Garage Sale!

I don't know if you know, but putting on a garage sale is not high on my list of fun summer activities.  Going, maybe, but hosting, no.  There is a whole lotta prep work, followed by a whole lotta praying, then a whole lotta clean-up.  When Annie said she wanted to do a donations-only garage sale, I was not exactly pumped, but you get on board when you know it is a good cause.  And people, how can ya hate when this little munchkin is the reason for all of it.  You can't.  She makes you too happy.  

So the family rallied.  We dug out stuff from all corners of our basements and closets and proceeded to sweat off a few pounds hauling tables and displaying poorly thousands of things.

This is the sisters on the day in question.

And Ollie, flirting as usual.

Since the sisters and I have lived by the "you can do it all, and all in one day" philosophy for our entire lives, we decided to add a little fuel to the crazy fire.  After spending some of Thursday, and all of Friday morning setting up the garage sale, we had mom haul the cattle trailer to town loaded with Ethel Edith stuff.  Kill 2 birds with 1 stone.  Get rid of inventory in the basement, and in our barns :)  Plus, we got an opportunity to make another donation from our business.  Win-win folks.  That's what it's all about. 

This is a view of our Saturday sale.  We were pumped because we sold enough on Friday to be able to consolidate a few tables.  We had SO many clothes it was unbelievable.  

Inside of the garage was lined on all sides by clothes and housewares.  

Mom kept telling me to put the ugly stuff in the back and the good stuff out front to draw people in.  I tried to assure her that when it comes to garage sales, no one really believes the gems are buried in the back.  But anyone that knows mom knows, when it comes to display, she is the queen-bee and better than you.  Really.  She is.  So there is no point in arguing.  It's just that occasionally, I forget.  Plus, mom cares more, and that is a dangerous combination that sets you up for losing the battle.      

I concede ma.   You are better than me.

Here are just a few pictures of the sale. 

Because garage sales are generally ugly, here are pictures of Ethel Edith stuff. 

And a few pictures of the best thing at the garage sale, Miss Ollie O!

She's big!

Aren't those fat rolls superb?  Ollie is chubby goodness at it's best.  I, on the other hand, am chubby in all the ways that make me wish that men had to carry the babies.  

Our garage sale was a complete success.  Aside from being sweaty and sunburned and snapping at Maggie out of hunger, I had a good time.  Plus, the family was able to raise over $1600 to donate to the Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis.  How awesome is that?!  This weekend is the Buddy Walk in St. Louis and I look forward to that.  It should also be a good time.  My family consists of all my favorite people and they are stupid in all the best ways that make you belly-laugh til you cry.  

Thank you to everyone that came out to our sale.  That bought our junk (garage sale or Ethel Edith goods) and to all the family that donated to a worthy cause.  

The whole family, and our rockstar Ollie, thank you from the bottom of our healthy hearts :)