The Walmart Saga Continues

As expected, I bought our Christmas cards at Walmart. Cheap prices got me.

1 hour photo was my only option. Last time I had photos shipped to my home, Walmart required a signature (as if some stranger would want my oh so expensive personal photos). I work so I don't do signatures. This required a 45 minute drive one way to the FedEx pickup location. Not doing that again.  Ship to store wouldn't get done until 12/24 - also a pass. So 1 hour photo is was. Note that 1 hour photo had a guaranteed completion time of 28 hours after I ordered due to a large number of other orders. Fine 28 hour photo works too.

While out shopping I got an email and text message saying my photo order was done. It had only been 4 hours. Woohoo. I made it over to Walmart about 30 minutes later.

I walked in miday on a Saturday. Scary time to go. I felt so nervous. It has been 1 year since I stepped into my Walmart. Bad memories resurfaced. I dodged oblivious shoppers and made it back to photo.

My Walmart has this brilliant idea of combining the photo counter with layaway. They've done this a few years now. I was blessed with standing in a long line of layaway pick up shoppers.

While waiting another fellow shopper decided she was better then the rest of us and went straight up to the counter for her photo order. Did the Walmart staff tell her they will be with her after they served the customers already waiting? Of course not. They helped her right away.

I finally get to the front of the line and guess what? My order wasn't ready. Really? You sent me a text and an email at least 45 minutes ago. Ugh. I wait longer.

I will give credit that the photo worker was actually competent this year. I had a mixed order of cards and single prints of various sizes. I was sure this would be too complicated for Walmart but the worker handled it.

I wait some more. Photos done. Whew. I was outta there.

Your cheap prices aren't worth the hassle! I'm done with you!  (Now, I've said this before, will I actually do it?....At least I'll have to next Christmas to decide).


Love,

Cuteday Tuesday

Teagan and I made a jingle bell reindeer necklace (Thank you Target's $1 deal craft find!). She insisted on putting the nose between the eyeballs and and antlers  I thought she was just confused. I placed the nose correctly below the eyeballs.

Later on I overhear Teagan playing with her jingle bell necklace and the word mustache can be heard. When I came closer, I see that she moved the nose back between the eyes and the antlers and was calling the antlers a mustache. I laughed out loud.

The nose would normally go above the bell crack.

Mustache reindeer!

Teagan's Daddy grew a out his facial hair for No Shave November. Mustaches are more relevant to this little girl then antlers.

Happy Cuteday Tuesday!


Love,

Christmas Cheer

My posts have been a little bahumbug lately. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to sing it loud for all to hear.

Here is my Christmas Cheer:

Love,

I Don't Know How She Does It

Recollecting back on my childhood, I realized I don't remember Christmas shopping with my mom. How did she do it? Did one parent watch the kids while the other went out? I don't recall be dragged around to stores for Christmas. And even more odd is that I don't recall my mother being stressed out about Christmas. She was a working momma too.

She's either super mom (she already is the "mother I want to be" idol) or she is awesome at disregarding the stress of holidays when she is with her kids.

I do feel like a failure when it comes to being a mom and preparing for Christmas. Either the kiddo gets dragged around to stores, or I'm not home, or I'm stressed. I enjoy shopping with my husband. We shopped together this season with kid in tote.

I don't know how my mom did it. I envy her.

Love,

Scrooge Mom is Not Mom of the Year

Last Friday I had an attack plan for Christmas shopping. I had a detailed list of stores to go to and what to purchase at each store and I had Teagan.

Instead of a nice leisurely Friday morning, hanging out in our PJs, followed by Library class. Teagan was forced to shop bright and early. Sorry baby, no singing today.

First stop Target. As I parked the car, she starts screaming "I don't want to shop. I don't want to go shopping." Super. We're not even in the first store yet. Think quick Momma. I bribed her with Target popcorn. Thank you Target for having a food court and that is open at 8am. She requested a slushy instead. I obliged. We went into the store, and bought the slushy.

Teagan didn't want to sit in the cart. I start pondering if my plan was a good idea at all. I take away the slushy  She screams in the store lobby. I'm a mean momma but we need to set some ground rules child. There are many stores to go to and I need your cooperation. After a few minutes she stops crying and obliges. Whew. There were only a few stares. Slushy back in the toddler's hands and the shopping begins.

The rest of the day is filled with snacks and the tablet (Android's version of the iPad). I received many stares at the mall with Teagan in her stroller playing on the tablet. I don't care. It keeps her occupied while she's being dragged around to boring stores. Stare away! I need to get my Christmas shopping done.

Four hours later we made it home. Teagan's napping. I could use a nap, but this momma is off to wrap gifts.

In order for me to shop for many hours hours today, I had to butter my kid up with slushies and tablets. Yes. I judge myself a crummy Mommy but I'm sure Teagan loved that she got things she usually does not get. And while I wasn't the world's best mom today, I enjoyed the time we spent together... screams, demands, and all.

Love,

Walmart Wins

Walmart and Christmas season got the best of me last year (see post Done!). I vowed never to shop at Walmart again. For all of 2012, I only went to Walmart once! And that one time was to a different Walmart location and to pick up a particular item I couldn't find anywhere else. It was also a bad experience. They further proved to me I why I shouldn't shop there.

Walmart has the best prices on Christmas cards. Darn. Should I get my cards there? I'm a sucker for cheap deals. Do I want to spend another 45 minutes waiting to pick up my cards because the staff is incompetent? Hmm... I'm guessing I probably will use them and swallow my pride.

I have a little time to decide because I don't have the digital copy of Teagan's Santa picture yet. (We use her yearly Santa photo as our Christmas Greeting). Just my stressed out working mom luck, when I went to download it after purchasing the digital copy in store (Bass Pro Shop), it said I didn't pay for it. All I have is a website for customer service, no phone number. And it lies. I filled out my online complaint form and they didn't not respond in 24-48 hours. Still waiting after a week. Thanks. Bahumbug.

I digress, anyways. I didn't make a purchase off Walmart's website for Teagan's big Christmas gift this year. They had the best price by $50! with free shipping.

You win Walmart.

Technically, I didn't go into the store so do I have to count it?

Working Mom Scrooge

Well Hello Christmas Season,

You're here again. You snuck up on me, as if you didn't fall the same day every year. Maybe you followed my blog last year and know that it was VERY hard for me to get all my Christmas preparation done while being a working mom. Ugh. I've been stressing about you....in the shower, while trying to sleep, on my commute to work. All I can think about how am I going to get it all done.

I've become a scrooge.

I'm hoping that since I'm part time this year (Friday's off), I'll be able to conquer all the presents, candy canes, and tinsel while keeping my brain from becoming mush - well whats left of it after being pregnant.

Bahumbug,
Ebeneezer Kim


Do any other working mom's out there have tips on surviving the holidays?