Sunshyne

Thanksgiving Day hours are 7am-9pm.

This year, I'm using the garage. We just moved in, and there are still plenty of boxes out there, so my oldest son won't notice. I put an old blanket over the big boxes. I put smaller stuff or things I don't want to get too cold (Movies, mostly) on top of the kitchen cabinets. You can't tell there is anything up there. My friend wants to hide her kids' stuff here too. But, last night I went out and bought ds something big and left it in my car. My husband wanted to go buy a wheelbarrow this morning and take ds with him. He had to take my vehicle for this because it's bigger than his car. I was trying to tell him not to take ds outside without telling him why in front of ds. lol It was frustrating until he finally figured out what I was trying to tell him. I keep a spreadsheet, and this year I am posting pictures on my blog because I still found stuff in January that I had left off the spreadsheet and forgot all about.

I miss Hecht's. I actually went there first on BF last year to get the plug and play games for $10. Found some awesome clearanced clothes for the kids too. Macy's does have kids' shoes. At least every one I've ever been in does.

We are about 3 hours from NYC. He does go to see them when they play Baltimore on a Sunday, but he gets free tickets through his work. I might get him a new Yankees shirt. He really doesn't wear "street clothes" too often as he has to dress up for work. Last year, I got him a Yankees blanket that he does actually use often. He has tools...that is one of the few things he will actually go to the store and purchase for himself! I always pick out the wrong thing or something he already has. I don't know that he'd listen to books. I've never seen him actually read a book now that I think about it. You think after 7 years, I would have an idea of what to get him! He always buys me really weird stuff that I have no use for. I told him I just want to forget about presents this year for each other, but he isn't having it! Thanks for the ideas. :) I guess some jeans, a Yankees shirt and a CD or two would work. He did mention some CD, but I completely forgot who it was because I'd never heard of him. lol My oldest son wants to pick out a new tie for him again this year.

They usually get between 15 and 20. Even when we didn't have a lot of money to spend on our oldest, it would fall in that range...the gifts were just smaller. I dread when the gifts are over $100 a piece as he gets older! We do not have any family that buys for them. Oldest son's most expensive thing this year will be his train table at $75. He is getting 3 toys in $30-50 range (desk, some type of learning computer I haven't figured out yet and the shake and go speedway), and then everything else is stuff under $20 (movies, trains, Cars movie stuff). The baby's most expensive things will be the TMX Elmo (if I can find one), the Elmo tool bench and Bounce and Spin Zebra.

My dh hates to shop. If he asked, I'd tell him, but I think he prefers not to know. All he cares about is that the bills are paid and there is food in the house. I actually told him just today for the first time that I spent $400 on DS#1 last year for Xmas. He just looked at me kind of funny and said he had no idea it was that much. I promised to keep it to around $300 this year. I didn't mention that the baby would be getting more this year since he is big enough now to play with toys! He was 4 months at Xmas last year. Although, I always tell him when I get a really good deal on something. Where we used to live, I could do some awesome things with coupons and sales at one particular grocery store. He must have told people at his work because the next few times I stopped by his work, several of the employees asked me how I saved so much on food! lol

My husband My 2 precious boys My good friends here Our new house Financial stability oh, and the computer & internet!

Last year $400 on oldest son (then 4), $75 on youngest son (then 4 months) This year the estimate is $300 on oldest son, $150 on youngest. I really went way overboard on my oldest last year....this year his big items are a train table and a desk for his room...so I am using Xmas to furnish his room since we just bought this house and he finally has the room for bigger stuff in his room. I am trying to be really conscious of deals this year too. Last year I started in October and kept saying I was done, but I still kept buying stuff and then I wanted to cry when I was still up at 3am wrapping stuff!

Most everything is from Santa. Usually, I take the second most expensive thing and make it from Mama and Daddy. Although, sometimes my husband will go out on Christmas Eve and buy them each one or two more things to be from us. He always feels left out because he really has no input on what they get. My 2 boys also get each other one thing. My oldest son is 5, and we just got his gift for his 15-month-old brother today. DS had a great time going to the store to pick it out and giving the cashier the money and then hiding it in his closet until we wrap it. Those gifts usually cost about $10. I even use different wrapping paper on the gifts from Santa vs. the ones from us. With DS#1 being 5, I can't take any chances on him catching me. This year, I even have someone else handwriting the letter Santa leaves behind every year. And, usually when Daddy gets home on Christmas Eve, he picks up the packages 'mailed by Santa' (left on the front porch by me) that contain pajamas...I think this year I am actually going to have to mail them instead of just making them look like they were mailed. I was thinking of just mailing empty envelopes though and then having daddy put the pajamas in them and bringing them in!

My husband is so hard to shop for! Last year he wanted an Ipod Nano and I drove myself crazy researching until I got him one. I joked to the friend who let me use her credit card to buy it (so he wouldn't know since it would show up on the bank statement as apple.com) that he would maybe use it 2 months. He only used it for one month. I showed him how to upload music to it, but he never would, and I didn't have the time or patience to do it. We listen to totally different music and pining him down on what song he wanted on it was impossible. Also, our anniversary is November 23rd. Last year, I got him the Garth Brooks CD set (2 days late because of the release date). When I got a new car in June, and he took my old one, I found he had it in his old vehicle never opened. I'd bet it is still in the trunk of the car, still in the wrapping. My husband works a lot. I thought he'd use the Ipod because his commute is roundtrip 2 hours. I even got him the car kit, but he just stopped using it. He did it before with a guitar he really wanted too...he only messed with it for a month or two. He has plenty of work clothes, shoes, etc. He needs a few new pairs of jeans. That's all I've come up with. Our anniversary is Thursday, and I am clueless. Please help. Oh, he is not into video games or playing sports/golf, etc. He works 60+ hours a week plus the commuting. He does like the Yankees. He would never actually go to the store to use a gift card. He does not shop very often. I've bought him stuff for the office, but he does not use it because although he is at the desk usually, others use it. Does anyone have any ideas for him? I want to keep it below $50 each because that is what we agreed on this year because we just bought a house and have tons of improvements to do around here. I need a nice Christmas gift and an Anniversary one quick! Sorry this got a little long...just trying to explain the type of person I have to shop for!

The other day, I looked through the scan, and there were toys in it. All I remember is 30% off Thomas the Tank items.

I've been to Kmart twice in the last two days. Both times when I checked out, it printed a $5 off your next purchase coupon at the register. The valid dates are 12/01-12/03. I am not sure if I did anything special to get them...both of my totals were above $65. Just a heads up to look at the receipt. The first cashier mentioned it to me, the second one didn't. I am hoping there is a good sale those days to go along with it. The only stipulations are that you have to spend at least the amount of the reward.

For the Thanksgiving Ad, they list the Talking Lightning McQueen for $29.99. Can you give me any details on it from the actual ad? I can already get the interactive one for that price at TRU today, so I am not sure if this is a bigger one or the same thing, and not a very good deal.

slpyh211-- I got the Laugh and Learn gift set with the Learning Puppy and Cookie Puzzle instead for that price. I had the puppy on my list for ds. It was by itself in the next aisle for $19.99, and Walmart sells it for $17.77, so I was happy with a few dollars off and an extra toy!

All I really wanted was the 20 in flat TV/DVD at Walmart. My dh promised to go and help me with it, but he would not get up on time. Then, he couldn't find his wallet, etc. We get there at 5:35..way later than I wanted to. On the way there, my husband is swearing no one will be there. Of course, there was a long line,and I figured I wouldn't be able to get the TV anyway. So, we go to K-mart to get the $19.99 microwave. I got there right at 6am, and I was able to grab it right away. I came to find out it was really $29.99 with a $10 rebate. The cashier sends me to customer service, and they don't even have the form. She had me fill out an envelope with my address to mail me the form! I figure that will be $10 I never get back. Then, we ventured back to Walmart about 7am. I get some toys and a can opener I need. No TV's to be seen, and I wasn't interested in anything else. While I wait in line for 30 minutes to check out 3 items, they start announcing they have vouchers for the 27in tv. I talk my husband into getting this TV, and then we can just buy another DVD player for it. But when he goes over to get the voucher, someone had just turned in a voucher for the 20 in one I wanted! I got the TV after all, and my husband saved himself the silent treatment! Then, I came home and took a nice long nap!