black friday 2009

well, another black friday has come and gone... and i am pleased to announce that i was triumphant in my quest for the goods!!!

my adventure began when i left the house lastnight around 10:15 p.m. toys r us opened at midnight, and pieces wanted the north pole express train to go around his first christmas tree... and mama c wanted a few items, as well :-)

when i got there, there were about 150 people already in line. it was cold, so i decided to stay in the car as long as possible. well, people started arriving in droves, so i got out and braved the elements. i was about 200 people back, behind a group of women drinking a magical concoction and in front of women cursing like sailors.

around 11, my friend, jen, called and asked where i was. i explained to her where and she said that they weren't even going to stay and that the line was way up to the highway (that's pretty far!)... but she had a little giftie for us- her famous apple pie!!! she got my keys and put in in the car. everyone around me wanted me to go and get it and share... but the deliciousness that is this pie is only for c, chicken and myself :-)

about 10 minutes to midnight, another line started forming at the opposite side of the store. folks in the original line were wigging out. the security guards assured everyone that they would not be allowed in. i'm still not sure why nobody told them that they had to go to the back of the original line... anywho, next thing i know, it's midnight and the doors were not opening. it seems as though they had to call in extra police and security. by this time, some of the people who were in the second line headed to the end of the original line... and then the slinging of the words began! i admit, i was a bit nervous, but i stayed focused... and the "funny" think is, the lady in front of me allowed a few of her friends to "join her" around 11:15 and they were some of the biggest verbal protesters!

fast forward to 12:20... the doors finally open and i am in the first group to go in! i was by myself and i didn't have a cart, so i had to strategize how to carry everything... i found the train first (i was thrilled!), then the dr. set, then the little tikes workbench, then the the pixos for a friend and finally the diapers. i felt as though my arms were going ot break right off, but i persevered. i got in line (all the way to the back of the store), and, as i got closer, was told that was the line for electronics and the check-out line was at the other side of the store... so, i gathered my loot and journeyed to the other side... there was only one person in front of me to check out!!! what i had not realized, nor had anyone else, was that i somehow cut in front of the line that was all the way to the back of the store!!! a lovely lady helped me carry my parcels to the register, i paid, and i was off... i got home at 1:05 a.m.- yes, folks, 45 minutes- in, out and home!

chicken admiring his choo-choo!!!

i went to bed around 2-ish, but i was so excited! i was tossing and turning and c asked how it went. i told her and she got excited. i finally fell asleep around 3... and c couldn't sleep, so she got up at 4:30 a.m. she woke me up at 5, and surprisingly chicken was not awake yet! we got him up and bundled in his snowsuit, and headed out to babies r us. there wasn't a soul in sight! we filled our cart with diapers and earth's best baby food, and headed to check out. c got 4 multi-packs of food and 2 packs of diapers, with a grand total of $29. i got 4 multi-packs of food and 4 packs of diapers, with a grand total of $27 (after coupons). after we reflected on it, we discovered that they did not charge us for 2 multi-packs of food.

as i took chicken and our parcels to the car, c ran to target, but the lines were too crazy for just one item, so she ran back to the car and we headed over to lowe's. chicken and i stayed in the car as she ran to get in line. 10 minutes later, she was loading our new pre-lit christmas tree into the car. she then explained how she got yelled at by another customer because they were both running and he was by the mirrors and yelled at her that there was glass on his other side. this did not deter her from her mission... and she accomplished it with sweat and finesse :-)

after lowe's we headed back to toys r us, expecting a mob scene. we were pleasantly surprised to encounter the total opposite! last year when we went there at the same time, it was chaos! today, not-so-much. we got a great parking spot, a cart and the ability to peruse at our leisure. we walked out with a surprise giftie for a family member, batteries and a geotrax train :-)

piece and the holiday booty!!!

we then headed to the mall to go to baby gap, but decided against it and opted for old navy to see if they had any fleece blankets. low and behold, they did, but they were not holiday themed and the line was all the way to the back of the store, so i decided against it, and went home.

we unloaded the car, had some pie and napped! around 2, c woke me up to tell me that uncle ryan and aunt jess were here, so i got up, freshened up and ate lunch. we had a nice little visit and then went shopping again with my aunt. this time we chose christmas gifts that we would like to receive, and we are now home, all toasty warm and tired :-)

tomorrow rhys and mama c are going to go to jumpin' jungle with grandpa and maybe uncle ryan, while tim and i head to cleveland to see "wicked." i am uber excited!!! i love "wicked" and i know that tim will heart it, as well!

what a grand holiday we are fortunate to be having :-)