Garage Sale Gab!!

Beth (my sweet sister-in-law) and I set out last weekend to clean house - both our houses. I have had stuff piling up since Neno and I got married 5 years ago and she and Jeremy had their fair shair of duplicates since they got married in January. We weren't sure how it was going to go, but we made out like bandits. Unfortunately, we got cheated on a few things - sad society we live in- but on the whole, it was really good. And by the way, Friday is the day to have a garage sale. We made a majority of our money then. I was even able to buy my new treasure - a oak dining room table - and finally got rid of the furniture that has plagued me since we moved into this house. I have a clean slate to get what I want for the fireplace room.




Anyway, back to the garage sale and the whole reason that I was writing...





We started our day on Friday at 7 a.m. with a posting on Craigslist that said NO EARLY BIRDS. Beth had bairly pulled up with our Chick Fil A for breakfast and we already had people coming up. We were so frazzled. We didn't have everything priced and thought we had an hour to get ready. So much for thinking!! Right off the bat, a lady put a bunch of jewelry in a bag and asked Beth how much for "3 watches" (Beth realized later that it was more than 3 watches). Beth told her $2. It wasn't until Friday night that she was just sick over all the things that lady made off with - 3 watches, some rings and a necklace (I think). The day did get better, though. The stuff we thought wouldn't sell did (little figurines and trinkets that Beth and I laughed at as we were setting up) and I finally got rid of decorations from my wedding 5 years ago. I really think I made this ladies day when I told her the price of the vases and mirrors. She even came back on Saturday for all of the marbles that I had in mason jars. I second guessed the price of all that stuff all weekend - oh well, it is gone now. And the whole idea was to clean out!!!


We really had a great time, reminiscing over old clothes and stuff that we were selling. Beth made fun of my leather pants. Yes, leather pants!!! And sadly, we got some good laughs over our clientele. The best had to have been when I was trying to get Ava Grace inside for a nap and she spotted a man with a pony tail. Before I could get her inside these words came out of her mouth...

"Mommy, that man looks like a girl!"

I immediately went into mommy-mode and told her that we don't say things like that because it hurts peoples feelings. Beth and I laughed about it for the remainder of the sale and anytime that a man with long hair came up we looked around for Ava Grace.



As much fun as it was, I have to get on my soap box a for a minute. I was appauled to see a young girl come shopping with her mother only to have her mother change out price stickers on our stuff. She even let the girl try to scam us with a ten-key calculator. We had $5 on it and I saw the young girl put a 25 cent sticker on and then replace it with a 10 cent sticker before she got to Beth. We aren't stupid!! Beth stood her ground and said it was marked at $5 and that the bathroom accessories that she was trying to buy were marked at $1 and not 25 cents (she compromised on that one at 50 cents). She even lied about a price that I quoted her on a shirt. I am not upset that we didn't get the money, because if she needed it that badly, I would have given it to her. I am upset that she was teaching her daughter that it is okay to cheat people and to lie. That is just wrong and that is part of what is wrong with our society today.


On Saturday, we had some extra helpers when Neno, Monica and Braidy joined us. The Curry clan had put a few things in our garage sale so they came on Saturday to lend a hand.


Saturday was a much slower day. We even ransacked our houses to find more stuff. Beth and I boasted a little about how great our stuff was because we were complimented on prices and we had repeat shoppers. We even had a sweet lady at the end of the day saying "I can't believe I missed this sale. I cannot believe that I missed it!!"


Overall, it was a huge success and Beth and I were more than satisfied with the outcome. We were also more than exhausted for the rest of the weekend. Garage sales are hard work and I won't consider it done until I get what was left out of our garage.


One last note, I was telling Neno on Sunday how glad I am that Jeremy married Beth. I wouldn't have been able to do that garage sale without her and I wouldn't have wanted to do it with anyone that Jeremy dated before her. She is wonderful and I am so glad that my sweet bother-in-law found the "perfect" woman for him and a fabulous sister-in-law for me.

Happy 1/2 Year Birthday, Annabelle!!

Well, it is official. We have a 6 month old in our house!!! On Saturday, Annabelle turned 6 months old.

WHERE DOES TIME GO?? And I sware, it has gone faster with me at home that it did with me working.

Anyway, she had a big day....

She went to the Tech Red and Black Game - her first football experience - with all of her Red Raider gear on. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera for the game, but we at least got one before she went down for her nap with all the red and black on...

She played her first game of footsie with Braidy (Ryan and Monica's precious boy that is 9 months)...

Then later, as Monica called it, lost her bathginity to Braidy. They are pretty cute together. I pray that they are as close as Ava Grace and Johnny (Braidy's big brother) . And if I remember correctly, AG lost her bathginity to John. We better watch out for those Curry boys.

Annabelle's 6 month milestones:

• She is rolling anywhere that she wants to go.
• She is eating big girl food and loves it.
• She just discovered how to do the motor boat. This mommy's shoulder stays pretty wet with her spit, but she thinks it is fun.
• She laughs out loud at Ava Grace and thinks that AG is the coolest thing ever!!

Easter Part II

Okay, so now it is Friday and I thought I would have the rest of the weekend's happenings posted by now - Not so Much!!!

I have found that after a full house and a full weekend of activities, it takes me, my girls and my house a week to recover. Plus, we are all fighting off sinus infections. Yuck!

As for the rest of the Easter weekend, I am just going to do a quick recap.

Saturday: I played with my new camera. I bought Carol's (Neno's Mom) camera - Canon Rebel. It is about 4 years old and looks like it just came out of the box, but all of us Falls know that is not the case.

Annabelle got to be my first subject.

Everyone came to our house for dinner and when it started to rain, the kids had to go play in it!!

Sunday brought all of our family together again for an amazing Easter Service at Experience Life. God is doing amazing things through E-Life. Check out Chris's blog (http://www.chrisgalanos.com/) to see some pics of the service and the beautiful crosses that Neno built for the service. I have such a talented husband.

After Church, it was back to our house for family pics, Easter egg hunt and lunch...

God is so Good!! I have to thank Him for sending his Son to die for us!! That is what Easter is all about, new life!! We are so blessed to get to celebrate that with family and friends!!!!

Easter Part I

Well, it is Tuesday and we are on our way to recovery. No, no one was hurt or sick, just exhausted from a family-fun weekend.

My parents, Neno's parents and his oldest sister and her family joined us in Lubbock for Easter weekend. By Friday, everyone was here!!! We headed out to Jeremy and Beth's after naps and some yard work (thanks, Mom). So here is where the fun began...

Gotta love Silly String!!

And Cookie Dough!!

Ava Grace was having so much fun, that at one point, she came running down the hall saying "I Poo poo - tooted". In adult world, that is a Shart!! We were rolling laughing. She was playing so hard that she missed all the warning signs. But all the fun ended when Ava Grace bit her tongue. You would have thought the world was coming to an end. Then we told her that Daddy did that when he was little and the world was right again.

They had to compare his scar with her blood - Yuck!!

Hill Country Happiness

Well, I officially survived my first trip alone with the girls. We set out on Monday for what is usually a 5 hour trip and we made it in about 5 1/2 hours. I was very proud. No major meltdowns from either child and my sanity was in tact.

We went to Lake Buchanan to visit my mom and dad, while mom was on her Spring break. I am so glad that we did! The drive down was very smooth and I actually had some quiet, while Annabelle was asleep and Ava Grace watched a movie, in which I could enjoy the scenary. Wild flowers are starting to pop up along the roadside down there and it just makes me happy. I love blue bonnets. If I had found a huge patch, I would have pulled over and stuck the girls in it for a picture - no such luck.

Once we got to Mom and Dad's, as usual Mom and I found a project to take on. She has had the itch to do something different to her cabinets in her kitchen and once the girls in were bed for their afternoon naps, we left them with their Papaw and headed to the paint store for black paint. For the next three days, we removed cabinet doors, sanded and painted. I wish I had a picture, because it looks so good. We were very proud of the finished product - a mix of oak - antique finished with black and black bottom cabinets. I think Mom is satisfied, for a while, at least. We all know that homes are ongoing projects and their house is no exception, but I think she really enjoys it that way. We had a great time!

We also snuck in some shopping on Wednesday. We set out early for the outlets in Round Rock with a mission to buy Ava Grace some new clothes - she isn't even four, but she needs 5T shirts. My kids don't stand a chance of not being tall. Anyway, both girls were troopers. We shopped hard and fast and after a Chick-fil A lunch, they both crashed in the car on the way back to the lake!

So Thursday, was our day to return home. Same story as Monday, I have amazing little travelers. They did great so we stopped in Sweet Water for lunch at McDonald's and had some play time for AG. I think she was really glad to get out of the car and even happier to get home and nap in her bed.

Long story short, I am confident now that I can do anything by myself if I can travel with a 5 month old and a 3 1/2 year old, we had a great time with Mom and Dad and Springtime in the Hill Country just makes me happy.

Falls Girls

My Precious Girls - Annabelle & Ava Grace
Me & AG - Aren't we cute?

I can't get enough of that smile!!!

Game Day!!

It is Friday!!! I am sure that some people would give me a hard time for being excited about a Friday since I am at home with my girls (everyday is Friday, right??), but Friday is Falls' Family game night!! We get together with Jeremy and Beth and any other friends that would like to join us and play dominoes or board games or something. I love it! It is a great end to the week and a great way to start the weekend with my hubby! Tonight, we are headed to J & B's with our friends Travis and Melissa and their sweet baby Jackson.

I am also a happy girl today because my husband came home at lunch with a new mattress. I had just come home from a play date with Amelia and Belle and he called to see if I was home and could help him unload it. Of course, I had to try it out so I took a 45 minute power nap this afternoon and it was amazing. We have been sleeping on the worst possible mattress for almost 5 years now. Neno finally agreed this week that we had to have a new one and man did he pick a good one. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

Anyway, Neno just got home and we are headed out!!!! Have a great weekend!