So there's a phenomenon I am sure is not just around these parts, but is new to me, and that is the Big Church Sale. I attended one of these Big Church Sales yesterday with the intent of procuring some gently used clothes for the kids. And boy what an experience! A friend called and asked if I wanted to go- she said she was pretty motivated to find some clothes for her little one as he is growing like a weed. I was also interested and quite motivated as James is rapidly outgrowing a lot of his things too. I found out from another friend where the church was and searched it out on Google, and found the info on one of the local news channels web sites. It started at 8 a.m. and L and I decided we had better get there right at the start. We got there about quarter to, and we were not anywhere near the first ones. The parking lot was filling up FAST. We went in the door, and at first stop a lady gave you a number and a map (!!!). Then we went into the gymnasium to wait. The announcer said that first they would let in the first 150 people, then wait about 10 minutes and let in the next 50, and so on. So that happened, and a short while later we, as numbers 254 and 255, got lined up to go in. Now we were prepared as we had a map, and it was byobag (which we did although I saw lots of folks without altogether or with laundry baskets or hampers it was that crazy!). L and I were kind of competing for clothes as she was looking for the same size for her son as I was for James. It did not turn to fisticuffs thankfully. We perused a really big table for the boys, and I went and checked a rack for coats / snowsuits for both James and Ava. Then over to the girls area for Ava, then back for James, then back again for Ava. PJ had gotten me $60 in cash the night before, so I had to stay within that perameter. I stuffed 2 bags full then sat down in a quiet area to go thru, add the totals, and weed out things I wasn't sure about. I calculated about $52 or $53, rounding up, and decided to be done. But then was thinking that the kids don't have jackets for fall at all so I went back. Found James one, and then while waiting for L went thru the boys table again and found a pair of sleepers. I knew I HAD to stop or I would be toast, so I left the general area, and when she was ready we went to check out. All in all, I got for James: 2 pair khaki pants, 2 jeans, 2 overalls, 4 longsleeved shirts, 2 one piece outfits, 2 footed pyjamas, and a jacket. For Ava, there were 2 pairs of pants/leggings, 2 nicer dresses (one Talbots!), 2 more casual dresses for school, and 2 turtlenecks. And, get ready for this, my grand total for ALL THIS LOOT was $59.75 !!!!! Talk about WHEW! It was an awesome experience. There were a lot of people volunteering the sale, so when people would go thru their stuff to weed out, there were plenty of baskets laying around to put what you didn't want into and those ladies emptied the baskets and had that merch back on the tables lickety split. It was a very smoothly run operation, and L and I both got a lot of nice clothes for great prices. This particular church runs a spring sale as well, and I think this particular church sale is well known for doing just kids clothes. Apparently the sellers keep 90% of the profits, the church keeps 10% and whatever it doesn't use to advertise or pay for it's costs for the sale it uses for it's community outreach work. L heard that there's a waiting list for sellers, as well as volunteers (they get to go thru everything before the sale for first dibs!). Also, she heard someone say the first people got there at 2:30 a.m. !!!!!!!!! Now THAT is motivation. After the sale we went out and had a great breakfast at a local place she read about in the paper, and when she dropped me at home her husband and son were here visiting with PJ and the kids. So we hung out for a few and broke the party up to have lunch. It was a very successful morning for sure.
Tomorrow we are going out for shoes I think, so wish us luck!
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