I only did the Black Friday thing once

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I never go out on Black Friday. Of course, this year I had a little help staying home....a terrible cold, which also made Thanksgiving less enjoyable. Feeling a little better, but still in bed.

I know people who live for this day. Sorry, I don't care how good the sale is, it ain't worth it.

I don't bother with it. I'm at the point in my life now where if I want it or need to get it as a present, I'm not real concerned with how much it is. I would rather sleep in, take a leisurely drive to the store (or shop on line), buy it and if it's on sale great; if not, oh well, makes no difference to me. My last Black Friday purchases were Cabbage Patch dolls (the FIRST incarnation of them many years ago) for my daughters. That was enough for me.

Tell me your plans for Black Friday. I subscribe to a website that posts the Black Friday ads earlier than they are actually sent out. It helps me map out my day. I get up at 3:00 a.m. and wear my Black Friday shirt -- I have a couple and just ordered 2 more. One reads: "If you're not in line by 4 a.m. on Black Friday, you're just an amateur." Another reads: "It's a Black Friday thing, you wouldn't understand."

I ordered 2 new ones. One reads: "It's Black Friday, better have your big girl underwear on" and the other one: "I train year-round for Black Friday; you don't stand a chance."

After shopping all day, my BFF and I head to the Roadhouse for dinner and drinks and then we hit the hot tub.

In case you didn't figure it out, Black Friday is my favorite holiday of the year. The closer it gets, the more psyched I get.

Don't wait until the last minute to get the big ticket items. I know they may seem like a great deal, but usually those items are only $20 to $50 less than they normally would be. The aggravation of trying to get it isn't going to be worth the money you'd save.

I generally go for the smaller deals -- like the cool PJs on sale and the board games or DVDs on sale. These are great sales. One year, I got 3 Fisher Price/Hasbro games for my 5-year-old for $3 each. DVDs were only $5 each. There were 3-piece fleece PJs for $9. These are best deals in my opinion.

I've stood in line waiting to get the $49 gameboy that was normally $100 only to get to my turn and find out they're sold out. Then I spent the next month trying to find one anywhere for my kid for Christmas.

I go out early on Black Friday for the excitement and some bargains, but never the big ticket stuff. I have that bought before then and stored away safe and sound. To me, it's like tailgating -- the thing that gets me into the spirit of the season!

7 years approving credit in a large shopping mall.....We (employees) all had to park a mile away for the incoming shoppers....Best thing was, we knew what was really on sale and helped each other with our employee discounts (15-20%) in each store.....Better yet was the day after Christmas sale!

You better get going!! My suggestion would be to pick out clothes that will take you from now until you get where you're going - I assume that will be sometime Sunday maybe. Pack those in a suitcase and set it aside to live out of until you get to your final destination. Leave one box out for linens, towels, etc. that are going to be used until then and those will just have to get packed dirty Friday am.

Get paper plates, cups, plastic forks, etc. and start using those so you can pack the kitchen.

Start packing literally everything else and stack the boxes in a corner. You essentially need to be off work from now on to get this done. Box up the computer so you won't be tempted. Pick a room and start at one end of the room. Have a designed "no way is this moving with me" spot and put discards there to be donated or whatever you're going to do with them. I hope you have your boxes. If you can't get any from grocery stores, etc., you may need to purchase them from a Uhaul store, or some place.

Like the other poster said, if you have pets, have a plan for them on moving day. Either crate them early or put them in a room with a sign on the door or something so they don't get lost or stressed out.

8 weeks into the pregnancy. Yesterday I e-mailed my friends/family the entries I had made in a journal starting the day after I found out I was pregnant. If you're interested in reading the various emotions that I've (and others that have been through a similar situation) been through then keep reading (Rick is my husband, Kyley is my stepdaughter and Kerstin is our foster child we're adopting)....

Over the past week I�ve had a few times where I felt like you do when you go over a dip in the road too fast. I know these sensations are you moving around in my womb. Dad is already rubbing my tummy & talking to you because we want you to know how much we love you. I love saying things to you & rubbing my belly as well � it feels so good knowing you�re in there � God�s gift to us. We love you! Mom

October 22^nd:

Today we told Kyley, Kerstin, grandparents, aunts & uncles about you. Everyone is excited & eager to meet you next summer. Kerstin was so happy she danced & kept screaming �we�re going to have a baby!� then asked me to take her to Target to buy you some things. She wanted to buy you a lot of things but I told her that we had to hold off a little bit as we could get somethings now & more later. I love you, baby Oldham! Mom

October 23^rd:

Today we told our friends about you. They�re all eager to meet you in the future! For lunch I had Spaghetti-O�s and about an hour later I could feel you moving all around � so I think you like them!

Kertsin likes talking to you & telling you that she loves you whether you�re a boy or a girl � but she thinks she wants a brother. We�ll see as time progresses. Love, Mom.

October 25^th:

Kerstin stopped people in the hallways at choir tonight telling them about you. We�re so excited!

October 29^th:

We had a busy weekend, baby. Your nana sent you some booties. We went to Kerstin�s soccer game, the Smyrna Jonquil Festival, church & Drew�s soccer game and and didn�t make me feel sick at all. However, some Wendy�s french fries with supper didn�t settle well with indigestion agalore. Dad & I love you & are excited that this week you grow arms, legs, eye rims, intestines & pancreas. You�ll be quite busy for sure! Love, Mom.

October 30^th:

Hello sweetheart! I continue to have occasional sensations of you & love every minute of it & knowing you�re growing inside of me. You are very much loved by me, your dad and sisters. Love forever, Mom.

October 31^st:

We had our 1^st Halloween with your being a part of our family. While at the church fall festival tonight Rick & I looked at the babies there & commented that next year you�ll be 4 months old by then. We can�t wait to dress you up & show you off!

Your dad has given me 2 very sweet toy stuffed baby dolls to remind me of your coming in the future. Your have a GREAT dad who is very excited to have you growing in me. We all love you very much! Love, Mom.

November 2^nd:

Hi angel from God! I love you & want you to know that you are a true gift from God to your dad & myself. We love you immensely. Love, Mom.

November 5^th:

Hi Sweetie! You�re entering your 7^th week of growth. This week you�ll start developing your fingers, toes, eyes, ears, nose, intestines, & teeth. Dad & I are very excited thinking about seeing you on ultrasound on the 13^th. We love you immensely & look forward to being your Mom & Dad. Love, Mom

November 7^th:

Hello honey! I�ve had yet another wonderful day with you continuing to grow inside of me. I still have indigestion after eating & occasional flutter sensations, but both are neat because I know that they come from you. Dad & I love you VERY much! Love, Mom

November 9^th:

Hi �Baby O� � life has been great this week knowing you�re working hard at growing to be an incredible child. Your dad & I went to an OB class at the doctor�s office tonight where they talked about your upcoming arrival. We both love you VERY much & look forward to your 1^st photograph on Monday. Love, Mom.

November 11^th:

Little angel, we had a good day today. Dad, Kyley, Kerstin & I went to the zoo & we look forward to taking you there in the future. Dad & I went to Hobby Lobby where dad picked the softest yarn for me to make you an afghan with. I started this project tonight. You�ve had a busy week with all of the growing you had scheduled to complete. In 2 days we get to see how well you�re doing. We love you! Mom & Dad

November 13^th:

Hello honey, we went to the doctor�s office today for the ultrasound & found out that you�re not as big as we expected. They drew lab work on me & will repeat it on Wednesday to see if you�re OK. Dad & I are trying to not worry & remember that your life is in God�s hands. We�re praying that He hasn�t called you to heaven & that you�ll continue to be with us still here on earth. We love you sweetie. Love, Mom

November 14^th:

Little angel, Dad & I were at the doctor�s office again today because I started having some bleeding this morning. Dr. Morell & the staff were great & sympathetic, and it�s too early to know what will happen. The good news is that you are still in me. I�ll go back tomorrow for more blood work. They�ve put me at bedrest for a couple of days. Dad dreamed last night that you were OK so we�re trying to stay positive with that & my dreams I�ve had before & after we found out that I was pregnant & you were fine. You�re in God�s hands now for the final outcome. We love you honey. Love always, Mom.

November 15^th:

Hello sweetie! We found out that yesterday�s HCG level was good & high. Tomorrow we get the results of the Monday & today�s tests. We continue to hop & pray that the numbers are going up. I didn�t work today. The bleeding is less but still present. We�re still rooting for you honey. We love you very much! Love, Mom

November 16^th:

Hi honey! We found out this morning that my lab work was inconclusive so they�re repeating the HCG tomorrow. We�ve got a lot of people praying for you, Dad & I that you�ll continue to grow & this scare will end soon. I did work today but was able to take breaks to rest & didn�t do much of anything else. Dad & I love you tons. Love, Mom

November 18^th:

Hello little angel in heaven. Dad & I were devastated to find out that you will not be joining us here on earth but instead are already in heaven on yesterday. Please know that we both loved you while you were in my womb & look forward to the day in our future when we meet you in heaven. We love you, Mom

It is Friday and I am leaving Weds for Reno to see Brooks and Dunn in concert on Thursday. First vacation since last May when I took two days off for my birthday. This is the only downside of having your own accounts. But to me still worth it even with all the hectic time before I leave on Weds.

We live on the outskirts of town, lots of outside rodents - squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, etc. I went to clean out my daughter's closet, and up on the shelf in a shoebox I found a huge stash of dog food (we have two dogs). When cleaning out our linen closet (the bottom of which we use to store plastic handle bags from stores), I found another huge stash of dog food, and also the handle bags, which I roll up into balls and tuck in so they won't unroll, a bunch of them were very neatly stacked up in the far corner in back of the closet. No one I know would stack them back there, where you would have to get down on your hands and knees to reach. It was downright eerie!!

We've got to do something. In the evening we can hear all this skittering over our heads (no attic, just a crawlspace with insulation) and I keep expecting something to drop through the ceiling onto our heads. Creepy.

The last time we put down poison, one evidently died under our bedroom and really stunk the place up for about a week. I tell you, at this point, I'd almost be willing to go through that again!

because of some sort of teacher's holiday that we'd completely forgotten about, so tomorrow (MONDAY) is the day she'll have to report to the principal (or maybe VP?) in the morning and let them know what she's decided for her punishment for tardies.

What we've decided is to go ahead and let her take the paddling (and I've signed the OK) and IF it happens again, she's just going to have to miss class, there's no way around it.

Funny thing is, now that she's decided to take the paddling, she's scared! I think it was easier to go ahead and accept before she knew I was going to say she could, if that makes sense. Now that I've said OK and signed the paper, she isn't totally sure she wants to be paddled, but she knows she doesn't want to miss class.

I told her this is what happens when you break the rules. She was warned repeatedly not to be tardy and to take her chit chat to lunch or after school.

I'm nervous for her but I will try to keep myself busy and not think about it tomorrow. Hopefully the paddling will be early in the day when I'm still sleeping so when I wake up from my nap, I'll know it's already happened.

I heard she and her friend talking about it last night (friend stayed over because her parents are out of town). Friend has been on the receiving end of the paddle before and said it really stings, which is not what my daughter has heard before and certainly not want she wanted to hear now! So they spent about half an hour last night picking out which jeans for her to wear Monday that would provide the best padding protection.

Thanks for everyone's input on this topic. I don't like the idea one bit but am trying to come to grips with it and hope she learns something from this experience.