365 RANDOM DAYS OF TEAM ZYBKO

DAY #37

FOOD SHOPPING IS A WORKOUT

I've been a member of Sam's club a while. I'm thinking since the day they opened here in Florence, ten or eleven years ago. So long the black and white fuzzy picture on my business status card is almost completely scratched off. Do I own a business? Oh, don't you worry about that, I have my connections and my ways. And of course now the ability to go there at 7:00 in the morning, M-F.

This particular Monday morning I hit the ground running. After dropping the kids off at school, I arrive at the almost empty Sam's parking lot.

I think.....

"This will be breeze, not crowded at all"

I raise my card and greet Betty as I slide in the side door for special members only. Just Delilah and I. We are on a mission. I'm motivated by the thought of this trip sucking-up most of my morning. No way, I've got better things to do. Like blog or something.

I squeeze 'juicy' girl into the front compartment of the cart.

"I'm too big Mommy, I'm too big"

In my heart I know this, but it's so much easier and faster with out a three year old under foot.

I promise her a capri sun if she would just bend her leg backwards a little more. Oh shoot, the other foot is caught, stalling the process, I'm burning day light, burning daylight...gotta move out. My strong coffee is doing it's job. I'm a little jittery but in a good, productive kinda way

"Mommy, it still hurts, I can't move, I'm stuck"

I move the cart forward anyway, whispering in her ear to keep her voice down. I reassure her the pain will go away soon. Sound bad? Well maybe not parenting 101 but my Dad was a Marine. I've got history people.....history. Love you Daddy....Siemper Fi all the way!

We roll around the first corner on two wheels, I see the light! This trip will shatter all previous records. In the distance stands a gi-normous super duper large plastic container of cheese balls. These will come in handy in about 20 minutes. They get tossed in the cart, right next to the numbed leg pre-schooler.

Fruit

Milk

Bread

Cheese

Eggs

Juice

Veggies

Chicken

Meat

All the basics...and then some.

I am making record time for sure.

I know this will horrify most of you

BUT

I don't really waste time with prices. Sam's doesn't take coupons which I stink at anyway. We eat the same stuff and I hardly ever shop anywhere else to compare pennies. Not worth the price of my sanity of another stop. I did consider store hoppin' and coupon cutting a few years ago. You remember when the price of milk went up to $5 a gallon? Yikes. I would day dream about buying a cow. At the time we were a 2 gallon a day family, cow maintenance might have been cheaper. Now with gas prices so high I'm pretty much dancing at the gym for travel expenses around town.

What can you do?

Says the old man behind me in line.

I purposely choose my checker outer lady, Ms. Darlene. She is fast with a good 'bed side manner'. Always sweet when talking to the kids. She has the patience of JOB when they ask her a million questions. Some days even letting them scan an item or two on the cool 'laser beam thingy'. Delilah helps me push my pin numbers on the credit card machine......nothing happens.

Oh no!

I say a quick prayer that my debit card goes through.

The bill is $502....so I ask GOD again.

Please, please, please let there be enough money to cover this.

Still nothing.

Darlene asks me to put my pin # in again, the buttons may have gotten stuck. I put La La down so I can really concentrate, sweat is forming on the tip of my nose. I'm beginning to panic, just a little. I have already opened several items. I mean we actually ate breakfast as we shopped. Remember the tub of cheese balls?

What would happen if my card was declined? Would they make me put away carts outside or stock the shelves before I could leave?

Breathe.... breathe.....breathe.

I wipe away the slimy orange residue from the key pad. I smile big, that's what made them stick.

Cheese balls

I release my breath as I hear the magic noise of a two foot long receipt being printing.

APPROVED

I look up at the warehouse ceiling....Thank you God, I owe you big!

I pull into my driveway at home. This food shopping mission is only half done.

Out of the van and put away.

Some say this part is worse than store shopping part. Not for me, I love Mom 'challenges'.

I grab my baking timer and give myself a goal.

20 minutes....tops.

Oh ya, I can totally do this.

UNLOAD AND PUT AWAY!

Apparently my morning Java was laced with something cause that is such a seriously un-realistic goal. I'm rolling my eyes at myself as I type. 20 minutes? Crazy talk.

The 3 year was only gonna get in the way so I set her up with a show on TV. Yep, chapter two on parenting, right after nutritional breakfast ideas...coming soon.

1,2,3.....GO!

Every trip in and out brings a new challenge. I'm hoping over bikes not put away correctly in the garage. Tripping over straps of stuffed soccer bags. I know I should stop and clear a path, cut my losses on the clock but this seems

'more funner' this way!

It's Spring time, birds are chirping and trees are bloomin. My hands are full, I can't possibly close the door behind me every time. Cute little birdies are trying to rescue crumbs and fly in the house. Game over if one of those little suckers makes it in the house. No problem, I learn to work the handle with my new pink Nikes.

JUST DO IT

The pile on my table gets bigger as the back of the van gets emptied out. I go to check the timer, see how I was doing but I can't find seem to locate it. I stop to take pictures from every angle. Coming of my coffee high, I'm out of breath and sweating trough my shelf bra tank. I rub my head....where did I put that timer....think think think. I admit defeat as I hear it screaming at me from another room. Twenty minutes of cardio, not bad. No music, no gym....just straight up life. I check on Delilah, she's fine. Mickey Mouse Play House is home schooling her at the moment. I plug my IPOD up and start cutting up the fruits and veggies. Gotta have these on hand, for the kids to make good choices, ya know. And to balance the cheese ball choices already made.

What can you do?

Says this worn out Mom from the kitchen.