Monday, August 4, 2008

Give Me The Grateful Life - Monday

Give Me The Grateful Life - Monday was a bit delayed today because, frankly, I am having a hard time finding things to be grateful for.

Nothing is seriously wrong (there's something to be grateful for right there - see how well this works?), I'm just cranky and completely non-productive, after a frustrating, non-restful weekend.

I spent three hours this morning buying groceries, unloading them, and throwing out rotten food to make room for the new food that next week I will throw out to make room for the new, new food.

I spent $200 at Trader Joes. I should have suspected it because people kept passing me, taking stock of the contents in my wagon: three boxes of Mighty Bites cereal, 4 bins of cookies, two trays of frozen hash browns, 5 boxes of Mac and Cheese, and much, much more. More than a few of them made drive-by comments like, "Wow, you must have a big family," "Sure is a lot of food you got there." The checkout guy asked me if all my groceries would last a week.

Here's the thing: I have no idea.

My kids get obsessed with food, like Mighty Bites and TJ's frozen hash browns, so I buy a ton of them just so I don't run out and have to listen to them whine drive back to get more (because TJ's means getting on the freeway which on any day in LA is a risk to my sanity).

But Murphy's Law has it that whenever I do get my shit together enough to think ahead, stock up, be a doting mom to my precious, little kiddies, the damn rugrats decide they don't like those particular goodies anymore and now they "HAVE TO HAVE" something else. Something that I was not clairvoyant enough to have bought. Something I have to get back on the freeway to buy.

The most frustrating thing...when I try to fight back, buy only one or two of their current obsessions, they're eaten within a day and for the rest of the week all I hear is "We don't have ANYTHING to eat."

So we come full circle to me throwing out the rotten food to make way for the new. It's a vicious cycle I tell you, vicious. Particularly for someone who recycles and gives scraps to the dogs just so I can feel good about not wasting it.

So, with that said, I will attempt to come up with the bright side of my past week despite my less than enthusiastic state because isn't that what gratitude journals are for???

  1. I am grateful that we have the $$ to spend at Trader Joe's.
  2. I am grateful that I have an extra freezer in the garage (however dirty and sticky) to house all the food I bought with all the $$ I spent at Trader Joe's.
  3. I am grateful that Peanut has not yet licked the electrical outlets.
  4. I am grateful my life is not as dark as Batman: The Dark Knight (and that my voice isn't annoying like his either - WTF?).
  5. I am grateful for swimming laps in my heated pool which saved me from murdering everyone in my family this weekend.
I feel better already. Yup.

What are you grateful for this Monday?

9 Comments:

MarĂ­a said...

I am grateful for...

Ummm...

my kids?

Anonymous said...

Passing on the gratitude, but commiserating on other people eyeing your groceries. I actually buy things to balance my shopping cart (er, I mean balance my diet), so that someone behind me in the queue doesn't mutter, Good God will you look at what that woman eats?

Hill Country Hippie said...

I'm ever so grateful that my kids are older than your kids, and no longer throw hissy fits. It would be pretty embarrassing if they did, seeing as how the youngest is a senior in college now.

ByJane said...

I am grateful for....for....for....hey, I'm breathing and one foot is going in front of the other.

I'm grateful that Molly got a washandcut today at Betty's Kritter Kamp. When I move to LA, I will have to return to Elk Grove any time I need to board Molly because Betty is the only one who lets her sleep in her bed.

I am grateful for all my internet friends who actually "hear" me and respond...unlike my family.

JCK said...

Trader Joe's. And no one commenting on my cart this week!

It is Murphy's Law that as soon as our kids love something and we buy it...they don't like it anymore.

Manic Mommy said...

- I'm grateful RC did so well in camp over the last two weeks.

- I'm grateful I'm feeling more like myself.

- I'm grateful they opened a Whole Foods walking distance from my gym (not that I'd ever walk there!).

- I'm grateful my boys still eat chicken and spaghetti (it's about all I've got left).

Anonymous said...

I am grateful that I can now ignore my teens when they complain "There's nothing to eat ..." It's like white noise for me - I see their mouths moving, but the words do not sink into my consciousness.

My other favorite? "What do we have to eat?" What am I? The food inventory manager? Open the door and look for yourself what's there to eat.

OK, in the true spirit of gratitude, I am grateful that we have sufficient resources so that buying groceries is not a financial stressor, as it is for many families these days.

Elaine
wisewomencoffeechat.com

L said...

I'm feeling cranky and unproductive as well. It's gotta be something in the air.

Anonymous said...

I'm grateful for pediatric ophathalmologists & doctors who can do surgery on babies in the womb.

And for you. But it's Tuesday, so does this still count?

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