Let us start by saying that I usually shop at our local Wal-Mart. I know not everybody likes Wal-Mart, but for me it is cheap and I can get everything I need in one place. (this is important!) When I get there the first decision I have to make is whether to put the kids in a buddy cart or not. Since Dee is starting to be more independent and wanting to ride on the back of the cart like Reagan usually does, I got a regular cart. Plus, Jack has figured out how to climb out of the buddy cart and then he starts running. At least if tries to get out of the regular cart, I can catch him before he falls.
I needed to get a few personal hygiene items, and some other miscellaneous crap. I ended up pretty much covering the whole store. Oh yeah, I also stopped in both kids clothing sections and picked up some shoes, jammies, and sweats. Hey, Autumn is upon us people! Since the kids clothes and diapers are at the back I usually start at that section of the grocery store. Eggs, orange juice, 3 gallons of milk.(we go through about a gallon a day around here) then yogurt and cheese. I try to shop strategically @ Wal-mart because the check out ladies don't know how to bag. So, if you can load your cart with all the refrigerated items together then you can unload them that way too. I have noticed that this cuts down on the actual amount of bags I wind up leaving the store with. Anyway, down the aisles I go grabbing our staples - cereal, fruit snacks, mac and cheese. I also throw in a few things that are on the menu for the week or that happen to be on sale (Nutter Butters, yum!) A few packages of ground beef, chicken breasts, bacon. Then in the freezer section garlic bread, Eggo's, and some Tombstone pizza. 2 loaves of bread in the bread aisle and off to the produce section. Produce is big at our house, my kids LOVE fruit. I always buy bananas, and usually a pineapple, the rest just depends on my mood or what the kids ask for that week. I wanted a cantaloupe today but couldn't find one, so I got grapefruit instead! Then we head to the check out...
Yeah, I know, that's a really full cart. I only like to go to the store once a week if I can help it.
Unloading is a pain. I try to do it systematically, keeping cold stuff together and boxes together. All the while though Dee Dee is busy playing on the ground with all those silly toys they have at the check out and begging for candy. Funny enough yesterday a lady in the next lane dropped a entire 2 liter of pop off of the conveyor belt and it sprayed all over my cashier. Luckily only a little bit got on my dog food and the rest of us were spared. Little old cashier lady was none too happy though.
Most of our trips to Wal-Mart conclude with a trip to Flagstar Bank (which is the bank inside the store) to visit my cousin Melissa who works there. The kids know that if they are good in the store, she will give them candy and maybe even a balloon. They start asking about it as soon as we pull into the Wal-Mart parking lot. Unfortunately, yesterday Melissa was not there and we had to skip our trip to the bank. As I was loading the car up it started to rain, perfect timing! Here is the back of my van full of groceries!
After a quick trip home to drop everything off, I headed back to the school to pick up Reagan! Then back home to finish putting it all away. Hope you enjoyed my little grocery adventure. I know it probably isn't such a big deal to most of you, but I always feel such a sense of accomplishment just making it out of there in one piece! With three kids, it isn't always so easy.
hehehe, I remember those days when the kids were little. I used to go in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep! It was cheaper that way too. I've learned, being single with three kids, only take cash and keep track of what you are spending, Walmart can get out of hand FAST!
ReplyDeleteAnd I still do the strategic shopping, much the same as you. I always park in the same area.....start with the hygiene and health care products, wind around to the back and start in the refrigerated section. Amazing we don't run into each other!
Must be a “woman” thing – I also shop that way. I can never go to Wally World without spending two or three hours. There is just so much stuff to see and I’m a looker!
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