Shopping at Sam's

Last week I had to go to Sam's Club. It started with a stop at the gas station where I was happy to see gas under $3.00. Now it is down to $2.73, I am waiting to fill up again for a couple of days to see if it gets lower.

Here is Cannon with my fully loaded cart. Note the items on the bottom and the bread on top. I so carefully load my cart and then unload for the checkers so they can put the heavy stuff back in first. I am amazed when one of them manages to get all the stuff back in one cart! I should teach them how to load a cart. This trip was under $300, always an accomplishment at Sam's.

We have a long standing tradition of buying a big soda to share on the way out the door. I started this when Declan came with me and Cannon was a baby. He reminds me to get our big soda if I try to leave without doing it. The bigs want to go to Sam's just for the soda. Good luck boys!

Grocery Shopping

I hate grocery shopping. I think it is #1 on my list of things I hate to do. I usually put it off as long as I can, like when we are down to 1/2 gallon of milk and I have been "inventing" dinners out of my year supply for three days. Today on my way home form the dreaded grocery store I was thinking of all the reasons why I hate grocery shopping. I think I could write a pretty good essay on it. Or if I was on a speech team, I could write a great Original Oratory. Here is why! It creates so many jobs! First I have to make a menu of meals to feed my family for 2 weeks. Then I have to make the shopping list with all the needed ingredients for chosen meals plus all the other stuff we ran out of. Next comes the actual trip to the store. I just hate it. It is better now that I only have 1 kid with me, if I really can't wait until he is at school or play group. I fill up a large cart to overflowing and people stare at me like I am a freak. I stare at the people who take the time to shop and by enough food to get them through the day! Really, what good is a 1/2 gallon of milk? Once the cart is loaded, and then unloaded at the check out, I have to pay. I consider it a good day if my bill is just over $200. It is really amazing when I come out under $200. $200 and none of the stuff I bought was even fun! Unless you count limited edition white fudge covered oreos fun! Then I have to load all the food into the van, trying hard not to smash the smashables. Driving home listening to Old Macdonald had a farm is enough to make anyone crazy! Once home I have to unload the car (this is when it would be nice to do this when the boys are home, many hands makes light work) and once it is all piled on the table, I have to find a place to put. The fun is not over yet! Now that my pantry, freezer and shelves are once again stocked, I have to make some fabulous meal for my family. I do not enjoy cooking. This is one thing I would pay for if I were some multimillionaire! Even after the meal is cooked comes more work. Although the boys do the dishes, it is done with much whining and wailing and gnashing of teeth and I still have to clean up the kitchen after they clean the kitchen! Now when the fun is done for one day, I get to sleep and start all over again! Now you know why I hate grocery shopping. I am, however, very grateful for food to eat every single day. I am grateful that I can get in my car and within minutes be at a store with such a wide variety of foods. I am grateful that I have the money to pay for all the food we need. When it is all said and done, I am grateful for the opportunity to go grocery shopping! I still try to do only do it twice a month!

Brad Pitt

I used to be a big Brad Pitt fan. I would see any movie he was in. Some of my very favorites are things he starred in. My interest in him has been waning in recent years as he seemed to be becoming less and less admirable, if he ever really was more than a pretty face. I really thought less of him when he divorced Jennifer Aniston and hooked up with Angelina Jolie. Not that it mattered to me at all! This morning I heard on the news that he made a public statement that he will not marry Angelina until gay marriage is legalized. What?! Who the heck really cares if Brad and Angelina ever get married? They have been making a mockery of marriage and family since they got together. Is that some threat to voters that they better vote to legalize gay marriage so Brad and Angelina can get married? I am so sick of Hollywood losers thinking the general public really gives a hoot about them, their lives and their politics. Do they really think we care about their opinions and base our vote on what celebrities say and do? I think these actors think we think and care more about them then we really do. So, that is my ranting for the day. I intend to never pay another cent for anything either Brad or Angelina do. Maybe I should refuse to watch movies until gay marriage is officially illegal everywhere and it stops showing up on ballots. Might have as much effect (affect?) on Brad and Angelina as their refusal to marry has on me!

Who's counting?

I have 8 weeks and 3 days left of this pregnancy, that is until my due date. With my luck, I probably have 8 weeks and 6 days til it is really over. I figured that is 58 days. When all is said and done with this baby, I will have been pregnant (all 5 babies combined) for about 1400 days ! 200 weeks! 50 Months! Nearly 4 years! but, who is counting?!

Meet Me at the Fair

Cannon and I went to the State Fair on Monday with his Joy School class. It must have been cow day at the fair since that was what we saw the most of. As soon as we were inside the gate he was making faces and saying "oh, what is that smell?" He has a very sensitive nose. I told him it was dirt and people and animals and food. He also noticed the fire smell which I am sure was from some bbq place. We saw lots of funny chickens and roosters and turkeys and lots of cows! He got tired of being around cows but did like to hear them say moo.
The champion pumpkin weighed in at 612 pounds. It was huge. The biggest watermelon was 161 pounds. It was interesting to see all the varieties and colors of produce, honey etc. Cannon's favorite thing was holding the chicks and ducks. I had to drag him away. He got to go on 2 little rides and then I bought him a funnel cake that he did not like, so I had to eat it, and a $2 can of Dr. Pepper. I think that counts as price gouging. The most interesting thing to see at the fair is the people. They come from all walks of life and it is amusing. The other boys were upset that they did not get to go. Maybe next year.

Weather Wimps

It has turned chilly out here. I can not really use the word cold, that would be an exaggeration. The boys were complaining all morning about it being freezing and that I need to turn the heat on and how will they make it through the day and what about soccer practice? Yesterday it was 70 degrees in the house while they were complaining about being nearly frozen to death. I told them no one has ever died of hypothermia in 70 degree weather. Then I opened the windows to air out the house. Sully was trying to figure out how to turn the heat on. He asked Matt to do it while I was gone. We reminded them that this is how it will be all winter long, get used to it! They might feel warmer if they slept under blankets in pajamas and wear long pants and jackets. I think I will tell them that just like I will not turn on the air conditioning until June, I will not turn on the heat until November, I think December would be pushing it. Maybe I should try. I am afraid they have become weather wimps living out here. Next thing I know they will expect school to be canceled because of the threat of snow. Oh wait, that actually happens!

Joining the nerds

So, after minimal pressure from the other nerds around me, I have joined the ranks. I guess I can not honestly tell the kids that nerds are nice if I refuse to be one. I should also give up thinking that I am the cool one, when reality is that I am probably as nerdy as the rest. Matt only laughed a little when I asked him to help me set this up. I am sure he will continue to laugh each time I ask for help posting pictures, because I really do not know how! Madsen suggested the pink background since I am currently the only girl around. Maybe I will get fancy with this and have cute backgrounds to match the season or the event I am writing about. Maybe it will never change because I can't figure the thing out. I am afraid I inherited my technological brilliance from my father!