Store Adventures...

I think I mentioned in an earlier blog how much I hated going to the grocery store. It's my least favorite place! Well, not to be super negative here, but I do have to vent a little about my trip yesterday and again today! Abby was home yesterday with a yucky cough so I had Rachel, Joe and Abby as I went grocery shopping. It was at Walmart and it wasn't a lengthy list. I'm thinking it will be a quick in and out thing. I told the kids that if they were helpful and didn't whine for things that they could choose a snack at the store. This usually works...but yesterday....it didn't! We were just in the store and I was picking out toothbrushes, needing to replace all of our after all the sickness in our house and Joe started throwing a tantrum about having a spiderman toothbrush and toothpaste and Rachel wanted princess toothpaste and so they started yelling at each other. I, of course told them to shush and we hurried to the next aisle where Rachel saw princess shampoo! I'm big on getting the cheapest thing! I would rather go for the dollar shampoo rather than spending a few dollars on princess shampoo...occasionally I get them fun stuff, but I just can't do it all the time, especially in the last half of the month when my budget is low! So, I remind the kids of they're snack and that's all I can get them today, if they will stop whining about all the stuff they want. Joe and Ray start crying! I tell Joe he's not getting his snack if he doesn't stop and he yells "no!". Well, I ignore them now and hurry as fast as I can through the store! Abby, of course is being wonderful! So, I get her a snack on the way out. The other kids start throwing a fit (dumb for me to do, I should have hid it or something, I don't know!). They are screaming and crying as I fly out of the store to discover the wind is blowing really hard AND it's snowing! The kids start screaming louder because of the cold and everyone in the parking lot is looking at us....I'm mortified! Well, I throw the groceries in the back of the van and I speed away and while I'm doing so, I'm lecturing my youngest children! I told them they couldn't have a treat/snack if they were to be whining and crying in the store...the tantrum goes on! I'm sure your all stressed right now finding something more peaceful to read, I WOULD! Well, today I have to run into the store for some dirt...yes dirt, new plant needs dirt...so we run in to get dirt and I threaten Ray and Joe (Abby now in school, feeling better) to be good in the store, no treats no matter what and if they throw fits they go to time-out as soon as I get home. So they were good. As we are checking out they ask for a treat, I tell them they can have lunch at home. All is well. We get home and Dan is home working and notices Rachel drop a pack of gum! We ask her where she got the gum and after some prodding, find out she STOLE IT FROM THE STORE! I swear, sometimes being a mom is so exhausting! I talk to her about stealing and tell her we are going right back to the store where she will pay for the gum and tell them she stole it and say sorry. She, of course, is afraid she will go to jail! I tell her that if she doesn't stop stealing as she gets older, she will, but not today. Today I tell her she is going to go back and make it right. So we go back to the blasted store and she tells them she's sorry and we pay for it. Well, that basically sums up my life the last two days. There is always something! Well, if your still with me, thanks for lending your reading abilities so I could vent....Anyone want to share your crazy store adventures? I'd love to hear them!