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!
Jane 12.03.2012
I can’t wait to give my nephew a Mickey Mouse blanket that he is just dying to have. I know he will be so excited when he opens it!
Liz Veasey 12.03.2012
I am excited to give my mom the tea she wanted!
Alice 12.03.2012
I am most looking forward to giving my husband a hand knit scarf!
Megan Tretter 12.03.2012
I’m most excited to give my youngest daughter pretty much the entire line of Brave gifts: I found the bow and arrow, the Wii game, the DVD, the whole works. She’ll squeal for hours!
Vicki Gensini 12.03.2012
I am looking forward to giving my daughter her first Kitchenaid mixer.
Cari 12.03.2012
I am very excited to give my dad an ottoman.
Jill 12.03.2012
I love creating and giving Shutterfly calendars to family members – especially my grandmas!
Ashley 12.03.2012
I am giving my fiance a GoPro camera! I am so excited! He is going to love it and will never believe I thought to buy it! I can’t wait to see the look on his face!!!
Mackenzie K 12.03.2012
I am so excited to give my mom her ticket to see Lady Gaga with me! <3
McKenzie 12.03.2012
I’m excited to get my husband a panini press!
LISA RINGO 12.03.2012
I CAN’T WAIT TO GIVE MY DAUGHTER HER FIRST IPHONE!!!!
Stefanie 12.03.2012
The doll my daughter has been wanting all year long!
Courtney Miller 12.03.2012
I can’t wait to give my daughter her first dollhouse, it’s going to be so much fun watching her play with it!
Noelle M 12.03.2012
I can’t wait to give my daughters matching corner dollhouses…they can each have one in their room, or create a little village in the rec room. My son wants a pogo stick….imagine him bouncing around their little village.
Emmy 12.03.2012
I am looking forward to giving my boyfriend the photo book I made him, with the pictures and memories from the past year! :)
jen 12.03.2012
i am really excited about giving our 3 year old a bed for a baby doll :)
Kerstin Harker 12.03.2012
The gifts I’m most excited about seeing opened are the ones my kids are going to receive. For our son – the biggest Lego set he’s ever seen and for our daughter – clothes for her American Girl doll. Being a Mom at Christmastime is an even bigger blessing than being a child :)
Laurel Plummer 12.03.2012
I am looking most forward to giving my mom a new and pretty fancy pants yoga mat! She has been so dedicated to working out that she definitely will put it to good use!
Beth 12.03.2012
I am looking forward to giving my grandma a calendar of family photos. She loves getting pictures of all of us!
Lisa 12.03.2012
I am definitely looking forward to giving my little sister her first laptop. :) She never asks for anything and deserves everything. She is the most selfless teenager I’ve ever met.