Yes, it starts, those crazy five days that surround Christmas.

On Thursday, my friend C and I met for our yearly traditional Christmas shopping. With no plan in mind, we headed north. We ended up in historic Kimmswick and went to The Blue Owl. The food is good, but if you ask me, it’s waaaaay over priced. I usually don’t go for dessert, but I had to have a $5 piece of red velvet cake. I later almost paid for that by getting sick (cream cheese icing), but it wasn’t too bad. But lunch cost us each about $23, including the tip. We exchanged gifts – she got me this cute little snowman with his belly full of scrumptous chocolate. We then walked around and shopped until everyone closed at 4pm. I found some Kimmswick coffee in lots of neat flavors like pumpkin spice and cherry chocolate, etc. I bought some for Steve’s grandmas and parents then some more of those wooden roses for one of his grandmas.

From there, we went up to South County (St. Louis) and went to Worst Buy. Hey, don’t knock on me, I had $30 in Reward Zone certificates to use. They didn’t expire until April, but I figured I’d better use them before I lost them. I was surprised the traffic wasn’t as bad as I remember last year. Last year on the 23rd, it took me over an hour to get out of the mall’s parking lot. This year we were in and out with less-than-expected waiting. At BB, I bought an external hard drive (that I’ve been meaning to get for over a year now). An 80 gig for $80, then the $30 off.

Then we went to the mall. I bought some stuff at Bath & Body Works for his grandmas and since my bank sent me a gift card for Starbuck’s I got myself some $1.80 water there and Carrie some weird tea. That water didn’t taste any better than any $1 water… or free water for that matter. What’s up with that? We went back into Famous Barr and Carrie bought a coat. Inspired by this because I was in bad need of a new coat (I’ve been wearing Steve’s leather jacket and it’s starting to get really old) we went back into the mall and into Wilson Leather. I ended up finding something just perfect for me: dark brown suede and it fits wonderfully. Oh, and it was only $60, $100 off. :)

We then went to two Targets and a Walmart in search of something I wanted to get for my dad. I never did find it and so I ended up buying him a game instead. A game I’ve never heard of before. I think it’s called Imagineiff. Also got all that stuff to make those Cookies in a Jar for my mom’s family.

I didn’t get home until after 11, I was so tired!!

Last night then, we had our first family gathering. My mom’s family — well, part of them. Even though, in hindsight, we weren’t there very long, we had a good time. We took lots of silly photos and several good, serious ones. My cousin ran around with my camera for a while, she took some good stuff, and some really silly things. She took this extreme close-up of her nose – she thought it was hilarious and told me to put it on the internet. So here it is.

My aunt and her boyfriend got Elijah a blanket with snowmen on it. He loves it. He loves blankets. He now has about a thousand in his room. It’s so funny to see him try and drag all his favorites around the house. :) He got a bike from my uncle and aunt and their family. A bike! It’s so cute! Winnie the Pooh and has little bees all over it. Blue, purple, yellow. And has training wheels. He loves it. :) My mom and dad gave him some Tootsie Rolls… oh boy. :) Why they got us anything when we will be exchanging gifts with them tomorrow night I don’t know. But they also gave us a DVD of Million Dollar Baby (which I haven’t seen) and a retro-looking truck that’s a nutcracker. With walnuts. A hurricane glass with taper candle and the nativity etched in it from my aunt and her boyfriend. Blockbuster gift certificates and strawberry preserves from another aunt and uncle and the customary Walmart giftcard from my grandpa. Then a cute little Noah’s ark key or towl hanger from my cousin. That will be great in Elijah’s room.

The Cookies in a Jar and candles went over real well with my family. And I had teddy bears for the little kids. I made my littlest cousin my courier and she had fun delivering all the gifts for me. For her efforts she also got a MercyMe t-shirt. Honestly, and I told them this, I ordered it for Sarah but did not realize at the time what exactly girl-cut meant. So the small I ordered for her ended up coming as an xxx-small in the scheme of things and the XL I ordered for me is more like a small. So Sarah will get the larger one, oughta be just her size.

Of course, Sarah doesn’t quite deserve it as I just found out she told Elizabeth what we got her for Christmas. That kid… lol

Well the night was good and we made our hour drive home just in time to grab some Mountain Dew at the gas station, get the kid in bed, and relax a bit before we go to sleep and do it alllllll over again tomorrow… well, tonight. One down, three to go. :-D