Tuesday, December 29, 2020

After Christmas shopping

December 26: I had replied to a craigslist ad about a duplex for about $400, the person that listed it was strange. First they asked my age with a "if you're real, I'll reply back" Then they messaged me 5 times between 9pm on the 25th and 7AM on the 26th. As if they expected me to reply to them. I saw the email string when I got up and deleted it. It was just all kinds of weird. 
I worked that afternoon, we weren't that busy, about 20 people an hour. Found 3 items in the mail when I got home.
A mash-up:
It was supposed to be for something pink, unicorn, llama and sloth. I don't see a sloth. The person sending to me said they'd get it out ASAP.
A free theme set of ATCs:
Very cute.
And a Send Me Something gnome:
I love the Please Deliver To labels only thing is, they smell strongly of cigarette smoke. I'll still use them, but I'm hoping this person doesn't send to me again.
My last gift from my brother showed up as well:
It's just the shirt. It's from The Monster at the End of this Book, it's one of my favorite Sesame Street books. The hedgehog statue I forgot on my way home on the 25th. Sadly shortly after taking the picture I dropped it on the floor and it broke off at it's ankles.
I got a unicorn tag ready to mail:
Just some memo sheets and stickers.
A roll of washi:
A cute keychain:
A small keychain:
Totally used up some of those keychains from my Advent calendar.
 December 27: got up early and did my laundry as I also had to work that day. I granted someone's wish of Send Me Something bug:
I was curious what I was going to do with this keychain. Work was slow again. I believe it usually is after Christmas, though it's hard to tell when we'll be busy as we have to interact with everyone that wants to pick up holds.
My dr told me last week I should have lots of small meals to help with my acid reflux. It's hard to retrain my stomach. I've been doing breakfast and lunch mostly.
December 28: My friend and I went after Christmas shopping, plus I had to take something back. First up was Walmart. I found the cutest giant stuffed octopus already out for Valentine's Day, it's $22.

I want it so badly.
This Walmart was pretty picked over, but I recall when I was there on the 3rd, it felt like they had stuff for wrapping presents but not a lot of decor.
socks, Tide pods, double stick tape, Kinder chocolate
I needed the Tide and double stick tape. I knew I was going to pick up fuzzy socks, you can't have too many of those.
Oh My Gifs, Gnome Christmas cards, ornament.
The Oh My Gifs were on clearance for $1, I picked up 9 of them. Part of the reason I do after Christmas shopping is to get cards (not that I need to, I could always get cute ones at the Dollar Tree), though this year I didn't really do cards, so I thought about not picking any up. I got the ornament for my brother.
Second stop was Walgreen's. I had to return some stuff there. My mom is really good at buying me stuff she wishes I would use. I just basically traded them in for some blind bags:
Seriously how do you pass on Dr. Seuss blind bags? Also some dark chocolate covered almonds, my mom said she couldn't find any.
And what was in the blind bags, two Lorax, and a Sneetch. I love that I got two Lorax's, I might send one to my brother.
I wanted to go to TJ Maxx, but I talked myself out of it, I knew I 'd be spending way too much money today. So, next was HyVee:
I had to pick up a prescription, but totally got sucked in by the discount carts. The Grinch, Snoopy, Woodstock, Kinder and Zoet chocolate and chocolate covered pretzels. 
Next up was Hobby Lobby. I found some cute wall art that made me wish I had wall space for it:
And a cute cat kitchen items:
And another piece of wall art:
What I got:
stickers, glue sticks. Apparently Paper studio is 50% off this week. I didn't plan that. I did pretty well, I only got 3 packages of stickers that weren't Christmas. I also picked up some felt Valentine's gnomes. I shouldn't have, but I happened to walk down that aisle (they had like 5 things out) and I can't pass up cute gnomes. The craft sticks are missing a few so were marked down on clearance.
deer, triceratops, gnomes, gingerbread plush, ugly sweater ornament, elf and a couple magnets.
The deer was also back in clearance, it's missing it's tail, so it was marked down to 90% off. I wanted that triceratops when I saw it earlier, I was so excited to find this one, not missing anything. Also wanted the gnome ornament before (I seriously can't pass up a cute gnome). The other one is a card holder. I saw this gingerbread plush on a youtube video the night before and was wicked excited to find one. I thought it would be fun to put some bottle brush trees on the truck beds for next year.
At this point we went to Perkins for lunch. I got a burger, it wasn't that great. I need to just stick to pancakes there. It was Monday, so it was free pie Monday, I didn't even think about that. I took it home, we were so full by that time.
Last stop was Dollar Tree:
This is the saddest Dollar Tree haul I've ever done. Some granola bars, Fairy garden, Hotwheels, and a retirement card. I didn't even spend $5. I was just kinda done by that point, I was full of lunch and ready to sit.
I found 3 things in the mail when I got home. A stocking stuffer:
I can't believe this got to me on one stamp not broken.
A send me something cozy:
More fuzzy socks, yes, please.
And a pen pal letter:
We had a giant storm coming on Tuesday into Wednesday, so I went to get milk and toilet paper and the grocery store was packed.
December 29: I opened at the library. We were slammed. We had 56 people in the first hour, it finally tapered off late in the 11 o'clock hour. Everyone was trying to stock up before the storm hit. I found a couple things when I got home. A wish for happy mail:
A really good selection.
And another wish for happy mail:
Love the minion.
I put together a coin purse tag:
Got this in a swap, it's wicked cute.
A wish for happy mail:
Another wish for happy mail:
And another one:
Lastly, a wish for stickers:
The walk home was kinda weird. It was snowing (not heavily), and kinda windy. I'm intrigued about the walk to work in the morning. The storm is supposed to end about 6AM with freezing rain.


Saturday, December 26, 2020

It's Christmas

December 24: The Advent calendars:
Mine is the stuffed frog and 4 pack of washi. The squishy was a giant Santa squishy. The keychain is a bear all dressed up for Christmas. The swap had some felt reindeer stickers.
I decided to spread out everything I got in my Advent calendars.
The swap:

I got all excited that first day thinking I'd gotten someone that had followed the directions in making at least half the items. Turns out she only made 4 days.
My Advent calendar:
The washi half:
I can't believe I had that many unopened packages of washi. I didn't buy that much washi this year, now I have a ton more.
The squishy calendar:
I'm short one, because I gave one away to a friend.  This is called the ATDAWN Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar with 24 Squishy Toys. This is the order I got them starting at one with the penguin and ending at 24 with the Santa. I have no idea what I'm going to do with 23 squishies
The keychain calendar:

I love these, they were so fun to take out each day. As I got closer to the end of the calendar, I had to open with my eyes closed, as the front of the calendar with the doors wasn't attached that well to the back with the surprises. It was obliterated when I got to 24. This is Ogrmar Christmas 2020 Advent Calendar for Kids Holiday Countdown Calendar with 24 Pcs Micro Lovely Silicone Doll Key Ring Christmas for Childrens. I love the extra kawaii ones, like the pig and bunny head on the ice cream cones. I think my favorites are the avocados, though. There's a boy and a girl one. Also, don't know what I'm going to do with 24 keychains.
I purchased both of them on Amazon.
My extra gifts:

When I went shopping on the 9th, I picked up a bunch of extra stuff and decided I had enough to use as extra gifts if my day was going badly. Mostly ornaments from Target's $3 section, a couple Dollar Tree toys.
Christmas came a day early:
I received a text from my aunt saying my cousin dropped off a Christmas present:
I decided I wasn't waiting until Christmas to open it:
So much fun: socks, food, scratch tickets, hand sanitizer and foaming hand soap, a light up gingerbread house and a gift card for Hobby Lobby.
I also found a stocking hanging on my door:
My friend had dropped it off the night before. It was socks, more food, stickers, a minion, and a notebook.
I had to wrap presents, I'm so glad my friend had wrapped some of mine in tissue paper, because I did not buy wrapping paper this year.
The Santas are for my mom and the food for my dad. I had another gift for both of them that I forgot.
And I received my Secret Santa Loaded Envelope swap in the mail:
It was mailed on the 11th from Minnesota (the state right above me). Mail is a little backed up.
There were some embossed papers, napkins, gems, stickers, eyelash yarn, washi samples, handmade die cuts, handmade flower embellishments, handmade bookmarks, and a handmade album.
I went and opened one of my gifts to myself:
They are the cutest water squirters.
I got a grant a wish ready to mail:
She asked for tag inserts and lined stationary. I was only going to send the tag inserts, but technically things are supposed to be new in the package, so I sent the lined stationery as well.
And a pink happy mail:
It was a nice warm lazy day. It was 9 outside, when it's wicked cold outside, it's nice and warm in my apartment.
 December 25:
My swap partner had included an extra item for the 25th. It's some sticky notes, a coaster and some die cuts.
Opened my gifts:
This is basically everything I picked up on the 9th.
gnome stickers, an avocado bag tag, a monster, dog paper tape, squishy yetis, a day by day calendar, a minion sucker, cactus charger and a pineapple eraser.
More presents:
a cloud guy from the Trolls movie, Target's version of diamond painting and some hatchimals.
The Hatchimals:
And the diamond painting:
I feel it will be fun to do someday.
About noon my mother picked me up for a family dinner. We had prime rib, a bunch of veggies and some cheesecake.
And then it was time for presents:
My brother got me the Minions Lego sets. The rest is from my parents. I love how my mother buys me facewash that she wants me to use. That will be returned. Funny story about that large Minion set. I saw it on Amazon a few weeks ago and really wanted to buy it, but I didn't feel like spending the money on it. Apparently my brother knows me pretty well. Maybe my mother should try buying me stuff I want.
I found a bag of goodies on my door when I got home:
They were from my housemate and her kid.
Had a family zoom meeting at 3 and while we were zooming a friend dropped off some presents:
I was surprised they were wrapped because she said she wasn't going to get that done.
I really liked the surprises in the floam, the llama keychain and the hedgehog washcloth.
I thought it was pretty funny that I got the Vampire Frog and the Phantom of the Octopus. 
It was an ok Christmas, especially for not being able to get together with family. In my zoom meeting, my aunt and uncle on my mom's side joined us. It was nice to see them, I hadn't seen them since April.