Allow me to bore you with the details of my Wednesday.

Jesus, Himself, woke me up at 7:05. It must have been him because I had turned off my alarm in my sleep-deprived sleep. In order to get Sissy to school on time and not have to WALK HER INSIDE MYSELF AND ACT REPENTANT AND ALL AND CHECK HER IN LATE, I must leave the house no later than 7:25. 7:20 or earlier is my goal, in order to not get stuck in the traffic jams that occasionally occur here in metro NE Alabama.

Sissy rushed to get ready, as did I. At the last minute, I quick-changed Lucky's diaper and returned his yummy toes to his pjs before dashing to the garage and off to school.

We were out of the garage by 7:21. sweet

I had planned to take her to school and immediately drive to the mall in Chattanooga, TN, to do some serious Christmas shopping. But since I merely pulled on clothes and ran to the garage, I had to back-track some. So, we returned home to eat breakfast, scold my hair into parting somewhere besides dead-center on my forehead and rubbing makeup onto my prematurely-aging face, we loaded up and made the 45-minute trek to the north and to make a big ol' dent in my list.

I recruited my mom to fetch Sissy from school, so I wouldn't have to return so darned early and allowing me to not be such a panicky rush.

Toys 'R Us and too much money later, I had most of the toys from my list bagged and loaded up.

note to Toys for Tots and USMC: When you choose a Marine to stand at the toy stores to accept donations, keep in mind that they need to be at least as handsome as the one that was in Chattanooga's Toys 'R Us yesterday. (rawrrrrr)

The mall and food court filled our bellies. GameStop disappointed us. JC Penney supplied new shoes for Sissy and Lucky, jeans and khaki pants for Sissy and a clean bathroom to change Lucky out of the diaper that leaked entirely too early, soaking his pants.

Never fear! I was prepared! I had stashed a pair of pants in my diaper bag - not that this happens often or anything.

Club Libby Lu is going out of business, which breaks the hearts of all 5-9 year-old girls nationwide, but thrills the bank accounts of moms and dads like me. I scored some great surprises there.

A dress coat for my dad from Belk's.

A sweater, a knit hat with cool tassels and a great sweatshirt from The Children's Place.

Something from somewhere else.

Linens 'N Things is going out of business, and I scored a Simmons BeautyRest 1" gussetted king size mattress pad for $99. Merry Christmas to my back!

Best Buy had a game and Wii accessory to help Santa out a little.

Target provided the rest of the toy needs plus 2 iPod broadcast-to-your-fm-radio-adapter thingies for gifts, as well as some "cop corn" and "djoooooooooce" for Lucky.

Meanwhile, my mom had taken Sissy to our local McD's for an afterschool snack and to play - for 3 HOURS!!!

So, we made it home to do homework and bathe and collapse in bed and wonder if we will be able to go to WDW in March again.

So that I might win the uber-fabulous HP Magic prize package (valued at $6k+, no joke,) I'm writing this for you, Casey. Read and be touched by my amazing big-hearted, selflessness and generosity.

(um, yeah. You may also need a barf bag.)

I may not qualify for this prize. I mean, just last week, I won some reusable shopping bags from Simple Mom. It's clear that the Blogging Giveaway Luck Fairy is sitting on my right shoulder and will sway the contest in my direction.

And since my ultimate victory is just a matter of time, I should share with you exactly what I'd do with my HP Magic Prize. (I'd hate to p-off the Blogging Giveaway Luck Fairy by not sharing my amazing good fortune with others.)

**First on my list of whom would receive a share of my HP Prize is my dear friend, Bobbie who has raised her two boys to be brave and honorable men who volunteered for our Army. Lucas is now in Iraq, serving as MP patrol protecting a commander in a very dangerous area of the world. And since Chris graduates this Thursday from his job training and will deploy, probably to Afghanistan, in January, she will be able to spend Christmas with Chris, her youngest. I grew close to Bobbie after she lost her job with our company in August; helping her with her Spanish class, we learned each other's deep secrets that only sisters share. After devoting her life to her handsome boys, she is in school for the first time since high school, preparing to enter the nursing program. Unable to afford rent, she gave up her apartment and moved in with her ailing mother and cares for her.

Because she inspires me with her untiring dedication to her mom and her tear-soaked prayers for her soldiers and go-get-'em courage to enter college at 44, I would give Bobbie her choice of the notebooks and the printer.

**Next on my list will be the school attended by my brother's children. When my sister-in-law began homeschooling the first of their four, I admired her. As the workload of homeschooling outgrew her capabilities, they enrolled in a school that successfully combines the parent-based education system of homeschooling, solid Biblical teachings of a Christian school and the secure and controlled environment of private schools. Tuition barely covers the school's expenses. Parents contribute as teachers, adminitrators, janitors, cooks, security, etc., etc. A local church shares their building in exchange for maintenance and repairs.

Because the school depends on the parents to donate or raise the funds for so much of the equipment and tools, I'd donate the HP TouchSmart IQ816 PC and HP MediaSmart Connect to Providence Classical School in Huntsville, Alabama.

**My BFF from high school will graduate in May with her Special Education degree. She is 38. While raising her two sons alone and working full-time, she has put herself through school. Her intelligence has always amazed me, but her devotion to her older son, as she has learned about psychological and emotional disorders firsthand, touches my heart.

To Tammy, I'd give a notebook and the Kung Fu Panda movie for her boys.

**Since we closed our business, we have felt pangs of regret and guilt, knowing that many of the staff are dealing with unemployment, mortgages and supporting their families, I would choose one of them to help. I'd put their names in a hat and let Sissy don her silky eye mask and choose one to receive the remaining computer.

To that lucky person, I would give an upgrade to their current pc equipment and help them make some cash, selling their old system.

As for The Mighty Hunter, Sissy, Lucky and myself, we have computer equipment that meets our needs. We would certainly have a fun time with such great toys as in this HP Magic Prize pack, but we don't need them. And since none of the people I named above (except maybe Bobbie) read my blog, they would all receive their share of the prize wondering who the crap Casey is and why Moosh is in Indy, never knowing that the Auburn Gal Always is the real winner.

I won when they became part of my life in one way or another.

War Eagle!

This blog and the rest of my life is currently on hold until this is over.

win or lose

War Eagle!