Since we have a hard time staying home for any holiday and since Eddie was on vacation and we could be gone for a few days rather than a few hours, we decided to visit his family in Dallas for Thanksgiving this year. My sister-in-law hadn't originally planned on preparing turkey and all the fixings so we had a rather nontraditional Thanksgiving planned: dinner at Texas de Brazil then taking the kids to the Gaylord Texan so they could act a fool while I tried to take their pictures for our Christmas cards. (Two serious run on sentences in a row! Holy!) But, early in the week, Eddie's sister texted him to let us know she was planning on cooking dinner. So we went the traditional route.
And, maaaaaaayne. Did she EVER cook dinner! The stuffing was so good and the mac and cheese was to die for. She made greens which meant my husband was beyond happy. Karis - Karis! My one and a half year old! - ate three dinner rolls. It was just a dang good meal. Desert was sweet potato pie* and when I made the mistake of asking what the difference was in sweet potato and pumpkin, I was schooled in "black people food vs white people food."
** It was so strange only having two pies (and both of the same flavor!) and only one variety of potatoes on the Thanksgiving dinner table. When my family gets together, there is usually enough pie for each person to have their own. As in their own ENTIRE pie. And there are also no less than 18 different potato dishes. We know how to eat, ya'll.
So, that was Thanksgiving. Low key. Good food. Cowboys won. I ran to CVS so I could buy two snuggies for $10 in hopes that, when the boys open them on Christmas Day, Eddie and I can finally get ours back.
Later in the evening, I went to meet my friend Kira because, ya'll, we had something we had to do. It was time for BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING.
Black Friday is my favorite day of the whole entire year. I love the bargains. I love to shop. I love how people get all worked up and angry. I love how a bitch will claw you with her talons-for-fingernails to get the very last $5 Barbie. I love how you always have the chick wearing an ill-fitting sweatsuit, hair pulled in a scrunchie, who is telling Black Friday War Stories from years past.
I just love it.
If this tells you anything: I took three pictures of Thanksgiving dinner. Three. I took almost twenty when Kira and I were out
We started out at 9:00 at Walmart. I stood by a pallet of Cars themed race car tracks that were, apparently, a very hot item. Because approxomately 10 seconds after a loud "WHOOOP!" (that, obvs, had nothing to do with the Texas/ Texas A&M game) went through the store, those race car tracks were GONE. Gone. I worked my way through the crowds (even with a cart!) and managed to get everything on my list save for a game of Operation (Sponge Bob Ants in the Pants took its place) and a damn $10 Baby Alive.
I'm still a little bitter over the Baby Alive.
After Walmart, it was Macy's. The only REAL reason we went to Macy's was because they were in the same mall as The Disney Store. My local Disney Store was opening at midnight; this one was not. It would've been a slight burnt run but Macy's had sweaters at buy one get one free (I got two CUTE ones for my stepdaughter for a total of $30) and Melissa and Doug toys were also buy one get one. Awesome.
A Jack in the Box (we don't have those in Memphis, by the way) run and we went back to Kira's house to veg until it was time to head out to Sears to scoop up some $20 peacoats. Oh, and by "to veg" I mean "to drink margaritas."
Let's just say the second half of our trip was much more interesting.
I crashed the bed these chicks were resting on. This was at Sears. Roughly 4:15 am.
Kira got in a "glamourizer" fight with this guy. Also at Sears.
Still at Sears. I think the sales clerk's face says it all.
We are [probably] never allowed back in that particular Sears. Ever.
We really did buy stuff at Sears. I managed to come out with three pairs of boots, a peacoat, and a pair of jeggings.
After Sears, it was on to the mall, to JC Penney. More shenanigans.
The ladies in the lingerie department were full of Razorback spirit and agreed to call the Hogs.
Good times. Good.Times. Ya'll.
We found a store in the mall selling accessories at a dollar a pop. I bought several stocking stuffers for Zhariah and - be still my heart - some Big Ass Bows for Karis. For $1!
After we left the mall, it was time for an [extremely tired] run to Target. It was 7:00 in the morning. They had been open for seven hours. And I STILL managed to get everything on my list. (A $12 Cabbage Patch -- my girl is getting her first ever Cabbage Patch! I think I'm more excited about this than anything else the kids are getting!, some jammie and slipper sets, undies, and scarves and gloves). Score!
In the end, I finished up about 85% of my Christmas shopping -- the boys are completely finished with the exception of their big gifts (and the hubs is in charge of getting those). Zhariah and Karis each need three more of their smaller gifts. All stocking stuffers are purchased. And I came in about $200 under my husband-induced Black Friday budget. I'm, like, a serious shopping ninja.
--- BTW: I wrote most of this last night. I woke up this morning to find out we are under a winter weather advisory. In November! In Memphis! There's a 70% chance of rain and snow this afternoon. Which seems like perfect weather to put away my fall decor and pull out the Christmas tree. Also, to start packing my bathing suits and flip flops and FLY SOUTH for the winter. Snow in November makes me think that February is going to be miserable!
After we left the mall, it was time for an [extremely tired] run to Target. It was 7:00 in the morning. They had been open for seven hours. And I STILL managed to get everything on my list. (A $12 Cabbage Patch -- my girl is getting her first ever Cabbage Patch! I think I'm more excited about this than anything else the kids are getting!, some jammie and slipper sets, undies, and scarves and gloves). Score!
In the end, I finished up about 85% of my Christmas shopping -- the boys are completely finished with the exception of their big gifts (and the hubs is in charge of getting those). Zhariah and Karis each need three more of their smaller gifts. All stocking stuffers are purchased. And I came in about $200 under my husband-induced Black Friday budget. I'm, like, a serious shopping ninja.
--- BTW: I wrote most of this last night. I woke up this morning to find out we are under a winter weather advisory. In November! In Memphis! There's a 70% chance of rain and snow this afternoon. Which seems like perfect weather to put away my fall decor and pull out the Christmas tree. Also, to start packing my bathing suits and flip flops and FLY SOUTH for the winter. Snow in November makes me think that February is going to be miserable!
