If Greg Olsen was on a slim down for the lead in The Machinist Pt. 2

Greg Olsen


Matt-Money-Smith (hero of mine)

wax your asshole once and you'll know why we don't wax more often - Connie Britton (Diane Lane's top threat for over-40 sex title-holder)

Just a couple of guys whose names end in vowels

from a Bill Simmons reader

Marco Belinelli looks even more like Sly Stallone than Far-From-Over Frank

Thanksgiving at Uncle Bob's without my wretched soul.

The Meaning of Family, Alternative Thanksgivings and All

one of my top five favorite rogue writers

The Meaning of Family, Alternative Thanksgivings and All

Red Writing Hood: The Zoo

The Zoo

Lilacs and roses, and all the pretty trees

Butterflies, ladybugs, and even the bees

Pepperoni, peppermint, and American cheese

I'm thankful that  I haven't lost my car keys.

Raindrops and snowflakes that fall from the sky

Black Friday shopping, good deals to buy

Helicopters, airplanes, and all things that fly

Lord, I'm grateful for the invention of pie.

Paper, pens, and bloggers like you

Family, friends, and motherhood, too

I'm so thankful through and through

God, I thank you for this zoo.

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!!