Bopeep

I suggested moving ours to Saturday this year, but that didn't work out because someone had to work (Of course, we have someones that have to work on Thanksgiving Day also and we didn't change it for them, but that's a different rant...). Thanksgiving is usually with my aunt and cousins, and my own kids are never there anyway. It would not bother me in the least to change the day we get together, I just love getting together. Christmas is my more immediate family. My mom, my sisters and I, and our kids. Since our kids are getting older and 2 of them are married with families of their own, we decided to start doing Christmas dinner on the Saturday after Christmas. That way the kids don't have to worry about getting from this dinner to that dinner, and what time is what, and having to hurt anyone's feelings by leaving early. We will also always know that our Christmas is happening on that day, so don't plan anything else and schedule off work in plenty of time. Of course, my sisters and I will probably still go to my mom's on Christmas Day, but our celebration will not be until Saturday. I completely agree that the day doesn't matter. It's the family and why you're getting together in the first place.

http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k499/ts1852/_57-1.jpg http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Bright-Holiday-Express-Animated-Elf-Ice-Skating-Rink-Tanker-Train-Car-385-/121477453733?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1c489ed7a5 For ME! I just bought the train, and I'm so excited to put it around my tree this year. I really want the additional cars to go with it, especially this one! (sorry this picture is so big. I kept trying to resize it, but it still pastes here as a huge pic).

I have a Bluetooth speaker on my desk, that is linked to my iPhone. I prefer that to a docking station, so that the phone is not tied down (so to speak). Having said that, I don't know what's best. Mine is "Creative" and I haven't had any trouble with it.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

I thought he had said he had something going Saturday, so the webcast would be on Sunday this week. I very well could have made that up though.

So, apparently I'm not smart enough to figure out how to drop a pin on the map (I do not see the menu with the teardrop). However, I will be shopping in the Moore/Norman, Oklahoma area.

Personally, I keep everything at my office for as long as I can.

http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k499/ts1852/KGrHqJlgE5uhBZRtpBOcZCGNPGg60_12.jpg http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kids-Chiled-Rocking-Drum-Set-kit-Musical-Instrument-/141426994099?pt=Educational_Toys_US&hash=item20edb4abb3 drum set for the grandson. I want him to have a set so bad, but his daddy says if I get it for him it has to stay at my house .

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-Month-Xbox-Live-Gold-Membership-Subscription-/261352460533?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd9d210f5http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k499/ts1852/_57.jpg xBox Live For my DS19. He gets this every year, I'm just waiting on a better deal .

Received an email from iHeart Radio today with several Christmas music channels available. Listening to A Country Christmas now! http://www.iheart.com/perfect-for/activity/50-days-till-xmas-192199634/

I have so much to be thankful for! I am so thankful that God forgives me for forgetting to be thankful all the time. I am so thankful for my family. My mama, my sisters. Especially my sons, my daughter (in law) and my grandsons. And I am so thankful that none of them have ever had to worry where their next meal was coming from or if their needs would be met.

We bake and ice a LOT of cookies, and make candies for treat trays. Other than that, there aren't a lot of extras anymore. My kids are grown and starting their own "extras" with their children .

I went ahead and ordered 2 more. 5 more to minimum goal.

Happy Birthday!

I might order a couple more just to help the cause . They would definitely get used, I'm just not sure I can/want to afford it.

I just want to say I'm sorry you and your children are having to go through that. I don't know what y'all "normally" do for Christmas, but I know you're going to get a lot of great ideas here. One thought is you could go look at lights Christmas Eve, then come home and do a family game night or something. Or maybe you could take turns reading parts of the Christmas story before bed. Good luck!

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/30/business/media/retailers-like-lowes-are-getting-a-jump-on-the-holidays.html?_r=3&emc=rss&partner=rss The home-improvement retailer Lowe’s, which has in recent years used social media platforms like Pinterest to advertise its coming Black Friday sales, plans to use Vine to tease shoppers about what is in store for Black Friday 2014. A dozen Black Friday Vines — scheduled to be released one a day, starting on Monday — will advertise deals on merchandise like DeWalt tools, Dyson vacuums, home safes and artificial Christmas trees. (Lowe’s plans to open its stores at 5 a.m. Black Friday, Nov. 28, and close them at regular times that evening.)

I might be in the market for a laptop this year. I'll have to check this out. Thanks!

I much prefer the old way of getting up in the wee hours of Friday morning to go shopping, but those days are gone for good. Thursday sale starts is our new reality and we will just have to make the most of it (whatever that means for each of us individually). If we all got to vote, though, I would definitely vote "against".

I have saved so much money over the last 10 years because of this site. I started tracking just how much I saved last year at Christmas, and the total was over $680.00! I am so thankful for Gottadeal, and all of the forum members. **I have already won a t-shirt, I just wanted to chime in on this.

If I had to guess, I'd say that's about a week early. I would think closer to the weekend of the 14th.

I've never had a real tree, so I wouldn't know how to take care of it, LOL. I use a pre-lit tree that's easy to put up. I love having the house decorated, but hate doing the decorating so the easier, the better.

The sad thing is, until the earlier start times I think my only BF pet peeve was stores not having enough of whatever hot ticket item, and that wasn't that big a deal since it was just part of it. Now I could go on and on. The worst for me though is the families that bring their small children. The kids are tired and cranky and way overstimulated, and the parents are getting on to them when they never should have been put in that situation in the first place.

I can't say I would NEVER pay full price. But I'm going to look high and low for a way to get it cheaper first.

The problem I've had with prepaid gift cards, and maybe you all can tell me what I've done wrong, is getting all of my money off of them. It seems once the balance gets under $10 or so, the card declines. I assume that's because the behind the scenes process automatically tries to get authorization for a higher amount. I have thrown cards away before because I couldn't use those last few dollars.