Let's Keep This Just Between Friends...

Yep! It's that time of year again when I geek out over my favorite consignment sale. Every Spring and every Fall you can find me selling and buying at the Just Between Friends sale in Oaks, PA. I've been involved with this sale (at this location) since the boys were babies and have actually become very friendly with the owners. It's such a friendly sale!

I shopped this morning and shared my experience on Instagram, which was fun! And now I'm here to share what I ended up bringing home. I love doing this... so thanks for indulging me!

One of my favorite scores was this adorable bookshelf that I got for $20.00!! It will look so cute in Hope's room - whether she uses it for books or toys. I mean, for twenty bucks I couldn't just LEAVE it there!!

I ALMOST got a balance bike, but someone beat me to it. I was having reservations about the balance bike, so it's just as well. I ended up getting this Minnie Mouse bike for the same price - $10.00! Hope is always wanting to climb on Brian's bike, so hopefully she'll be thrilled to have her own.

This group is going to be put away for Hope for either Christmas or her birthday. The random group of animals will likely be her most favorite gift. Isn't that always the way? You could buy your kids the nicest, most expensive toy - and they love the silliest little things. Mark my words - she will covet these animals I got for $5.00! This whole group of toys cost me $22.00. I'm especially excited about the Imaginets. I love toys that encourage creativity.

Brian will get these for his birthday. We'll all enjoy having some fun new games to play together. Brian will be thrilled that he'll get to try out some new video games - and we're happy that they didn't break our bank. And who can pass up a giant slinky? This whole group cost me $35.00.

I couldn't pass up this blank canvas for Brian. He recently got a set of acrylics so I'm hoping he'll create something for me so I can hang it in the house! The canvas was $3.00 - and the two brand new aprons were $2.00 each.

I didn't get as many clothes as I expected. Things just weren't jumping out at me this time. But I do love what I came home with for Hope! It's hard to see, but the grey jeans are sparkly which Hope will love. This whole group cost me $20.00.

And these three adorable outfits cost me $16.00!

Brian was set on being a Minecraft character for Halloween and I was a little stressed that I would have to come up with something homemade. Not my specialty. So I was SO psyched to find this cardboard "creeper" head for $3.00!! And then I found this weird green body suit for $5.00 that is just so perfect, I can't even tell you. Brian has a hoodie to match the checks on the head so: check and DONE! And the only other article of clothing I got for him was a nice striped Gymboree shirt for $2.00.

I also got him a cool pair of dress shoes. We don't have too many occasions where we need to dress up, but for $3.00 - AND they're brand new - we're ready for a last minute invite to a Ball. Anyone having a ball?

Hope made out a little better in the shoe department. I got three pairs of Mary Janes: brown with pink butterflies, burgandy suede and black patent - and the cutest pair of Nine West boots. All of these shoes cost me $24.00.

And finally, I couldn't pass up a doll house this year.  Hope is just getting into a lot of pretend play, so I know we will have hours and hours of fun with this!!

This one needs a little rehabbing - I'll be honest. But I was sold because it came with furniture and dolls... and a husband who cooks!! See him right in the kitchen there?!? I mean, come on - that alone is worth the $25.00 I paid. 

I had such a great time shopping this morning. Now let's see if I can wait until Christmas to pull out some of these toys! (I have a proven track record of NOT waiting, if you were wondering.)

If you live in the Philadelphia area and you'd like to come to the sale - you won't be sorry. It opens to the public tomorrow, September 22, at 9am. Admission is $3.00 tomorrow only, but if you print out (or show on your phone) this coupon, you get in free! Children and strollers are welcome.

Greater Philadelphia Expo Center

Hall A

100 Station Avenue

Oaks, PA 19456

Hours:

Thursday and Friday: 9am to 8pm

Saturday: 8am to 5pm

Sunday: 8am to 3pm (many items will be 50% off)

Game Plan...

It's that time of year again! When school is back in session and the mornings and evenings start getting cooler... it can only mean one thing.

No, not the time we start seeing Christmas decorations and cards in the stores. Although that is true.

No, not the beginning of "NO MORE LEG SHAVING UNTIL SUMMER!" season. Although that is most definitely true. Wait - unless you think that's really gross and then I'm totally kidding. Kind of.

It's that time of year when I'll obsess over my beloved Just Between Friends (Fall) Consignment Sale!! WOO HOO!! If you know me even just a tiny bit - you know I love my consignment sale. The JBF sale I go to is in Oaks, PA at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. If you live around here, come to the sale! I haven't been to any of the other surrounding JBF sales - but I know this one is the best. How could it not be? This was the sale that started Gavin stepping. Literally. The very first sale I went to, I bought a baby walker for $20.00 that looked brand new. I thought I got the best deal in the world. (Now that I'm a veteran shopper, I would have never paid $20 for a walker!) I was hoping, since Gavin would be supported in the sling seat, that my low tone boy would be motivated to take steps to move himself. It worked. Check out this throwback video (with a cameo by a baby Brian!)...

Looking back, I probably would have paid $200 for that walker if I had known it would have put the idea of stepping into Gavin's little head and given me that experience in my kitchen. It was a simple - but HUGE moment for both of us.

Back then, the twice a year sales were SO important to me. I had two boys very close in age - one with special needs who received a lot of therapy in our home. I was always looking for new toys to keep his therapy interesting. With such a HUGE selection, I could literally think through each therapy he received and get toys that would help him - with occupational therapy or physical therapy or feeding therapy and on and on. I have told this to so many special needs families over the years - it's really the best place to go for stimulating toys that won't break the bank. I've also told several families that have autistic children they should check out these sales. If your child is fixated on a toy - and you dread the day it breaks because it's not made anymore - you will likely find 20 of them at a JBF sale.

Now that Brian is older, I find I don't sell as much of his clothes. As boys grow, they get rougher and rougher on their clothes - and JBF is very strict about selling things in excellent condition. And Hope? Well she is definitely rougher than the average girl on her clothes. Especially this summer at "Camp Leong!" We spent so much time outside that some of her clothes - I wouldn't even GIVE them away!! So this time around, my selling pile was the smallest ever. I use a "valet tagger" that works for JBF to tag and deliver my clothes to the sale floor. It's the best decision I ever made a couple years back. The valet gets a cut of what I make (well deserved) - and I get to do more of this...

and a little of this...

a little of this...

and a LOT of this!!!!!!!

All while my lovely valet does all the work!

In just a couple weeks (September 21st!) I will be in line to shop on the presale day. My list will be made and I'll have a solid game plan before I go through those doors. I'll be on the hunt for Halloween costumes (which there will be racks and racks and racks to choose from)... Christmas presents for the kids (which will be easy)... snowsuits... and I'll of course have to check out the clothes. I should mention - this is totally the "testing ground" for some toys or video games that I'm just not sure Brian will like long enough to justify buying new - but he may be begging for. If I pay $5.00 for a game or a toy and he only plays with it a few times - I feel a lot better about it. (Then I turn around and sell it for $10. Just kidding!)

I started going to this sale because of Gavin so I suppose that's why I'm so emotionally attached and want to share it all with you twice a year. Whether you're expecting, a new Mom, an "old" Mom like me, have older kids or grandkids - or even if the only kids you have are your students or special needs clients - you won't regret going to the sale. You might even see me there! But listen - I will knock you down if you're holding the only Minecraft costume (if that even exists) in Brian's size. You've been warned. Ha!

If you want to join me, check out all the information on the JBF site HERE. You will need to get tickets to each sale event - and you can get them free by ordering them HERE.  You can also pay $10.00 to get in earlier (worth it!). This is what you'll see when you get to the ticket ordering page:

And here's the full sale schedule:

I'll be posting on September 21st in the morning during the pre-sale on Twitter, Instagram and my Facebook page so you can see what I'm finding for Brian and Hope! If you're wondering how to get in THAT early - consider volunteering to work at the sale. There are tons of volunteer opportunities and the more you work, the more you make and the earlier you get to shop! 

Hope to see you there! And if you do see me, please say hi. I love meeting people who have been reading - especially if they read during the Gavin days. Any chance I have to hear Gavin's name - it totally makes my day.

You can also find my friends at JBF all over social media - on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!