Shopping!

It seems I end up at the grocery store at least three times a week. (Lack of planning I guess.) This might not be so bad if I didn't have to drag three or four kids with me. Here is a sample of today's shopping trip. Our local store has carts with four child seats in them. Two in the car part on front and two in the basket. Jeffrey was great today. He sat in the cart with out fussing as long as he was allowed to hold the box of crackers. Naomi refused to sit in the basket with Jeff. (In a way that's a good thing, cause then she can't beat him up.) I help her strap into the little car. Caroline refuses to sit in the car and begs to sit by Jeffrey. This would be fine with me if she could actually fit in that part of the cart. However, she is so big now that really it's impossible. So I let her walk. We head for the produce and get some apples. Naomi is now tired of sitting in the car and she wiggles herself free. Caroline and Naomi help me get all the produce we could ever want into the cart. I put two bunches of bananas, a package of strawberries, several stray tomatoes and a few other random items back before we leave the produce section. We get some bread and Naomi opens a package of Little Debbie's. I put those in the cart and try to hide them under the bread. Next Naomi and Caroline take to running through the isles. I try to call to them, (but not too loud as I don't want to make a bigger scene than we are already making) to no avail. They are loose in the store, running free! (With me and the super size cart trailing behind.) Suddenly they see the lobster tank and they become immovable. I am a little grateful for the change of pace. After spending several minutes at the lobster tank we quickly finish our shopping and we head for the checkout line. Naomi goes straight for the candy! I think that the store managers have a secret plot to make mothers crazy by putting loads of candy within easy reach of small children. Luckily I catch Naomi (four different times) before she can get any of the packages open. Meanwhile, Caroline is hanging up-side-down on the side of the cart trying to help get the groceries onto the conveyor belt. I appreciate the help but I can just see her sprawled on the floor with the mammoth cart on top of her. Luckily this does not happen. Naomi then discovers the switch for the conveyor belt for the next lane over. None of the store employees seam to mind so I let her play. I purchase the food as fast as I can. We head for home and everyone is still alive. Success!