Sometimes it is hard to let go and sometimes it's not

I'm getting ready to give my MIL a bunch of stuff for a garage sale. I've been pretty brutal this time. I'm trying to get rid of anything that we aren't using or that I don't love. And I'm even pretty brutal on the "love" stuff. I'm not overly sentimental. Which is good when you are trying to cut down on the amount of stuff you have.

I've never been one who held on to baby stuff - clothes or otherwise. I kept the kids coming home outfits and their baby blessing outfits and that's it. I don't usually keep more than about one size ahead of clothes, and I get rid of clothes they have outgrown as soon as they are done with it. I got rid of the crib when we were done, the high chair, the pack n play (it would have nice with doing daycare if I had kept the high chair and pack n play, but I didn't know at the time, and I picked them up for free, so no real loss). As my kids outgrow toys, unless it is a classic toy like blocks or wooden trains, cloth doll, etc., we give the toy away for someone else to love.

I go through the kids' school papers at the end of the year, and try and just pick one or two things from each month so you can see a progression, but I do NOT keep every scrap of paper.

I only have one tub of things that I've kept of things from babyhood until I got married.

I really try and do the one thing in/one thing out when we get gifts each year.

So I shouldn't have that much stuff, right? Well, like I said, I'm really trying to be brutal now. And I'm looking in every room, every closet, and every bookcase.

Which brings me to my problem area.

Not the books, although I suppose I probably have too many books too, but I'm getting rid of all the books that are not classics or that I'm currently not reading.

But I've got an almost full 5 shelf bookcase of books and binders from when I did my masters degree and some books from when I was working in technical writing. I've got project management books, I've got training books, I've got style guides. I've got 12 binders that contain my notes from courses. I've got my portfolio.

And I can't seem to get rid of it. I doubt that I'd even refer to the things in the binders. So I should get rid of them. The books are all at least 6 years old. I'm sure that the they are outdated. I should get rid of them. Some of the style guides are more like 10 years old. At least. I can't even remember the last time I used them, even when I was working as a technical writer. I should get rid of them.

But I can't. For some reason, to me, it means that I'll never be a trainer again. I'll never be a project manager again. I'll never be a technical writer again. And even though it isn't rational, to me, it means that I'm just throwing my masters degree away. It means that all my education was a waste. Like I said, it isn't rational. I know it isn't rational. But it is how I feel.

I was going to get rid of it anyway. I don't use it. I wouldn't say I love it. It is taking up space.

But I'm not going to. Not yet. I'm just not ready to let it go. I still haven't figured out where all that knowledge, all those skills fit in my future. When I figure that out, then I'll let it go.

What I've been doing instead of blogging

O.K., not just this. I've been going to lots of baseball games and swim meets too. But I've been doing garage sale-ing and "curb shopping" this summer. I hadn't done much in a few years, but we had some needs, and not much cash, so off I went searching. (Oh, and I am actually sort of natural materials snob, and would like it if everything in/around our house was made of natural materials, but then there is the practicality of plastic, not to mention, when you talking a difference between $75 or free, I lower my standards. LOL)

Little Tikes Table - $10

Little Tikes Coupe - $3

Little Tikes Basketball Hoop - $3

Bicycle for me (purple one) - $25

Table - free

Another view of the table

Little Tikes Kitchen (referenced in this post) - free

Little Tikes Car - free

Little Tikes Activity Garden - $5

Bunk beds (twin over full) - $30

Drawers underneath were repurposed from a dresser that was broken. The knobs are red, and the comforters are pink. I'll paint the knobs to match . . . someday (yea, right, who am I kidding?)

Desk - $5

side table - free

Most of the rest of the pictures are in the school room. We are in the process of reorganizing, so try and overlook the cluttered look. I'll take a picture of the whole room when it is done.

school desk (there is actually 2 of them) - free

Bookcase - $5

Bookcase - 50 cents

Bookcase - free (Thanks Lisa!)

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Still looking for a climber, and maybe another bookcase, but doing well at getting things crossed off that list!

What I'll do to get things for free -

Today, I decided to drive to a nearby subdivision because they had a garage sale sign. It appeared that it would be a whole subdivision sale, but it ended up being a big garage sale at just one house. I picked up a bunch of Magic School Bus books and a book about preserving food, all for $3. As I was driving home, I saw a Little Tikes kitchen by the curb in front of someone else's house, next to their garbage cans. I decided to go ahead and grab it. So I get out of the car, but I left the driver's side door open. I go to the back, and the stroller is in the back of the van. Doh! So I go to put the stroller in the passenger side. Just then, the garbage truck is pulling up behind me. The kids are all in the van, and they are yelling"Don't let the garbage truck take it!" I yelled back that I wouldn't, so I grabbed it and pulled it into their driveway, but then realized that my van was blocking the trashcans, and that my door was still open. So I ran, pulled the car forward, reparked the car, and mumbled a "Sorry" to the garbage collector. He grunted back at me, which might have offended me, if he hadn't been so attractive.

So I go to lift the kitchen in the back. I lift it from the bottom. There is some mud on the bottom of the kitchen. No big deal, it will clean off. I scrape some of the mud on my shirt as I'm putting it in the trunk. It is too tall to stand up, so the girls hold the top, while the bottom part sticks out the back. Hey, what is that smell? Did I step in dog poo when I was moving that kitchen???? Uh, no. Oh, yuck. That's NOT mud. And it is on my hand. And my shirt. And sticking on the bottom of the kitchen as I drive home. Thank heavens for baby wipes in my car for my hands, but I had to drive home in that shirt.

After I got home, I went back out to do some more garage sale-ing, and ended up with a free table and school desks. No poo involved in that pick-up thankfully.

Still looking for that ever-elusive Little Tikes/Step 2 climber and bookshelves, but my list of stuff that I need for Montgomery Academy is getting very short! And it is only June!

OK, not that I had much pride to begin with but . . .

I think I've lost any that I might have had, and am now resorting to begging.

(Oh, and this post is mostly for the local readers, by the way.)

I am expanding Montgomery Academy a bit, and I'm going to try and go ahead and get licensed to do child care. My goal is to up and running with the new and improved Montgomery Academy by September 2009.

I need/want quite a few things for MA. You know me, though, and I want to avoid having to buy new. So I thought I would throw the list out here to ya' all. If you have any of this stuff, and you are willing to sell it to me, let me borrow, or ESPECIALLY go to a garage sale and buy for me and I'll pay you back, that would be great, (I often can't get out early enough to garage sales, and when I do, I have to take all the children with me. And I have the most rotten luck at garage sales when I really need something. I can't tell you how many times I've pulled up JUST as the item I need/want is being sold.). Or see on Craigslist or Freecycle at a thrift store or whatever and get and I'll pay you back/pick it up, etc.

I'm o.k. with a little dirty, and used. I'm not o.k. with broken/not easily fixable, or completely worn out. I'm willing to pay a fair price. Anyway, here's the list:
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(Updated on 07/04/09)

** A Little Tikes or Step2 climber - check
** Cozy Coupe - check
** A plastic picnic table - check
** A sandbox with a cover - check
** Wood bookcases from 2 shelf to 5 shelf - need one more
** Wooden toys for children Zero to 5 - can always use more
** child-sized indoor table - check
** Wood trays, especially with handles - can always use more
** Writing table - check
** Art or music materials - can always use more

More long shot items

** window well covers for larger window wells - decided I didn't need them
** 2-3 daycare cots - check
** cubbies for coats/backpacks, etc. - still need
** large corkboards - still need
** A laptop - can be older. But needs to work! and be able to be able to used with a wireless router. - still need

Oh, and for my sister,

I'm always on the look-out for capris for Flower and Jelly Bean - size 10. The rest of you don't need to be on the look-out for stuff for my family. Well, unless you want to, of course.
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I also have one opening starting June 1st, if you know anyone looking for daycare.

O.K., back to more "regular" posting. Whatever that is. I really should stop trying to define my blog. It is what is. It is just stuff about my crazy, multi-faceted, life.