I just say NO!

 I need my sanity – what little there is left of it, so, I say NO to shopping ANYWHERE on Black Friday.  By the time you get to all the stores, drive around in the parking lot to find a decent parking spot and fight the crowds and traffic to get back home in one piece, whatever money you may have been able to save in your Christmas shopping ends up going into your gas tank.  So, no.  No Black Friday shopping for me, thank you very much.  

Thanksgiving was really nice.  My Liz spent a couple of nights at Mom and Dad’s prior to Thursday to help out, along with her cousin, with the baking of pies and cooking.  The rest of us arrived around 4:30 and enjoyed the fabulous feast.  My Mom is such a good cook, I just wish she wouldn’t work so hard in the kitchen.  Hubby ate far more than I thought he would – being such a light eater since the MS diagnosis.  Just goes to show how good the food was, I guess.  🙂   I hated to eat and run – that’s what it felt like, but, poor hubby had to get up early this morning to go to work.  We had to leave around 8:00 PM.

Only five of us came home.  Liz will be traveling to Kentucky with my folks and niece to visit with my sisters for a while.  Mom does most of her Christmas shopping down there since the prices are better and my sisters are there to help her.  They should all be back home by Wednesday next week.  🙂

Two days ago, Hubby was worrying over the money situation.  It seems that each year gets a little harder.  Anyhow, he was trying to figure out how he’d be able to give me enough money for food for next week – since the food stamps are never enough to get us past two weeks – and asked me if I could manage on just $50. for the whole week.  I didn’t want to worry him more, or tell him that $40. of it would probably end up in the gas tank, so I just said I’d do the best I could and leave the rest up to God.  

Later that day, around noon, Liz is practically knocking the front door down wanting to get in the house.  Surprised, I opened up the door and said, "Why are you here?  I thought you were supposed to be helping Mama bake pies!"  

She replies, "I am!  I just need to get something."  

Standing there in confusion, I see her run to the kitchen, grab a handful of paper bags and then run back outside.  I followed her out and walked over to the drivers side of the van.  Mom gave me a big hug as I asked her why she would come all the way out here just for some paper bags.  

She smiled at me and said, "Well, because it’s easier to carry groceries into the house when they’re in bags."  

My Mommy bought us a little over $100.00 worth of groceries to get us through the rest of the month!!!  

I’m Thankful for peaceful evenings, food on the table, a house to live in, my loving parents, my awesome husband and my beautiful kids.

Have a great weekend, everyone.  

Until next time…