I am sooo exhausted!!!

But, it a really good way! I have been having such wonderful 'family time' for the past 4 days. I have been to my home town, 35 minutes away, everyday this week but Tuesday. I am leaving again to go there in 2 hours! I just got home from there 1 hour ago! This is a crazy, but I'm having lots of fun! I had a Thanksgiving celebration Wednesday evening, Thursday at 1, and then Thursday at 3. Lots of food in a very short time period, let me tell you! I didn't get to enjoy it all because it was too rushed. Anyway....

My Grandma, as I've mentinioned her before, is a rock star to the highest degree!!! She, my aunt, mom, 4 girl cousins ages 15-19, my sister, and myself had Girls Day/Night spanning 27 hours. Here are some highlights.

This is us, 3 hours into the day of shopping on Black Friday. My mom, on right closest to the camera, was up and at 'em at 5. Red Robin provided us with some energy in the form of burgers and diet Coke. It was nice to be still and to breath without hundreds of people around us. Grandpa decided to be generous and give us spending money, $10 of which had to be spent on our 'secret sister' that day. We went around the table to see what each of us would like, then our 'sister' would pick out something for us that day. We wrapped and exchanged them when we got back to Grandma's house later that night.

This is us, 4 hours after eating, in need of another break. We found a nice comfy place to sit and gab about the last 4 hours, in Barnes and Noble. It was tough to leave those nice chairs behind...but Khols, TJ Maxx, and Target were calling our names, from miles down the road. I will admit, in the 40 minutes or so I roamed the mall alone (with the exception of hundreds of strangers) I got a lot more accomplished than with these ladies. They are quite the distraction!

Here we are, safely back at Grandma's house, wrapping our goodies.

My sis, me, Ali's hand, and Vanessa are all waiting patiently in our jammies for the exchange to begin. I know, we looked pooped. I didn't get a picture of it, but I got Top Coat and Bottom Coat polish for my nails. I wanted this sooo badly! I was so thankful Nancy looked high and low for it throughout the mall!

Next was our 'spa' treatment. This included warm water, scented bath salts, lotion, and foot massages. Not only was it refreshing to the feet, but it was great serving each other in this way.

Then, snack time. This is a picture of my Grandma's famously popped sugar popcorn. I could eat only this-forever! It was the perfect food to accompany...

BINGO! My Grandma thinks of everything!!! We played several rounds, Vanessa and me winning a great deal. When the rest of the table discovered we had the same cards (although this doesn't make our odds of winning any greater!) there was quite the uproar. They made us get new cards after we both won 3 times. I call the rest of them sore loser's.

This is the loot I made off with: A Santa apron, earrings, shampoo, cocoa, measuring teaspoon things, and an awesome Vere Bradley umbrella that goes up and down with a push of a button! It was quite the experience!

Finally it was time to settle down. Grandma read us "Alexander and the Terribly, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". She would read this to us when we were little, and we all remembered our favorite parts. We all slept on couches and beds throughout the house. There was no room for Grandpa, so he left to sleep at my uncle's. He was back for pancakes by 8 the next morning.

Thank you, Grandma, for the best night out ever!!! (We are planning another one a few weeks from now! Grand-daughters are in charge this time. We are thinking of an 80's theme...)