Running Errands

This week required two trips to Costco.  (Both times to drop off a prescription, the first time they were out of the medication and it's twice as expensive everywhere else!)

Costco is usually a safe haven for us because of their deluxe shopping carts but our first trip was not as serene as usual.  In fact, an old lady had to step in and scold my kids at one point!  Mind you, it was a gentle scolding in a controlled, neutral and patient voice - perhaps some mothers would be irked at this blatant overstepping - however, it worked so I thanked her.

I was not especially looking forward to repeating this errand.  Especially for something that should be quick and easy, like dropping off a prescription, there is a lot of work involved:
- Get kids into their respective carseats
- Park by a cart (usually in the back)
- Battle with each kid individually to strap them in
- Keep them entertained in line
- Walk around and get free samples, since its an expectation at this point
- Deal with the repercussions of limiting each sample to just one

I decided to take a different, more literal, approach to running this errand.

We ran.

The kids willingly and eagerly put themselves in the stroller.  Hayden even buckled himself.
It was a peaceful jog to Costco that included a lap around the dog park.

At our arrival, we did not stop - "Just dropping off a prescription!" I told the door lady.
She smiled and waved us in.
We went straight to the far left side of the store to the pharmacy.  There was no line! 


We dropped off the prescription and did a quick lap around the store, giving new meaning to "fueling."  After depositing just one of a few free samples into their snack bowls, we emerged from the store in record time without a peep from either kid!

If it were not for the other shoppers, Costco would be the ideal place to go running with a stroller. The isles are wide enough to accommodate our stature and the stroller effortlessly glides on the smooth concrete floor.

The back of Costco is the perfect place for running fast:


It may seem like the kids are always eating in our photos. That is because they usually are:


But don't be fooled, eventually their snack bowls do become empty. Sometimes Brenna will start to doze off and sometimes Hayden will sing songs.

Hayden also likes to look at books, preferably Thomas the Train books.


Brenna likes to steal Hayden's book - no matter how many books I bring, she must have the one that he wants.
The only thing better than Hayden's book is my hand, so we run like this:


It's not the most comfortable thing to run like that, but it certainly makes me smile every time I glace down.