Full of Joy: Black Friday and Small Business Saturday

Once all of the Thanksgiving cooking was done and the turkey had been gobbled up, there was nothing left to do except..... shop! Well truthfully I wasn't planning on going shopping last weekend. I'm not one for crowds and I was trying to save money so I thought I would avoid the whole thing entirely. Little did I know the pull for good deals is just too strong for me! My Mom and brother David had camped out since early evening to score an Xbox and Xbox Kinect, and I found it waiting for me downstairs on the dining room table Friday morning. Well, you can't just buy something as cool and fun as an Xbox Kinect and NOT get a great game to go with it! So Elliot and I went back to the BX (or the Exchange on the Reserve Base, it's basically a department store without tax) and got the new Dance Central 2. I'm telling you, you have never played a game so fun as this one! Listening to good music? Check. Making a fool out of yourself in front of family and friends? Check. Some friendly competition? Check. AND it's a great cardio workout! In my opinion, Dance Central 2 >>> taking Zumba at a gym, and it's cheaper in the long run (See I'm chock full of savings)! I'll always cherish the memory of Elliot and my Dad battling it out in the family room. Elliot and I went to his Dad's house in Hermosa Beach for the rest of the weekend and, no surprise, ended up going to the mall on Saturday. I had wanted to get a pair of cozy house slippers for his Dad's house since I'm there so often and my feet get cold very easily, especially if there are hardwood floors. So, his Dad had the idea of going to this little shop in the mall that he knew sold Uggs. Which was perfect since it was Small Business Saturday! I loved the idea of SBS, especially since my parents own a small business and I know all the headaches that go along with that and the state of the economy for the past few years. We ended up each getting a pair of slippers, and I'll admit I went to Gap and got an incredibly good deal on some sweaters (60% off? You mean this warm, cozy, knit sweater is only $20 bucks?!?). All in all, it was a great weekend for shopping.