grocery shopping when tired.....

I really needed to go to the store. Not just the store close by, but my favorite store that is 40 minutes away. I was tired today. I took a medium sized nap, woke up, took just Kathryn, 11, and Jonathan with me. We did go to Target first, but didn't get much....just looked around at the bargains. I did get Charlotte Claire and Camille matching bathings suits for $6.99. Then we went to PriceChopper. They had sirloin tip steak on sale for $1.99 a pound. And grapes for 98 cents a pound. I bought oranges, bananas, peppers, onions, bread, milk, juice, cereal, detergent, peanut butter, eggs, chocolate milk, butter, tortilla chips....and some non-hot toothpaste for Jon, which Charlotte Claire found.....how exciting. Mali and her chinchilla, Chinchy. Chinchy is very friendly, and I missed the shots of Charlotte Claire and Camille giving her kisses. When you put your face near her, she sniffs you, and it is so cute. She eats popcorn with her little hands like a squirrel. She is low maintenance (unless she gets loose, she is much faster than me), and quite entertaining. And very soft.

So I did not feel like going out shopping today. It was a rainy chilly afternoon, and I woke up from my nap, while Camille slept on. I just wanted to stay snuggled in and sleep some more, after the past few nights of sleep starvation. But, Mirielle is leaving tomorrow for two weeks, and I had to use her car, as the big white van needs service. So if I didn't go today, I would have to wait until Saturday, and driving down there in the busyness on a Saturday is no fun. So, I went. I kept telling Kathryn that we needed to remember to have fun. To make the most of the time. I did stop for a hot coffe at my favorite coffee shop, which I am not getting paid to mention, DunkinDonuts. And they just happen to have donuts on special this week, $4.99 a dozen....Kathryn and Jon were ever grateful.......

After we were all done shopping and loaded into the car, it was after 7pm and we hadn't had dinner. I didn't even think about it as I loaded the car, I could have left out some sandwich stuff...but it was pouring rain, so we decided to go to where they were loudly hinting to go.....McDonalds. Dollar menu double cheeseburger each, and 2 large fries for $3...which I ate only like 10 or 12 of. It was hard. But they are so bad for you. I usually don't buy them. But when you are hungry, and driving down the road in the rain, yum, fries....I told Kap, don't let me have any more. And I had them save some for the kids at home, because they only need a few, too.

Suzanne has been so nice to have around the last few days. It has been so nice, I told her she can just stay home tomorrow, too. Her face is still a bit puffy, but she has no fever. But what the heck, it is so nice to have her home, and she gets such good grades, I want to hog her for another day. That is my balance, I don't know if I can manage to homeschool them, so I let them stay home frequently. Anyway, when I got home with the groceries, Suzanne was my number one helper putting things away. She is very efficient.

Kathryn was an excellent shopping companion. She is quick, and sure of herself. She does what she can to help, and remembers to remind me of things. We went without a list, so she was very valuable to my sleepy brain.

I couldn't help myself today: I bragged. Sort of. The cashier was commenting on the 10 packages of hair pony-holders and headbands I was buying (50 cents each), and said she loses them like crazy, but she does have a sister to share with. I told her I have eleven daughters.....she was speechless. It was kind of fun. Then she asked if I have any boys, and when I said, yes, five, she just looked at me. It had happened: I had grown horns. I was crazy. Wow. Wow. , she said. She asked then, "Any more?".....and I had to do it, I just had to, I patted my tummy, and told her we were expecting number 17. May as well be all the way around the bend.......then the lady who was bagging our groceries, who happens to be a manager who I have sort of know for years said, "Well, at least you take good care of your kids....and they are so well behaved....we see so many mothers in here swearing at their kids, yelling at them.....".....hmm.

It's funny how I turned from a customer to a crazy woman in just a few statements. Is it my imagination, or do people really start to think I am different when they find out how many kids we have? I don't always have them all with me, so I just look like a regular lady. And I am just a regular lady. A regular lady who has to buy alot more food than other people. Sometimes I have to tell the cashiers how many people are in the family just so they don't think I am a huge pig.

Well, I am beat. I am going to bed now, even though some good basketball is still on. MarchMadness. I don't care too much for football, but basketball is fun to watch.