Friday we decided to take the kids and go to a place called JJ Jump, which is a huge building full of different style of inflatable bounce houses. We had so much fun! It was early (and school is still in session) so it was just the four of us and a dad with his son so we literally had free run of everything! We were all sweaty messes from playing so hard when it was time to leave. :)
Saturday was a busy day for us - the kids wanted to go to garage sales so we loaded up and drove around. We picked up precious little but the kids had a good time. After that, we called on something I had been looking for and finally found and just let me say:
trash compactors ROCK! Seriously. I have been wanting a trash compactor for the past two years because it has become fairly often that we are needing to add an extra can, and pay extra money, for additional trash collection. So I've been on a hunt for a decent used compactor that we could put in the garage. This weekend we scored! I found a really good one on CraigsList and, as a bonus, we didn't have to drive an hour to see it. It was literally 5 minutes from our house. It's an older model but the woman only used it for about 9 months - it is in absolute pristine condition!
I confess - I am in heaven! You should have seen Kelton and I compacting all the trash we could find and I was over the top delighted to find that all the trash in the garbage can PLUS all the trash still in the house compacted nicely into one container of compacted trash. WAHOO!!!!! I am so, so, so excited!!! (a little more than pathetic, no?) Kelton has been constantly asking today if there is more trash to put in and squash. There isn't, of course, but I promised him that after Dakota's mom and step-father are here for dinner there will be plenty of trash to squish. :)
After setting up the compactor and squashing all the trash, the kids wanted to go for a walk. The double stroller was what they wanted to ride on (it's been in the garage for months now since I haven't been using it). Sadly, Kelton is just too big for the stroller so I had to break it to him that it was time to sell it to another family who could use it. He was less than thrilled but agreed that it was time...after one more trip in it, of course.
So we set out around the neighborhood for our good-bye stroll. When we were almost back to our house we passed a couple loading things from their garage into their truck. As we walked by the woman yelled out "Hey - you wouldn't happen to need bed frames for a queen or single bed, would you? Totally free. We're loading it up to take to Goodwill right now." At first we thanked her and said no, we were good but then on second thought...I turned to Dakota and said "You know, I would really like a new bed frame." So we said "On second thought....." so we went up the driveway to take a look at the queen bed. It was really, really nice. They had recently bought a sleigh-style bed and no longer had a need for the mission-style. It was in great condition and ours for the taking! WOW! A $500 bed for free!!!
We shared that we were out for a last walk in the double stroller before selling it. The woman's eyes lighted up and she said "Really? I am really, really wanting a doubler stroller (she has a not yet 3 year old and a 4 month old). I don't suppose you'd consider a trade?" It didn't take much thought on my part: of course I would!
So we finished our walk and I loaded up the stroller and drove it back to their house. A great bed set-up for a stroller we can no longer use. Sounds like a good trade to me!
So last night we changed our bed from this:
To this:
(Ignore the comforter set. It was an error in judgement last year. Kelton loved it and was sure Dakota would as well as she loves all things tropical. Turned out, she thought it was "ok" but not our (my) regular style (which is darker, richer colors). I never liked it. We've put up with it for the past year but now I'm on the hunt for one that is more our (my) style.) I love the new bed!! We've had the hunter green wrought iron one since December 1994. Dakota bought it for me for my 30th birthday because I really, really loved it. I still do - I'm just ready for a change. I posted the old frame on CraigsList last night and someone is coming to buy it later this afternoon.
Smooshed in there we've also had all the usual fun of playing in the pool, playing adventure and restaurant in the yard as well as playing endlessly on the swing set. It's been a really, really great weekend!
13 comments:
What a great trade!!! It was meant to be!!! :o)
Man, were the stars in line for you that day or what?! Love the new bed. I was gonna ask you how much you wanted for the double stroller before I read to the bottom... :)
The bed was a great find. Sadly, I have never had a real bed, just the normal box springs. I need to put that on my list. Good trade. I wasn't sad to lose the double stroller...mine was so big. I would be excited about the trash compactor too. We struggle to contain ourselves to our one huge trash can. MOst everyone else on the block has the small one and I marvel about how they manage. Good for you on your finds.
That looks like so much fun! Can't wait until Riley is old enough to enjoy outings like that. :)
What a great day for you! Love the new bed!
Craigslist is great! We sold our sling and an unused car seat on there quickly.
We are allowed up to 6 bags here!!! Too much, in my opinion. I think it's changing. We only have garbage collection every other week in Toronto. The opposite week is recylcing. They take compost every week. We rarely have 2 garbage cans so I think we do fairly well. It helps to have the compost and recyling--those are our biggest items.
What a packed weekend you all had! Hey, I wanna go to the bounce house next time, OK? What fun!
I hope you enjoy the compactor. We had one, and I hated it! Just different tastes. If your trash pick-up company has a limit on *weight* of your containers, be cautious. You can pack the trash so well that it is too heavy to lift, trust me! And if it is too compacted, it can be hard to remove from the compactor, too. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy it!
I love the trade you made with the stroller/bed! What a deal! Isn't it great that one family's castoffs become another's treasure? Hurrah for the bartering system!!
Hope you week is a good as the weekend was. :)
Dakota is just a big ol' kid herself I can see! I wish we had one of those places here!
What an awesome swap. I love heart your old bed though.
Wow, its like it was all meant to be! Good thing Kelton wanted to go on one last good bye stroll, or else you might have missed that bed entirely! And what a great bed it is.
Isn't it funny the things we moms get excited about, LOL. Trash compacter, WooHoo!
Brenda: It sure was! :)
Nikki: Thanks!
Perrin: I had thought about going to the big garbage can but when I called I was taken back by the cost of upgrading sp we've been doing what we can to smash the trash of a family of 4 into the small can. No easy feat! I've always been so jealous of the bigger cans. We are very, very good about recycling all that can be recycled, too, and it still is a struggle. *sigh*
Stacey: Oh the fun that awaits you and Riley gets bigger! :) And seriously? 6 bags are what you can leave out every other week? I wonder what that equates to in regards to our one 32 gal can? Hmmmm. We do have paper, newspaper, glass and can recycling which we are very good about doing. I can't even imagine how much trash we would have otherwise. Eeeeeek!
Lynilu: Thanks for the tips! I will remember it all. Luckily, our garbage pick-up in container based - not weight. The trucks are these fancy things with mechanical arms that pick up the cans and dump them. The driver rarely has to leave his truck. :)
Patti_Cake: You have no idea how much of a big kid Dakota really is! I love it because between her imagination and the kids - they keep each other happy and busy whenever she is home. It's so much fun to watch her playing with them. :) I loved our old bed too but we were eager for a change and besides, I was getting really tired of dis-entangling children from the footboard. They LOVED to slide down and get "stuck" but it always required a lot of effort to remove their bodies. :)
Kristen: I am constantly saying "You know you're a grown-up/mom when new appliances make you feel like a kid in a candy store." :) And yes, it's a very good thing that the kids wanted to go for a walk - we are really enjoying the new bed - it totally changes to look of the room. Amazing what a little change to will. :)
Sounds like a great weekend. You are becoming a real expert at Craigslist aren't you? I love it.
I love your new bed. I want one just like that...
Caroline: I've actually been using CraigsList for a few years now. I really enjoy it. :)
What a fabulous trade. Like the new frame, but adore the old one! I'd love to find something like that for us!
What an awesome trade you did, and how fortunate that it worked out for both families! I never have thought about a trash compactor, but it sounds like a lot of fun! :)
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