You know you're a big family when....

Your kitchen table looks like this after grocery shopping!

Yes, we buy a LOT of groceries to feed our crew! Sometimes I am amazed at how much we go through! I do the majority of the shopping for the family at our Wal-mart. I used to go bi-weekly, but had to switch to weekly, as it was getting to be too big of a load. On Saturday morning, I get up early to beat the crowds and head out with one or more of my kids as my helper, to get what we need for the upcoming week. I use a preprinted list and just circle what I need each week, which has worked well. I also be sure to bring my grocery ads, as our Wal-Mart price matches the other competitors. This past week I got a great price on 3 pound bags of apples, so now I have 12 pounds of apples in my pantry! For most people, i'm sure that would last forever, but not for us. I also use coupons and save anywhere between $15-$50 and end up coming home with one or two free items also. I always get a chuckle when someone will say to me "Wow, you're doing a big grocery shopping trip, aren't you?" I have to smile and tell them that, no, this is my normal trip! Usually whatever child I bring with me is a good helper, pushing a cart, putting groceries up on the belt, and loading them in the cart, as there is a treat for them in the end! Sarah recieved such a nice compliment on being such a good helper to me on our last trip. She was all smiles! I was astonished when the cashier told me that most children do nothing to help their parents when they're at the checkout-and she was talking about teenagers! How sad. Since we've started doing these early morning Wal-Mart runs, grocery shopping has seemed much more enjoyable (as much as it can be!). And a well-stocked pantry and a happy mommy makes for happy kiddos!