sausage for the kids.I even felt bad as I had to accompany this with a canned syrupy type of mandarin oranges! I was not being nice in serving them cheezy scrambled eggs and sausage....... I was out of cereal.I was out of 2% milk. I was out of frozen waffles. I was out of pop tarts. I was even out of butter so toast was outta the question too! I was out of syrup. I was out of bananas (a staple, grapes, strawberries, and apples as well). Surprisingly I was even out of the ole stand by (and last resort) oatmeal! (SAD, isn't it)I had sausage,cheese and eggs. I was backed into a corner on the breakfast front. I could actually  scrounge for a few more days and prolong the interval between grocery store visits if I don't mind them missing out on a few basic food groups. It's sad that I've contemplated this so thoroughly, isn't it? I'll tell you another secret, I am so thankful that none of our kids have any food allergies, because I have fed them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches 6 days in a row these last 2 weeks for lunch with canned fruit(hate that stuff).  I always pack (or give the littles) fresh veggies at lunch and serve one at dinner.I haven't had some in days..... even watered down Q's whole milk for the other 3 to drink! I am even outta juice boxes and so I have been sending water in the big kids' bagged lunches. Bommer was like "was I bad??" This is what happens when mommy is sick and avoiding the dreaded trip to the store!. All my lofty ideals fly right out the window and being the nutrition Nazi that I usually am. No fresh fruit or veggies in a week is just plan sad....but, is was almost the furthest thing from my mind.(ok I guess I knew I needed to just bite the bullet and attack that little terrible 2 man and just did what needed to be done..)

                        I've still got bread and I STOCKED up last time grape jelly was on sale. I still have half a jar of Jif.... This strike from grocery shopping with kids could theoretically continue for awhile longer. Days even. But, it's probably better if I dig out my sale papers, sort through my coupons and plan an assault on the local market. Apparently, people around here get testy when your answer to their pleas of hunger is, “I'm fine with coffee. Try some.” Sigh. Wish me luck..... cuz I waited too long to go with just baby Q and so now I must take all 4...............