Aaand, we’re back!
Thankfully this year we didn’t have any freak snow storms to deal with, so Saturday morning we were able cruise from my house, where my Mom picked me up at 6:30am, to Starbucks for a hot cup o’ Joe, and pull up to the Mall of America at precisely 11am…just in time to inhale Chipotle burrito bowls to fuel us for, gulp, FIVE STRAIGHT HOURS OF SHOPPING!
(pic borrowed from last year’s post because it was super foggy in MSP this weekend!)
The mall was decorated to the nines, per usual, and after lunch we quickly got our shopping underway. 3 floors + 400 stores = a lot of road to cover!
In addition to crossing some gifts off my holiday shopping list, I couldn’t help but keep my eyes peeled for a few items I’ve been eyeing online, including my beloved Sorel Joan of Arctic boots, which I spotted from 50 yards away as we were coming down the escalator at Nordstrom’s! I couldn’t have been more jazzed to pull on a pair of the warm and fluffy boots, and was admiring them adoringly in the full-length mirror when, I took a step. And cringed.
They are so uncomfortable! There was this hard, ridge-like thingy that was stabbing me in the back of my heel/calf, and I couldn’t figure out what it was. I even tried on a couple of different sizes to make sure it wasn’t me or the boot, but no dice.
Fellow Joan of Arctic owners – do these break in at all? I hope so because they are SO cute, and SO warm. They’d be absolutely perfect for the brutal Midwest winters, though by the looks of today’s temps (63!) you’d never know it was December ’round here!
Anyways, later I consoled my sad tootsies with a rub in a foot/calf massager at Brookstone. I know. Gross. I hardly cared though. 5 hours of shopping in flats (what was I thinking?!) will convince you to give anything a try! Totally worth it.
A Coldstone Oreo Ice Cream with Brownie mix-in snack helped too. :)
After all the Christmas gifts had been bought we headed to our hotel to relax before heading off to dinner. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott, which was less than a mile away (you could see it from the mall,) and had clean, nice rooms for a great rate. We’d definitely stay there again!
We had to nearly peel ourselves out of bed an hour later to go feed our grumbling stomachs. The beds were oh-so cozy, but our appetites were oh-so strong. I know some people pssht at this, but shopping seriously takes it out of you.
Not wanting to drive any further than necessary, we headed to a nearby Friday’s because it was close and, gosh darn it, I have a not-so-secret love for the chain. Once seated we proceeded to order everything on the menu…!
They have this 2 for $10 meal where you can get an app and entree for, well, $10, and of course we had to add a cup of Friday’s famous French Onion Soup (perhaps my favorite soup, ever?!) In the end, our eyes proved to be bigger than our stomachs and I bet we ate 1/3 of what we ordered. Luckily our hotel had a fridge!
We fell fast asleep back at the hotel circa 8pm while watching Inception, but it was probably for the best as we had one last stop to make on Sunday before heading home. IKEA! :D
IKEA might be my most favorite place ever. I love their designs, and wandering around their ingenious showrooms for dream-home ideas. This modern-yet-cozy kitchen with dark wood, and stainless steel accents had me drooling.
Nothing in the showroom gets me quite as excited as kitchen utensil alley though! I have had so many stainless steel IKEA utensils, gadgets, and gizmos last me for years. They really are of high quality – and for so cheap!
Including these DARLING mini stainless steel prep bowls. CAN YOU EVEN HANDLE THIS?! :D
After checking out at IKEA, we headed on home. Another year, another successful mother/daughter holiday shopping trip in the books!
Jenn 12.04.2012
This is my daughter’s first Christmas. I’m most excited to see her open her presents, it will be fun to see if she figures out the whole unwrapping packages thing.
Tricia 12.04.2012
The gift I am looking forward to is giving my son (he is 6) his pile of carpenters wood so he can build something. That is all he has been asking for so he shall receive it. My daughter gets excited to find what the ornament will be for her this year. I have gotten them each an ornament every year since they were born. They are twins and 6 years old now.
Ilene 12.04.2012
A food processor! I want one so badly so I can make homemade peanut butter and cauliflower crust pizza :)
Carol Swift 12.04.2012
I am looking forward to giving my new daughter in law her first sewing machine!! I hope she cant see this…
Linda 12.04.2012
My nephew is going to flip when he opens his basketball game tickets!
Allie G. 12.04.2012
I’m looking forward to the gift of spending more time with family!
erin 12.04.2012
I am looking forward to giving my grandparents new slippers like I do every year.
Reina Smyth 12.04.2012
I am definitely wanting some new sunglasses. However, since all of my Thanksgiving guests broke my Keurig, I NEED a new one!
Jaime 12.04.2012
I am excited to see my (5) kids open the things on their lists.
Renee Smason 12.04.2012
This is the first year my girls will be getting some “technology”. Looking forward to seeing their faces.
Lisa in Fort Worth 12.04.2012
My fiance has no idea I got his favorite TV show the whole series on dvd. He will be so shocked!
Kelly Towle 12.04.2012
Too many gifts to choose from…Hard to pick just one. :-) but the one gift that I am looking forward to giving the most, is the book “A Winter Dream” by Richard Paul Evans to my husband. Every year he receives the most recent Richard Paul Evans book & every year, his eyes light up & you would think he just received that well-known gift from the Christmas Story movie,an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle! Warms my heart :-)
Kelley 12.04.2012
I can’t wait to give my niece the tu-tu’s I got her! She’s 4 1/2 and wears anything flouncy and frilly and pink!
Debby G. 12.04.2012
I am most looking forward to giving my daughter a Keurig. Haven’t bought it yet & would love to win this one to give her!
Kari 12.04.2012
Can’t wait to shop for and give our “Operation Christmas” presents this year. Our small group gets a family or 2 to buy for and we all go shopping together REALLY late at night…some of the most fun!
Kari 12.04.2012
I m most looking forward to giving my husband the watch I bought him. He works so hard, and it seems everything is always about the kids or the house, so it’s nice to finally show him how much he is appreciated.
Marsha Farnham 12.04.2012
I can’t wait to give my kids Kindles this year. They are going to be so excited…and it’s especially fun since they’re gifts I can use too. :)
laura 12.04.2012
oh, how i’d love to win this to gift it to my sweet mother!! pick me!! looks like your weekend was a smashing success!
Meghan 12.04.2012
The gift I am most looking forwarding to giving this Christmas is for my nearly 1 year old son. Although he won’t know what a Wheelies Stand N’ Play Rampway is, I can’t wait to see his bright blue eyes light up when he see’s it!
chris 12.04.2012
I am most looking forward to giving my mother a big screen TV. She is in assisted living now & has always liked watching sports. I figure the boys will go visit her more if they can watch the game on Grandma’s big screen.