Guest Blog: P-Jammie Good Time

Please welcome back Carrie from Meant to Be Mom.

Christmas Jammies

Turkey has been eaten, cleaned up, and eaten again.  Shopping has begun, wrapping isn't too far away, and the never-ending quest for the "perfect" gift has started.  It's officially the Christmas season.

Lines will be getting longer, patience will be getting shorter and time will seem like it is literally flying by.  In 4 short weeks, we will be unwrapping all the wrapped, exchanging all the ugly, and dieting from all the indulging, but until then...it's the season to eat, drink and be merry!

For some, Christmas may be about the long lines and traffic jams, but for others its about the time spent with family and the memories being made.  For me, it's about Christmas traditions.  It's about the cookies and breads baking in the oven, the family gatherings, the names being pulled, the ornaments hanging on the tree, and the trips to visit Santa.  For me, Christmas is about Christmas jammies.

Growing up I would often ask my mom about the things her and brothers and sisters did around Christmas.  I wanted to know what traditions stayed the same, and what ones were new and different.  One of my fondest memories is of her recollection of Christmas jammies; new pajamas given on Christmas Eve for her and her siblings to wear to bed and open their presents in in the morning.  

My mom had 7 brothers and sisters, so this was no small task for my grandmother.  I love the idea of her out shopping for toys and games, but also keeping her eye out for the perfect pair of pajamas to match each of her children's personalities and tastes.  I know she started this tradition for the logical purpose of having all of her kids wearing nice, clean, new pajamas for Christmas morning pictures, but for me it always symbolized a tradition, and one that I wanted to carry on with my children.

So, I went out this year and bought my son his (second) pair of traditional Christmas jammies.  I really wanted to go all out and buy my husband and myself a pair too, but I don't know how I would honestly be able to pull off the striped stretch pant myself, and I can't see my hubby sportin' the reindeer top with a smile either...so we'll stick with the "kid" for now.  

I picked out this pair with the same purpose my grandmother did all those years ago. I picked them out with him in mind- which explains the purchase of a size bigger (he's a little running back).  I know that in the millions of pictures I take on Christmas morning, my son will be wearing silly reindeer pajamas, that will no doubt haunt me later as I bring these photos out to show him, and hopefully we will all be wearing smiles on our faces as we pass on a favorite family tradition- Christmas jammies!

What are some of your favorite family traditions?

And I feel compelled to add that this is one of our traditions too. We did this growing up, and I do it with my kids now, though the last couple of years, they have been getting their Christmas jammies a little early in hopes that a cute Christmas card can be made. 

And if I might add, Carrie has good taste in pjs. Scooby is sporting this pair too!

BSOW: Carrie Does Black Friday

Happy Friday, y'all. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving full of good food and family. I've got some ice cream here to share with you with all that leftover pie. And, today's slice of pie is such a fabulous treat, too. She has successfully mastered mom language. She learned the real meaning behind three's a crowd. She's even handled a teething monster without breaking a sweat.


You want some pie, don't you? Yeah, me too. Please welcome Carrie, from a little slice of blog heaven called Meant to Be Mom.

Black Friday shopping is a lot like being a mom; messy, loud, unpredictable, and expensive.  We actually pay money to get up at the crack of dawn, sit in traffic, wait in lines and act like savages as we pilfer for the best deals.  It is when our animal instincts are most prevalent.  Moms have specially trained noses, the kind that comes in handy when sniffing out your child's dirty diaper in a crowd, deciphering between poop and chocolate, and finding the best deals on must-have toys, electronics and a little "something" for ourselves (Oh, I don't know honey, Santa must have left these leather boots for me this year!  Wow, and he even knew my size!).  

Black Friday shopping is not for the faint of heart.  That's why it's much better suited for moms than dads.  We could spend hours in a store, looking and deciding between the same two sweaters, only in different colors, where men can run in and out and buy an entirely new wardrobe in 30 minutes flat.  Most moms look forward to a shopping date, without their kids, and if that has to happen at 3 am, well so be it.  It's not like we're not up anyway!  But, if this year is your first time out, here are some tips from a Black Friday Shopping pro...

1. Dress comfortably:  This is not the day to pull out all the stops and do crazy things, like shower and apply make-up.  Sport the baseball cap and running shoes, ladies.  You can thank me later.

2.  Set an agenda:  Make your lists, check them twice; don't go in unprepared!  Do your homework the night before.  My family prefers to lay out all of the Black Friday fliers right after the men veg out in front of football and the desserts make their way to the table.  We keep the wine a' flowin', the dessert a' comin' and the ideas just sort of come to us.  We can sit down having just said, "I have no ideas what to get everyone this year" and an hour into flyer navigating, we have our shopping done!  The key to success is a well-thought out plan.  Try and get the most bang for your buck- so start where you know you'll get the most items checked off your list.  For me, this tends to be Kohl's, Target or Lowe's.

3.  Keep an eye on the clock:  Check the sale times.  Many Black Friday sales end between noon and 2.  Don't plan for the babysitter to come over "around 10", because you will not make it!  Black Friday is for the early risers- rain or shine.

I hope you find these tips helpful!  Black Friday was always my favorite day of the shopping year, and now as I watch my little guy grow more each day, I am really looking forward to the year when I can go out and buy him a bike to have under the tree.  Face it people- Santa doesn't work alone, and if it weren't for Black Friday, I just don't know how those elves would get it all done in time :-)  Happy Shopping!!!

Did you brave the shopping madness this morning? Tell us about your deals!

Don't forget to come back on Monday for a fabulous guest post from Carrie. Have a fantastic holiday weekend!!