It seems that everyone in the internet world has their opinions these days and is happy to share it.  I am sure I have shared mine many times myself.  This year I noticed so many people had something against Black Friday.  They wanted everyone to know those who participate are crazy, stupid, some even going to far as to say things about how they would rather be with their family.  I am all for spending time with family but I think were all granted some shopping time weather it be Black Friday or Tuesday.

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So why does one go Black Friday shopping?  I think everyone has their own reasons but most fall under two reasons if not both.

1.  To get an awesome deal.

2.  The thrill of it.

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I go for both reasons.

It’s nice to get a good deal and sure I could get deals all year round but who the hell wants to attempt to try and hide Christmas gifts for more than a month from kids?  It can be done, but I actually prefer not to.  Tastes change as well I would rather be as close as possible to what my kids want at the time.

Then we have the thrill of it.  For once this year my kids don’t really know what they want.  Why is that?  We haven’t spoiled them over the years.  They have always appreciated everything we have given them no matter how little it was.  We are finally able to give them more and they don’t ask for much compared to alot of kids.  This is the first year I didn’t have to dart for the electronics counter to get a place in line and secure that DSI or whatever item of choice.

There were other things I did get for them and a few things for myself.  I went for the thrill of it.  This is the first year I went in alone.  Hubby hates shopping on a regular day but Black Friday forget it.  He sits in the car.  Usually I have my sister with me or a friend.

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So how did this year go?

I started at home by doing my ritual of looking through the ads in the paper.  I had been looking at them for weeks on the computer but there is something about going through them after stuffing yourself with dinner on Thanskgiving on the couch.

I made my list by store and told hubby what time we would be leaving.  He went off to bed to get some sleep while I gazed over the ads some more and watched tv.

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This year I purchased a Tshirt from Bfads where I get the ads early.  Make sure to bookmark them for next year!  The tshirt was only $10 including shipping and all proceeds went to charity.  I put it on anxiously awaiting time to go faster.  I was growing tired awake all by myself.  There wasn’t anyone online anymore I am guessing they were already out shopping or in a turkey coma.

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It was pouring down raining outside not that the weather is ever nice on Black Friday.  Last year it snowed and we froze in line.  The year before I believe it was there was freezing rain and my sister and I almost got side swiped by a mac truck. But pouring rain and standing in line didn’t sound like fun especially since I didn’t need one of the must have’s you better be one of the first so many people in line to get.  So I started waking hubby up at 3am.   He was a bit pissy this year about it as many stores were opening earlier than ever and that meant earlier for him.

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We arrived at Target, my first stop, at 3:55 am.  The line wrapped all the way around the back of the store.  I got out of the truck and walked to the back of the line.  A nice older gentleman offered to share his umbrella with me.  We talked until it was our turn to enter the store where we wished each other good luck.  There were no carts left so I started going around adding things in my arms.  There got to be a point where I couldn’t carry anymore so I stacked it all up on the ground and started pushing it around the isles.  I pushed until I reached the line for the cash register.

I was in and out of Target in 20 minutes.  Hubby never thought it would be that short.  He parked in Home Depot parking lot as Target was over full.  It didn’t take much time for him to arrive and pick me up.  We went onto our next destination.

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My next stop was Walmart.  I was a bit put off by their idea to put most items on sale starting at 12:01 am and the electronics at 5:00 am.  I was expecting the earlier items to not be available and was worried that I was arriving right before the electronic madness.  I have done Walmart on Black Friday when they started before, it wasn’t pretty.  To my surprise all the items I had went for were available !  There were no carts here either buy hubby saw one in parking lot and brought it to me, then retired back to the vehicle. As I am putting stuff in the cart my phone starts to vibrate.  Was it hubby?  Who else would it be?  It said Mom on the screen.  It was 5am what the hell!  Apparently my cell phone called her from my coat pocket and I wasn’t answering her saying hello.  She hung up and called back.  I felt so bad for that! She worked so hard on Thanksgiving dinner and I woke her up at 5am!

I ran into my daughters friends mom.  She was in line for 7 hours to get a ticket to get into another line to pay for the item.  A $200 laptop.  She said I should get out soon as she over heard they didn’t have enough laptops for as many tickets they handed out.  I was done anyway and got in line.

As I was walking away from the cashier the lights went out.  I am in Walmart, On Black Friday, and the Lights Went Out! Walmart. Black Friday. No Lights! For the first time on Black Friday I was worried.  The crowds didn’t worry me. The people who wanted to fight over stuff didn’t worry me as I wouldn’t fight back it’s not worth it.  But in Walmart, in the dark, on Black Friday worried me.   I imagined people running for the doors with stuff they didn’t pay for.  The lights came back on long enough for me to call hubby and get past the security guard checking receipts as you left the store (also new this year).  He met me at the front of the store and there was no stampede that I had been made aware of.  The lights were out in the parking lot as well as other stores in the area.  I saw a transformer in the distance spark like fireworks.  I was just thankful to be out of there.

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So all that excitement was enough for me and I went to Kohls.  I putted around.  I was in no rush but was getting low on my Black Friday spending money.  I probably looked at every item in the store at least once.  The line was only half of what it was when I first went in after at least an hour so I figured it was my time to go.

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We stopped in Sams Club for breakfast.  They had coffee, juice, water, muffins and danishes.  This year they hid it in the back of the store but we found it!  Smell out the coffee.  Smart they are for making you walk through the store cause you know people only went there for the free breakfast not to buy anything.  I spend enough money there so I justified my stopping for nothing more than my freebie.

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Well that was my day of adventure.   For a mom who’s only adventure is what to make for dinner most days I enjoyed it and can’t wait for next year!  Who is going with me?