Chocolate

I have a confession to make. I have a new addiction. It's not Bejeweled Blitz or Facebook, (though some in my family may argue otherwise).

I can't stop buying chocolate chips! I currently have eight (8!) unopened bags in my pantry, and that doesn't count the four opened bags I have in there as well. (Or the two bars of bittersweet baking chocolate.)


I can't help it. I love to bake with them, and when the good quality ones go on sale, I stock up. I have nothing against the store brands, in fact I'll purchase them when nothing else is on sale or they are on sale for a great price. But when Nestle's, Hershey's and my all time favorite, Ghirardelli's go on sale, I can't seem to help myself.

In my defense, they are not all semi-sweet. Some are dark chocolate or bittersweet, some are mini's, and one is even white chocolate. And let's face it, this time of year every store puts the name brand chips on sale. And, the manufacturers have all put out coupons, making the savings even greater. So I have lots of chocolate chips at the ready for all kinds of baked goodies. Now the question is, what do I bake first?

Bullet Points From My Week

- Why are people rude? I was in the self-checkout at Meijer, checking myself out, and a woman approaches the checkstand. I continue scanning my groceries, then my coupons, and finally I pay. As soon as I tear my receipt and coupons out of the machine, she begins scanning her items. She send them down into my groceries without even attempting to wait or separate them. Fortunately the nice woman working at Meijers came and put the separator bar between our orders (I was too busy pushing her stuff away so I could quickly bag my groceries without taking any of hers!)

- My son, while not yet figuring out that Santa isn't real, has figured out a few things about the old man. When I brought up the fact to the girls (in front of Ian) that Santa watches their behavior and sees if they are naughty or nice, Ian gave a little smirk. He followed the smirk with the comment that Santa doesn't watch him too closely. I asked him why he said that. He answered (while rolling his eyes), "Mooooom, I've been getting presents for nine years."

- Zoe watched an old Christmas Blue's Clues today. While in the van on the way to Meijer, she asked me what the boy's name on the show was. I told her it was Steve and she said, "Oh yeah, Steve. I'm Steve's honey." I asked her what she meant. She said, "What are you to Daddy?" I answered between giggles, "I'm Dad's honey, that's right."

- I made three dozen cookies for our local homeless shelter on Tuesday. I'll be sharing the recipe with you tomorrow.

- My first grade daughter read a petition at church this morning and did a great job. I was so glad I could be there to see and hear her.

- I forgot to remove the foil from the broiler of my gas oven on which I cooked pork tournedoes last night. I didn't realize it despite the burning smells until black smoke was pouring out of the top vent in my oven. Needless to say the french fries were inedible (I saved the beans-n-franks) and I burned my rubber gloves for washing dishes and fused burnt foil to my brand new $5 slippers I bought on Black Friday. I'm not happy about the slippers. Not one bit!

- I still need to go Christmas shopping.

Summer Revelations

In the past, if I wanted to go grocery shopping for my weekly trip, I would rather gnaw my arm off than take my three kids with me. I planned it around their being in school or other activities. I often shopped at night after they'd gone to bed. If I couldn't do that, and I absolutely had to go to the store with all three of them, I'd usually only get the necessities and either bring snacks or bribe them with a doughnut.

But this summer is different. My kids are older and I have realized I don't want to give up "my time" in the evening after the kids go to bed. I have taken them with me several times now, and it usually goes pretty well. Now, they do get a little silly sometimes, but mostly because they are just keeping themselves occupied by having fun with each other. That's not to say that their behavior is always appropriate, twice today they had to all stand next to the cart with their hands on the cart so they wouldn't be jumping around in front of other people and generally making me frazzled while I looked for dishwasher detergent. But when I think of their behavior, they're not being rude or mean, disrespectful or even difficult. They rarely complain when I say "no" to their requests (they're used to it, I must say it often!) and they usually keep up with me in the store. They're mainly just unaware of how their behavior affects the other patrons of the store, which I see as immaturity, not mischief. And I do correct them and have them apologize if they are obstructing someone's path or doing something else that causes problems. It actually is a pretty good trip now when we go to the store.

And despite the fact that I could probably get it done so much faster without them, I don't really mind it that much anymore. Except for one thing. I cannot leave the store without a few things that were not on my list and I probably wouldn't buy if they weren't with me. Last week it was a package of Little Debbie's Swiss Rolls and Nutty Bars. This week it was Pepperidge Farm Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Mini Bagels. But, if that is the only roadblock I face each week, I think I'll choose going with the kids during the day instead of by myself at night.