We had a good 2011! Here are some highlights from the year (though I am sure I forgot some things that happened in my old age! ha):
1. Owen played tackle football for the first time. He love it, but the practice schedule about killed out family life from August through October! Luckily, we get a break until next fall!
2. Arden started pre-K and changed buildings. She has a certified teacher this year and is learning a lot!
3. Owen began middle school with 5th grade and also changed buildings. He now has 4 teachers for his core subjects and loves it.
4. I began the process of working toward National Board Teacher Certification in March 2011 and will complete the entries and tests on March 31, 2012. I will find out in November 2012 if I passed in the first year. This gives me a national teacher's license plus higher salary in Arkansas once I pass for the life of the ten year license. So far,I have logged in over 225 hours of work on it.
5. We took our first BIG family vacation across the country (by car for 20 hours) to Washington D.C. and were gone ten days. It was an amazing adventure, and we all loved D.C. We saw the 4th of July fireworks on the National Mall.
6. Stuart traveled to Seattle for a work conference and got to see the home of Starbucks! He also went to the Catalyst conference in Atlanta in October with one of his best friends.
7. I got my own permanent classroom at my school for the first time this year! Yea! No more floating with a cart into various classrooms up and down the hall. It is such a luxury!
8. I attended my first Beth Moore conference live in Little Rock with my mom. It was a fun girls' weekend!
9. We completed the hardwood installation in our house this year with flooring installed in the living room, hallway, dining room, and office. I love it!
10. Stuart has gotten to go on some photography adventures and practice with his new SLR camera. He is getting really good!
11. Arden got her long hair cut off into an adorable angled bob hairstyle in August. I love it, and it is so much easier to maintain. However, it really made her look much more grown up, and we realize that she is not a toddler anymore.
12. Hudson has had a great year with his first male teacher in 2nd grade this year. He has gotten an award almost weekly for most helpful, most responsible, etc. He has been voted student of the week the most times of any student in his class, and was a Kiwanis Terrific Kid in September! He has really developed his love (obsession) for math this year and asked for a calculator for Christmas!
13. The boys and I attended several performances at the Rogers Little Theater this year (which we didn't know about last year). We have seen "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "The Sound of Music," and "Christmas Story" in 2011. Owen loved Joseph best!
14. We enjoyed touring the new Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville which opened in November 2011. It is beautiful and amazing; it even impressed a ten year old boy who doesn't really like art!
We hope your family had a happy and healthy 2011. May 2012 bring us even closer to the ones we love. May God grant us all peace and favor in His eyes this coming year.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
Merry Christmas!
We have had a fun month of December, even though it seems like it has flown by faster than ever! I took Owen to see "A Christmas Story" play at the Rogers Little Theater, we toured Crystal Bridges museum which opened recently, and we saw Santa in our neighborhood. My mom came for a weekend visit where we drove to Branson and saw the great light display at Silver Dollar City. It really makes you feel like Christmas when you are walking around at night in a lit village atmosphere, listening to Christmas carols and sipping hot chocolate!
We went to school longer this year than ever before due to the calendar changes for our district, and we did not get out until December 21. We left the next morning to drive to Camden to see Stuart's mom and sister's family until the 24th. The kids had fun playing with their five cousins from Ohio, and the highlight was playing nighttime flashlight tag outside! I was worried that someone was going to trip and break an ankle, but the kids loved it.
We returned home on the night of the 24th to finish the remaining tasks to get ready for Santa to arrive! Arden has been such a fun age this year since she sincerely believes everything is real, and she is so animated about talking about Santa, Rudolph, and Jesus. We put out reindeer food for Santa's sleigh, and the kids actually slept in until almost 7:30 on Christmas morning before wandering in to find presents.
Favorite gifts from us or relatives include:
Owen: ipod shuffle, Vikings jersey, Connect 4 Launchers
Hudson: Pokemon playset, Bey blades triple battle set, Angry Birds game, calculator
Arden: American Girl bitty baby, Fur-Real barking/moving dog, doll clothes, pet shop set, and a kids' digital camera
Stuart: Starbucks gift card, monogrammed shaving kit, new snow boots
Michelle: red Tom's shoes, silver earrings, lots of great gift cards from students, a fleece jacket, and a lava lamp (from Owen :)
Arden turns 4 tomorrow! Where has the time gone? So, we will be wrapping birthday gifts today in Tinkerbell paper and trying to find a store to make a cookie cake for her since that is what she wants. I think we will eat at Chili's and use one of my gift cards for a fun celebration dinner for her tomorrow night!
It was a great Christmas, and we are glad to have some family time to relax and stay indoors. We hope you had a wonderful holiday with your family.
We went to school longer this year than ever before due to the calendar changes for our district, and we did not get out until December 21. We left the next morning to drive to Camden to see Stuart's mom and sister's family until the 24th. The kids had fun playing with their five cousins from Ohio, and the highlight was playing nighttime flashlight tag outside! I was worried that someone was going to trip and break an ankle, but the kids loved it.
We returned home on the night of the 24th to finish the remaining tasks to get ready for Santa to arrive! Arden has been such a fun age this year since she sincerely believes everything is real, and she is so animated about talking about Santa, Rudolph, and Jesus. We put out reindeer food for Santa's sleigh, and the kids actually slept in until almost 7:30 on Christmas morning before wandering in to find presents.
Favorite gifts from us or relatives include:
Owen: ipod shuffle, Vikings jersey, Connect 4 Launchers
Hudson: Pokemon playset, Bey blades triple battle set, Angry Birds game, calculator
Arden: American Girl bitty baby, Fur-Real barking/moving dog, doll clothes, pet shop set, and a kids' digital camera
Stuart: Starbucks gift card, monogrammed shaving kit, new snow boots
Michelle: red Tom's shoes, silver earrings, lots of great gift cards from students, a fleece jacket, and a lava lamp (from Owen :)
Arden turns 4 tomorrow! Where has the time gone? So, we will be wrapping birthday gifts today in Tinkerbell paper and trying to find a store to make a cookie cake for her since that is what she wants. I think we will eat at Chili's and use one of my gift cards for a fun celebration dinner for her tomorrow night!
It was a great Christmas, and we are glad to have some family time to relax and stay indoors. We hope you had a wonderful holiday with your family.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Holiday Do's and Won'ts
Today is Thanksgiving, and in all honesty it hasn't been the best one we've ever had. Thankfully, we know we have plenty to be thankful about, and it isn't all about this one day. We are still home in Bentonville and did not travel to be with Stuart's family today because Arden is sick. She got a cold this week, and it got progressively worse yesterday with more coughing and a high fever. She woke up in the middle of the night burning up, so we all stayed here today to see if she improves. So, it has been a bit of a let-down. The boys were upset that they didn't get to eat Thanksgiving with their grandmother, and I had most of the food here since I was going to transport it five hours to my in-law's. So, my mother-in-law had no meal today. I did prepare the ham and side dishes for us to eat, but it just didn't really feel like Thanksgiving. Arden's fever was gone this morning, but now that it is almost early evening, she is looking flushed again, and sure enough, she is running a temp. Sigh. So, it might be that she has to go to the pediatrician tomorrow while Stuart and the boys go to visit his mom.
I can't believe that we are already in the holiday season, and in reality, I am having to make some changes this year because I just feel a bit overwhelmed. I am really busy at school, and my free planning time is being taken up with National Board revisions, copying student work, and planning lessons that I can use to fit National Board entries. I will be done by early April, but this is getting to be peak time in this process. I did order quite a few Christmas gifts online in order to get ahead on the game, and that has helped tremendously. It is very relaxing to have Amazon deliver large boxes right to my front door!
So, this season, I have decided that there will have to be some do's and some won'ts. I can't do it all; I do not want to feel rushed and stressed throughout the entire holiday season and miss the reflection on our Savior's birth and enjoying quality time with my kids. So, this year there will not be any Christmas cards going out. I will not be dressing up my kids in matching outfits and trying to get the perfect photo to send out on Christmas cards to friends. I figure everyone can remember what we looked like from last year, and then I will try again next year. In fact, I think I may permanently do Christmas cards on a bi-yearly schedule. I will not dress up the kids in matching pajamas when they have plenty of pairs that will do, and I will not put out all the extra Christmas decorations this year. I think just the mantle, stockings, and tree will do me in! I won't attend work parties that I really don't want to go to, and I won't wrap all my gifts in matching, themed Christmas paper. I shortened the Christmas list, and the kids will get less presents this year in order to save both time and money. Every year it seems that they are finished with most of the toys by New Years anyway! I won't mail packages at the post office, so any gift out of my area will have to be a gift card or shipped by a merchant directly.
However, I will decorate our tree with 41 years of my own ornaments and ones for each of my kids' years since birth. We will shop with each child for their perfect ornament to symbolize 2011. We will decorate a gingerbread house and put way too much candy on it, so that the candies on the roof begin to slide off. I will take Owen to see a Christmas holiday theater production, and we will all trek up to Branson to enjoy the Christmas lights at Silver Dollar City. My mom and I will go to see Crystal Bridges museum, and I will take the kids to ice skate outdoors at our local ice skating rink. We will watch The Grinch, The Sound of Music, and The Charlie Brown Christmas special. Stuart will pop popcorn the old-fashioned way on the stove, and we will eat lots of candy canes. I will attempt the advent readings that I try to do each year but usually only make to day 10. We will enjoy Christmas specials on tv and read our collection of Christmas books to the children out loud each night. My classes will collect presents for 3 needy children, and I will deliver them to a collection site. I will give my kids money to put in the red pot for Salvation Army each time we go to Walmart. We will drink a lot of egg nog. We will play Uno, Life, and Connect Four. We will sing Christmas carols at church, and the kids will play with the Little People nativity set.
I will try to look at the season through the eyes of a child and enjoy the wonder. We will make reindeer food to put out on Christmas Eve, and the kids will play football outside with their cousins.
My "to do's" need to have more meaning and be less about impressing people or living up to expectations. I am sorry if you will miss our Christmas card this year,and I hope you understand; however, you are more than welcome to come and decorate our gingerbread house, go ice skating, or play board games with us!
I can't believe that we are already in the holiday season, and in reality, I am having to make some changes this year because I just feel a bit overwhelmed. I am really busy at school, and my free planning time is being taken up with National Board revisions, copying student work, and planning lessons that I can use to fit National Board entries. I will be done by early April, but this is getting to be peak time in this process. I did order quite a few Christmas gifts online in order to get ahead on the game, and that has helped tremendously. It is very relaxing to have Amazon deliver large boxes right to my front door!
So, this season, I have decided that there will have to be some do's and some won'ts. I can't do it all; I do not want to feel rushed and stressed throughout the entire holiday season and miss the reflection on our Savior's birth and enjoying quality time with my kids. So, this year there will not be any Christmas cards going out. I will not be dressing up my kids in matching outfits and trying to get the perfect photo to send out on Christmas cards to friends. I figure everyone can remember what we looked like from last year, and then I will try again next year. In fact, I think I may permanently do Christmas cards on a bi-yearly schedule. I will not dress up the kids in matching pajamas when they have plenty of pairs that will do, and I will not put out all the extra Christmas decorations this year. I think just the mantle, stockings, and tree will do me in! I won't attend work parties that I really don't want to go to, and I won't wrap all my gifts in matching, themed Christmas paper. I shortened the Christmas list, and the kids will get less presents this year in order to save both time and money. Every year it seems that they are finished with most of the toys by New Years anyway! I won't mail packages at the post office, so any gift out of my area will have to be a gift card or shipped by a merchant directly.
However, I will decorate our tree with 41 years of my own ornaments and ones for each of my kids' years since birth. We will shop with each child for their perfect ornament to symbolize 2011. We will decorate a gingerbread house and put way too much candy on it, so that the candies on the roof begin to slide off. I will take Owen to see a Christmas holiday theater production, and we will all trek up to Branson to enjoy the Christmas lights at Silver Dollar City. My mom and I will go to see Crystal Bridges museum, and I will take the kids to ice skate outdoors at our local ice skating rink. We will watch The Grinch, The Sound of Music, and The Charlie Brown Christmas special. Stuart will pop popcorn the old-fashioned way on the stove, and we will eat lots of candy canes. I will attempt the advent readings that I try to do each year but usually only make to day 10. We will enjoy Christmas specials on tv and read our collection of Christmas books to the children out loud each night. My classes will collect presents for 3 needy children, and I will deliver them to a collection site. I will give my kids money to put in the red pot for Salvation Army each time we go to Walmart. We will drink a lot of egg nog. We will play Uno, Life, and Connect Four. We will sing Christmas carols at church, and the kids will play with the Little People nativity set.
I will try to look at the season through the eyes of a child and enjoy the wonder. We will make reindeer food to put out on Christmas Eve, and the kids will play football outside with their cousins.
My "to do's" need to have more meaning and be less about impressing people or living up to expectations. I am sorry if you will miss our Christmas card this year,and I hope you understand; however, you are more than welcome to come and decorate our gingerbread house, go ice skating, or play board games with us!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Fall has Flown
Football finally ended last week! Owen shed some tears when his team lost early in the playoffs, but it is so nice not to be tied down to a nightly practice most days of the week! I am glad he enjoyed it,but we are taking a break from any competitive sports for the next few months. I am looking forward to eating dinner together and having everyone home together in the evenings.
Halloween parties were on Friday, and I took a half day personal day to go to Hudson's school and see his costume parade and attend his class party. Then, I went to Arden's party at her pre-K at 3:00. Hudson dressed up like Hulk, and Arden was a Razorback cheerleader.
Hudson also came down with his first fall/winter illness of the season. He got a respiratory bug this week that did not keep him home from school, but he was coughing and dragging with it. On Thursday night, he woke up crying and said his left ear hurt. Now, we know what that means . . . ear infection! Stuart took him to the pediatrician on Friday afternoon after his party at school ended, and he did have an ear infection. Thankfully, he did not run fever, so he was able to attend his party! He is now on antibiotics and feeling much better.
Whooping cough broke out in Owen's homeroom at his middle school which resulted in six kids getting sick. So, the AR Dept of Health contacted me and said that he needed to begin antibiotics to prevent illness. Shortly after we began his Z-pack, the school called me and said he now needs a booster of the pertussis vaccine which they will provide at a shot clinic at the school this week. Thankfully, Owen has not gotten sick, but it has been a lot of phone calls and medication due to this outbreak.
We are trying to get a head start on Christmas shopping, as I have done NONE. I just didn't have the time to do anything this summer with working on National Board entries for several weeks, and it has been so hectic since school resumed. I am going to take the boys to Walmart to pick out things to put on their list, so we can start shopping before too much longer. Also, I think I am going to take a year off from sending Christmas cards this year, then I will try to get a new photo taken and a card out next year! It is so expensive and time consuming to address all those cards, and I am so busy with working on National Board writing that is due in March. I am trying to cut out all non-essential things this year, so that I don't get too stressed out, or time isn't taken away from my kids or family. I want to enjoy the reason for the season and not feel like I am always behind!
I did finally break down and hire a cleaning company to clean my house every other week which has been a real blessing! It is much cleaner than it's been in a while, and I don't have to spend my weekend doing it since I have very little free time right now. Now, if I could just find someone to come and do all my laundry . . .
Halloween parties were on Friday, and I took a half day personal day to go to Hudson's school and see his costume parade and attend his class party. Then, I went to Arden's party at her pre-K at 3:00. Hudson dressed up like Hulk, and Arden was a Razorback cheerleader.
Hudson also came down with his first fall/winter illness of the season. He got a respiratory bug this week that did not keep him home from school, but he was coughing and dragging with it. On Thursday night, he woke up crying and said his left ear hurt. Now, we know what that means . . . ear infection! Stuart took him to the pediatrician on Friday afternoon after his party at school ended, and he did have an ear infection. Thankfully, he did not run fever, so he was able to attend his party! He is now on antibiotics and feeling much better.
Whooping cough broke out in Owen's homeroom at his middle school which resulted in six kids getting sick. So, the AR Dept of Health contacted me and said that he needed to begin antibiotics to prevent illness. Shortly after we began his Z-pack, the school called me and said he now needs a booster of the pertussis vaccine which they will provide at a shot clinic at the school this week. Thankfully, Owen has not gotten sick, but it has been a lot of phone calls and medication due to this outbreak.
We are trying to get a head start on Christmas shopping, as I have done NONE. I just didn't have the time to do anything this summer with working on National Board entries for several weeks, and it has been so hectic since school resumed. I am going to take the boys to Walmart to pick out things to put on their list, so we can start shopping before too much longer. Also, I think I am going to take a year off from sending Christmas cards this year, then I will try to get a new photo taken and a card out next year! It is so expensive and time consuming to address all those cards, and I am so busy with working on National Board writing that is due in March. I am trying to cut out all non-essential things this year, so that I don't get too stressed out, or time isn't taken away from my kids or family. I want to enjoy the reason for the season and not feel like I am always behind!
I did finally break down and hire a cleaning company to clean my house every other week which has been a real blessing! It is much cleaner than it's been in a while, and I don't have to spend my weekend doing it since I have very little free time right now. Now, if I could just find someone to come and do all my laundry . . .
Monday, September 5, 2011
Frugal vs. Splurges
I buy a lot of things used; my friends usually tease me if they know me well and ask if any new purchase came from "the thrift store"! All of Arden's shoes, pajamas, clothing, winter coat, etc. just came from a children's consignment sale. I just bought three twin sheet sets from garage sales ($3, $7, and $6 per set for super cute children's sheets). One was Ralph Lauren! I have bought used shoes for myself and the kids, if the brand is good, and they are in good condition.
However, I do splurge on items and buy some things new. I like name-brands, and I am not one of those people who wears clothing that is styled from the 1970's just because the whole outfit cost $3 at Goodwill. So, here are a few of my tips:
1. shop consignment and thrift stores regularly. The merchandise changes all the time. I find super cute home accessories from time to time. I always find good books for me and the kids (or my classroom) for .25 cents to a dollar for a hardcover. My favorite ones are Goodwill, The Salvation Army store on Walnut, and Helping Hands on 28th.
2. Consign and shop in large children's consignment sales like Rhea Lana to purchase a large amount of items for young children (and girls will have more in larger sizes than boys)
3. Ebay. This is where I go first when I want some particular brand or a particular shoe size. The per item price will be higher than consignment or thrift stores, but you can get a specific item. For example, I will do a search for "stride rite 10.5" to look for used shoes for Arden. With boys, I will typically have to buy new shoes at their ages now, but I can sometimes find NIB pairs on Ebay cheaper than the same item in the stores. Sheet sets are sold on Ebay for great prices (both new and used). Boutique brands like Matilda Jane, for example, resell well on Ebay, if you are willing to splurge for a special outfit for a photograph session, but it will still be about half of the new retail price. Every time I want to purchase a clothing/shoe/accessory item new, I search for it on Ebay first to see if it is available for less. I even order my salon hair products I love on Ebay for about 1/2 off, and they are new and sealed. I even bought my Delta kitchen faucet fixures from Ebay (new in box) for half of retail!
4. Discount Vouchers/websites: I get regular/daily emails to a variety of discount programs and buy vouchers for items that I would use, usually at 50% off retail. These sites are places like Groupon, Living Social, or NWA Piggy Deal. They have really good discounts on restaurants and services. Also, I shop at www.onekingslane.com for similar discounts. They hold sales each week that highlight certain high end brands, and you can find good deals on brands like Peacock Alley sheets etc. I have bought 6 items there in the past year at One Kings Lane, and I usually buy at least one voucher monthly for some service/restaurant from the other daily deal sites.
5. Stores that have good sales: I have to shop quickly and on sale when I do buy myself clothing. I like Belk a lot because it is smaller than a Dillards. I also love Ann Taylor Loft. They have wonderful promotions and sales. With the store credit card, I get extra promotions/discounts plus a teacher's discount, even on sale items. I always get everything there over half off the retail price. Since it is a small store, I can get in and out quickly, and I know what size I wear. They can order me sizes they don't have and get them shipped to my house for free! I also stay out of clothing stores, in general,unless I have a specific item that I am really needing to purchase. I don't have time to browse malls now that I am teaching full-time, but I also find that it stops me from making a lot of impulse purchases.
6. Coupon codes: before I order from any online retailer, I always do a search for valid coupon codes for that business. Routinely, I can find codes that get me 10-20% off at checkout or give me free shipping. I recently found a valid coupon code for $25 off at www.erincondren.com and purchased the popular life planner for half price by using the code.
7. Outlets: These are probably my least favorite because they really aren't any cheaper than regular stores with sales. However, I do love upscale handbag outlets like Coach because department stores won't have these bags on sale very often. I purchased two Coach purses last fall for only 1/3 each of the retail cost. The quality of the leather is worth the cost, and I got them for only a little more than leather purses from Target by going to the outlet. The closest outlet to me is in Branson, MO.
8. Friends: See if you can find a friend who has children older than yours in the same gender, then you can get free (or cheap) hand-me-downs. I have been blessed to have a friend who gives Arden a lot of her daughter's outgrown clothing. I know of other times I have "shopped" from friend's clothing, and they have let friends know they were selling clothing privately before they sent it to a consignment sale. They would price it more cheaply, and friends got the first picks of the nicer items.
My goal is always to decorate well, look nice, and find a bargain. I can't enjoy my home or my kids' clothing if I am worried about how much money I spent on them. Try a few tips, and see how it goes. Once you see the savings, you will be addicted!
However, I do splurge on items and buy some things new. I like name-brands, and I am not one of those people who wears clothing that is styled from the 1970's just because the whole outfit cost $3 at Goodwill. So, here are a few of my tips:
1. shop consignment and thrift stores regularly. The merchandise changes all the time. I find super cute home accessories from time to time. I always find good books for me and the kids (or my classroom) for .25 cents to a dollar for a hardcover. My favorite ones are Goodwill, The Salvation Army store on Walnut, and Helping Hands on 28th.
2. Consign and shop in large children's consignment sales like Rhea Lana to purchase a large amount of items for young children (and girls will have more in larger sizes than boys)
3. Ebay. This is where I go first when I want some particular brand or a particular shoe size. The per item price will be higher than consignment or thrift stores, but you can get a specific item. For example, I will do a search for "stride rite 10.5" to look for used shoes for Arden. With boys, I will typically have to buy new shoes at their ages now, but I can sometimes find NIB pairs on Ebay cheaper than the same item in the stores. Sheet sets are sold on Ebay for great prices (both new and used). Boutique brands like Matilda Jane, for example, resell well on Ebay, if you are willing to splurge for a special outfit for a photograph session, but it will still be about half of the new retail price. Every time I want to purchase a clothing/shoe/accessory item new, I search for it on Ebay first to see if it is available for less. I even order my salon hair products I love on Ebay for about 1/2 off, and they are new and sealed. I even bought my Delta kitchen faucet fixures from Ebay (new in box) for half of retail!
4. Discount Vouchers/websites: I get regular/daily emails to a variety of discount programs and buy vouchers for items that I would use, usually at 50% off retail. These sites are places like Groupon, Living Social, or NWA Piggy Deal. They have really good discounts on restaurants and services. Also, I shop at www.onekingslane.com for similar discounts. They hold sales each week that highlight certain high end brands, and you can find good deals on brands like Peacock Alley sheets etc. I have bought 6 items there in the past year at One Kings Lane, and I usually buy at least one voucher monthly for some service/restaurant from the other daily deal sites.
5. Stores that have good sales: I have to shop quickly and on sale when I do buy myself clothing. I like Belk a lot because it is smaller than a Dillards. I also love Ann Taylor Loft. They have wonderful promotions and sales. With the store credit card, I get extra promotions/discounts plus a teacher's discount, even on sale items. I always get everything there over half off the retail price. Since it is a small store, I can get in and out quickly, and I know what size I wear. They can order me sizes they don't have and get them shipped to my house for free! I also stay out of clothing stores, in general,unless I have a specific item that I am really needing to purchase. I don't have time to browse malls now that I am teaching full-time, but I also find that it stops me from making a lot of impulse purchases.
6. Coupon codes: before I order from any online retailer, I always do a search for valid coupon codes for that business. Routinely, I can find codes that get me 10-20% off at checkout or give me free shipping. I recently found a valid coupon code for $25 off at www.erincondren.com and purchased the popular life planner for half price by using the code.
7. Outlets: These are probably my least favorite because they really aren't any cheaper than regular stores with sales. However, I do love upscale handbag outlets like Coach because department stores won't have these bags on sale very often. I purchased two Coach purses last fall for only 1/3 each of the retail cost. The quality of the leather is worth the cost, and I got them for only a little more than leather purses from Target by going to the outlet. The closest outlet to me is in Branson, MO.
8. Friends: See if you can find a friend who has children older than yours in the same gender, then you can get free (or cheap) hand-me-downs. I have been blessed to have a friend who gives Arden a lot of her daughter's outgrown clothing. I know of other times I have "shopped" from friend's clothing, and they have let friends know they were selling clothing privately before they sent it to a consignment sale. They would price it more cheaply, and friends got the first picks of the nicer items.
My goal is always to decorate well, look nice, and find a bargain. I can't enjoy my home or my kids' clothing if I am worried about how much money I spent on them. Try a few tips, and see how it goes. Once you see the savings, you will be addicted!
Labor Day Weekend
My mom came for a visit this weekend and arrived on Friday; she will leave tomorrow when we all head back to work and school. It has been a fun visit with a visit to Braums to get hamburgers and ice cream, a tour of the Walmart visitor's center which has been recently remodeled, a visit to see my classroom, and a getaway to see the movie The Help which I have been dying to see (I read the book awhile ago and highly recommend it).
While we were seeing the movie yesterday afternoon, Arden and the boys were home with Stuart. During that time, Arden managed to sneak into the kitchen, get scissors, and take them to her bedroom. She proceeded to cut out several large chunks of her hair! Yes, the newly styled, adorable bob haircut that we got last weekend! Apparently, getting a haircut made her interested in cutting hair because people were telling her how cute her hair was. She told me she "wanted to be even cuter" by cutting it some more. It could have been a lot worse, but now she has a section on one side that looks like long bangs where she chopped off about 3 inches. It makes me sick, but I know it will grow back. I guess I need to go to Gymboree and buy more of these barrettes that stay in her hair, so I can pull it back to the side. It is too short now to put behind her ears or pull up into an elastic. I really don't want to cut the front into short bangs since I want it to grow out. Sigh.
The cooler temps from this weekend are beginning to make it feel like fall is on its way, and it makes me want to go to Silver Dollar City soon. The kids were hoping to go to the pool one last time this weekend, but we haven't gotten to do that since it got too cool. Maybe it will warm up enough for that this week!
Stuart got back from his trip to Seattle, and I have been doing constant laundry it seems trying to get everything caught up from unpacking. He has had to work several times this weekend to get caught up from being out of the office. And, yes, Owen has football practice TODAY, on a HOLIDAY!! This practice schedule is still driving me insane; I'm just not a die-hard football fan. I am probably one of the only people living in northwest Arkansas that doesn't watch a single Hogs game! I am not from here, didn't grow up around football (I lived overseas), and I didn't go to college at Arkansas, so it just isn't a big deal to me. But, my son loves it, and I love him, so off to practice we will go.
While we were seeing the movie yesterday afternoon, Arden and the boys were home with Stuart. During that time, Arden managed to sneak into the kitchen, get scissors, and take them to her bedroom. She proceeded to cut out several large chunks of her hair! Yes, the newly styled, adorable bob haircut that we got last weekend! Apparently, getting a haircut made her interested in cutting hair because people were telling her how cute her hair was. She told me she "wanted to be even cuter" by cutting it some more. It could have been a lot worse, but now she has a section on one side that looks like long bangs where she chopped off about 3 inches. It makes me sick, but I know it will grow back. I guess I need to go to Gymboree and buy more of these barrettes that stay in her hair, so I can pull it back to the side. It is too short now to put behind her ears or pull up into an elastic. I really don't want to cut the front into short bangs since I want it to grow out. Sigh.
The cooler temps from this weekend are beginning to make it feel like fall is on its way, and it makes me want to go to Silver Dollar City soon. The kids were hoping to go to the pool one last time this weekend, but we haven't gotten to do that since it got too cool. Maybe it will warm up enough for that this week!
Stuart got back from his trip to Seattle, and I have been doing constant laundry it seems trying to get everything caught up from unpacking. He has had to work several times this weekend to get caught up from being out of the office. And, yes, Owen has football practice TODAY, on a HOLIDAY!! This practice schedule is still driving me insane; I'm just not a die-hard football fan. I am probably one of the only people living in northwest Arkansas that doesn't watch a single Hogs game! I am not from here, didn't grow up around football (I lived overseas), and I didn't go to college at Arkansas, so it just isn't a big deal to me. But, my son loves it, and I love him, so off to practice we will go.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Erin Condren Life Planner
There has been a lot of hype about a planner by Erin Condren. It will supposedly rock your world . . . and your wallet. Anyway, I love organizational items, so I was very curious about this planner and immediately wanted one. They can be personalized, have your photos uploaded on the cover, etc. I missed a big half price promotion a few weeks ago, but I have just located a valid coupon code on the internet for $25 off the $50 planner which still makes it half-price! It was valid today because I just used it, and it went through on check-out without a glitch. My planner should arrive in two weeks!
If you are interested, it is "seeyousoon25" at www.erincondren.com. I have no idea how long it will be valid, so act fast if you want to get one!
If you are interested, it is "seeyousoon25" at www.erincondren.com. I have no idea how long it will be valid, so act fast if you want to get one!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Two Weeks Down
I am really going to try to attempt at least one blog post weekly, mainly for our families and friends to be able to stay caught up with us!
We have now been in school for two weeks, and it is already feeling like I never left! I finally know all my students' names, so it is easier now to call on students or have class discussions. My students seem very sweet and capable, so I think it will be a good year.I have already hit the ground running with curriculum and have introduced Socratic circles this past week. I have never done them this early before, but I am experimenting with it to see if the students will be even better at discussion in May if I start now.
National Board is on the back burner until Thanksgiving, as I don't have a tremendous amount left to write. I hope to send off some of my completed entries to some people to read this fall, so I can get some feedback from other NBPTS teachers. I am collecting writing samples over the course of this semester in order to eventually use these student work samples to analyze for my last entry, and I am experimenting with parent surveys and other ways to increase parental contact as another component that I must document. I have until March to get it written, so my main focus now is just collecting materials and getting into my regular school year duties.
I feel like the first two weeks of school have been MUCH busier than normal due to my time commitments with the Rhea Lana consignment sale which just happened to fall during the first week of school! I tagged my items before school started, but it took me one entire evening to load up and drop off all my items I was selling. Then, I spent a half day last Saturday shopping at the pre-sale. In addition, football practice is ongoing, so that is a huge adjustment to our evenings and family life. I also participated in my school's parent open house on Thursday night and was at school from 8 a.m. until 7:30 p.m that day without a break! It was great to meet the parents, and I had an excellent turn out, but it is exhausting physically. Stuart also left early this morning for a conference out-of-state for a week! I hope I can rest this weekend and try to recuperate!
I really want to see the movie The Help since I read the book and loved it. I have heard the movie is good, but I have no spare time on weeknights to see a movie, and Stuart is gone this weekend, so I have no childcare. Maybe I can squeeze it in during the Labor Day weekend!
Stuart bought a MacBook laptop computer this week and drove all the way to Tulsa to get it (nearest Apple store) because he wanted to take a tutorial on how to use it for some specific features. Now, we have two laptops, and our desk top is still dead. It hasn't worked in over a year, but we have yet to dispose of it, so I dust it, and it acts as a decoration in the office!
The kids want to go to the pool this weekend, since it will close soon, but it looks like it might rain today. All the kids are liking their new teachers, and the school year has been smooth so far. One development is that Owen's middle school now has a bus that drops of faculty's children at my junior high on its afternoon route. So, Owen has been able to come to my classroom about three days every week and sit in the back of my classroom for 30 minutes while I finish up teaching my last class. He really enjoys watching the 7th graders, and it has been working well so far. He has been good not to interrupt or talk to me, as I told him that he can't talk to me until school is dismissed since I'm still working. He brings a book to read, gets on my computer, or listens to the activities we are doing. It is saving us a lot of money in after school care, so I am very thankful that this busing option just started!
We have now been in school for two weeks, and it is already feeling like I never left! I finally know all my students' names, so it is easier now to call on students or have class discussions. My students seem very sweet and capable, so I think it will be a good year.I have already hit the ground running with curriculum and have introduced Socratic circles this past week. I have never done them this early before, but I am experimenting with it to see if the students will be even better at discussion in May if I start now.
National Board is on the back burner until Thanksgiving, as I don't have a tremendous amount left to write. I hope to send off some of my completed entries to some people to read this fall, so I can get some feedback from other NBPTS teachers. I am collecting writing samples over the course of this semester in order to eventually use these student work samples to analyze for my last entry, and I am experimenting with parent surveys and other ways to increase parental contact as another component that I must document. I have until March to get it written, so my main focus now is just collecting materials and getting into my regular school year duties.
I feel like the first two weeks of school have been MUCH busier than normal due to my time commitments with the Rhea Lana consignment sale which just happened to fall during the first week of school! I tagged my items before school started, but it took me one entire evening to load up and drop off all my items I was selling. Then, I spent a half day last Saturday shopping at the pre-sale. In addition, football practice is ongoing, so that is a huge adjustment to our evenings and family life. I also participated in my school's parent open house on Thursday night and was at school from 8 a.m. until 7:30 p.m that day without a break! It was great to meet the parents, and I had an excellent turn out, but it is exhausting physically. Stuart also left early this morning for a conference out-of-state for a week! I hope I can rest this weekend and try to recuperate!
I really want to see the movie The Help since I read the book and loved it. I have heard the movie is good, but I have no spare time on weeknights to see a movie, and Stuart is gone this weekend, so I have no childcare. Maybe I can squeeze it in during the Labor Day weekend!
Stuart bought a MacBook laptop computer this week and drove all the way to Tulsa to get it (nearest Apple store) because he wanted to take a tutorial on how to use it for some specific features. Now, we have two laptops, and our desk top is still dead. It hasn't worked in over a year, but we have yet to dispose of it, so I dust it, and it acts as a decoration in the office!
The kids want to go to the pool this weekend, since it will close soon, but it looks like it might rain today. All the kids are liking their new teachers, and the school year has been smooth so far. One development is that Owen's middle school now has a bus that drops of faculty's children at my junior high on its afternoon route. So, Owen has been able to come to my classroom about three days every week and sit in the back of my classroom for 30 minutes while I finish up teaching my last class. He really enjoys watching the 7th graders, and it has been working well so far. He has been good not to interrupt or talk to me, as I told him that he can't talk to me until school is dismissed since I'm still working. He brings a book to read, gets on my computer, or listens to the activities we are doing. It is saving us a lot of money in after school care, so I am very thankful that this busing option just started!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Life as I Used to Know It
My life as I used to know it was leisurely. I stayed home for six years and only worked part-time as an online instructor at a community college, so I set my own hours. Sure, I had 1-2 children at home and 1 in school, but I was the one who determined the pace of our family life. If we had a busy day, it was usually because I had us running errands, going to appointments, or I aggressively cleaned the house.
Fast forward. Football practice 4-5 days per week. Three kids in school programs. Homework to supervise. A full-time job. A larger house to keep clean. Did I mention football up to FIVE practices per week for a ten year old? Wow. This pace is getting a bit crazy. We have never been the ones to have our children in many (if any) activities. We made them wait until school age to play any organized sports,and then we only did Upward on a non-competitive team. I knew I didn't want the pressure. After years of begging for tackle football, we are trying it this year with the Boys Club of Benton County. Wow. It. Is. Intense. I didn't expect 12-15 hours of practice per week in 5th grade. Stuart has been going to every practice and watching, so he and Owen leave at 5:30 and usually don't get home until 8:30. Then, Owen takes a shower and goes to bed. I feel like I'm missing half my family for the whole week, and I am an only parent most nights to the younger kids. The unfortunate part (for me) is that Owen LOVES it. Stuart thinks he actually has some talent. In three seasons, he will be old enough to try out for a school team which has daily practice (and sometimes twice per day), so he needs to learn now if he ever hopes to get good enough to make the junior high team. Compared to most families, Owen is very old to finally play a real sport at age 10. The younger two kids are not even enrolled in anything. No sports or lessons for them! I can't take the stress of having every member of the family at different events all week long after I have taught school all day. I don't think it is worth it on my family life.
I hope we survive football season; maybe I will actually learn the rules (ha!). I have thought a cornerback was the same thing as a quarterback! Hopefully, it will be good experience, and Owen will learn life skills about responsibility, team work, dedication, and hard work. I think those lessons would help him develop immensely. Somehow, he does seem much older since he started playing football and began middle school last week!
When I picked him up from school the other day,he was shooting baskets in the gym with some friends. I saw him make three long distance shots in a row, and he won the shooting game they were playing. On the way home, he mentioned that he is getting pretty good at basketball and might want to try it this winter when football ends. Lord have mercy . . .
Fast forward. Football practice 4-5 days per week. Three kids in school programs. Homework to supervise. A full-time job. A larger house to keep clean. Did I mention football up to FIVE practices per week for a ten year old? Wow. This pace is getting a bit crazy. We have never been the ones to have our children in many (if any) activities. We made them wait until school age to play any organized sports,and then we only did Upward on a non-competitive team. I knew I didn't want the pressure. After years of begging for tackle football, we are trying it this year with the Boys Club of Benton County. Wow. It. Is. Intense. I didn't expect 12-15 hours of practice per week in 5th grade. Stuart has been going to every practice and watching, so he and Owen leave at 5:30 and usually don't get home until 8:30. Then, Owen takes a shower and goes to bed. I feel like I'm missing half my family for the whole week, and I am an only parent most nights to the younger kids. The unfortunate part (for me) is that Owen LOVES it. Stuart thinks he actually has some talent. In three seasons, he will be old enough to try out for a school team which has daily practice (and sometimes twice per day), so he needs to learn now if he ever hopes to get good enough to make the junior high team. Compared to most families, Owen is very old to finally play a real sport at age 10. The younger two kids are not even enrolled in anything. No sports or lessons for them! I can't take the stress of having every member of the family at different events all week long after I have taught school all day. I don't think it is worth it on my family life.
I hope we survive football season; maybe I will actually learn the rules (ha!). I have thought a cornerback was the same thing as a quarterback! Hopefully, it will be good experience, and Owen will learn life skills about responsibility, team work, dedication, and hard work. I think those lessons would help him develop immensely. Somehow, he does seem much older since he started playing football and began middle school last week!
When I picked him up from school the other day,he was shooting baskets in the gym with some friends. I saw him make three long distance shots in a row, and he won the shooting game they were playing. On the way home, he mentioned that he is getting pretty good at basketball and might want to try it this winter when football ends. Lord have mercy . . .
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Rhea Lana Sale Exceeds Expectations!
The Northwest Arkansas Rhea Lana consignment sale is this week from August 22-27 at the Frisco Station Mall in Rogers right next to Hobby Lobby. It is now open to the public daily and charges no admission! The hours are 9 am - 7 pm Monday through Wednesday and 9 am - 3 pm on Thursday. The half-price sale days are Friday with hours of 9 am - 7 pm and Saturday from 8 am - 2 pm.
I shopped during the pre-sale on Saturday when consignors are able to get in early before the sale opens to the public. I bought 60 items this time, and I averaged around $6 per item. My purchases included my daughter's ENTIRE fall/winter wardrobe including tops, pants, jeans, smocked dresses, pajamas, a light jacket, a heavy winter coat, and multiple pairs of shoes! Everything I found was name brand with styles from Gap, Children's Place, Gymboree, Matilda Jane, Orient Expressed, Stride Rite, Geox, Sperry, Petunia Pickle Bottom, Abercrombie, ZaZa Couture, and Mini Boden!
If you haven't gotten to the sale before, you need to try it out this week! This is the largest Rhea Lana sale in our area yet, and there were over 87,000 items from 1,100 consignors!!
I included pictures of some of my best deals above, and here are some more details:
1. Petunia Pickle Bottom toddler bag in mint condition - $8.00
2. Sperry Top Siders in mint condition - $10.00
3. Smocked dress by Orient Expressed - $15.00
4. Gap hooded heavy winter coat - $9.00
5. Pink Stride Rite tennis shoes in excellent condition - $3.50!!
6. Black mary jane Stride Rite shoes for $6.00
7. ZaZa Couture dress trimmed in faux fur - $10.00
8. Matilda Jane dress with minky dot ruffle pants (I am planning to use this outfit for a professional portrait this fall) - $20.00
I love the idea of recycling our used items at a consignment event because it is a form of living "green" plus it saves so much money in our family budget, even over sale shopping! So, get yourself to the Rhea Lana sale early this week to find all the good bargains that are still left! Don't forget to tell your friends! The sale also includes toys, bedding, and all sorts of baby equipment if you are needing those items. Happy shopping!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Back to School
Well, it's that time of year again, and we are getting ready to head back to school. I think this was the shortest summer ever, so I am still not quite ready to let it go! We had an amazing family vacation to Washington D.C. over the 4th of July and were away for ten days. This was our first family road trip of this length, and it was really fun. The kids did amazingly well on the 20 hour drive each way, and we enjoyed seeing sights like the arch in St. Louis and Gettysburg along the way since we were driving. We were invited to stay in a friend's apartment for free, so that was so convenient! We were only blocks from the Capitol and the Smithsonian museums.
Arden started pre-K yesterday at a new building with a new teacher, and she has been crying at drop-off. I have to begin attending teacher meetings next week, so I wanted her to have a few days to acclimate before I have to take her even earlier. I was hoping it would be an easier adjustment than this, but she really doesn't know anyone in her class right now, and she misses the security and comfort of her old building. She is still in the Bentonville School District program, but she was too old to attend in her previous location which only serves birth-3 year olds. I didn't have a choice about her being promoted to the pre-K facility, and I'm sure she would be like this at any new school. I am hoping it gets easier soon!
The boys will attend a week of day camp next week while I am in teacher inservice meetings, then they begin officially on August 15. Hudson will have Mr. Stolt for 2nd grade, and he is SO excited to have a male elementary teacher! Owen doesn't know his teacher assignment until next week, but he will be switching to middle school and also have a new building to navigate. He is very excited about it! Owen also signed up for competitive tackle football for the first time and had a skills test last night for team placement. He feels he did well and didn't have any problems auditioning in front of a panel of coaches! I am hoping the heat tapers off, so that practices are not too hot or demanding, but that is the "mom" in me! Stuart says we need to let him toughen up and follow his dreams which are to be an NFL player at this point! Ha
I am wrapping up tagging all my consignment clothes for the upcoming Rhea Lana sale and hope to finish that today, then I need to complete Arden's baby book before I go back to school. The good news from school that I found out yesterday is that I do not have to float this year! That is where a teacher teaches classes in several different rooms. I have room shared for the past two years which actually was not terrible, as I only taught one class each day in another English teacher's room. However, it will be luxury not to have a cart at all and no longer transport markers, supplies, projects, handouts, etc. up and down the crowded hallway every day!
I got a lot done on National Board Certification this summer, and I am taking a break from it for a few months to get into the routine of the new school year. I will be collecting writing samples from students this fall in order to select samples to use for my last entry where I analyze student writing. I have until March to finish the writing, and I am about 2/3 done already, so I feel good about that. I am sure I will be revising this fall as I get some professors and other NB teachers to be readers for me.
Arden started pre-K yesterday at a new building with a new teacher, and she has been crying at drop-off. I have to begin attending teacher meetings next week, so I wanted her to have a few days to acclimate before I have to take her even earlier. I was hoping it would be an easier adjustment than this, but she really doesn't know anyone in her class right now, and she misses the security and comfort of her old building. She is still in the Bentonville School District program, but she was too old to attend in her previous location which only serves birth-3 year olds. I didn't have a choice about her being promoted to the pre-K facility, and I'm sure she would be like this at any new school. I am hoping it gets easier soon!
The boys will attend a week of day camp next week while I am in teacher inservice meetings, then they begin officially on August 15. Hudson will have Mr. Stolt for 2nd grade, and he is SO excited to have a male elementary teacher! Owen doesn't know his teacher assignment until next week, but he will be switching to middle school and also have a new building to navigate. He is very excited about it! Owen also signed up for competitive tackle football for the first time and had a skills test last night for team placement. He feels he did well and didn't have any problems auditioning in front of a panel of coaches! I am hoping the heat tapers off, so that practices are not too hot or demanding, but that is the "mom" in me! Stuart says we need to let him toughen up and follow his dreams which are to be an NFL player at this point! Ha
I am wrapping up tagging all my consignment clothes for the upcoming Rhea Lana sale and hope to finish that today, then I need to complete Arden's baby book before I go back to school. The good news from school that I found out yesterday is that I do not have to float this year! That is where a teacher teaches classes in several different rooms. I have room shared for the past two years which actually was not terrible, as I only taught one class each day in another English teacher's room. However, it will be luxury not to have a cart at all and no longer transport markers, supplies, projects, handouts, etc. up and down the crowded hallway every day!
I got a lot done on National Board Certification this summer, and I am taking a break from it for a few months to get into the routine of the new school year. I will be collecting writing samples from students this fall in order to select samples to use for my last entry where I analyze student writing. I have until March to finish the writing, and I am about 2/3 done already, so I feel good about that. I am sure I will be revising this fall as I get some professors and other NB teachers to be readers for me.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
What exactly is the Rhea Lana sale??
Have you heard of this sale? Do you wonder what Rhea Lana is or how to pronounce it? Do you want to know how I saved over $1100 this past spring in only one day by shopping this consignment event? I simply shop for my daughter's entire seasonal wardrobe at a consignment sale and sell my children's outgrown clothing in the process! See, it's that easy.
In northwest Arkansas the best consignment sale is called Rhea Lana after the original founder. The local NWA franchise is actually run by Rhea Lana's sister Ashley Shaver. This amazing, large consignment sale sells kids' clothing, toys, and baby equipment. Rhea Lana offers a good selection from thousands of consignors, so that it is realistic to purchase a large amount of your child's wardrobe with used clothing. If you are pregnant, you can also purchase baby furniture, jumparoos, high chairs, exersaucers, bouncy seats, etc. Since my children are no longer infants, I have pretty much stopped shopping for anything but shoes and clothing, and it is still very much worth my time and effort.
The NW Arkansas Rhea Lana sale will be at the Frisco Station Mall on Walnut in Rogers (by Hobby Lobby) from August 21-27. It is free of charge and open to the public during those days. However, the key (I think) to both making money and getting the best bargains is to become a consignor. This means you sign up to sell 15-150 of your children's gently used fall/winter items. The benefit to this is that you get paid to clean out your children's outgrown items PLUS you get to shop early before the general public and get the best pick of the clothing that is for sale! If it feels overwhelming for the first time, just try selling 25 items in the first sale to learn the routine. It really is very easy and all done online. I usually sell around 125 items and make a profit of $200-300 (and most of my items are play clothes; fancier clothing and boutique items will sell for much more). Consignors get to keep 70% of your profits for items which sell, and you can pick up anything that doesn't sell if you don't want it donated. Rhea Lana sales even guarantee they will pay for any lost items!
Here are the FAQ's for the next sale:
1. They will only take fall/winter clothes and toys, baby items, furniture, etc
2. You must consign a minimum of 15 items to a maximum of 150
3. They will take a consignor fee and 30% off your profits and give you a check for the rest on the final pick-up day
4. Go online to Rhea Lana website to get a consignment number
5. Enter your items online into their spreadsheet format (so easy)
6. Drop off your items for check in and to put on the labels between August 17-19. When you check in your items, you will get the special pass to shop early.
7. Arrive at 1:00 on Saturday, August 20, to shop at the pre-sale for consignors
During the last sale, I purchased 72 items at the pre-sale and then went back to the 1/2 price sale and bought 20 more items. My total purchases cost $415 which averages to $4.51 per item! This included two smocked dresses, 3 pairs of Stride Rite shoes, and mostly Gymboree/Children's Place/Gap clothes. I can't beat that in terms of time saved plus "one stop shopping." I would never be able to find shoes, coats, and smocked dresses for that price on any sale in a store!
Now, let's do the math for real savings. If I purchased 92 items at retail stores, even on "good" sales, I would probably spend at least $14/item on average to get that many items in the right sizes. That would total $1288. Then, let's subtract what I actually spent at the sale which was $420. That leaves a difference of $873 in SAVINGS for purchasing the same number of clothes! Better yet, let's add to that savings the profit that I earned from selling my clothing at the same event which was $250. So, my total "savings + profit" for the last sale was $1123! Pretty amazing, isn't it.
So, for those of you who think consignment shopping is just too much work, you ought to try it at least once. Here is the break-down of how much time it cost me to participate:
1) hanging old clothes and pricing them online - 3 hours (for 125 items)
2) putting on labels that I printed at home and pinning on the sales tags - 1 1/2 hours
3) checking in my items to sell at the sale - 1 1/2 hours
4) shopping at the sales - 4 hours (includes two trips)
TOTAL: 10 hours labor
If my "savings + profit" was $1123 divided by 10 hours of labor/shopping time, I just made $112 per hour for my time. Yes, I think it is worth the effort. Don't you?
In northwest Arkansas the best consignment sale is called Rhea Lana after the original founder. The local NWA franchise is actually run by Rhea Lana's sister Ashley Shaver. This amazing, large consignment sale sells kids' clothing, toys, and baby equipment. Rhea Lana offers a good selection from thousands of consignors, so that it is realistic to purchase a large amount of your child's wardrobe with used clothing. If you are pregnant, you can also purchase baby furniture, jumparoos, high chairs, exersaucers, bouncy seats, etc. Since my children are no longer infants, I have pretty much stopped shopping for anything but shoes and clothing, and it is still very much worth my time and effort.
The NW Arkansas Rhea Lana sale will be at the Frisco Station Mall on Walnut in Rogers (by Hobby Lobby) from August 21-27. It is free of charge and open to the public during those days. However, the key (I think) to both making money and getting the best bargains is to become a consignor. This means you sign up to sell 15-150 of your children's gently used fall/winter items. The benefit to this is that you get paid to clean out your children's outgrown items PLUS you get to shop early before the general public and get the best pick of the clothing that is for sale! If it feels overwhelming for the first time, just try selling 25 items in the first sale to learn the routine. It really is very easy and all done online. I usually sell around 125 items and make a profit of $200-300 (and most of my items are play clothes; fancier clothing and boutique items will sell for much more). Consignors get to keep 70% of your profits for items which sell, and you can pick up anything that doesn't sell if you don't want it donated. Rhea Lana sales even guarantee they will pay for any lost items!
Here are the FAQ's for the next sale:
1. They will only take fall/winter clothes and toys, baby items, furniture, etc
2. You must consign a minimum of 15 items to a maximum of 150
3. They will take a consignor fee and 30% off your profits and give you a check for the rest on the final pick-up day
4. Go online to Rhea Lana website to get a consignment number
5. Enter your items online into their spreadsheet format (so easy)
6. Drop off your items for check in and to put on the labels between August 17-19. When you check in your items, you will get the special pass to shop early.
7. Arrive at 1:00 on Saturday, August 20, to shop at the pre-sale for consignors
During the last sale, I purchased 72 items at the pre-sale and then went back to the 1/2 price sale and bought 20 more items. My total purchases cost $415 which averages to $4.51 per item! This included two smocked dresses, 3 pairs of Stride Rite shoes, and mostly Gymboree/Children's Place/Gap clothes. I can't beat that in terms of time saved plus "one stop shopping." I would never be able to find shoes, coats, and smocked dresses for that price on any sale in a store!
Now, let's do the math for real savings. If I purchased 92 items at retail stores, even on "good" sales, I would probably spend at least $14/item on average to get that many items in the right sizes. That would total $1288. Then, let's subtract what I actually spent at the sale which was $420. That leaves a difference of $873 in SAVINGS for purchasing the same number of clothes! Better yet, let's add to that savings the profit that I earned from selling my clothing at the same event which was $250. So, my total "savings + profit" for the last sale was $1123! Pretty amazing, isn't it.
So, for those of you who think consignment shopping is just too much work, you ought to try it at least once. Here is the break-down of how much time it cost me to participate:
1) hanging old clothes and pricing them online - 3 hours (for 125 items)
2) putting on labels that I printed at home and pinning on the sales tags - 1 1/2 hours
3) checking in my items to sell at the sale - 1 1/2 hours
4) shopping at the sales - 4 hours (includes two trips)
TOTAL: 10 hours labor
If my "savings + profit" was $1123 divided by 10 hours of labor/shopping time, I just made $112 per hour for my time. Yes, I think it is worth the effort. Don't you?
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Winding Down
So . . . the school year is winding down, and it has been flying by since we finished spring break in March. The boys have had lots of school activities, and Owen was in the performance of 101 Dalmations with the 4th graders at his school. My birthday in April was a fun celebration, and Stuart bought me an iPhone 4 to replace my vintage flip phone that didn't have working voicemail. I have really enjoyed having a phone that allows me to check the internet and my email when away from a computer. It also comes in handy if we have a long wait at restaurants or doctor appointments, so I can show Hudson or Arden a children's video from Netflix right on my phone.
It's been a good month with my students, and this time of year is always reflective as I prepare to say goodbye to my students and don't see them in the same way next year. I have gotten some nice letters, a poem written about me, and a bouquet of flowers from some dear students over the past few weeks. I really love teaching, and I do feel that what I do matters.
I went to Little Rock over my birthday weekend to see Beth Moore live at Verizon Arena with my mom. It was a whirlwind trip, but it was very encouraging and uplifting. It was just the getaway I needed! I think it was the first time in several years that I had gone away overnight without kids.
We took the kids to Silver Dollar City with our new season passes and visited or the first time last weekend. It turned out to be a very hot day at almost 90 degrees, but it was a lot of fun!We didn't attempt the rides with long lines and just casually enjoyed the time. The kids rode a few rides like the teacups, Dumbo, and the jumping frogs. We all rode the boat ride, and then we went to two shows (a comedy circus and the step dancers). Arden's favorite part is getting taffy at the old-fashioned candy store!
We have about three more weeks of school, then I will be going to a few days of professional development training on the new Common Core Standards which our state is adopting. I am also beginning work on my National Board Certification, and I have plans to work a few hours each week during the summer on some of the entries that I can start now. I have lined up a teenager in our neighborhood to play with the kids at my house or one half-day every week this summer, so I can go and write my materials in an undisturbed session at the my school or the public library.
We hope to visit the Tulsa Zoo next weekend, if the weather cooperates. Then, the boys have church camp from June 20-24, which is a full-day outdoor camp at Beaver Lake. We are hoping to be able to take a family vacation to Washington D.C. in July, if our free housing works out; Stuart has a friend who works there and has a two bedroom apartment near the Capitol that he is offering us, if the dates work out. It will be a long drive with the kids, but it will be a relatively affordable trip since the housing would be free, and most of the museums we want to see are also free admission.
I am trying to get all the last minute things done to wrap up the year while also enjoying my final days with my great classes. I can't believe that Owen changes schools next year and begins middle school! He loved the tour of the middle school when we attended the orientation a few weeks ago; he is really ready to move up and have a team of four teachers. It is still a little sad to think that he and Hudson won't be riding the bus together next year anymore, and they won't be on the same campus again until high school. Arden will also be changing buildings next year, as she will be promoted to the pre-K facility in the school district that begins at age 3 1/2 until kindergarten. Thankfully, all of her friends in her current class will be moving up with her which will ease the transition.
I love this time of year; it's getting warm but not too hot, the anticipation of summer is upon us, the expanse of our vacation is still ahead, and I feel grateful for all we accomplished in the past year of school!
It's been a good month with my students, and this time of year is always reflective as I prepare to say goodbye to my students and don't see them in the same way next year. I have gotten some nice letters, a poem written about me, and a bouquet of flowers from some dear students over the past few weeks. I really love teaching, and I do feel that what I do matters.
I went to Little Rock over my birthday weekend to see Beth Moore live at Verizon Arena with my mom. It was a whirlwind trip, but it was very encouraging and uplifting. It was just the getaway I needed! I think it was the first time in several years that I had gone away overnight without kids.
We took the kids to Silver Dollar City with our new season passes and visited or the first time last weekend. It turned out to be a very hot day at almost 90 degrees, but it was a lot of fun!We didn't attempt the rides with long lines and just casually enjoyed the time. The kids rode a few rides like the teacups, Dumbo, and the jumping frogs. We all rode the boat ride, and then we went to two shows (a comedy circus and the step dancers). Arden's favorite part is getting taffy at the old-fashioned candy store!
We have about three more weeks of school, then I will be going to a few days of professional development training on the new Common Core Standards which our state is adopting. I am also beginning work on my National Board Certification, and I have plans to work a few hours each week during the summer on some of the entries that I can start now. I have lined up a teenager in our neighborhood to play with the kids at my house or one half-day every week this summer, so I can go and write my materials in an undisturbed session at the my school or the public library.
We hope to visit the Tulsa Zoo next weekend, if the weather cooperates. Then, the boys have church camp from June 20-24, which is a full-day outdoor camp at Beaver Lake. We are hoping to be able to take a family vacation to Washington D.C. in July, if our free housing works out; Stuart has a friend who works there and has a two bedroom apartment near the Capitol that he is offering us, if the dates work out. It will be a long drive with the kids, but it will be a relatively affordable trip since the housing would be free, and most of the museums we want to see are also free admission.
I am trying to get all the last minute things done to wrap up the year while also enjoying my final days with my great classes. I can't believe that Owen changes schools next year and begins middle school! He loved the tour of the middle school when we attended the orientation a few weeks ago; he is really ready to move up and have a team of four teachers. It is still a little sad to think that he and Hudson won't be riding the bus together next year anymore, and they won't be on the same campus again until high school. Arden will also be changing buildings next year, as she will be promoted to the pre-K facility in the school district that begins at age 3 1/2 until kindergarten. Thankfully, all of her friends in her current class will be moving up with her which will ease the transition.
I love this time of year; it's getting warm but not too hot, the anticipation of summer is upon us, the expanse of our vacation is still ahead, and I feel grateful for all we accomplished in the past year of school!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Our Amputated Spring Break
Since we had to hold school in our district on Monday and Tuesday to make up some snow days, our spring break became an amputated five-day weekend. I didn't think it would be that bad, but now that it is almost over, and I am not rested and don't feel like I had a vacation, it is so depressing!
Unfortunately, our plans for a few fun things to do during our break were canceled when Arden got sick. We did manage to have fun at The Jones Center on Wednesday where we went to a free concert of Trout Fishing in America which is a wonderful kids' band. I bought a CD and got it autographed, and we've been singing along in the car ever since. They are playing again locally in Bentonville at the Square on Saturday, May 7, at 11 a.m., if you want to hear them. They are now my favorite kids' music!
Then, it sort of went downhill after that. By Thursday, Arden was coughing, had a runny nose, and was acting cranky. We did a quick trip to an inflatable place, but Arden was dragging, and Owen said his stomach hurt.
On Friday, we had planned to go to Silver Dollar City or the Tulsa Zoo. We checked the weather in both places on Friday, packed the car, and made our decision to head to Oklahoma for the day. We only made it ten miles down the road when Arden began to cough so much that she started vomiting in the car. So, we went home.
She coughed so much all day long on Friday that we got concerned, so I made an appointment to take her to the pediatrician in the afternoon. She had a mild case of whooping cough and the beginning of an ear infection in her right ear. So, we left with a prescription for antibiotics.
Then, I woke up this morning at 5:45 a.m. to a horrible thunderstorm, and it is still cold, gray, and wet outside. It doesn't feel much like spring right now. Boo!
Unfortunately, our plans for a few fun things to do during our break were canceled when Arden got sick. We did manage to have fun at The Jones Center on Wednesday where we went to a free concert of Trout Fishing in America which is a wonderful kids' band. I bought a CD and got it autographed, and we've been singing along in the car ever since. They are playing again locally in Bentonville at the Square on Saturday, May 7, at 11 a.m., if you want to hear them. They are now my favorite kids' music!
Then, it sort of went downhill after that. By Thursday, Arden was coughing, had a runny nose, and was acting cranky. We did a quick trip to an inflatable place, but Arden was dragging, and Owen said his stomach hurt.
On Friday, we had planned to go to Silver Dollar City or the Tulsa Zoo. We checked the weather in both places on Friday, packed the car, and made our decision to head to Oklahoma for the day. We only made it ten miles down the road when Arden began to cough so much that she started vomiting in the car. So, we went home.
She coughed so much all day long on Friday that we got concerned, so I made an appointment to take her to the pediatrician in the afternoon. She had a mild case of whooping cough and the beginning of an ear infection in her right ear. So, we left with a prescription for antibiotics.
Then, I woke up this morning at 5:45 a.m. to a horrible thunderstorm, and it is still cold, gray, and wet outside. It doesn't feel much like spring right now. Boo!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Spring
Time has been flying since we resumed school in February after ten snow days! It felt like there was a lot of catching up to do with curriculum. March is always a furious month, filled with parent-teacher conference nights where I work two days for over twelve hours at a time. We hold our conferences from 4:30 - 8 p.m, after teaching all day. We have dinner provided for us to eat in the small window of time from the last student bell at 3:35 until parents are lined up and waiting at 4:30. While I always enjoy the contact with my students' families, I am always relieved when it is over since it is so exhausting. I've also had pre-AP training this month which took me out of the classroom, and I sold 120 items of used clothing and toy items at the local Rhea Lana consignment sale. I love shopping the pre-sale when I can find Arden a lot of good deals of used clothing and shoes for the upcoming season! Usually, that is the only place I shop for her. I tagged all the clothing during our snow days in February, so that helped with the March Madness.
Teaching is going well, and I'm loving my stroll through House on Mango Street right now which is one of my favorite novels to teach. I actually mourn it when I finish and shelf it for next year. I love seeing the connections and analysis that my students can make by this point in the year, and this novel really forces them to dig into subtext and find connections. It's often the first novel that these gifted junior high students really struggle to understand, as reading has always been so easy for them. I enjoy seeing them stretch and then rejoice as they finally "get it."
I have also been wrestling with the decision of whether to pursue National Board Certification next year. This national teacher certification program offers a variety of benefits including significantly higher pay in the state of Arkansas, recognition, and portability of my teaching license to all fifty states if we were to ever move. It is probably the equivalent of taking three graduate classes during the school year with the amount of time it will entail. It involves assembling a series of four portfolios with written papers for each one that document student work, writing instruction, professional contributions, and videotaped samples of small and large group instruction. Then, there are six standardized tests that are taken in a timed session in a testing center to test content knowledge.
Right now, I am praying about the decision, but I am leaning towards pursing this next year. I have a good support system and am very comfortable with the pre-AP curriculum that I've taught the past two years, so I feel that I'm in a good place professionally to do this. It will be a crazy year from November through March next year as I complete the work before the March 31 deadline, and I know it will be hard on my family. However, the financial rewards will be very beneficial once I receive my certification. I plan to take the family to Disneyworld with my first bonus once I pass (I get three years if I don't pass on the first attempt).
We are beginning our shortened spring break tomorrow, as we had regular school on Monday and Tuesday to make up two of our snow days. I am taking the kids to see the kids' band Trout Fishing in America tomorrow, we will go to a Jump Zone-type place on Thursday, and we will probably drive up to Branson on Friday.
Happy spring break!
Teaching is going well, and I'm loving my stroll through House on Mango Street right now which is one of my favorite novels to teach. I actually mourn it when I finish and shelf it for next year. I love seeing the connections and analysis that my students can make by this point in the year, and this novel really forces them to dig into subtext and find connections. It's often the first novel that these gifted junior high students really struggle to understand, as reading has always been so easy for them. I enjoy seeing them stretch and then rejoice as they finally "get it."
I have also been wrestling with the decision of whether to pursue National Board Certification next year. This national teacher certification program offers a variety of benefits including significantly higher pay in the state of Arkansas, recognition, and portability of my teaching license to all fifty states if we were to ever move. It is probably the equivalent of taking three graduate classes during the school year with the amount of time it will entail. It involves assembling a series of four portfolios with written papers for each one that document student work, writing instruction, professional contributions, and videotaped samples of small and large group instruction. Then, there are six standardized tests that are taken in a timed session in a testing center to test content knowledge.
Right now, I am praying about the decision, but I am leaning towards pursing this next year. I have a good support system and am very comfortable with the pre-AP curriculum that I've taught the past two years, so I feel that I'm in a good place professionally to do this. It will be a crazy year from November through March next year as I complete the work before the March 31 deadline, and I know it will be hard on my family. However, the financial rewards will be very beneficial once I receive my certification. I plan to take the family to Disneyworld with my first bonus once I pass (I get three years if I don't pass on the first attempt).
We are beginning our shortened spring break tomorrow, as we had regular school on Monday and Tuesday to make up two of our snow days. I am taking the kids to see the kids' band Trout Fishing in America tomorrow, we will go to a Jump Zone-type place on Thursday, and we will probably drive up to Branson on Friday.
Happy spring break!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Snow, snow go away. Come back another day!
We have had record breaking snowfall in Bentonville! In the past two weeks, we have had three snow storms and been in school for only three out of ten school days! The last storm that arrived Tuesday night dumped around 20-22 inches in our town and set a record for the most snowfall here! Then, the temperature was below zero in the morning for the next two days, so it didn't melt quickly. The boys have enjoyed snow days, but we are all about ready to have a normal routine again. We have had TEN snow days since January 4, so we will now have to deal with how to make up the days in order to meet the state requirement of 178 days of school to count for a full year credit. It looks like five days will be added on to the end of the school year, and five days might be made up with a combination of spring break days we lose and Saturday school (no fun!).
I got a lot done last week when I thought that might be my only time off school for awhile. We were out of school for snow and ice from Tuesday through Friday, and I was able to plan ahead to take home things that I needed to get some projects done. I filed our taxes electronically from home, I planned curriculum, I tagged all my items to sell in an upcoming children's consignment sale, and I cleaned my house well. This week, I haven't been quite as productive, but I have enjoyed the down time. I just have to remember this when it is the second week of June, and it feels so miserable to be in school when the pool is calling my name!
All the kids are excited to go back to school on Monday for their Valentine's Day parties, and it was CRAZY at Walmart today, as everyone appeared to be there at the same time to restock up on food after the storm PLUS purchase items for the Valentine's Day holiday. I still have to make a trip to Target tomorrow to get a few things for my own little Valentines, so they will have cute goodie bags from mommy and daddy on Monday.
I've been spending too much time bidding on things on Ebay while I've been home and browsing the internet for project ideas for the house. I'm beginning to embrace the whole idea that my house is a work in progress and enjoy thinking of ways to upgrade items I don't really like or make the house more "me." It was really different to have custom built our last house where I picked out everything and then buy a builder's grade house this time that didn't have much of what I would have selected. Since I shopped so much for everything in the last house (from doorknobs to faucets to tile selections), I had developed pretty specific tastes of what I liked in decor. However, now I am enjoying the process of "building" again, but it is in small bits and pieces as I can afford to change things in the house. Luckily, I love the floorplan, so I'm not really renovating as in knocking down walls; it's more of the cosmetic things. There is flooring I didn't like, a bathroom window that bugs me, a dishwasher that is not the best quality, sink faucet fixtures I want to change out, sconces that are ugly (who likes seashell shaped lights??). It will probably take me years to afford to get my projects done, but I've begun to enjoy the process! That says a lot since I am usually all about the end result! This is progress . . .
I got a lot done last week when I thought that might be my only time off school for awhile. We were out of school for snow and ice from Tuesday through Friday, and I was able to plan ahead to take home things that I needed to get some projects done. I filed our taxes electronically from home, I planned curriculum, I tagged all my items to sell in an upcoming children's consignment sale, and I cleaned my house well. This week, I haven't been quite as productive, but I have enjoyed the down time. I just have to remember this when it is the second week of June, and it feels so miserable to be in school when the pool is calling my name!
All the kids are excited to go back to school on Monday for their Valentine's Day parties, and it was CRAZY at Walmart today, as everyone appeared to be there at the same time to restock up on food after the storm PLUS purchase items for the Valentine's Day holiday. I still have to make a trip to Target tomorrow to get a few things for my own little Valentines, so they will have cute goodie bags from mommy and daddy on Monday.
I've been spending too much time bidding on things on Ebay while I've been home and browsing the internet for project ideas for the house. I'm beginning to embrace the whole idea that my house is a work in progress and enjoy thinking of ways to upgrade items I don't really like or make the house more "me." It was really different to have custom built our last house where I picked out everything and then buy a builder's grade house this time that didn't have much of what I would have selected. Since I shopped so much for everything in the last house (from doorknobs to faucets to tile selections), I had developed pretty specific tastes of what I liked in decor. However, now I am enjoying the process of "building" again, but it is in small bits and pieces as I can afford to change things in the house. Luckily, I love the floorplan, so I'm not really renovating as in knocking down walls; it's more of the cosmetic things. There is flooring I didn't like, a bathroom window that bugs me, a dishwasher that is not the best quality, sink faucet fixtures I want to change out, sconces that are ugly (who likes seashell shaped lights??). It will probably take me years to afford to get my projects done, but I've begun to enjoy the process! That says a lot since I am usually all about the end result! This is progress . . .
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Grandad
My grandfather, Verle Allyn Smith, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, January 8, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. in Oklahoma City, OK. He was 99 years old. He was such a kind and patient grandfather, and I have many good memories of being in my grandparent's house during the summer months when I was growing up. He was a quiet man who didn't talk much, but I remember how he would sit back and take in all the grandchildren's activity and just smile at us as we played. He would often pat us on the back, sometimes so hard we would jump, and say something very simple like, "You kids are really growing up." He would be smiling a tender smile, and I knew that his words meant that he loved us very much. He was known for his hard work ethic and intelligence as he graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in engineering and worked for Kerr McGee oil company. He provided well for his family and three children, all of whom graduated from college or graduate school. He took care of my grandmother for seven years throughout her recovery from two strokes until she died in 1990. She was the love of his life, and I remember seeing him dye her hair in their bathroom when she could no longer do it herself and then learning to roll her hair on old-fashioned rollers to give her a home permanent after her strokes. He even applied her makeup, though sometimes she came out with a bit too much blush or face powder!
Grandad was a man of few words, but he had a big heart. I knew he was so proud of me and my children. I knew he loved us. I will always remember his jumpsuits that he wore, his big recliner where you could find him reading the paper and doing crossword puzzles in the living room, and his smile.
Rest in peace, Grandad. You will be greatly missed.
*the picture above is the only photo I have from the last time I got to see him in 2007. Owen was showing him the tooth he had just lost!
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