The Holidays are here! Let the FUN begin!!!

Okay, I just realized that all my previous blogs mostly consists with pictures. I decided, I can't be doing that all the time, otherwise I won't write as often. SO!! Here's just a little suntin' suntin', without any pictures!

This weekend was a great fun one. I had Friday off work, which was well needed!! I met up with Tia and Jalaine, my two best girls for the day. Well, we got Tia for a couple hours lucky us! (We missed you the rest of the day Tia!) We went to Joe Bandido's in Springville for lunch. It was thrilling and yummy... 3 Diet Coke's later!! Alexis came with us, and she was great the whole day! (you've got such a good girl Jalaine!) After lunch, I got Jalaine and Tia to go to Sprinkler World, a place I got introduced to last year that sells Christmas stuff. It has beautiful ornaments, decorations, lights, trees etc, that they're selling for the holidays. Every year, I buy my nieces and now my nephew a new ornament. A tradition I hope to keep up! I found their ornaments for this year about a month earlier than I usually get them! This is crazy right? A place that sells hardware for your sprinkling system sells Christmas stuff? Unreal. Well, it got me in the Christmas mood, and I just wanted to spend all my money getting things for the Christmas holiday. Tia left us and Jalaine and I went on our merry way to Roberts up in Orem. What bargains!!! Thanks Jalaine for helping me find the things I was looking for, and for half the price that Sprinkler World had. (Still weird huh? Sprinkler World selling Christmas stuff!!!)

Saturday turned out to be even better on my wallet... YA RIGHT!!! Kohl's was having a 50% to 60% off sale. I hate to say it, but I bought things for myself. What can I say, I had the money, the deals were insane, and it was just FUN to spend money on myself. I really haven't done that in quite some time! Jalaine kept telling me that I should stop buying things for myself, so that other people can buy them for me for Christmas. That's silly, I was buying things for myself that I wouldn't get from other people! lol. I have no regrets. They were DEALS!!!!! To be honest, I struggle when the holidays come around. They have amazing deals, and I always want to buy something for myself and I think to myself I shouldn't because that's not the point of Christmas, blah blah yada yada yada. I ignored my general thought and Jalaine this time around. lol.

Jalaine's husband offered to watch Alexis so she could go out with just the girls and no baby this same night. Jalaine, and her sister Shannon and I went back to Kohls. Haha. I bought 3 sweaters under $45 dollars, you really can't beat that price you know! Especially since I was needing long some sweaters with winter being here and me throwing out some sweaters. Still no regrets! We went to Red Lobster for dinner and had the All You Can Eat Shrimp fest. Shrimp Scampi, Cajun Shrimp, Coconut Shrimp galore! I tell ya, it was good.

Shannon had to go off somewhere so we took her back to her car, and it was only 9 pm. Jalaine looked at me and said, "Oh I don't want to go home yet, let's go back out!" lol. What is there to do in Provo at 9 pm when everything is closed and you don't want to eat anymore?! We went down to the Riverwoods to see if some stores were still open, hoping maybe the holiday hours had started. Unfortunately they were closed. So we were laughing on the way back to Jalaine's house of what we could do. Jalaine says, "Let's go to Vegas!" Oh how I long for the days of spontaneity and single girl friends and road trips!!!! We laughed at how cool that would have been. "See ya tomorrow Greg!" It was either go to Vegas or drag main street in Provo and wink at the boys. lol. (I'm kidding on that one of course!!!!!!) What a joke of a place we live in that closes early and there's nothing to do!!!! Oh well, we tried right Jalaine?! Gotta love our funny moments.

Today was a chill day. Had dinner with the family at my moms house and it was nice to see everyone. My siblings and I have a tradition where we draw names and we get them a special gift. I know, I know. Probably not an abnormal tradition, but it is one we've managed to hold on to with my dad passing, and I'm grateful for that piece of normalcy. I've got Mike! And Mike has me! I think it will be fun. I'm glad to finally have the name, because NOW I can go Christmas shopping for someone, and not for myself!

I told Jalaine that this year, that I'm officially in the Christmas spirit. The dynamics in my family have really changed with my dad being gone, and my siblings having their own families, etc. I am finally feeling 100% happy for the holidays. Not for the presents, but for making memories, being with my close friends and family. And of course, remembering my dad... I have a strong feeling that this year will be a good one, and not a sad one. At least, that is my hope. I know on my part, I will make that effort and it is up to me and no one else. So this feels great!

The holidays are here!! Let the FUN begin!!!
and may my wallet survive. lol.