After all my huffing & puffing about DH not having Christmas shopping completed, he decided to go last w/e.  I wanted to buy a Wii Speak so went with him.  Ended up spending another $400 (400 from the w/e before also!)  However...everyone & I do mean EVERYONE's Christmas is bought.  I can't even begin to tell you what we got them all.  Miss Lilly -- 3 y/o is getting a dish set in a little picnic basket carrier + a 3 peice winter clothing outfit and some kind of Bert & Earnie DVD, her Brother 6 y/o Christopher is getting a very-much-asked-for DVD movie which you can also put in your computer & it has a game on it ($59.99...no wonder his parents refused to buy it for him!).  Plus for christmas their family is getting a Wii, so we bought him a game that he was oohing & awing over.  and their Sister 9 y/o Destiny is getting one of my scarfs, a very-much-asked-for Hannah Montana 3D video & we also got her a Wii video game that her parents said she had been asking for (on a different nintendo platform but they do have it for the wii also).   Our other grandchild, Justin is getting clothing, an alarm clock radio (surprisingly, his request!) & a handheld electronic game.  And then there's Temumin & conner...we got them 2 pairs jeans each, a fleece lined jacket each, 2 long sleeve tshirts, socks & undies & then got both boys the game, Cranium (they love board games...both boys are quite bright for their age & love trivia, reading & learning).  We also got them new vibrating controls for their PS2.  they have regular controls but have been asking their parents for vibrating ones (these boys are 6 & 8).  For DH 2 daughters I crocheted them both LionBrand Skinny Scarf's & crocheted 2 dishclothes.  (that was a total of 10 scarfs & 20 dishclothes I crocheted!)  for his 2 sons & a SIL we got 3 lined jackets with hoods.  for my Christmas present I picked out... a charger & rechargeable batteries for my Wii controllers, a $20 Wii points card, a gel cover for the Wiiware game controller and this w/e we are going to go to Catherines to see about buying me a new coat.  We looked at Walmart and they had absolutely NO plus size women's winter coats.  Had plenty of jackets, vests & sweaters but no coats.   Go figure.  I've put off buying a coat for 10+ yrs and when I finally decide to do it...can't find one!  They even had coats in regular sizes & had a ton of men's coats but nothing i would wear, LOL.  They all LOOKed like mens coats.  It I could have found something 'neutral' in the men's section I would have bought it.  

Have ate out several times this week so far.  Havn't used coupons or bought 'sale' items at the restaurants.

I really can't say I have been thrifty or frugal this week.  But then if DH had told me WHEN he was planning on doing his shopping I could have planned a little better, gone coupon hunting & looked online to see things we might want to buy (or maybe find cheaper online)....that way we could go to the store, go right to what we want, buy it and get out of there, LOL.  As it was...it took us 3 hrs at wally-world and another hr @ The Game Stop.  Plus we had 40MPH winds that day & it was freezing cold!  It started snowing that night & we ended up with 3 inches.  He had to pick the worse day of the year..weatherwise...to go christmas shopping, LOL.  The blowing wind was the catalyst that made me decide it was time for a new winter coat.  Plus I had been tinkering with the idea of crocheting my beanie longer. Today made up my mind for me!   it barely covered my ears and if I shrugged my shoulders it rode up my head.  so I used a metallic Blue fancy fur type yarn that I bought on sale for around $3.00 (regular $7.99) and used that with the original wool yarn and made a band for the hat.  Everyone is telling me how much better the hat looks, yadda,yadda,yadda...  And it is much warmer now that it's longer, LOL.  I made a hat & scarf for my husband for Christmas but i made it out of WW yarn.  I think I will buy some of this lionbrand wool-eze for him and make him one too.  the only problem being...i don't think he would want fur on his,, LOL.

Next Christmas I am going to try to NOT buy any gifts (for myself included) unless I have some type of coupon for it.  I will start in October by starting to take the daily newspaper.  When I was working I got to look at a newspaper for free (desk issue)and I use to always find coupons in the paper for toys & games & would use them when appropriate. I can also sign up at various toy websites (like toysrus, ect) and I'm sure they probably have newsletters & offer discounts & special online offers, ect.   Also, I was reading an article online about coupon codes (for online purchases).  Supposedly you can find a code for just about anything you want to purchase if you purchase it online and this code will get you some kind of deal, whether it be free shipping or a percentage off the cost.  I am going to research that some more but will wait until summer to do that.  I wish I would have thought to post that article here.  that way I could have it to refer back to because it did give several websites that deal in the online codes.  Oh well.  I'll worry about that later.  We had to buy for around 22-23 people and got it done in less than $600.  the other two or three hundred was spent on ourselves.

today I have a chiropractor appt.  It was determined that on top of the degenerative disk disease, thorasic & lumbar spurs, I also have 3 bulging disc.  L3, L4, L5.  With 4 & 5 being the worse.    I probably should go to my PCP with this knowledge but I just hate going to the dr.  Can you believe the chiro practically tortures me but i am more than willing to go to him.  My poor PCP has never even stuck me with a needle and I refuse to go to him unless I am on my death bed.  Go Figure.  I have a court date with an ALJ (administrative law judge) set up for Janurary 27th.  I need to go see my PCP about this (my back...not the judge, LOL)  so it will be more evidence in my favor that I really do have something wrong with my back and I can not work because it aggravates it.  sitting is just as bad as standing & walking.  the only thing that relieves it is to lay down.  i don't know but one job that allows you to lay down while you're working and I aint doing that job!!!

Well, DH decided to grace me with his presence so I'm gonna get off here & visit for a bit before he heads to work.

The news just said that it was reported to be raining in west Wichita.  that's where I have to go to see the chiro.  I hate driving in this weather.  They are expecting it to be a freezing drizzle.  I guess I getter get around & head to the chiro as early as I can.  The longer I wait...the colder it will get.  It's only suppose to get in the 40's for a few hours today.

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So chilly in S. Calif. that I finally finished an ascot length scarf I had started months ago out of eyelash funny fur I had snagged at the 99 Cent store.

Have a happy holiday.

Whew! You have millionaire Xmases. I start shopping after Labor Day and fill up my gift box with super values. If we had that $ to spare - it would go to the bills!

But grandparents love to spoil the little ones, I know...

Our Xmas gift exchanges are mostly symbolic - we get what we really want when we see a really super deal on the spur of the moment -

I wonder if inversion would help your back - you could just try lying backwards off the side of your bed to experiment...

Hello Pamphyila, Our Christmas' didn't use to be quite so nice. But now hubby is receiving his Boeing Early Retirement along with his paycheck (he works for a telecommunications as a IT tech), plus we recently got our house paid off so financially we are in a much better spot than we were 2 yrs ago. 2 yrs ago we barely had a pot to piss in let alone money to spend on christmas! DH recently had a relative pass away & with the inheritance we were able to pay off our house. That freed up $600 a month! I really don't feel the need like I use to about saving and not buying anything unless I had a coupon or it was on sale. But I hate spending the $$$ stores want for overpriced goods so I always try to buy on sale or with a coupon. We used the inheritance plus most of our savings to pay off the house so I would like to replenish our savings. My husband is almost 60 & I'm not too far behind so...I'm trying to continue with my frugal ways, LOL.

The chiro lays me on this bed that stretches me out. I have tried inversion therapy before but because of my dizzy spells, it's not something i can tolerate.

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