mega menus, mega shopping

Going to Sam's Club might not seem the same as catching a big game, or gathering nuts and berries in the sun, but it fills me with a surprisingly palpable sense of security and good feelings that Farmer Jack, Kroger and Meijers never seemed to capture.

I worry if I am crazy, if I am a pawn in the consumer treadmill when I feel this good driving home with my minivan full from Sams Club. Is it demented to want to take care of your family, to stock up? I was never never never one to have 48 toilet papers "just in case", but I am starting to get it more lately. Its not some OCD fear of "what if we run out?!", but more like a sense of order and peace and organization that I am finally growing up into a real woman/wife/homemaker/mother/adult and finding not to be lame or antithetical to being spontaneous or artisitc, but rather, freeing me to have more space in my heart for this kind of "cool"stuff when I dont have to worry about what is for dinner at 730 pm when the kids should be getting off to bed not starving and crying.

I understand how to shop and how not to shop at Sams or Costco now. I get it now. I know what is a good deal for us and what is not. I know how to supplement the bulk purchases with regular ones to make good meals and to avoid "running back to the stroe" all week. How we hate our precious weekday time being used this way! After Sams club, meijers and farmers market, I still went to Walmart last night---for a cordless phone and scrubbling bubbles---but I dont want to do this! We share one car, traveling on little errands is somewhat of a chore with 4 little ones, and like I said, it just isnt frugal time management.

So
What we did get at Sams this week that has so far (Wednesday) been really a hit were:
Croissants (all sandwhiches are now so yummy and special)
Little bags of chips
Mega Feta cheese
Mega lettuce
Mega carrots
Mega barilla plus pasta (thrilled to see barilla plus now at Sams Club!)
Mega shredded cheese
Mega buttermilk pancake mix
Mega granola cereal mixed with Mega peanuts (and dried cherries from our friend)as trail mix
Mega bandaids
Mega mayonaise
Mega pickles
Mega sour cream
Mega Pierogis

So far these have gotten the most use this week. I love having stocked pantry and stocked fridge and menus. This has been a nice week.

Meals this week planned:
make yr own pizzas
pierogi + salad
ricotta-spinach-noodle-bake
mexican stuff
baked eggs with potatoes
salmon and veggies
tofu-rice-peapods

and ok, a few scooby doo macaronis to keep Mickey alive :)