Best Dressed For Less Consignment Sale!

I've been a busy mom, getting ready for the Best Dressed For Less Consignment Sale.  Coming up October 1st - 3rd in the Burlington Mall - if you have never been to  a consignment sale,  you have NO idea what you are missing!   And if you have never sold at a consignment sale - seriously - try it sometime!  It is a great way to make some money, and an even greater way to save some money while dressing your kids in the best brands. 

Being a shopaholic type of mom, my kids are usually overloaded with clothes and toys.  So when the clothes are outgrown, the toys are cluttering us to death and we are just ready to clean out the house, along comes the sale.   Perfect timing - they have a sale in the spring and the fall, just when you are ready to clear things out.  I usually start in the play room, looking for toys and games, check for outgrown baby gear, and then move to the closets and PURGE.  Here's how my van looked on the way to the sale last  year, with 10 rubbermaid containers, a stroller, pack & play and all kinds of other fun stuff:

And apparently I am not the only mama cleaning out the house, because THIS is what the sale looks like on opening day:

So now I have a list of things to look for.  I'm always looking for fun outside play toys.  C'mon, those play kitchens retail for hundreds of dollars when they are new - I see them at the sale for $20-50 !!  And the ride on cars??  Those are always a great deal.  Everything is super clean, inspected upon drop off so that nothing junky is sold. 

I'm also in the market for some DVDs.  Yep, they have them here, and what better way to buy some new movies for the car - $2-5 each instead of $20 at the store?  You've got a deal!   I'll be looking for snow boots - I got some last year for $4 !!  And maybe some winter coats - my son's Lands End winter coat was only $12 last year and it looked like new.   Good thing I am selling stuff, huh?  I may be able to break even if all my stuff sells.  As long as I don't start looking through the clothes .... My girl needs some jeans .. and maybe some brown cords ... hmmm.

Speaking of selling stuff.  And back to my mid life crisis from last week.  I am going to attempt to sell  Miss M's stroller and high chair at the sale.  I say "attempt" because I am really not sure if I am ready to part with them.  OK, maybe the Prima Pappa high chair.  But look how cute she was in it:

And it is PINK.  My bestest besties all chipped in and got me this high chair for my baby shower.  I loved it.  I still love it.  But since there will be no more babies using it and since my girl tells me every day that she is NOT a baby and she does NOT want to sit in the baby seat, I have to let it go.  I did not have this problem with the gear from the boys.  I used it and used it again and then used it one more time as it cycled through three boys.  By the time boy three was done with the gear, it was outdated, worn out and gross.  It was not hard to part with any of that.  With these girly things, I am just not quite ready.  Oh, I am ready to have the room in the house, ready to stop bumping into stuff that we don't use - but not ready to say goodbye to something that I feel that I JUST painstakingly researched and dreamt about (never mind that it has been 3 years).  And that brings me to the next item. 

The stroller.  More specifically, the I'Coo Infinity stroller with adjustable handle, 5 point safety harness, reversible multi adjustable seat AND the most gorgeous shade of apple green.  I had to have the green.  This came out right around the same time as the sister stroller, the  I'Coo Rockstar, designed my Bon Jovi himself - but I did NOT want the Rock Star, I wanted the apple green.  I wanted this stroller because it was reversible - I could turn the seat and my baby girl could look at me while we walked.  Or I could turn it around and she could embrace the world.  Little did I know that she'd spend more time being pushed by her brothers than me, and that she'd hit the age of 2 and become a little old lady who wanted to do everything "myselfffff."   So now she walks everywhere.  And I do not need this stroller.  I hardly used this stroller.  But it is such a pretty thing.

I can't quite remove myself from the stroller just yet.  I can't stop imagining that I will put my girl in the stroller and she will once more be a sweet little munchkin, content to look at me and take in the air.  The idea of this is so vivid in my mind, and such a beautiful memory, and I just don't know if I will be able to drop this stroller off at the sale.  Look at her.  

I have it entered in to sell.  I have until next week to break my hoarding cycle and get a grip on reality.  My girl does not want to ride in a stroller.  She does not want to sit in the high chair.  She is 3 and the baby years are done.  But wow, that is one sweet stroller, isn't it?  Don't be surprised if you see me walking it through the neighborhood one last time, with or without a kid inside. 

If you live in NJ or anywhere nearby, you have to check out the sale - you are sure to find something great, and I guarantee the price will be right.  And if any of you are looking for a Peg Perego Prima Pappa high chair or an I'coo stroller, you MAY be able to find one at the sale, for 75% off the retail price.  Just maybe. 

Friday, October 1st, 2010, 10am-6pm

Saturday, October 2nd, 2010, 9am-5pm

Sunday, October 3rd, 2010, 11am-3pm

(most items half price on Sunday)

Burlington Center Mall (Lower Level Sears Wing)

2501 Burlington Mt Holly Road (Rte 541)

Burlington Township NJ

You can learn more or join the BDFL mailing list to be notified of future sales at  http://www.bestdressedsale.com/

Ch-Ch-Changes

The alternate title to this blog post is "My Mid Life Crisis" so if you want to back away slowly, I will understand.

When did this happen?  I have been laying awake at night and wondering.

I have packed our days full of family activities, I have homeschooled part of the time, I have been an at home mom for most of my kids' lives, so I KNOW I was there when it happened, but I still don't know why I look at my three boys and see this:

I am expecting to see this.

Or maybe this

The realization that my BABY BOY is nine years old hit me like a ton of bricks the other day.  NINE years old? 

I was JUST nine years old yesterday.  Or last week.  I remember it clearly.  We moved.  I broke my arm.  It was a busy year and I was almost an adult (in my mind anyway) and there is no WAY my baby is nine.  THIS is what nine looks like.

Errrr, well, for some people nine looks better than that, but give me a break, it was the 70's.  But back to my point.  My baby can't be NINE and my oldest son CANNOT be going to high school.  CANNOT.  Nevermind that he just DID.

Thank goodness I still have my baby at home, and one more homeschooling (and I will not discuss the fact that my middle son is 12 and his feet are bigger than mine and he'll be taller than me, probably next Saturday around 4 pm).  I'll just say that you might want to keep these two in  your thoughts and prayers, as they are now spending way too much time with a mom in crisis.  Mid life crisis.  Lots of comments about how big they are getting, how they will always be my babies and I'll probably be kissing them a little too much.

Maybe I should just buy a sports car.

A Day in the Life

We are occasionally asked if Miss M is going to school this year.   People wonder if she is going to preschool somewhere, or is she ready for kindergarten (Silly, she is only three!) and the invariable question, "Are you homeschooling her?"  I am here to tell you today, this girl of mine is MUCH too busy for school.  

First of all, she has to take care of the garden. 

Are we the only ones who had TONS of green tomatoes this year?  I think we had ONE red one all season.

After the garden, we have to get our exercise.  A walk through the woods is just the ticket.

There are some animals on that log behind her - nature girl had to take the time to identify them. 

With 100% certainty, she says they are CATS.  Obviously.

No mom, they are NOT turtles.  CATS.  I'm tellin' ya!

Time to check the swings at the park and make sure they are in working order.

This one seems safe.

Best part of the job - swinging really super high!

One more push??

C'mon mom, you know you want to ...

We have to check on the ducks on the way home.

And make sure we put the babies to bed for their naps.

Quick dip in the pool.  Checking the temperature.

WAY too cold.  Unacceptable!

And finally - the girl has to taste test the gluten free cake and chocolate frosting.  Its a rough job but someone has to do it. 

All of this before 4 pm.

 Is it any wonder she has no time for preschool?