thrift

Recently, I started going to thrift stores again. I started going on my own when I was in high school and for years and years and years afterwards. It was the only way I ever got anything interesting. Even when I was in college and in a completely different area, I would go constantly.

When I had a "real" job working in an office, I got a lot of my clothes from thrift stores- things I never would have been able to afford and still pay for silly things like rent, my car, ..food.

I thought about all the great things I would find for Lily once she was born, but then I never even looked. I started using coupons instead and watching sales and clearance deals.. getting into the reward programs at stores. (And don't even get me started on Target.) I was saving just as much money, if not more, on brand new things for her.. and myself.. and whatever else.

So there it was. I stopped with the thrift stores. The number of times I was in a thrift store in the first five years of her life could probably be counted on one hand. But, I never even really thought about it.

Until recently. I just went. I didn't go to look at clothes, but then there I was suddenly.. in the kids section. Not only that, but the very first item I happened upon.. on the end of the rack, facing me, with about 6 feet of open space next to it.. was something I knew Lily would love. A pair of pink corduroy Crewcuts (J.Crew's kids line) pants with little orange dogs embroidered on them. In her exact size. For $7.00.

A few pants down the line was another pair.. from the Gap. Really cute, plaid- perfect for "real" school in the fall- 50% off for $3.00.
I looked through Noah's sizes too and found a lightweight jacket also from the Gap. The cuffs and pockets are perfect- looks like it's brand new. He won't be able to wear it for at least another year, but for $3.00 (also 50%) I couldn't leave it.

Then I went back for one more thing. A small bag of Little People animal toys, about half of them on wheels. (Noah is insane for anything on wheels.) I had seen them when I first came in and thought about his birthday coming up. Used toys as a birthday present? (And that is why I hadn't picked them up.) But, you know.. he's never going to know. And once they get a nice bath in some warm soapy water.. good as new. And what difference does it make any way?

It was $15.00 for all four things. So apparently I am rehooked.

still doing a great job

I dropped Lily off at school this morning and leaned over to see if there was anything in her cubby I needed to know about. There was. Something green. I started to pull it out and saw it was a shirt. A short sleeved, green t-shirt. Oh, weird.. that's not Lily's.. oh, wait.. it is. Did she spill something one day, had to change her shirt, and I just never noticed that she came home wearing something different than she left the house in?? Good job paying attention, mommy.

But, there was also a piece of paper with the shirt.. a note.. letting me know that I needed to replace it with winter appropriate attire. It wasn't like her extra clothes were a tank top and a pair of shorts. Ug, honestly.. (eye roll).

Guess what she wore to school today? A short sleeve t-shirt.

what we did

1. I tried knitting mittens for the first time. I made them for myself.. and they seem to have come out really well. Also, they are nice and warm- which is a good quality to have in your mittens.
2. Our December weather was all over the place, but we were prepared.
3. Found a flaming barcode on something I ate. Figured I should share it.
4. Christmas Eve was a travel day for us. It was also the first time driving my new car into a major city. Since there are only Lily and Noah's car seats in the back, I took the rear head rests off and that helped a lot with visibility. So much so that I've just left them off. I have no idea if it's illegal or not. I can't imagine that it is. Hopefully I won't ever have to officially find out.
5. Christmas Day was as Christmas Day usually is with my small children.
6. New money. You can tell I don't see it much. The new security features on bills are so elaborate.. looks fake.
7. I got myself an after-Christmas present of a little tool set for the house. With lots of tiny screwdrivers and such. It was $3.00, but really worth about a thousand times that when I won't have to play hide and seek the next time I need to replace batteries.
8. I went to great lengths to decorate for the new year. No. No, I didn't. Lily made a hat at school and I put it on top of our Christmas tree star. She wanted to know why I did that. Why not?
9. For the first time in awhile I have a hat for the winter. I make them for everyone else.. and finally one for myself this year.

staying in the lines and other boring things

(Lily and I were doing some post-Christmas coloring the other day..)

You don't like coloring in the lines, huh?

No.

Mmm, it's hard sometimes..

No, it's hard all the time.