Shopping and Screaming

This past year Connor has participated in the Northwest Boy's Choir. He loves it. Because he enjoys it so much we have made the sacrifice to drive the 1/2 hour each way and wait for him the 1 hour while he practices. So while we waited I began exploring the area around the University of Washington wondering what we could do to pass the time.

I quickly found a Safeway, Trader Joe's, and a Walgreen's. So many of our hours are spent grocery shopping and running errands. It really has been perfect except the timing you see choir is from 4:30-5:30 PM so everyone is starting to get a little tired and cranky(see my previous post on the Witching Hour). But because it seems to be a good time that we really can't do much of anything else we jump in and hope for the best.

It really is a gamble...about a 50/50 chance that things will go smoothly. The other 1/2 well....I am often trying to laugh otherwise I just might start crying. So I will give you an overview of the worst of our trips. So it begins...one of the boys starts fussing about something....they can't seem to sit in the cart together and really start getting on each others nerves. Kellen is sitting to close to Brennan and Brennan is touching Kellen. Really important problems! So the crying and whining begins. I end up carrying Kellen while pushing the cart and trying to grab the items we need off the shelves. All this while I am trying to pull out coupons and looking for just the right item that I know is a great deal that week.

About this time I start to notice all of the side stares...you see choir is near the University of Washington campus. So most of the shoppers in these stores are well students....20 years younger than me and I am pretty sure thinking I must have dropped in from another planet. Possibly I am an alien that has come to invade with ear piercing screams. I am pretty sure they are trying to figure out why I am in their store.

At this point I have come very close to giving those young college kids that stare a sweet smile and say....
-don't worry this is going to be your future some day too or
-really you should be really nice to your mom the next time you see her because this is the kind of stuff she dealt with just for you or
-I also used to enjoy shopping all by myself or
-really you might want to avoid shopping on Tues from 5:40-6:20 PM :)

Anyway I am pretty sure that it has got to be a good form of birth control for those that see those wonderful times!

Once we have most everything or my arm is going to fall off from holding Kellen we head for the check out line. The boys start begging for candy and if we aren't in tears we are soon to be on the way. They ask if I want some help to the car and I am pretty sure the bagger is thinking oh please say no! We throw our groceries in and race back to pick up Connor. The good news on a day like this is when I pick up Connor he is usually beaming and had a great time at choir...so it makes it worth it for a few moments. The other good news is that there is a good chance my 2 tired boys will fall asleep during the 1/2 hour drive home. Something we will pay for at bedtime but at that moment I just enjoy my 30 min. of peace.