Just thought I would share my shopping experience...

Yesterday, I went on a big shopping trip. I stopped at Walmart, Bag N Save, Toys R Us and HyVee. I still need to stop at No Frills and Super Target. I was able to get most of the things I need and (after the last 2 stops today) be done with shopping hopefully for a couple weeks because in spite of my blog I actually hate to shop. Part of the reason for that is probably the fact that I have 4 kids ages 22 months to 7 years. Shopping is hard. Shopping is stressful, and when I go, I want it done quick. So, I prepare, I try not to go to 10 different stores (with yeaterdays exceptions), and I prepare my kids for the trip.

How, you ask do I prepare my kids? Well, I always leave to shop right AFTER giving the kids a big breakfast or lunch. I also eat well so I am not so tempted by all the great food-you would not believe how much that simple trick saves me. I also tell my kids exactly what my plan is-where we are going, what things we are getting, and about how long I think it will take. If my 3-y-o does not get that information, he becomes impossible-he is going to be one heck of an organizer! Most of the stores give free cookies to kids at the bakeries, so when we shop, they get a cookie at the END if they were good in the store. If they were not good-no cookie. And yes, I have often gone to the bakery with 4 kids and told then only some of them could have cookies.

And, when I do these things, usually shopping trips go well. Now, if you happen to be family or friends that read my private family blog, you know my luck this month has not been great. (Short run down-my kids were CRAZY bad at the store a couple weeks ago-even my big helper 7-y-o.)

Yesterday was unfortunately no expection to the bad luck of March. I had only the 2 youngest kids with me. We went to Walmart and did almost all of the shopping there. We then had to stop at Bag N Save because they send us these coupon books in the mail that have 4 AWESOME coupon deals per week. (Someone told me yesterday though that if you show them to Walmart they will price match them-I do not know if that is really true though-has anyone tried that? I will ask them next time I go to Walmart...) Between Walmart & Bag N Save, My 3-y-o wanted to sit in his brother's bootster and I would not let him. So he screamed. He screamed all the way there, and screamed through the store. I just set him in the cart and let him scream and ignored the tantrum.

If you live here and have kids, you probably know that people here will stop you and tell you what you should do to properly raise your children. Particularly older people. Yesterday, people stopped me, but not to correct my parenting, but to compliment it. Weird. Though he screamed, I still got in and out of there in 10 minutes and made it to the school in time ot pick up my older kids. Oh BTW-He did not get a cookie when his sister did!

By the time we got the older kids, the 3yo had calmed and we were able to stop at Toys R Us (where we got 5 $3 Barbies) and at Hyvee (where I had to go to get the Soy Milk I needed for my baby-has anyone else noticed that Walmart seems to be carrying less of certain items?)

All in all, the shopping got (mostly) done and all is well, but wow! Do you ever have days like that?!