It’s Friday already – and you know the drill, it’s the day I conglomerate my Fragmented thoughts randomly into one post.  Mrs. 4444’s  is the leader of the pack, yada yada yada – there’s quite a bit to conglomerate, so we’ll skip the formalities this week, shall we?

 
Is anyone else entering ‘panic mode’ with Christmas just a mere week away?  Usually I’m done with Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving.  This year?  Not so much.  In fact, I’ve been hurriedly scurrying about the last few days trying to get that shopping done.

I thought I could get it all done in one day.  Yes, I do tend to be overly optimistic at times, why do you ask?  Today will be day 3-1/2 of my ‘get it done in one day’.  Mostly because I remembered I forgot to stop at certain places only after I was already on my way home.  Or I ran out of time.  Or both.

I’ve been a little sparse visiting blogs this week because of my frantic nature of trying to get it all done.  Hopefully today will be my last foray into the fray before Christmas – then I’ll be able to wrap presents like a maniac and get some boxes of goodies ready to ship by Monday  Tuesday Wednesday Christmas.

Oh, yeah – and don’t get me started on the fact that I haven’t even gotten my Christmas cards ready to send out yet.  They’re waiting patiently.  I wonder if I should just wait and send them early next year.  Or in July.  Which technically is ‘next year’.

I kept thinking it was a different day this week.  Wednesday I thought it was Thursday, most likely because I had done my bi-monthly grocery shopping the day before; add some Christmas shopping in there, and it makes for a terminally long day.

I still needed to make a trip to Toys R Us as well as a few other places, but wasn’t in the mood to deal with multitudes of frantic shoppers.  But I talked myself into going that day, since it would probably only be worse the next day, since this time of year more people start taking Friday’s off to get their Christmas stuff and shopping done.  You know, because I was thinking it was Thursday.

So I reluctantly headed out, and was surprised at how packed the Toys R Us parking lot was – it wasn’t even close to a lunch hour time frame, and usually there are very few people at that time of day.  As I parked out in the tundra of the parking lot, it suddenly hit me that it was Wednesday.  And I seem to recall getting an email from TRU touting some mega ‘One Day Sale’ for Wednesday.

Oh, well, I was already there, might as well make the best of it.  I successfully picked up the dinosaur things that Santa will be leaving in lieu of the indoor trampoline Princess Nagger asked for, and saw something else that she would love.

But that’s a post all in itself.  Let’s just say it involved two more separate trips to Toys R Us, plus a store that was worse than Wal*Mart on the lack of cashiers to a long line of patrons that resulted in me abandoning a full shopping cart and leaving empty handed.  And some some good stuff.  I’ll tell that story on Monday

Princess Nagger has been spiking a fever almost every night for a week, but by morning, it’s back to normal.  I’m thinking it’s either her 2 loose teeth or possibly her 6-year molars trying very hard to come in.

She’s excited about her 2 loose teeth – she’s hoping one will fall out on Christmas Eve, and the other one on Christmas Day.  She thinks it would be especially cool if  one came out on Christmas Eve so the Tooth Fairy and Santa can hang out together.

I had a craving for Arby’s Chicken Salad Wrap the other night, so when hubby was stopping to pick up a Happy Meal for the Princess Nagger, I asked if he could stop at Arby’s and get me a Chicken Salad Wrap.  He came home with a boring old regular Chicken Sandwich.  He said the guy at Arby’s thought he was crazy, because he had never heard of them before.
The lack of knowledge here locally was bugging me to no end – I didn’t get a chance to have one as planned when we were in Louisiana in July, and on the long drive home one of the Arby’s in Tennessee had the Chicken Salad Sandwich but not the wrap.  I thought maybe PA was just not ‘trendy’ enough to have the Chicken Salad at all.
I found the list of ingredients online and could easily just make my own version, but now it had become the principle of the lack of Chicken Salad at Arby’s in PA.  So I made some phone calls.  Luckily I was able to talk with someone at a different local Arby’s that knew exactly what I was talking about.  It’s a ‘seasonal’ item, but it’s coming back next month.  I’ll be able to satisfy that craving next month without having to do the work of making it myself.  I can wait.
Princess Nagger thinks paper money is worthless for the most part.  Although she does understand that the higher number on the bill means a better toy, so if someone offered her a 5-dollar bill or a 20-dollar bill, she’d be all about the 20-dollar bill.

Her Papa sent her 7 one-dollar bills in her birthday card this year, but she left them laying around and the dogs had a great $7 salad.  I guess next year if Papa sends her 8-dollars for her 8th birthday, he’d be better off sending them in coin form.  So far the dogs haven’t tried to chow down on the random change Princess Nagger leaves laying around.

As I was proofing this last night before scheduling to post, I got an email alert from our local news station with a Winter Storm Watch for late tonight into early Sunday morning.  Apparently we could possibly get 6-10 inches of snow tomorrow.  Of course now that I’ve put it out there, Murphy and his Law will have a chat with Mother Nature and they’ll bypass us completely.  If, however, we do get that kind of snow, I’ll be sure to take pictures of the snow dinosaurs Princess Nagger will be sure to be building.  I’ll keep you posted.

Princess Nagger Conversation of the Week:

PN:  “I kissed Sean today.  I’m going to marry him.”

Me:  “You what?”

PN:  “I kissed Sean while we were waiting in the lunch line.  I’m going to marry him, and you’re invited to the wedding.”

Me (laughing):  “Oh, really?  What does Sean say about that?”

PN:  “Oh, I’m pretty sure he’s fine with that.  I’m pretty sure he loves me.”

Me:  (laughing too hard I can’t speak…)

PN:  “What?  You think it’s funny?”

Me:  “Of course it’s funny!”

PN:  “You keep up that attitude, and you won’t be invited to the wedding!”

Me:  ……

And now, time for Happy Hour!

  • I’m happy that my Christmas shopping is finally almost done!
  • I’m happy that I get to experience the Magic of Christmas anew through Princess Nagger’s eyes. 
  • I’m happy that my friends and family are tolerant of me being late with Christmas cards and gifts.  Who says you can’t celebrate Christmas in July January?
  • I’m happy that Lifetime and Hallmark and ION have all been airing great Christmas ‘feel good’ movies that I’ve DVR’d so I can watch some ‘feel good’ Christmas-y stuff while I wrap presents.
  • I’m happy that even though money is tight this year, I was able to find some awesome deals to spoil Princess Nagger without breaking the bank.

If you’re just hanging out at home on Friday night (and blogging), feel free to join in on Ann’s Virtual Girl’s Night Out (boys are welcome, too!)

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Don’t forget to visit Mrs. 4444 at Half Past Kissin’ Time for fun Friday Fragments, Otin’s and RxBambi’s respective blogs for Happy Hour Friday, and Ann Again and Again for VGNO.

38 Comments

  1. the week before christmas is crazy for us all, thats why I have no hair i pulled it all out trying to get it all done before the big day…lol

  2. and then there are the east coast blog-pros posting their fragmented Friday's when it is still Thursday prompting exacerbating panic and sense of urgency. our x-mas cards are a farce perhaps to be mailed early next week. next year,we should consider electronic, easy, free and exactly as (im)personal. my husband hand addressed them and mailed them. i wrote notes in perhaps 6 of 60….the rest bear only our photo and pre-printed message.

  3. How did you find time to have a week and then post this comprehensively? You must be a really fast typist. Respect

  4. I'm not doing cards this year. I blog, that's enough. And that's so funny about the dog eating the money!

  5. Thanks for the chicken salad idea. I will make some today, with lots of veggies. Anything to avoid more Christmas cookies!

    Secretia

  6. OMG, the conversation with PN cracked me up! She is a witty kid.
    Oh, and you reminded me that I still need to finish my Christmas cards. Ugh!

  7. PN is such a hoot!

    I think Sam is starting to cut those molars, too. He's had a couple headaches lately and some fever, as well.

    Hoping you experience the calm mode this weekend and get the cards out! :o)

    XOXO!!

  8. i hope that PNs fever goes away…teeth will do that so hope that is all it is. sick at christmas sucks! i feel the panic, got a bit still to do myself. hope you have a great weekend…and enjoy the school break.

  9. There's always "Happy New Year" cards. I'm not a card person, but if I were, I think this would be a good route to take. Anything to eliminate some of the pressure.

    Hope yours begins to subside, and quickly!

  10. Princess is so funny!

    I know the catchup feeling on visiting other blogs- lately I've been catching up on everyone 2-3 days a week. I feel so bad watching the posts pile up in my reader!

  11. I think that this may be my favorite PN conversation of the week now! That girl just cracks me up!

    And only 7 more days!!!! ARRRRGHHHH!

  12. Happy Friday! You might want to tell PN to kiss a few more frogs first, but not inschool. My sons are huggers, you should have seen the looks on the faces of the K teachers when they were hugging people at school. It's sad this is where we've gotten too.
    My boys are all about the coin money too because up here it's in 2s and 1s that adds up fast!

  13. I'm thinking about sending out New Year's cards. I'm quite sure I won't be in time for Christmas. oops

  14. My daughter would take a penny over a dollar anytime. Too funny.

    I am feeling pretty prepared for Christmas. I just have to survive this weekend and I'll be good to go!

    Happy Friday!!

  15. I'm about halfway done with my Christmas shopping and going totally insane. I hate shopping as it is, but with the malls being packed with all the late shoppers it's going to be nuts!

    PN is so hilarious. 'I'm pretty sure he's fine with that. I'm pretty sure he loves me' That is just priceless. LOL

    Have a great Friday!

  16. OMG, she UNinvited you to her future wedding? Holy crap that's funny.

    Ooh, I hope you get the snow and can share it with us. I'm jealous!!!!

    I'm with ya on the franticness of this last week before Christmas. I still have not baked even one cookie. Most of my stuff is wrapped, but I still have some gift cards to pick up, etc. Blech.

    If I were you, I'd bring PN to the doctor. Spiking fevers at her age doesn't usually have anything to do with teeth. At least, not in my experience.

    Justine 😮 )

  17. Oh yes this is a crazy busy time for me too made even more crazy by the fact our Christmas visiting and present opening starts tomorrow night at my MILs home…and I still havent got all the gifts I need for her house…yet here I sit..reading blogs lol

    Hope you have a wonderful weekend Stacy

  18. I really was feeling quite guilty enough about my lack of enthusiasm and participation in Christmas this year ~ you know, the shopping, sending out of cards, etc. Then you post this and I have officially decided that it is cocktail hour, right now, even if it is only 9:42 a.m. That cure the guilt thing in no time.

    BTW, can you send me some wine, now. The liquor stores aren't open yet.

    Hope PN's teeth fall out and she can use her new tooth fairy plate.

    XO, Mango

  19. I have never eaten at an Arby's. Have I been missing something fabulous all these years???

    Hallie

  20. Yes! The Chicken Salad Sandwich is gone! I loved it. It was there one day and then gone the next. I am still sad about it.

  21. I ran into the same thing at TRU forgetting about their big deal day and I had Sprite with me. Worst half hour ever.

  22. You really shouldn't laugh at your daughter's betrothed. I mean it would be terrible if you weren't invited to the wedding and had to sit outside in the car eating an Arby's chicken salad wrap.

  23. Unknown Mami totally stole my thunder because I was just going to say that you could have her wedding catered by Arby's and eat the leftovers (if PN allows you to attend, that is).

  24. Lets see, I have not bought anything yet.

    It amazes me that as busy as you are that you find the time to investigate chicken salad! LOL

    I hope PN's fever starts getting better. Isn't it funny how when we are kids we want our teeth to fall out?

    I am happy that you do Happy Hour Friday!

  25. I love your happy hour thoughts! Really made me smile and go "aw" 🙂

    Hope you have a great friday and weekend ahead of you!

  26. HAHAHAHA… oh my goodness, your daughter is just the cutest, funniest little thing! You'd better watch out Missy – you wouldn't want to miss out on your daughter's wedding!! 😉

  27. Oh I am totally panicking that Christmas is a week away. I have about 10 scarves to knit this weekend….Oy!

  28. Shopping is done and gifts are wrapped. Noses are running and eyes are droppy and I'm so glad they made it thru school this week. Now we can all rest. Gonna make some more cookie dough this weekend and start baking them out during the week. Get ready for the storm and thinking it's gonna big bigger than they are saying and hang out on twitter. Whew. Sounds like a lot doesn't it. I'm sure I'll bump into you. Have a Merry Christmas to you and the Princess and the King.

  29. LOL @ pricess nagger..she is so sweet.
    ..
    I too am rushing around this last week before Christmas..and my messy house is proof.
    ..
    we too love the Arby's sandwiches..and to think I could actually make it and save money..cool.
    xo

  30. I met up with my Kindergarten boyfriend when I went home in October. What a hoot. I seriously thought I was going to marry him at one point, too! Kids are so cute sometimes.

    I have a dozen christmas movies on my DVR, too. I watch them in the middle of the night after my husband goes to bed lol I love my DVR!!!

    Get the cards out no matter when – It's just a joy to receive them, no matter when they arrive.

    Kristin – The Goat

  31. PN threatening to un-invite you from the wedding is HILARIOUS! I wouldn't have been able to keep a straight face either.

    We're getting dumped on with snow here, which is pretty rare I guess. The entire country has completely ground to a halt!!

  32. I'm not freaking out at all about Xmas this year since my kids are still young enough that they'll love Dollar Store toys (which they're getting stockings full of). I hate when people don't know the products and act like you're crazy but thanks for telling me about the Arby's wrap, sounds YUM. Oh, and can I come to PN's wedding too?

  33. PN made me LOL, again 🙂

    I haven't finished my Christmas shopping either – not even close, and I need to figure out when I can fit in baking and decorating a gingerbread house. And spend one whole day at work. And we're having lunch on Christmas eve with my in-laws. I have 3 days. I am so doomed.

    We don't have paper money anymore, our notes are plastic so not risk of pets eating them. It's great, you can even put them through the wash and they come out just fine. The dryer is less kind to them though.

  34. Hm… next time I want to say, "What should I do, crap money?" to the kids, I'll think of your dogs.

    I went shopping today, hoping to finish- NOT!

  35. Well, I assume you made it through your Christmas without too much stress. I think a lot of people don't mind late cards (I don't, at least.) I can give them my full attention!

    I love Arby's chicken salad with the cranberries in it…yum!

    I think it's crazy-funny that your dogs eat money.

    I hope that Princess felt well enough to enjoy her Christmas and that she got her wish to lose a tooth at the "right time." 🙂

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