My New Kitchen "Help"

:)

Summer Doldrums?

It's almost July, and I am still waiting for it.  Waiting for the time I look at our days and realize that the routine is so... routine, that I feel like I'm in some sort of cruel Chinese Water Torturing chamber.

Not. Happening.

Our days have been so busy and varied that I fear I will never just plop down and organize the home school room closet just for something to do.

(guess who we went to see play?)

Y'all know that we spend most of our summer days here in the south... inside.  I know, it sounds horrific.  But when the temps climb, the only sound outside is the hum of the air conditioners and cicadas.  Unless you've been blessed with a pool, the neighborhoods are eerily silent.

(Little Boo's fashion show)

We pack it off to the pool about every other day.  Little Dude reacts to this trek by fussing and falling asleep once we get there.  He... endures the pool.  No enjoyment whatsoever. 

I think he got stuck with the wrong family.

:P

Since school ended waaayyyy back in May, we've been recuperating.  At least, I've been.  Homeschooling and writing and teaching made my life insane and I just wanted to kick back for awhile.  Each week, though, brought one thing after another.. all fun, mind you.... but lordy, busy! Besides the fact that my kids still need to eat and have clean clothing.  It seems that life hasn't slowed down much at all.

(Auntie Lil Sis babysits... and does make-overs!)

I'm thinking that this is the new normal.  That this is why it all goes by so quickly.  6 kids under one roof, the oldest a teenager.  Holding my breath, and suddenly he'll be driving... whisking himself and friends and siblings hither and yon.  Poof.  It will be so soon. I really thought that the pattern of our summer days would be slower at least for a few more years.  But with summer soccer practice and camps and water park swim days and sleepovers and more camps and math and impending treks across the western U.S. and Canada.... not to mention DH's crazy work schedule (he's headed to Germany, for heaven's sake... not saying when)

It's been a bit insane.

(Yes, we saw him twice)   :)

As a result, I will have to impose the summer doldrums on myself.  In between trips to the pool and soccer camp, I will pretend to be bored. I will toss aside the books I haven't 've read a million times, and sit with my feet up.  I will call that friend I haven't heard from in ages, I will wipe some door frames and do some extra baking. 

Just so I can believe that it is truly summer.


:)

You Wish You Were Me

Because we are doing something AWESOME this holiday weekend!

We plan to celebrate the 4th in true Nut-House style...

betcha can't guess.

Gotcha!  Yes, he really is supposed to be tearing out our master bathroom floor.
In fact, he thinks it's fun!
Right, Action Man?

Our shower.  With drills.  Very artistic.

What?  Doesn't everyone keep their toilet in the jetted tub...

... and the tank on the floor of their bedroom?
On a tarp?
With old towels?

See?
You do wish you were me.

Told-ja so.

Happy 4th Y'all!!

:P

When He's Gone

Mornings are spent assessing the day.  Coffee in hand, eyes searching the rooms of the house.

What can be done..
what needs to be done...
how to pass the day...
make it go by faster....

Children are restless, what are we doing today, Mama? Is a question that rings in my ears... echoing off the empty walls.  Empty now for only one reason.

He is gone.  On a business trip.  On a family trip.  The reason is not important, just the absence.  And the yawning of the days in front of me... days that must be filled.  Filled with purpose and accomplishment.

And maybe?  A bit of joy and memories?  To report to Him when He comes home to us again?  That we did survive, that we did enjoy?  That it was okay for him to leave...

Afternoon, and I am in the kitchen, scrubbing away breakfast and lunch dishes.  Children are full, resting and reading, and I am alone with my thoughts.  Dinner, afternoon activities, and evening time.  All are a-jumble and I try to focus on the task at hand.  Try to mentally fill the hours of the afternoon, trying to juggle the necessary with the superficial.  Do I really need to stop at the store?  Can it wait?  Who can I leave home?  How will it work in the plans for the day?

Dinner time, and His place sits empty.  The kids clamor to fill it, but I refuse.  Another battle I simply cannot initiate.  Who sat in Papa's seat last night?  No.  Amidst all the other 'battles' and 'turns', this one will not be among them.

Dishes and feet scrubbed, sweet-smelling hair and children tucked in.  Doors and windows are locked... front door made extra secure.  I follow the children up the stairs and run my own bath.  It is my own little secret... to not be downstairs alone at night in the quiet.  My oldest, almost a man himself, reads in my bed as I soak in the other room.  His presence is comforting somehow. 

In a day or so... He will be home.  And the rhythm of the house will return, and all will be as it should be.  His footsteps coming downstairs in the morning as He heads off to work.  His key in the lock when He returns home. I will breathe again, and life will resume.

In the meantime,  we will wait, and fill our days. 



Note to concerned family and friends... (and especially any people with malicious intent...) this post was written after the fact. DH is safe and sound at home now... :)

Daybook: It's Summertime!

School ended Friday.  The kids are super-relieved to be on vacation.  The irony is, since camp starts this week, we are getting up earlier than we ever do during the school year.  And... surprise, surprise... the kids are not complaining a bit.
:P


Outside my window...

The sun is searing through the little smidgen of clouds that have dared to appear in the sky.  The past 3 days we've seen temps hovering near the century mark, with Saturday being the first official triple digit day.  Hellllooooo summer!


I am thinking...

About summer schedules. I'm glad for a bit of leeway in our learning program, to have the chance to do some fun learning after an entire school year of a canned curriculum.  I just hope I can follow through with all of my ideas!




I am thankful for...

Feeling normal.  Having energy.  A healthy baby.  This little one does plenty of flutter kicks to reassure the Mama that all is well.  I'm always grateful for them.




From the learning rooms...

We are in the process of a massive de-cluttering mission.   The closet has been organized, and now we need to pack up the books.  I'll need to replenish our craft shelf for the summer (for the kids... not me! lol) and start implementing our summer learning schedule.  Just some math facts, one big word problem, some handwriting, and lots of reading.  My thought is that after applying rigor to their minds, they will be more than happy to exercise their imaginations with a bit of peaceful play.



From the kitchen...

Dinner menus, and lots of events to plan/cook for.  Specifically, Little Boo's First Communion on Sat evening! 
 

I am wearing...

Black maternity skirt, tie-dyed black/white tank top, white flip flops.  The hair is curly.


I am creating...

Plans for this week.  In my head only, though.  Bad idea.  :P



I am reading...

 The Hidden Garden for bookclub.  A large book, but a fast read. 




I am hoping...

That I can use my time wisely this week.  That I can be disciplined but still joyful.




I am hearing...

Silence.  Little Love is snacking on grapes and Action Man just woke up.  The 3 others are having a ball at camp.






Around the house...

Cleaning cleaning cleaning.  We are hosting a bbq for the families of the First Communicants on Sunday.  I'm trying not to let my inner perfectionist take over, but I do want things to be clean at least. 


One of my favorite things...

Rainy summer mornings.  
:)



A few plans for the rest of the week:

Lots of time with Little Love.  A few projects, lots of cleaning, and a simple living room re-do.  It's amazing what a different rug can do to a color palette. 





Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Tulips are my favorite flower by far.  The more untamed the better.  I love how they splay out without a care as to proper decorum or neatness.  Instead of staying huddled together en masse, they shoot out their beauty for all the world to see~

:)

New Beginnings

First, the awesome news...

My dear friend Lisa has just given birth to a little girl ~Brigid Clare~ her 8th child! I have written many times about my amazing friend. She is such an example for me. Her family has welcomed us as surrogate members... (her parents are so loving and hospitable!). While Lisa has been instrumental in helping me deal with my own infertility by placing her babies in my arms when I walk through her door and sharing the cute anecdotes of my little goddaughter.

I am so blessed to have this beautiful family in my life.


Now, an explanation of Monday's post.
:P

After receiving a phone call from a friend, panicked that we were moving or something horrible had happened, I realized that I needed to explain my enigmatic ponderings. However, due to privacy issues, I could not do so until today.

The jist of it all is that we have decided to pull Little Boo and Little Love out of their Montessori school and do their schooling at home. I suppose that seems like no big deal to most people, but it is kind of a big deal in our case.

Their Montessori teacher has been a part of our lives for a long time. We met her and her husband before they were married, and when she started her own school, we signed the girls up. Little Boo has been a part of their family, going to be tutored and playing with their young son all through the summer months. She and her teacher have a special bond, one that has been beneficial to my fiesty girl, since it has taught her a gentleness and compassion that is difficult to impart when dealing with rough and tumble older brothers. I am hopeful that we can continue to foster that unique relationship somehow.

Both girls are eager to come home. We are happy to have them. They have received an awesome foundation, one that is sooo helpful when it comes to home schooling little ones. Concentration, respect for others' work, diligence, and joy in learning... these are awesome stepping stones for a life of learning. I am so grateful that all of my children were able to have this experience. I am so blessed that it was in an atmosphere of Faith and Love.

Now we begin a new chapter. I am back to full time home schooling. I am excited and eager to begin. But there is still a lot of planning and prep work to do.

I'm not even going to think about next year. Nope. That's a whole other ball of wax and I won't go down that road of dizzy discussion just yet. I'm just focusing on the here and now.

And right now I have two more little minds to fill with beautiful things and challenge with truth and water with joy.

:)

Rhetorical Question

So, how much schooling do you think is being accomplished today?

:P

Waiting

The tomb is full. The earth has gasped, recoiling in horror.

Creation is still.

On days like this, I wish I was a cloistered nun. I wish I could sit for hours, contemplating the vast emptiness of the tabernacle, the open door, and the yawning vacancy within. One needs a few days to comletely internalize the happenings of the past two days; Judas' betrayal, Mary's sorrow and pain, the apostle's fear and confusion, and the mighty hand of God in and through all of it. His awesome justice, and unending mercy.

Waiting and preparation must somehow go hand in hand for Mamas like me today.

The baking and last-minute cleaning, the purchasing of Easter treats and flowers... I have a list a mile long. The deep silence of today and the soul-quenching joy of tomorrow must somehow intermingle and dwell within me today. Such a dichotomy, such irony.

Such is the Way of the Cross.

:)

Radical Gardening

~column~


I do not have a green thumb.

Every time a plant crosses the threshold of our front door, my husband turns on Mozart's Requiem. In years past we have attempted to grow many things. The year that we planted carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes... we ended up with one tomato.

One.

Luckily, I have not yet given birth to a Leprechaun, because my penchant for killing green things is renowned.

For this reason, my husband has completely taken over our vegetable garden this year.


Read the rest here.

:)

On A Roll

The previous weekend's dinner party debacle has sparked an overhaul in the Nut House weekly menu planning.

I had been in a serious rut, as if the only recipes in the world were already in my rolodex and we'd just have to deal with the endless cycle of beef stew, chicken and rice casserole, and hamburgers. Really and truly, I was tired of cooking. Period.

Enter the wonders of google and allrecipes.com.

Anything I remotely had the inkling to make, I would search on allrecipes, turning to the vastness of google if the former did not reveal the results I desired.

A whole world has been opened up to me.

Last week we embarked on a whirlwind tour of my pantry and the internet. The biggest flop was the apple pork chops (meat and fruit doth not mixeth in the Nut House) The best by far was the flavored rice... gotta love a recipe where the directions are "place all ingredients in rice cooker, turn on."

We had crock pot Butter Beef complete with darling Suzanne's bread. My favorite spring mix salad recipe with feta, apples, red onion and raspberry vinagrette became a staple, and I even found time to make a few treats for Valentines Day. (using the leftover chocolate for strawberry dipping, or finger dipping...)

It's been an adventure, a great way to wile away the chilly afternoons. And the kids, while still a bit wary of the "new" dinners coming at them, are pleased overall with the results.

The next problem to be tackled? Getting enough exercise to justify eating all of this yummy-ness.

:)

My New Job Title...

... is the "Budget-meister."

A month ago, DH forced upon me gently handed me the reins to the family budget and wished me luck.

With a smirk on his handsome face.

During that first trial period, after paying the bills, and watching in horror as our available balance sank like the Titanic, DH would saunter up to me and ask smugly....

"So, do you think we could buy a new... rug/faucet set/pool/dishwasher/car?"

I would give him the look of death and hunch back over the keyboard, furiously crunching the numbers, to make sure we didn't go NSF on any of our payments. Every day as he left for work I would remind him....

"Remember, we have no money... 'K? None. NADA."

The amusement in his eyes was maddening.

You see, He has been playing the devil's advocate, to get back at me for the years of my money mis-management in which I had forced him to borrow from the proverbial Peter to pay Paul. Nothing serious like maxed out credit cards or collections calls, but more of just a real lack of awareness on my part as to how difficult it had been for him to balance everything out, paycheck to paycheck.

So, I bear him no ill will for this bit o' fun he is having with me as I come to the full realization of exactly how tight things are for the Nut House these days. It has been a good thing, after all, since we are now united in our efforts to save and cut back, instead of my DH being the bad guy all the time, in having to say no. Now we consult together, and plan our projects out in advance according to time and resources available.

But I am not above giving him a stern look and maybe even a quick swat if he dares to mention making a trip to L*wes or that other Orange Store without consulting The Royal Budget-meister first.

:)

Pair of Posts

Quite interesting that Elizabeth's exhortation today of intentional housekeeping can be paired with Karen's post about her youngest, little Ramona, who is wise beyond her years...

May we all rise to our duties with fervor and joy. And realize that things don't have to be harder than it looks. With God's help and His grace, it can be all about Love.

:)

p.s. Bloggy Bookclub tomorrow. The Poisonwood Bible is on tap. Anyone else in?

It's a Delicate Balance...

... this whole Mothering thing.

I am going to do something I've never done before, and that is a series of posts. These are topics that I have been pondering, simply because they are my life, day in and day out. We moms are multi-faceted creatures, and the balancing routine we perform everyday is intricate and intense. I'd like to explore the many hats we wear, in hopes of better defining and discovering the roles we play in our vocation.

Today's hat is that of Housekeeper, or Homemaker, if you prefer. I'm thinking more in the context of that lofty position once written about in old England. Not demeaning, but vital to the integrity of the household. Not as a maid, but more as a manager.

I must admit I am not the most meticulous housekeeper. In fact, one lamentable aspect of our new house (besides the daunting 3000 sq. ft) is the fact that our ceramic tiled floors in the main part of the house are cream. A most emphatic I-need-to-be-mopped-every-day kind of cream. The probability of this task being completed on a daily basis is nil, and it is only through the valiant efforts of my DH that the floors look acceptable most of the time.

Surprisingly enough, there are aspects to housecleaning I do enjoy. Vacuuming is one. Never mind the fact that I am unable to hear the children fighting and therefore do not have to assume my role as referee (more on that role at a later date) it is a satisfaction to me to walk through the house on freshly-vacuumed rugs. However, our rugs are light brown. See previous paragraph for cleanliness routine.

In my opinion, there is a two-fold redemption to house work. First of all, it is our duty. Shirking is not an option. Neither is setting unrealistic expectations. Nor neglecting to prioritize. We as the managers of the house must set the example here. We must realize that children thrive better in orderly homes, but obsessing over the orderliness leads to an imbalance in priorities that elevates the house over the child. This must be avoided. We live in our homes. It is okay for our homes to reflect that.

This is not to say that we should just "let it go" completely. For our own sanity and for the sake of the child's self-discipline, we need to require cleanliness and order from ourselves and our children. They need to learn to contribute to the order of the home, all the way from picking up their own toys, to helping a younger sibling pick up theirs, and eventually assisting mom in the bigger chores of mopping and vacuuming and folding laundry. This teaches responsibility and satisfaction in a job well done.

The most important redeeming quality of homemaking is our attitude. Is this a chore? Or can it be a prayer? There are days when I fly through my duties with a song in my heart and a smile on my lips. But most days, I am cross and annoyed. "They left their shoes in the middle of the floor again?!? Argh! Who ate crackers in the living room where I just vacuumed?! And who put the peanut butter knife in the carton of oatmeal?!?! " etc.

You get the point.

The beauty of making our work our prayer is that we get a double blessing. A clean home and the graces for our family by offering up our duties for them.

Houses become homes when we live in them. May we live fruitful lives and holy ones in our daily duties brimming with love and joy. Always thanking God for our blessings.

:)

Making It Ours... Part I

I am being very optimistic in labeling this post as a Part I. We are not on a mission to completely remodel our new house. So, don't worry, this will not become a drywall and spackle blog. However, as the queen of my new domain, I need to make it my own. I see potential for beauty everywhere I turn, and I need to fix it!

And so, here it begins.... with the "formal living room" which is now the "front room" and has become in my mind the "library/reading room".....

The before:
















Is shaping up nicely towards the completed picture in my head:


































Around the corner to the left is where the large bookcases are located. I hope to add a bunch of floor pillows and an area rug to the mix. I'm trying to create a quiet (ha!) comfy place for the kids (and me!) to curl up with a good book.

Tune in next time to see our brassy gold bathroom that screams
I. AM. 90's!

:)

The Box That Isn't

Unpacking is an adventure. And each one of us has her own style.

Guess what mine is.

Yep, I'm the I-hate-unpacking-where-the-h*ll-does-this-go-get-this-over-with type.

And so, my kitchen is almost entirely unpacked. The fact that it is my favorite room in the house has nothing to do with it, of course.

:)

In all of this unpacking, you realize what you don't have.

You know, THAT BOX.

The one with the toaster, the tea kettle, the ladle, our laundry baskets, and all the couch pillows.

The one with that certain set of screws for that bed, and the drill to assemble it, and oh-yeah, Action Man's Little League photos.... right.

In fact, whenever ANYTHING cannot be found, and is absolutely needed right away? I assure my DH that it must be in.... that box.

The step ladder? In that box.
The rug for our bedroom? In that box.
The hobby horses? THAT BOX.

All I know is that box must be truly gargantuan, and not so easily overlooked.

Hmmmmm.

In short, we're missing a box. And since I went out and bought a toaster today, I have high hopes of finding that box tomorrow.

:)

A Pictoral Display....

... of a typical day in the Nut House.



















A sweet snack from a lofty height.

















An explanation by Sports Fan.

















The end result of Little Dear's tantrum
(as in, a ~relatively~ clean room)






















Mama's main chore.

Happy Weekend Y'all!

:)

Monkey(s) on my Back

How many of you have one? or three?

My definition would be: something that needs to be done, but somehow manages to remain undone, long past any reasonable amount of time it would take to get done.

How scientific.

My monkeys used to be my dental appointments, or my lovely "annual". But now with 5 kids, I actually relish the few hours spent alone in the doctor/dentist office, flipping through magazines. Still don't enjoy the actual visit though. Never have.

No, my monkeys are more on the homefront. Cleaning the fridge, the walls, the baseboards. Making sure sheets are changed, watering the tomatoes. Sometimes, it's more personal.... worries about friends and family, many prayers needed, and maybe a feeling of helplessness to overcome. All of this can be dizzying. And a clear-headed solution is needed.

Some days, monkeys like these really get me down. Not because the dirty baseboards bother me so much, but more because they just get lumped in with the rest of the duties that pile up around me during the day. Some days, I just want to hold up a white flag and let the monkeys take over and do what they will.

And those are the days that I need to put my head down and just do. Those are the days when our image of the sacred heart looks at me tenderly and implores me to offer it up for the souls He longs for. Those are the days when I take a deep breath and smile at my children and beg for extra graces and virtue to make it through.

Thank goodness for my DH. He is the boost I need to pick myself up, dust myself off, and get to work. And how blessed we are for this work! We really really are. And I am truly grateful

Many is the time I've been mistaken
And many times confused.
And I've often felt forsaken
And certainly misused.

But I'm alright, I'm alright
I'm just weary to my bones.
Still you can't expect to be bright and bon vivant
so far away from home.
So far away from home.

~Paul Simon

:)

By the Seat of my Pants

These past few weeks have been unbelievable.

In the course of a month, we have put our home on the market, sold it, (we're in the option period still... so keep on praying!) missed out on our trip to Vancouver, de-cluttered the entire house, and celebrated three birthdays. (one more to go this week.... then nothing until September)


Whew.

I wish I could say that I've been the calm, cool, ultra-organized bastion of peace and harmony throughout it all.

Alas.

Since the birthdays are every Thursday, the past few Wednesday evenings have found me rushing to three different stores to acquire birthday presents, food, and party supplies.

Every. single. week.

You'd think I'd have learned by now. It's not like I've never had four birthdays to celebrate four weeks in a row. No, it's an annual occurrence. And some years I have the presents a month in advance. Some years I even mail out invitations. This year? It's last minute phone calls to understanding friends.

And my kids still have a great time.

And the house? Last night we got a phone call that the inspection would be this morning at 8:30am. We needed to be out of the house for two hours.

My first thought was, people are awake at 8:30am? My second thought was, where in the world are we going to go? Because, even though apparently the inspection guys are awake at 8:30am, the librarians are not. Ditto with the lifeguards and rec center employees. We ended up stopping at the grocery store, driving around some neighborhoods to check out "For-sale-by-owners", and then paying a quick visit to the tubes.

And now? If you'll excuse me, I have a birthday party to plan for Thursday.


:)

Greatness

Wednesday's gospel reading was about the two brothers, James and John, who approach Our Lord and ask Him to bestow on them the honor of sitting on His right and His left when He comes into His glory.

When told that they would have to endure what Jesus would endure, (Drink the chalice) the two men readily agreed to it.

As a youth, especially a teenager, I would always become annoyed at these two brothers. Much like their fellow disciples, I would regard their sentiments with ridicule, as mere selfishness and utter absurdity that they thought they could undertake the kind of suffering that Christ endured. And all for what? Glory. Fame. Recognition.

Bah.

It wasn't until I started to read Magnificat that this gospel reading took on a whole new meaning for me. Sometime in the last 6 months or so (I wish I had kept it!) there was a beautiful reflection on this gospel that introduced to me the virtue of magnanimity.

Magnanimity is simply defined as a greatness of soul.

(from the Latin; magna-great; and animus-soul... sorry couldn't help it)

This greatness of soul comes about when the Holy Spirit inspires us to do wondrous things. To take on what seems to be impossible and to do it with a resounding yes. It's what moves us to accept more children into our already over-flowing homes. To make a meal for someone else even though our calendars are jam-packed with sporting events. To listen for the thousandth time to what Smee said when Captain Hook gave orders to his crew.

I used to think that my desire to help my fellow-mom was borne from a place of selfish pride, a "look what I can do, aren't I great?" type of attitude. While there may still be some of that in there, I am so happy to learn that this can actually be cultivated into a virtue. And those wonderful women I know and am proud to call my friends, have this virtue in abundance. It makes my heart sing to realize that this sentiment of eagerness to help is actually a greatness of soul.

And while I know I still have a long way to go, it has made my heart lighter to allow my soul to expand.

:)

Receipt Meme

Margaret dared anyone to join her in this most expose' of memes....

Admit to where I shop and how much I spend?!?

Hell, why not.

Besides, each trip has a store-y. (ha ha...I kill me)
















The first thing I did Saturday when I had some down time was take 4 of the kids to Toys R Us.

What, don't you do that for rest and relaxation?

:)

Truth is, this was an easy trip due to the generosity of one of my NY aunts who bestowed on each child an oh-so-very-cool $25 gift card. We had been saving them for a rainy day (like the past 30?) and so thought we should cash 'em in and reap the benefits.

(I also reaped the benefits of finding an uber cool godson toy on sale.... saving it for Christmas)*



Next stop, after putting batteries into approximately 321 toys, and leaving the happy cherubs with Papa.... was Sam's.

This is a twice a month (paycheck induced) trip. We stock up on pampers (now used for nighttime only!) pasta, lemonade mix, frozen waffles, cheese, meat, and wine. This trip also saw me buying plastic cups and paper plates, extra goodies like chips and guacamole, and strawberries. We are having company for dinner tomorrow after all.


After dinner, while the kids were enjoying Peter Pan, I snuck out to Madness R Us once again to take care of buyers regret (compliments of Little Dear) bought her many princessy things, and then prepared for my voyage to Carnival.



Carnival is anything but, let me tell you. Unless it's the kind of carnival where there are a gazillion people and babies screaming and fatty food everywhere. Yes, then, that would be my experience at Carnival.

I'm a proud person.

And to admit that I have to shop at Carnival?

Ouch.

But, I do. We have 5 children and DH provides wonderfully, but I need to shop there to make my dollar stretch that much farther.

And while I don't have the most pleasant shopping experience this side of Paradise, I make do. I pop in my earphones to my mp3 player, turn up BNL, and zoom around as fast as possible. And even though the selection of produce isn't packaged in the most appealing manner, I find that short of the farmers' market in downtown Dallas, this store has the juiciest peaches and watermelons. Strange, huh?

Speaking of, this trip was particularly strange, because I felt like a fish out of water. Normally I don't, I mean, I know that store like the back of my hand. But this time, I kept getting looks from people... as if I don't realize that I'm the only caucasion in the store. Do I need a special pass? How about a sign on my back stating that I have 5 children and only one household income?

Sheesh.

Luckily, the checkout lady was very friendly, as was the bagger. And we had a lovely chat, and I didn't feel quite so out of place. Why is that important to me? Maybe it's the karma of the place or something...


My grand total for Saturday was somewhere around $450. BUT! $125 of that was taken care of by gift cards...



*I never ever buy this early for Christmas. Never*