Ventage Tuesday - I'm THAT Woman

Today's Ventage topic was inspired by this email from me:

I am that lady in the store today.
You know her, the one going 100 mph because she is trying to shop on her lunch hour?
You know, the disheveled needs to shower one?
You know, the one that has so many groceries that the cart looks like a JENGA match?
You know, the one that the lady in the checkout line behind her says - I can't imagine buying that many groceries...how long does that last you?
Um.  One week.  With an additional stop for milk.
Gulp.
I am also that lady at the parcel pickup that is trying to shove a double stroller into a car set so the back of the minivan will hold said JENGA like grocery mound.
Great.
I have officially jumped the shark.

That was my harsh realization from about a week ago.  I spurred a discussion about carts and grocery shopping and grocery habits.  We vowed to share our carts.  Here goes, don't laugh.  

 This was my Saturday trip to Woodmans.  I may or may not have had another cart.  

I had a great little helper:

She likes to put things in the cart and inspecting the fruit is her favorite job.  She would subsist on only fruit if I would let her.  

So what does a JENGA like grocery cart for a family of 5 in Green Bay, Wisconsin have in it?

Photo 1:  rutabagas, whole chicken, rice, flout, canola oil, mini saltines (love those), three kinds of yogurt, sour cream, cheese curds, coffee creamer, noodles, cream cheese, marshmallows, half and half, more whole chickens, fruit soda (special treat!)

Photo 2:  bread, shrimp, tostitos, milk (4 gallons) pizza crusts, mushrooms, lemons, lima, carrots, spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, corn tortillas, flour tortillas, onions, 

I couldn't capture everything.  Although, I do love the cute husband in the back of photo 2 wiping down the kitchen table.  (sigh).  

Our weekly grocery bill is outrageous.  but we eat almost every meal at home and I do my best to purchase mostly unprocessed food.  I do buy spaghetti sauce and HCFS marshmallows and other not so healthy items but I think we are well rounded.  :)  

I used to love to spy on other peoples carts.  I would have pretty elaborate backstories concocted by the time I reached the check out.  Now?  I want to do my two carts per week, usually with a kid in tow, shopping and get the hell out of there.  

Every week we have the following on our list:
milk,
bread
bananas
coffee creamer
apples
cheese
(lots of cheese).

If you like to spy on carts - I would recommend checking out everyone else's:

Katrina
Em
Barb
Steph

We probably have a lot of variety in our carts - we have some vegetarians, some allergy types, big kids, no kids, babies, it really is a mixed bag!

Turkey Day Redux

Do you have those little traditions that, because of their importance in your mind, sort of take on a life of its own?  Man,  Love me some traditions.  The problem with that, is sometimes the reality doesn't live up to the memory - rose colored glasses looking at the past. 

Thanksgiving is a BIG tradition for my family.  For many years, it is the one holiday we do not travel for, no obligation to do the big family dinner back home.  We have had our nice little Friends-giving for a long time.  Before Luke, Dottie, and Charlie.  It was always the Angie and Barb Thanksgiving show. 

Some years, our participants were more appreciative of the efforts than others.  There may have been a year where the house almost started on fire, where the ginger beer did not cure morning/all day sickness, where someone (who sucks and whose name will not be mentioned here) had his fresh kill in my driveway.  There were pingpong tournaments, naps, teaching the kids to rabidly hate the Detroit Lions. 

It was always the Angie and Barb Thanksgiving show.  If you want to see some recaps - Barb has been much more diligent of keeping our memories - check it out here. 

This year, because there has been a huge readjustment in our lives, I was a little worried that the actual event could not live up to the mythical place it held in my heart.  We had pinterest boards of ideas, multiple menu discussing emails, serious phone discussions.  Could it really be as great as in my mind? 

Then, 10 days before Thanksgiving, my knee gave out on me.  I couldn't walk.  Couldn't stand.  Was scheduled for unexpected surgery. 

I may have sent an angst filled email to Barb saying _ I cannot do this. 

Luke making Turkey decor (a must have).

But we did.  And it was, again, the Angie and Barb Thanksgiving Show.  Barb has a beautiful post with lots of pictures of the food. So I won't rehash.  I just want to share a few of my favorite pictures.   

I may have a new found love for Bourbon.  Yum.

Snow White (Dottie) making my family recipe for cranberry relish. 

Turkey Relish Tray, made with love by Barb and Dottie

I am a little bummed that there is not one picture of me and Barb.  In all our preparatory glory.  The food was wonderful, the house if not super clean, was presentable, the guests were fantastic and wonderful company, the drinks were plentiful and the day was just as wonderful in my heart and mind as in reality. 

We have a no Christmas till after the Turkey is put away rule in our house.  So Thanksgiving night, Mike the superdad, took Luke and Dottie out to work on the Christmas lights.  Charlie wanted in on the action too. 

We will plan on for 2013 - no lumpy gravy next time.  I promise.