*Exchangers-Come and join us for the QOTD & Chat w/us* Part 2-Our New Thread

[katybugsmom]

Nope, didn't get caught up in the bustle and hustle this morning! We didn't get home until late from my sister's last night and so we slept in!
We've gotten the majority of our Christmas shopping done, so there wasn't anything I really wanted to "fight" for. I stayed home and worked on our shirts for our trip to WDW in 3 weeks!
Hope a lot of you did make off with some great bargains today! Be careful out there!

 

[xanphylus]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Here is our last Turkey Talk QOTD day.


*Who does the cooking for your Thanksgiving meal?
*Who does the cleaning?
*How many days of leftovers do you usually have?

I do most of the cooking. Although DH tried to help, I would prefer him to watch our crazy DS2 who was trying to"help" me. This was while DH was watching football after I told him I didn't need help with whatever I was doing at the moment....

I did the cleaning for the most part, as I clean as I go while cooking and DH cleaned up the stuff I didn't want to... He did this while I took a nap with DS..

We have lots of leftovers!

Hey Patsy!! I'm giving you a day off!

Today's question:

Are you participating in Black Friday and where did you go?

Did you find any really good deals? If so, what were they?

Sorry, that's more than one question but I can't help myself!!!

I don't usually go out, but I did hit Walmart with my DB at midnight. I had to get some of the $4 pj sets for the kiddos and a pair of slippers for DS. I also grabbed some $2 movies for their stockings.

 

[mommytotwo]

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. I had computer problems all day, but luckily my husband figured out the problem. We will have to buy another NetGear. Also went Black Friday shopping. So todays QOTD is-


Did you go Black Friday shopping? If so, what did you purchase?

 

[mommytotwo]

Susan I didn't even see your post. Thank you for giving me the day off.


Are you participating in Black Friday and where did you go? This was my first Black Friday, and we had gone to Walmart, Sports Authority, and Lowes.

Did you find any really good deals? If so, what were they? At Walmart, I bought a Cricut Lite cartridge, and also got stocking stuffers for my kids but that was just a regular priced item. At Sports Authority, we had gone there for one of their pop up tents which is a Christmas present from my parents to me, and my husband, and we also left with a trampoline that has an enclosure for the kids. At Lowes, we had gotten back up Christmas lights, and poinsettia plants.

 

[mommytotwo]

Do you decorate your house for Christmas? If so, what type of decorating style, color decor....do you have?

 

[xanphylus]

Do you decorate your house for Christmas? If so, what type of decorating style, color decor....do you have?

Yes, we decorate! Our style is kinda whatever goes. Mostly kid friendly stuff, with a couple pieces thrown in from when I was a kid myself. Big, real, tree with lots of dif types of ornaments- usually white or colored lights (this year blue though). Mantle done up with my elves and all the stockings- yes, even the cat has her own stocking! Table cloth and centerpiece on the table and even a 3 foot tall Santa with a light-up candle in it's hand that plays Christmas music.... rolleyes: thanks mom.... but the kids love it. lol)

I want the kids to think back on Christmas and remember it being fun, with fond memories of silly decorations and happy times. My house doesn't look like Martha Stewart lives here by any means, but I think the hand-print Santa's with cotton ball beards and glitter covered star ornaments made with love by my kiddos are much better anyway!

 

[mommytotwo]

Yes, we decorate! Our style is kinda whatever goes. Mostly kid friendly stuff, with a couple pieces thrown in from when I was a kid myself. Big, real, tree with lots of dif types of ornaments- usually white or colored lights (this year blue though). Mantle done up with my elves and all the stockings- yes, even the cat has her own stocking! Table cloth and centerpiece on the table and even a 3 foot tall Santa with a light-up candle in it's hand that plays Christmas music.... rolleyes: thanks mom.... but the kids love it. lol)

I want the kids to think back on Christmas and remember it being fun, with fond memories of silly decorations and happy times. My house doesn't look like Martha Stewart lives here by any means, but I think the hand-print Santa's with cotton ball beards and glitter covered star ornaments made with love by my kiddos are much better anyway!

Do you have a picture of your tree, and decorations for us to see?

 

[Kirby]

I guess I should answer my own question!

I have never participated in Black Friday before and thought I would this year for a change.

I did some on-line pre BF shopping at Kohl's while the turkey was cooking and my biggest score there was on $20 Jumping Beans bath wraps for $8 for future birthday presents for the Greats and a $90 foam mattress pad for Carol's dorm bed for $40.

I was back up at 12 am Friday night to see if I could get the purchase online at Wal Mart that I wanted. No such luck. I really didn't want to get out and go to WM since I knew that there had been people there for hours shopping and waiting for midnight. I searched online until I found what I wanted for just $5 more and free shipping.

I set my alarm for 3:30 am to head to Target. Of course, I over slept because somehow I turned down the volume on the radio. I woke up a little after 4:00 because Joe woke up and was searching for where the music was coming from. I couldn't hear it and it was right beside me!!

We went ahead and got up to go to Target. Shopping was a breeze and I found what I was there for but when we saw that we would have to stand in line for hours, we ditched our stuff and headed off to IHOP. We would only have saved a little, not enough for the effort.

We arrived at IHOP just in time. The barn doors blew open just as we were seated and there were people out the door.

I took Joe home and went off to do some shopping on my own. It was 7:00 by then. I went to Bealls, Kohls and Old Navy. Lines were great by that time and really moved along. I forgot my 15% off coupon for Kohls but went ahead and bought stuff anyway. My biggest score between those three places was $30 earrings for $7 at Kohls and $15 jeans at Old Navy.

I think that while I did find some deals, I will wait till December next year to shop. I really enjoy getting out at the stores during the last couple of weeks before Christmas and now that most of my shopping is done, I will miss all of that.

Thanks for listening to my BF experience!

Do you decorate your house for Christmas? If so, what type of decorating style, color decor....do you have?

We really don't have a style now. I put fewer and fewer things out. I put out a nativity scene, though last year I just had Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and the angel out. I usually have a few odds and ends sitting around. Our tree is eclectic with Hallmark ornaments but this year I might just buy some balls and to put on the tree.

 

[kristina87]

Yes I definitely decorate. I don't really have a theme either but I lean towards sparkly things and am a HUGE collector of Harry Potter ornaments as well as anything Rudolph. One thing that is consistent though is white lights on the tree, I can't stand colored lights for some reason! I also have always liked my moms village collection and now that I have my own house I think I'm going to start my own The ornaments on my tree are pretty much anything goes, I have Disney, Rudolph, ones with initials, etc. I LOVE christmas

 

[katybugsmom]

We decorate our whole house for Christmas! It's our favorite time of year!
Our kitchen is yellow and blue so we have lots of snowmen and plates with snowflakes in there. Our living room is very eclectic-all of the ornaments on our tree are ones DH and I bought together, ornaments the children have picked out or made and ornaments I have received from my school children over the years. We have colored lights on our tree too. We have a Mickey and Pooh on either side of our fireplace and lights adorn our mantle with our stockings. We have snowmen on top of our mantle too. There are Christmas pillows everywhere and afghans too. We decorate our porch with lighted garland, bows, twin lighted trees and a snowman. We aren't putting the blow-ups outside until we get back from our trip to WDW! We didn't want to leave them sitting outside on the ground that long.

 

[Kirby]

My trees up! I've never done a theme before so I decided to do one this year. It's a memory tree. Every ornament or item on the tree has a memory behind it.

 

[xanphylus]

Do you have a picture of your tree, and decorations for us to see?

I will soon! We are almost done- I have a few holes to fill in. The kids did the majority of the tree this year, so now that they are asleep, I can move some stuff around. My mantle willbe done tomorrow and the front porch will be when we find the lights. We use my mom's house as a storage unit and most of the stuff is there and we bring it a few boxes at a time. Will be going again tomorrow to drop off empty boxes and get more!

Yes I definitely decorate. I don't really have a theme either but I lean towards sparkly things and am a HUGE collector of Harry Potter ornaments as well as anything Rudolph. One thing that is consistent though is white lights on the tree, I can't stand colored lights for some reason! I also have always liked my moms village collection and now that I have my own house I think I'm going to start my own The ornaments on my tree are pretty much anything goes, I have Disney, Rudolph, ones with initials, etc. I LOVE christmas

I have not put many of my HP ornaments up this year- afraid the crazy 2 year old may get a hold of them! He loves my dancing Santa currently and won't leave it alone. My DH has more than a village of houses now... I think it has officially hit city status. He is banned from buying more... although I did find the funniest trailor the other day all decked out in lights and I instantly thought of Christmas Vacation and the BIL in the trailor! lol.

 

[mommytotwo]

When do you start to send out your Christmas cards, and pass out your presents?

 

[katybugsmom]

I usually try to send cards out the first week in December if I can get them made in time(picture cards). This year I'm having to wait until our shirts are finished(I've attached the appliques, but I need a seamstress to do a finishing stitch around the designs). We have an old red caboose behind our town's museum and I want to take the kids there and have their pictures made on the back of the caboose-since we are taking the train to Disney World I thought that would be a fun picture to put on our cards this year!
We exchange gifts with friends at school the day we get out for the Christmas holidays, but we don't start exchanging with family until Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. My niece and her family gave us our Christmas gifts early this year at Thanksgiving-Disney Gift Cards!!!!!!

 

[BELLEDOZER]

I usually put up our tree the first weekend of Dec, but since we were having a pile of people over yesterday, put it up during the week so that we could have a decorated tree for the party we were having. DH decorated the Firetruck yesterday, and it's all twinkly. As for gifts, from this point on we will be exchanging gifts at some point from now on. Today we are headed to an vintage car club xmas party, and we will be giving a gift to the head of the group for all the good work that they do for the club. I don't mail Christmas cards anymore.

 

[kristina87]

I usually send out christmas cards in the first 2 weeks of Decemeber. I sent out a lot for the Xmas card exchange early this year though

 

[Kirby]

When do you start to send out your Christmas cards, and pass out your presents?

I try to get them out the first week or two of December.

We're exchanging gifts with my side of the family the day after Christmas. It's when we could all be together.

I send Hallmark ornaments to all my great nieces and nephews the first week of December. We aren't exchanging gifts on Joe's side of the family this year. The brother whose turn it was to have the family Christmas gathering decided that in lieu of a holiday get-together, we will all shoot for our niece's wedding in June and have a mini reunion instead. I'm really missing our Christmas with all of them this year.

 

[xanphylus]

As for cards- I will be mailing my exchange cards out ASAP, been busy with the kiddos and hubby this week. Probably tomorrow. Family cards will go out as soon as I order the cards from snapfish. Got a great deal from mycokerewards.com for 30 free cards.

Presents- the kiddos opened one today from my aunt and uncle! My mom went to SC for turkey day and they all opened theirs then, so she brought the kids back and they got to do the same. The rest of the presents willnot be opened until Christmas day and after. DD will be at her mother's house in MI Christmas day, so we will have another Christmas when she returns on the 29th.

 

[mommytotwo]

I usually send my cards out the first week of December, but we will see when they get out.

 

[mommytotwo]

If you were to go into an ice cream parlor, and were to order a fancy ice cream treat, an ice cream soda..... what would you choose to order?