I have a love/hate relationship with the grocery store, do any of ya'll? I HATE menu planning. I feel like I fix the same stuff every other week and I try to include Jace and ask if anything sounds good to him just so I can get some ideas. His typical response is, "I don't care" and I proceed to tell him that they don't sell "I don't care" at the grocery. I typically make out the weekly menu on Wednesday night and then go shopping on Thursday. On Wednesday night I have pinterest pulled up on my phone, the pantry door wide open, and my cookbooks out. By the time I am finished making out the menu, I am exhausted and none of the dinners sound good.
My Teak once said that grocery shopping is exhausting because you have to pick up the item, put it in your cart, take it out of cart, put it on the conveyor belt, put the bag into your car, take the bag out of the car, take the items out of the bags, and put them away into the frig/pantry. If that isn't the truth! There is so much effort that goes into grocery shopping but there really isn't anything like fixing a meal for your family. The dinner table is one my favorite places in a home and I have so many fond memories that come from sitting at Mom and Teak's dinner tables.
After I menu plan, I act like an old lady and go through my coupons. Ya'll I am not a "coupon extreme" lady but I love seeing the total drop when I hand over my coupons and Kroger card. I have e-coupons on my Kroger card and even fill out the survey on the bottom of my receipt just to get an extra 50 fuel points. Every penny adds up!
When Thursday rolls around, I shop. I like going on Thursdays because it isn't crowded and I have a better chance of avoiding screaming babies and the decision makers--you know those people who can't make a decision and take up the whole aisle. Well last night I went to the grocery and had to get several things from the deli and I have coupons for $1 off if you buy a pound of deli meat. Stamper only requires 1/2 pound of deli meat for his lunches so I knew I couldn't use the coupons. As I am waiting, the guy next to me orders a pound of meat. Now I know I looked a little crazy but I handed him my coupon and said I'm not going to use this but you can. Well he was tickled pink and had just moved to Smyrna. I hope he thinks Smyrna is a nice little area after our interaction at the Kroger deli. Then I turned around and there was another guy and he ordered a pound of meat. I had another coupon and by this time I really did look like the crazy coupon lady and handled him a coupon. He was so appreciative, both of them were! Y'all as I left the deli with my meat and cheese I felt like Oprah, "YOU get a coupon and YOU get a coupon!"
The rest of the shopping trip was fine but do you know what the highlight of the night was? The grocery store played Brittany Spears, "Hit Me Baby One More Time". Ya'll I just about turned the Lipton tea box into a microphone. I was singing along and having a grand time. Then I saw a young boy and I thought to myself he doesn't even know who Brittany Spears is. Then I felt really old and I thought well this is depressing because I now think the grocery store has great music! Next thing you know I will tell Jace I am going to go sweat to the oldies in the grocery store because why not? Great music and do you know what turning that cart can do for your arms? I truly feel like pushing and turning a grocery cart full of groceries can be considered exercise. Sometimes I have to take those turns WIDE and it takes everything in me to turn that hoss.
I love the shopping aspect but then the hate comes back and with full vengeance with the unloading. Now Jace is really great about helping me unload the car but mind you there are 39 steps, up three flights of stairs, to our apartment. It is like a game of how many bags we can carry at one time. We turn into heavy weight lifters at this point and just grind all the way up with bag handles tearing into our forearms. Now this sounds like an Olympic sport and quite frankly after three trips up the steps it feels like one. Whenever we leave our little apartment I will probably be in the best shape of my life just from grocery shopping and bringing them up the stairs!
I can only hope that next Thursday night Kroger will have some classic hits from my childhood and two lucky folks will get my remaining $1 off a pound of deli meat coupons. I'm just trying to spread the love, one pound at a time.Y'all let me know if you have an Oprah moment at your local deli or if you turn your grocery into your own personal karaoke stage!
Have a great weekend y'all!
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