Stream of Consciousness Sunday: A Look Book - Beyond the Runway

It's Week 8 of my Stream of Consciousness Sunday posts. It's a typical Sunday. I've got a pot roast in the slow cooker.  Using a Guinness this time at the request of hubby.  I'm not a beer drinker - but I love to cook roasts in beer.  If anyone knows what that little plastic ball in the can does - I'll love to know. It must be some secret part of their recipe.

Anyway, every time I peruse the online sales, I start to forget what I've already purchased. Last weekend I hit the Stride Rite store at our closest outlet mall & got 6 pair of socks, a pair of hikers & a pair of tennis shoes all for $64.00. I had an idea, while I was shopping then, to take photos of the kid clothes I had stashed away & create a "look book". Something to remind me of what I already have purchased so I don't go shopping for more of the same.

My favorite place to buy kids clothing, outside of the end-of-season sales is "Once-Upon-A-Child a wonderful place to find gently used name brand clothing for kids. It's cool to know I'm doing something good for the environment - re-using things instead of always buying new.  

I was there today I picked up 2 Gap sweaters, a Gap hooded sweatshirt & an Old Navy sweatshirt - all for $31.00. So when I got home, I took photos of all the things Munchkin will wear this fall & I am so excited - we are in awesome shape - he needs hardly anything. 

My time is up, but I'm curious - what do others do to stay ahead of clothing shopping for our kids who grow like weeds?  Is it something that you've been able to continue as your kids have grown older over the years?

This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.

§         Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.

§         Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.

§         Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.

§         Link up your post at all.things.fadra

§         Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy: Stream of Consciousness Sunday - The Pieces That Make Us Whole or Stream of Consciousness Sunday - Mom's Night Out

The Recycling Of Vintage Memories

There are so many things my parents saved for me... for when I had a family of my own but few that I appreciate more than some treasured toys.

"On November 23, 1955, Mound Metalcraft changed its name to Tonka Toys Incorporated. The logo at this time was an oval, showing the Tonka Toys name in red above waves, presumably honoring nearby Lake Minnetonka.[2]" - 

The label above I've read they began using about 1974.

You'd never guess that the same kid who has a vast collection of black dolls, many of which were custom made, would also be so attached to her Tonka Trucks, but I was. I remember the Tonka Headquarters well since we used to take our canoe out & go fishing in the lake right across the street.

  Luckily my parents carefully stored away my treasured trucks & handed them over finally when we moved into our home 5 1/2 years ago where we had plenty of room to store them until we started our family.

It was many years before we would have our son & a few years after that before I would let our son play with Mom's metal trucks. 

 

I would put them up high on the shelves where Munchkin couldn't reach & then after I'd go upstairs my husband would take down the trucks for our son to play with. 

Tonka T-6 bulldozer 2300 Pressed Steel Truck
 

After a while I just gave in & took them down whenever Munchkin asked to play with them.

 "1965 - 1972: A Mighty Age - the Mighty series grew to epic proportions over these years by adding the Mighty Clam, Crane, Shovel, Scraper, Car Carrier, Bulldozer, Wrecker, Hydraulic Dump, Roller, Bottom Dump, Mixer, Loadmaster and Grader."

 

I always insist that Munchkin treat the trucks with care & respect the way I did as a child.  Hopefully they will last another 25-30 years or so until I'm a grandmother & can share them with our grandchildren.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy: Wordless Wednesday - All About The Cars... Cars 2 That Is or Wordless Wednesday: MN State Fair - Through The Eyes Of My Son