A Wal-Mart Mornin'

I once read that you would be amazed at what you could accomplish if you actually stayed home five days in a row. This made me laugh uproariously. Staying at home for five days in a row is a drop in the bucket for me. Am I amazed at what I can get done around here? Clearly not-hence the uproarious laughter.


Going out is a huge day.


When I'm folding t-shirts into makeshift diapers and I'm on my last scrapings of baby cereal, I pull out my nineteen page list and trek into the city to hit Wal-Mart. It's a carefully thought out day and some would liken our getting ready to paint the town red, similar to preparing for church. Babies are washed, nails are clipped, clothes are laid out the night before. I haul the bambino's out of bed and we have a special breakfast of cinnamon rolls or some baked oatmeal. Lucy Lou, do we ever talk it up! We talk about going to town three days in advance. Last time we drove in, Taylin exclaimed, "Mama! Look at all the nice houses!" We do leave home, um, I guess once in awhile, but all the talk beforehand makes Wal-Mart sort of  Disneyland.


My cart is generally so full that I have trouble cranking it to get around the corner. Diapers, wipes, food and cleaning supplies spill out. I have to distract my mind from wanting to open the bottle of bleach and give the cart a good cleaning first. "Kids, don't touch ANYTHING! Yes, hands straight in the air-good idea. It'll make muscles holding them up like that."


I'm always worried someone is going to whip around an aisle and snap a photo of me and I'll become one of those infamous ladies on the "Wal-Mart People" e-mails that circulate the internet. I don't think anyone would know what to make of the unmanageable wilds in the cart and the mama adding up her grocery bill in her head. All the baby washing and nail clipping  doesn't prevent Taylin from putting 'lip gloss' with markers on Myla. Oh boy.


As long as our tummies are full, it helps reign in  the children for the morning out. I like going to town to be a big deal, for it to be a fun, special day and I do believe that the way to an extra special day, is  special food, ladies. Healthy, we are not.


The last recipe for our Wal-Mart morning was found in a Taste of Home magazine and was sent in by the brilliant Arlene Riehl.  Try it out! We had canned pears with ours, along with the hollering, 'Come on, let's hurry up! We need to get going!'

I then may or may not have added chocolate chips to our recipe & realized I'm basically feeding my kiddo cookies for breakfast.

Baked Oatmeal


3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted


Additional milk


*In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and butter. Stir into oat mixture until blended.


*Spoon into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350 for 40-45 min or until set. Serve warm with milk.

Now it's grocery shopping time!

linking up here.