Thanksgiving: the icing

As I sit on my comfy couch in my beautiful home, watching the news on TV, scrolling through pre-Black Friday online sales, chatting with friends on twitter, drinking a hot cup of tea, an english muffin in my growing belly...

Today I am thankful for the extras. The things we have access to that SO many others don't. Things that seem little and everyday to us, but when you actually think about it, they're really big.

Indoor plumbing. Electricity. Cozy beds. Lovey pets. Closets full of clothes. Warm shoes. Refrigerators full of food we can eat anytime. The list goes on and on...

In the midst of shows on TV are some awful commercials. Now I love me a good sale, but not at the expense of being nasty to others in greed. One commercial actually shows a woman grabbing stuff out of other peoples carts, putting her hand in the face of an older woman, and butting in line at the cash register. Another commercial talks about 'the holidays being made here', at their store. Oh, and my very favorite - 'the more money you save, the more Christmas you can buy'.  Un.Believe.Able. This is SO not how shopping - even black Friday shopping - has to be!
Last year husby and I were outside a store at 5am, and we got our laptop for a great deal. Then we got coffee and went home. This year, I will be ordering a bag of Clementine oranges from my local grocery, online, in my jammies. We will still probably get coffee =) The end. Online shopping has been a gift to me lately. I say this with a crumb of humble pie - I never thought I'd be one to grocery shop online. But y'ALL... it's saved this 9 month pregnant girls' sanity. I am able to order groceries, and my husband can pick them up on his way home from work. What a gift - this is straight icing on the cake stuff! Another little bit of frosting: sales on things that will bless people I love (and maybe my own family too=) } For example:

DaySpring. I've posted about DaySpring before, and their products are continual blessings to families. See, they make it easy and affordable to deck your halls with scripture and beauty. And right now they're having their biggest sale of the year! Check it out:

I love these blocks. They have letters, symbols and scripture on each of the 9 blocks, making it simple to remember your blessings. Originally $49.99, they're 70% off right now, making them $15!

This wooden caddy. Oh, how I swoon... it's so functional and pretty and a wonderful reminder to give thanks - all in one spot! I've also seen people use it to hold remote controls. Smart! Usually selling for $29.99, it's on sale for $9. Yep, less than ten buckaroos. I may buy more than one...

And these. The nativity hurricanes. They are just hollering to be on my a mantle. And you can remove the nativity silhouettes and use them year round. They're a great deal too - normally $59.99, on sale for $23.99. If your favorite item isn't on sale, use this Super Sale- 30% off coupon to save 30% on your whole purchase.

Another favorite of mine, Gooseberry Patch, is having a Black Friday (but good from today until Monday!) sale - up to 1/2 off these selected cookbooks! I want one of each, please. =)

This year, we are being more intentional than ever about where our money is going. And Christmas sales - and black Friday sales - are no exception. If we are able to bless people by spending less, game on. And to be able to make these purchases at all - well, that's the real icing on the cake.

-anna
{girlwithblog}
 Note: next week I'll post about a few of our favorite organizations that we'll be purchasing from this Christmas. I did want to share these particular sales with you because I love the companies, and because their products are blessings too. Some links in this post are affiliate links.