This morning, my plan was to get up at 5:25, sneak out of the house, buy my year’s supply of flannel for baby blankets at Joann Fabrics, stop by Home Depot for $.99 poinsettias, and be home by 7:00.  I do this pretty much every year and always go by myself.  It’s the only Black Friday shopping we do.  Conveniently, they’re at opposite ends of one big parking lot and are only about a 7-ish minute drive from our house.  (And yes, that means I have to resist shopping at Joann all the time.)

This morning, however, Ellie woke up just as I was about to get out of bed, asking to use the toilet.  So I helped her and then she said she was hungry.  I told her that she could have some granola but that she’d have to eat it by herself because Nik and Mark were still sleeping and I would have to leave right away.  She, of course, just about lost it right then and there so to keep her quiet, I told her she could come with me.  We put a sweatshirt over her pajamas, rushed out to the car, and were on our way.

She kept saying, “Why?  Why is it dark?  Why?  Why do we have to wait outside?”  I could tell she thought I was crazy for leaving the house so early.  Truthfully, it is crazy.  But that’s what I do for $1.74/yard flannel.  And even with Ellie with me, we were still home by 7:15, just in time for breakfast!

Here’s Ellie’s experience, in her own words (with more than a little prompting from me)!