Black Friday '10

It's not every year I get the Friday after Thanksgiving off and I wasn't going to let today pass without doing a little shopping.

I had originally made plans to shop in St. Cloud with one of my dental co-workers.  She has family in that area too.  But since my family Thanksgiving was canceled, I had to cancel out on N.  I was a little nervous about driving around in St. Cloud, because I am totally lost.  There's just too much stuff crammed into Division St. and Crossroads.  Selfishly...I am a little happy to be shopping in my home territory.

J and I hit the road around 6:30.  Our stops included Best Buy, Target, Menards (all on 65), the Mounds View library (to return movies that we watched after our Turkey feast), Target again (this time in Riverdale....awesome customer service here....thanks old guy in electronics!), JC Pennies and Walmart.  We attempted to stop at Old Navy, but that was a big mistake.  I will never attempt to drive by Kohl's and through that parking lot ever again on a Black Friday.  You can enter at 3 different intersections, but EVERYONE has to exit at the SAME place.  Who engineered this shopping complex???  It took 5 seconds to get in, but 20 minutes to get out.

We were pooped out and back at home by noon.

Oh, and I made a third and final trip back to Target.  This time for a return of a in-the-moment purchase.
Gotta love the Target!

American Joe

Starbucks out.  American Joe in.

It's a new coffee shop in Blaine that took over a closed Starbucks.
I stopped in Sunday to try it out.  Delicious. 
It has a cozy atmosphere, similar to Starbucks.  Dark woods, dark brown leather couches, fireplace. 
And they even serve Bridgeman's Ice Cream.
I believe that I will become a regular customer.

My date with Harry.

I had made plans this weekend to see Harry Potter with my sister.  We were going to meet one of my coworker's and one of her roommates at the Rosedale AMC.  We were going to go to the 1:40 show, but if it were sold out we would hang around for the 2:20 show.

J and I arrived an hour early, but even that was too late....for ALL afternoon matinee's.  So we scrapped our plans and we all headed home.  I have hometown theaters on speed dial, so I called Andover Cinemas to find out their next showtime.  We hot tailed it to Andover to buy our tickets.

Most people head to giant cinemas, but to tell you the truth, I enjoy the little theaters.  Lines aren't long, theater's aren't crammed full of people, tickets are cheaper.  And I was very appreciative of this crowd of people because I wasn't the only cough-er. 

I made sure I had my dose of Codeine Elixer before we headed out on the town and plenty of cough drops in my pocket, but sure enough....the tickle showed up. 

Once I'm back to feeling 100%, I will definitely being see Harry again!  Maybe in IMAX.

No-Go Thanksgiving

Today was supposed to be a good day. 

I finished with my holidays cookies yesterday for a cookie exchange.  Over 13 dozen cookies made and now I get to relax.  The Christmas Tree is up and decorated.  I wanted to do that last weekend but I didn't have the energy or motivation.  Having a cold didn't help matters but I knew I wanted it up before Thanksgiving.  I really want to enjoy the Holiday Spirit because last year I skipped putting up the giant tree.

And then I talked with my mom on the phone.  She is going to be hosting Thanksgiving this year.  It is going to be a small crowd.  Just immediate family and my mom's sister and her husband, and my mom's two brothers.  Their significant others (wife/girlfriend) don't usually attend family gatherings.  I don't know why; we're a friendly bunch.  I only see them at weddings/ funerals.  No, make that just funerals.  Neither one came to either of my cousins weddings, but they did make it for the grandparents funerals.

She doesn't want me and my sister to come Up North because the roads "may" be bad.  Well, maybe they will be just fine.  So what...am I just supposed to stay home...alone....for Thanksgiving.  No thanks.  I was stuck without any family for Christmas last year. 

Truthfully, I spent it at an old coworker's, who opened up her home to anyone who didn't have any plans.  And I had more fun than I would have had with my own family.  We had tons of food (Prime Rib, Twice Baked Potatoes, Grilled Steak), plenty of laughs just talking and playing games and cards. Attire was extremely casual....pajama casual.  Adults and kids all at the same table.  No kiddie table for me at Eileen's home.

Family is very important to me, especially for all the special occasions.  My parents aren't spring chickens.  They won't be there for all of MY holidays.  Maybe I'm being selfish for wanting to keep creating holiday memories while I still can.  And I want to appreciate the family that I do have.  Cousins are getting older, getting married and creating traditions of their own.  I feel sad that it's not like it used to be when my grandparents were still around.

I have this idea in my head of how Thanksgiving should be and it's not staying home and not celebrating with loved ones.  Rain, sleet or snow isn't going to stop me.  It's times like these when I really wish I could say screw you all and hang out at my significant other's house and enjoy myself with him and his family.

More Boutique-ing

Today I was in the mood to do some shopping, so I decided to continue on with the boutique-ing.  There just happens to be the Majestic Oaks boutique going on.  It's usually the same old stuff with a little variance but this time I found a couple of things I want to put up on my freshly painted walls.

HOME

FAMILY

SING

When I came home from shopping I decorated my front lawn by my patio and driveway.  I put up the wrought iron stakes I found at the "gorgeous" house and threaded some leaf garland that I found at Michaels (70% off on clearance!) through the hearts.

Then later on I got my hair done.  I got it trimmed and colored.  Just in time before the holidays start.  On my way home, I decided to stop at Kohl's to look for socks for Mom.  She wears navy blue pants with black shoes and her socks never match.  I wanna try to find some navy blue/black socks so they will always match her pants and shoes at the same time.  Note:   I never have any luck with Kohl's and socks.  But I did find a cool looking jacket.  Water proof and Wind resistant.  "Live In It" is the motto of the brand and that's exactly what I intend to do!

My new haircut and color!

Playing wit da hood

Deer Hunting Get-Away

This weekend I spent Up North at my mom. We were both "widowed".  Mom by my dad and I by my sister.  I love to just get out of dodge for a couple of days.

We spent the weekend doing a couple of projects.  Mine was to "blanket stitch" a fleece blanket instead of doing the "no-sew" tie method.  We stayed up until midnight on Friday to get that one done and it looks awesome.

My mom's project was for me to superglue her "Pot People" together.  I have no idea where she found these things but they turned out great too.

We also did some boutique-ing in Rice, Royalton and Little Falls.  It was the same 'ol crap you would find at a Women's Expo in the Cities, but we did find two houses out in the country that had Holiday Boutiques.  One was pure Avon stuff.  Not just makeup and perfume but clothes and ornaments too.  The other house was like a dream.  I want to live in this ladies house someday.

The driveway (an average length of a farm driveway) was like driving through the woods.  If you put your hand out either window, it'd be in the brush.  Even though on either side of the driveway was farmland.  The kitchen was GORGEOUS.  Vaulted ceilings and real wood floors (knots and other imperfections).  Her kitchen was "AWWWWWW   : O ".  Big bay windows to look out when doing the dishes.  Her pantry had a etched glass door that said "Pantry".  And her walls where not just painted.  They had full murals on them.

The nursery was 3D.  It was a garden with a picket fence screwed to the wall to accent the twin bed.  And them big bright daisy flowers where tucked in behind the fence.  On the adjacent wall was Peter Cottontail sticking out about 2 inches.  There were butterflies and ladybugs and a sun and clouds. 

The basement had birch trees painted all over in clusters.  No tops of bottoms at the floor or ceiling.  Just tree trunks.   And then little birds flying from tree to tree.  Adorable!

I don't have the patience or the skill or even the imagination to dream up anything like that.  I'm just going to have to buy her house.  It's just that simple.  The commute is going to suck though.