Counterfeit Christmas

Well as I've already posted, I just returned from Nashville visiting family. We had our annual Christmas gathering and I got to see some family I hadn't seen in two years. It's always great to see them!

Last year my parents got me a gift certificate to Michael's for Christmas, but this year since I didn't want anything in particular they just decided to give me cash. I held onto it for a while, but finally got around to taking it to the bank. I'm saving for a kick butt camera and if I kept it in my purse it was gonna burn right through.

Imagine, if you will, my surprise, when the teller informs me that one of the $50 bills I'm attempting to deposit is a counterfeit!!! They used one of those color change pens that indicate if it's legit or not. So now, I'm stuck in this waiting game! I get to wait 30 days to see if their fraud division determines if in fact is truly a counterfeit bill. I mean what a mood quasher!

I hated to call my parents to tell them. Mainly because I know my mom. She'll feel bad that her gift wasn't good and want to replace it. I can't seem to get her to realize that it was the thought that counts and not to replace it. I just don't want her to pay for someone else's screw up! The bills she gave me came STRAIGHT FROM THE BANK! I can't believe that the bank passed a bogus bill and there's no possible recourse.

So ... I suppose today I'm going out to buy one of those darn counterfeit detecting pens and mark every bill someone hands me (not family though). I don't want to be like that but by golly if they make me wait while they do my bills when buying groceries, then I'm gonna make them wait while I check what they give me back! I don't care much for being screwed over.... especially when it comes to money.

I just feel so bad for my mom, because now she feels guilty and it's not her fault. I would have never mentioned it to her, but I knew that she had more bills at home from that same transaction .... my sisters present.

Anyhow, gonna end this post and try to make a happy one next.

Santa Baby

We'll yesterday WAS eventful, but not very productive! Boy oh boy did my kiddos hate going to the bank with me yesterday! They usually enjoy it since they get a treat or a coffee, but on this trip .... SANTA was waiting. Check it out.....

Now you can tell that this trip wasn't planned .... oldest son wore his holiest of pants.

I didn't get to scrap anything, but honestly I think my brain needed the evening off! Instead I mindlessly played mahjong on my computer and watched tv .... I super zoned out!

I finally hit the town to try to get a little Christmas shopping done... and it's about darn time! I had a really hard time finding things for my oldest son. He's getting to the age now where he doesn't seem to want toys....more gadgets and gizmos! The youngest is still into toys, but also likes gizmos! Egad, it was hard shopping for them. I'm not done yet, but I couldn't really find ANYTHING that I felt they would enjoy. I had better luck on Amazon.com, not to mention they've got a 70% off section w/free shipping on certain items!!!! Anyhoo, I'll be doing some more shopping tomorrow I suppose. What I was UTTERLY SHOCKED to see is that while at Target they only had TWO (yes, two) registers open ... and there wasn't really a line at either one. I also went to a couple other stores and it was the same thing. This wasn't like the other years with wall to wall people .... then again, I haven't hit Wally World yet (not sure if I want to either).

That's about all for now .... I'll be making another post tomorrow!

Hit the brakes & a Whoo Hooo!

WOW is Christmas getting ever so close! It's only 12 days away!!!! What happened, it was just Thanksgiving, then I blinked! I haven't even started my shopping... how awful is that! I just told the husband that tomorrow I wanted to have some time to get a few goodies for under the tree!

I'm proud of my fellas too, they put the Christmas Tree up all by themselves! We'll actually my youngest did nearly ALL the work!!! He's such a hard worker!

HIT THE BRAKES ..... I'm getting older! I'll be turning 38 next week. EEEEK! I remember when I used to think that was old, now it's my turn! It just all seems a blur after 30. Everything seems to have flown by and the kids are getting older right before my eyes! {sigh}

On another note, I WON A CONTEST TODAY!!!! WHOO HOO!!!! I have been trying the Advent Contest on GinaK's blog. It's so easy... Just pop in there daily, check the new post. Leave a response and then check back the next day to see who won! Check out my goodness....Isn't it just dandy!!! Pop on over and give it a shot, she's doing this until December 24th!!!!