Funny Pre-Christmas Shopping Story

I had to run into Wal-mart after work to get my exchange gift for the office Christmas party tomorrow.

I think that Wal-mart may just be hell on earth. There is not one thing I like about it. I only go there because it is basically right across from the street from my house, and it's my only option, unless I want to drive 12 miles to gp to Target.

Wal-mart was just NOT the place to be, three days before Christmas! The checkout lines were a mile long.

I finally found a reasonably short line at one of the self check-outs.

The lady in front of me was having a terrible time trying to get her wrapping paper to scan.

The Wal-mart worker was just standing up in her front guard booth just watching this poor lady, without offering any help.

Finally, the lady picks up the wrapping paper roll and starts to hit the self checkout machine with it. It was so funny.

The Wal-mart clerk comes running over and says "It's not going to make it work by hitting it." The lady replies... "Maybe not, but it sure made me feel better!"

I loved her answer.

Awww..... The joys of Christmas shopping at the friendliest place on earth... Wal-mart!

Maxwell is a King

Maxwell was a king in the Christmas play at his school.
He did very well and remembered all his lines.

Friends

Sometimes I get sad because we don't have a large family to spend time with over the holidays. But, then I realize how lucky we are to have such great friends that are like family to us.



Maxwell may not have cousins, but he is lucky to have Alyssa, Molly and Mason as family friends. Those precious childhood memories are being created with them, just like I did with their mommies.

Maxwell and Alyssa


We are lucky to have such great neighbors like Shirley an Ken! (Picture of Shirley and I)

Wendy.... my BFF for 30 years!


Mom and Big Bill

Thanks to all of our great friends for being part of lives and spending time with us over the holidays.

Charades

Here are some classic picture of us playing charades at our Christmas get-together this year...


I'm king of the world !


I can dance... yes I can !


I'm a monkey...

Fun night out

Our Friend Big Bill Came to Pittsburgh for a Visit.
Wendy and I have been friends with him since Jr. high.

Brett, Wendy and I (Kevin could not come) met him and his friend, Schon, for a fun night out on the town.
We started the night with dinner at Hyde Park on the Northshore.
It was so fun to have a night out with Brett and my friends.
I felt like we were back in high school. Well, I guess if we were in high school, we would not have been eating at a place like that... but you get the picture.
I think Brett was pretty proud of me that I made it through the night without laughing so hard that liquid squirted out my nose, like it usually does when I am with Wendy and Bill because I laugh so hard. That would be not good to do in a fancy restaurant.
We had a yummy dinner with lots of fun conversation.
After dinner we walked over to Jerome Bettis's Bar to end the night with a cocktail.
It was just so fun because it was the first time we have all been out together in so long.
We are going to have to make this an annual tradition.

Just the 3 of us

I love to take pictures like this.
I don't really know why, but I think it is just fun.
This night was especially fun because Wendy, Brett, and I were getting ready to go out to meet Big Bill for dinner.
Since we so rarely get to go out for an adult night only I was extra excited .
See the next post to hear more about our fun night out...

Snowman and other outdoor stuff

Here is a picture of a snowman Maxwell made before school yesterday because they had a delay. He was very excited to make his first snowman of the year.
He also took pictures of various other decorations we have in our yard. Yes, we are the neighbors from hell with 4, or is it 5, big blow up decorations in our yard. At least we are fun and not boring, right?

Thanksgiving

We went to Seven Springs for a yummy Thanksgiving dinner.
We have so much to be thankful for, and we are so blessed!
All Maxwell wanted to do was decorate for Christmas, so as soon as we got home that afternoon, that is what we did.
I can't believe that it is almost December and Christmas will be here before we know it.
Where does the time go ???

Meet the Author

Maxwell got to meet one of his favorite author's, Mark Teague, and have some of his books signed.
We went with his kindergarten teacher, Miss Schumm and his classmate, Amanda.
He was a lot of fun. Brett and I enjoyed it as much as Maxwell did.
Brett LOVES to read "How Does a Dinosaur Say Goodnight..." to Maxwell, whenever he can.
Of course anything to do with books, I love. I should have been a librarian.
Here is some more information about Mark Teague...


"Mark Teague has delighted young readers with more than 20 picture books, and he has written many of them himself, including the popular Pigsty, Baby Tamer, and One Halloween Night. He is also the illustrator of Cynthia Rylant's beloved Poppleton series for beginning readers and the best-selling books by Jane Yolen, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight and How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon.

Mark Teague's life changed when he moved from San Diego to New York City and he planted the seed for his first picture book, The Trouble with the Johnsons. Each of Teague's books start as "notebooks full of sketches and scribbles, strange little drawings and phrases that suddenly come together," Teague explains. And although he had no formal writing training, his endless imagination and understanding nature gives him a permanent place in the hearts of everyone.

Mark and his wife live in Coxsackie, New York, with their young daughter Lily, who has a great time watching her dad paint the pictures in his books."