Weekend Review: The Shopped Til I Dropped Edition

Ya'll. I'm not ordinarily much of a shopper. Hence my early morning grocery treks to avoid other shoppers. I'm a get in, get out kinda gal. (Insert a "That's what she he said" joke here. haha) Shopping is not my forte. Unfortunately, though, not all Christmas gifts can be purchased on-line. At least, not the kind of gifts I get.

For instance, BIL loves the cheese straws and lemon straws produced by a company here in Mississippi and while, yes, they do offer them in an on-line store, the shipping is outrageous. So instead, I get them from a local gift shop. (Insert "shop local!" slogan here. That's one of the big PSA's around here this time of year.)

That called for...dun, dun, dun...a shopping day! As in, all out, driving around town from one place to another shopping. Fortunately, this year I had a partner in crime misery. Sis2 jumped at the chance to leave the kids with Goofus and trek all over town with me. Hurray for a sister I don't mind shopping with. I hate shopping with Sis1, btw. She's fun sometimes but her idea of shopping (clothes) and mine (do-dads and kitchen stuff) are completely at odds. Sis2 and I, on the other hand, are like fries and ketchup. haha

So, I picked Sis2 up at her house around 8:30 and we promptly went to breakfast. We needed fuel for the grueling day ahead of us, doncha know. hehehe So we stopped at the Huddle House. If you're not familiar with it, it's kind of like Waffle House. Except I think the food's better. They have this thing I call the "heart attack plate" which is really called the southern smothered biscuit platter--a split biscuit with sausage or bacon, smothered in gravy, covered in hashbrowns and topped with melty cheese. It's only like the best thing EVER.

I wish I'd taken a picture because, YUM.

We chatted and ate and laughed at silly junk that sisters laugh at. Why is it we only really ever get to do this sort of thing around Christmas time? I mean, we're both around the same places all year long. Hmm...Imma hafta think on that. Maybe make it a monthly thing. As if Goofus would ever put up with that. But whatevs.

Anyway, after breakfast we hit the streets and shopped big. We went to Dollar General and Dollar Tree first. (the last of the big spenders! haha) Then hit up Cato (I didn't find any clothes that fit right) and Giggleswick (the local gift shop I mentioned) before heading to McD's for lunch.

I know. A girl's day out and we eat at McD's? What. The. Heck?

But okay, so I had a coupon for two free meals AND dessert that they'd handed out when I was there last week. Free lunch trumps fancy lunch any day.

Goofus met us there with the kids and Mama showed up, too. It was fun to see the kids and wrestle with Efan when he tried to go off to the play place alone. Sis2 and Goofus didn't really want the kids to go into the play place, though. Germ and flu season,  yanno. So we bribed them with cookies and hot fudge sundaes instead.

We're terrific parents. haha

I'm not a parent but whateves.

Anyway, after lunch we hit Tuesday Morning and the CoOp and then ended the trip at Wal-Mart. I KNOW.

But we had to get the groceries for our upcoming "baking day" and Wal-Mart's the cheapest groceries in town. When we pulled up into the parking lot we both groaned "Oh craaaaap."

It was bad. But weirdly enough, not as bad as it could have been. I mean, the Saturday before the Saturday before Christmas? Usually a total nightmare. But I managed to get in and out without a single panic attack. For realz.

I finished the last of my Christmas gifts--including the groceries for the stuff I'm baking for people--and came in about $40 under budget. So. Not bad, all things told.

After Wal-Mart we stopped by the other McD's and got mocha frappes because let me tell you something. Shopping is HARD WORK. We were both moving like zombies by the time we finished so we needed to replenish the energy. Plus, we'd earned a treat. ;-)

I dropped Sis2 off at her house around 4:30pm and headed home. No lie, I almost fell when I went to get out of the car. My knees and legs were so sore and tired. Blech.

But it was fun. It was one of those days when I'm really thankful that my sister is my best friend and that she still lives close enough to me to do this sort of thing. And also thankful that I don't have to shop like that again until NEXT December. hehehe

So it isn't any shock that I took Sunday as it was intended and rested after church. It was the perfect sort of day for resting, too, since it rained All. Day. Long. No storms or anything , just a nice and steady downpour. So Libs and I curled up at Mama's and watched Expendables 2 with Daddy and Milo while Mama slept on the couch.

Poor Mama's had it rough lately. Not only is her car still in the shop from the mouse damage last week but she's been battling a killer sinus infection the past couple of weeks. It moved into her teeth and gums over the weekend and nearly sent her over the edge. Then yesterday morning when she got into the rental car to come to work guess what happened--The mice had struck again! So off the rental went to the shop and she's currently without wheels. Which  means, kids, I'm driving this week.

Which is fine. I don't mind. I'm just praying REALLY A LOT that my car holds up and we get through the rest of this week without anymore trauma/drama.

Mama went to the doctor yesterday and he gave her a shot in the boo-tay that cleared up the worst of her sinus infection thing over night. She's still not feeling a 100%. And her feelings are just really hurt with all the mouse/car trouble and the costs incurred with that. So if anyone talks to Jesus anytime soon, could you maybe put in a good word for her?

Things are winding down on the work front. This is our last week before Christmas and Friday begins our two week vaycay. Words cannot describe how incredibly excited I am about this. Like, for serious. I don't know what I'd do without these two weeks to recharge my proverbial batteries.  I am, however, thisclose to bonking a coworker on the head if she doesn't settle down. She's still operating on full work power mode and trying her darnedest to keep me down with her. But I'm not falling for it. There is nothing so important that has to stress me out this close to vacation. All the kiddies and professors are gone. Graduation is over and done. This is "clearing off your desk for the new year" time, not "start new projects and use your brains excessively" time. Seriously.

Oh, speaking of excessive brain usage, nobody get mad if my Christmas card/present doesn't get to you BEFORE Christmas. My brain has settled in for a little nap already and I haven't been able to remember to do squat. I took some awesome pics last night (finally) to use on my Christmas cards but do you think I remembered to bring my camera this morning? That would be a big fat NO. *sigh*

And that's what's up with me lately.