Grocery Store Blues

I used to love going to the grocery store.  Really, I did! I was one of the few.  Just to be out and about, walk around, take my time, find the deals, shop the clearance.... Used to be such a nice time. Then  I had another kid... wow! What a HUGE difference that makes!  Now, what used to be a fun, relaxing trip is just a horrible, crazy, high-stress event. I mean, what used to take an hour and a half now takes close to three hours!  I am constantly saying....get off the cart!, quit touching that!, no we're not buying that, boys get back here!, watch where you're going honey!, stay to one side...and on and on it goes! the whining and arguing and fighting and wild-boy behavior is just too much for me to handle in a grocery store. And I know I care to much about what other shoppers are thinking of me. Today, I had both of the boys putting their hands on top of their heads (a common punishment if they're using their hands in the wrong way...in other words a LOT!) and we passed a woman. She looked puzzled. Well, the time passed for them t o put their hands back down. But of course, a little while later they had to have this punishment again so of course who do we come across again but that same woman. She gave me a dirty look just after I said, "No! You cannot take your hands off!" I imagine how it looked to the woman. That they'd had their hands up there for 20 mins but that was not the case. lol  We really have to budget so typically we're going to two stores to find the best deals and sometimes three so I know that gets old for the kids, to walk around and get in and out of the car. But I really try to bring along toys and have them fed and watered (lol) before we even go in. Still, they are all over each other and the store! ugh.... Today, it started the first isle of the first store. Jeez Louise!  It was like I could feel my blood pressure rising right there in Aldi! By the time we're done I'm so ticked off at their disobedience and disrespect that I just want to unload the groceries and put them in quiet time (the boys not the groceries)... which is what I do. But I just wish it didn't have to be like that. I wish I enjoyed grocery day like I used to.....