The Drivers

In our previous blog, we wrote about “Going Organic.”  I recently wrote a review on www.yelp.com about an organic grocery store called Food Front in Portland, OR.  Here is the review:

———————————————

My kids and I love the selection at Food Front.  You won’t have as much selection there as you would at New Seasons.  But if you want a grocery store that is small, intimate, has a helpful staff, fresh organic produce, has other organic goods, is very child-friendly (I have two kids in diapers), AND has better prices than New Seasons, then this is the grocery store for you!  We have been shopping here at least 1-2 times a week…until lately…

What bothers me about Food Front is that every time I go (literally, every time!) and check out, the checker looks up at least 3 of my produce items.  And EVERY time, I am over charged on the produce.  This is so frustrating,  I am a “bargain hunter” mama.  I am always looking for good deals on organic products, and I find that the prices here are GREAT! Don’t get me wrong.  I don’t mind paying some good $$ for organic goods, but charge me the correct price for heavens sake!  Two weeks ago (the last time I was there), the girl checker looked up EVERY SINGLE PRODUCE ITEM!  My kids were screaming in the store, ready to leave.  I thought I was going to be out of my mind if the checker was going to look up every produce on her little cheat sheet.  I asked her to correct a couple of items, and after a couple of times, I think she got a little annoyed with me.

Why can’t the checkers memorize the produce numbers like they do at Safeway or Fred Meyers?  It’s NOT that big of a grocery store.  I understand that they have like 5 different oranges and then several different ways it is grown (conventional, local organic, organic…).  I hate being overcharged, and I hate waiting longer than I need to  to check out.  We haven’t been back in two weeks.  I’m not sure if I am going to continue shopping there.

——————————————————————

To my surprise, the owner of the store commented on my review.  Here it is:

We just went through an overhaul of our produce codes recently. The system is running more smoothly now. We are sorry for any inconvenience and sincerely hope to see you back in our store soon!

Shake what your mama gave you!  Lila’s shakin’ her booty at her birthday party.  It’s a very short clip.  She was dancing for a while, but of course, by the time I get the camera out and ready, she stops dancing!

I can’t believe Lila is now ONE!  Her birthday crept up so quickly, I wasn’t even prepared.  My parents assumed that we were going to throw Lila a party, but I assumed not to have one.  “What, you’re not going to have a birthday party for Lila!!??” grandma exclaims.  “You have to have a birthday party!”  We settled for a party with just the family.  I feel like our time with Lila is going by so much faster than it did with Miles.  I guess having two kids in diapers makes time fly.  It also helps that Lila is such an easy going baby…er, toddler.  I have another thought- I think a birthday for the child should also be the birth day celebration for the mother.  I mean, it was the day I gave birth, right?!  I guess that’s why we have Mother’s Day, which, by the way, ALSO came and went so fast.  Enough tangents…  About Lila’s birthday weekend. 

Ong Ba Ngoai were in Vietnam over Lila’s birthday weekend so we decided to celebrate Lila’s birthday again two weeks later.  The birthday girl did not go to bed until 10pm that night! She has never stayed up this late.  But she was in a GREAT mood so we decided to keep her up.

Grandma and Grandpa Driver sent Lila a beautiful party dress. It was the sweetest looking dress with pink tulle to make the dress extra puffy.  I LOVE puffy baby dresses!  We just got a new camera, so I’ll post a picture of her dress…as soon as I learn how to upload photos…stay tuned.

I recently went to Boston for a work meeting.  I also got a chance to see Jason’s  siblings while there.

One of the many cab rides I took while in Boston.  This guy was pretty crazy, darting in and out of traffic, honking at cars, and going 50 in a 25 mile per hour zone.  Basically he was going no where fast!

In order from left to right: Me, Amanda (Brahm’s wife), Brahm (Jason’s lil brother), Brahm is holding our nephew Jackson, and Erin (Jason’s older sister).  In the picture below this one, between Brahm and Erin, is Erin’s husband Robert

The morning started a little rough for the birthday girl.

Lila’s view: Four of my back teeth are coming in and it sure hurts!

Shhh! Don’t tell mama and daddy where I am hiding.

Seriously, it took us some time to find Lila.  We had no idea that she was hiding in the kitchen cubbby!

Oh, look, there’s Lila!

Lila gets her car seat turned around from the infant position (backward facing) to the toddler position (forward facing).

Being a birthday girl is hard work! It’s time for me to take a nap at the restaurant!