Is It Really Thanksgiving?

In my mind, I know it's Thanksgiving in two days.  I know this.  Do I feel like it's Thanksgiving in two days?  No, I don't.  My brain is having a hard time wrapping it's head around the fact that it's still warm outside.  Because in my life experience, Thanksgiving = Cold Weather.  That's just the way it's always been.  And now we have highs in the 80's, and my brain is trying to process that, and here's what it comes up with: it's still summer.

This is also causing problems with my Christmas shopping.  I've barely even thought about it because it's still warm, and so my Christmas shopping radar isn't going off.  Usually, when it starts getting colder, then I know, "Hey, I better start my shopping!  Christmas will be here soon!"  Nope, it's not happening.  And I keep telling my brain, "IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS! BUY PRESENTS!"  But then the summer-ish heat hits me and melts all those wintery thoughts away.

HEB is helping me out some with all their Christmas music.  Generally, I don't approve of Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but I think this year I need it.  It's a good reminder that it's COMING whether the weather thinks so or not!

My Love for H.E. Butts

Before I moved here, I was a Wal-Mart gal.  Sure, I would go to little grocery stores if I HAD to, but I did most of my grocery shopping at Wally World.  It was just so convenient!  Especially with little children.  The less stops I have to make the better!  And Wal-Mart has pretty much everything I could ever want or need.

*Insert trip to Texas to find a house*

We saw HEBs everywhere and very few Wal-Marts.  We asked our agent if HEB was any good, and she said its prices were comparable to Wal-Mart's.  I thought to myself, "Okay, whatever.  I'm still gonna go to Wal-Mart."

*Insert move to Texas*

We moved into a house that was about 8 minutes from HEB Plus and 20 minutes from the Wal-Mart Super Center.  As much as I wanted to go to Wal-Mart (mostly because I knew where everything was there and had no idea where anything was in HEB), it was just so much easier to go to HEB Plus.  I was really against it at first and so frustrated with how it was set up.

But then... oh, but then... I started to see all the wonders that are HEB Plus.  Here are all the reasons I am now in love with HEB Plus... in fun bulleted form, even!

1. They have a person at every check-out line whose job it is to bag your groceries AND put them in your cart for you.  I know this doesn't sound huge, but it is.  It was so stressful to me to wrangle kids (WHY do they put so much stuff right by the register?! seriously!), put all my groceries on the belt, immediately go to start putting the bags in the cart because the checker is getting impatient with me for not doing so already, and then somehow paying in the midst of all this madness.  Not so at HEB!  They'll even help you take your groceries to your car if you want.  Now, that's service!
2. Buddy Bucks.  I recently found out that my kids can ask for Buddy Bucks which are fake dollar bills at every check-out line.  They can use those Buddy Bucks on this machine near the exit that spins a wheel with numbers on it.  They hit a button to make it stop, and then they get a sticker with that number on it.  They can save up those points in a little booklet and earn prizes!  Free prizes for my kids?  Heck yes!
3. Their carts have places for TWO kids to sit in the front.  TWO!  That means there is more room for my groceries in the cart!  Of course, HEB still hasn't figured out a way to keep them from fighting while sitting next to each other yet.  Could you get to work on that please, HEB? :)
4. They also have a little basket in the back of the cart for things you don't want to get smashed.  Genius!
5. They have carts that look like cars!  My son who loves anything race car related adores those carts.  And even though I look like a dufus pushing that massive thing around, it makes him happy, and a happy kid makes a happy shopping trip.
6. Coupons!  There are coupons EVERYWHERE!  There are coupons for buy this item, get this totally unrelated item FREE!  There are coupons for $*insert amount here* off.  There are coupons for everything.  Perhaps those items would really be that price anyway, but when I see that coupon, I'm like, OH! COUPON! I WANT THAT!  Good marketing job, HEB.  
7. Balloons.  What little kid doesn't love ballons?  HEB gives them to kids just for being there.  For most kids this would be awesome, but it usually just causes a riot with my two fighting over balloons... but it's a good, fun idea in theory.
8. It has a local feel.  Since HEB is only in Texas, it still feels like a down home grocery store.  
9. Their prices are about the same, if not the same, as Wal-Mart's.  
10. The B stands for Butts.  That's just funny, and I can support funny.  :)

So, yeah, maybe I just gave a whole lot of PR for HEB, but they deserve it.  It's a good place to shop, and for other's who are new here and are still a little frustrated with not knowing where anything is... give it some time, and maybe you'll be a H.E. Butts lover, too.  :)  (That is a terrible slogan.)

Post-Halloweeeeeen!

I hope everyone had a happy Halloween!  I know we did!

Tuesday, I took the kids to the Laredo Public Library for their storytime Halloween party.  They loved it.  They got to dress up and hear Halloween stories and trick or treat around the building and dance, dance, dance.  Here's a few pictures of them having a ball.

Evan and his friend.  We didn't even plan this!  How cool is that?

Lauren was excited to get her treats.

The kids were ready for some trick or treating.

Mmmm... candy is so much better when you get it all over your face.

There were a TON of kids there!

I was cracking up at the end during the "dance party" because they were playing a version of "I've got a feeling" by Black Eyed Peas that said "I've got a feeling that this book's gonna be a good book to read."  Oooh, librarians...  you're so clever.  :)

Saturday night we went to our church's Trunk or Treat.  It turned out really awesome.  We had a chili cook-off which was delicious.  We had carnival games set up for the kids to play, and then we had the trunk or treat in the parking lot afterwards.  The kids got SO much candy.  And, yes, I have more pictures.  :)

This was the booth I was in charge of--Mummy Wrap.  Give kids a butt load of toilet paper, and you have a booth!  Who knew?

These steps were obviously more fun than the games.  Kids are so weird.

Evan racking up the candy!

This is Evan and his cousin.  And this time it was planned.  Do you know how hard it is to get a good picture of Mario and Luigi?  They are so busy these days.

I had a costume, too, but it wasn't nearly as cute as my kids'.  I was an angel.  I mean, I'm that every day, anyway, so I might as well make it official, right?  :)  My husband didn't dress up because he's a goober.  (Love you, sweetie.)

We were planning on going Trick or Treating Sunday night, but we decided that our kids aren't really old enough to care, they had gotten tons of candy at the Trunk or Treat, and we were pooped.  So we didn't.  Yeah, we're poopers.  But oh well.  We had a good Halloween anyway!