So, today my online Black Friday items started getting delivered by UPS. I think I like the online experience more than instore. I get to get excited about which items have shown up, for me to wrap. Is that just odd to think this way?? LOL
So I wrapped a bunch of things and then headed to the mall to exchange the shirt that DH bought for DS. He grabbed it from the boys dept... but we had failed to realize they were MEN's sizes. LOL
Get this though... I paid $19.99 for the original shirt (I never spend that, unles DH is with me). I exchanged it, and ended up finding a 60% sale on 3-packs tees. So other then the hassle of the 2nd trip... I got a WAY better deal and got 3 tees for 19.99. Woohoo! DS is going to love his new tees. :)

My first batch of cookies this season! Yum!! The texture is perfect, since I beat the mix in my stand mixer. :)

We all like the doughy center and not completely flattened cookies... and these turned out great.

Meghan is showing off her "advent calendar". I always get each of the kids, chocolate calendars to celebrate the days of December.

Then finally in these pics, is the newest member of our family. We will horribly miss Jordan's hamster that recently passed (tumor in the ear, etc.) But, now we have "------" the nameless dwarf hamster. We had to wait a few days, for the pet store to get new stock... the others they had were too adult and would bite. The other night, Sean, Me, and the younger kiddos went in to check out the animals; as we often do when leaving Target beside the pet store. We found the baby hamsters in stock, and brought one home while Jordan was at Basketball practice. :)

The rest of tonight, after dropping Jordan at practice, I plan to make beaded items for Holiday gifts. We shall see if my plan goes as to planned. LOL

I have accomplised making my first two loaves of bread, with my Kitchenaid mixer. Woohoo! Now, to find a better recipe. LOL
Oh, and buy some NEW yeast... that was part of the denseness issue in my bread. But, it will still get eaten with some butter. YUM!

I spent my afternoon with a brownie girl scout troop. They came to the store to make Mosaic photo frames. It was fun! for me and the girls seemed to really enjoy it. :)

Another busy week, with basketball practice for Jordan...

Anyone got a kitchenaid and wanna share a great bread recipe? I am trying to find a good white bread. I will soon start making cookies too.

Shopping, Shoppin', and yet more Shopping!! I enjoy this time of year. Not just for the shopping, but because the shopping brings all my loved ones in my thoughts. As I stroll through isles of things to purchase, and think of someone who would enjoy the things I see. What a great way to spend time... thinking of everyone who we care about. :)

Oh and the deals are fun too. Hee-hee!

We have been really busy at work lately, but I must say that the customers are extremely pleasing so far this year! However, we did catch a shop-lifting attempt today, which is a down side to this season. But, I enjoyed giving the customer who alerted us to the attempt... a coupon for her purchase. Anyhoo...

My posted picture today, is a gift I painted and put together for a painting group swap. I gotta get to the post office on Monday. LOL

http://www.flashfunpages.com/couple.swf

Just a little funny holiday joke.

Christmas entertainment on Christmas website#Workshop#Workshop

Hopefully this link takes you to a fun little website I found. Just some fun little things for kids and parents, during the Santa season.

I took my two younger kids to the stores tonight, to write their Holiday Wish Lists... how expensive the kids wants are becoming. LOL I enjoy this tradition, that the kids and I started a few years ago. We generally start out at a coffee shop, and get cocoa and coffee. Jarod discovered "vanilla steamers" not too long ago, at starbucks... and he enjoys those now. Just a steamed milk with a shot of vanilla flavoring. The "perk me up" coffee shop by my work, now gives employee discount, to the complex of businesses. Woohoo!! It isn't starbucks, but it beats $4-$5 a cup! :) I get a mocha for $2.60!
Anyhoo... Oh... so Jordan (ds is 12) tells me that a boy on the bus got a referral today. Generally this kid is not the trouble maker, but today told the bus driver he would not sit by this other kid. Well... I question why, and Jordan explains further. "He's a "gay wanna-a-be"" Oh my! I guess it is a joking and all in fun, kinda thing, but now the kids don't want to sit by him. UGH! Why does the world have to treat one-another is such ways. How come my son can't go to school, and be a kid???
On the other hand, he is off to his first school dance tomorrow. It is during school hours, and the kids had to earn the right to go, through good behavior, ontime homework, grades, etc. I so badly want to sneek in and take pics, but I know I have to let him grow up. Do I ask him if he wants my camera?? LOL I can't wait to hear how it goes. I hope he won't be the wall flower, but I fear he will just hang out with the guys.
I don't want to rush him, but yet I want things to be easier for him; then they were for me.

Tomorrow I will finish putting up the light display at the store. I was thrilled to finally get to it this morning. I got to sing along with the Holiday carols, that the display beats to in the lights. What a great time of year!! One customer came through the isle and just said "Oh, what a beautiful time of year, we get to celebrate in lights and decor!" She was so right!
I will be putting up my Christmas tree this week too... and hopefully I will get to the lights outside too... while my turkey thaws inside. LOL
Happy Thanksgiving Prep to all!

Well... the ads are out. Anyone finding anything? I haven't found alot, that will be "Gotta get it" items. We are still deciding what the big gifts will be for the kids. We are tossing around the ideas of I-pods, Nintendo Ds, PSP, etc. And then again tossing around the idea that our kids have grown to expect something, instead of being grateful for the items. The have stopped doing chores without whining, bitching, and complaining. What happened to the days when my kids thought cleaning was fun, and did it when they got bored. LOL
Here is the link to one of the many online sites, listing the BF ads. :)
Wal-Mart Sale Items - Black Friday @ GottaDeal.com

Oh what a headache! I am so tired of getting allergy headaches!
I have so much to get done today, and no "want" to get any of it done. LOL

I am deciding if Girl Scouts is in my daughter near future. My sil is starting a troop, but I would rather find a group already established. I also would rather find a group that has girls that are my daughters age. Not cousins that are just under or over in age.

I am enjoying the Christmas shopping I have been getting to do. I could browse a store a 100 times, and still go back to catch the next deal. LOL I don't always spend alot, and am all for a good search through a clearance bin! This year however, I am really striving to buy things that will be used, not just liked when opened and then become clutter in the kids rooms. My kids are getting older, so toys aren't the best option to buy anymore. But then I have to decide how much to spend on the electronic items that my boys are wanting. When are they responsible enough, and which item over the other.

I can not wait for my new socks on Friday. Every year, Sean and I go buy new socks at 50% off, during Black Friday at Fred Meyers. We open those that day though, never waiting to give socks as presents. Warm toasty and comfy feet for weeks!!!

Ok, off to take some cold meds... maybe this is more of a cold and not just allergies. Yeah!!!! @@

Today is my birthday. I am 33. Not much different then 32. LOL

I got the kids off to school, and sat down to paint for an hour, before heading to work today. I ran by starbucks on the way to work... and tried a peppermint mocha, instead of my usual white choc. mocha.

Then around 9:30, flowers were delivered! Sean had them delivered, because he is out of town still. What a sweet thing for him to do. (I had even thought last night, "wouldn't he be sweet to send flowers, but that is SO not him" ) Aren't they pretty :)

My in-laws brought me a cake and ice-cream, last night... for the kids and I to share tonight. Sweet of them too.

I have been painting up a storm the past few days. I have 5 of 7 buckets painted, for holiday gifts now. They each have a plant in them. Painting on red buckets wasn't easy to decide what to paint. It was a fun process though.

I also painted a coffee mug for a swap partner, in my painting group.

A day off...

I have today off of work. Nothing odd, just a day off. I am just bummin' around the house. A ton of things I could be doing, but nothin' is gettin' done.
I am ready for Dh to come home from his business trip. Just a few more days in reality. I am tired, bored, and a bit depressed. The kids will be home soon, and the busy that comes with being a mom will bring me back to life. :)
What did I ever do all day, when I didn't have kids, wasn't married, etc. LOL
Ok... off to paint or scrapbook, I gotta get something done today. LOL

These are some of my favorite things...

What a week it has been. Andes Mint Shakes are back at Jack in the Box... Luckily the kids like them, and I have to share. :)
None of these drinks are probally considered GOOD for me, but YUM!!

Oh, and we couldn't leave the other cat and the dog out of the rooster head dressing. :)



Here is the first painted pot I have finished. I don't totally like the design I did, but it works. One present down, 6 buckets to go.

Here are my recent clearance deals. I have been shopping the Halloween clearance at several places... and have a ton of candy too. I also got mini ice cream dishes from Walgreens, clear and black. I plan to use these for candy dishes; when we make cookies on Christmas Eve.

The red potted plants are indoor plants I got for $5 clearance, at Walmart. The plants were potted 2 or 3 to a pot. I just split them, and bought $ store buckets for planters. I am working on painting the buckets, and will give these to family for Christmas gifts.

The cats are wearing a Rooster costume hat, that my ds and I bought for them. They really LIKE it... LOL

So it looks like my last post never posted.

Here are pics of my daughter (cinderella), my son (minus his bloody mask). He got this mask that pumps blood through it. It was cool, but yet gross too. My older son is in the last pic, upper right...cape over his face. He got a kick out of being dracula. The other kids are their cousins, on dh's side.