Shopping, Singing and Giving

A VERY large tree at the Citadel
Outlet Mall

 So I'm happy to say that I've conquered a few more items from my list a while back. There's 4) Listen to Christmas music for a week's worth of commutes (it's Friday, so check!), 5) actually go to a mall or shopping complex to buy a present, 10) have all my presents bought a week before Christmas, and 12) Give to a new charity. Nine tasks complete, three to go and 5 days until Christmas. Not to sound overconfident, but I think I got this.

The most trying of these were numbers 5 and 10. Last Saturday I got up early to be at the outlet mall at 10 a.m. when the stores opened. I got there at 10:05 and ALL the parking was already taken. I had to park on a side street a quarter-mile away. They were running shuttles from other parking

This was JUST the line to pay
at the Coach outlet store. It was a
30 minute wait to hand
over your money.

lots miles away to accommodate the shoppers. It was, sadly, the first of three malls that I went to last Saturday, but because of this marathon of shopping that took six hours instead of my estimated three, I was able to have everything bought AND shipped before the 16th--a full nine days before Christmas. And I also had my fill of Christmas shopping so next year it's all online!

Merry Xmas from Xtina

Lastly, I give to a lot of charities. Mostly because I was in non-profit for so long (American Heart Associations) so I give to that one, plus to the ones my previous co-workers now work at because people tend to stay in non-profit, PLUS the new ones like Ronald McDonald House of Southern California or UNICEF that are clients PLUS my tie with breast cancer causes will always be strong (shameless plugs for great causes). I decided to donate to one that personally moved me and WASN'T health 826 LA. It's the local branch of a national organization that encourages young kids to write and provides tutoring. I hope to volunteer there one day but until then, this will have to do. I hope you gave to your favorite this year too!
related. So I donated to

Shopped Till I Dropped

For some reason, I wanted to go shopping today. And because he's my best advocate, Chef was all in. Not only that, he came to be last night and said "Why don't we leave early so we can be there when the outlets open? That place is crazy busy."

And he was right. We got there right when it opened and it was already getting packed. I hit the GAP and got some great deals. Then hit the CAbi outlet. Not only did they have TWO items that I had wanted the last time I was there IN MY SIZE this time, but when I went to check out, the lady gave me chocolate. And not just any chocolate. I opened it and it had an additional discount of 30 PERCENT!! Hello!!!

Then we found some things for Chef and I found out that both Ann Taylor AND Benetton had sales were everything in the store was an additional 40 percent off. Ridiculous. It was just my day to get some deals. And a day that I appreciate Chef letting me take as much time as I needed.

Now tomorrow is going to be a different day. Tomorrow is the day when I have to go through my closet and weed out all those shirts that I feel badly about buying and only wearing once before deciding that they weren't cute. Now they sit there and mock me every morning as I pass them over for a more loved shirt. It's time to let them mock someone else now. I've got new duds!