Thursday, December 20, 2007

Thrift Store Madness

Finally! A full night's sleep. With the help of Benadryll, mind you, but still, I needed sleep. Yesterday I was a basketcase. A headachy, nauseated, over-emotional, grouchy pud. Fun, fun, FUN to be with. Ask my hubby. He's a patient man. I had a very nasty morning yesterday. After he left for work, I just sat on the couch and boohooed. Maja called to ask me about piano lessons and I burst into tears. Nice. Of course, she was sweet and gracious and sent me a little encouragement. I talked to Ginger (she told me "Bless your heart") and she came and picked me up and we ran errands (on a side note- I love to run errands with a friend. It makes running into somewhere to pay a bill, go grab something, or ignore children screaming in the backseat so much easier). I did have a headache the whole day, but she bought me a Starbucks (hello, thank you) and in general, made me feel better. We went to the thrift store in Roebuck (Big Saver- the best thrift store in B'ham). Corin needed some jeans and Silas needed a new coat. I found an LL Bean coat for Si for $6.88 and two pairs of Gap jeans for Corin (Merry Christmas kids). I also found some great Stride Rite shoes for Si for $.79 that were in fabulous condition, some brand new, pink kitty-cat, rubber rain boots for my niece for Christmas for 3.00, and the next size up navy Keds for Beex for $.99. There was lots of stuff I had to put back. I hate putting stuff back at the thrift store. I feel almost a panicked sense of "I'm never going to find this for any cheaper". But money is still money, even if you're getting a good deal. I have to ask myself, "Do I really need this?" Nope. Things I almost got, but didn't: A very cool puppet show thing that had a three-way fold and also was a chalkboard, about 4 1/2 tall that looked brand new for 10.00, an Ann Taylor turtleneck with snowflakes (I figured I wouldn't wear it, even if it did have an Ann Taylor label in it) for $1.98, more Gap jeans for Corin (no need for my 7 year old to have more jeans than me), and a J. Jill sweater that I put back for no reason at all, except that I figured I had spent enough. I meant to look for a coat for me, but I forgot. I want to find a vintagy pea coat or trench in a fabo color. I may just need to wait 'til the end of the season and find one at retail for 75% off. Other things I want to find for me at the thrift store: a green v-neck 3/4 sleeve blouse, a khaki, tailored jacket, wool, lined, wide-legged pants, a black turtleneck, and a swing jacket. Of course, there's always the chance to find an unusual purse, belt, skirt, or an interesting pair of shoes. I just like to look and look. It's not a place to take your husband. Mine gets highly annoyed at the thrift store. And impatient. He does like that I find good stuff at great prices, as long as he doesn't have to go with me to find it.

If you're reading this with a yucky look on your face like "ewww, I do not want to go shopping at thrift stores", then we need to shop together. You have to get over the smell of the place and wash your hands when you leave, and I don't recommend the bathrooms, but, WOW, you CAN find good stuff. Last summer, when we were at Lifeline Village, I remember taking one of the girls to find some "interview-for-a-job" clothes. We shopped and shopped at retail stores and she would never find a whole outfit for what she had money for. She did not want to go to the thrift stores, but I tricked her into going one day. We pieced together three outfits, including two pair of shoes and were still under her budget. Good stuff, too from Express, Banana Republic, Gap, and Ann Taylor. I like being a personal shopper. It's fun. I am for hire... or can be bribed with Starbucks or a candy bar.

PS... Virginia posted pictures of her new baby girl, Sabriel on her blog. Her link is to the right. Gotta go break up a fight. Toodles!

10 comments:

Marsha said...

I can remember many a Christmas when my girls were little and Adam wasn't even a twinkle in his Daddy's eye yet when we didn't have 2 nickles to rub together. Each year I knew my parents would send money for Christmas rather than gifts. I would rush out just a few days for Christmas and look for deals wherever I could and that's all they got. There was even a Christmas that I didn't get to go shopping until the Christmas Eve day.
There are seasons to life. You are in the lean season. This too shall pass. You know where to find the real joy and purpose of the season. I don't have to tell you that.
I love you, Kimmy.
Have a blessed Christmas with your family.

Missy said...

Wow...two Starbucks gifts in one week! Aren't you a lucky girl.

You should start a business called...
"I will take you to the thrift store, then give you some zycam".

You are a great advetiser for both!

Anonymous said...

Kim, I would LOVE to go thrift store shopping with you. There was one in Dothan that me and my friends went to just about every week. Love it!!! But I am like you I cannot go with Brian. I went to the one you go to only once because we had to drop of 10 (yes 10) bags of clothes. 8 of them were Brian's and two were mine. After I had Brandon, I went through this phase where I hated all my clothes because they all looked so fuddy-duddy. So I would go around to Target, because they have cheap trendy clothing, and look at the clearance racks. I have to put a lot of stuff back and resist the urge to buy it just because it 3 bucks and looks like something J.Lo would wear. I have a rule now, I refuse to buy anymore knit plain colored shirts. I have a ton of them in my closet. So I look for something a little more fashionable these days. Stepping out of the box is fun! And the cool thing is, if I were to get pregnant in the next few months I can wear all my new clothes because they are the trendy tops that look like maturnity shirts. How fab! We need to shop together. Call me.

Ginger said...

Yes Kim, you have taught me how to be poor with style! Loved our day yesterday!

MattD said...

Gotta ask..what's up with all the pictures of yourself? Did somebody get a new camera? one word..Narcissistic...you know I'm playing...if you're feeding me tonight maybe I should be a little nicer...hmm...Kim that is one of the prettiest pictures of you...great..just great...how's that?

Kim said...

Sometimes I think... "I want a new picture of me on my blog", so I take a dozen and only like one. Then I get bored and use some of the other ones I have that I took on that day, even though I don't like them as much. Actually, I want a newer, BETTER picture of me, but my camera is broken. Today I actually tried to pull off a picture on the internet (like a cartoony one) and everytime I tried to download it to my blog, it would be blurry. So I just changed my picture.
I guess it is narcissistic. Oh well.

Anonymous said...

I like to take pictures of myself too. Unfortunately I never like the way any of them look. Not even one.

Kim said...

I loved that picture of you that you had on your blog after you dyed your hair. The lighting was cool.

Anonymous said...

your sweet, delusional, but sweet. (i kid, i kid!) i don't like looking at myself for very long. i think my nose sticks out too far from my face. i guess i keep taking pictures thinking i'll get one that looks amazing and be satisfied. but i'm never satisfied! that's really sad to say about me, i should work on it.

Crissy said...

How can you possibly know, so specifically, what you want to find? The closest I ever get is, "I need some pants." That's it.

And I highly recommend you as a personal shopper. I looked dang good in Pittsburgh this spring!