Happy Independence Day America! What's everyone up to? My life is definitely different now that I am a mother. I remember holiday weekends past of barely sleeping from all the partying. Now all I want to do is sleep and I get fussy that the partying is cutting into my sleep time. hehe. Of course here I am a 3 am writing a blog, but I am also up studying from some exams. I needed a little break from the monotony.
Well I think I have a reader, at least my sister made a comment about my shopping list. I am pleased that my peeps in the forest really do make a sound. That being said, I look forward to seeing my sister and my niece, who I haven't seen in a few months. They are making the trip to the beach and I think I will take my daughter on her first bus ride to meet them down there. That way I can avoid all the crazy beach parking. I hope the logistics work out. Do you take strollers on buses or should I just carry her? This is why people spend so much money on convenience. I will probably end up driving a few miles to the beach, paying some crazy parking fee in a lot that is like a mile from the beach only to avoid carrying a stroller on a bus.
Ahh convenience. It will get you all the time. This leads me to my purchases I have to share. The very closest grocery store to my home is a beautiful, lovely Calgon take me away type of place that I would love to shop at daily. Maybe not a fairy tale like as Bristol Farms but still a fun place to be. The deli is awesome and whenever my family needs any type of convenience food, I head straight there. Did I mention that Gelson's is probably about 30% higher than most stores? It is comparable to Whole Food's and Bristol Farms, if you are familiar, falling somewhere in between. It has a corner market feel and everyone truly knows my name. What's even better is that the deli is incredible. Once I made my homemade barbq chicken for dinner, I realized we needed potato salad to go with it.
Don't forget yogurt and berries, says Mommy. And ice cream yells Granddaddy. Ahh, yeah, and cookies Mommy adds. And I better get some things for the beach tomorrow for the baby to snack on, I add to myself. Granddaddy butts in to my thoughts. He yells, we need to refill my candy jar, let's try the new M&Ms!
This little volley of convo is to help you understand that usually I do not buy regular grocery items at Gelson's. It is my deli store and sometime fish market. But I got bombarded with requests and I didn't process all that info as I was heading out the door. My mental job is to put them on my virtual list because I cannot reach my Iphone and its lovely Grocery IQ app while carrying a 30 pound child down the stairs.
I hate buying regular things there because they are always marked up so high. What I should have done was went to Gelson's for their awesome potato salad and then drove back over to Ralph's for the rest. But I had some beach gear to buy at the Rite-Aid right next door from Gelson's and I knew I needed to use a free gift card I'd earned at Rite-Aid. The most convenient thing for me to do, especially with little mini-me in tow, was to do to Gelson's. Especially because my phone kept ringing with new requests like nuts and sundae sauce and Granddaddy wants "real" protein. Thus, my list:
7/3/2010
R.W. Knudsen Family Organic Pear Juice - 3 boxes 3.19
Nabisco Chunky Chips Ahoy Cookies 2.99
Hansen's Organic Junior Juice - Berry Medley - 4 boxes 2.19
Breyer's Ice Cream - Extra Vanilla 2.99
Straus Family Organic Yogurt - Plain Whole Milk 4.99
Reddi Whip Whipped Cream - Extra Creamy 3.49
Mrs. Richardson's Hot Fudge Topping 2.79
O.N.E. Coconut Water - Pink Guava 0.99
3 Musketeer Bar- DK Choc. Mint 0.79
Banana - Organic @ .99/lb 1.78
Plumcot - Dino Egg Organic @ 2.99/lb. 3.86
Earthbound Farm Strawberrie - Organic 4.99
Blueberries - Organic 3.99
Gelson's Calif. Cornbread 3.99
Gelson's Lobster Salad 5.05
Gelson's Homemade Potato Salad 8.24
Lamb Chops 6.43
Lamb Chops 6.71
Checkcard Transaction $65.45 total w/tax & coupons
M&Ms - Coconut 0.5
M&Ms - Pretzel 0.5
M&Ms - Pretzel 0
Blue Diamond Sliced Almonds 3.49
Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder 2.29
Beach Toy Set (Shovel & Bucket w/sand toys 4.49
Beach Umbrella - 6FT 5.99
Rite Aid Waterproof Band Aids 1.99
Checkcard Transaction $2.76 total/w tax, coupons, & gift card
And I forgot the eggs! Well I kinda didn't, I refused to buy them there. But it was not a very convenient decision because now I won't have any for Sunday breakfast. Oatmeal it is!
Remember dear readers, I hyperlink to companies that I think deserve a second look, usually for their commitment to the consumer, to health, and to social responsibility. Take a look, you might learn something, just as I do!
Have fun and be careful!
Jellytea
