Grocery store no more!!!

I had to take some time to sit down and write about my latest trip to the grocery store. I had picked up my son from school with all my other kids along for the ride. Well, I started feeling really brave and adventurous...I decided that I would go to the grocery store with all four kids. This may not seem like a big "adventure" to you, but unless you have four kids, you will never really understand. I began the trip with the lecture about how they better be on their best behavior because mommy does not usually bring all four kids and they will get a spanking if they don't listen and obey (you moms know the drill.) Well, it started out pretty good - except for the two or three times that Brody decided to try to run out in traffic. But, luckily, Micah was there to pull him (by the collar of his shirt) back to safety.

I get inside to grab a cart and of course they are stuck together. So, I have to sit Kassidy down in her seat...not realizing she is blocking the electric doors making them permanently stay open. Anyway, as I go to load Brody in the front, he begins throwing a fit - "I wanna walk...I wanna shop...I wanna look at stuff." And, of course a church member is entering the door as the tantrum hits its peak (I saw her at church later that day and she proceeded to say with an evil grin "Man, you REALLY have your hands full these days.) So, after a few idle threats and the final threat of "I am going to call your dad", he finally sits and decides to cooperate. But, as I begin to shop, I realize that I have no room in the cart for groceries - due to Kassidy's car seat in the back and Brody in the front. So, I begin shoving things under the car seat, under the cart....at one point, I even had Kassidy hold a few small groceries. I finally made Micah get a little basket and start helping me carry things - and you know he just LOVED that. Especially since Kenzie kept secretly adding things to the basket to make it too heavy for him to carry. I then hear Kassidy screaming and I turn around to see that Brody is squeezing Kassidy's nose as hard as he can. Go figure - why would he think to turn all the way around in the cart and squeeze his baby sister's nose??

We finally made it to the checkout and I asked Micah to push the cart with the grocery bags while I push the cart with the kids - only I did not realize there was an incline on the way out and he could not hold onto the cart as it went down the hill (and into oncoming traffic). So, as it hits me in the back and I try to hold onto the kids and the groceries, I finally make it to the truck. And, I won't even get into the constant, "You better get into your seat right now before I call the police and they take you to jail for not wearing your seat belt" conversation. I made it home saying "I will NEVER do that again" but it never fails, I will feel brave and adventurous again next week - and the kids will look so sweet and obedient all locked up in their seats - and I will hit the store again only to leave flustered, sweaty, and mumbling "What was I thinking, Will I ever learn my lesson????"