Going to the grocery store is fun to do

fun to do, fun to do. Going to the grocery store is fun to do, to do, to do, to do! (Is that a song? Or do I just have a certain tune in my head?)

Anyways, yesterday I went grocery shopping and I usually have Erin and Ethan with me- I try to go when Dante is in school- one less is usually a little easier:) Keyword: A LITTLE!

I miss grocery shopping in Utah because everyone else had little kids running around too... so it was like, hey, everyone is doing it- I will too. When I lived in Utah- I can't even count how many times an actual store clerk brought me one of my children. Here they'll just announce over the loudspeaker- please keep your children near you at all times and in all things and in all places.. OR ELSE!! (I guess they would kick me out?!) Here you also mostly get rude stares from people.

However- yesterday was a really, really DIFFERENT day! Everyone was nice- everyone was laughing at Erin and Ethan and everything they were doing. In the produce section... Ethan just started throwing in random fruit... I was like- ok- those need to go in bags MR. He was like- I want THIS apple, and THIS tomato, oh and what are THESE??? Who cares, I'll just throw them in too! So, I'm having to put all the fruit back. I remind Ethan of our wonderful, positive talk in the car before entering the store about How amazing my kids are and how much I love taking them to the grocery store because they are so good. They stay by me, the listen to me, they don't put anything in my cart, etc.... Hoping - that all this positive self talk- would actually make them behave that way.... I was a little wrong.

However- after I reminded Ethan- then he started using a very different but clever technique to put things in my cart. We started walking towards the milk- I put 2 gallons in my cart then Ethan runs over to the orange juice (which I usually don't buy) and he goes, "OH! One orange juice- OK, mom- coming right up!" Then plunks it in my cart.

Then Erin gets tired of riding in the little car.. and wants to get out- and they start playing "Stay away from the Alligators" Which were the gray sections of the tile- they could only step on the white. Now- when they do this- they get soooo wrapped up in it- because they would literally DIE if they stepped on the gray part- I mean- tears, whaling and gnashing of teeth-- you think I'm kidding?!:) They also blame it on me if they land on the "alligators" They say I killed them. So- they run into MORE than there fair share of carts... Ethan trips more then his fair share of times.... and I'm about to quit my shopping early (actually that is a lie.... I usually pretend I don't know whose kids those are.... but they have been following me from the beginning of time) But some lady (someone who obviously does not have kids- or has never gone grocery shopping with kids, or multiple kids) says, "Look how much fun they are having!! And it is just the grocery store! They are so cute!"

So- I'm like- YEAH!! I know- aren't my kids just the cutest EVER!!

And it reminded me to find joy in all things and just have fun! Who cares what other people think. If I want to go around hopping from square to square in the grocery store- I'll take any funny stares I get-- and say WHO CARES- IT'S FUN! Come on down and join me! (but for now- I'll just live vicariously through my kids)


Ps. Kroger is brilliant for the way that they unload your cart- they don't even have a conveyor belt- that way- you think you have watched your kids closely enough not to sneak anything in the cart-- so you don't really watch them unload and then you get home with yet another whoopie cushion! What is it with boys and whoopie cushions?? And how do they always seem to find one at the grocery store? I have like 57 - anybody need one??