Black Friday

I think Black Friday gets a bad rap, like it's a bunch of crazy people throwing money in every direction. In reality, we do Black Friday in a big way every year and we do save a lot of money on items that we are waiting for. We pour over the adds, make lists and pretty much stick to exactly what we plan on buying. The only purchase I made this year that wasn't on my list was a pair of boots for myself that I've been wanting the last two Black Fridays but didn't find a good deal on previously.

Unfortunately, Wal-Mart decided to post most of their good deals starting at mid-night, so JD and my three older girls hit the road about 10:15 last night. They returned around 1:30 a.m. My alarm went off at 5:00a.m. and the girls and I hit about a dozen other stores - I didn't make them go after already shopping , but they wanted to. I did not buy one toy, but did get boy's jeans for $6, jammies for $5, a vacuum for $23, crock pots for $10, you get the idea. A lot of what we actually purchase on Black Friday aren't gifts, just house-hold items that we need (usually because someone broke it during the year) and we wait knowing that the item will be at least 1/2 price on Black Friday.

The girls and I returned around 1:00 p.m.; they went to bed and I fixed lunch. I have to say that the fun we have is also part of the draw. They look forward to it all year and we manage to have fun driving from store to store, hunting down our items and waiting in line to pay!

Yesterday JD fixed James' old, green gator. We bought James this for his 5th birthday a little over five years ago. Three years ago the battery died. Two years ago I bought a new battery but discovered that the liter of puppies dumped in my drive-way had chewed the wires under the hood. Yesterday, JD fixed it for the girls and Elijah. The battery was about dead by noon, but I took the kids out to finish it off.

The horn needs a battery, the windshield some super glue and the bungee cord is the only way to hold on the hood - it reminds me of the vehicle that Gabriel used to drive!

The flock of roaming guineas don't seem impressed!

There were some serious power struggles between Julia and Elijah for the wheel, but they did stop long enough for a picture.

After lunch, Julia showed me Gus. Apparently I missed Gus' earlier appearance in the pink tutu.

When Julia plunked him down, he just laid there in his blue doll dress. JD commented that he has completely given up in life, but he doesn't really seem to mind. I told Julia, "poor Gus, he's a boy." She said, "he is not a boy, he's a princess!"

Moriah will be pleased to know her cat was well cared for while she was Black Friday shopping and napping.