Cirque du Soleil's #Amaluna at Atlantic Station (Enter to win!)

Celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2014, Cirque du Soleil brings a new show to Atlanta! Amaluna invites the audience to a mysterious island governed by goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon. Amaluna's Tony Award-winning Show Director, Diane Paulus, drew from a series of classical influences when creating the concept of the show; including tales from Greek and Norse mythology, Mozart's The Magic Flute, and Shakespeare's The Tempest.

We got the opportunity to check out Amaluna on opening night in Atlanta and the show did not disappoint! With lots of heart stopping action and beautiful artistry, Cirque du Soleil is always one of the most anticipated shows in Atlanta and it's no wonder!

Amaluna's adventure under the big blue and yellow tent features 46 Cirque artists and the focus in this show is all on the women including the all female band! A sweet and familiar love story is intertwined in the heart of the story here and is told through breathtaking imagery. Each artist is responsible for their own makeup before each show. A body scan is used to make a detailed mold of their faces with the intricate designs cut out so they can be sponged or sprayed onto them instead of hand painted, allow for both continuity and consistency!

Experience Amaluna from Cirque du Soleil, now playing under the iconic blue and yellow big top at Atlantic Station. Save 20% on a Family 4 Pack and take an adventure to an island governed by goddesses. CLICK HERE and buy your tickets today.

Want to enter to win? Enter here!
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*I was provided tickets to Amaluna to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own!

Baseball Time!

It's that time of year again! Fall baseball is gearing up and getting ready for season start. The fall season is much less competitive than spring but that does not mean we are not at it full force.

K decided he wanted to give a try at Tball again so I signed him up and we have been practicing when we had the chance. At practice last week he hit his first coach pitched ball and the joy on his face was ridiculously amazing. Then, he did it two more times! Much rejoicing was had.

D is in his first season with the big boys this year. I am proud to say he was first draft pick for his team and only the third picked in the whole league! Tough kid!

So if you are looking for us... well, pretty much ever this fall, we will be at the ball field cheering on the most adorable baseball players in the history of ever. Every. Single. Day.

Disney on Ice presents Frozen TRIVIA!

Excited about Disney on Ice presents Frozen? How about a little trivia to help the time pass?

Have you bought your tickets yet?? If not, head on over to Ticketmaster before they sell out!

Disney on Ice Goes Frozen in Atlanta!

We all knew it was inevitable that this show would come. Since I first watched Frozen with my boys, I've been anxiously awaiting the announcement of it coming to my all time favorite kids franchise: Disney on Ice!

This year, Feld Entertainment invites us to enter a fantastical winter wonderland beyond all imagination at Disney On Ice presents Frozen! The heartwarming, Academy Award ® -winning tale you love is now LIVE and skating into your town. You’ll be magically whisked away into the wintery world of Arendelle, where you will be dazzled by amazing special effects and astonishing skating. Sing and dance along to inspiring songs, including “Let It Go.” Join royal sisters Elsa and Anna, the hilarious snowman Olaf, Kristoff, his loyal reindeer Sven and the mystical trolls as they journey to discover that true love is ultimately the most magical power of all!



Hosted by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, with special guest appearances by your most beloved Disney Princesses and characters from favorites like Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Disney’s The Lion King, don’t miss this unforgettable celebration of love and friendship. Tickets are on sale now.

Disney on Ice presents Frozen will be visiting Philips Arena October 7th- 12thand its sure to sell out! To buy tickets head over to Ticketmaster! To stay updated on all things Disney on Ice be sure to like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!

Kicks Country Fair at Verizon Ampitheater

State Fair Fun with My Loves

A couple of weekends ago we took the night and went to the North Georgia State Fair. It was nice to get out in the cooler weather and take a little time as a family. The boys were in complete awe at all the lights and sounds at first but it didn't take long for them to warm up to it and we had an amazing, relaxing night of nothing but pure fun!

I think the boys enjoyed the carousel the most which of course warms my heart to no end. I have always held a special place in my heart for the carousel myself and I love being able to share the joy.

Of course littles was too short to ride a couple of things that his big brother was able to and that led to some pretty effective pouting. Needless to say, he got an extra special treat to make up for it.

The warmth these little boys create in my life is immeasurable. I am one lucky mama. <3 p="">

Fall Comes to @FernbankMuseum!

Now that it is fall, the days are getting shorter, but they are getting more packed with things to do at Fernbank Museum of Natural History. The museum's schedule is loaded for fall with exhibits, family days, events, and lots of fun.

Just Opened:

Marco Polo: Man & Myth
On view through January 5, 2014
Experience the story of the ultimate adventure traveler, Marco Polo, and relive his epic excursion along the Silk Road in this incredible exhibition. Lasting thousands of miles and more than 24 years, it became a journey that can best be described as "the ultimate road trip.¡¨

Penguins
Showing through January 23, 2014
Set against a backdrop of dramatic snowy peaks and glacial crags, this IMAX film follows a brave king penguin on the journey of a lifetime. Watch our waddling hero dodge brawling elephant seals and hungry leopard seals in an effort to find his mate amid a colony of half a million penguins. Together they battle the elements to raise a chick in one of the wildest places on Earth.

Hidden Universe
Showing through January 2, 2014 Embark on an extraordinary journey into deep space. This IMAX film brings the farthest reaches of our universe to life with unprecedented clarity through images captured by the world¡¦s most powerful telescopes. Explore the earliest galaxies, watch stars being born in vivid clouds of gas and dust, tour the surface of Mars, and witness images of distant celestial structures, including stunning views of the Sun.

Upcoming Programs:

Martinis & IMAX Guest Mixologist Series
On select Friday nights, Fernbank Museum¡¦s Great Hall will transform into a sophisticated bar, featuring some of Atlanta's most well-known mixologists, creating specialty cocktails in celebration of Fernbank's Martinis & IMAX.

Featuring:
Chris Gianaras from 4th & Swift on October 4, 2013
Trip Sandifer from The Spence on October 11, 2013
Sarah Abouna from FLIP burger boutique November 8, 2013

Marco Polo Celebration Day
Saturday, October 12, 2013 Enjoy a taste of the Silk Road at this special event featuring some of the sights, sounds and tastes of the regions Marco Polo explored during his epic journey. Featured activities include: live Kung Fu performances, Chines lion dances, craft activities, falconer demonstrations, and samples from Cardamom Hill, Saba and Yum Bunz.

Salsa Dance Night at Martinis & IMAX
Friday, October 18, 2013
Monthly Salsa Dance Nights bring Salsambo Dance Studio to Martinis & IMAX, offering incredible opportunities to enjoy Latin dancing (or appreciating the dance skills of others) with early-evening lessons for those who want a little practice before they heat up the dance floor.

Bourbon & BBQ
Sunday, October 20, 2013
This festive evening is hosted by the Artemis Guild of Young Professionals and includes finger-lickin¡¦ good plates by D.B.A Barbecue, specialty cocktails featuring Charred OakR Bourbon and Rye whiskeys, live Bluegrass by Muleskinner MacQueen Trio, souvenir Charred OakR shot glasses, a grand prize drawing, and some of Atlanta¡¦s most energetic young professionals.

Fright Night at Martinis & IMAX
Friday, October 25, 2013
Fernbank's frighteningly fun Halloween party is back. Enjoy bone-rattling live music by Bogey and the Viceroy, a devilishly-delicious drink menu featuring SVEDKA Vodka, a hideously-hilarious costume contest and enough fun to wake the dead.

Fernbank BOO-Seum Trick or Treat
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Dust off those costumes, practice your monster-mash and prepare your teeth for sugar overload. Ghosts, goblins, princesses and pirates are invited to Fernbank BOO-seum for a safe, not scary, trick-or-treating event for the whole family, featuring treats for kids in costume, games, music and more.

Wilderness at the Smokies

This past weekend, the boys and I took a mini getaway to the Smoky Mountains. We went one a quick weekend jaunt to Wilderness at the Smokies, an indoor water park and hotel. We spent most of our time playing and swimming but we also spent quite a bit of time at the all you can eat buffet. We are all exhausted AND stuffed to the gills. I hope we can go back sometime soon for a longer trip!

Georgia's Fall Season at Callaway Gardens

Its no secret that Fall in Georgia is always slow to arrive. It takes its time getting here and then disappears faster than we are ready for. Well, the milder Fall season has arrived. Its time to get outside and enjoy (mostly) cooler temperatures, cool breezes and the autumnal color of the leaves. One of the
most relaxing places we have in Georgia to enjoy the beauty of the Fall season is Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain.

Situated in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Callaway Gardens’ 6,500 acres of pristine natural surroundings offer many breathtaking views of this scenic beauty. In addition to the changing colors of the leaves, Fall is when Callaway Gardens is set ablaze with 10,000 brilliant chrysanthemums including garden mums, florist mums and cascading mums. Chrysanthemum Season is definitely something to experience whether traveling by with your family or a large group.

The John A. Sibley Horticultural Center is one of the focal points for mums in the Fall. A fun surprise in the Sibley Center is the Collegiate Football Topiary Display. Mascots from some well-known universities in the Southeast are featured in topiary-form among floral displays in their school colors. A little later in the Fall, be sure to visit and enjoy the fairly rare cascading mums, which spill over their containers creating a waterfall of color, accenting the Sibley Center’s exotic plants, flowers and trees. And, there is a Fall Plant Sale providing the opportunity to take home some new finds.

As harvest season approaches, visit Mr. Cason's Vegetable Garden for AutumnFest and find seasonal, family-friendly activities fit for all ages. Each Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature a different line-up of activities and demonstrations, such as:

* Scarecrow making, pumpkin painting (bring your own or pick and purchase one when you arrive) and leaf pounding crafts

* Scavenger hunts and hay bale mazes throughout Mr. Cason's Vegetable Garden

* Demonstrations by potters, woodturners and the Georgia Gourd Society

* Nationally-acclaimed plein air "in open air" painters and dulcimers playing sweet sounds of simple stringed instruments of days bygone.

Be sure to stop by the 19th century-era Pioneer Log Cabin for a glimpse back to a time when life was, in many ways, much simpler – but also more difficult. There will be quilting demonstrations, corn dolls and other items on display reminiscent of the days when this two-bedroom log cabin was inhabited by families as large as 15.

After a morning or afternoon of outdoor fun, head to The Vineyard Green Restaurant & Spirits to enjoy Game Day specials on wings, drinks and appetizers, and catch the week's biggest college and professional football rivalries each Saturday and Sunday on an 80-inch projector screen – the biggest screen in town!

Callaway Gardens is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $18/adult; $15/senior 65+; $9 per child 6-12; children 5 and younger are admitted for free. Annual passes are a great way to visit most every day of the year for free. Some events have special pricing and ticketing.

For more information or to make a reservation for this array of Fall activities at Callaway Gardens, please call 1-800-CALLAWAY (225-2592) or visit www.callawaygardens.com

The Fox Theatre Introduces Haunting “Ghost Light” Tours

For the first time ever, the Fox Theatre will host special Ghost Light Tours this Halloween with its resident ghosts. Guests will travel to spaces haunted by those who loved the theatre and the ground where it sits so much that they never left. They will take a walk in the footsteps of the Confederate soldier, pay their respects to the woman of the house and hear about Roosevelt and his work keeping the Fox warm in the winter. People have seen these ghosts and felt their presence, will you?

The Ghost Light Tours will take place on Saturday, October 26, Tuesday, October 29 and Wednesday, October 30; and will start at 7 pm and run every 20 minutes until 10 PM. Tickets are $25 each and available for purchase now at www.FoxTheatre.org, at the Fox Theatre ticket office or by calling 855-285-8499. The Ghost Light tours are not recommended for children under 10, and children under 6 are not permitted.

“We’re excited to spend our evenings with the Fox’s patrons,” says Roosevelt (Resident Ghost of the Fox Theatre Boiler Room – deceased, 1945). “It sure beats playing tricks on the workers.”

The Boiler Room is just one of the spooky stops included in the limited-time Ghost Light Tours. The special tours will feature the Fox’s resident ghosts and his/her histories, along with real accounts of unexplained events gathered from the Fox’s staff and contractors. Guests will also learn about the history of the lot before the Fox was built. Some of the other tour locations will include the Elevator, Dressing Rooms, Power Room, Sub-Basement areas including the Boiler Room, and the Stage Freight Elevator. Another fun fact that inspired the name “Ghost Light Tours” has to do with the superstitious tradition that ghost lights provide opportunities for ghosts to perform onstage, thus appeasing and preventing them from cursing the theater or sabotaging the set or production.

To sweeten the cauldron, the Fox Theatre has partnered with The Melting Pot in Midtown for a special “Dinner and a Tour” promotion to coincide with the Ghost Light Tours. The exclusive dinner package will include three delicious fondue courses, all for $29. For reservations, call The Melting Pot at 404-389-0099 and mention “Fox Theatre Ghost Light Tours,” and for more information visit www.meltingpot.com/mid-town-atlanta/specials.

To inquire about booking a private tour or a group of 20 or more, please contact the theatre at (404) 881-2100. For more information on the tours, visit www.FoxTheatre.org.

Dia de Muertos at @ATLHistCenter

On Sunday, October 27th, 2013, enjoy a day of cultural exploration during the Atlanta History Center’s annual family program, Day of the Dead or Dia de Muertos. From noon to 5pm, visitors of all ages enjoy learning about this ancient festival rooted in Mexican heritage that serves as a way for families to remember their deceased loved ones while celebrating their children and the continuity of life. Smiling faces, swirling brilliant colors, storytelling, elaborately decorated altars designed to honor lost family and friends, authentic Mexican food, music, and variety of performances are highlights of this celebration.

The Atlanta History Center has presented this annual family program in collaboration with the Instituto de Mexico and the Mexican Consulate with support by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council for more than eleven years.

This is a free admission day at the Atlanta History Center. Guests are invited to enjoy the outdoor festival, and if time permits, to continue their free day adventures with a variety of Atlanta History Center offerings from discoveries of signature and traveling exhibitions to historic house experiences and explorations of beautiful gardens and trails.

Food and drinks are available for purchase. For more information, please call the Atlanta History Center at 404.814.4000.

Fall fun at @ZooATL

If you live in the Atlanta area, and you love the Atlanta Zoo this fall holds some great treats for you and your family! We love going to the Zoo and even just bought our first year's membership. With tons of awesome exhibits and especially the new giant panda cubs, there is definitely something for everyone. You can bet we will be spending a lot of time there while the weather is nice! 

First off is the School's Out! Camp. The best break for K-5th graders: School’s Out! Safari Day Camp, coming up Oct. 7-11, Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. Campers enjoy a day away from the classroom filled with exclusive tours, crafts and animals galore! Registration for Spring and Winter Safari Day Camps is also available online. 

  

Upcoming School Out! Camp Dates & Themes:

October 7-11* Cool Classification
October 14 Creepy Crawly
October 15 Nocturnal Creatures
November 25 Beaks and Feet
November 26 "Egg"-stravaganza
November 27 Taking Flight
November 29 The Great Migration
January 20 Phenomenal Primates
February 14 Rocking Rainforests
February 17-21* Passport to the Wild
March 14 Mad Scientists

*Available daily or entire week. Register for the full week and save $10!

Then of course there is the ever popular (and my personal favorite) Boo at the Zoo! Running Saturdays and Sundays, October 19, 20, 26, and 27th, It’s that time of year when Atlanta’s favorite fun family Halloween festival returns! Sample the treats, sights, characters and adventures of the whimsical Zoo Boo Town on four magical days with more than 1,500 animals from around the world. Boo at the Zoo! Activities will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Don’t forget your costume!

For the littles in your family, Atlanta Zoo also offers a variety of Toddler Programs. Stroller Cubs serves newborns to 2-year-olds, with social time for adults too! Adventure Cubs serves 3 to 4-year-olds and features a guided walk in the Zoo; an up-close animal encounter; and age-appropriate games, crafts and activities. Members get a discount!

October toddler programs:

Stroller Cubs: Silly Scales - Oct. 19 and 23
Discover more about scaly reptiles.
Adventure Cubs: Animal Outsides - Oct. 12 (One-Day) or Oct. 8, 15 and 22 (Series)
Learn how different animals live outdoors!

Lastly is the Family NightCrawler: Creatures of the Night event! All about the creatures that come out after the sun goes down, join in on Sat., Oct. 18 or 26 to learn about the creatures who come to life after the sun sets and about the animals who have inspired monsters. If you survive the night, wake up to a continental breakfast and an exclusive guided tour of the Zoo. Available for children six years old and up. 

Our Yard is Ready for Halloween!

Getting Shoe Crazy For Back to School with @FamousFootwear

Last week, I had the opportunity to check out the back to school selection for kids, young and old, at our local Famous Footwear with a group of local bloggers. Having two you boys, who are growing like weeds, back to school season is always the prime season to hit the stores and stock up on clothes and definitely shoes to last us through the next growth spurt.

Famous Footwear keeps parents in mind with their BOGO 1/2 off sale. The best part? Every thing in the store is BOGO. Meaning you can get the kids a pair of shoes and a backpack with the least costly item half off! Plus, if you are only buying one pair of shoes, they will actually give you a coupon for half off your next purchase with in the time frame so don't have to get two items in one trip.

I was able to get a pair of shoes for K and me, plus some awesome socks and gel shoe inserts for me all for under 40 bucks! Can't beat that!

At the event last week, a few of the bloggers had the opportunity to go "Shoe Crazy" for charity. Three bloggers were given the opportunity to run through out the store and grab as many shoes as they could in  30 seconds. The catch was that they had to get the box back to the table before going for the next pair. They got to keep the shoes they grabbed and Famous Footwear donated the value of the shoes to a local charity. It was a ton of fun to watch and they they raised $784! Not shabby!

Moral of the story: Famous Footwear is the perfect place to get shoes, socks, and back to school accessories for the whole family at a pretty nice discount!

*I was provided with a gift card to help facilitate my review of Famous Footwear's back to school styles.

Check Out the #DeliveryManMovie Trailer First! #The533

What does family mean to me? My family has always been a mixed bag of complete hilarity. We all have our quirks and our issues but when it all comes right down to it, there is nothing that could keep up from helping each other through it all.

This fall, in Delivery Man, Vince Vaughn plays an affable underachiever looking for his purpose in life, when he finds out he’s fathered 533 children through anonymous donations to a fertility clinic 20 years ago.

Now, he must decide whether or not to come forward when 142 of them want to meet their biological father. The way he accepts the challenge is heartwarming and hilarious.

I was invited by Disney to be one of 533 bloggers to debut the exclusive trailer for Delivery Man. Check our this exclusive trailer just for Render Me Mama readers:

Looks awesome, right? I am looking forward to the rest of the movie and finding out how he completes his mission. Will he find them all? Will they ever find out who he really is?  Love it.

DELIVERY MAN opens in theatres everywhere on November 22nd. Until then, you can LIKE the movie on Facebook or FOLLOW the movie on the Twitter, Pinterest, or instagram!

What do you think? Will you check it out?

RAK in November: Week Four

*If you need a refresher on what on Earth I am talking about, go HERE first... 30 things in 30 days is the goal.

This week:

-We got a big bag of sugar free candy and the boys had fun handing it out at the nursing home. The residents loved getting treats and seeing the boys. The boys love going to the nursing home and having so many "grandparents" that love them.

-We took the boys' old coats to a local children's home (Open Door). The combination of the normal warm winters and the way these two grow meant their old coats were in new condition. Hopefully another child will get more wear out of them.

-We took some of the boys' baby toys to the preschool for the baby class to enjoy. It was hard for K to let go of some of the things he thought were really cool but he got to play with the babies for a bit and that made it all better. K loves babies.

-I dropped of a box of old women's magazines at the local health department. Last time I was in there getting D's EED for school, all the magazines were from 2005. They were in serious need of some new reading material.

-I gave the boys both a pack of silly bands and set them loose to hand them out to the other kids on the playground. They were both a little shy at first about it but they made lots of friends!

-While we were at the playground, we took a walk around the park and I picked up some of the trash that people had thrown on the ground. People are gross. Seriously.

-I let the boys pick out 10 coloring books and crayons and we took them to the Children's hospital that has always been so good to us (CHOA).

We did a lot more running around this week than we usually do but it was all worth it. I'll admit too though that we did a few at once. We also got some of the clutter out of the house, which kind of takes away from the selflessness  little. Oh well. Did you do and RAKing this week?

Thankful 4.0

Every year I post on Thanksgiving about the things I am thankful for. I am generally a very gracious kind of person. My needs are few and I am beyond grateful for anything anyone throws my way. This year, though, has been quite a doozey on me and my emotional state. Its been full of ups and downs and twists and turns. I'm not gonna lie, being thankful has been harder for me this year than it has been in the past.

However, I am still thankful. Maybe even more so than I ever have been. I am thankful for my little boys this year more than ever before. They have been my driving purpose. My comfort and my warmth. Even the reason I got out of the bed for awhile. They have always known how to make me smile when I was down and make me forget my troubles. This year they have been my purpose. Everything I have done and worked towards has been done with a renewed purpose to better their lives (please don't let my babies suffer other's mistakes anymore). Without those two little smiling faces I would have been a lost person in every sense of the word. I thank everything that is for them.

Then there has been the support crew. My mother and father, who have been divorced for 13 years and hadn't spoken in 10, came together to help my boys and I out. They have done everything from supporting us financially while I found a job to giving us shelter when we had no where else to go to supporting me emotionally and lifting me up when I could hardly bear to breathe. They have held my hand while I faced the kind of meanness I never thought I would have to endure and stayed by my bed while I was recoverign from various ailments.

Its something that I suppose you expect from parents but until you witness it, until you witness that kind of love, you never know just how much you need your parents. I am thankful that they have been able to put aside their differences and take care of us in a way, even thought they shouldn't have had to, that only a parent could.

Of course there were the friends old and new that I am oh so thankful for as well. One of them, Lisa, I have known since I moved to Georgia a billion (okay 15) years ago. We have been friends since then, with periods where we didn't talk as much and periods where we talked more. We got married with in a few months of each other and our boys are all with in months of each other in age (she also has a little miss that's the baby). She was one of the first people I told when T walked out and she was immediately supportive. Ever since she has been there to help out when I needed someone to watch my boys or to read my ranty text messages about love and hate. She has been my sounding board. Heck, her husband even stayed up til 3am to help us move. Needless to say, I am beyond grateful for her and her family.

I am also thankful for all of the other friends both in real life and online that have helped to life me up out of a hole and keep me moving forward. If necessary with hot pokers. There are too many to mention but you know who you are. You are the ones actually reading this. You are the ones that didn't back down and disappear when I needed you most like so many others did. When I needed an ear or someone fresh to cry at when I had cried everyone else out. You helped us with money, you helped us with words, and most of all love. I am so blessed to have each and every one of you.

Of course I have to be thankful for Bob too. Sweet Bob. I honestly don't know who rescued who at this point. Bob came to us at a time when I needed someone 24/7 and the boys needed a playmate. Someone to talk to, someone to cry on, someone to give me a purpose in the middle of the night. Bob has always been a "mama's dog". He follows me around the house watching me clean or cook or whatever. If I am sad, he will come and put his face on me or just lean up against my leg and look up at me. He knows when I need love and he rubs around and around my legs like a cat until sit down and then he will just lay his head either on my shoulder or on my lap for some love or stand there while I lay my head on his shoulder. He also loves the boys like he loves me but he is much more gentle. He loves K in particular and is always very patient with him when he is doing things like poking q-tips in Bob's ears and proclaiming him an alien. He isn't a good guard dog but damn is he a good dog.

There always the little things in life to be thankful for too. I am thankful for a roof when we were so scared we wouldn't have one there for awhile. Even if it was a piece together job there for awhile. I am thankful for my landlord for taking us in and helping us out. I am thankful for food even if it means a little hand up. I am thankful for kind looks from strangers when the boys are losing it in a store and all I can do is cry. I am thankful for my job. I am thankful for you. For my readers. For being patient with me.

I went from being broken and feeling like I had nothing to be thankful for this past winter to having more to be thankful for than my heart could hold. I hope that this Thanksgiving is the same for you. I hope that you can look back over the last year and be even more thankful than you were the last. If not, I hope that the next year brings you closer to it.

Happy Thanksgiving. Now go eat some turkey and take a nap. Tomorrow starts a whole new ball game of crazy. Here comes Christmas. Ready or not.

Black Friday 2012

Ok, so since I admitted that I wasn't as excited about the whole Thanksgiving/ Black Friday thing this year, I have had a little time to look over the ads scans. Now, for he last several years, I would have done this weeks ago in preperation for getting everything all ready for the big day. I would have analyzed shopping times and ads and made a compreshensive list of where to go and what to get. Some years I even had maps.

So, looking over the ads a little late this year has been overwhelming to say the least. Which is kind of insane considering that you used to have to wait for the Thursday paper to even see the ads. My sister and I would always get up early and go find a newspaper to sprawl out in the floor with after lunch (but before naps). After I got married, it was our job to aquire a paper on our way to my mother's house. Then, it got to where you could just look it all up on the internet a week before hand and not have to bother with the paper.

Of course, I still get the paper. I'm old school like that I suppose. Even when I have my list nailed down by Wednesday, I still make that early Thursday paper run. I like to think that its so that I can check the ads to make sure its all in order but maybe its just nostolgia at this point.

Anyway, after looking over the ads this year, I have to admit: I'm disappointed. It seems like Black Friday is no longer the intense, fun rush it used to be. Stores are opening earlier and earlier and what used to be 3 hours of intense runing from store to store, now starts at 8pm on Thanksgiving (?!) and runs through Noon on Friday.

The. Heck.

If your sale is on Thursday, its not a Black Friday sale. Its greed. Its taking families away from their loved ones on a holiday that used to mean more than consumerism in this country. ::end rant::

So, I guess having it all spread out, kind of ruins the fun for me. Add that to the fact that you can now get most of these deals online and not have to get out of your jammies and it just seems pointless. Stores like Wal- Mart and Toys R Us have ruined the fun for everyone. Thanks for that.

Still, I figure I will head out for the morning early and hit up a few of the stores opening at more traditional times. In other words 4am. Which, I guess, is not really "traditional" for most stores. It is on Black Friday though.

Are you a Black Friday shopper? What do you think about the crazy times and such this year? Will it slow you down?

Fun in the Fall Leaves



Raking them up

*SPLOOSH*

Here comes trouble!

Pure joy.

We had hours of fun. <3>



The overseer of fun.



Here Goes Nothing

Well, here it goes. The Holidays. Are you ready? Because I’m not. Not this year. I am not looking forward to the crazy like I usually do. Normally I am all riled up at this point. Chomping at the bit so to speak to stuff myself silly on Thanksgiving and then get out there and battle the crowds on Black Friday. To get the best deals possible and rub shoulders with hundreds of other people in the cold. If you know me well, you know that I usually look forward to this all year long.


Not this year though.

My mother says I am getting old. To which I said shut up old lady and then she didn’t speak to me the rest of the evening. I think I won that argument.

I suppose it’s just par for the course. It’s been a crazy enough year and this week has been no exception. Lots of ups and downs and forehead smacks along the way.

I figure I have plenty of time to get into the mood though. It’s only Sunday, after all.

Then comes Christmas. Which I am more excited about than usual at this point I guess. I am looking forward to decorating the new place and starting some new traditions with the boys. One of which is actually sending out Christmas cards this year. Something we haven’t been able to do in the past for one reason or another.

Christmas just brings a whole different energy to it too. Especially with kids. It’s always so magical to them. No matter how big or little it is in terms of gifts and such, kids always have that look in their eye about Christmas. This year, it started early for my boys. They are both old enough to remember last year and holy cow are they excited. We started watching Polar Express before Halloween.

I only wish they could forget other things.

Of course, I got the news that my sister may be coming to see us for Christmas too and that, my friends, is some exciting news. I miss my sister. I miss her a lot. When she was going through a (much more civil) divorce years ago, we used to go and sit at a coffee shop and just talk. I was pregnant with D at the time and she would get all weirded out when he would turn a flip and my whole belly would shift and I would laugh at her reaction. I miss that. I miss just hanging out with my sister. I’ve needed her this year in a way I never really thought I would. The distance is hindering though. She better come. *ahem*

So, that’s where I am about the holidays this year. Like I said, it’s early yet, I guess. There is time for the crazy excited thing to happen. I think I will spend a little time checking out the Black Friday ads this afternoon and see what happens. Then maybe me and the boys will go check out Santa at the mall. If there is anything that can force jolly on you, it’s a mall Santa.

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Christmas?