The World According to Angela

Poor Jordyn.  For Black Friday, a sacred day in this family, she got a black eye.  While all of us women were out shopping, her brother threw a tantrum, tossed a bat and it landed in Jordyn's eye of all places!  She's got quite a shiner, the poor thing (a reminder: this link takes you to my password protected web site...if you need the login and password, please email me at angela@cocajo.com).

However, other than that stroke of bad luck, the weekend was simply fabulous!  Thanksgiving was awesome with all of our company, dinner tasted great (if I do say so myself, tee hee) and we all had a great time.  We promptly started our shopping Thanksgiving evening at Meijer, since they were open and had some v e r y impressive sales going on.  Then Friday morning, *THE* FRIDAY I look forward to all year long, I was ready to leave the house at 5 am.  Yes, I was already up, showered, dressed, woke up some others, ate a bit, and ready to go at 5 am.  My sister-in-law unfortunately had a bit of a problem getting her almost-2-year-old daughter back to sleep, so we were detained a bit.  Regardless, at almost 6 am exactly, we hit our first store - and somehow landed almost the best parking spot in the very crowded parking lot.  Walking in, I saw a friend of mine who is expecting her third child.  It was great fun.  It got better from there, as we hit, in order, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, Kohl's, Bath & Body Works and Target.

Oh, the bags, the treasures, the great deals!  Even my silly cold (which caused laryngitis - what bad timing for THAT!) couldn't dampen my mood.  And despite the news reports that are shown, once again everyone we encountered were all in great moods.  What a great time.  I love looking in the carts while in line and seeing what other people are buying.  Why?  I'm not weird or anything.  I just picture all the Christmas fun of wrapping the presents and the happy faces of the recipients when they open their gifts.  I swear, if I ever strike it rich somehow, my friends and family will love it.  There is nothing that brings me greater joy than buying presents for others.  That's something I'm trying to instill in my kids...three at 5 and one at 14 months....yeah, that is interesting, but worth it.

And the Christmas decorations.  Wow.  By far my very bestest favorite time of year.  Got that?  I love the lights.  I miss living so close to Sauganash (an affluent northern neighborhood) and being able to drive around admiring all the displays.  However, I am happy that our neighborhood is so in to the holidays and they are decorating nicely once again.  The weather has been so warm and Aaron was even out there putting up stuff that hasn't seen their way out of the box originally.  The kids think it's magical and I agree.  I have to say that so far, every year gets better for me.  I have lost loved ones that I miss more and more with each year, but aside from that, I get to relive childhood through my kids' eyes (even the black & blue ones).  I hope that I am making happy memories for them and they will come to remember these days.  I know I will.  After all, isn't that what life is all about?