AAAAAAAAAAAnd We're Back!

Phew! I'm totally not sure what happened to summer...I looked up the other day and realized that it was almost August. And now it IS August.

Captain Chaos starts Kindergarten in only 2 weeks. Princess has til the last Monday of the month before starting preschool again. We went to Captain's first official sporting event last night. it was AWESOME! Seriously. A group of totally unskilled 5 year olds that a coach took charge of for 2 measly hours a week over the last 6 weeks suddenly turned into ball players...I loved it.

I've been spending the last few weeks overhauling my basement storage room. Again. Somehow, some way, it has turned into the dumping ground of our house. All those things that you just don't know what to do with? At my house, they end up in my storage room in the basement...

SO...2 weeks ago, I moved my Mary Kay office from one area of our unfinished basement to another and set up a table in the newly emptied space (after I vacuumed the heck out of the whole place...) and began bringing out boxes, tubs, buckets, shopping bags...all of which were stuffed with junk.

OK, not all of it was junk, but a large portion...in fact, I filled 5 of those giant black plastic trash bags that you normally use for yard waste with pure trash. Not recycle like magazines, unimportant papers or the like. Just trash. Broken toys from kids' meals, broken items from things we haven't had in years...and then I took 19 loads to my City recycling place of cardboard boxes, packing paper, old phone books and other such reference manuals that are out of date. I sent BB to work with 14 bankers' boxes of personal paperwork that we no longer needed to keep so they could be shredded in a secure manner...

I found 7 unopened boxes of girls' clothing and was able to only have to buy Princess a few new things (other than socks and undies) for the upcoming year. That girl grew through 2 sizes this summer. At the end of May 2010, she was barely wearing 3T. Just today she tried on some size 6 items from the girls' department. It's bittersweet. I know she's thriving and healthy, but it makes me sad that I can't find those adorable little girl items...everything I've seen is covered with sequins, images of pop stars, or so short I wouldn't let Littlest One wear them for fear her diapers would be uncovered...so these boxes were truly a Godsend!!! Kilts, skorts, jumpers, jeans, turtlenecks, sweaters, jackets, hats, leggings...and all of them in miraculously amazing shape...she's got a large selection of things. So many, in fact that I think I can take back about 90% of what I purchased today thinking she needed things!!!!!

I also found 4 giant rubbermaid tubs of sizes for Littlest One to grow into, and will therefore only likely have to purchase new socks for that one. Hooray!!!!!

Captain, on the other hand, needs a whole new wardrobe...but the blessing is that he's attending a Charter Academy which requires a uniform. SO, he is now the somewhat unhappy owner of 6 pairs of Dockers style trousers, and 8 Izod and Cherokee brand polo shirts. Grandma is sending him 4 more that are long sleeved for winter so he doesn't always have to wear a sweater or sweatshirt.

I need a belt and another pair of jeans for him (I just picked up some short sleeved Tees for weekends today) and he's totally set! Last year's jacket still fits, so I suppose he'll need some snow boots, but that's really it!

Now if only I could shed this extra weight, I'd not need anything either! I am frustrated that I will have to pick up a new dress for a wedding we're attending next weekend in a size that will actually fit me, not be snug, pulling and uncomfortable. I have one in my closet that is currently 2 sizes to large with no way to make it fit - it's a pretend wrap dress made of this awful polyester...I'm not sure what drug I was smoking when I bought it...

Anyway...

I'm off to finish sorting the clothes that no longer fit my children for the 3 amazing people who are taking them off my hands. YAY ME! No consigning, no donating, no fighting with people at a garage sale who think a quarter is too much to pay for a $25 outfit.

Toodles...

PS - have you been bringing pretty back since my last post???? I admit there have been a few days I haven't styled my hair or put on make up but for the most part, I'm a regular glam queen!