All is Calm,

All is Bright.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace…

]]> http://bananablueberry.com/index.php/2011/12/and-the-wise-men-said/feed/ 0 http://bananablueberry.com/index.php/2011/11/did-you-go-out-shopping-on-black-friday/ http://bananablueberry.com/index.php/2011/11/did-you-go-out-shopping-on-black-friday/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:48:36 +0000 Nicole http://bananablueberry.com/?p=1920

Did you Go Out Shopping on Black Friday?  I did.  I went out on Black Friday for the 3rd Year In A Row, all thanks to my 1st Black Friday Experience a couple of years ago…

Here’s My Story About it …

Well, I finally did it.  I went against years of eye rolling and head shaking… and I joined the shoppers in the early morning on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

I had previously sworn off Christmas shopping even on weekends- due to crowds.  I had always shopped strictly on weekdays, when parking is easy and crowds are… nonexistent.

But the deals that were being advertised got me, and the desire to surprise my parents with a laptop computer this Christmas…

So there I was, dropped off on the sidewalk in front of Staples… at 7:45am.

(Please; I wouldn’t forgo regular sleep for shopping; 7:45 was early enough.)

I walked in.  People were shopping, but it wasn’t crazy.  I was told there was a ‘laptop area’, approached it, and within a few minutes I was being helped.

Every employee was really well informed, and helpful.  The assistant manager who helped me with the laptop, also helped me find the 50%-off shredder I had seen in the paper (my gift to myself- I’ve always wanted a paper shredder for some reason AND I got it in ‘sapphire’- gotta love Christmas shopping.)

Then, I got up to the cashier- with my crazy-discounted laptop, the discounted wireless mouse, and my 50%-off sapphire paper shredder- and the assistant manager starts in on what I think is going to be the ‘strong sell’…

“Do you need a new printer to go with your laptop?”

“No.”  I firmly, but nicely replied.

Then the cashier and assistant manager exchanged almost embarrassed looks…

And the cashier looked at me and said,

“They’re five dollars.”

What?  What did she mean?  I thought I heard her wrong…  But it turned out that when you bought a laptop during ‘early bird’ hours on Black Friday, you could also get a new printer for $5, or a wireless, touchpad printer for $15.00.

… So I got the wireless touchpad printer for our computer room for fifteen dollars!!

My guys had decided against going to Dunkin’ Donuts and instead found a parking space right in front of the store, and walked in- just in time for us all to carry packages out to the car!

Success!  For a moment, I thought I heard trumpets playing…

I was so inspired- I did something I wasn’t planning on doing.  In fact, I never thought I’d do it-

I told my husband and my son to do some male bonding … and I WENT BACK OUT SHOPPING!

I went to Toys R US next-

It was busy, but so well organized! There were tons of helpful employees, the checkout was incredible, almost no wait- one line, specially made for Black Friday, and a guy pointing out clear cashiers… And last but not least- a young man whose sole job was passing out complimentary boxes of new 64 crayon sets!

I was having such a great time… I went to 4 more stores !!!!

I got some GREAT deals!

And people were nice, not crazy.

I think I just may do this again next year, I almost feel like the ‘Shopping Scrooge’ who has been enlightened, and now sees the error in their ‘previous shopping ways’…

Black Friday Shopping-

Another tradition has begun!

Thank you for little hands and little toes,
Little fingerprints and a little nose.

Thank you for hair to comb and birthday parties to plan,
Mittens to lose and toy planes to land.

Thank you for family.
Thank you for friends.
Thank you for the autumn leaf colors and all the blends.

Thank you for life and imperfection.
Thank you for holiday candies and confection.

Thank you for little pajamas and toys about our house;
Thank you for laughter during the day and at night-
Quiet as a mouse.

Thank you for reading books and a roof over our heads,
A Winnie-The-Pooh toothbrush and a big boy bed.

Thank you for smiles and giggles reigning,
And Thank you (finally) to an end of potty-training.

Thank you for jackets, but temperatures not too cold…
And Thank you for all the memories I’ll have,
Long after I’m old.

* I wrote this a few years ago,
that being said,
I am still very grateful for potty-training being a now distant, memory

And what better way to celebrate a weekend of eating and being outside and loving BEING FREE (God Bless America!)

than with FREE ICE CREAM ON THE 4th!!

The Cooking Channel’s ice cream truck is on a cross-country tour this summer and is scheduled to make its stop in the DC Area to serve free ice cream on Summer’s biggest holiday, the 4th of July (how appropriate !!!

The truck will make its stop Sunday, July 4th from

11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Annapolis Farmers Market located at 2002 Annapolis Mall (Westfield Annapolis Mall), Annapolis, MD 21401.

In keeping with the spirit of Cooking Channel, they are partnering with a different local artisanal ice cream shop in each city. In the DC Area, Dolcezza Artisanal Gelato will be the ice cream crew on hand to serve up FREE scoops.  Dolcezza is a favorite,  making hand-made gelato every morning using fresh ingredients from local farmers, creating a gelato with a perfect texture and exquisite taste.

BY THE WAY- I TRULY LOVE THIS GELATO !!!

Go Enjoy Annapolis and Your Free Ice Cream!

Happy 4th of July Weekend!!

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people,

promptly announces she never did care for pie.”

~Tenneva Jordan

Irish Blessing-

‘May the Good Lord take a liking to you… but not too soon!’

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

]]> http://bananablueberry.com/index.php/2010/03/may-the-good-lord/feed/ 0 http://bananablueberry.com/index.php/2010/01/getting-back-to-new-years-eve-has-anyone-been-in-times-square-on-new-years-eve/ http://bananablueberry.com/index.php/2010/01/getting-back-to-new-years-eve-has-anyone-been-in-times-square-on-new-years-eve/#comments Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:13:54 +0000 Nicole http://bananablueberry.com/?p=1016      Have you ever been in Times Square on New Year’s Eve?  Do you know anyone who has?

   Being in Times Square on New Year’s Eve seems like it would be about as much fun as a toothache… during childbirth… seriously.

   I’m not trying to be negative or anything- I just don’t get it…

   Why would you want to be OUTSIDE, freezing, with hundreds of thousands of strangers… for hours?!

   Where do people go to the bathroom?  Do they set up port-a-potties?  Where do people even sit down?  Do you stand for hours?  And not that alcohol is vitally important to New Year’s Eve… BUT- you don’t even get to ring in the New Year with a glass of champagne??!!

Or do you?  Do the police just kinda ‘look the other way’ that night and everyone has thermos containers of alcohol?  What do you actually do for HOURS??  I saw people arriving at Times Square at 3:00pm in the afternoon- that means they were prepared for at least  9 hours of standing in the cold?!  That’s kinda dangerous even…

What about kids?  I’ve seen kids on TV there- oh, that’s right- every mother knows- KIDS DON’T GET COLD

I’m serious- if you have been to Times Square and are reading this- please leave a comment to tell me what it is like.  What is fun about it?  Are there vendors giving out little prizes and stuff?  Is there entertainment all day long?   Do stores even let people in- to get warm and stuff?  

I’m writing this because my husband and I say every year, when we watch the ball drop…

“Those people look so cold!”

Maybe it’s just- very young adults, like 20-year-olds, who are like,

“Let’s go to Times Square, let’s see the ball drop, let’s just bring a scarf and gloves, it’ll be fine… it will be SO COOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

And- do you have to ‘stay in your spot’ to make sure you can see the evening entertainment?  

Maybe people get rooms at hotels in Times Square on New Year’s Eve (I can’t imagine this is cheap, though) (or that they aren’t booked months in advance), then they can just go and get warm, get some food…

That’s another thing- where do you eat?  McDonald’s in Times Square must be mobbed on New Year’s Eve, every food establishment must be… what about water, even?  Does New York City hand out water bottles to people??!!

Anyway,

these are my questions…

They are not pressing matters-of-state…

Just questions.

MAYBE I should just pack up my husband and 6-year-old son next year and go…

NOT!

Okay, so this isn’t an ode.  Maybe it’s a tribute… acknowledgment, applause, appreciation, citation, commendation, compliment, encomium (what is that? I’ve never even heard of that word before?!), honor, laudation, panegyric (I’ve never heard of that word either, wow, all of a sudden I feel very ignorant, vapid even…), recognition, recommendation, respect, accolade- (wow, I like that one)!

Yes, this is an accolade, basically, a salute to ‘December Babies and their Moms’

If you were born in December or have given birth in December- you are part of a very special club.  I gave birth to my son a week before Christmas, so I’m a full-fledged member of this club. 

*If you’re just reading this out of curiosity, club members get extra-cool-mom points for giving birth to babies during Hanukkah if they’re Jewish, and on Christmas or the week before, if they’re Christian.

*Why the bonus points?  Because they learn to juggle everything and are bastions of organization !!!!!

So without further ado-

Click Here to continue reading my accolade to December Babies and Moms 

over at DC Metro Moms, because they rock …

It was cool!  I’m doing again next year-

in fact, I’m making it a Christmas tradition!!

Read all about it here, at DC Metro Moms…

Well, right now it’s been raining for 2 days so it doesn’t look like a lot of anything outside my window.

BUT- THIS WEEKEND is a different story!

My FAVORITE Holiday Bazaar is on Saturday.  It’s the St. Jane de Chantal Holiday Bazaar from 9-6!

This is the Mac-Daddy of all holiday Bazaars, and I kinda consider myself an expert…

I love holiday bazaars and have gone to many.

Note:  My son goes to school here; that being said, this holiday bazaar is just ‘known’ for being great.

They start lining up vendors in JULY!

So here’s the info- Great shopping, great parking, food, chances to win decorated Christmas trees..

WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE?!

Check it out- I start my Christmas shopping here every year and always find great, unique stuff!

___________________________________

The annual St. Jane de Chantal Holiday Bazaar will be held Saturday, November 14, 2009, from 9am-6pm at

St. Jane de Chantal school,
9525 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, conveniently located off Beltway exit 36.

Admission is free and there is plenty of off-street parking.
This Holiday Bazaar features over thirty independent vendors selling unique, quality merchandise including original art, personalized items, jewelry, stationery, glass, children’s clothes and much more.

New this year, our Bazaar will feature sihlouette artist Anne Leslie, who will be available to create timeless, handmade portraits. We are also pleased to announce the return of American Plant.

Come check out their gorgeous decorations and shop their boutique!

I’ll see you there!