This morning when I woke up, I realized we desperately needed groceries.  I had to get really creative to pack lunch for the girls, and really couldn’t find much after that for the boys to eat for breakfast when they woke up.

After the girls went to school, and the boys finally decided to start their day (around 1o, yay for sleeping in!) we got dressed and headed out.  First we went to breakfast, because you should never ever go food shopping on an empty stomach.  Then we headed to the mall in search of shorts for Aaron.  He was down to like one pair that fit.

I went to get the stroller out of the trunk and remembered that it’s got a flat tire, so I thought I’d just put the leashes on the boys and let them walk.

They’re not quite ready to walk the mall.

They did okay at first.  They held my hands for awhile.  I had used the harnesses because I figured when I had to let go of their hands to pay or whatever, I’d have the extra security knowing they couldn’t run off (well at least further than 3 feet!) and that was nice.

We got to the store I wanted to look in, and I found the shorts and picked out a couple pairs with some help from the twins.  I managed to refold all the unfolding they did, and put back all the shorts they handed me that were the wrong sizes.  We made it to the check out carrying our purchases and only one boy tripped over the other’s harness strap.

But then the walk back down the mall to get to the door so we could leave- that was the end of any and all cooperation.  Ryan didn’t want to hold my hand anymore, and resorted to ‘broken leg syndrome’.  I picked him up, and was attempting to juggle him and the bag when Dylan decided since I’d dropped his hand for a second that he would prefer to crawl.

I convinced Dylan to stand back up and hold my hand for all of about two minutes.  Then he realized Ryan was being carried and wanted to be held as well.

By the time I made it out of the mall, I was exhausted, but the boys had gotten their second wind.  I decided to go ahead with food shopping as planned.

Thank goodness I was able to contain them in the cart when we went to the grocery store!

I won’t be going shopping without a stroller ever again.