Jen08

My hubby told me this year that he didn't want anything at all, but I know better than that. He's just like a kid and wants to open something on christmas so I got him a helicopter to fly outside. The link is below. I also picked him up a few other things. He hates getting clothes, shoes, coats, etc for christmas. He says christmas is about getting stuff you WANT and not what you NEED. I on the other hand ask for stuff I both want and need...haha. He likes to get toys, gadgets etc at christmas so i think he will enjoy the helicopter. http://www.xheli.com/2esbigoulaco.html

My BF day was GREAT! Started at kohls, then target, best buy, breakfast, mall, Ulta, back to target, TJ Max, Barnes and Noble and then headed home. We got to Target at 3:50am and got home at 4pm. In all, with all my coupons, GCs and BF prices, I only spent half of what I went with. I only spent around $300 but got atleast $1000 worth of stuff. BEST moment of the day: Was walking by Abercrombie and noticed they had a real model with his shirt wide open standing out like a manequin. I walked by and asked my sil if he was real b/c he was kinda far away. Well he must have heard me b/c I was still looking when we walked by and when we got up to him, he moved alittle and then winked at me! LOL!!!! I screamed, "OMG, HE"S REAL!!" Hahahaha!! We laughed about that all day.

I was planning on buying my 2 kids teachers wall flowers from bath and body or the ones from yankee candle. I agree with homemade goods that they get thrown away. I am not a teacher but I work at a medical office and I don't eat anything that is baked and brought in by patients. I'm just picky like that though. With all the sick germs going around, you just never know.

I was just looking and so far it looks like Old Navy is going to be the first place I hit. This could change as more ads come out, but for now its Old Navy. They open at 3am, which means I'll need to leave my house by 1:30 to be able to get there by 2:30 and get a kinda decent place in line. Anyway, if I do this then I'll only get about 3 hours of sleep before I have to get up at 1am to get ready for BF. I'm seriously thinking about not even going to sleep but I'm afraid that I'll be dead tired by 10am on BF morning. I'll wake up on Thanksgiving morning at 7 to get the paper and then I won't go back to bed that night until 10. I doubt I get a chance to take a nap on Thanksgiving with all that we have going on that day. My question is has anyone else shopped on BF and went 24 hours without sleep and able to handle all that there is on BF?

OH and if it comes down to it, then I just maybe putting $30 into it on BF, b/c I'll end up giving in and buying it for him b/c I know how much he wants one.

I am sure you all have seen the football jerseys at Kohls, JCPenney, etc for your fav. football team. My son wants either a Carolina Panthers or Carolina Tarheels one. I want to get him one but they are regularly $40 and he's only 7 years old! I just can't see spending that much on a jersey that you have to wear a shirt underneath it. I know Kohls had them on sale for 25% off but thats still not enough of a discount to get it in my opinion. Do you guys know if anyone has put them on a good sale on BF in the years past? Or the best place to get one at a better deal.

Both of my boys get an ornament from Hallmark every year. My DH mom did this when he was little and now we have a ton of these ornaments. I always decorate my pencil tree that is in my dining room with all his ornaments that he got. I hope my boys love their ornaments when they are older.

I wouldn't go as far to say that its child abuse. I mean think about when it snows and its freezing outside...our kids dont' mind being out in the cold then. If people are going to take their kids then they should bundle them out well enough that they aren't to cold. If the child is an infant or even a toddler and its super cold out, then I say just wait in the car until a minute or two before the store opens and then get out.

I have two boys ages 7 and 2. They both 100% believe. My oldest has mentioned before a few weeks ago about us being santa and I said, "there's no way I can Santa..Me and daddy can't buy all those you toys you get from him". He accepted that answer and talks about santa almost on a daily basis ever since. I love that he still believes. I also purchased Elf On The Shelf last christmas and the boys love their elf that comes every night in Dec. to visit them. If anyone doesn't know what Elf on the Shelf is then you should def. google it. Its a very neat toy for the kids. When my oldest was only 1 I started I tradition with him that we get up every christmas eve and make home made choc. chip cookies for Santa. I can't wait for this year when my youngest will be able to help us. I also video tape them making the cookies and putting santa's cookies out that night.

For me, my favorite part about BF is the ride to the mall which is a good 50 minutes away. Its pitch dark with very little cars on the road until I get closer to the city where the mall is and listening to Christmas music. If I am alone, I get some ALONE time for mama and a moment to just sit in peace and quiet and just think about things. If I am with my MIL, then we chat but its just so calming until we hit the mall and then the adrenaline kicks in. :) I also like to get home and take everything out the bags to see what great deals I've gotten. Then I count how much money I didn't spend and realize I got some great deals!

I have never taken my kids out on BF. Then again I have 2 young boys and they absolutely HATE to go shopping. LOL! If my oldest son (7 yrs) wanted to go, I would spend so much time making sure he was right beside me and that no one was pushing him around just so they could get a good deal. I did see a woman in line one year with an infant in her stroller. When the doors opened, everyone just rushed in and didn't even care that their was a baby. They almost knocked them over, but my MIL grabbed her and helped shield her from everyone pushing them. My MIL even hollered at people that there was a baby there, but no one cared. I am kinda on the fence about it. I understand why some people have no choice to bring their kids, but I don't see why they have to be there at 5am and not atleast wait until 8am to get there so their kids can sleep alittle. I am lucky enough to have my DH to stay home with our boys on BF and he knows this is the 1 day out of the entire year that he can't make other plans or call me on my cell to ask when am I going to be home. LOL!

Last year when me and my husband went to bed after a very good Thanksgiving, we watched a show that was, I think called, "worlds dumbest shoppers". It was showing cameras that have caught people running into stores and running into a pole, or tripping over the side walk. It was hilarious. So far, i haven't done anything to embaress myself so I hope I'm not jinxing that. I try not to get to anxious but sometimes it happens. I must admit that I have seen a few people argue but it hasn't ever turned into anything serious and I actually chuckled alittle bit b/c they are so unbelievably serious and get so pissed if a person accidentally skips them in line or is asking to cut thru the line so they can get from one side of the store to the other. I love BF but I can honestly say I've never gotten "fighting" mad at someone and this is after a lady thru her crutch up and hit my stomach when Heights opened their doors. (She did this to keep the line back so her family could get in the store).

I know Walmart may want to not bring back layaway but I think its only a matter of time before they do. Especially since Kmart, TRU, Sears, etc are doing layaway that walmart will feel pressured into doing it in order to keep their business. Me and my husband are personally buying items from tru just b/c of them having layaway. This is just my personal opinion though. It may not happen this year, but I think in the next few years, that they will bring back layaway, even if it means they only bring itback for the holiday.

Does someone bring you a plate of Thanksgiving food or do you cook your own little Thanksgiving feast?

Every thanksgiving morning, I get up before 7am, slip on my bathrobe and shoes and drive to the little country store down the road from my house just to get about 5 newspapers with all the ads, coupons, etc. I always get stuck being the one who my SIL, MIL, mom, and sister ask to pick them up a paper to so that is why I get so many. Its actually alittle funny to see how fast i can get out of the car, get my papers and back in the car before anyone sees me in my pj's but I always catch another women doing the same thing. LOL!! Once I get back, I cook a breakfast casserole (I only cook this casserole on thanksgiving day). Next, me, the kids and hubby heads over the my inlaws house where we sit around and snack, talk, joke around until Turkey is ready! Once we are done eating, all of us, including the adults sit down and make our Christmas Lists. Once we have done this, we all sit around the table and go thru all the sales ads. This is honestly my most favorite time of thanksgiving. Its def. a memory that I will always cherish. This year I am going to take pics of us doing this b/c one day these memories will be a thing of the past and I'll have to make new ones with my boys and their wives (their only 2 and 7 so I have a ways to go. :) ) By the time we get home from my parents house, we are tired! I always have a hard time falling asleep especially when I know I'll be getting up in just a matter of a few hours to go shopping! I can hardly wait!!!! BF is my favorite Holiday! (Yes, BF is a holiday in my book). hehehe!

We only get a live tree as well. I grew up with fakes ones and so I try to get a real one every year. Anyway, I'm really really good about making sure our tree has enough water in it so that it never dries out. I honestly think i could keep it up a few weeks after christmas but I'm not going to take that chance. LOL! One thing I do love is looking thru all my christmas decorations. Mainly b/c I go shopping the day after christmas to buy stuff for the next year so when I open up my christmas boxes, I'll see "new" stuff that i had forgotten that I had bought. :)

We always put our Christmas tree up the 1st weekend in December. We would love to do it thanksgiving weekend but with all the shopping that I do, its just impossible. I am just to give out to bring all the decorations down from upstairs. Anyway...how long does everyone keep their trees up? I always take mine down the day after christmas. I have a friend that has kept hers up close to Valentines day. Does anyone keep theirs up year round? My aunt use to keep hers decorated and ready to be plugged in all year round. SHe would just store it and then pull it out at christmas.

does toys r us still do layaway?

In years past, I have shopped with my mom, or my sister, a friend or my MIL and SIL. I have found that I do love being with someone but I am just fine by myself. I have had to go by myself before and just meet up with my MIL and SIL for breakfast and lunch and I still had a great time. I am not sure if I will be by myself this year or not. My hubby doesn't go AT ALL! He got out 1 year and stood in line for a Wii and after standing there and not getting it, he said NEVER AGAIN. LOL! He knows how much I love it, so he watches our 2 boys for me so I can go. He knows this is the one day out of the year that he can't call my cell asking me what time am I going to be home. haha

I was around 25 weeks in 07 when I went BF shopping while prego. I was actually more nervous about my morning sickness acting up more than anything else. I still had a great time, but just didn't over do it to much. I did take my mom with me and she helped carry all the bags.

I always end up staying under my budget b/c of all the great deals. I'm always so proud of myself when I get home and do my budget and realize that I am still a few hundred dollars within my budget. I normally spend about $300 on BF, but some years I end up spending more. It depends on how organized i am. Unfortunately, my budget is going to pretty much be cut in half this year. Thats ok though b/c I still enjoy going and trying to find a deal.

Ohh, ok thanks for the info. I didn't realize this about the games and being age appropriate. I am going to try and talk him back into just wanting the DS Lite. Since Santa is the one bringing it, I've got to be subtle about it. He thinks just b/c I say no to the PSP doesn't mean that Santa will. LOL!

K-Mart always has a good sale on the trees at BF, but I know our local Lowes stores always put their christmas stuff 50% off like the 1st of december. They do it super early, which makes sense b/c then they don't have as much stuff left over the day after christmas to worry about selling and getting off their shelves.

I agree with most on here that your mainly just going to be able to find clothes, pj's. I was prego in 06 during BF and was hoping to find some nice stuff but didnt. Your probably going to have to wait until after the new year. Thats what I had to do.

I got my son one in June on ebay. It was $200 but it came with the game set, carrying case, charger and 6 games. I don't think I paid to much for it b/c the actual DS is still in the original box and barely used. I'm saving to give it to him for christmas. The BIG shock....he told me this past weekend he no longer wants the DS Lite but now a PSP. He did say though that he would still take a DS Lite but definetly wants a PSP. I'm now looking on ebay for a PSP. They are pretty cheap on ebay from what I've seen so far. He's only 6!