Tyler TX Facebook

Follow Donny on Twitter

Username:
Password:
  Remember Me   Forgot password?  Register
0-9  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  

Find or Refer a Contractor in Tyler

Coming up with Christmas gift ideas for 2010

December 2nd, 2010

Christmas 2010 gift ideasUsually during Christmas time I have a very hard time buying gifts.

As you get older and your friends and family get older many of them pretty much have everything they want already.

And I sure ain’t going to be buying no one a big screen TV or something like that unless its my wife. I already know she doesn’t want that so not going to be doing that.

Here are a few ideas both local to Tyler and a couple on the internet that work out great for finding gifts.

Tuesday Morning in the shopping strip that you find Cotton Patch restaurant has great affordable gifts to choose from. They are right across from Robert E Lee highschool and may be just the shopping store your looking for.

Don’s TV and appliances is a locally owned TV and appliance store by a good family in Tyler Texas. You have likely seen most of them on their corny TV commercials. If you run in to them in town try to not bring up the commercial, they may have heard that one a time or two. They have good deals on their TV’s and kitchen appliances and if your buying a lot they might drop that price a little more for ya.

Regarding buying Christmas gifts online the neat thing to do this year is buy a unique hand made gift online from a website called Etsy (etsy.com). Some people in my family did this and you may come away with a cheap price tag but a cool gift. Also a website called thinkgeek (thinkgeek.com) offers really off the wall Christmas 2010 gifts like the fresh water fish training kit I bought for my father n’ law last year. For some reason it’s still boxed up.

For a really cool gift idea or two that is kinda pricey you could buy an Ipad for a toddler and spouse. Make it a combo. The stuff adults can do on an Ipad are endless but kids and toddler games are only about $3 each and they are extremely intuitive and educational. In fact I would go so far to say the Ipad will stomp on any of those fake looking toddler laptop games you see at the Tyler Target and Walmart.

Well I hope this has given you a little food for thought regarding this 2010 Christmas gift idea solution here in little old Tyler Texas. And without sounding too holy be sure to support a Christian missionary this Christmas season working in a muslim country.

Ipad Demonstration Video Showing a Toddler Playing Games

Ipad Good Toy For Toddlers to Play With Video

Best Buy Day After Thanksgiving Day Sale, Black Friday Line

November 24th, 2010



For the last few years I see this line that develops outside of Best Buy each year because Best Buy offers some pretty ridiculous deals on game consoles, TV’s and other such items.

Well this year I happened to spot the very first person setting up his tent outside Best Buy for this sale.

Hi name is Jacob Johnson and I was able to talk to him for a little bit as well as a grand tour of his tent setup outside Best Buy.

He has a flat screen TV, gaming consoles, tethering devices to play video games with all his friends and family that are hanging out with him.

Best Buy in Tyler TX Black Friday Sale First in Line


He plans to break up his time in the tent in shifts with the rest of his family. Last year he was in line for the Best Buy black Friday sale but he was all the way back near Petsmart.

This year being first in line he will be able to get some amazing deals. Best Buy has been known to give TV’s, game consoles, laptops and other high priced items away for $25 – $50 bucks that may originally go for $500 – $1500.

Jacob plans to spend about $2500 and likes getting in line at Best Buy because of the orderly way the store employees let people come in.

Each person in line ends up getting a number and certain rules are in place to prevent mob like behavior during the holidays from erupting.

I remember when mom’s, dad’s, grandmothers and others would fight to the death over cabbage patch kid dolls back when I was a kid.

I am thankful that my parents never bought me a doll like this as a kid but instead gave me GI Joes and Heman figures.

Let’s all hope and pray that this black Friday in Tyler Texas is safe for everyone and offers an orderly fair and safe way to purchase amazing deals at places like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Sears, Game Stop, the Mall and other great shopping centers in Tyler.

Teddy Ruxpin, Tickle Me Elmo and Now… Dance Star Mickey

November 22nd, 2010

Mickey Mouse Dancing Doll Tyler TexasWith Christmas around the corner, and a three year old at home I thought it might be helpful for friends and extended family to express my feelings about new toy which will without a doubt make the list of the all- time most annoying gifts of Christmas past. In the tradition of Teddy Ruxpin and Tickle Me Elmo comes Disney’s latest assault on responsible parenting. Dance Star Mickey has the potential to be even more unbearable than either of its aforementioned predecessors, and that by the way is saying something! I don’t have to warn Moms and Dads that this is a gift other people give your child.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve not been a fan of Disney for some time. As a history teacher I’ve been frequently appalled by students who believed that John Smith and Pocahontas were lovers, Thank you Disney for whoring out our history! Their formulamatic story lines, and insistence on making movies which correspond with their theme park rides, (after the fact mind you), hasn’t helped their cause in my mind. I keep waiting for the cinematic release of “TEA Cups, the Movie!” I will make one exception in my case against Disney, that being for their one franchise with any originality or imagination left. Of course I’m referring to Pixar, their writers and animators are genius.

The fact is I’ve never quite understood why the entertainment giant has made such a point of making Mickey Mouse it’s sort of, flagship character. I mean, when was the last time the marsupial stared in a full length, feature film? I can only assume that Dance Star Mickey has come about as a result of dance craze television shows like “So You Think You Can Dance,” and “Dancing with the Stars.” My little guy is a great kid, but he already knows how to make noise. The last thing I need right now is a stuffed toy that makes him more efficient at his noise making. And by the way, isn’t the great thing about stuffed toys the fact that they are silent? That and they also double as a pillow.

Elmo DollOf course this toy will find a huge market; kids will love it, especially if they see the rest of the family watching dance shows on television. But then kids will generally enjoy whatever you happen to get them, provided you do better than socks, or the notorious pink bunny of “A Christmas Carol” fame. My advice is this: skip the dancing mouse this year, and tell grandpa and grandma to do the same. Tell them… I know tell them you’ll leave out the mousetraps on Christmas Eve night. I’m betting you’ll have a much more peaceful New Year!

Black Friday Sales

November 19th, 2010

With Thanksgiving coming around the corner, “Day After Thanksgiving Sales” are coming soon too. If you are not a regular Black Friday shopper you may feel lost and confused. This is the only day a year that traffic is the worst at 3:00 in the morning. If you drive through the town at midnight you will see tons of people lined up around the store.

Many people will camp out at night to get the best sales. But are all the stores worth it to leave your house in the middle of the night? The most popular stores in Tyler on Black Friday are, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target, and Kohl’s. The Broadway square mall will have people lining up at different stores but in my past experiences I have not found that great of deals at the mall in Tyler.

One of the biggest lines in Tyler is the line for Best Buy. Best Buy has every kind of electronics for a great price. If you are in the front of the line for Best Buy it can get pretty scary when the doors open at 5:00 Friday morning. They will have huge sales on iPads, and iPods.

They are selling all size HDTVs for lowest prices yet. Any Samsung laptop computer will be on sale for $150 off. Best Buy will be selling Blu-rays that were released this year for $12.99 and DVDs for less than four dollars. There will be huge sales on Play Station, Xbox, and Wii games.

Target’s parking lot is always over crowded pretty much all day on Black Friday. Target will have a pre-black Friday sale on Sunday, November 21st until Wednesday the 24th. Many sales that they will have are going to be pretty close to the sales that will be on Friday. There will be a huge selection f fun and popular toys for 50%.

The popular Tag books are on a lot of kids (and mom’s) Christmas lists, during these sales you can get one Tag book and get one free. Nintendo DS are on sale of $119. The new Donkey Kong Wii game will include a $10 Target gift card. You can shop for two people with one gift. The Acer netbook is normally $240 but will be on sale for $179.99, and includes a free Tuari Neoprene Sleeve, which is normally $12.99.

You can save up to $90 on Vizio Televisions. Paula Deen cookware set is usually $140, but you can save fifty dollars and buy it for the low price of $99.99. You can save on Christmas ornaments, candles, snacks and food for your Christmas dinner, not to mention all the dishes that it take to cook and serve the perfect meal.

The lines are the worst at Target. The store gets so unorganized. Black Friday seems to be the day that people get the maddest about people cutting in line and people cut in line the most. A hint to all the quick shoppers out there; have someone stand in line the moment you get there and do your shopping fast, that way you don’t have to sit there for a few hours with your hands full of stuff.

We are lucky that Tyler has three Wal-Mart stores and Lindale has one. How the Black Friday sales work at Wal-Mart is not like the other stores. They have separate lines within the store for the popular items and open the items early in the morning.

So at Wal-Mart you don’t have to stand out in the cold for hours at a time. Wal-Mart has movies for the lowest prices around even less than two dollars for movies such as “27 Dresses”, “17 again”, “Bourne Identity”, “Bourne Supremacy”, and “Bourne Ultimatum”. Wal-Mart sells Blu-Rays for only $10 and even some for $5. The Apple iPod Touch will be a big hit.

The selling price will be $225 but it will come with a $50 gift card. The portable DVD players will be on sale for less than $50. Televisions of all size will be on sale anywhere in between $98-$998. What little girl does not like to open her presents from under the tree to find a new Barbie doll? What mom does not love to find great sales on Barbie products? You can find the popular dolls for $5.00 and many Barbie products for a price as low as $4.00. Winter clothes such as fleece hoodies and sleepers are n sale for only $4.00.

The popular Toy Story 12 inch action figures are on sale for as low as $12. Your family can have fun game nights for as low a price as $4.00. Wal-Mart will have video games for as low as $7. The popular Kinect for Xbox 360 is on sale for a low price of $149.00. Wal-Mart can be your one stop shop where you can get gifts for everyone in your family.

Kohl’s doors will open at 3:00am on Friday. Kohl’s has all different things for your home, and clothes for the whole family. Women can get their favorite Bras for a low price and up to 50% off. You can find all different misses clothing for 40-60% off. The popular junior brand MUDD can be found here for low prices. MUDD jeans are on sale for as low as fourteen dollars and shirts for 55% off. The cute junior dresses are on sale for up to 60% off. All women’s outwear are on sale for up to 70% off. You can get all the clothing you need for the men in your life for a low price.

All sports wear is on sale for 40-50% off. Apt.9 wool coats are on sale for a low $20. Apt. 9 men’s nice wool jackets are on sale for a low $119. Men’s Axist Casual Pants are selling for 50%-60% off. Kohl’s has some the best sales for little kids clothing from anywhere from 40% to 70% off. You will love the fun kid’s jumpers, jeans, t-shirts, and dresses.

Kohl’s has brand name digital cameras for as low as $49.99. Get all you need for decorating you house for Christmas for up to 75% off; including candles, lights, picture frame, and tree ornaments. Holiday cards are on sale for 60% off. 22 inch nonstick griddles are on sale for $29.99.

You can get 50% off Faberware Bakeware, Food Network Dinnerware, Food Network Hydration Bottles, and Food network thermal Mugs. Get 60% off of all Holiday Dinnerware. Get all kitchen rugs for up to 60% off. Kohl’s has all the things you need for your home and for cooking the perfect meals at a low price. Kohl’s’ entire stock of video game accessories are on sale for 30-50% off.

I hope these sales will help you shop at the right store for your family’s Christmas wish lists. Tyler gets pretty crazy on Black Friday, all these stores get crowded fast so it may be the one day you willingly set your alarm for 2:00 in the morning.

Target Tyler Texas

September 20th, 2010


For a while I have been wishing that Tyler would get a Target Super Center. Though there have been many rumors of one being built, it has not happened. Tyler does however have a Target store. Although I can only buy a few groceries there, like snacks, frozen pizzas, and drinks, Target has become one of my favorite stores to shop, especially if there is a sale going on.

There are many reasons I love to shop at Target, one being the home décor. I highly recommend that people doing their wedding registry at Target. The home décor is always in fashion, and has beautiful lamps, frames, and art work. It has almost everything that you would need for your bathroom, bedroom, living room, and kitchen. I love to see the seasonal dishes and kitchen accessories.

Target has some my favorite selection of clothing around. Little kid’s, women’s and men’s clothes are affordable and always the newest fashion. As fall is arriving you can find great deals on all of target’s summer clothing. As my daughter starts to take ballet classes I had to find the right shoes and outfits for her to wear. These things can get pretty expensive. I have been to a few different places in Tyler looking for the right outfits and slippers, and then I went to Target and found what I was looking for, for a low price. Target has the cutest clothes for young girls. Sometimes it is hard to find age appropriate clothes when you are shopping for little girls. It seems like a lot of stores’ girl’s clothing section are mini shirts, Hannah Montana shirts, and mini bikinis. I do not understand why people try to dress their little girls like they are grown up. I prefer that my kids to dress like young children as long as they can. Target has a great selection of age appropriate outfits. They also sell cute outfits for all different holidays depending on the time of the year. Years past I have gotten flower girls dresses, Easter dresses, and Christmas dresses from Target.

The Women’s clothing at Target has a great selection for women of all sizes and styles. You can top off your great style with fun hats and accessories that are always in fashion. You can get clothes for any season or occasion, such as bathing suits and breezy dresses for the hot summer days, and comfortable jeans, and even that beautiful black dress for date night. Sometimes shopping or maternity clothes can be frustrating because you know that you are only going to be wearing the clothes for nine months before they are going to be put in a box and shoved under the bed, or passed to a friend. The prices for maternity clothes are pretty high for the most part, and Target is not really any different. Target does have great sales though. Some of the maternity clothes can be on sale up to 75% off. All of the maternity clothes are very stylish and Target has the clothes that show off your baby bump, or hide it.

Although you can get most of your electronic needs, if you do not know what you are looking for I recommend that you go to Best Buy to get your questions answered. Target does have a lot of different video games and movies. If you are going to buy something that is behind the glass, be prepared to wait for a while, because it always takes forever for them to find the keys and unlock the door. It gets pretty frustrating having to ask a few different people to help you and they tell you they are going to get the keys and do not come back (this has happened to me more than once at Target).

Target has the most recent toys for your kids. They have aisles of Dora the Explorer, Princesses, and all the newest action figures. For your young children they have all First Steps, and Leap Frog toys. Your children are never too young to learn, and the colorful and educational toys are a great way to start.

Target is my favorite place to shop in Tyler. I have done all my baby registries and wedding registry there. You can get anything there from toilet paper and paper towels to suit cases and camping gear. Although I do like the Target that is in Tyler, Tyler really does need a target super Center so that there really is a one stop store and I can get everything I need.