lucyismycat

I'm done shopping, outside of some McDonalds gc and oranges for the stockings. Oh, and lottery tickets. I have wrapped nothing. I don't know if I think elves are going to do it for me, but I just can't get the motivation to do it. Right now all my kids' presents are at my office. I use the argument that if I wrap all the gifts and take them home, the boys will drive me up the wall wanting to open them. Does anybody want to come wrap them all for me? I can pay you with chocolate covered pretzels and lasagna. LOL

Well, I got my outside thanksgiving stuff down yesterday and the Christmas stuff up. The weather didn't exactly cooperate this year. My pumpkins were frozen solid, so i really missed the satisfaction of seeing them smashed on the ground. I ended up having to throw them at the neighbors' culvert to get them to break. Also, since the ground was hard as a rock i had trouble getting my light stakes to go deep enough. Maybe it will warm up a little next week and I can make some adjustments. Definitely need to take down the Santa windsock. That thing is just a little too morbid. Looks like we hung him. Decorating inside today. My family has a pool going on how many trips to hobby lobby i will make today. Sometimes they are not very nice. Lol

I liked that not only did they give out wristbands early, but they handed out products early AND we could check out early. I bought 2 of the 4 wheeler ride on toys (6pm) and a nabi (8pm) and was checked out and home to switch cars well before 8pm. Way to go!

Well, since Thanksgiving is now at my house, I feel obligated to leave the turkeys alone (talking about decorations here...not family) until after their Big Day. I guess I'll get Christmas stuff out next week. Something about having a giant Christmas tree looming over the pilgrims attacks my OCD and I don't think I can make myself do it. I never did find my giant blow-up turkey this year. I wanted one that was at least 8' tall. I have this image in my mind...where the gigantic turkey is towering over the nervous looking little pilgrims. I call it "Turkey's revenge". One of these years I'll bring it to fruition

I tend to dress in some layers, but leave the heavy coat at home or in the car. I don't wait outside in line anywhere anymore, so I don't need any special gear. Typically I'll carry my bag with phone, credit cards and ipad mini (for entertainment while waiting in line indoors). I also carry a bag of candy and gum to pass out to cashiers that need a pick-me-up. I have my list on my phone, and leave the ads in the car. This year my mom is coming with me, I can't wait to see what all she thinks is necessary lol I'm sure there will be lots of tubes of lipstick and probably at least 2 or 3 hairbrushes.

I'd like to see an ad for Ulta and Bergners.

Well, my 3 year old son told me tonight that he would like for Santa to bring him some sporks. Apparently he likes them because "they have that pointy thing on the end". So I guess I'll be getting some sporks to go in his stocking. I can only hope he doesn't end up stabbing his brother with them. lol

I usually get toothpaste at Meijer. I know in the past I've found orange flavored and cinnamon. This year I'm shooting for bacon flavored and maybe cupcake. I'm sure I'll have to get those online.

I think I'm going to start decorating this weekend. I keep having this argument in my head: you know, you should really celebrate Thanksgiving more as its OWN holiday: no no no, you have a week less between Tday and Christmas as it is, just do it now!!! So, I think I might compromise and put up the inside stuff this weekend and then do the outside decorations the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Or I'll cave and just do it all next week before Thursday. I really need someone to make up my mind for me. My Indian name would be "Too Many Choices".

I just ordered a bunch of little gadgets from perpetualkid.com for stocking stuffers. DH is getting a desk catapult and the little ones are getting crayon styli for their tablets. Stockings at our house tend to be a big thing, I fill everyone else's and my mama fills mine. I usually put an orange in the toe, and fill the rest with candy, fast food gift cards, little toys, toothbrushes and fun flavored toothpaste for the boys, fuzzy socks and nice gloves for the girls. I think this year I might get some lotto tickets if I feel brave enough to actually go inside the gas station.

Yes...that was part of last year's present. That was more for me than for them, though - I was tired of stepping on tiny toys in the night. I got a little bit of a start this weekend at TRU. I'm now the proud owner of a Thomas and Friends Castle Quest Set, 2 Iron Man dolls (I will tell DS2 that his is Captain America, he'll never know the difference), the Thomas Ultimate Train Pack and a set of walkie-talkies. I've already opened the walkie-talkies. I'm such a pushover. SO, now I need something else to get them. They are 2 and 3, and I feel like this is my last year to get them "cute" stuff. It's all action figures and Tonka trucks from here on out.

Well, I broke down and got the Elmo big hugs for the 2yo, and then I broke down again and gave them to both boys for having a really good week at daycare. So much for that. Now I'm trying to decide on their big gifts (2 boys, aged 2 and 3). Last year's big hit were the little 4 wheelers that Meijers had for $50 each. They've each grown a lot over the last year, so I'm thinking I'll replace those with something larger, and then maybe some Thomas the Train stuff. DS3 says he wants an Iron Man "dolly". Otherwise I'm at a loss. What I need to do is stop giving them everything I buy, and hide it somewhere that I can't get to it until Christmas. Or grow some will-power. Anybody know where I can get that???

I got a Nabi 2 for my DS last year. He was a little over 2.5 when he got it, and I questioned my sanity, but he does really well with it. Even though he's a little rough with things, it's still holding up very well almost a year later, and he asks to use it every day. The best part is that I can send it with him to Nana's for the weekend, and even though she's not all that computer literate, they can play on it together and read stories, watch Netflix, do puzzles, etc, and I don't have to worry that it'll be bricked when he comes back. This year, his brother will be 2.5 at Christmas and I'd like to get him something comparable, but I was really hoping they were working on a Nabi 3. He likes playing with my ipad, but no way.

DH - no clue whatsoever DS3 - no clue...probably toys. DS2 - ditto DM - some kind of bag (Coach or DB) for birthday and I'm not sure what for Christmas. She won't tell me what she wants until a couple of weeks beforehand. DMIL - probably a Waterford ornament and some bath stuff. I get her the same thing every year. I might get her some of her perfume to switch it up LOL DFIL - no clue. The hardest person for me to buy for by far. I'd like to find some obscure book he would like to read, maybe. Assistant and her 2 daughters (ages 6 and 17) - no clue I bought 2 of the new Elmo hug toys this summer with the idea that they would be part of my boys' Christmas, but I already gave them to them. Oops After reviewing this list, it's clear that I need to get my game plan on!

I have one Big Hugs Elmo for DS2, thinking about getting one for the 3yo. It IS very cute, and I don't even really like Elmo to begin with!

Wow. Thank you sooo much!!! This changes my whole plan!! This was my only item at Walmart, so now I can focus on other stuff! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

I vow to not get in debt. I also vow to remember when I say I'm done shopping for someone, and not buy "just one more thing". Lastly, I vow to stay out of the $3 bin of movies at Meijers...it's like a black hole that sucks me in every single time.

Well, earlier in this thread I said I'd spend a little less, mostly because I couldn't think of anything I really wanted (and DH and I spend the most on each other). However, we are now moving and I know I'm going to want new furniture and all the little things that go along with that. So I think I just jumped from "a little less" to "significantly more". I just hope we're settled by Christmas!

Always: Meijers, Joanns, Hancock Fabrics and Sams (breakfast!) Sometimes: Menards, Lowes, Ace, Staples, Office Depot, etc. Never: the Mall, Best Buy, any toy store

$1/yard flannel at Joanns. Never again. If I'm going to spend my time making pajamas, they're going to have to last longer than 2 washes.

Springfield, IL, unless my mother talks me into traveling to Carbondale, IL for Thanksgiving. Not too likely right now.

Ace Hardware, 9/7

camping out here consists of hanging out at Meijers (inside) so no tent required. I do take: DS with games PDA with spreadsheet of what to buy/where, ebooks and games, movies, etc cell phone ads bank card/credit cards bag of peppermint candies, to hand out to frazzled cashiers.

Slightly less, I think. I just don't have that many "have to have" items left on my list. I can't even think of something I want for my birthday this year. I'm sure I'll find something somewhere that I "need", and I'll be out standing in line to get in somewhere just for fun, but as far as actually buying a lot of stuff, probably not. hahahahahaha! I'm sure you all will convince me that I need all kinds of stuff between now and then, right?

I watch Christmas Vacation year round...somehow it makes me feel cooler even on the hot days. Seems like some cable channel is running a lot of Christmas movies right now, maybe they're gearing up for Christmas in July!