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Sunday, November 8, 2015

Shopping Time

Every year my 2 sisters and I go out Christmas shopping together.  We usually do this in the beginning of November.  That way we have a head start on things, and we don't usually have to worry about bad roads due to snow.  We start out Friday morning and shop all day.  We spend the night in a hotel, and make a stop or two on our way home on Saturday. 
This past Friday was our shopping day this year.  It was cloudy and windy, but no rain or snow.  We shopped all day and I forgot to take pictures!

 Here's the first photo I took.  We had loaded most of our bags onto  luggage rack, to get everything to the room and sorted out.  When we got to the room the key didn't work, so Terri had to get that straightened out.  Cheri and I were left standing in the hall with all this stuff.


 Here's everything loaded onto the beds waiting for us to sort it.


 We always get a yummy dessert to go and take it to the hotel for a snack later in the evening.  This is Chocolate Mousse cake from Olive Garden.  It was yummy!

We stayed up late, talking and laughing.  On Saturday morning, Terri had to get home for her daughters softball game.  Cheri and I made a few stops on our way back home including a craft show which was so crowded we could hardly shop!


After I got home and unpacked, I did a little weekend baking and some laundry.  Then I started wrapping gifts.  This is such a fun way to accomplish that Christmas shopping!

26 comments:

Angie said...

What a fun little tradition you all have. Looks like you guys made quite the haul!

Ramblings of a Retired Lady said...

You are so smart to start early. Shopping with friends, with the fun and laughter are the 'cherry' on the cake! And the dessert looks yummy!

Jenny said...

I knew it was time for that trip and I was waiting for this post. You girls have a pretty sweet tradition going there. I especially like the cheesecake part. xoox

LL Cool Joe said...

You mean you've bought and wrapped all your presents already!! Wow I'm impressed!

Linda said...

WOW I'm with LL Cool--so impressed (my mouth is hanging open). Have a beautiful day, friend.

Terri D said...

I remember your post from last year about your shopping trip. Such a great tradition!! My sister, Patti, is a super shopper. She can shop until the rest of us drop and she is still going. It's probably a good thing she lives 1,600 miles away. What fun, though! That dessert looks delicious! Thanks for sharing your shopping trip with us! And you have it all wrapped and ready. I need to get busy! Have a great week, Mari!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like such fun. The dessert makes me hungry! I love the wrapping paper. Hope you have a nice week, Mari.

Betsy Brock said...

Very nice! I have three gifts bought...yay! haha....but it's your wrapping that I like the best.....so many times I've stayed up late on Christmas Eve to wrap and there is NO joy in that. lol...

Kerin said...

Looks like a fun weekend!
How nice to have a jump start on your holiday shopping :)

~K.

Ceil said...

Hi Mari! There's just nothing like family, and it sure sounds like you have a wonderful tradition! I would love to shop early like you, and have some of that yummy cake too :) I was just at Olive Garden last week, and lovingly looked at the dessert menu. I did take a pass, but maybe next time, I'll dive right in!

Your packages look so festive! I hope you will have a peaceful Christmas season because of your foresight!
Blessings,
Ceil

Bethany Carson said...

That sounds like such a fun tradition! The Chocolate Mousse cake looks heavenly!

Unknown said...

Woah I feel super lazy now!
I'd better start my shopping.

Sylvia said...

Sounds just wonderful. Now you've had that time together, expect you've run out of things to talk about!!!!!!! NEVER..... Seeing my sister in a week or two and we usually find a topic or two to talk about. Love it.

Phoebes World said...

Well done you for getting such a good head start..I cant get my head around the fact that Christmas is just a few weeks away. Although I did buy a couple of Christmas towels this morning. So glad you had fun

Btw....that dessert looks so yummy

Phoebe x

Sally said...

That is just SO nice that you girls have a special Christmas shopping outing. Sure makes me wish I had a sister or two. :)

I'll probably do the shopping like last year, and that would be the internet. LOL

The cheesecake looks amazing.

xoxo

Amy at love made my home said...

Wow, that is a lot of shopping! Very organised of you though!! xx

Nancy said...

I think that is the most fun tradition. You girls are blessed that you have the kind of relationship that you can do fun things like together. By the way, it sure looks like you hit the jackpot in finding gifts for everyone.....And already wrapping your presents...you are so way ahead of the game.....

Doris said...

So much fun! I love to shop and shopping with sisters or friends would make it delightful!

Brooke said...

What a haul! Are you done now?

Mary said...

Mari, from the looks of the photos, you must be done your Christmas shopping. I don't have much to do these days and I just have a few more to get. I have the grandsons almost taken care of, which is my biggest expense. This year I bought them sports hoodies. Brandon wanted Seattle Sea Hawks and Jordan, a baseball team, Detroit. Other than that, I will give them a bit of spending money and they can get something they want. They are more difficult to buy for now that they're grown.

Take care. I enjoyed coming along on the fun shopping trip with you and your sisters.

Jean said...

I'm always jealous of this event!! The fun and the getting a jump on Christmas shopping!

Judy said...

Wow, what a fun weekend! Good for you girls getting your Christmas shopping done early.

Brenda said...

I'm glad you had another successful sister Christmas excursion. It sounds like so much fun. Do all of your siblings names end in 'i'? I just noticed that!

carrie@northwoods scrapbook said...

What a perfect tradition!! I absolutely love it. Genius to do it early in the season to avoid crowds and stores not having what you want. A great head start, plus so much fun while you do it and bond with your sisters.
Blessings on the rest of your week. xoxo

Debra Howard said...

What a fun time! No sisters for me but maybe I could get my daughters together at once to shop sometime and my mom too.

Laura said...

I am so jealous that you are so far ahead! Someday Heather and I will have to start doing that. :) I only hope there won't be as much cackling involved! ;)