Aaaah!

Yesterday I called my in-laws early in the morning.  I asked them to come up and take the kids to the aquarium.  Since I was sick, the house was messier than I could stand and cleaning with kids in the house is a soul crushing endeavor.  They came at 9 am and kept the kids for nearly 5 hours, allowing me to clean the house, child free and to do the grocery shopping, child free.

I actually LIKE cleaning my house.  I know that sounds insane and I probably do need therapy, but if the kids are gone (or even if it's just Zuri, asleep in her room while Aaron is at school) I can crank up the iTunes and sing along while I do that deep down cleaning that every house needs.  I pledged all the wood in the house, moved all the furniture and vacuumed/steam cleaned under it.  I even added Downy to the steam cleaner and now my carpet feels like a soft, fluffy cloud.

Shopping with kids is a test of wills.  Does Aaron have the will power to scream from International foods all the way to Baking or will he give out before we even hit Canned goods?  Can I resist the urges to push the Buggy full of kids into the Deli area and run the other way?  When the cashier says that a screaming, crying Zuri is so cute and she'd take her off my hands, how hard will it be for me to not jump up and down, clapping and yelling 'Yippy!'?  I can shop with kids. I can get in and out of the store in 45 minutes or less, getting 90% of what we need.  The only problem is that I spend a crap load of money.  Some on junk.  I start throwing random items in the cart, walking through the store like a mombie (mom zombie...), trying not to cry as I get LOOKS from other people.  Other times, the crap load of money is spent because I want to get out of there so fast, I don't price compare.  Who gives a shit if peanut butter A is 33¢ an ounce and B is 23¢ an ounce, I don't have time to read that!  Just give me the brand that's closest to the beginning of the aisle so I don't have to waste time going all the way down.  

This time, I spent an hour and a half shopping.  And got everything we need.  For two weeks.  With the exception of milk and fresh fruit/veggies, I don't have to step foot in H.E.B. for the next 25 days (I know that's longer than two weeks, but b/c the in-laws had the kids, I went a week early and still have food left from last trip).  I even spent less than usual.  Cause my brain actually remembered the coupons, I got some buy 2 get 1 free deals and I price compared everything.  It went so well, I'm actually considering a babysitter when I need to do the shopping. I figure $15 is worth the serenity in the store.