Extreme Grocery Shopping

As I was grocery shopping with these 3 adorable boys this morning, it occurred to me that I've become acquainted with what I like to think of as "extreme shopping" :). Let me preface this by saying that they are generally good kids, and there are only three of them, but taking them out on big errands (and grocery shopping for our household definitely qualifies!) makes me feel like I'm going on a difficult and dangerous mission. Now, I realize that I don't have to take the kids grocery shopping. I could go out after they go to bed, or maybe on Saturday morning (and once in a while I do), but I really don't like spending our evening/family time out at the store. Also, I figure that if I never took the kids grocery shopping, how would they learn how to behave correctly or, as they're older, how to shop smartly?

So, the prep work for my mission usually begins the night before with making my shopping list as efficiently as possibly -- grouping like items together and all that. Then I go through my coupon collection and stick the relevant ones in my bag. On the morning of, I try and get us out of the house first thing after breakfast because the store is less crowded. We get to the store, and Jack and Thomas walk while Peter rides in the seat. Jack and Thomas are generally pretty good about helping me pick out produce or grab cans off the shelves when I ask them to, but eventually they get a little bored and they start to wander farther and farther from the cart. As I'm wrangling them back toward the cart, I notice Peter poking at the glass jam jars that I've unwittingly parked him next to (there's not much choice, since the only safe place is the dead center of the aisle!). So I dash back in time to grab the jar, and by then Jack and Thomas are milling around, asking for whatever cereal or granola bar has cartoon characters on the front, and generally obstructing the aisles for other people who are trying to get their cart through.

We push on, and as the cart gets fuller, Peter is able to reach back and grab items and either squish them or throw them onto the ground. Jack's and Thomas's radius from the cart gets larger, bit by bit. I search for something mildly entertaining to amuse Peter while we finish up, and the only thing I come up with is my bag full of colorful coupons. He flaps them around, tries to open the bag, and he's occupied for a few minutes. Jack and Thomas hop on the sides of the cart, which solves the problem of them wandering around too much, but then they start fighting over which side of the cart is best, and inevitably one of them ends up in front of the cart, dragging his feet so the "brakes" are on :). I have them walk next to me again, and they start reminding me of fast-moving crabs, meandering around, reaching out to pinch each other or poke at items on the shelves. Then I look at Peter and notice that my coupon bag is nowhere to be found! It's not in the cart, and nowhere in the immediate vicinity. I spent time cutting and organizing those coupons, but the thought of retracing my last 45-minutes worth of steps to find that silly bag makes my heart sink. No, it's just not worth it for those few dollars of savings. Note to self: don't let Peter have the coupon bag, even in times of desperation.

I double check my list, and may or may not go back for something I've forgotten. By this time, I've got my eye on the prize -- the exit door! Peter is in full whine mode because he lost the coupons and I won't let him squeeze the mushrooms. The boys roam around in little circles or poke around in the neighboring checkstands as I shell out entirely too much money for our groceries, and then we pack up and get home and part two of Operation Shop begins: Unload -- doh!

I am very grateful that we have money to buy plenty of good food, and I'm grateful that the boys don't throw big tantrums over things they want but I've said "No" to. And ... I'm also grateful that I only plan 1 shopping trip per week. We survived today's outing, and now there are six days until Operation Grocery Shop commences again. Woo hoo!