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!
Jenny 12.03.2012
I am excited to give my daughter an easy bake oven…it’s all she wants this year!
Jen S. 12.03.2012
I am most excited to give my 2 year old daughter her first play kitchen, I got a steal on a grow-up-with-me style Little Tikes kitchen with everything I had in mine when I was a little girl!
Meredith 12.03.2012
I am really looking forward to giving my parents, in-laws, and grandparents a book of wedding pictures that I designed. I can’t wait until they open them!! :)
Beth 12.03.2012
I have a beautiful 6 month old grandson who is getting his first swing for a backyard tree. Whee! If it stays this nice he might be able to use it before spring.
Erin Bromley 12.03.2012
I’m looking forward to a new Tory Burch purse!
Rachel 12.03.2012
A mini play kitchen for my two year old
jenn from b-more 12.03.2012
I am most excited to give my baked with love gifts :)
Katie 12.03.2012
I can’t wait to give my mom a gift certificate for a massage. She totally deserves it!!
Amanda Stucky 12.03.2012
I’m excited to give my son a train set!!
Tracy Parrish 12.03.2012
I’m looking forward to getting my hubby a new Samsung note 2!
Lisa Christensen 12.03.2012
I can’t wait for my hubby to see the custom pint glasses I bought. He started brewing his own beer a few years ago and has really got into it and good at it. I think he will love them!
Leslie P 12.03.2012
a zoo membership to my niece and nephew
tabitha 12.03.2012
I can’t wait to give my husband a night out to Busch Gardens Christmas Town. He has wanted to go for so long and we are finally going right before Christmas <3
Elizabeth C 12.03.2012
This holiday season I am most looking forward to the gift of a plane ticket to visit my family for Christmas :) I live 1.000 miles away from all of my family, and it’s been since last Christmas since I saw them.
Kimberlee 12.03.2012
I can not wait to give my husband his cunningly orchestrated series of presents…. Normally I am the very blessed recipient, so I am very excited to see all my planning come together this year!
Monica 12.03.2012
I can’t wait to give my new baby his Lamaze Freddie the Firefly
Lindsey 12.03.2012
Looks like such a fun trip! I am most excited to give my nephew a pair of fisher price roller blades. He’s going to love them!
Allison K. 12.03.2012
I can’t wait to give give my gift to my Dad…he always loves a good history book..and I’ve got a good one for him this year!!
Hilary 12.03.2012
I’m excited to give my mom some gift cards to spend on herself. She NEVER buys for herself so it will be nice for her to get something for herself for once!
Kristin Dudek 12.03.2012
I am most looking forward to spending quality time with family and friends. I am also looking forward to giving to those in need.