Black Friday: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly!

Okay, so there are 2 days a year that I am a Morning Person! (And only those 2 days, the rest of the year I'm a certified Night Owl!) They are Christmas Day & Black Friday! Every year I take the day after Thanksgiving off of work to shop. When my kids were little I stood in line in places like Toys Are Us & The Disney Store! And now that they are older, I don't have to hunt for toys anymore, but I still go out just out of tradition. I've always thought it was fun! I love to shop! I love crowds! So for me It's a win, win! Sometimes I go alone, sometimes I would talk a Friend into getting up early & going with me! Sometimes after my Husband would wake up (after I'd been up shopping for hours) he would meet me at Starbucks!) The past few years my oldest son, Kyle goes with me, yes I raised him right! A Man that loves to shop! ;)

In years past I would get up bright & early (or more like; dark & early) but this year, with stores opening on Thanksgiving, after we had eaten, my Niece wanted to go to Walmart, they had several things she wanted that was starting at 6pm. So I said I'd go with her, my daughters wanted to go as well. So why not?! And let me just say, normally I go to Target. They have Black Friday down to a Science! You stand in line outside, (and in Arizona, that isn't bad. I've done it in Michigan too, which is more of a challenge due to unpredictable weather!) They let in shoppers, then hold the line for a bit, & let in more, etc. Once inside items are clearly marked. They've even come through the line & handed out maps letting you know where Door Buster Items are going to be. They have a path clearly marked to stand in line to check out, and as you get to the front of the line, there is an employee up on a raised platform, that can see all the registers & directs you as to which one to go to! It all runs very smooth! Well, let's just say my experience at Walmart was not at all like this! I now know why I'm "Team Target", instead of "Team Walmart!" It was a Free For All! No line, just wall to wall people everywhere. Everything we went there to get was gone & we got there at 6, when the sale was supposed to start. We made our way through the store & finally pushed out into the back isle & could not believe the people there, I raised my phone in the air & had to take a picture . . .

Now everyone was nice enough & would even help other people find items they were looking for, but I could see how things could go bad, so many people crammed in there & with so few items of what was advertised. I saw on Twitter, last night that the police were called out to a Walmart in Pennsylvania, or somewhere, due to customer violence. Yikes. I don't want to be, or have my kids anywhere near that! So this is probably the first & last time I do Black Friday at Walmart! It's not worth it! So we made it out of there finally & latter that night after heading back home (we were on the other side of town at my Brothers house) Kyle & I went to Macy's at Midnight. And can I just say, a complete opposite experience! We walked in & I said "Now this is how shopping is supposed to be! Not what we saw earlier!" All the Door Busters were in the isles, all sales were clearly labeled! We found everything we'd gone there to get & more! We got some really great deals! My Husband even bought me a couple gifts & he wasn't even there! ;) Then we stopped by Target, all the crowds were gone, we picked up a couple of DVD's & walked right up to the Register! Went home & went to bed! I got up on Friday & leisurely looked through the Ads again & hit a couple more stores! So nice!

 

Best deal of the day: I got free Tote Bags (no purchase Necessary, though we did make a purchase!) at Down East Basics! It was one per Voucher that had come in the mail, but Thankfully our Neighbor gave us her Voucher, (Thank you Lori!) because when you have Twins, you have to have two of everything! :) So that was our Black Friday Adventures this year! Do you shop the Black Friday Sales? I probably always will! Just because I think it's so fun! But I will probably steer clear of Walmart from now on! :)

Thankful Thursday: Marriage!

 Well this is the last Thankful Thursday of the Month!

That is sad, but I hope you let it serve as a reminder

that There is Always something to be Thankful for! 

Today & Everyday!

Today I am Thankful for Marriage!

My Husband and I have been Married now for just over 26 years! 

I cant imagine doing Life without him!

He makes everything in life better!

We both had great examples of what a Good Marriage Looks like,

Both sets of our parents were Married for 50 plus years,

until death did they part.

(This was us at our Wedding,

with My Parents & Johns Parents Oct. 17th, 1987)

Today is Thanksgiving,

and as I sit around the Thanksgiving table with our Families,

I am Thankful for my Parents & and for my In-Laws

and the love they had for each other,

the Families that they started

and the traditions we all still carry on today. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful Thursday: Parenthood!

One of the things I am most Thankful for is Parenthood!

And even though it is my Favorite show of all time,

and the Best Show On T.V.! 

I'm not talking about the television show.

(Though it really is a great show, if you're not watching it start now!

then you will be Thankful to me for recommending it!) :) 

No, I'm talking about Actual Parenthood! 

There is nothing in life that is Harder, more Difficult or Scary!

Yet there is nothing in life that is more Rewarding, Fulfilling or Fun!

Today is one of those fun times!

My girls & I will be spending the day together

hanging out in line for the Catching Fire Movie Premier!

Catching Fire is the sequel to The Hunger Games 

It's one of our Mother/Daughter things we do and I love it! 

Yes, Parenthood is an Adventure! 

But I wouldn't want to be on that Adventure with anyone else! 

22!!

 Can't believe My Baby Boy turns 22 today! 

Here are some fun facts about him;

Zach Loves to Learn! 

Sometimes in the Summer, he'll get out a College Text Book

 to read just for fun! 

He's Adventurous & loves the outdoors! 

(Is studying to be a Wildlife Biologist)

But is more of a Homebody than anyone I've ever met! 

He's Introverted & Super Quiet till you get to know him,

Then you find out how Hilarious he really is! 

Happy 22nd Birthday Zach Man! 

I know this is gonna be an Awesome year for you! 

We love you & are Proud to call you our Son! 

Thankful Thursday: Music!

Music has always been a big part of our Family! I knew it would be from the day I married a Musician 26+ years ago & he sang to me at our Wedding!

All 4 of our children have grown up around Music! Listening to it, Watching Dad play it, Learning to play instruments themselves, Performing at Church, School & in the Community, Singing to it, Dancing to it . . .

Even though I am pretty much Musically Illiterate, I love Music! And with a Husband & 4 Children who are all Musically talented, I like to say "Everyone needs a Fan!" And that's my role in this Musical family! And I'm Really good at it! :)

Music adds so much to life! Just try watching a Movie with no Musical Score. My kids love & appreciate Music of all Genres! Yes, we raised them right; Loving the 80's! :) But you will find them listening to everything from Classical to Country, Reggae to Rap, Show Tunes to Pop, Sacred to Secular, Oldies to Hip Hop, Jazz to Rock! You never know what you might hear coming from one of our Cars or our House! And I love that about us!

On this Thankful Thursday, I am very Thankful for the role Music plays in all our Family and in our Lives! And my advice to you is "Let The Music Play On!" 

Thankful Thursday! Sisters!

November is here again, how did that happen so fast?! And with the month of November comes Thankful Thursdays! It's where every Thursday of November I Blog about things I'm Thankful for, and hopefully Inspire you to be a little more Thankful in your everyday life.

Today I'm Thankful for Sisters!

There's nobody like a Sister!

It's a Special Relationship.

You share things that only you know,

You can tell her things you can't tell anybody else.

I lost my only Sister, Debbie, to cancer in 2001

I miss her all the time, but especially in November.

November 3rd is her Birthday

And Thanksgiving was her Favorite Holiday! 

And I am so Blessed as a Mother 

to watch my girls experience the Sister Bond!

Yes, all Sisters disagree & argue at times, 

but there's no one closer!

 Something Unique about my Family 

is that my Grandmother had 2 Daughters:
my Aunt Molly & my Mom Pat. 

My Mom had 2 Girls: My Sister Debbie & I. 

Debbie had 2 Daughters: Shawna & Stormy. 

My Niece Shawna has 2 Girls: Alysha & Amanda. 

Stormy also has 2 Girls: Morgan & Shay. 

And I have 2 Daughters myself: Erica & Alexia. 

I have told my girls, they can have 0 Sons up to 5 Sons,
it doesn't matter, but they WILL have 2 Daughters! 

It's in our Genes! :)

I firmly believe that 

Every Girl Needs A Sister! 

On Debbie's Birthday I was looking through my Memory Box
and I found this:
It's a Poem Debbie wrote for me,

and it's in her own Beautiful Handwriting

 It's one of my most prize possessions

I can't tell you how Thankful I am to have it!

My Sister was 13 when I was born
I wanted to be with her all the time!

Mother & Daughters 80's Style! ;)
We got closer as I got older!

Weather your 13 years apart, like Debbie & I were,

or 4 minuets apart like my girls are,
Sisters share a Special Bond.

Today & Everyday I'm thankful for mine!