MY SHOPPING BAN HAS BEEN LIFTED - TEMPORARILY!

Yesterday my sister and I went shopping in Pigeon Forge, she wanted to get some apple frittter mix at the Apple Barn Restaurant, but my main mission was to go to the Scrapbook Super Center. We both got our wishes and had a great time.

The Joys of Shopping With An Adolescent Grandson

Our 12 year old grandson, Benjamin, is staying with us this week, and when we picked him up on Thursday, his mom (our daughter) gave us some money and a list of clothing items that he needed because he's either out-grown everything, or he's worn an item until it has turned into a rag.  My husband and I raised 2 daughters, and he refused to go shopping with them because it was such an ordeal - those of you who have daughters know what I mean.  They have to try on ALL possibilites in ALL stores before they make their final selections.   Shopping with them always took hours, and, sometimes, at the end of the day, they had found nothing that suited them.  And then there was Benjamin.  We went looking for shoes first (his mother had specified "nothing very expensive") because he is out-growing or wearing out his everyday shoes every 3 months.  So we went to Shoe Carnival.  In 10 minutes, he had found two pairs of acceptible shoes, and I even got a pair at 1/2 price with one of his pairs!  Ka-ching!!  Then we went righty next door to Rue 21 (Benjamin's favorite store), and within 10 minutes again, he had found 2 pairs of shorts, size 31 that he liked.  I made him try them on, and they hung at an appropriate level on his hips, so that was another purchase completed.  Ka-ching again!!  Now, I wouldn't be caught dead in the checked patterns he picked out in these shorts, but, hey,  maybe they're all the thing for that age group.  I hope so!  The last store we went to was K-Mart, where we found his boxer underwear and the loudest, gaudiest pair of Elmo lounging pants that I've ever seen.  He loved them, so that was his one extravagance.  We got out of K-mart in record time, having completed all the required purchases with no fussing, squabbling, or fit pitching because something was too expensive.  I'll take a boy shopping anyday before I'll take a girl!  I do have one grandaughter, Abby, who is 7.  She likes "girlie, girl" clothes, and I like to buy them for her.  I don't know how that will be when she is a pre-teen.  We'll see.  Pictures of our trip will come up next time.

I Finished My Christmas Shopping, Yeah!!

I have cause for rejoicing!  I have gone online and finished my Christmas shopping, and I only bought ONE thing for myself.  It was something I really needed, and no one else would think of buying it for me, so I don't feel too bad about that.  Now all I have to to is worry about paying off the credit cards that I put the gifts on.  When one shops online, the credit card bills do pile up, but I have a plan. 
I didn't work on my craft room today because I had some running around to do and met one of my former co-workers for lunch.  I think we're supposed to get some big snowstorm over the week-end, but I'll believe it when I see it.  Everytime the weathermen get all excited over snow, we just get a few flakes, and they end up with egg on their faces.  I'll keep you posted on that.  Bye for now.

Brrrrrrrr, It's Cold Outside!!!

It's colder than a witch's tit outside today, and my sister and I were out in it going to Target to do some Christmas shopping.  We managed to get a lot done.  I was going to upload a video to show how I'm doing with my craft room, but You Tube is doing some sort of site maintenance, and my video didn't process or something like that.  Tomorrow I have to go to the dentist to get a tooth crowned.  I dread it, so I'm going to take a Valium before I go.  Wish me luck!