Grocery Store Angst

It all started well.  I made a list, selected my coupons and put them in a little envelope.  Made a trip back to the car to fetch my reusable bags.  I put the kids in the race car buggy, secured the bakery cookies, and began to troll the aisles.  I felt oh-so-virtuous as I placed my 10 mega deals in the reusable bag as instructed by Jenny of Southern Savers.  The lady in front of me in line was an employee and chatted with the checker, so I was able to dump everything out on the conveyor belt and get the cart empty.  And then I realized.

My coupon envelope was gone.  Let's all pause to regroup.

I frantically searched my coat pockets, my purse, my reusable bags, the store circulars in the buggy seat.  It's gone.  My carefully matched coupons.  I throw place Jeremiah in the cart because he is grabbing all the candy bars and pay up.  Once back in the car,  I proceed to have a little hissy fit about my blunder.  I lost about $12 dollars in coupons.  Maybe some nice mom needing $3 off formula or .75 cents off Almond milk will find it.

When we got home, I took a picture of the grocery store aftermath.

There's always cookies.  Which I did buy.  With a .55 cent peel off coupon. 

I feel better.

Yoo Hoo

Anyone else had their fill of George Michael's "Last Christmas" and John Lennon's "War is Over"?   Those seem like the only two songs I hear in the car. I really like the Classical  and Swingin' Christmas channels on Pandora, however.

We've pulled out the Christmas boxes and I've decorated the dining room.  We are attending the WR Christmas parade, our church musical, and a company dinner this weekend.   I've stocked up on sugar cookie mix and chocolate chips in hopes of baking for Christmas.  We are trying to start some family Christmas traditions this year.  I unpacked the Nativity scene and explained the story to Jeremiah.  He really likes the baby Jesus figure and the lamb. 

Sarah is climbing. the. STAIRS.  She's 10 1/2 months!   She is so happy and such a joy.  We had Christmas pictures taken of both kids, so be on the lookout for them to pop up in your mail.  I'll post them after the cards are out.  Wouldn't want to ruin the anticipation!

Oh, and I BOGO'd today. I seriously get this slightly frantic rush while sorting and scouring for the coupons to match the deal. You know I took an obnoxious picture. I had about $15 in coupons, and with the sales prices, saved $44 and spent about $21. Great deals on Beech Nut baby food: 17 cents per jar with BOGO and coupons. Check out Southern Savers under the Publix tab for links to the coupons and best BOGO deals.


Here's an assortment of photos:

Thank You

For My Mamaw, Kathryn Shiflet Campbell
October 30, 1926- November 14, 2010

Thank you for making me a Barbie birthday cake.  For keeping each one of your grandchildren for a week over the summer.  For the 'fancy' dress baby doll you made each girl.  For making a mixture of Tang, lemonade, and powdered tea into a grown-up treat.  And stack cookies.  For helping with my 7th grade memory project.  For taking me to Maggie Valley.  For giving me that little bride doll that sat in your china cabinet. For making my wedding veil.  For delighting in my children.  For loving me. 

My grandma had probably the strongest will of anyone I have ever met.  She  fought Stage 4 cancer for 5 years, living far beyond what anyone would have thought possible.  I think she made up her mind that she would see her 84th birthday, and trusted God with the rest.  She sat up in her living room, blew out her candles, and two week later, passed away at home on a Sunday morning.  I cannot be sad because I know her faith has been made sight.  I am sad for the traditions that will end.  I am sad that I won't have ties to her physical home.  I am sad that she will not see my children grow and they will not see her.  Sad for me.  Assured for her-- enjoying the pleasure of her Master.

I love you, Mamaw!  I'm proud to be your grandchild.

Update? Yes, yes.

1.  Sarah can now pull herself up in her crib.  I can't believe it.  She can also climb up on the fireplace hearth.  I decided after she bonked her head that it'd be a good time to bring back the body pillow for the fireplace and the gate to the stairs.  Poor second child.

2. Jeremiah never needs to condition his hair.  I found him yesterday in his room glistening from the thick hand cream I use for his dry skin ALL over his face, in his hair, on the wall, on his bedposts, on his bedspread.  As we Campbells say, you don't eat it, you put it on your head...

3. Sarah feed me a Cheerio yesterday.  She's sweet. 

4.  All the coloring pages and projects that Jeremiah 'worked' on at preschool get sent home every week.   He did a finger painting page with chocolate pudding.  His teacher attached a note with what he said during the activity: "Mmmm, tastes like cookies!"  He has a wonderful teacher and is always so happy there.  When I pick him up, I'll call his name and he'll repeat "Jeremiah! Jeremiah!"

5. He is such a mimic and repeats everything.  He'll repeat "love you" and knows to ask for a hug when he's in trouble.  When Dad puts him in time out, you'd think the sun had stopped shining.  Sometimes he'll recite foods: "Tomatoes. Carrots. Hamburger. Chicken."  Or commands: "Stopit. Stopit. Stopit."  In the morning, the first thing he'll say some days (completely monotone) is "Toy Story.  Yes, yes, yes.  Toy Story. Yes, yes, yes."  Or later in the day, "Please candy. Yes, yes."

6. Jeremiah will pick at sliced up apples, but eat a whole one down to the core.  Just thought that deserved remembering.

Here they are in action:

 Our third year at the fair!

Completely spontaneous sibling affection!

J's very conditioned hair after 2 washes

Deeeep Thoughts...

With Melissa.

1.  I pulled out a college photo album to rob it of 4 x 6 photo pages to put in my coupon binder.  Yup.  I did it.  It's obnoxious. 

2.  Looking at those pictures of me at about age 19 to 20, I cannot believe what a kid I was just a few years ago.  Didn't have a clue.  Or a care.  I wonder what I'll think of myself now when I'm 40?  Shudder. 

3.  Those pictures I pulled out were so precious to me back then and moreso, the people in the pictures.  Most I will never see in person again; a few I exchange emails with, even fewer I pick up the phone to call.  The passage of time never ceases to baffle me.

3. Today, I managed to throw out two passive-agressive judgements on two perfectly nice women without even realizing it.  One on a lady who has her own natural children and it providing foster care for others.  One is getting pets with small children in the home.  Anything wrong with that? No. Not at all.  Yet, I somehow manage to slide in some off-handed comment that implies "You must be crazy to do what you are doing because I never would/could do that."  I am realizing that I do that a lot in an effort to make conversation or an attempt at humor.  Different is different, not better or worse.  When someone does something that I think is out of the norm (all the parenting/schooling/family size debates), that does not mean they are wrong.  Why do I/we do this?  I guess it's insecurity.  Mea culpa.  My bad.

Now I'm going to look in my mirror and say my daily affirmations.  Say it with me, y'all. 

"I'm good enough.  I'm smart enough.  And doggone it, people like me!"

Now,  don't we all feel better?

(Really, I like me.  And you.  Hugs, not drugs!)

I just made myself laugh.