Black Friday

K, I know this month is all about what I'm grateful for, but today's post just couldn't wait until December. (And I just re-read this and it's really long, sorry!)
I am NOT grateful for Black Friday. I am a sucker for a good deal. It's like waiting for Christmas morning for me waiting to get my ads on Thursday.
For some reason that I'm not really sure about, I decided to go to Toys R Us Thursday night. I had been told that "it's not too bad at Toys R Us." And I needed to stop at my mom's anyway to get my Kohl's coupons, so why not run up quick and get all my Christmas shopping done in one stop? Good plan...bad idea. My mom decided to come with me for fun. We got there and couldn't find the end of the line. I kid you not. It was 10:10 and the line was totally wrapped around the building. I was ready to go home, but my mom said that we should wait it out.
In the freezing cold 14 degree weather.
For an hour and a half.
We made some friends with the people in line with us.
My sweet nieces came and checked on us at 11 and cheered us.
My mom tried joking with the police officers guarding the door.
They didn't approve.
She muttered under he breath not nice things as only she could.
We were in!
The first thing I saw was something my neighbor had asked me to get. SCORE!
Grabbed it...victory!
Then we saw the line.
The line to check out.
The line that went up and down every aisle in the store and would take another 2 hours to get through.
That's when I gave up.
We left the store empty-handed.
Defeat.
I felt like such a failure.
I started to take my mom home when she said, "I'll go to Wal-mart with you." By then it was 11:45 - way past my mother's bedtime. But we went. We found the piles of things we were there for and waited for the countdown over the pa system. The store was silent, then people got antsy, 10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1..utter chaos broke out. I held my ground in front on the PS3 game display. Me and about 60 other really confused Mommies buying games for our kids - by kids I mean husbands. I had found a guy who looked like a gamer and showed him the picture on my iphone of the game I was sent to get. He helped me find it and we waited for the lucky man in blue to come unlock the cases.
He came.
He started helping people on at a time.
Unlock case. Grab game. Lock case. Move to next case. Try 6 keys. Unlock case. Grab game.
SLOW.
Getting frustrated at all the other deals I was missing.
Lady in blue comes over and says, "these are not the promo games, they are located over in the frozen foods section."
Nice man next to me lets out a string of profanity.
We all run to the frozen food section.
Games are gone.
Defeat.
I call my mom and hope she's doing better.
She is. Just like her to find the bargains.
We get in line. 2 people with a million things butt in front of us.
I stare them down every chance I get.
Then their credit card is declined.
I had not nice thoughts.
We had to wait for about 10 minutes while 3 ladies in blue tried to figure out what to do.
Finally pay.
Drop Mom off.
Get home at 2 a.m.
Set alarm for 5 a.m.
Wake up at 8 a.m. (forgot to turn alarm on once I set it).
Dang it.
Go to Kohl's.
Do you remember when I got that amazing deal at Kohl's a while back? Well, today I got the Kohl's Nazi for my cashier.
I sweetly say, "Can I have these rang up in separate transactions so I can use my coupons?"
She glares at me "That's fraud."
I kind of laugh. K. " Then I just want this one thing and I'll go through the line again".
"That's fraud. Only one coupon per day."
I read my coupon.
"No, it says per transaction, not per day. I bought 3 of these coupons and should be able to use them."
She wouldn't budge.
My total was 50.90 AFTER tax.
Kohl's cash is for a purchase over $50. She would not give me Kohl's cash because it wasn't before tax. Ew. (After all that, she did compliment me on my ring. Trying to save the sale, I guess).
I took my bags to my car.
Went back in.
Went to a different cashier.
Used my $10 coupon. Showed her my last receipt and she gave me my Kohl's cash.
On to Target. They had nothing I wanted left.
Defeat.
Dang alarm.
And then I saw it.
I have wanted a Greatest Hits Queen CD for YEARS, but have never bought one.
It was calling my name.
It's happy little sales tag smiled at me.
"I'm only $6.50. Buy me." It said.
So I did.
I got to my car, ripped it open, and cranked it all the way up.
Ahhhh...Success! I got something on sale!
I drove to my next store blaring Bohemian Rhapsody and head-banging in my best Wayne's World manner.
I even sat in the car and finished the song before I went in.
While I waited in line at Cabela's I sang in my head and I was in a happy place.
I jammed out all the way home (did you notice me singing and jamming out when I passed you, Adhis?)
Got home. Showered. Took at 2 hour nap. Listened to Queen until Jeramy said it had to be turned off.
So, today was a total success! Thanks to Queen for saving the day.
Will I go shopping again next year? You know it.