For the past few months, I have been wanting to write this post, but I haven't had the time. Now, with another REI Garage Sale coming up in just a few weeks I thought I would write what I learned from my first garage sale experience because it was like no other. I had a blast!
1. Get there early! Some people camp out, but I got there at 5:30 A.M and I was golden! I was 18th in line and could not have asked for a better time. At first, I spent my time surfing Facebook or trying to read, but I ended up putting that away to listen to the other people talking around me. There were two sets of friends in between me…all lonely. However, I started talking and I had a blast! Although I don't know their names now, we were pretty good friends for those few hours! Since I was alone, I was kind of screwed when I needed to go to the bathroom, but the nice men in front held my spot while I ran to the restroom. Everyone was so nice, and I have high expectations for the people I am around at my next one, IN COLORADO, with my lovely fiancé! Can't wait to go to the one on January 3rd!
2. DO NOT GRAB A CART! It just slowed me down and I had to abandon it. Grab a bag! It was AWFUL lugging around all the goodies I found. I am pretty sure I dropped a few things along the way.
3. Try not to be one of those people that grab everything, then go to a corner and sort through all of the stuff you find. This is just unfair to the rest of us. REI employees are usually trying to help keep this from happening, but I saw this happening. Go into the store expecting to find nothing, grab what you think is a great buy and leave the stuff you most likely won't get alone!
4. The store is most likely divided into sections like electronics, bikes, tents, backpacks, clothes, and shoes. Go to the section of your number one item first!
5. Those friends you met in line may come through for you! I talked to one group in front of me about GoPros and asked if they thought there would be any in there. They said no so I didn't even look for one. I was looking at the hiking shoes and then out of no where one of the guys had two GoPro 3+ Black editions in his hand and told me to take one so of course I did! It was my best find cause I love that thing, even though I don't know how to use it to its full capabilities. Brandon will be in charge of it once he gets home! It was such a steal! With electronics just make sure you test or ask the people working about it before you buy it. They will tell you what is wrong with it, if anything.
6. There is a color coding system assigned to each item. A green sticker means the item is in good shape, yellow means more use, and red means heavily used and bad condition. The best thing is just to examine each item, read the label, then make your own call.
7. Lastly, have fun! Don't have an attitude because this store does so much for their shoppers and members and I would hate for them to let go of the excellent customer service and generous return policy.
I can't wait to use everything I have bought from their in Colorado and in Europe when we are backpacking! It is something I am looking forward to and I know that REI stands behind what they sell so it puts me at ease knowing they are trying their best for us!
Happy shopping!!!
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Monday, December 8, 2014
Catching Up
Wow! I really can't believe how fast time goes by. So much has happened since September and big things are yet to come!
First, let's start with a real biggie- BRANDON GOT A PILOT SLOT! Say what?! He is on his way to becoming a pilot in the USAF and I couldn't be happier for him or for us. I am going to be a pilot's wife! He has worked so hard his whole life so I am glad he was able to get a slot!
Brandon is also wrapping up his semester abroad next week and I can't be more excited. We haven't gone this long without seeing each other since he left for the Academy back in 2011 so it has felt like a long time for me. However, I think it flew by for him. He visited London, the Sahara, and lots of other small trips within Morocco. Pretty jealous of all his adventures and hoping he will take me there one day! He has also branched out and ate snails and liver, but won't eat sushi with me. Come on now! Can't wait to see all the pictures once he gets back next Saturday.
As for me, I will be finished with student teaching in FOUR days. FOUR! The missing Brandon part of my life went by slowly, but student teaching flew by. I can't believe I will be graduating and finished with college come Saturday.
I finished student teaching in first grade at the end of October and I never thought I would be the one to miss the little ones, but I miss them so much! They were so much fun and I learned so much from them, as well as my cooperating teacher. Now, I am finishing up in the fourth grade and they were great as well. My cooperating teacher is amazing at what she does! The fourth graders are a little more attitude than the first graders, but were still very sweet! I am so excited to be a licensed teacher and can't wait until I have my own class one day!
Now I am working on packing (or not packing if you were to ask Mom), but it is getting bittersweet! I know it hasn't quite hit me yet, but I am going to be sad to leave home and move to Colorado in just a few short weeks. All of the children are just so cute and I love them so much! Emily Anne gave birth to Billy on November 24, 2014 and he is just the cutest! Everyone is growing so fast, especially Turner and Trent! I am going to have to set up a schedule to FaceTime everyone once a week!! However, I am excited to move as well! I have a condo, with two bedrooms, so if you want to visit let me know! The more the merrier! Also, I found a job and I can't wait to start! It is perfect!! I am going to be helping a mother homeschool/nanny their six children! They have four of their own and adopted two from Haiti and they are all adorable so I can't wait to meet them!! They look pretty sweet and the interview was so relaxed; I hope they will like me just the same in person! Getting a job was a pretty big concern of mine, so I am lucky to find this awesome family who will allow me to work with them for the five months I am out there.
Brandon and I are packing the cars and heading out on the 30th of December. Hopefully the weather will be good and we will make it to our destinations each day. We will arrive in Colorado Springs on my 22nd birthday, the first one I will be spending away from home! It is so much to be taking in right now. Graduating, moving, getting married, all within the next six months! Whew!!
Life is a little hectic here, but I am so full and can't imagine anything different!
Here is the link you Brandon and I singing Frozen's Love is an Open Door :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XQ00ubfj1g
First, let's start with a real biggie- BRANDON GOT A PILOT SLOT! Say what?! He is on his way to becoming a pilot in the USAF and I couldn't be happier for him or for us. I am going to be a pilot's wife! He has worked so hard his whole life so I am glad he was able to get a slot!
Brandon is also wrapping up his semester abroad next week and I can't be more excited. We haven't gone this long without seeing each other since he left for the Academy back in 2011 so it has felt like a long time for me. However, I think it flew by for him. He visited London, the Sahara, and lots of other small trips within Morocco. Pretty jealous of all his adventures and hoping he will take me there one day! He has also branched out and ate snails and liver, but won't eat sushi with me. Come on now! Can't wait to see all the pictures once he gets back next Saturday.
As for me, I will be finished with student teaching in FOUR days. FOUR! The missing Brandon part of my life went by slowly, but student teaching flew by. I can't believe I will be graduating and finished with college come Saturday.
I finished student teaching in first grade at the end of October and I never thought I would be the one to miss the little ones, but I miss them so much! They were so much fun and I learned so much from them, as well as my cooperating teacher. Now, I am finishing up in the fourth grade and they were great as well. My cooperating teacher is amazing at what she does! The fourth graders are a little more attitude than the first graders, but were still very sweet! I am so excited to be a licensed teacher and can't wait until I have my own class one day!
Now I am working on packing (or not packing if you were to ask Mom), but it is getting bittersweet! I know it hasn't quite hit me yet, but I am going to be sad to leave home and move to Colorado in just a few short weeks. All of the children are just so cute and I love them so much! Emily Anne gave birth to Billy on November 24, 2014 and he is just the cutest! Everyone is growing so fast, especially Turner and Trent! I am going to have to set up a schedule to FaceTime everyone once a week!! However, I am excited to move as well! I have a condo, with two bedrooms, so if you want to visit let me know! The more the merrier! Also, I found a job and I can't wait to start! It is perfect!! I am going to be helping a mother homeschool/nanny their six children! They have four of their own and adopted two from Haiti and they are all adorable so I can't wait to meet them!! They look pretty sweet and the interview was so relaxed; I hope they will like me just the same in person! Getting a job was a pretty big concern of mine, so I am lucky to find this awesome family who will allow me to work with them for the five months I am out there.
Brandon and I are packing the cars and heading out on the 30th of December. Hopefully the weather will be good and we will make it to our destinations each day. We will arrive in Colorado Springs on my 22nd birthday, the first one I will be spending away from home! It is so much to be taking in right now. Graduating, moving, getting married, all within the next six months! Whew!!
Life is a little hectic here, but I am so full and can't imagine anything different!
Here is the link you Brandon and I singing Frozen's Love is an Open Door :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XQ00ubfj1g
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