i heart black friday!!!

Finding Black Friday Flair was almost as fun as the actual shopping!

Okay I consider myself an average shopper (my husband would argue otherwise), but there is something about shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving with the crazies (I say this at 4:45 in line between the angry smoker and the three pot smoking buddies that have been up all night to be some of the first to partake in the Black Friday Target extravaganza of all places). Some may ask why shop so early, others will nod and grin, my fascination with shopping on this day of all days is because I dig competition (kind of like the thrill of the hunt). I get to drive all over town with no traffic to every place that I want to go without anyone telling me they are hungry, bored, playing in the racks of clothes, or have to immediately use the public restroom that is in the store that has yet to open (I totally had one of those "oh my God I have turned into my mother" the other day about these very things). The thrill also comes from the bargain that others may not receive because they are in bed sleeping off their turkey hangovers. For instance this morning I was at The Disney Store buying for Princess Abby, I was very surprised to find the entire store 20% off. I was so excited about my thriftiness, I got myself a Tinkerbell tree topper for $8 also!!! But now I need to admit to the mistakes I have made this year starting with dreaming that my alarm was going off and waking up at 3:24. This might not be so bad except I didn't realize this until I got to Target and wondered why no one was in line. So I made lemonade out of lemons and went to the Disney Store (had major success there). Then WalMart or Target??? I need to be at both places and I had convinced myself that they both opened at the same time 5 am - WRONG!!! Walmart opened at 5 and Target the line I am standing in opens at 6!!! Aghhhhhh!!! I didn't study my ads well enough. You know what they say when you assume... At least I am by myself.

I have some rules about Black Friday shopping: 1. Shop by yourself. Friends have separate agendas then you do... It is best to shop alone. A few years ago my friend and I were on our cell phone with each other all morning at opposite sides of town, bragging to one another about the major scores that were being made by both of us. 2. Study the ads, have a game plan and a list. I TOTALLY blew this one today! But the effectiveness of the list and Target's thoughtfulness of providing line standers maps of the store where the great deals were localed helped me get in AND out of the store by 5:15!!!! A record and I didn't have to stand in a ridiculous line. 3. No cart and a small purse in WalMart and Target!!! I have a canvas bag to put my items in and my small messenger bag with only my credit card, ID, keys, and phone. I love the loving husbands who follow their wives around with the cart, they mean well BUT GET OUT OF MY WAY!!! 4. Be aware! As tired as you may be it pays to pay attention to what is going on around you. Last year I scored big checking out at Target. The pharmacy!!! I saw a friend in the main check out line that extended pass electronics and into seasonal... We escaped the clutches of Target without waiting in line for more than 15 minutes. We still laugh about it.

5. No kids allowed! If #1 didn't make sense then I will repeat myself. Don't take ANYONE especially your children with you! That is that last thing you need to be dealing with at O dark thirty in the morning. Besides there is some essential Black Friday shopping that is not for children's eyes (and I am not talking about the customers throwing punches over the last HDTV at Best Buy).

If anyone asks about the amount of money I spent-

My alibi will be Santa made me do it!!!

HEE! HEE! HEE!

Now I am home and exhausted from my morning of shopping. Totally worth every minute, I got great deals and I only have 4 more adults to shop for! The kids are DONE!!! Yay me!!!