Grocery Store Victories and Summer Days

I have to say, I usually hate grocery shopping. I always seem to have a sick feeling walking out of the store, even though I know I haven't bought anything too frivolous (we're looking into getting a Sam's Club/Costco membership, which I think would actually save us a ton). I mean, we eat pretty healthy and modestly. I'm no where near as good as my mom was at making cheap meals, but I still think we're pretty good. So I definately noticed when grocery prices started to inflate. I think everyone did!
Yesterday, however, Paul and I emerged from our grocery trip feeling pretty triumphant. It's funny how just a few cheap things will do that...first, GOOD cheap peaches! One of my favorite fruits! I love peach season, especially when the prices are great. Second, (and this may sound silly after telling you we're such healthy eaters) a $2 huge box of our favorite cereal indulgence, Peanut Butter Cocoa Crunch. It was actually a lower price than the smaller box, which confuses me, but I'm not complaining. And third, cartons of Tropicana Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice, not from concentrate, for $0.99. Yeah, less than a dollar! So we stocked up and bought the last three. I would drink this stuff every day if it wasn't usually almost $4 a carton! Such good stuff.

Benjamin and I had fun the other day finger painting outside, then going for a dip in the wading pool afterwards. I got some cute pictures.

Making footprints with tempera paint can be a little slippery. Benjamin really went to town! He made about ten finger paintings. I think I might collage some of the best pieces to preserve his 2-year-old chubby little handprints and footprints.

Clean up wasn't too bad, since I made sure to add a little dish soap to the paint. And Benjamin, I just plopped in the pool.

While he hated going to a public pool a few weeks ago with some friends, Benjamin loves playing in our wading pool. The water gets pretty warm, so it's refreshing but not too chilly.

You can kind of see the stubby corn plants along the fence in the background that have been manched by bunnies during the past few days. I think Paul's most recent count of survivors was about 2 ears....out of 24 plants. Sad, huh!

I set his little basketball hoop up next to the pool. It's way more fun to play outside when you aren't wet from your own sweat.