Harmon's Haven

Meet amazing dad Robbie, mother-in-training Jesika, 7 year old best big sister Bree, 5 year old boy in every way Gabe, 3 year old who thinks he's 10 years old who makes us all laugh McKay,
and 9 month old sweetest Quinn Marie...the Harmon Family!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Ode to Trader Joes

So I'm not a big shopper, I don't get excited to shop (maybe because I don't have money?) or think that is the most fun thing I could do with girlfriends...nothing wrong with it, I've just never been into it (and I think my husband is grateful :). BUT... I never knew that a store could make me so happy. This morning was crazy. Gabe is getting over the croup and yesterday I thought he was getting better but then this morning he still wouldn't eat hardly anything (he hasn't for three days!) and if I set him down he would cry (and he's almost 30 lbs!). Then the past week or so Bree has been extremely defiant. Like out of no where our usually happy and obedient child is yelling, "NO!" and "I DON'T WANT TO!" Another testing stage I guess. But today the combination of the two had me pretty stressed out. So I took Bree to preschool at 12 and then I had to go to the DMV. Earlier I had looked up Trader Joe locations and had been bummed that the nearest one was clear across town, at least 30 minutes away. But when I looked up directions to the DMV I noticed that it wasn't too far from Trader Joes and got excited. So Gabe and I did the DMV and then headed to Trader Joes. We pulled into the parking lot and from the moment I saw the shopping carts I was perma-smile. I walked into the produce section... fresh Spinach for $1.99...giant pile of bananas...the whole wheat bread with 5 grams of fiber for $2.50... around the corner for a taster of quinoa cucumber salad, mmmm yum! Gabe do you want some? No, good I'll eat yours too...oh my favorite whole wheat pasta! Three bags, different varieties...and the frozen section with shelves of treats above...just fun to look at...oooo another taster! Organic peanut butter cookies (like two cookies with the peanut butter inside!) so good! Oh Gabe you really don't want it? I'll take it sweet boy...around the corner...my FAVORITE fig cereal bars!! I'll take two boxes of those...oh the cereal how I have missed you! Where else can you get healthy cereal, packed with fiber, for under $2?! NOWHERE! Better get five or six boxes to last us a while...should I go back and get another cookie taster? Ok, no...Go through each aisle again just for fun...ooooo the yellow curry sauce I love! (easiest meal ever...just cut up veggies like you're doing stir-fry, but use this sauce instead, eat it with rice or noodles...delicioso!) then up to check out...Cashier: "Hi, how are you today?" Me: "Oh I am so happy to be at Trader Joes right now!"
I'm not even joking. I think people may have thought I was on something. I was almost skipping down the aisles. The food, glorious, healthy, fresh food that I didn't realize I missed so much. And I think too the familiar feeling...almost like I was back in North Carolina...made it even better. It was like Christmas. It totally made my day. Probably my week. Thank you Trader Joes.

10 comments:

Team Heaton said...

Yay! I'm so glad you got to go! Obviously, it'll be worth your travel to go again!

Marcee said...

I feel the same way about the place! When we moved from TX to MN, that was the biggest perk (well, second to living near Jena I guess ;-) I really don't want to live far from one if I can help it. Joe is like family!

Marcee said...

And welcome home!!

Cara said...

I love that you are so enthusiastic about healthy food! If only everyone could be like you my job would be so much easier! This post totally cracked me up because I just signed up for "Bountiful Baskets"... you've probably heard of it where you get a huge basket of locally grown fresh produce for only $15. I just got my first one and I was like a kid in a candy store... except it was mangoes and butternut squash and corn on the cob. You don't know beforehand exactly what you're getting so it helps me to branch out a little in my cooking. I've been loving it! Oh, and someone as cute as you should LOVE shopping for clothes since you'd look great in anything!

Kira Cook said...

Oh my goodness, I'm so jealous. We need one out here sooo bad!

M said...

Dude! I LOVE Trader Joes! When I'm up in Durham to visit family I stop in to buy cereal for the Boy, I buy 5 boxes at once! I'm pretty sure the check out people think I'm crazy too. Their cheese section is transcendent.

m and c said...

what a lucky woman! moving from california to florida was sad because we had to say goodbye to trader joes :(

Natalie said...

Yay for Trader joes! I wish we had one here. Whenever we head to CH we totally stock up!

Laura said...

You're funny! I love trader joes too, but since it takes 25 minutes, I don't make the trek as often as I would like! Have you ever had their dried pineapple rings? Yum!

Heather said...

I have yet to experience Trader Joes, but I hear amazing things :) I just have to tell you that it was sooo fun to see you at the reunion! It makes you realize how much you miss wonderful people that you don't get to see very often :) Thanks for being so sweet!