A Little Trip to the Grocery

Scene: a cold, rainy day the morning before Thanksgiving.

10:30 a.m. I decide that even though it is blustery and pouring down rain and I will have two small children in tow, it would be better to do my grocery shopping this morning than fight everyone after work this evening.

10:35 a.m. Stuff Lily in a down fleece number making her extremely angry.

10:40 a.m. Weston stands on porch yelling something at me while I try to get Lily (who is now 5 times her normal size) into her car seat in the rain.

10:42 a.m. Lily has gone from seriously to critically angry. I ditch down fleece number and put her in car seat without it. Turn car on for heat.

10:50 a.m. We're in the car on our way to a grocery store 15 minutes away so I can use a coupon (you know I like my coupons). Albeit wet, everything is seemingly fine.

11:05 a.m. Arrive at grocery store and realize that I cannot find my wallet and I think its on the ledge in the living room.

11:06 a.m. Turn car back on, head back home. Call Kurt for moral support.

11:21 a.m. Arrive home, dash inside to grab wallet. Not there. Back out to car. Check diaper bag. It has indeed been in there the whole time, just in the wrong place.

11:22 a.m. Send Kurt a text with the awesome news.

11:23 Head back to the grocery store. Weston is confused and asking where we're going. I take a different way to the grocery store for a change of scenery which confuses him even more.

11:35 Arrive back at the grocery store. Since Lily is not in winter outwear (and I'm not about to go through that saga again), I take off my coat in the rain put her in the front carrier and put on my coat over me and her.

11:37 Inside grocery store. Wet, but we made it. And we have money. Which we had from the beginning, but whatever. Take coat off, put Weston in cart. Realize I left coupon in car.

11:38 Kindly ask customer service if it is necessary that I actually HAVE the coupon in my possession. It is. Curse under my breath.

11:40 Put coat back on. Zip it up. Bundle Lily's head. "Ma'm hold on, we're going to get you a coupon so you don't have to go back out to the car." Try to take coat off. Zipper is stuck. Lily (still in front carrier) is getting mad. Weston is also becoming disgruntled. In desperation I give one more fatal pull which breaks the zipper of my favorite REI parka.

11:41 Begin grocery shopping...approximately one hour later than planned. Get items on my list...minus jelly which I forgot.

12:00 Check out...saved $5. Worth it? Questionable.

12:05 Unload groceries into car. Unload Lily. Zip coat back up...oh wait, no zipper.

12:20 Arrive home. As I'm pulling up I see that I have left my front door wide open in all the wallet mayhem. I have the thought that Kurt will be really excited if someone stole our t.v. since he's been wanting a flat screen since 2005.

12:30 Groceries and children are inside. T.V. is still in place.

2:00 Lunch has been consumed, babies are sleeping and I am now laughing. Laughing because although I almost lost my mind, these things are so trifling. I have food on my table. I have healthy, sweet children. I have a husband who listens. I have a roof over my head. I have family to visit tomorrow. I live in the land of the free. I know the God of the universe. I am rich and I am blessed.

And next time, I'll opt for the evening grocery trip.

Inviting Disaster

Over the past year or so since Weston has gotten "helpful", I have been learning how to invite him into everyday activities. Most of the time he is eager to help with a task. I know it is good for him to feel a part of daily household chores. It is fun for him to play/pretend. It is bonding to work side by side with my kids. I enjoy the company of my children. For all these reasons, I continue to find ways to include him in what I'm doing. However, I must be prepared for inviting disaster.

It is pretty much guaranteed that when you ask a two year old to help you it will:

1. Take twice as long.
2. Be three times as messy.
3. Quite possibly not even accomplish what is supposed to get done.
4. Even more possible that it will accomplish the exact opposite of what is supposed to get done.

For someone who likes to cross things off the list these are tough things to swallow, but I do because I need to learn how to slow down and be patient. And because there is nothing better than watching your child have the satisfaction of accomplishing something seemingly "grown up."





Next up...scrubbing toilets.