HolidayMom ~ Thanks for asking!:
Re Black Friday: Shopping went great! I did Friday, and Saturday retail and Cyber Monday from home. On Black Friday the mall we went to opened at 6 and parking was still easy because the crowds were there the night before. All was restocked and ready to go again since they closed the mall for a bit in the wee hours. Got some great deals but this being Year 2 on Black Friday shopping I learned even more. Big thing was that I really need to know EXACTLY what I'm after before that day. Would have been so much more efficient if I wasn't standing around making decisions on colors etc. The checkout lines grow longer by the second. And Macys... Boy, they had EVERYTHING on sale so I was like a deer in the headlights. But I did well and we wrapped it up by 11 when the crowds were too much.
We pulled all this off because we had our Thanksgiving on
Wednesday night (love that) so we could be rested up (and keep eating) on Thursday. Next year hubby works Wednesday so we will a traditional Thanksgiving on Thursday. I have to figure out how to have our meal earlier in the day so we can be ready to go in the morning. We sure don't want to miss it. And I would be SO exhausted on Friday morning if I kept our normal schedule.
Saturday retail sales were strong too. (I didn't make it out til the afternoon -- had to sleep in!)
Re Thanksgiving Timelines and figuring things out -- SAME! Was looking at my recipe directions from the previous year and i didn't note some things. Scribbled down a lot more notes as things came up. Will add them to the permanent file for next year. Also really nailed down my Thanksgiving shopping list. Forgot a few items, but scribbled them down for next year. Getting that menu pretty tight now (if you remember we had to re-do our entire menu plan a few years ago when we went gluten-free. We've been experimenting on recipes the last few years so have made multiple recipes of stuffing etc. Now we have it down.
Tanya ~ Our entryway is the same way! Mudroom entry is at the beginning of the driveway and goes to where the kids rooms are. The formal entry is at the back of the driveway. No one uses it. We've reworked the entry and landscaping multiple times over the years and nothing changes. Everyone comes in the mudroom door. Wish we could pick up our house and turn it around!
Ejagno ~ I dream of having my grandkids around me so I can bake cookies while the kids go shopping. I wish my parents had lived near me so we could do that. The idea of it just makes me swoon!