Mom-To-Mom Sale!

There’s a huge consignment sale that happens twice a year in my hometown. (It’s so big that it takes place at the sportsplex (where Lamar works!) and occupies an indoor soccer field and a few indoor basketball courts)! Before we moved back here, I didn’t really get to take advantage of it. I missed it last year because I had a teacher workshop, and the year before, I went on the last day (when a lot of the good stuff was gone).
This time, I made out like a bandit!
My friend (who is really thrifty and good at shopping) recommended that we get there an hour before the doors open. I’ve never been the first in line for a big shopping event (I usually avoid anything involving long lines), so this was exciting ! I thought about bringing Livia and putting her in the carrier, but I took her to my Mom’s instead. I’m SO GLAD I did. The waiting would have been awful for her. We got there right at 8 and were the second people in line. There were a few benches open, so we were some of the lucky few that got to sit for an hour instead of stand. 15 minutes after we got there, there was a line out the door. And the sale didn’t start for another 45 minutes!
On one side of the Sportsplex, you could buy clothes, shoes, and small toys. On the other side, there were strollers, car seats, and BIG toys (ride on cars,play kitchens, etc). There were lines to get in on both sides, but once you paid $2 and had your wristband, you could skip the line and go back and forth to each side.
Before the doors opened, I made sure I had an idea of where everything was, so I could be done shopping as soon as possible. I was looking for two things: a booster seat to keep at my Mom’s house and a nice Spring jacket for Livia. I also planned to get some size 3T things for her to grow into. My friend said she’d look out for some cute shoes so I could focus on getting what I needed to get. Seeing the long line behind me gave me a pretty big adrenaline rush!
My first stop was the 3T aisle. I breezed through there. I didn’t even look at the price tags, I knew everything averaged $4-$5 anyways. I found TWO cute Spring jackets right away. Then, I found THE most beautiful floral dress. I don’t even know when she’ll wear it! But I got it anyways! Then I found 4 more. A “4th of July” dress, an Easter-y dress, a Christmas-y dress, and a casual dress.
I found a few shirts (I really hoped to find more shirts, but a lot of them were “graphic tees” and I don’t like those. Maybe I’ll go back Sunday). I also found 2 skirts and 2 pairs of shorts. My friend helped me find SIX pairs of shoes, one of which is a very nice pair of pink and grey New Balances. $8. Livia loves sneakers, so I had to get them !
Now that I was done shopping for clothes, I had to run to the OTHER side to look for a booster seat. My friend held my two big bags of clothes/shoes so I could get there before they were sold out. Thank God for her!
The line was SO long by the time I got there, I would’ve waited an hour if I didn’t have a wristband!
I speed walked over to the high chair area. YES! I found a simple little booster seat. Then, sitting there completely ignored, I saw a Bilibo chair ! For half the price it is online ! I must’ve looked extra excited because people seemed to be wondering why I was so excited over this:

Well, it’s a really popular (award-winning) toy for open-ended play. (“Open-ended” means it doesn’t have a specific use, the child uses the toy however he/she wants, making it up as he/she goes). To adults, it looks like a weird bowl. But to kids, the possibilities are endless. It’s very durable, so kids can sit and rock in this thing, use it as a “helmet” put water in it, wherever their imagination takes them. Anywho, my inner preschool teacher can’t resist a good open ended material, so I got it.
Then, just as I was about to go pay, I saw it. A white, pristine condition KidKraft play kitchen. The one I’ve been thinking about getting Livia. Yes, she has a perfectly good kitchen now. But this one is perfect! It has a sink, a microwave, an oven, AND a refrigerator! And it was only $50 (they retail for $150 and up)! There were at least 3 other women eyeing it down, so I knew I couldn’t walk off…but it was too heavy for me to lift! I tried dragging it. It wasn’t happening. Thankfully, I was able to flag down a guy working there. He helped me carry it to my car! Just as we got to the parking lot, I heard Lamar’s voice “Really?” He was in his car, just getting to work. I told him I was going to the sale to buy “two or three things”, so you can imagine the look on his face when he saw this big fancy play kitchen ! Being the awesome hubby he is, he made space for the kitchen in his car, since mine is smaller. 🙂
I ran back inside and paid for the clothes. For 6 pairs of shoes, 5 NICE dresses, a few nice shirts (one Tommy Hilfiger), a few pairs of shorts AND a Fireman dress-up outfit, I spent $105. Add in the play kitchen, the Bilibo rocking chair and the booster seat, I spent a GRAND TOTAL of $170. The kitchen by itself would’ve been at least $150, so who KNOWS how much I saved!
Livia is napping and has no idea about the play kitchen. Lamar is on his way to bring it home. I can’t wait for her to wake up and see her surprise!!!