What to do?

I'm asking myself the same question I ask almost 3 times a week.  What in the world are we going to have for dinner?  Monday's are crazy; everyone has something going on, so I decided to make Chicken Pie.  The fam loves chicken pie, I love chicken pie, it's a win win for everyone.  I like wins, they make me feel good.

As I was putting the casserole together I noticed I was out of a lot of staples in my pantry and freezer.  A few weeks ago was a canned food drive at the high school, and Harry needed said cans and wiped me out.  (with permission of course)  I've been dedicated to having dinner prepared at least 4-5 nights a week, and at one point I had enough food in my pantry and freezer to tie us over, but now the stores are depleted. 

I guess that means I need to start a MAJOR grocery list and get my happy self to the grocery store.  Maybe I'll take the fam so we can have speed grocery!  My favorite, no really, it is.  When my children were all little I needed one of those mack-daddy buggies to pack them all in safely and still have room for groceries.  I would usually arrive to find none available.  Do you know why?  It was because a mom with 1, let me repeat 1 child would have it.  Hey thanks for that, I was looking forward to my preschoolers jumping on and off my buggy since I couldn't strap them in.  Once they started getting older though it was a whole new ball game!  They pair up & I give them a list of things to get; find me to put what you have in the buggy & then get their next items on the list.  Oh, it's great fun!!!  (I can also send Hop to the grocery by himself with my list since he can drive.  Ask me the happiness that brings me!)

8 times out of 10 they will get exactly what I told them to get.  You have to be VERY specific, or you might end up with the most expensive of what you're looking for (and something special they decided to pick-up for themselves).  Brand, size, weight, color of the box/carton, where it might be located on the isle, and how many of each you need are always important.  With the children I have noticed they ask questions about why I get this brand over that one, why do we need the bigger box of rice, etc; and because of those questions I can share with them how to save money; how a special ingredient in a recipe can make that recipe great; the difference between oils, vinegars, and cooking wines.  The list is endless, and they learn how to follow specific directions.  Who knew so much could be learned in Publix?

They always ask for something that I wasn't going to get:  Cookies, Pop Tarts, Ice Cream, anything with tons of sugar;  they're kids, what can I say?  As long as they don't try to sneak anything into my buggy, sure I'll give in on the one thing they vote on they really want.  It's usually decided by a few games of paper, rock, scissors, and that is for sure another story for another day!

Chicken Pie's ready & I need to go get Harry...

Y'all have a wonderful Monday & be blessed beyond measure!
~ashley