Grocery shopping today

Today the girls and I were breakfasted, dressed and out the door by 8:08 this morning. Almost beat our record of 7:57.

I promise that Elin wasn't as grumpy as she appears to be in this photo. But when I opened the minivan door in the parking lot, I don't think she found the cold air all that enjoyable.

Oh, Cashwise. How I love thee!

When we found out we were moving back to Minnesota, one of the first things Viggo said was, "Now we can shop at the grocery store that gives out free cookies to kids!" Obviously he remembered the really important things about living here.

AND there are car carts.

This is Svea's favorite shirt. It really does get washed on an almost-daily basis.

Whoever thought to put two steering wheels in these things - genius. Thank you.

Early on in our shopping, Svea managed to pinch her finger, I have no idea on what. Helpful hint to immediately stop tears: give the kid a camera.

So these are Svea's pictures now.

This is what the store looks like to a 3-year-old. The length of the aisle looks a little daunting.

Visiting the lobsters is always a big highlight - nearly as exciting as the free cookie. It was rare to find a lobster tank in grocery stores out east because there wasn't a need - there were seafood markets. (Reminder for the geographically challenged: Delaware is next to the Atlantic ocean. Many Delawarians are a seafood-eating people.)

One of the meat guys was putting fish into the display so the glass lid was lifted. Svea took a picture of these little clams, which she thought were cute. At a few of the grocery stores we frequented in Delaware, the fish (not lobsters, though) were laid out on ice with nothing over them; the customer could help themself. However, I did tell Viggo once that the fish would jump out of the display and walk around on their tailfins at night when all the customers and workers were gone and they would have little fish parties. But I don't think he believed me.

Where else but Minnesota can you find a cake in a bakery department that has an icehouse and a largemouth bass on it?

Or a snowmobile cake?

We live in the best state ever.

After check-out, we bagged the groceries ourselves. Svea is always an eager helper.

I love shopping early because the only people in the store are us and a handful of grandpas, most of whom talk to me and the girls and tell me about their grandchildren. Today, for example, we met a very kind retired fireman and a nice gentleman whose daughter-in-law has a blog so that he can see what his granddaughters, ages 1 and 3, are up to. I said that was so nice!

Svea is usually terrified of these nice, well-intentioned people, but Elin tried to give her cookie away to somebody today :)