Thanksgiving Week

This is the week that we celebrate things we're thankful for. Last year I wrote a poem about the things that my family was thankful for. I had everyone send me something and mushed it all together into a dorky poem. It was all just a ploy to announce that we were having a baby. That made it cute, not dorky.

This year we do not have an elaborate announcement, but we are still very thankful. Abby is happy and healthy. So are Anny and I. We both have good jobs and great family and friends.

But this week is about more than being thankful. It's also about Turkey. It could also be about slapping, if you watch How I Met Your Mother. In our family we leave out the slapping, but are heavy on the turkey! The dinner is big and wonderful and prepared tirelessly by one of my aunts.
Two turkeys - one baked, one fried.
Two kinds of cranberry sauce - the traditional and a creamy version for those "outside the box thinkers" in the crowd.
Almost as Many Pies as People - yes, it's going to be true this year. My brother has his own cherry pie. Several pumpkin pies. Some sort of cream pie. Pudding for me since I don't like pie crust!

The food brings us together. We see each other fairly often, but it's different at holidays. No bickering, just having good conversation and general fun.

Oh yeah, and there's always the Robly-Anticipated Black Friday Shopping! Last year I was to Target and back with breakfast in hand before Anny was out of bed. After she was ready to leave we stopped at another Target on our way to the family beach house located near - you guessed it - MORE shopping! I went to three Target stores - in two states(!) in twelve hours.

Something is wrong with me. I love to shop on Black Friday (and Saturday). I love to shop on Christmas Eve. I worked retail for four and a half years and my favorite days were the long busy ones. I am looking forward to strapping Abby into the Baby Bjorn and heading out shopping just before the sun is out on Friday! (We will be at the Outlet Stores in Rehoboth on Friday. Back in town for Saturday.)

Here are my tips for Black Friday shopping:
1 - Research on Thursday in the newspaper what you are hunting for on Friday.
2 - If you are looking for an electronics gift, get there early. If you're after clothes, sleep in.
3 - Dress in layers! It's chilly in the early hours, but hot inside stores by mid-morning. More people = higher temperatures!
4 - Be nice. Everyone is looking for a deal, not just you. Be especially nice to the store employees. You are NOT the first person to complain that they don't have the camera you wanted.
5 - Set spending limits and stick to them. This one is hard for me to type because I tend to overspend. If you go out and take advantage of EVERY deal you will be happy, but broke.
6 - Set time limits. If you're shopping alone this is not as important. If you're out shopping with someone, though, you need to take a break for food and drink, and sometimes it's best to just say "we'll shop until noon and then be done for today." Don't get your beloved mad at you over a sale on sweaters! (Anny, I wrote this to show you that I am trying to learn!)

In case I don't post tomorrow - Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!

If you go shopping - have fun! If you don't - have fun anyway, but stay away from the mall!