SHOPPING DAY

 Hubbie and I had a rude awakening around 5am today as a car came up the drive setting our Bernie alarm off. I 'm glad he is always on duty even with the muscle relaxer he takes each night for his coughing. Anyway a small black car drove into the yard and came to a screeching halt when hubbie flipped the outside light on. They hurriedly reversed and headed back down the driveway. Have no idea why folks drive by a private drive sign unless they are testing to see if anyone is home since we live quite a ways off the road. Anyway with our sleep disturbed hubbie and I took over an hour before we were in dreamland again.
A rainy overnight left more slick mud fun this morning at chore time. We grabbed a quick breakfast as daughter came in ready for our shopping trip over to the new outlets in Asheville. D-in-love and the kids are going also but they are driving separately and following us.
Since it is raining we went the back roads over there instead of the interstate. Took a little longer but there was very little traffic thankfully.
At the outlets there was not a big crowd but I'm sure the rain kept most folks at inside malls.
The rain was light so we didn't have any trouble getting from store to store and found some very good bargains along the way.
I finished my toy Christmas shopping !!!!

I don't know which side of the family these two got their eyes from, haha !!!

We had lunch at Apollo Bistro and it was very good, I had a chicken greek salad and it was so large I brought 1/2 home for my supper.
We look like a happy bunch with our tummies full.

And this little sweet pea was a real shopping trooper today as she kept a smile on her face all day !!

After lunch we split up and g-son went with with hubbie, daughter and I  as d-in-love needed to finish his gifts and daughter had a gift to pick up down town. We met back up again at Old navy by chance to finish the day's trip.
It was dark by the time we got home and the animals were very glad to see us for their evening meals.
After daughter left hubbie did the chores by flashlight and then had supper.
After we ate we had a wrapping party and got all the gifts wrapped.

You would think with all this loot under the tree that our shopping would be done but you would be wrong we still have a couple things to get tomorrow morning.

We will still be sloshing around in the rain tomorrow as this rainy weather is predicted to stay all through Christmas. I emptied another 6/10ths inch from the gauge tonight as I did chores and it has been raining hard at times this evening.
Two winter storms are slowly moving across the country bringing some very stormy weather to areas.
The first storm Ferus formed yesterday and dropped significant snowfall today.

Then late this evening another storm named Goliath started its march across the country and by Monday will be affecting our weather with more heavy rains.

This is the aftermath of a tornado that hit a part of northern Mississippi this afternoon killing 4 people and injuring 40 folks on this day before Christmas eve.

My heart goes out to these families tonight as at least one of the dead is a 7 year old little boy.
Some towns were scrambling this evening to get Christmas decorations down in fear they would become projectiles in high winds.
Grateful tonight for traveling mercies from my Heavenly Father today and very thankful for the ability to enjoy my family in all the festivities as we honor the real Reason for this Season.
God Bless, Good Night and Merry Christmas.