Christmas Eve

First off, just wanted to let you all know about our "Perfect Pairs" sale over at Scraporchard. I actually have a "collab" that I did with Annick Philibert when she was selling at the store last year. Anyway, go give it a look. It's only $1.25 (50% off) for one day only, and is not being included in my Christmas WordArt bundle that's coming out on Friday.... Anyway, HERE's the link :)


Another busy day in the Harty household! I got a good nights sleep the night before, at least - hehehe. Did I tell you that I went to help Kim clean our her flooded basement a few days ago, and that she gave me a few sheet sets that she was donating? King size? OMGosh - I washed them up and put them on my bed, and slept in them last night, and DANG, woman! Those are nice sheets. I think I must just always buy a super low thread count, because these felts SUPER nice. Like hotel sheets. Thick, and warm and PERFECT. OK, yes, I know. I'm easy to please. THANK YOU KIM!!!

Anyway, I was up at 7am with the kids. Captain America was still at work, and not due back till around 9am from his 12 hour night shift for Staff Duty. Poor guy. I'd have a hard time staying awake that long. I fed the kids, got kinda ready, got Jimmy ready, and headed out the door. Jake has SUCH an easy babysitting time when I take Jimmy. The others practically watch themselves.

SO, Jimmy and I headed out on an adventure. We took the blender back to Target, and got our money back. I wanted to look for a folding table, since my table was in the back yard getting rained on. Sigh. It was a VERY soggy day in El Paso. And cold. Burrr. I thought this was supposed to be the desert :)

Anyway, while in Target, I found a Zhu Zhu pets. I'd heard of them, but hadn't actually ever seen one before. Funny, huh? I've never bought my kids the "cool" thing for Christmas, because it's always SUPER expensive. But this little toy hampster was only $7.99. So I got a grey one for Emeline.

And that got me thinking. I'd like to get a gift for EACH of the kids, just from me. Jimmy and I were off on a shopping spree (kind of - LOL!). If you really knew me, you'd know that it's TOTALLY out of character. I'm SO cheap. Really, I am. LOL!

First, though, we stopped in the little Target snack bar place and bought a Soft Pretzel and a soda. Diet Lemonade, thank you very much! No caffeine for me :) It was nice having a little "date" with him.

Next, it was on to Big Lots. It was a different Big Lots than we usually go to, and it wasn't as good. Not as many toys. Sigh. BUT, I still looked around. I found a really cool Matchbox set for Joe and Jim to share. It was a Power Scouts Adventure System thingy. A snake mountain one, or something like that. The little cars have an on/off switch, and move around. I got the set, plus one extra truck. I got both for $20, I think.
I also bought another Wii game, and a new keyboard for one of our many computers, and a new mouse too (the kids JUST informed me that a different mouse just died, so I may be getting ANOTHER one from big lots....). I think that's all I found at that store.

Next, it was over to KMart. Same shopping complex. They didn't really have anything that I couldn't live without, and their folding tables were SO small. Didn't need a small one. And their toys were super expensive. Nothing that Jake or Tom would want for under $10.00

Next, it was on to Fallas Parades. It was a different one than I usually go to, across town by the dollar theater. It was actually laid out much better, and still had a TON of good stuff :) I ended up getting Jacob as "Grow your own Crystals" set. It was pretty cool! I think he'll like it :) (It wasn't this brand, but it looks similar)

And I found a remote control car for Tom. I hope he likes it, and I hope it works. ROFL! I couldn't find a picture of it, and I already wrapped it, so it could not even be Hot Wheels. Yeah, it's a remote control, and it's a car. I'm sure you get the idea :)

I found some nice "unmentionables" for "Captain America" for Christmas (yeah, not FOR him, but for me, but for him. Get some of those for you (for your man for Christmas and you'll make him REALLY happy - LOL)), and a gift for Kim. A candle set. I hope she likes it :)

Next, it was on to Wal-Mart. It was 10:30 by this time, and the crowds were starting to pick up. Walmart was super crazy busy. I looked at the folding table, but it was almost 50 bucks. I'd just let the kids eat on the floor a bit longer. Captain Americas off work, and if he wakes up, he could fix my table, I'm sure. I did find some hanging organizers for the closet, though.

Eme has a problem with wearing the same thing EVERY day. And I don't wanna be an over controlling mom, so I figured out a good way to "trick" her into wearing something different each day. See, I get this shelving thingy, and have her stock it each week. A pair of socks, undershirt, undies, pants, shirt, on EACH shelf. That's 6 days of clothes. SO, all she has to do is put on a new "shelf". So I can just be like, Go put on a new shelf of clothes, sweetie. She doesn't have to pick anything out, because we already did that. WE'll see if it works. I got one for Jim and one for Joe, too.

I bought lunch at Wal-Mart, and took it home to the kids. An 8 piece fried chicken with Joe Joe's . I know, not healthy, but we don't do Fried Chicken very often. My kids ABSOLUTELY love it, though. Reminded them of eating KFC at Grandmas house :) I don't think we've had it since we moved from Oregon to here ;)

Captain America had got home at 9am, and went promptly to bed. He was still asleep when I got home at noon, and I just let him sleep. I wasn't planning on seeing him awake until around 5pm.

I snuck in my closet, and wrapped presents like a madwoman. I wrapped almost everything in there. And I had the kids help me bring out everything that wasn't "Santa" presents. My tree is LOADED now - good feeling :) heheeh.

We hung out for a bit around the house, then went to the movies at 2:30pm. I found out that El Paso had 2 Dollar Theaters. Who knew? The one we usually go to, Montwood 7, has 7 movie theaters, and this other one, East Pointe, has 12. More selection. SO, we headed out to see "9".

Andrea and family came with us. I liked it. Andrea thought it was pretty weird. It WAS a Tim Burton movie, so weird was to be expected. It was all sci-fi, robots taking over the world, kind of thing. It scared Jimmy a bit, but the boys all LOVED it :)

After the movies, we came back home, and I woke Captain America up. I was ready for a husband around the house again - LOL! We had dinner, and sat on the couch and hung out for an hour or so. It was nice to just hang and do nothing :)

Some friends came over to deliver a goody plate around 7:45ish, and then we both got on our computers, and the kids either got on theirs or watched a movie. We're supposed to be leaving to go and see a movie right now, but I don't know if it's gonna happen. He seems content to play on his computer, and I'm still blogging. I should get off, and go and get him. We need to go and do something together. It's just that it's SO windy and stormy and nasty outside, and it's SO warm and toasty in here - LOL! Maybe we'll go to the movie that starts at 9:35 instead of the one at 9:15. That gives me a few extra minutes :)

So, since it's Christmas Eve on Thursday, here's a nice Christmas Eve WordArt for y'all! Hope you like it :)

Click on the links below to go to my account to download the PNG file, and leave some love if you like my work. Thanks!

4shared (I'm sorry, but I can't get the site to work.....wait, maybe it's working....)
box.net