Thankful Thursday + Black Friday = Fun Weekend!

Thanksgiving 2008 was a good one. We went to my Grandparents house, a tradition that we have all continued every other year since before I was born. My sister Sara and I had purchased matching "Happy Thanksgiving 2008" from Old Navy. We were so excited to wear them even though Chris almost didn't let me since it was a little see-through and you could see my angel undies if I didn't have an undershirt! My Grandmother is 78 and can still make a mean turkey! She is an excellent cook and can make some of the best homemade wheat bread I have ever tasted! My aunt Jan's rolls are to die for! I love 'em. Oh and my mom's pies... I have always despised pie crust, but my mom's pie's are so good that I will eat them gone! Needless to stay we all stuffed our faces silly like everyone does on Thanksgiving.
After the grand meal some people sleep, some watch football, some visit... but ME and my Aunt Jan and her daughters all plot our next day shopping trip. It has been a tradition since I was 13 when I used to stay with my cousins after Thanksgiving. My cousin Mindi had just left on her Mission so my Aunt Jan needed some extra hands to help grab stuff on sale. So we went, had a blast, and have gone every year since. Now all her girls go!

(In the backseat just before we left)

Some of the things that are the "norm" on Black Friday:

1. Waking up at 3:15 am (Used to be 4:00 am)

2. Standing in a long line in bitter cold in front of multiple stores (some open at 4am, some at 5am, and some at 6am)

3. Witnessing at least one fight

4. Someone knocking over an entire display or shelf

5. Tripping on the spilled contents of that display or shelf

6. Getting run over or at least your heels clipped by someone's cart (multiple times) Don't take a cart idiot! Grab and GO!

7. Being disappointed when you don't get something on someone's "wish list"

8. Standing in a long line to make your purchases (thanks a lot Kohls!)

9. Finding an item that you didn't intend to purchase, but the deal was so great you decided to buy it. Philosophy, buy now, take back later (if needs be).

10. Being the victor by grabbing a must have item that someone in your party had on their "wish list" that seemed nearly impossible to get with the amount of people waiting outside the door.

11. Eating breakfast at 7:00 am after already shopping for 3 hours!

12. Having a blast with your Aunt and cousins (or family)!

We always leave with stories of our shopping adventures. Like the fight we saw break out between two men (that's right, men go too!) as we were running into Shopko that was a little heated and included one slamming the other into the wall. Tripping over the soda crates that had fallen onto the floor. Being hit by peoples carts in the tiny electronic section of Shopko (GRAB AND GO PEOPLE!). Park your cart over in automotive or something. Not getting Mindi's external hard drive :(. Waiting in line an hour at Kohls. Running through the mall at 6:00 am to get to Radio Shack and then being 3rd in line to clean house of their skull candy ear buds. Getting Ally's MP3 player. Finding a new place (that wasn't crowded!) for breakfast. And just laughing the whole time at the craziness of people INCLUDING our own!

Another successful and fun year! I can't wait until next year!