Love is a Warm Bowl of Oatmeal

Okay ... so it isn't oatmeal every day, some days it is a breakfast sammy.

Here is the thing if  I could go back in time I would do one thing different, I would have made breakfast everyday. This all started a while back the sudden realization that getting up and cooking everyone something was the best way to greet the day. 

Don't get me wrong I have always kept plenty of food on hand. I shop regularly and the children since they were old enough to walk knew where the cereal cabinet was. There has always been a drawer full of the season's fresh fruit. Being a bread lover that I am I always buy good bread... and often make it myowndamnself.  You know there is nothing better than a fresh warm loaf of banana bread. 

However with kids you have to give them that extra gentle nudge.... and often a push ... and sometimes you nearly want to give some of them a swift kick. Often my "Eat something" resulted in... well ... nothing. 

I know I have heard it a thousand times before. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day..but with me it was a in one ear and gone tomorrow sorta thing. Then one day it hit me. all the things I have read about how you need to eat with in one hour of getting up and how that really helped in so many ways. I knew it was a must. 

I have had a few comments from other people like "Do your kids actually eat it? Mine wont eat in the morning." They would tell me "I don't have that kind of time." I do agree getting up and eating takes time. Money and energy. Mostly it takes want and a little organization, 

Let me explain this isn't the standard Sunday morning lazy day breakfast. This is up at 5:am and 5 people out the door by 7:10. I also had parents mention politely that "My kids are old enough to make their own breakfast."  Yep mine are too... and their lunches and maybe dinners as well. At one point I was saying the same thing. However to my oldest son was never going to eat cereal at 6:30 in the morning.

Making their own lunches was also a wonderful idea. It had it's own dreamy fairy tale like quality. In a perfect world my children would come skipping in and empty out their lunch boxes with the recyclable containers and wipe things down and pack their own lunches and clean up all the mess... but this is only in a prefect world. a billion days of lost lunch boxes and nagging wasn't helping anyone, let alone feeding three kids.

In my world I learned long ago that three kids making their own lunches often involved people in the way while I was trying to make dinner, food left out on the counter over night, and several dirty areas bags scattered, lids left off and knives left laying about. Also it would inevitably involve me trying to pack someones lunch to seconds before we needed to be out of the house, or worst them not mentioning they have no lunch until we were nearly at school 20 minutes away. Or even worse me having to nag them to make the lunch. After 12 + years I have resigned to take the daily 5 minutes to pack them myowndamnself and save everyone the trouble. I count myself lucky if they remember to take a lunch. 

Breakfast is another matter. It is one meal where we are all home. It may not be a sit down affair but it is a wonderful thing. I really do stock up on the breakfast foods. Most days I can and do cook an array of foods 
you name it I can whip it up pretty fast. This morning I had two orders for sausage one order for an egg one breakfast sandwich three orders for oatmeal with raisins apples and walnuts and one for a bagel with cream cheese. Some mornings I don't ask I just make everyone something and tell them. I also have found that you can cook many things with a waffle iron besides waffles. Such as cinnamon rolls and hash browns. 

Sadly dinners don't always go as smoothly these days ... I have one son that works and doesn't come home until 8:30-9:00 at night. My middle son just was hired and will be working shortly. I am guessing he will be working nights and weekends as he is a full tine student. 
My middle son is also a vegetarian so making dinners for him is a huge hurdle. He went from eating mostly meat and not liking veggies or much pasta to not eating meat and it is hard to find to find food for him. My husband ranges from not making it home till very late to eat to coming home and yelling "When do we eat?" This translates to  I'm here and hungry why isn't there something hot and ready?  However all this aside I still cook 6 nights out of 7. Friday's are usually reserved for Pizza or Subway... however many nights I buy deli fresh pizzas and doctor them up with loads of veggies (and pineapple). While I envy people that can eat out nightly. I find that I am often ill after I eat fast food. Our family budget doesn't really allow spending $30.00 a meal for 5 people.  We all eat when we all make it in. These days finding all of us sitting down at the same time is a rare treat.

So while I may not always feel like getting up every morning at 5:am. While I take my bath and dress and do hair and makeup. I know that I am going to manage to be a short order cook... and that and a bowl of oatmeal is love.

Purse Ninja, Organization and Altoids Tins

Autumn is my New Year. It it the time of year I start to try and regroup organize my life my kids and hopefully my thinking. 
It is so hard to watch my kids go back to school. Part of me is happy as I am watching them grow closer to independence, the other part is sad as I give them up 7 hours each day to a place that doesn't care about them nearly as much as I. 

School also means fees, school clothing and supplies. The first week the school needs their fund raiser money and the first day of school they need picture money. 
Plus the dreaded school visits that are mandatory or at the very least expected. ("Please use the SIGN IN LIST so we can give credit to your child's homeroom")  

Although I never was Girl Scout, I have tried to always be prepared.  As organized as I strive to be it seems I usually forget something or am unprepared for some unexpected crisis. Last Spring "I packed a bag" a purse really that mom cast off still in perfect condition. Something small to hold all the bits and pieces that I may need if I get stuck someplace or need to spend the night somewhere. Everything from contacts to tea bags. It holds so much in such a tiny space that it amazes me. 

My own purse while not expensive or glamorous never holds. My Cell phone, Wallet, keys and many tubes of lipstick usually are the only items. 

Today I loaded a Altoids Tin down with tiny things, a 2 needles and thread in black and white  (pre threaded) a paper clip, a strategically folded envelope with ibuprofen, Tums and aspirin.  
band aides another set of contact lens, tiny Post-its, hair ties, a nail and a thumb tack.  It maybe over kill but why not?

I stated thinking I may make the kids up a tiny tin for their book bags. 
Extra money, chap-stick, dental pick, post-its, band-aids, tiny pencil.

I know there are so many ideas you can do with the used tins to upcycle them it is amazing ...

I think they would look really nice in a desk drawer like little compartments stored on end with labels on the sides like PAPER CLIPS, RUBBER BANDS, THUMB TACKS, USB DRIVE, 
BUSINESS CARDS. 

or... or... or... how about these ideas
S'mores Kit :O) tiny marshmallows and Hershey Minis with Graham Crackers  
First Aid Kit complete with aspirin, band aids, alcohol pads, and little tube Neosporin 
Sewing Kit Buttons in Clear, Black and White and "wood" with a couple straight and safety pins with a assorted colored thread wrapped around a tag with needles and a tiny pair of scissors. 
Art Kit Holding crayons or the end bits of colored pencils and a little note book and some glue dots. 
Magnet Kit holding laminated animals letters or words?
Paper Doll Kit A sized just right paper doll clothing and her pet all stored away in a Altoids Tin Bed
Felt Friends Kit The possibilities are endless :O) 

I found this link to share http://www.instructables.com/id/Altoids-6/

I would love to hear more ideas... It might even take my mind off of the kids starting back to school. 

My 101 on Vintage Thrift Shopping

              My 101 on Vintage Thrift Shopping

If you haven't Thrift shopped in a while maybe it is time for you to give it a try once again. 

The joys of thrift shopping are many. There is nothing like the delight in finding that amazing skirt or pair of carpi pants in the perfect color of the season. Or having someone come up to you and tell you that your top is beautiful. Not to mention the joy of spending a rainy afternoon looking through isles of color texture and styles.

As a young girl I lived in the same outfits again and again. Since most of my girlfriends had the same 6 t-shirts and 3 pair of jeans all in sizes either too small or just a bit to big occasionally having on favorite pair that fit just right.  It never dawned on to me to be sad that I didn't have anything wonderful or new. When I was in the 7th grade I had a couple outfits that I wore each week that were favorites. I had a blue shirt that had "adjustable" sleeves and a pair of jeans passed down from a neighbor. 

I also remember having a purple outfit that I bought new. I still remember buying it and being so sad that we had to walk so far to get to the mall then only to find that the $35.00 my mom gave me for back to school clothing didn't go far at all. 

When I entered my early 20's I met an older girl that showed me my first thrift store. I had been crying to her about the fact that I still had the same clothing I had when I was in high school. While I watched all my girl friends parade out in various outfits. Living on my own and having to pay all my bills apartment and car insurance didn't allow much left to eat on let alone buy me nice clothing. Becky introduced me to Village Discount Outlet in Norwood Ohio. I can remember walking out of there with two PACKED brown paper bags that I spent a whopping $12.64 cents for the entire lot. I had 4 pair of jeans that tops to last me for days. My happiness knew no bounds. 

The happiness wasn't limited to the fact that I had "new clothing." Not only did I have clothing that I LOVED  I had some really nice labels in the bunch and the fact that I felt good about me. Plus I couldn't wait to go back. 

Things have changed through the years. I have gone to several of that stores sister shops. Only to watch the last of the local ones close just this past winter. The week before Christmas my favorite store in Newport closed its doors. It was a devastating loss to my mother and I as our monthly excursions came abruptly to an end. I spent many years of finding amazing clothing from Hollister shirts for my kids to Pyrex bowls for me. The closing of that beloved store sent me off in search of other places to scout out bargains.

I would like to share with you some of my tips for vintage thrift shopping.

1. "Float your own boat" ~ It is really good to know your own style. I am not a blue jean wearer. So finding a pair of jeans in my size if not going do me much good if they are just going to lounge around in my closet. You could find the most amazing dress but if you know for certain you will never wear a dress then it probably is a waste of money. 
2. Shop off season. Yesterday you could have fried and egg on the sidewalk. It was just that hot. However if I had found that perfect cardigan sweater I certainly wouldn't pass it up. Often thrift stores will have off season items even cheaper the current season. 
3. Lucky Lust List. Keep a list tucked in your wallet or a document on your phone. List your measurements, as well as the people you shop for. List the items you "Lust" after. If you always wanted that long herringbone skirt for the holidays it is good idea to have that on your list as well as the coral ruffle shirt that the lady that was on that show you were watching last night. Sizes are nice to have marked down if you are shopping for someone else as not having that person with you makes shopping for them difficult.
4. SIZE MATTERS/DON'T JUDGE A TOP BY IT'S SIZE TAG~That said I have to say this I have mixed sizes in my closet. I have come home with XL that are too tight and smalls and mediums that are perfect fits. LABELS are varied. Many things can and will vary the sizer of clothing. Companies, Time frames, quality of garments, the care and washing of the garment. If you can try the item on by all means take the time to. We all have things in our closet that we regret buying because the don't fit properly.
5. Let's Play Tag! If a garment has a NEW tag on it, the workers at the store will often price it higher.  This doesn't always mean it is a good deal. Many Many times I have seen a GAP OLD NAVY BANANA REPUBLIC item with a company tag on it for a high dollar. $38.00 (example) The Thrift store will price the item $18.00 you think you are getting this great deal. WRONG the item sold last season or two seasons ago at the outlet store for .99 cents. I know because I have the exact same shirt at home. If you love it will wear it, buy all means buy it. 
6. Shopping out of other Peoples Carts~ Just kidding!!!! Don't do that and do not leave your cart unattended. I have had stalkers in the thrift store! If you walk away from your cart expect to have someone else riffling through it. I have had this happen a few times, as well as having people stop me and comment about something in my cart that they covet.
7. Daily Deal$~Most Thrift Stores, second hand shops, consignment shops have specials or mark down days. $4.99 for a pair of shoes you love is great $2.50 is even better. 
8. Be nice!~ Smile and Chat with the sales people as they ring up your items. Sometimes they remember you. I have had a couple shops hold items for me to look at before they put them out on the shelf. 
9. Why is this here?~I used to sell clothing I had a virtual shop on eBay and I made a ton of money. I know labels. I also know that women buy clothing on a whim. Often the clothing that they spent 100's of dollars on often end up hanging in their closet for a couple seasons and then they donate them because they a) never lost that last 10 pounds. b) never fit in that size after Little Jimmy was born. c) their life changed and they don't have a career or no longer go out in the evening. d) just never found anything to go with it. e) they bought it because it was on sale. f) they bought it for a child and it never fit. g) it was a gift that really wasn't something they would wear.
10. Shop Often~Don't assume that just because you don't find a lot of good deals one day that you wont ever. Some times I find very little other times I so much no way I could afford it all.
11. Store to store. Just because a Second Hand Shop has a fancy name doesn't mean the clothes are any better. In fact it can be just the opposite. I have been in some Up Scale Resale places that have racks and racks of out dated ugly faded items that are picked over and all you are left with are things that should probably be tossed. Most of the time the items that are donated are much better than items taken to consignment shops which the actual items are taken to the shop buy someone hoping to get a percentage of an item that they own by having the shop owner sell the item for them. The items are marked down a bit each week. Which means they start out at half to three fourths the price of the actual cost of the item. You can find some very nice labels in these shops. However I have found you may not get as much for your money. 
12. What is it worth? If you pick up a simple plain black top in a thrift shop and you know that that item is usually sold some place like Walmart for $6.88 then if buying it used saving you any money. It could in many cases be a huge savings. If the item is $4.99 at your local Thrift Store and today they have a special on all green tag items and this black top is proudly sporting green... then $2.50 is very nice. 
13. Kids clothing. I for one have seen baby outfits that have two and three pieces NEW hanging up in Thrift stores for $2.50. Kids grow in the blink of an eye. I used to buy a size larger than my child and roll the cuffs and waist band the first season. The second season they would fit just right the third they would get a wearing or two. USUALLY these clothing items were still PERFECT when I would pass them on to another child or donate them. My kids wore really really nice clothing. They had Gymboree and Children's Place Clothing for a SMALL percentage of what i would have bought new. 
14. Shopping with Teens. Teens do not realize the value of a dollar. I have one that will spend my last dollar and the house payment too if he could. I have one that is grown now that knows that the good stuff is always in the back of the RETAIL Shops and the Best stuff is always in the thrift stores. Kids lose interest quickly. Many times they find thrift stores unappealing due to the the PRE OWNED idea. I wish I could show them the sweat shops in third world countries and the people that are slaving away to make the clothing that they find at Walmart. However all they need is to find that one outfit that they love and it is game on. My older son was shocked the last time we shopped for ties to see so many teen and college age guys (and girls) shopping second hand. He said while he hadn't expected to see them he was glad to see that they understood about reduce recycle and reuse. 

How bad do you want it? Many times when shopping I find an item that I like and in some cases love.  However I am still not sure about buying it. Consider the following.

• Price This really factors in for me. Is it half off? Is it usually an item that in a retail store I would be paying a good deal of money for?
• Condition  Does it look nice with no rips stains tears missing buttons or zipper issues?
• Use  How often will you wear this? Is it a one time shot that you know  you will only wear to one function? Is it something you will wear often? Is it something that will co mingle nicely with your other wardrobe items? Will it mix and match with other items? Is it good for more than one season? Can you layer it?
•  Care Every single item you purchase from the thrift store needs to be cleaned. BEFORE you wear it. Ideally you need to wash it as soon as you get it home, or you can take your items to a dry cleaner and have them cleaned and pressed before you take them home. Even if you buy something with a "new" tag on it it still needs to be cleaned before wearing. (in this day and age you should also think about washing brand new garments before wearing them since you do not know who tried them on before you or who took them home and returned them.) In general most items have labels on them These days the newer garments have printed tags inside or they have cloth tags located down buy the hem (this was introduced in the last decade to keep the tag from itching your neck) Dry clean only items in some cases can be hand washed in Woolite in some cases, but do your homework research online before trying this trick at home 
• Fit  If there is a chance you can try this garment on? Many Thrift stores have dressing rooms. If you can try it on and time permits do this. Just because it is your size doesn't mean it is your fit.

I have to add this last little bit. Life is messy. I have had kids leave pens in there pants pocket. RUINING a load of laundry. I personally in my 20s left a tube of lipstick in a pair of pants RUINING a load of laundry. I have gotten pool chlorine on clothing as well as stained things just in daily use. It is a sad day when you have a perfectly beautiful new top and in a split second something happened and it is now only really good for the rag bag. I feel a lot happier when I spend $3.00 on something and I snag it on something then when I spend $16.00 on something. Keep in mind NOTHING IS NEW AFTER YOU WASH IT. In this day and age of not knowing where your clothes come from or who's homes they have been in or what public transportation they were in to get to and from the store... and how many floors they have been on you should wash them when you bring them home no matter if they are coming from a high end retailer, discount or thrift store.