Opt Outside + deals before Black Friday

Hello mon frers. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving. I will be rolling my overstuffed self all over this beach town today as I Opt Outside on Black Friday and get some of the butter and gravy moving through the system.

I've never been a Black Friday shopper. I hate crowds and I prefer to have 80% of my Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving, but I do like to take advantage of deals online on things for me and MFD (I buy both of our Christmas gifts) or the house. You can get great deals on the internets too. And on Wednesday, which means there's no need for Thursday or Friday shopping in my life. Here are some things I picked up this year, and as always no affiliate links:

Sephora had 50% off certain items Wednesday
Urban Decay Vice Lipstick $8.50, regularly $17 (in F-Bomb and TMI)
Living Proof Dry Shampoo Duo $22, regularly $34 (thanks Emily for the heads up)

Target had a Black Friday sneak peak for redcard holders Wednesday so I got the shore house some gifts. You have to add/change little things every year to keep it fresh.
Crock Pot 4.5 qt $10, regularly $19.99
Threshold fuzzy blankets in full/queen in scarlet mystery and green $18, regularly $39.99
Bodum French Press $10, regularly $19.99

Old Navy was running 50% off on Wednesday
Black dress for $18.49, originally $36.99
Go-warm open front hoodie for $18.49, originally $36.99 - my obsession this year. I have the heather gray and love it and I got the other two colors (navy and black)
Pixie Long Pants in olive through this for $17.49, originally $34.99 and rarely on sale. I live in these for work.

TOMs is offering 25% off certain styles with the code THANKFUL, so I ordered a pair of black velvet and black wool but will only be keeping one. 

I'm waiting to pull the trigger on a cart full of books on Amazon to take advantage of their $10 off $25 deal they usually run around now. 

I like the premise of the Opt Outside movement. Today's activities will include a sunrise, beach trash pickup, many dog walks, and watching Santa ascend from atop a building (pics below from 2015). ho ho ho, mofos.

What are your plans for today? Will you be outside, inside shopping, or both? Have you come upon any awesome deals? Anyone see a stainless steel roasting pan at a great price? Anyone? Bueller?

TWTW - Thanksgiving

1. Wednesday MFD and I loaded up the dogs and headed north for the weekend. It was a bit of a white knuckler in some spots but we made it to Lori & Jack's by 10:30. Relaxing ensued. Sorry for double ups of any instagram pics from this weekend!

2. Scenes from Thanksgiving...we ate, we walked in the woods, we lounged, we watched football. It was a great day!

3. Friday we set out to patronize small businesses on our annual made up sleigh ride. The car ride was a riot full of laughter and cursing as always. We also saw Lori & Jack's new lake house. Another full, fun day.

4. Saturday MFD, Maria and Ashley headed home in the early afternoon. Lori & I took the dogs for a walk in the woods, then we headed out with Jack & Perry to do some Small Business Saturday shopping and rounded out the night with the hallowed Chinese buffet.

5. Scenes from the great outdoors...

6. Lots o' lounging...

7. Wildlife sightings included lots of deer and a bird Jack saved.

8. Mae found a new friend - Popcorn the indoor outdoor cat. To say she was obsessed with him is an understatement.

9. But as always, it's a huge dog Disney.

10. Sunday the dogs and I hit the road by 7 and were home by 10. I enjoyed the scenic ride as always and listened to Serial on the way home. Laundry, Christmas decorating part one, and some vacation packing planning took up most of the afternoon. MFD and I hit Marshalls and Sam's at night, had an easy dinner of pizza, and that's all she wrote. The best thing of the weekend - Lori handed down her Kitchenaid to me. I'm so freaking excited!

On Mondays I'm doing a picture linkup called Picture Practice with Kelli at Just Beachy. If you'd like to participate, here are the prompts through December. Share on your blog, or if you don't blog on Twitter or Instagram every Monday with the hashtag #PicturePractice. This is my photo for the prompt warmth. You all need this Land's End jacket.

I almost wet my pants laughing quite a few times this weekend. That's how it goes in my family.

Zillions of good thoughts to my friend Marla at Luck Fupus today as she undergoes surgery. Marla kicks ass.

Last week before vacation. I think I can I think I can.

Tell me about your long Thanksgiving weekend - what was your peak and what was your pit?

Linking up with Kelli for

Linking up with B Loved Boston for Weekending.

Rage against the Black Thursday machine

Black Thursday? Come again?

The last time I checked the Thursday before Black Friday was called THANKSGIVING and has been for almost 400 years since those Pilgrims broke bread with the Indians in 1621. Its symbols are the turkey and the family around the table, not the shopping cart.

I'm livid that stores are open on Thanksgiving. Open at 5 a.m., 3 a.m., whatever, on Black Friday and be done with it. While I'm not a Black Friday shopper and never have been, I know that some people love it and it's part of their tradition to kick off the season. I'm not begrudging any shopper or retailer Black Friday.

Opening stores on Thanksgiving is another story entirely. I think that flat out sucks. The fact that those employees have to leave their family on a relaxing and lovely holiday of thanks to man a cash register so people can get an extra $100 off electronics is ridiculous. And you people leaving your homes to go to stores on Thanksgiving, what are you doing? Stay home! Shop online if you absolutely must shop.

I like shopping as much as the next person. And I love love love a good deal. Do I need the good deal so badly that I'd sacrifice my lazy, wine filled Thanksgiving night in my pajamas with my family? Not on your life.

What's wrong with us as a society? We need to stop being consumers first and humans second. If none of us showed up at the stores, they'd stop opening on Thanksgiving and taking people away from their families.

Don't give me the whole "they knew what they were getting into when they took a job in retail" noise either. Stores never opened on Thanksgiving. It wasn't a given. It's corporate greed and it's bullshit.

It's out of control. Vote with your wallet! Stay home on Thanksgiving and enjoy your family and some wine and some late night turkey to fortify yourself for the Black Friday shopping you may or may not do.

Linking up with Helene, Emily, Kathleen and Mariel for Tell me about it Tuesday.