Producing Produce

We've been finding lots of good produce in the garden--cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, ENORMOUS zucchini and squash, and beets.  It's fun to see the fruits of our labors.  While the kids like picking, they don't always consume.  Just yesterday we went to the store, much to the children's dismay.  As we were walking in, Brandt said, "Mom, how come you didn't do this when we were at school?"  I listed off all the other things I had done while they were at school, but not grocery shopping.  I apologized that they had to be with me.

Very quickly we all regretted being there.  Brandt and Blythe were at each other, hitting each other with packages of pita bread, grabbing and hanging onto each other, and generally being obnoxious.  After three or four times of asking them to knock it off, I sort of lost it.  I told them that if all they wanted to eat for the next week was all the veg we were growing in our garden, then we could pay for the six items I had already put in the cart and we could go home.  But on the menu would be cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and beets.  I was fine with that, but if they wanted anything else, we had to grocery shop, and we had to do it that day because the fridge was looking bear and the options were limited.  I explained that I didn't really like grocery shopping much more than they did, and I sure as Yellowstone didn't like shopping with them.  But if we wanted food at our house, we had to get it from the store.  Amazingly, the children were so cooperative after that.  Who knew a little threat of zucchini and tomatoes could be so effective?

This afternoon, however, both children went to do some harvesting, and ate all they picked!  No zucchini or yellow squash were collected.

Someone was happy about dinner!

What's up doc?