GTKY Black Friday Edi.

2MamazInSeattle · November 2013

Please join us and help us get to know you better!

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event, or, what you had for dinner yesterday

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc.
3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid)
4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?
5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop?
BONUS: PIP us something fun!

StacyLH24 · November 2013

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event, or, what you had for dinner yesterday

Ours was low key, which is fine with me. We went down to my parent's house, where C's Mom, youngest brother, sister and sister's boyfriend joined us. We later went to the bar/restaurant where C's other brother was working and had drinks and delicious carrot cake.

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc.

We get a real tree that we go out and cut down ourselves. We will do that in about two weeks. Last year I just decorated it with white lights. I think this year I will do the same, but add all of my ornaments to it. My Mom has given me an ornament every year since my first Christmas.

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid)

Though I don't remember getting him, I would say my best gift was my teddy bear, Theodore. I still have him today. He sits on one of our dressers. He has had to be restuffed a few times and has had holes sewn. I'm hoping to pass him along to our first LO.

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?

I'm most looking forward to making my Grandma's cookies. C and I are also getting ready to buy our next round of vials. We are treating it is a Christmas present to each other I am dreading the possibility of seeing my oldest BIL's girlfriend (kind of) for Christmas. She is not a nice person at all. We currently do not speak to her, and I do not want to have to see her nor tolerate her on Christmas day. Her family is in NJ and I'm hoping that she goes there for Christmas. We are all hoping that their "relationship" is nearing its end. I'm not sure I have ever met such a cruel and fake person before. If we have to spend time with her, it will be purely so that C's Mom doesn't get upset by all of the kids not being together. We are all dreading the possibility of her being here with us.

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop?

I did not participate in any of the sales yesterday. I'm going to see Catching Fire at some point today and do need to run to a few stores...hopefully only two. I wouldn't be going if I didn't need to. I prefer to do all of my Christmas shopping online. I did that last year, and it was so much easier!

BONUS: PIP us something fun!

This is the snow at our house yesterday morning.

StacyLH24 · November 2013

Hmmm...Well, there was an actual answer to the first question. We had a low key Thanksgiving day, which is fine by me. We went to my parent's house, where C's Mom, youngest brother, sister and sister's boyfriend joined us. We later went to the bar/restaurant where C's other brother works. We had drinks and some delicious carrot cake!

ball.and.chain · November 2013

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event, or, what you had for dinner yesterday)

It was good. Food was delicious, no mishaps, and my 101yo great aunt behaved herself.

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc.

Oh, the never-ending argument about what's too early! My family always liked to keep ours up a little after New Year's, which meant we couldn't buy too early in December or it would dry out. My MIL has a fake tree, so she puts it up the day after Thanksgiving, and as soon as Thanksgiving passes, my wife is on me to buy the tree. We are having a holiday party on the 14th, so it has to be up and decorated by then. I'm thinking we'll buy it next weekend. We're white-light people, and we have red wooden bead garlands and a very eclectic assortment of ornaments -- everything from our childhood craft projects to some we inherited from parents to recent gifts or purchases.

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid)

I'm struggling with this one! We were always kind of spoiled at Christmas (my parents LOVED Christmas and saved all year for it), so there were a lot of great, beloved gifts. Although I probably used/loved other things more over time, I do clearly remember the year we got Cabbage Patch Kids because they were hard to get and I didn't believe my parents would manage to score any.

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?

Looking forward to cookie baking, our holiday party, having the tree up, and the holiday itself. I'm dreading finding out what kind of trouble our kitty can get into with the tree -- this is her first one, as far as we know, and she's kind of a live wire. I'm predicting she will climb it. Also worrying about the possibility of another loss during the holiday season and a rough holiday because of it. But hopefully that won't happen!

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop?

HELL NO. You could not pay me enough to participate in Black Friday. I don't want any deal enough to put up with huge crazy crowds, getting up early (or staying up late for that matter), or waiting in huge lines (especially if they are outside in the cold). I'm hoping to get some Cyber Monday deals, but otherwise I'll just buy things when I buy them.

BONUS: PIP us something fun!

All out of PIPs for the moment...but looking forward to seeing yours!

trisholio · November 2013

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event, or, what you had for dinner yesterday

After all of the stressing about Thanksgiving dinner, it went rather well. There were a few awkward moments, but overall the positive outweighed the negative. We had amazing food and I am sad that I didn't get any leftovers :-(

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc.

I am pretty sure we are going to get a real tree this year. Previous years we have only put up a small fake tree. I think we are going to put up a big tree for good luck and if we get foster children between now and Christmas I want to have a tree for them.

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid)

I think my most memorable Christmas was in 1990 my entire family went to my Mamaw's house in Washington DC. All of my aunts and uncles and cousins were there and we all stayed at my grandma's. We had people sleeping in every part of the house, only had two bathrooms. It was a wonderful weekend and one of the few home videos I have of my childhood. We went on a private tour of the White House, went to midnight mass as a family and spent hours opening presents on Christmas morning. I was only 9 years old and there was no family drama or awkwardness, we all got along and had a wonderful time.

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?

I am dreading shopping for Christmas presents. We aren't super yet who we are buying for and who we aren't. In previous years we have done gift exchanges or no presents at all. So I am not sure what the plan is this year. I am looking forward to giving my wife her present. I have already ordered it and it's ready to be picked up :-)

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop?

We had no intention of going shopping yesterday, but on our way home from Thanksgiving dinner we made a detour to Old Navy. We drove by the store and the line was fairly short. So we went inside each went our own ways and picked up a few things. Then we saw the line to check out and it was over an hour long. An employee approached us and asked if we wanted to go to the VIP line with no wait if we applied for a store credit card, heck yeah! So we were in and out of the store in under 30 minutes and saved 50% on everything and picked up a few items super cheap on clearance.
BONUS: PIP us something fun!

I didn't take any fun pictures yesterday, but last night we decided to take a selfie because we wanted at least one picture of us together on Thanksgiving. The best part of the pictures (and maybe tmi) is that we are wearing no pants! Haha. This was taken after we got home from all of the events of the day.

StacyLH24 · November 2013

@wallace323 - What an adorable picture!

Jazibel · November 2013

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event, or, what you had for dinner yesterday

Thanksgiving was great - it was just the 3.5 of us, EV and started prepping everything on Wed. night, we brined the turkey again this year and the results were delicious. EV also made a pumpkin mousse pie with a ginger cookie crust. It was amazing. I love my little family.

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc.

This is always a point of contention in the house (See Question #4). But I plan on getting a small/medium sized tree. Last year we had a table top tree done in purple lights with purple, silver, turquoise and other color ornaments. This year I'd like to expand the theme to include some of the ornaments I grew up with and my new ornament (thanks Secret Elf!! :-) So maybe white lights, or maybe more purple. I'd like to put up the tree about 1 week or 2 before Christmas.

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid)

The pink corded phone I got when I turned 16. I'm sure it was a $10 phone but it meant the world to me - finally my own phone in my room. I ended up getting a 20 foot long cord so the phone and I could go anywhere in my room. Sigh - the good ol' days ;-)

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?

Every time I think EV and I reached an understanding regarding our family's holiday traditions it seems I need to carve out a new agreement. I should just get something in writing. EV is not big into holidays (except Halloween). In part due to a hectic upbringing, and in part due to personal/social beliefs. Anyway I love the holidays, all the hoopla and would go all out for everything. Not in a religious way - but just because I think having personal family traditions and celebrations is really important and fun. So long story short it will likely be a debate again this year of "do we really need a tree", "are we doing presents", etc. etc. I'm not looking forward to it. EV is an amazing wife - this just happens to be an area that we do not see eye to eye. I try to respect her wishes and tone the season down (listen the Xmas music on my own time, not decorating the whole house, minimal extended family stuff...) but its still hard.

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop?

Nope no Black Friday shopping. Today we're taking Kaden to an indoor play place, with tumble rooms, toddler toys and an arcade - we'll see how it goes :-)

BONUS: PIP us something fun! (Our impromptu beach trip from last weekend). This is at Natural Bridges Beach/Park in Santa Cruz, Ca.

firstcomeslove2013 · November 2013

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event or, what you had for dinner yesterday).

Our thanksgiving was quiet and nice. We drove to C’s parent’s house and enjoyed dinner with her parents, sister, sister’s boyfriend, and grandparents. We ate way too much food, enjoyed a relaxing time just sitting around and talking. It was really nice. We are still here until tomorrow afternoon but we have been doing a lot of sitting around and baking which has been fun. I am currently stationed at C’s parent’s kitchen table (where is my usual spot for relaxing when we are here).

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc.

We are actually getting a live tree this year. We usually set up an artificial tree but we’ve decided that we want to try and cut down our own. We decorate it with colored lights and a mix n match of ornaments. It’s a bit tacky but its us!

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid)

Hmmm….that is hard. We got SO much stuff as kids and now I don’t remember a lot of what we got. I do remember getting a big Barbie house that had an elevator. I wasn’t even really a Barbie kid, but I remember really loving that elevator!

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?

Holidays are feeling gloomy and tough this year. I am most looking forward to seeing friends and family. We started an alumni association for the camp I used to work at and we are going to do a dinner over the holidays…I am really excited about that.

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop?

No way on black Friday. I just am not that into the whole black Friday shopping. I did do some groupon/living social shopping today and we might brave Kohl’s this evening if the line doesn’t seem too long. My preferred way to shop is online.

I have no PIP this time :-(

lamaitresse · November 2013

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event, or, what you had for dinner yesterday
Our last family event was Canadian Thxgiving in October, but I was mostly unconscious because my surgery was a couple days beforehand. We spent it with Smurf's sister and her husband and one of her kids, instead of making the trip to Toronto and spending it with ALL SEVENTEEN of Smurf's relatives. I really didn't feel up to that. LOL But Smurf's niece made a FABULOUS pumpkin soup from scratch. Definitely a dinner highlight.

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc.

Not sure yet when we will put up a tree or how we will decorate it. Smurf is in charge of the tree. This is the first year we are actually doing a tree since we bought the house three years ago, simply because we are never home to enjoy it. We've never spent a Christmas in our own house! This year we decided we wanted it up for our annual Christmas open house, so Smurf has a week left to figure everything out... LOL

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid)

I can't really remember any gifts from my childhood that stand out... But a few years ago, my sister retouched a photo of our mother taken in 1969, and got it framed professionally. My mum died about 10 years ago, so this was such a beautiful gift in so many ways. Her photo now hangs in our dining room, along with photos of my dad and Smurf's parents.

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?

I kind of anticipate and dread Christmas at my MIL's for the same reasons. I look forward to seeing everyone, but like I said above... There are now 18 of us that somehow cram into her house for family gatherings and holidays. It's a tight squeeze and I get a little stir crazy.

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop?

We've only done online shopping... we got a 2-for-1 deal on Toronto Rock (lacrosse) tickets for Jan 3rd, bought train tickets for Toronto, and currently Smurf is looking for new snow boots. We tried some in store on Tuesday, now we're shopping around online for the cheapest deal LOL

BONUS: PIP us something fun!

Here is my adorable grandniece, at 13 days old!

aslmander · November 2013

Please join us and help us get to know you better!

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event, or, what you had for dinner yesterday It was really good! Had a whole 3 thanksgiving dinners so im stuffed for days! I went over to my aunts house for thanksgiving lunch, got to play with my little cousins(3 and 7) and got to see my sisters (16 and 20). Then came back to my place where Angel (my s/o) had cooked thanksgiving dinner for her family so we ate and watched the football game that night. then last night we went over to my other grandparents house and had traditional thanksgiving leftovers and the infamous Phase 10 showdown

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc. Well Ive lived on my own for about 5 years now and this will be the first year i actually have a christmas tree, which we are putting up tomorow so how the decorating will go, im not sure yet!

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid) I think when i got my first cell phone lol

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?

Im dreading the christmas shopping, im such a horrible shopper/gift giver, i never know what anybody wants. I look forward to getting to spend time with my family.

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop? oh heck no, there was one good deal that i saw but it wasnt worth it, i just stay nice and warm in the comfort of my home and do my shopping online.

BONUS: PIP us something fun! not entirely sure what that stands for

aslmander · November 2013

well i thought i had typed in the answer to the first question, apparantely i didnt..

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event, or, what you had for dinner yesterday It was really good! Had a whole 3 thanksgiving dinners so im stuffed for days! I went over to my aunts house for thanksgiving lunch, got to play with my little cousins(3 and 7) and got to see my sisters (16 and 20). Then came back to my place where Angel (my s/o) had cooked thanksgiving dinner for her family so we ate and watched the football game that night. then last night we went over to my other grandparents house and had traditional thanksgiving leftovers and the infamous Phase 10 showdown

YBnormal85 · November 2013

Pip stands for picture in post

maryoosa · December 2013

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event, or, what you had for dinner yesterday

Exhausting. I host- so we had 9 people over, all family. I did all the prep and all the cooking. And most of the cleaning. My partner finally kicked in around the 3rd load of dishes.

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc.

I was hoping to do it yesterday but it looks now like it'll be tomorrow night. Ornaments that I've been gathering since I was around 18, colored but non flashing lights, and ribbon streamers rather than tinsel or garland.

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid)
I got loads of stuff--- but probably the most memorable was my Cabbage Patch Kid, Dottie Camie, when I was like 3 or 4 and people were waiting outside trucks on the sides of roads to get them etc.

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?

I'm most looking forward to celebrating Xmas with our then almost 5 month old and dreading going to visit his birth grandma in a few weeks. That's always awkward.

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop?

I shopped online yesterday at Gymboree- got tons of baby stuff for under 100%. Today I hit Lane Bryant for myself in the store.

BONUS: PIP us something fun

Jazibel · December 2013

herbabymama said:

@Jazibel we have to meet up at Santa Cruz beach sometime!!!

@lamaitresse that baby is so stinking cute. OMG.

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving was a continuation of our great baby watch week, lots of contractions leading to nothing. I have this magical ability to "sleep them off" which my MWs insist is a good thing! They say when it is real, nothing will stop them. So I made a pumpkin pie from scratch (love my Vitamix!) and put it in the oven for one hour with a timer for one hour and suggested to K that we take a nap. 2 hours later we woke up to a burnt pie and 30 mins late for our dinner invitation at friends' place. We hopped in the car and headed over there as they are only 5 minutes away and enjoyed a good meal and some pie that hostess had made ;-)

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc.

Back in July, K bought a fake tree online because she knew we wouldn't want to be bothered with getting a tree at the end of my pregnancy or when LO is here. And here I am, I've made it to December! So when the moms come (my mom and hers) they will help pull it out of the garage and decorate it with us. We don't have lights yet, this will be our first Christmas tree! We lived overseas for so many years and don't have an ornament collection. This is one reason I love and appreciate the LGBT bumpie ornament exchange (last year I got a set of glass ornaments from a bumpie, but then we didn't do a tree because we were in Indy with family) so I look forward to putting up ornaments and making new memories with LO, who will be only weeks old at that point.

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid)

I got a baby doll when I was 7 or so that you could feed and then it pooped and you had to change diapers. I loved it. I learned yesterday that K has NEVER in her life changed a diaper and I made her practice with a stuffed bear. I won't say how many times she turned it on its head to get it on! Oh boy.

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?

I'm most looking forward to baby being here!!! Come on baby! And having my mom visit, though she doesn't get the grandma duty thing yet. She's already told me how excited she is to go for walks on the beach, eat at seafood restaurants, and go get a massage at a spa. Mom, you realize this is not a tourist vacation but to help out with grandbaby, right??

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop?

I prefer to shop online. I didn't go to sales but we did go to the mall to see a movie - the Dallas Buyers Club - which was kind of a downer but a really good movie. We had a great "date night" thinking it may be our last. Movie then sushi restaurant (nothing raw of course). This week has been one long celebration of our time together, as K has been off work, and we have been enjoying every moment and waiting for baby!

BONUS: PIP us something fun!
This is fun - here are some belly shots (hopefully my last) from Thanksgiving day when we took a small hike in the morning along the coast.

@herbabymama - I would love to!! Maybe once LO is here and you've had some time to relax (but before I pop) Say late Winter/early Spring :-)

FYI - EV and I took our last belly shots in July on the beach about a week before K was born - FX these are your last (great pics!!).

2MamazInSeattle · December 2013

As usual I'm late!

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event, or, what you had for dinner yesterday .

Thanksgiving was great. I was responsible for the stuffing, cranberry sauce and brussels sprouts. All turned out great. Family time was no-drama and fun!

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc.

It's up! As much as I love doing it with J, she really doesn't love putting up the tree. Since she had to work Friday, my sister helped me get the tree and get it stable, then I decorated it and cleaned up before J got home! She said "The best tree is the one I don't have to put up." So there you have it. Colored lights always, with a mash-up of ornaments from our childhoods, travels and ones we've just picked up along the way.

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid).

Christmas morning was always stressful. My parents tried so hard to make it perfect and amazing, but exhausted themselves doing it - my dad was always tired and mean, and my mom just looked beat. That said, as we got older and didn't need to be up at 6 a.m. out of excitement, it got better. I do remember getting a telescope in 6th grade I loved!

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?

I am hoping to be pregnant....again this year. Last year, we got our beta on 12/20 and 12/24, it was so great and I remember the xmas eve dinner pic of my family and thinking "my first pregnant photo!" - fortunately thanks to POAS we'll have a good idea by this time next week if it worked or not. Overall though, I'm work traveling this week and the week of the 16th with a busy week of the 9th in between - feels like it'll be here before I know it! I am pleased w/myself for doing all my shopping early. I'm pretty much waiting for a box or two from Amazon - otherwise, done!

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop?

NFW. I stay away from all the crazies, but I did go to the mall to return some stuff yesterday I bought online and it wasn't that busy and I got an easy parking spot. Who knew!

BONUS: PIP us something fun!

Manny has assumed the position....he loves to be under the tree!

healz413 · December 2013

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? (If you didn't celebrate, tell us about your most recent family event, or, what you had for dinner yesterday )
We're in Canada, so we didn't celebrate it like many U.S. folks and didn't have the day off of work. But I'm from the U.S. so I was missing it. After we went to the clinic in the morning (but before I got the call that we might get cancelled), I decided that I wanted to do something to recognize Thanksgiving. So we had over our friend R and her two kids E and A that we're aunties to. We got takeout from Swiss Challet (a chicken and ribs place). We had chicken, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, and rolls. It wasn't as good as homemade, but it did the trick.

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc.

I have no idea whether or when we will put up a tree. We are totally not in the Christmas spirit/mood at this point and we will be going to Chicago for Christmas. Last year we got a small real tree and decorated it with the few ornaments we had, but it felt very empty. So we also decorated with much of our button collection! I'll PIP it at the bottom.

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid)
I think this would probably be the basketball hoop that my brothers and I got. Without knowing it, we helped my dad install the post for it in the alley behind our garage. He told us it was a light post for the alley. Then on Christmas eve afternoon, my mom and aunt took my brothers and me to the movies while my dad finished installing the backboard and hoop. We parked in the front when we got back and didn't see it until Christmas morning!

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?
Dreading having our dog at my parents house with their old dog. Both are dominant females and there have been problems in the past.
Looking forward to food-- turkey dinner on Christmas, Chicago style pizza, Sonic.

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop?
No shopping for us. It's not nearly as big of deal here, but there are more and more black friday sales here each year to try to keep Canadian shoppers from doing all their shopping across the border. I like shopping bit by bit (instead of in a high-pressure mall trip) or online.

BONUS: PIP us something fun!
This is our Christimas tree last year decorated primarily with buttons.
(ETA: Um, this PIP is actually includes a major bonus in the background. On the wall to the right you can see our family art wall (pictures M and I have painted). One of the them is the charming and creepy nose-less and eye-less painting I made of M and me. It is based on a photo from her mom's wedding. I'm a horrible painter, though, so I realized I could not figure out how to paint our eyes and noses which were all scrunched up from our big smiles.)

ATXmommas · December 2013

@herbabymama - beautiful full-term bump! I told Z that I wanted a bare belly shot before I delivered, but it didn't happen.

CageyMack · December 2013

1. Well, how was Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving was wonderful! We went to some church friends' house first, partied hard with their triplets and older boy and generally had a complete blast. After that we went to DW's work friends' house and had a grown-up dinner. Both a complete party and such fun!

2. If you are putting up a Christmas Tree, when will you do that? Describe your tree to us...how you decorate it, color or white lights, etc. I'm getting ready to set it up with the Big Kid. DW is on a work trip and might be bummed to miss it, but I'm in a hurry and feeling like I want to get it up. She always appreciates that we get it done, so that's good. We have always, always, always had a real tree, but since we came to HI, have had a fake one. I feel like it is more environmentally sustainable. But not quite the same.

3. What is the best or most memorable Christmas gift you got as a kid? (If you don't celebrate, then any memorable gift as a kid) I would have to say pretty much every year as a little kid. Maybe a book of magic tricks and a magic wand. Super fun.

4. What are you most looking forward to for the holidays this year, or dreading?

I'm boycotting shopping, so I only have visiting to look forward to! We are visiting family for the holidays and I am overjoyed. I have not seen some of them for two years.

5. Do you/did you participate in any of the sales yesterday or today? Any black eyes? Tell us more! What is your preferred way to shop? I can't handle the shopping any more. It makes the holidays hard for me, so I just avoid it entirely. I'll get the Big Kid a couple things online and then will make about a half-dozen gifts for loved ones. I really, really want to carve our New Boy some wooden animals. DW and I are hoping we can do that in the eves working up to the holiday. So I'll get some carving wood, but that's about it. At least I hope so!

BONUS: PIP us something fun! Forgot to add the pic, so adding it below.

CageyMack · December 2013

Added a picture of some pillows I made last year. They are in the baby's room now, which is orange and green.

CageyMack · December 2013

@healz413--I'm cracking up at your artwork description. Redonkulous! Thanks for sharing!

lamaitresse · December 2013

@herbabymama OH I KNOW. I can't wait to meet her... possibly this weekend!!

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GTKY Black Friday Edi.

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