Black Friday

Last year was the first time I've ventured out into the Black Friday madness, and it was well worth it. I headed out at 4 a.m. and was home by 7, but saved more than $400 on some big ticket items. I decided that I would have to add shopping to my annual Thanksgiving traditions.

This year, my sister joined me and we beefed up the list of stores and developed a strategy for our assault on the stores. We combed through the ads finding the items we were interested in. Then, Kelly Ann ordered the ads in a stack based on store opening times. We headed out at 11:30 Wednesday night to hit the large outlet mall a few miles from my house in Round Rock. I was shocked to see the parking lot already full and jumped in line at Gymboree and waited until the store opened at midnight. I still have no idea why there was a line because once the doors opened, the crowd converged in a not-so-orderly fashion. I assigned Kelly Ann to the girls side of the store and instructed her to pick up everything in a size 6 that I would be remotely interested in. I took the boys side. We met up at the back of the store, and KA took the stack of clothes we had gathered and jumped in the growing check-out line. I went back through the girls' clothing and selected a few more items and then swapped with KA. The line was very long and not moving so KA went to another store while I waited. KA perused the Ann Taylor store and made a trip around the entire mall due to getting lost before finally finding me still in line and in the same exact spot as I hadn't moved in 45 minutes. To give some relief, a store clerk gave us the option of leaving our items on hold and coming back in a few hours to check out. I quickly took that option and headed out to the other stores with KA. We perused the rest of the mall, snagging great deals in many stores, and then headed back to Gymboree at 2:30 only to find the line still very long. We stepped back out to grab some Starbucks (double shot, please!) and listen to the live band playing Christmas music. Then, I made the plunge at 3 a.m. and jumped back into the cazy moms line at Gymboree as I had no choice and had to get it over with. I waited another 40 minutes and finaly left with my purchases. 

We then headed to Georgetown where the nearest Kohl's is, about 15 minutes away, and couldn't believe our eyes when we saw the line waiting to get into the still-unopen store was a block and a half long. We didn't even look for a parking place but just drove around laughing at the people in line at the stores. The line at Best Buy had people seated in lawn chairs, Office Depot had customers waiting with their kids in a tent. I'm still wondering what the guy was itching to purchase at PetSmart that warranted waiting in line by himself.

We weren't interested in the Kohl's madness and turned back South and headed to Austin to hit Macy's that was opening at 5. We got sidetracked and stopped at an Old Navy and Family Christian Bookstore. How can you beat $5 Veggie Tales movies?! 

We did finally make it to Macy's around 6 and made the rounds at the Lakeline Mall, stopped at Wal-Mart and Ulta on our way home and picked up donuts to have breakfast with my family by 9. But, after KA had a quick power nap she was ready to head back out. My mom joined us and we picked up some deals at Tuesday Morning and Bed Bath & Beyond before sleepily making it back to the house. 

Of course, I was miserably tired the rest of the day, and jealous that KA got to sleep in the car as my family headed back to Odessa. But, I'll do it all over again next year. I can sleep all the other nights of the year.