The new Wegmans in Northboro is ENORMOUS. I mean, I grew up with large Wegmans, but this place is HUUUUGE! The liquor section alone is bigger than the biggest "packy" (package store, or liquor store for non-New Englanders) I know of in the Worcester area. The sit-down/buffet/eating area is also deceptively large (there are 4 seating rooms), and has 6 or 7 different stations of cuisines to choose from.

I had a few odd moments of nostalgia. One was in passing the pharmacy. They have exactly the same way of laying out the pharm area - giving it it's own "corner" even though it's in the middle of the store - that the Britton Road store did (does? I'm pretty sure they closed recently.)

Another moment was in passing the bulk foods area. There were some cool candy and non-candy options that caught my eye as an adult, but I also saw a few candies I haven't seen since I was a kid, like Brach's jelly-filled nougat (disgusting, I know)... and loose Jelly Bellys! Then I remembered the benefit of having the customer-operated tagging machine: pick out your candy, tag it, and start eating it before you're at the checkout! (Didn't let Claire know about this option, though.)

The last was in passing the paper goods aisles at the far end of the store (next to the liquor). The high, warehouse-style shelving of paper products probably SHOULD make me think of BJ's or another warehouse club, but that's how Wegmans has been doing it for 20+ years, so... yeah. Another blast from the past following me.

As a parent, I really appreciated a number of features, particularly in the bathrooms (with 2 kids there for almost 2 hours, there were multiple bathroom trips...) They have a "family bathroom" in at least one spot, but the women's rooms also have a "family stall", which includes the expected changing table, but also a sink, a strap-your-child-in chair - and a wicker armchair! Oh, and the toilet is just a bit lower to the floor. Someone really put thought into how a "family" with more than one young kid uses a bathroom! The main sink area in the bathrooms also has a flip-down stepstool so smaller children can reach the water, which is handy.

All in all, it was a good time. Might keep going out there when we can make a morning of it - wrap up with eating lunch at the end or something. And next time, there will be less window-shopping/impulse-buys and better list-making ;)

It meant a lot to me yesterday when nightskyre said "I don't know if I've ever told you, but I really appreciate how much work you've put in to make sure our kids can celebrate Hanukkah."

Now, to go look up that potato pancake recipe again...

While I am sure you meant well, I really did not need your criticism advice about not letting my three-year-old out of my sight while I was in line trying to check out. I knew it was not the world's best idea, but I also knew that I had two grumpy children and a slow but demanding cashier. I really just wanted to get home after two hours of grocery shopping this morning.

If you had really been concerned about the safety of my children, you would have left your cart and offered to go WITH my child on her trek to get "just one banana" - OR offered to stay with my cart in the checkout so I could have unstrapped my infant and gone with my daughter. Instead, you decided it was a good idea to lay on the guilt. Thanks again for your concern, I guess.

We've been having baked oatmeal fairly often lately, but this is the first time I've branched off from existing recipes. It was fantastic! Almost like a coffe cake that you pour milk over and eat with a spoon. :)  <lj user=nightskyre> was thrilled, since it's less than 450 calories per serving. Not bad for a sweet and hearty breakfast!

• 4 cups old fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, divided
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup natural applesauce
• 2 apples, diced

In a large bowl mix together all ingredients except for ¼ cup of the brown sugar.
Spread into a greased 9×13 pan. (You can store in the fridge overnight at this point)
Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup brown sugar on top just before baking.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Serves 6.

Baby A, you're growing like a weed. You'll be 9 months old this week, and you are outgrowing your 12-month clothing! You've been working on pulling up and standing for a while now, and you are doing a little bit of experimentation with standing on your own and cruising along the furniture. But when you really want to get somewhere, you drop to the floor - and boy, can you crawl fast! Big Sister C sometimes grabs you to keep you from crawling into the kitty litter box or the kitty food, but you're getting too strong and slippery for her, even though you are only half her size.

You are finally getting teeth! Just this week, one top tooth poked through, and now another one is starting to appear. (I say "finally", but I know Big Sister didn't get any teeth until almost a year - so you're ahead of her on that, as well as on height.) You've had a few issues with food and with minor illnesses passed back and forth in the family (most recently, a viral rash - yuck!), but you're obviously growing well. Everyone remarks on how happy you are - unless they've had to babysit you at night. You take after your sister on that - you're happy unless it's bedtime and you don't have a parent to help you get to sleep.

Glad our local Friendly's was not one of the 63 shut down as part of the company's bankruptcy filing. They were packed out tonight, but the wait was short and the service was good (we had our favorite waitress, which helps).

siderea has come up with what she thinks is the optimal formula for LJ posts to build community:

Every month, post AT LEAST:
2 personal diary entries ("this is what I did")
2 "bleg"s (a question inviting response / provoking discussion)
12 pointers (reposts of interesting content, probably with a bit of text. This post is a pointer.)
1 op ed (a post written by you, but not ABOUT you. Review, etc.)

I'm not so good at this, as I haven't posted more than once a month for a year or two. Well, having kids completely changed how I use my time, LJ included. :)

Excited for the Missa Gaia concert coming up this weekend (Saturday, 8pm, Salem Covenant Church on East Mountain St. Tickets to the general public are $25.) I'm going to get to sing with WPI folks again, and John Delorey. I can't believe there was a time that I didn't like his style of conducting.

Had rehearsal tonight, have another one on Thursday, and then concert Saturday. It's going to be a full week!