Happy Adventures in a Grocery Store

I woke this morning with Jr sprawled more than halfway across the bed next to me, S3 sleeping as though he were making a snow angel and me with my head nearly hanging off the side of the bed. I did my best moves to slide out of bed and not wake them, sure my boys would sleep well today after the day we had yesterday.

For the same reason I was looking for coffee. Strong coffee.

Yesterday went great, don’t get me wrong. It was truly memorable. But even really fun exciting days require reoperation.

Yesterday I took six kids grocery shopping. And not just to the store, but also to the eye doctors for a quick run in, the grocery store, the gas station, the county office building, Wal-Mart, the library and the park all in about three and a half hours.

And we survived.

But the grocery store, I think the town is still talking about that trip. I had S4, a little girl I was watching and Jr in one car cart, you know the ones where the care is the front of the cart and there are two steering wheels? That one. S1 had the other cart and S2 managed to get his lanky self in one side of the car and S3 wasn’t budging from the other side of the car.

We were hard to miss.

And just in case you couldn’t see our parade of car carts, Girl and S4 suddenly felt transported to a Nascar racetrack. Truly. Complete with Nascar voices. They were shouting and driving and racing all while we were crawling along the store isles. Everyone did quick head jerks in our direction, and then couldn’t seem to look away.

Technically, the kids were doing great. Jr was sounding like a siren, cheerfully, waving to all those staring at us. Apparently Girl and S4 were having close encounters on the track but seemed to be in the lead. S1 managed to only bump one store display and had an uncanny knack to find empty isles to race down.

What I did not expect were the shoppers. We would be heading down an isle and there would be an older lady at the end. “Don’t hit me!” she’d cry as she pushed the cart out of view. The kids would shriek in laughter and the woman would peek around the corner to smile back at them. If we got behind a shopper, they would cheer how they had the lead.

I was stunned by the fun everyone was having.

After a forever-long pee break, I figured my mind couldn’t remember any more items (which means I forgot a lot) and we headed to check out. THE ISLES PARTED!!! We were suddenly the only ones checking out, everyone happily bagging our groceries. Not a “get out of the store and never return” bagging, but honestly giggling at us. The kids were treated with water to quench their parched race voices and popcorn for nourishment.

I was stunned.

The kids had a blast. They can’t wait to go back again. What were they most excited to get? Band-Aids. I worry over this, as if they are planning on many band-aid injuries in the days ahead.

But for now, I am sitting here sipping my French pressed coffee and still in amazement at the fun we had at the grocery store..and all day..yesterday.