SCORE!!!!

When we finally start raising our support and begin the physical preparation for going to Zambia, we will send a sea container full of stuff over. It will take 4-5 months to get there, so will need to send it around the beginning of 2008 at the latest if we continue to shoot for the target date of May next year.

Because we will be shipping then, all the summerish clothes will of course be gone. So today I drove by the thrift store and saw the SUMMER CLEARANCE sign. I am all for clearance, I don't mind used stuff, and I am even more for FREE. Yes, free! While there I asked about a set of encyclopedias they had, they said if I took them right then, I could have then FREE! YEAH! We have been thinking about a set for some time. Now,granted they are a good 25 years old, but in great condition. I think I liked history back from the 80's anyway-I don' think the 'PC'ers started changing history until the 90's. Anyway, it would be great to have a newer set, but if we don't get one, this will work for us.

Anyway, for $136 I got:
23 skirts ranging in sz 4-18
23 t-shirts & collared shirts
3 winter sweaters (so cute, had to have them for this year)
12 pairs of sandals
4 dresses
11 videos for the kids
1 cd
1 clip-on, oh-so-cute tie for Joe
and maybe more. I don't remember anymore.
I've also gotten tons of sandals at the local big-box store for $1.50.

Yes, we could get some of this stuff in Africa, but it may be hard to find, the quality may not be as good, and as I said before, just because it's Africa DOES NOT mean it is cheaper. Especially if I go out to buy it myself. And as far as clothes go, we (I) may be doing some hand wash of clothes. They just don't last as long that way.

Almost forgot! One of the ladies also took my name. She said sometimes they just need to get rid of stuff. So if I was interested, maybe they would call and just let me take a bunch of stuff (free!) to bring over to Africa. Whatever we couldn't use ourselves, we could bring to some of the local villages. How cool is that!

So if anyone has any MODEST clothes (especially long skirts and dresses) for the girls (sz kids 7 to adult sizes) and doesn't want to have a garage sale, give me a call! We'll also need boys clothes starting at about 5T and up. I have no problem taking bigger clothes and keeping them. The sea container will be ours in Africa too, so it will probably become our "shed" in the backyard.

There will be tons of other stuff we will be looking for too, but we get that list out later.

I am always on the look-out now for great deals. Anything summerish (clothes, outdoor stuff {like solar lights}, kids outdoor games) that you see is going for CHEAP, let me know.

And this is my third time editing this post...i forgot to mention the great deals i am getting at OfficeMax-their teaser rates. 4 cents for glue, colors, 10 cents for notebooks and papers...they know me well in there! Every time i go into town, i stop and pick things up (there's a limit on each order-so i also take one of the girls in with me-ha!)