Just when I thought I couldn't love him more...

He shows himself to be a highly skilled, technically gifted, altogether overachieving garage sale navigator. My husband. He can sniff out a neighborhood sale's goods from the curb like nobody's business. Although I'm not terribly surprised, (he is a pretty capable man) this was complete news to me. The thing is, our garage sale escapades didn't begin until this summer. When we realized we have 7 children who each have an annual birthday. They also happen to enjoy opening a couple of gifts on Christmas morning. And one on Christmas eve. But who's counting? Me! Because when you've committed to not buying anything brand spanking new, wrapped to high heaven in enough plastic to supply your own personal landfill named after your family, gift giving can present a wee bit of a challenge. Unless you know my husband. The guy who never ceases to amaze me and just so happens to posses mad yard sale skills. My heart! {Be still.} Thanks to him and what turns out to be a really fun way for he and I to spend a few Saturday mornings together, we have a good start on our kids' gifts. Useful toys and dress up clothes and things the Deutschlets will adore. Recycling at its finest. No wrapping. Our family to yours. {I think I'm in love.} No, I'm sure of it. ♥

Speaking of green shopping, I took the kids to a new Arc that opened in town last night to let loose of some of the allowance that so heavily weighs them down with all its begging and pleading to be spent already.

**Side note: People sometimes wonder how we handle money and all the kids' needs. Basically, we don't buy anything for them aside from necessary clothes and shoes with the exception of birthdays and Christmas when they receive gifts from us. They have chores - both a morning and an afternoon routine - (plus they help me out A LOT with all kinds of extra things around here) and they get paid allowance equal to their age every 2 weeks. Jayla gets $10, Onyx gets $9, and so on. When dad gets paid, so do they. Then, they are free to save up or spend, and charitably give their money as they please. Some are savers. Some are spenders. Some are a little of both.**

Back to Arc. We were in the toys section looking for the younger ones when a woman and her grandson came by. He was bemoaning the fact that his mean, mean grandma had him at Arc and wouldn't just take him to {gasp!} Walmart to pick something out. She, ever so kindly, encouraged him in his endeavor to find his (obviously buried...deeply) inner passion for thrift store shopping. "Honey, to find something here, you really have to open your eyes. Dig around. Look up, look down. Try to discover what might be fun and useful to you." (Kindred spirits, she and I.) Meanwhile our kids were having a ball. I think Jayla mentioned 3 or 4 times how much she likes searching for treasures. (She ended up buying clothes for herself.) Truly, the situation warmed my heart. I am so proud of my little ones for unpretentiously embracing the recycled goods are very good mentality. They each found something to tickle their fancy and lighten their wallet. (And yes, I let them pay one by one, before buying my own. Fair warning, if you see us out thrifting, I would not, repeat would not get in line behind our family. ☺) 

The Garage Sale Master teaching his son to play his new, used $2 Battleship game.