one of the most asked questions

i LOVE this photo. please look at miss lucy claire's hair and facial expression.

one of the questions i'm most often asked is HOW DO YOU GROCERY SHOP???

with a husband who isn't here to help, and four kids...people are curious about it.

well...here you go! i present to you the strategically stuffed grocery cart!!

i was SO proud of myself. see how the food is stacked around lucy on the side? well it was the same on the other side of her. :)

and underneath the cart was strategically packed as well.

think jenga. if you remove one piece, it all would have tumbled down. HA!

so this is how we shop. and the bigs walk with me.

yes i am crazy, and yes we do it weekly.

now...since i've been seriously couponing i have much more of a stocked pantry. so our trips have been a bit lighter. this week was the exception, as we'd been out of town for 3 weeks.

did i mention i'm pretty proud of myself? hehehe!

i giggle at the thought that i used to think grocery shopping with two was stressful. i also think it's funny when i hear that it's impossible to grocery shop with kids. so untrue. it just takes patience and planning. oh, and lots of distractions.

sometimes i'm walking around publix with two girls sucking lollypops (i tell them they may NOT under any circumstances bite them until we check out),holding my clipboard with one hand,pen in my mouth, whilst pushing the cart with my stomach so that i can squeak sophie the giraffe for the babies. HAHAH! i am THAT crazy lady, aren't i?

note:the babies are now ready to move out of the carrier car seats. so we will have to go to kroger instead of publix, i guess. kroger has the double seats in the front of the cart!

another note: i'll be compiling a list of the sc,amy tangerine,and flybagz winners this afternoon. look for another post soon!

xoxo

s

Comments

[Missy B]

If you use a kroger card. You can have all the coupons downloaded onto your card. And if you also clip them from the paper,you can use both during the same transaction. Think double coupons.

[Jenni Hufford]

I LOVE this pic-- too adorable! lucy's expression cracks me up!!! you are a wonderful mama!

[Margrethe]

That description of how you push the cart is hilarious. I'm amazed at how you do it!

[moxiemandie]

Love this! Just want you to know that I think you're pretty freaking amazing to not only do as much as you do by yourself, but that instead of feeling sorry for yourself, you have a great attitude & are even quite humorous. You're such a fun chick, & one day those girls are all going to realize that their mommy is quite like superwoman. :)

Much love Stephanie!

[Michelle]

Ok... I wish I had a Kroger's! Think they will venture norht? hee!hee! My store doesn't do that serious couponing. I am with you. It can be done!! I am so glad I stumbled upon your blog back when. While my husband may not be away in foreign countries fighting for our freedom, he is gone ALOT. He works a serious amount of hours, so I can be home with our kids. I don't have 4 under the age of 5, so it isn't quite the same. But, I too do it all. Yes, it can be done. I laugh at these mom's in my neighborhood who complain because they are a single parent for a week while hubby is away. I have been a single parent for more years than I care to discuss. I never get a break away from the kids. Kudos to you Steph! Great job packing that cart!!! LOVE the photo!!!

[Amy]

Love it! Epic picture!

[Ginny]

Love it! I seriously think you should compile all of this into a book. I'll be back in Savannah soon & would love to tag along on shopping trips(&you won't even have to give me a lollipop.)

[Linnea]

I think that looks pretty amazing! Great packing job - and great ideas for keeping the kids busy while you shop.

[tara pollard pakosta]

you are SUPERWOMAN!
that photo cracks me uP!!!
that is awesome!!! I don't know HOW you do it!
I seriously hate grocery shopping when I am ALONE!~
I make my husband do it,so I totally really feel like the biggest WIMP that ever lived now!!!
seriously, you are an amazing woman, not just for the grocery shopping, but for ALL that you do!!!
much love, hugs and prayers for you and j!
tara

[Lisa]

Hi Steph! Your bigs might like this game I made up for my kids.
http://lisakisch.typepad.com/babies_paper_and_song/2011/01/the-grocery-store-card-game-for-kids.html

Goodness knows you have enough paper lying around! ;)

[Latrice]

You are an inspiration girl! I love that I'm not alone when I say you can shop with kids. Crazy....yes, but it can be done.
Hugs

[Pat Garay]

This is the best picture ever! And kudos to you for doing it all with a smile!
Patty G. in NJ

[Diana C. aka the Lonely Scrapbooker]

I take my twins to the supermarket and I go to the one that has the trolley with a double steering wheel thing in it. They have a blast. It's a total outing for them. But that supermarket gets my business because it has that trolley.
Something I've asked before, I think, but I'll ask again: how do you have your car seats set up in your mini van? My Sienna only has three sets of LATCHes, which is fine for me as I *only* have 3 car seats to secure, so I was wondering how you configure yours.

[Lyndsay]

That is the cutest pic!!!

[Chris]

hahaha I love that pic! Great job Mamma! Being a military wife you hear over and over "I don't know how you do it, I could never do that". And seriously, you just find a way to do it, because you have to!

Another trick I used with my 2 older kids at the store (with only one baby in the cart though) was to give them each a little clipboard with a list of a few things (pictures before they could read) and have them cross things off as we went. Laminate and use dry erase markers works well, also learned the hard way to tether the markers to the clipboards!

[Ally]

Just goes to show you that ANYthing is quite possible if you put your mind to it! And you SHOULD be pleased with yourself!

[Emily]

Oh My! This brings back memories when my babies were babies. Except I only had to manage two babies, no bigs! If I had to do it again with babies and my 5 yr olds I'd be crazy! you are awesome!!

[Kim Boken]

Too Cute!! The real challenge for me was how to pee once they moved out of the car seats..where do you put them?? Most of the time I was alone when I went shopping so I couldn't pass them off to someone..

[Brenda]

Love the photo!! If you have a Target with groceries near you they're cheaper than Krogers (Ralphs here in California) and they have the double seat carts. Also, another coupon trick is that at least here in California Ralphs/Krogers will take expired coupons.

[Natalie]

Hahaha!! Cuteness! I love the smile on Lucy's face under her hand.

God only gives us what we can handle and he definetly knew you could handle the grocery store, and you have done it quite well (if I do say so myself).

I want to get into the couponing but my grocery is not very coupon friendly. (I need to figure it out) LOL!

:0)

[Mary Jo]

So cute, love the picture! You go girl!!

[Berta]

Wow! You have that cart packed with babies and groceries!!! Your girls have the best mama!!! You are amazing, I get exhasted shopping by myself! And all my boys are big now, so they have to help haul all the groceries inside when I get home! That is the worst job and you have 4 littles to boot!

[Stephanie Howell]

my target doesnt have double seats! booooo!

[emily pitts]

i love this picture :)

[Erica Hettwer]

I bet if you asked, any store would be more than happy to provide someone to push another cart for you. Especially if they don't have double seats up front. Or you could wear one of the twins while you shop. Excercise and grocery shopping, mommy multi-tasking at it's finest! Hee!

[Kimber-Leigh]

this picture is wonderful! i love the expressions on their faces! i am always thankful for grocery stores with carts that accommodate large families...when mine were younger, i would totally choose which store to shop at based on which ones had "car carts" for the bigs and still room to accommodate a carrier.

a lollipops are a wonderful thing. for SO many reasons!

[Monica Brown]

Too funny! I do much the same thing. I have four boys...7, 5, 2 and 6 months. The baby rides in the cart in his carrier and the toddler sits in the seat. I can pack over $200 in that cart. The Publix ladies can't believe how much I can fit. Does your Publix not have the cart with the yellow double bench seat? Super Target is another good place for the two seaters. :)

[Candy]

I won't worry unless I see a bar code on their foreheads. They are going to be great shoppers some day.

[joann]

And here I thought babysitters were invented for grocery shopping expeditions!

I took one child grocery shopping. When Laura came along, it was babysitters all the way. In fact, sometimes I sent the babysitter to the store and I stayed home with the kids!

[Mary Ann]

That is the cutest pic ever! A real life, real Mom pic for sure. I love it!!!

[Jonnelle]

Well they look happy, so that's a successful trip! I love that you tell the bigs NOT to bite the lolly until you pay - too funny!
I MISS Publix, it ROCKS!!

[Anna]

Twin mom and military spouse here. I always have to grocery shop alone, too. I take my double stroller in the store and push the stroller and drag the kart behind me. Works fabulously.

[Lauren]

Heck, I'm proud of you too!! I only have one munchkin and when I think about having a second, I panic! haha
Great job mama!

[Flo]

that is the funniest pic!! one little tip, if you have an iphone, try downloading the shop shop app. it's free, and totally replaced my pen + paper shopping lists. the best part is that it saves all the items you've ever purchased, so next time, all you have to do is scroll through the list and select the items you need. it works great, especially when i'm in a rush because it reminds me of things we always run out of! and it might free up a hand? :)

[Brianaj]

Ha ha, I wondered how you managed that! What a funny pic. My kids were both riding in the car cart but the big one isn't into it anymore. Now he just wanders behind me staring at junk food and running into people.

[Ellie A.]

You just SUPER Rock... Right now online grocery shopping is my BEST friend EVER. My kids are 4,8 & 12 and when I have had to take them I swear I leave sweating so you doing it myself and having such cuties all comfy I give you the most props of props! ROCK IT MAMA!! If I saw you I would totally ask what aisle did you get them cuties Ha.. I wouldn't be able to help myself :)

[Monica F.]

Amazing job! You are my hero with that feat. I also LOVE seeing what other people buy at the grocery store. I have been majorly couponing since April and I can't believe how much I've managed to save & stock up on. What are your favorite sites for couponing? I love ladysavings.com -- she gives you the links, coupon downloads and specials for Kroger & Giant Eagle and lots of other deals. Enjoy your week!

[Wendi Kimball]

All I can say is that I am totally IMPRESSED!! and you coupon too??!! You go sister!

[Kelly]

I haven't braved the grocery with my new family of three yet. Your post gives me hope ... I can do it! Also, where would one begin with the desire to start couponing? Tips?

[JenniferSanborn]

Absolutley adorible picture!! And congrats on the couponing...I'm addicted to it! :)

[Kellie]

Do your supermarkets do home delivery? I find that paying the delivery fee is worth it for the travel time saved and the stress avoided with going shopping with kids! It's all delivered to my door fresh, with the frozen stuff still frozen!

[Stephanie Howell]

No they dont. I wish!!

Sent from my iPhone

[jennifer Camplin]

~:-D

[Mary K]

Hi Stephanie - That picture cracks me up. I work at a grocery store that prides itself on customer service. We have people who would shop with you and best of all - a service called "Helping Hands". It is a set of extra hands who will walk with you to your car (and push the cart) or do a drive up service for you and they'd load your groceries after you load your kiddos. You are awesome for getting it all done by yourself.

[Jill Sprott]

You deserve an honorary engineering degree. Masterful!