Day 15

Dinner turned out great.  Di did a great job especially with the green bean casserole.  We ate, ate more, then more and more, then passed out.  It was definitely a very long day.  Today we sat back and relaxed, watched XMen Wolverine and then around 1pm set off to WizzallMizzart to deal with all the crazies.  Only had to get diapers, but decided to look around a bit. 

Wow all the deals were great.....if you had money!  Isn't that how it works though?  So we WoWed the wish list items and walked merrily out of Walmart with our dignity.  Then we went to the mall.  I received a gift for my birthday from Helzberg Diamonds last month and still needed to pick it up, so we packed lunch brought our survival gear and set foot on our way through the mall on Black Friday.  It really wasn't so bad at 2pm. There were still a few people around that wouldn't watch where they were walking and tumbled over Lucas' stroller nearly falling on their faces, but aside from all of that I didn't kill anyone so it was a good day.  We stopped at the American Greetings store to pick up a couple of 50% off ornaments because we get a new one every year, but couldn't pass up the Thomas the Train ornament that Lucas just so cleverly spotted out of the hundred that were hanging on the wall.  Di picked out an heirloom crystal Rudolph that looks magical on our tree.  Yes, we set the tree up on Thanksgiving night so that we have a full month of Christmas joy and we even played Christmas carols while we did it....neener neener neener.  Anyways, we finally made it to the jewelery store and I loved how I was greeted.  I wasn't.  It must have been my dark hair and tattoo that threw them off.....or maybe it was because I was looking comfortable and not like those silly women that run track in their high heels.  Anyways, I got one ladies attention because Di was looking at those key charm necklaces that are outragiously priced and came across one that was adorned with opal and emeralds.  Di about had a fit, so I asked the kind lady how much is that opal key charm that I know is going to be over priced there in your glass case?  She replied with $99.  What?  $99.......did I hear you right?  Yes!  It's $99.  So I winked at the lady and said, we will have to think about that one....as I handed her my gift card from them for my birthday.  I asked Di to walk Lucas around for a few so he quits putting his hands all over their glass and as she walked away.....we rang up her necklace and used my gift as an excuse for them to show me to the register.  They were awesome when they realized that I was going to actually buy something.  hahahahahah  Anyways, I set aside $100 for each of the kids for Christmas and that was hers.  She's going to love it.  I teased a bit by taking her to get fitted for a Pandora charm bracelet, so I'm sure she thinks shes getting one for Christmas.  hahahaha  Already got a really neat LED bracelet watch for Shane (the oldest)...still working on some other stuff for him and the baby....well....he's the hardest one to buy for because he has so much already that he enjoys.  It's finding that one thing that he's going to love and play with till it's dead.  Last year I bought him a $10 dump truck from a drug store and that's all he played with until I had to throw it away just 2 months ago.  I guess he wouldn't be so hard to buy for, it's just finding the right thing that I feel intimidated about.  Oh!  We also found Di a pair of $10 jeans that actually fit her at Freaky Tiki!  Today was a very productive day.  I even got to take my recyclables to the recyclable center today!!! YAY!  3 bags full and gave my glass to Kevin R at work to give to the city recyclable truck cause they don't have one here for some reason.  Thank you Kevin!!

Not smoking is coming real easy now.  The hard part is not thinking about it when I'm drinking.  Sure test tomorrow when I take the kids to a cookout at a coworkers house tomorrow.  They wouldn't let me anyways and to tell you the truth I don't believe any of them smoke so it will make it easier hopefully.  I'm not going to lie and say I didn't think about having one when I left the mall today because I really really really wanted one.  Having the kids with me gave me strength though, otherwise I think it was just that strong of an urge I would have pulled into a gas station.  Holding on to my future however......to not be a smoker and be able to run and not be sick all the time, to have more energy, hopefully not look any more older than what I am.............that would be bliss.  This is my flip side dive........................