Caught Up

Did you go Black Friday Shopping?

I did. Now, I didn't go at midnight or anything, but when Gemma and I woke up we got together with my brother's girlfriend and headed out.

Do you wanna know what I bought?

A bra, a pair of jeans, and a winter hat for my cousin's baby.

Later that day, at work, I felt bad for not spending much, went on to the Carter's website and dropped $40 on couple of outfits. The outfits are cute, but certainly nothing I (well, Gemma) couldn't live without. Even though she didn't really need them, I justified telling myself what a great deal it was, and bought it anyway.

I am caught up in holiday consumerism.

I wanna buy, buy, buy...and then buy some more.

I have spent at least $200 on Gemma already, and I don't feel finished? Why? I'm not sure. I guess I am feeling the pressure of feeling like I "should" do as much as possible...but I am making it impossible on myself. I am struggling with bills for the first time in months and seriously...

I just.can't.do.it.any.more.

I'm not particularly religious at this point in my life...I am still figuring out what I believe...but I still feel like Christmas should be about something more than THIS. It should be about family and friends and happiness and love and all of that cheesy stuff.

We are creating a cycle of buy, buy, buy...want, want, want. Instead of focusing on starting family traditions for Gemma and I, I have been focusing on what I want to get her and what gifts I want.

I'm so caught up.

But I'm over it.

I'm waving the white flag.

Does anyone have any tips for NOT getting caught up in the material aspect of the holidays?

My "Specialty"

Each year for Thanksgiving there are certain dishes that can't be missed.

My daddy's ham.

Aunt Kelly's gravy.

Those yummy rolls that my uncle picks up at the grocery store.

Everyone has their specialty.

My specialty is sweet potato casserole.

Just like your grandma used to make.

If your grandma likes lots of butter and those mini-marshmallow things.

Now I know that good ol' sweet potato casserole has fallen out of vogue, and I guess it is rightly so. Sweet potatoes are awfully delicious in their purest form, and I am sure there are lots of other tasty (probably tastier) ways to dress them up. Plus, almost anything else would be a lot more healthy.

But sweet potato casserole is my specialty.

And each year healthfulness, taste, and food snobbery are tossed out in favor of tradition that runs soul deep.

My "recipe"

A couple of cans (yes, cans!) of the sweet potatoes that look like this:

Warmed and then whipped with butter, milk, and brown sugar.

Half is covered with pecans, pats of butter, and more brown sugar...

And the other half is covered in...

Then, it is thrown in the oven at 350 degrees or so, until the marshmallows are brown and it looks "right."

Yummm!

It might not be fancy...

Heck, it might not even be food.

But it tastes just like Thanksgiving at Home.

What's your specialty?

Date

I went on my first post-baby "date" this weekend.

The quotation marks are because it wasn't a date-date, so much as a set up double-date thing.

It went okay I guess.

We bowled 2 games. My mom was a reluctant sitter. I had to rush home.

Lame.

I spend a lot of time on here lamenting Gemma's milestones...

That "date" was a milestone for me.

Whether or not we go out again, I took my first step towards...

towards...

towards...

well, I'm not sure. But something different. Something new.

This little girl is growing up.

WWYD? Alternative Title: I'm a Broke Single Mom, yo

Gemma's Big Present this year is going to be this:

It's a play kitchen (duh).

On Amazon right now, this kitchen is listed at $122.54 (retail price of $199.00, prices elsewhere on the web are aound $150.00-$160.00) I almost have enough swagbucks for another 5$ Amazon giftcard, so if I buy it with this paycheck, I will probably pay $112.34. Good deal right.

But...

I want to go shopping on Black Friday. I mean, there isn't anything I have seen in the ads that I HAVE to have, but I wanna go, and I want to have money to spend. If I buy the play kitchen I might be able to scrounge up $50 bucks to spend, and I am not even sure I would have that. So, I am thinking, maybe I should wait on the play kitchen... I might even be able to rack up another $5.00 or even $10.00 in Amazon giftcards from swagbucks, so that would bring the price down even more,

but...

what if the price goes up or what if Amazon sells out? Then, I would have to find some place and else, and pay potentially $40.00-$50.00 more than I would have to if I bought it sooner.

But...

It could still be on sale right? (this would be 2 weeks from this Friday, when I get paid) And I really wanna go Black Friday shopping

So...

WWYD?

p.s. I promise my next post will be legit...or a little more legit at least.

Probably.

Maybe.

I'll try okay, geesh... 

Rain, Rain

I am the kind of person who gives into their own whims.

Often.

Like today.

I am also the kind of person who functions best with average weather.

Too nice or too icky of a day both have a tendency to render me useless.

Or completely lazy at least.

(Isn't getting to know me fun?)

Today I had an appointment, so I had a sitter lined up for Gemma.

And it it was raining. Lots. Ugh.

And I was supposed to have to go to this appointment. Like, drive there. And then drive back.

And then...

on a whim...

I dropped Gemma off at the sitters...

turned the car back around...

and went home.

I cleaned house all day, and discovered Dead Like Me on Netflix.

Sometimes, impulsivity is a good thing.

Halloween and Such

Okay, so this picture kind of busts me...

This wasn't taken Halloween. This was actually the costume preview for the grandparents. Unfortunately, I am having camera issues so all of my Halloween 2010 pictures are going to be stolen off of other people's facebook pages.

Awesome.

In case you are wondering, from left to right, we have Gemma as a duck, my cousin's baby Delia as a mouse, and my little sister Abby as a bumble bee.

Cuteness.

Here is Gemma last year in the same mouse costume that baby D was rocking this year...

Halloween day was actually pretty fun! I had to work, but I requested to get off at noon so I could go home and catch a quick nap so that I would feel up for trick or treating and stuff. When I started thinking about the prospect of baby free time (Gemma was going to stay at the sitter until 3) I decided that I couldn't waste it on sleep and went and got a haircut instead :) It isn't anything very drastic, but my hair finally has shape again and it looks sooooo much healthier.

Halloween night we went to my aunt and uncle's house, just like last year. My aunt made jambalaya and chili and it was so yummy! Gemma went trick or treating for the first time. It was fun, but I never realized how many people don't hand out candy! There were like 5 people NOT giving candy out for every 1 that was.

Bummer.

Wanna know what is not a bummer?

This picture :)

For some reason, I find it funny.

Easily amused I guess.

How was your Halloween?