Well, Brady has been home for almost a full month now. Natalie has been out of school for almost two weeks and Ben is on his first week of summer vacation. The house has become alive again with the chaos of kids in summer.
For reference, Brady only came home three times during his first year of college: Thanksgiving, Christmas break and spring break. We saw him more than this as we were in the Cities. But he wasn’t home which meant fewer footsteps, less laundry and less groceries.
In addition, Ben and Natalie spend time at their dad’s house, too. So if they are going to be gone for a week, I don’t even buy groceries. It’s a great time to eat the leftovers from cooking for a family or relax with a bowl of cereal for dinner.
I think I had become very used to this routine during the last school year. Even during Christmas break, we are so busy that you don’t even have time for the change or a houseful again to register before Brady was back for spring semester.
Now, it is all registering. The 2 p.m “what’s for supper” texts have started. The meal planning and thinking ahead based on schedules, who has to leave when, etc. has begun to flow through my brain constantly. And the summer grocery bill has set in.
Whew! All you need is summer break to remind you how much food you go through in a house with three teenagers. Due to Ben’s business keeping him in Tracy more and Natalie having soccer and now pageant practice, they are here most nights for supper. The best part is they are very capable of making themselves lunch and dinner.
They also are good eaters who love fruits and vegetables.
It all runs very smoothly as long as I keep the fridge and pantry stocked. That may be the most difficult part of summer. For the last nine months, I’ve bought milk by the half-gallon and still had trouble finishing it before the expiration date. Now, I’m buying a gallon of white and a gallon of chocolate and running out before the next shopping trip.
I’m also keenly aware of what fruits and vegetables are on sale each week to keep the fridge stocked. I might have a secret door in my fridge in which someone is stealing the cheese sticks or lunchables out of because they are disappearing quite quickly.
I joke with the kids about the amount of groceries we’re going through, and I laugh at the length of my grocery list now that summer is here. But I am truly thankful for the long list and the amount of food we are going through. It means all three kids are home.
I am well aware that before I’m ready, Brady won’t be moving home for the summer. Ben is also entering his senior year, and I’ll blink and it will just be Natalie and me at home. These summers of chaos and long grocery lists will be gone before I know it.
So I’ll get after them for how quickly they go through a case of water. And I’ll mumble under my breath every time I buy groceries. However, secretly, I’m loving it and am happy to stock up on all the summer snacks if it means my kids are all home to enjoy them.
