The Albertson's Store

Well, I managed to drag my nauseated body off of the couch today long enough to take a trip to the grocery store. The Albertson's Store, where many a great 10 for 10 deal was to be had.

Here is the thing about going to the grocery store with two small kids-- careful planning is everything. For one, you must either park extremely close to the front door or near a cart return. Today I opted for a cart return, not close spot, which turned out to be less helpful as the bag boy helped me out in the end.

Okay, the second thing you must do with two kids is get the special cart. We went in the first set of doors and there was no special-looks-like-a-real-car-with-two-seatbelts-and two-steering-wheels-so-the-kids-will-stay-happy-and-entertained cart. I panicked, but pulled it together. As we made the loooong walk to the other set of doors, I silently prayed that 1. a second set of doors existed and 2. that there would be a special cart there. There was and we were saved.

Now about the special cart... I don't want to be a whiner, but-- I feel burdened enough at the grocery store with two kids that I do not need a cart that looks and sounds like a flipping eighteen-wheeler and requires my full body weight to force it up and down the aisles. Obviously, we need the special cart or one child would have to walk in order to fit all the groceries into the cart. I just hate how the thing just screams at the other customers "HEEEEYYY!!! I've got KIDS here! And here I come with my monster-truck cart! If you aren't going to move, at least look at me funny when you hear me coming!" Man! Oh well. Moving on.

Third important thing about the grocery store with kids-- map out your trip up the aisles with care. If you get the cookie too soon, they'll be bawling by the end, but if you don't get it soon enough they'll be hounding you for it. And you MUST GET THE COOKIE. Also, I learned today not to go through the toy aisle if you can help it. At least don't go there first. My kids don't necessarily beg for stuff, but they do beg to keep revisiting the toy aisle.

Lastly, if at all possible, avoid going down the same aisle more than once. They sense it. They become angry and start poking each other. And it takes longer. Be as fast as you can in the grocery store with toddlers.

And mostly I am posting to let you know of my shopping victory at the Albertson's store. By paying careful attention to sale items via the circular ad and by bringing a few coupons from my newspaper I spent $92 but SAVED 57 dollars, people. Woo-HOO!!! Get this too-- with my coupons and the 10 for 10 sale, one of my boxes of Life cereal was $0.25 and two of my boxes of Quaker Oatmeal were $0.50 a piece. Rock on.