My Strange Addiction

A few days ago, I blogged about Brooke's milkaholism.  What I failed to mention was that addictive tendencies run in the family.  My name is Aubrey, and I am addicted to orange juice.

I know full well that I should drink water and that fruit juice is full of calories and carbs.  But, sweet and tangy, pulpy, delicious orange juice tastes so good when it hits your lips.  It is my drug of choice...well, that and NyQuil.  I drank it straight from the carton.  I was up to two gallons a week at my worst. 

I tried to give my sweet indulgence up for Lent.  Jesus went 40 days and 40 nights in the desert!  Surely I could survive the Lenten season without Tropicana.

That next Sunday at Giant, I bought two half gallons of Tropicana because it was 2/$6--a good bargain, and Alyssa likes to have orange juice for breakfast.  I couldn't even avoid it for one day.  The gallon of "some pulp" didn't last until Wednesday...and it wasn't because of Alyssa!  I am ashamed to admit that I went back to Giant for more, which is totally against my one grocery trip a week rule.  The worst part is that I was skimping on how much I would serve Alyssa because I wanted to hoard it for myself.

So, although I was willing to admit that I had/have a problem with orange juice, I wasn't able to avoid it.  And, when I would talk with Greg about my addiction, the discussion would almost always end in stony silence.  Me: "I need to quit drinking so much orange juice."  Greg:  "Yeah, it's really not that good for you."  Me (defensively):  "Why not?  It's not like I'm too fat to drink juice!  What's bad in it other than the calories?"  Greg: "You aren't too fat... It's just a lot of sugar--"  Me:  "Naturally occurring sugar!  I get 100%!"  Greg:  "It's still sugar...and preservatives."  Me:  "No, it's not!  What do you think 100% means?"   Silence.  (I kid you not.  That is a real conversation...and, I think we have had a close variation of it two or three times.)

After my almost 11-month-old quit her milkie vice in two nights, I was inspired to quit the juice for good.  This Sunday at the Giant, the Tropicana deal was still in effect, but I bought a teensie pint of Florida's Natural--just enough for Alyssa's breakfast for the week.  I haven't had a single drop of citrusy deliciousness.  I have, for the most part, been drinking water.  When an orange juice craving hits, I might have a little nip from a Juicy Juice juicebox...fruit punch, not orange.

So far, so good: this evening, it will be 3 days off the juice.