When ever my dad has a project at home he often refers to how large and complicated the task is by the number of Home Depot trips he has to take to get the job done. It was a 4 Home Depot Job he would say. Or That was a 3 tripper. I have notice however that he has taken to buying more than what he thinks he needs then just takes back what he doesn't use. I should take a lesson from my old man. Will and I had our ABF (Adult Bible Fellowship) or Sunday School, for those of you who are old school, leadership over on Monday. I decided I was going to make Will's Lasagna. Now normally Will makes it, it is his mom's recipe and everything but the noodles is homemade. Since Will has two job's, is working hard bringing home the bacon, I thought the least I could do was to give this a try.
It turned out to be a 4 Grocery Trip Lasagna. Here is what ensued...
Sunday night Will escorted Liam and I to Wal-Mart (TRIP 1) to buy all the ingredients. If you have ever been to Wal-mart on a Sunday you have probably sworn to yourself that you will never do it again. I do... every time... and yet somehow I always find myself trying to weave through the oodles of people and carts to find some specific thing. This Sunday trip was no different. Will and I tried to get through the list quickly but we couldn't find the Italian sausage. Where was that sausage? We looked back and forth in all the places it could be. Liam was running out of steam and he was really tired of being in the cart.
The tantrum began...
Liam has started to bang his head on things. Either when he doesn't get what he wants or sometimes just to test out the hardness of something. This is him about to bang his head on the cart.
(Don't worry I stopped him.)
Will ran down the refrigerated section to check one more time for that silly sausage... I stood there in the meat section with screaming Liam.
Before becoming a mother I always felt sorry for those ladies in the grocery store with a screaming child, just trying to get the last thing on their list. When Liam was born we took him to Target and he fussed a little, Will just about had a panic attack, "Get it and go! Get it and go!" Well, A year has passed and now when my child throws a screaming fit in the middle of the store, what do I do? I take a picture!
All is well when mommy bust out the cheerios!
By the way here is where the Italian sausage is supposed to be. They were clean out! I guess I'll have to go somewhere else. (TRIP 2)
Monday morning I was ready, Liam was well rested and I knew what I needed. We ran to Kroger found a sale on Italian sausage and came home. Ah, now I can start cooking.
I put some water in a pot to start boiling the noodles, "Oven ready" the box said... What does that mean? Will said we couldn't use those. My heart sunk...Oh yeah plus, I just remembered, a few weeks ago we had a Pyrex mishap, when my 9X13 pan exploded. Um, I guess I have to go back to Wal-mart (TRIP 3)
Okay, mothering rule #1 always be prepared! After Liam's second nap we loaded up the car and headed out again. I was sinking and it was happy hour at sonic so I stopped for a drink. I decided that if I bought a kids meal Liam could have the apples and I could have the chicken strips. It comes with a drink so I ordered him an OJ. Well a one year old shouldn't have straight OJ I thought so I also ordered a small water. I was expecting it to come out in those plastic kid's meal cups. Nope just Styrofoam. Oh well, I was set, and there was even a toy, for when Liam needed a distraction. I drove across the street to Wal-mart. Put Liam and his diaper bag in the cart. No cup holders for my now 3 cups so I thought I would be clever and use the side pockets of his diaper bag to hold the drinks. (so resourceful)
The Halloween costumes caught my eye right when I walked in, so I took a small detour. I know what you are thinking; Just get the pan Jenny so you can get home. What can I say I am easily distractible.
What is that dripping on my foot? I looked down to see a huge puddle at my feet. I looked up, nothing dripping. I look at my 3 cups, all still standing up right. I pick up the OJ nothing, I pick up my cherry limeade, nothing. I pick up the water and...
I evidentially keep spoons in my side pocket
I guess Liam doesn't get the water... or the diluted OJ
All our stuff was soaked, Praise the Lord is wasn't the OJ.
That would have been way worse!
My I pod was in that pocket to I panicked a bit, shook it out and dug through the bag to see what else was wet. Save the diapers I thought, they are expensive little things. I fortunately had a blanket of Liams so I put that under the bag to soak up the wet drippings. I didn't want to leave a trail. After, resituating my self and all of our wet belongings, I resume shopping. 5 minutes later I hear on the loud speaker... "Maintenance needed in Halloween area with a wet mop, maintenance needed in Halloween area with a wet mop.”
... My bad!
10 minutes later on the loud speaker
"Gene to the Halloween area with a wet mop, Gene to the Halloween area!"
... Sorry Gene!
After our adventurous trip number 3 I thought for sure I had everything I would need to start this Lasagna. I open the Cottage Cheese and it is busted open already. Seriously... I thought! Seriously. My sweet husband came to my rescue. He came home from work and rushed back out to the store (Trip 4) so that I wouldn't have to subject Liam to the madness again.
I wish I could say that after all this I had a picture of this amazing Lasagna. but I don't it was eaten up and enjoyed. We had a great time having the leadership meeting at our house and Liam LOVED all of the guest. He went from person to person showing off his toys and giving smiles and hugs.
I will think twice before I volunteer myself to make someone else’s family recipe but after all that is was worth it. My 4 trip lasagna emphasized some lessons dad taught me growing up, next time I will buy all sort of extra stuff and take back what I don't use. And when things go wrong remember...
we're makin' a memory! Whew daddy, we sure did!
