Black Friday 2009

Yes, I was up and at it again this year! It's one of my favorite days of the year. The kick off of the official Christmas season. Yes on 90 minutes asleep I departed from my home at 3:00am blaring 'It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year' and drove myself to the mall. I arrived to a relatively empty parking lot since only The Disney Store and Sears were open at 3am - all other stores opened at 5am or later. I went in and scoped out the line (not too shabby by 3:15 when I arrived) and headed over to Starbucks to get my Black Friday pick-me-up and my Bliss bar for breakfast! Yum! With coffee and bar in hand I headed back to the Disney Store where I met up with Vanessa and Rebecca, my partners in shopping.


I acquired some great deals there $30 items I walked out the store for $12. T-shirts that are normally $10 I left paying $3.50. Same with small stuffed animals. Great great deals! I was quite happy - and I was able to get the discounts for everything I had bought on Wednesday as well. Needless to say - Ace is well stocked for Christmas in all things CARS related.

We then headed toward JCPenney and were greeted with a Mickey snow globe for our valiant efforts at arriving so early. It's cute and Ace loves it. Ever since Disneyland he's really become attached to Mickey - which is why when we were at the Disney store on Wednesday Elf Mickey came to live with us (see picture below). Yes it's true - I'm a sucker and well I love Christmas stuffed animals I have a TON. I can hear my husband sigh and grumble. ;-) Whew side track... anyway!! We head into JCP - I didn't find anything for me there, nothing that great of a deal that I needed... afterwards we stopped in a small shop called Romy they are only located in a few states - so sorry if you don't have one because I got long sleeve shirts for $1.90 (90% off) and got a short sleeve chunky sweater (not sure that's a tech term) for $15 (50% off) and thus left with some Christmas 'cheer' for me as well.

We spent roughly 3 hours in the mall - it went by pretty quickly it felt like and then we headed in our two vehicles (V and R came together, and I separately) to the Target/Kohls. Parking wasn't too much of a bear - we went into Target - it was a NIGHTMARE. Now I"m alll for Black Friday - and I love myself some $5 dvds - but when the line literally is laced around the entire store it was a NO GO. We left. Rebecca headed to Kohls and Vanessa and I took a jaunt over to ToysRus not too far away. Got what V needed there and I abstained again (I was so good, I should get a medal!) and then R was still in line at Kohls, so V and I went and grabbed breakfast #2 at McDonalds - we had perfect timing and met Rebecca back at Kohls right as she was exiting.

I headed out in my own car and we caravaned to Fred Meyer for half price socks, half priced Christmas lights, and breakfast #3 (every year they serve mini donuts and juice and coffee to guest.) I also found Ace 60% off Christmas jammies for the big day (they're super adorable, just you wait!) and 24 pieces of Rubbermaid tupperware for $10. Excellent! Overall not too shabby at all.

I came home with all my loot and gave my son a big hug. He missed me. It's always so great to come home to one of his sweet hugs. My husband begrudgingly happily got out the 4 tubs and the Christmas tree from the shed, rearranged the furniture, and set up the tree for me, and we hung the first ornament before departing on his own Christmas shopping with stellar deals and steals! Oh Black Friday, how I...we... I love thee.

I spent Ace's nap time fluffing the tree and hanging all non-breakable (or at least non-shaterable) ornaments on the tree. So far he's done very well with it. We'll see how it goes. :)

Finished pictures to come in the coming days! Enjoy the picture of us hanging the first ornament on the tree. Ace got the honor this year by hanging his new CARS ornament on the tree! Oh boy! It's going to be so much fun to watch him with Christmas this year!