I need some peace of mind

I invented a new drinking game yesterday.  Every time someone says "MOM," or asks me the same question they just asked three minutes ago, or steps on my toe, I take a drink.  Upside: You could totally get drunk in five minutes playing this game.  Downside: I don't actually drink anything stronger than coffee.  I have nothing against spirits, mind you, it's just that my stomach does.

See, Sunday was a family day.  We knew we were off to a winning start when Abby didn't even want to get into the car. But Johanna needed a new baseball mitt for her upcoming season (whoops, forgot she also needs shoes), so Eric and I were determined to persevere.  Even though we actually hate shopping.*

Because shopping is depressing, that's why.  All that junk.  All those people.

But Eric isn't one to pass up an opportunity, plus we really did need some stuff, so he spent the morning printing online coupons and planning our extravaganza.  We had some stops.  (Note the plural.  The girls sure did.)

Eric found coupons for Omeprazole (what should have cost $23 cost $15.  We got two by checking out separately), and for cheese (um, we got three of those utilizing Abby.  Five smacks for a two-pound brick.  Of good cheese, mind you, because cheap gross cheese is gross).  And he got 20% off of Johanna's mitt and 10% off some racquetball balls.  (That sounds wrong.)  I'm pretty sure he had other coupons, too, but whatever those were for, he must have deemed them unworthy.

Since we were out anyway, we attempted to go to the new brew shop, except it was closed.  Then we went into a furniture store because SOMEDAY I'm going to redo my living room, but it wasn't exactly filled with anything I couldn't live without.  Or, more to the point, what I felt I could live with.  But the girls found these electric massaging heated chairs, so that was a hit.  Jo asked if we could come back every year.  (Because that's about how often we get out, apparently.)

So of course our children, being themselves, had to fight at every turn, and call my name to tell on the other, and ask something I am pretty sure I'd already answered fifty times, and stand so close that every time I turned around, I was tripping over at least one of them.  The bells went off when I spied some mini-bottles of wine--in a six pack, no less--at the drug store.  Um, what?  Who buys this stuff?  People playing drinking games in need of portable beverage, that's who.  When your children are your drinking game, you need the convenience of that wine six pack.  (That's a marketing strategy for someone.  You're welcome!)

It's too bad I can't drink.  Small bottles of wine in a six pack.  What could possibly go wrong with that?

Eric says I should be "grateful" that the girls "want to be around me."  Because we all know in just five months Abby starts teenager-hood, and it's probably all downhill from there.  And I try, I really do.  But wow, I'm definitely enjoying my four hours of quiet this fine Monday morning, except Skilly is attempting to eat my knee cap, which isn't as much fun as you'd think it would be.  IT NEVER ENDS.

Skilly is a ninja.

P.S. Aside from our family shopping day, my weekend consisted of sleeping in, taking naps, and reading.  It. Was. Awesome.

*Okay, fine, I'll admit it, I have discovered I like clothes shopping just a little too much.  But we weren't clothes shopping.  I am willfully, mindfully not clothes shopping.  Until, you know, spring actually gets here...

Breaking Benjamin, Had Enough.  This song reminds me of shopping for some reason, even though the lyrics maybe point to just a really bad breakup.  Fun fact: This is one of the first songs I downloaded when I got my iPod.