Monthly Archives: May 2012

My trash = your treasure, I

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Just one of the many tables filled with toys.

More than two full racks of clothes for kids organized by size and season!

Garage sale season has officially arrived as evidenced by the slew of signs on every corner in my small town. Do you love them or hate them? Do you find them dirty or intriguing? Do you stretch your neck when driving by in hopes of spotting that Blatz Beer sign you’ve been missing since you were 17? Or do you avoid them altogether for fear of finding that creepy plush Ronald McDonald doll that your mom taunted you with for years?

This very weekend I am playing hostess to the most epic of all Tiede garage sales. I have teetered down the attic steps with arms full of boxes, I have climbed up from the basement dragging comforters, luggage and home decor galore. But mostly, I have shed tears sorting through toys and clothes that my children have outgrown. As I mentioned in a previous blog, I welcome the maturing of my kids. I am not crying because they’ve outgrown the beautiful dresses and coolest toys ever. I’m crying because I’m cheap and I can’t believe we paid $25 for the Zhu Zhu Pet and Fun House that Noah played with for five minutes and now we’ll be lucky to sell for $2.00.

I’m so cheap, in fact, that I refuse to pay for a classified ad in the local newspaper. Do you know the going rate for classified ads? It costs $16 for 10 words and 60¢ for each additional word.  I can’t even get my street address and hours of operation in the ad for under $20 and that doesn’t allow me to begin describing the sheer awesomeness of my garage sale!

Then I remembered that I AM A DIGTAL MARKETER. I am a blogger. I am a tweeter. I am a Facebooker. I use Craig’s List. And I pin pins on Pinterest!

So I present to you, my faithful readers, a brazen and bold digital plug for the sale of my Tiede Treasures:

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

This Thursday beginning at 4:30pm sharp, you are all invited to attend the garage sale to end all garage sales. There will be more toys than FAO Schwartz. There will be baby essentials like wipe warmers, bouncy seats, and changing pads. There will be racks of clothes organized on hangers by size and season. There will be nursing pajamas with only minor Lansinoh stains…c’mon ladies, don’t judge — you know it’s inevitable. There will be a pink motorized jeep for your little princess. There will be an infant carrier for your newborn bundle of joy. There will be a Kelty backpack for your slightly older bundle of joy. There will be a One Step Ahead Sit n Stand stroller for your second bundle of joy. There will be home decor that I can no longer bear to look at on my walls and shelves, but there’s no shame in admitting that you can’t live without them. There will be beauty supplies. There will be one kick-ass pair of boots. There will be an interview-ready suit that I clearly don’t need because my job rocks. There will be kitchen rugs. There will be bathroom rugs. There will be shower curtains. Hey! I just realized that you can redecorate your entire bathroom at my garage sale!

Stop by and check out all of the goodies you will find in my garage and on my driveway this weekend. The children are not for sale, but almost everything else you see can be yours for a small price. The sale of my husband is negotiable.

Lia, my bringer of good news

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This morning at approximately 12:38am my precious baby girl turned three years old. Like most parents, my husband and I enjoy reminiscing about that perfect day when baby Lia came into our lives. Oh wait, did I say perfect?! Crying, screaming, cursing, bleeding…maybe not so perfect. But damn, she was the most beautiful baby girl I had ever laid eyes on. Still is.

While I have cherished (almost) every stage of Lia’s three years, I don’t relate to those parents who struggle to accept the reality that their babies grow more independent with each passing day. In fact, I welcome the independence. When we had finally chosen a name for our unborn baby girl, we considered three spellings: Leah, Lea, and Lia. Our online research revealed that the first two had meanings associated with weary and dependent. The latter meant bringer of good news. Not much deliberation needed after that little discovery! Lia was the clear winner and this girl could never be mistaken for either weary or dependent! It was an added bonus that Lia was the Italian spelling for my favorite name and a special tribute to my ancestry.

Yes, there are certainly times when I love a good snuggle in the glider singing “You are my Sunshine” to this baby girl of mine. But better yet, I love when she sings it right back to me. Or she sings new songs that she learned at childcare. Or she tells me that I’m her very best friend. Or she puts her jacket on without my help. Or she blows her nose. Or she climbs up to the table without a boost. Or she picks up her toys. Or she makes a new friend. Or she tinkles in the toilet. Or she eats a cheeseburger instead of a cheese sandwich. Or she slips on her own shoes. Or she slips on my shoes. Or she pedals her tricycle. Or she washes her hands. Or she turns off her bedroom light. Or she pumps her legs on the swings. Or she tells me that her tummy hurts rather than making me guess. Or she puts her dirty clothes down the laundry chute. Or she calls me pretty. Or she does a perfect forward roll in tumbling class. Or she prefers walking to being carried. Or she tells her brother that Olivia is better than Sponge Bob. Or she kisses her dolls goodnight. Or my all-time personal favorite…she says, “I love you mommy!”

Happy Birthday to my one and only baby girl. May you grow big and strong, but always need your mommy for the most important days and moments in your life.