Thanksgiving - and Black Friday.

Hello, peeps.

Happy Thanksgiving!! It's such a nice holiday. I have been looking forward to it all month, and especially, WEEK. It's been hectic having parent conferences, the kids have been totally wired, and I just need a break!!! We had a good day, though, I had the kids bring soups, veggies, crackers, chips, drinks, etc., for our "Thanksgiving Feast" and we made "Friendship Stew" for lunch. They all seemed to really like it, and I admit it didn't taste too bad. Basically we dumped everything in the crockpot and stirred it together. I tied in themes of hygiene (washing hands, preparing food, cleaning up after a meal), nutrition (veggies, portions, balanced diet), table manners and etiquette (table settings, waiting until everyone has been served, saying "please" and "thank you"), and social studies - celebrating Thanksgiving. I have pics, and I will post this weekend!!

What I REALLY wanted to do after school today was to go home, relax, turn on the computer, and post about all my latest forays into the secondhand business. I have a billion crazy things going on upstairs all jumbled up.

But no. After a fairly wonderful day - and it was quite fun, even if I spend SO much of the majority of my time coralling these dang heathens - I decided to hit the shops. I hit a couple little thrift stores that I usually love, and only got a bag of about 6 big candles (including a sweet pea scented White Barn Candle Co. jar - new!!!, a flowered glass candle, cinnamon, etc.) for $1.91 and a set of 3 shot glasses, also for $1.91. They go with the other set I bought at an antique dealer's yard sale a few weeks back. Oh yes, I also wandered into two "antique/furniture" stores in little dumpy places ... I might go back, might not, but you never know what you can find!!! And before I went to Target (2, and it was nearly 3!!), I hit another thrift store that I usually don't find much at, and spied some very pretty blue and white plates - they were Pier 1, and I ended up passing on them for $1.51 each - but looooooove the red plates that just jumped out at me from the shelf. They were red, and look stoneware, and when I turned them over, they are German, but produced in Spain. They just have this LOOK. They are a bit too bricky/slight tinge of orange to go with the aqua/red theme I'd like to get going some time, but they would work for Christmas. I'll have to pull them out and put them next to some other pieces to see how they go.

And then!! Mad Target shopping! Pretty much all I got were Christmas ornaments. There is a new line of ornaments out (perhaps it was around last year, and I did not notice, since I was focused on other things) that I love - pink, and sugarplum-themed, and all that goodness. I looked at the stuff when it first came out, after the big Halloween clearance, and loved it!! And they have pink stuffed cupcakes! I admit I took pictures in the store because I loved the display so much. Anyway, I anticipate that after Black Friday they will have their typical 15% off Christmas things this next week and I will just go get a price adjustment. Hee.

I am looking forward to Black Friday and should have prepared more, since I could have gotten the things at Target and just gone in Friday or Saturday to have the price adjusted, but I kind of like the feeling of walking into the store very early and joining in the fray. Last year was fairly calm in Target, and they were very well-stocked. Circuit City was another crazy store, and I mistakenly let a 2G SD card slip through my hands ... $2!!! I haven't seen anything like that this year, I'm afraid.

Anyhoo, I then REALLY need to clean because my stuffs are taking up my LIFE!

Tomorrow we are having dinner with middle sis' bf's family who flew in from Texas, up at the apartment in El Segundo that he shares with our cousin. I met his sister last Saturday and think it will be fun to meet the rest of the family. It's interesting to hear what she has to say about his family dynamics and compare it with our own. It's also quite likely that they will be engaged soon and possibly get married next year, so we need to all meet and see where this is going! I think it was very nice of them to fly out for Thanksgiving. And his mom already has the tree up at their home because they won't be back until next week.

Food!! Sis was making cheesecake brownies earlier and will make a few other dishes in the morning. I am in charge of salad and drinks so those will be quite easy to whip up. I should make my lists of what to bring, Miss Scatterbrained!!

Ok, and because Miss Wendy requested it, I will cut this long post off now because I'd like to talk about something else and am switching topics. :)