Thanksgiving and Black Friday

First off I decided to make some shortcuts in names so: AD1 (amazing oldest daughter), AD2 (amazing youngest daughter), then I don't have to type oldest and youngest all the times..... So, back to thanksgiving. Hubby and I got up and hit the gym first thing in the morning. I know "who goes to the gym thanksgiving morning"...obviously no one but us, because we were all that was there....granted we live in a small town and the gym is in an old milking barn....but hey, it's nice and it works). Neither of us wanted to go, but we did it anyway for about 45 minutes. Afterwards AD1 helped me cut up veggies for a veggie tray, then AD2 helped me make a green bean casserole (a yummier version I think then the traditional one). We went to MIL's around 11:00 and helped her get the finishing touches done. At 1:00 we sat down to a beautiful table and ate an amazingly yummy dinner of Turkey, potatoes, dressing, gravy, sweet potatoes, date nut pudding, rolls and who knows what else. My MIL makes the best dressing and gravy. We celebrated with MIL, FIL, BIL and his 2 boys, the four of us and a young man from our church. Then after clean up and letting the food settle we made coffee, ate pie and played Phase 10 for a few hours. It was such a relaxing day. Now to the Black Friday plan: There wasn't a plan....we weren't planning on going. Usually there isn't anything on sale that we want that we know won't go on sale later. A few years ago we did try to get some electronic stuff but it was gone before we got there...back to this year...AD1 thought it might be fun to go so I told her I'd go with her. She decided to call the friend who was going to spend the night Friday night and see if she could spend Thursday as well and go with us...well...ends up AD1 gets invited to spend the night at the friends house and go shopping with them (which she did last year). So hubby and I took AD2 and one of her friends (ages 8 1/2 and 7 1/2 respectively) shopping. We were up at 3:30 and out the door by 4:30. I was so excited when we rounded a corner and saw that my favorite espresso drive through was open. So I had my coffee, the girls had their blankets and pillows and portable DVD player and we were off. It was frosty and the setting was just right. We only hit two stores...Sports Authority (which we got $35 in gift cards for being amongst the first 100 customers). We got the girls each 2 pairs of athletic shoes (buy one get one 50% off) and scored on a pair of Heely's for AD2 (early Christmas present). Then off to Fred Meyers, where we bought a couple games (Imaginiff and Apples to Apples Jr.), AD1 a coat for $20 regular $60 and some socks for AD2. I bought two cookie sheets..buy 1, get 1 free, and hubby bought a few tools. That was it, shopping done! After returning home, hubby went to property to work and the girls went with him. I stayed home and relaxed for a little bit, picked them up and went to MIL's to help decorate the lobby of the hotel they manage. Which for me is the extent of decorating the last few years since we are living with someone and she doesn't put up a tree because of her cats. So it was a great holiday weekend. Now it's time to jump back into the swing of things...Sunday night. We'll take the rest of the weekend to watch Christmas movies, eat leftovers, return AD1's coat for a diff. size, play games, and enjoy each other.

I pray that all of you had a great holiday as well!

Blessings,

Kirstin

"You will always produce the atmosphere around you that you cultivate within you"