Black Friday 2010

Last Friday, my sister-in-law and I headed out for our annual Black Friday shopping trip.  We are by no means die hard Black Friday shoppers.  We do not throw punches.  We do not dive to the floor.  We promise to not pull a gun on you when you take the last Zhu Zhu pet from the shelf.  You most certainly will not find us camped outside a store front waiting.  For days.  Or hours.

Pure and simple, we go to have fun.  If we get our hands on a good deal...awesome!  If we don't...awesome!  The highlight of our day is sitting down to a warm and tasty lunch and dinner (sans kiddos).

Here is a recap of our (double) outing...

Thanksgiving night

8:00pm    I tap my foot as I wait for Leslie to arrive at my house so we can depart.  The plan was to hit TRU when they opened at 10pm.  There were no items calling out to me from their ad, but Leslie had a few items that suited her shopping needs.

9:00pm   I call Leslie and discover she has been trapped at my grandparent's house for the last hour (all in the name of retrieving my brother's cell phone).  She arrives at my house soon thereafter.

9:45pm   We arrive at TRU.  The line is absurd.  The lady in front of me repeatedly hits me in the face with her umbrella.  The people behind us leave; therefore, we are left with a clan of annoying people on our backs.  We opt to leave as well.  We lasted 35 minutes in line.

10:30pm Arrive at Wal-Mart to find they have their "bundles" of unwrapped.  You may put sale items in your cart; however, you can not check out until Midnight.  Leslie and I decide we can easily wait inside to check out where it is warm (and I can pee!).

Black Friday


12:50am  Check out at Wal-Mart.  We leave with $4 jammies, $10 griddles (thank you to my SIL who picked one up for me...I wasn't planning on getting one; however, we needed one!), $15 Duplo and Lego sets, and Spongebob Bedding (for my "BobBob" obsessed nephew, BB).


1:50am  Crawl into bed.  I quickly get out of bed when I recall the items sitting in my online shopping cart at Old Navy.  All of my items are still available...$15 adult sweaters (gifts), $10 jeans for Parker, and $15 Frost Free Jackets for the older boys (for next year).  I go to bed (again) happy.  In the next four hours I feed Hudson twice.  Really.


6:00am  Shower and go about my normal morning routine with the boys.

9:00am  Uncle Steven arrives to watch older three boys.  Leslie and I take Hudson down to my Grandma and Papa's house.

11:00am  We leave Grandma and Papa's house (that is another story).

11:30am  Enjoy lunch at Panera.  Yum-o!

12:00pm  Arrive at TRU (again).  It is rather picked over, but we could care less.  I leave with an on sale Thomas DVD and two cards games (B1G1).  Leslie purchases an over sized bowling set for my bowling obsessed nephew (her son).  It is not on sale.  I instruct her to send me video of BB opening it on Christmas morning.  Let it be known he discovered said bowling set in Leslie's backseat the following day.  He has not stopped talking about it since.

1:00pm  Hello Old Navy!  Yes, we both shopped online and in store with them that day.  Leslie and I debate about purchasing matching sweaters for ourselves to sport on Christmas.  We axe the idea; however still leave with a sweater for our self.  Period.  I pick up a few additional items, but cannot talk about them due to people who read my blog;)

2:00pm  We make our way into Target.  The Starbucks inside is calling out to us.  Loudly!  As we sip our drinks we find stocking stuffers in the Dollar Spot.  The $10 Chenille Throws are still plentiful.  Leslie gets a red and cream colored one.  I purchase one throw for my Dining Room and another to give to my always cold grandma.  Leslie tells me BB would LOVE a Bop-It.  It is on sale and I still needed to get him a gift.  I snatch one up.  I discover some cute (and cheap) decorations for the trees in the kiddos' bedrooms.  I get a 'lil bit of this and a 'lil bit of that.

3:00pm  We find ourselves in Kohls.  I search for a shirt for Garrett to wear to his Christmas program, but nothing really grabs me.  I pick up two (on sale) Christmas decorations.  Later, at home, I decide to give one as a gift (as it doesn't fit where I need it to).  You do that, right?!!!


3:30pm  Our last shopping stop is Wal-Mart (again, but a different one).  I buy a Fisher-Price ChooChoo I have had my eye on for Hudson.  It's not on sale.  Leslie and I find delight in the Christmas straws we pick up.  They are super cute.  And loopy!


4:30  The hostess at Olive Garden seats us at our table.  Together, Leslie and I enjoy a kid free hot meal.  We declare our shopping trip a success and cross our fingers that my mom can join us next year.

6:30  Arrive at home to find one happy husband and four happy kiddos (three of them were ready to spend the night at Mammy's...hence the state of bliss). 


Did any of you venture out into the crowds on Black Friday?  Score any kick bootie deals?  Or did you simply have a great time getting out of the house...like me!