Thanksgiving Highlights

Thanksgiving has come and gone and along with it went maybe my most favorite holiday — Black Friday.  We had a blast eating our big family Thanksgiving lunch.

Fun family time was had.

And more jumping pictures were snapped.  My niece Campbell is becoming quite good at her picture taking timing.

–note:  I rocked my Uganda beads at Thanksgiving.  Warning: they do not go well with jumping.

But then it was time to get down to Black Friday business.  You may remember my last years shopping extravaganza…so I had lots to live up to again this year.  I have to give props to Josh because he loves me even for my craziness and is totally on board each year when Black Friday roles around.  He knows it’s coming and just accepts that his wife just might show up on the late night news running mad through Toys R Us.

This year my shopping partner was my sister-in-law Jen.  She was very “I’m in”  “Oh no, maybe I’m out”…etc, etc, etc.  So when it came time for her to make her final decision, I knew I needed some clear guidelines she would have to commit to.  So it only made sense to write up some type of contract and have her sign and date it.  Jen signed her contract and returned it to me on Thanksgiving Day.

Her contract was as follows:

I, Jennifer Vaudrey am committing to the awesome and insanely crazy Black Friday shopping with Laura Kelley.  I am committing to getting in line outside of the first agreed upon store location on Thursday, November 25th, 2010.  This may begin as early at noon after Thanksgiving lunch, depending on the first shopping store location and their opening time.  I am committing to staying in line the entire time and not skipping out because it is too cold or I am too tired or any other lame reasons.  Bathroom breaks and scheduled car-naps will be negotiated.  I agree to talk with total strangers and form a small communion of sorts, but all while keeping our main shopping goals and strategies under wraps.  I agree to talk smack or push if someone tries to get in front us in line or tries to push their way through when the store doors open.  I agree to run as quickly as my short, slow moving and small legs will carry me to ensure that the best deals are gotten.  I agree to attempt some sort of conditioning to make sure I am in perfect store running condition…this needs to include practice for the shopping cart push and run move.  I agree to prepare appropriately by scouting out stores and where my sought after items will be located in each store.  I agree to have my shopping list written down on paper by store location name.  I agree to have my Thanksgiving Day paper with me at all times.  I am fully committed to making a fool of myself on behalf of Black Friday shopping and getting the best deals there are out there.

This was clearly the only way to get her to really commit to what Black Friday had in store for us.  Before we headed out to get in line Jen tested out her choice of lawn chair that would be her best friend over the next 24 hours.

She opted for the beach chair that would lounge.  Good choice Jen.  And then it was here…it was time to suit up and head out.  I headed out first and Jen joined me shortly after.

The weather was awesome early on…I even wore flip flops to Thanksgiving.  The Black Friday wait at Toys R Us began pretty warm and a little windy and

a lot empty!  #1 feels nice.

But sadly the warm and windy weather and being alone in line soon came to an end.  It didn’t take too long for other Black Friday crazies to start joining us in line.  And when I went out on my first bathroom run (as agreed upon in our contract) at the near by Walgreens, the bottom absolutely fell out.  And I came back to this.

I have to say that I love that Jen is still sporting her “I’m #1” finger even when her umbrella is flipped inside out and doing her no good in the monsoon.  And no she does not know the lady she is hovering upon.  But it shows me that she embraced the “I agree to talk with total strangers and form a small communion of sorts” part of her contract.  Unfortunately, I will now have to add a clause to next year contract: “If shopping partner is out on her negotiated bathroom break and the bottom absolutely falls out of the sky, I will cover her chair up, so to avoid a sopping wet seat for the rest of the insanely cold night.”  Needless to say my chair was drenched, but Jen is a rookie.

My brother-in-law Andy and Mr. Kelley were both kind enough to come by later in the night and bring us dry pants, shoes, socks and a pair of dry chairs, that we saved for when we got in line at Target.  At Toys R Us the line continued to grow.

The rain continued to fall.

And the temperature continued to drop through out the night.

We even struck up a friendship with Tony, one of the four police/security men that were on duty.  Toys R Us really stepped up their game this year in the security department.

But then it was opening time and Jen and I were pumped.

We came, we waited, we ran and we conquered.  The best thing about having a partner, especially in Jen’s case when her list is a mile long, is that the other person can help you grab all your goods.  So what did I leave with it?  Well a $19.99 hot wheels scooter for my nephew Jack and a Santa Sing-a-ma-jig for my friend Brea.  Yep…that’s it.  Black Friday is about the deals, for sure, but for me, it’s also about the crazy, fun excitement.  After Toys R Us, we high tailed it over to Target and made it #16 in line there.  After Target opened, we hit up a more stores, got lots of great deals and filled Jen’s van with the goods.

I made it home by 7:30am.  Yes, I was awake for over 24 hours, but it was totally worth it.  Harper took my picture shortly after being home.  Do I look tired or what?

So this Thanksgiving I am thankful for:

*My God who is ever loving and forgiving and grace showing

*The best husband and friend I could never even have dreamed up

*My three kiddos who bless and crack me up everyday

*My fourth child who I have yet to see his face, but can’t wait to

*My family who is always there

*Dear and sweet friends

*Food in my stomach

*Clean water to drink

*A safe house to go home to

*Business that is amazing, customers who are a pleasure to work with and getting to do what I love

* and Black Friday!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.