For most of us in Southern Ontario this was one of those weekends that is so beautiful it brings us outside in droves. The white, pasty legs of winter make their debut, windows are thrown open, the cars were being washed and garages swept out. Normally, this weekend is in May and I cannot recall one of these weekends happening in April, what Global Warming?! As you can see the girls spent time helping Daddy clean the van and then decided to decorate the van with their skipping ropes for a party. Since I was inside for most of the day I am seeing all this for the first time as I download the photos from the camera.
Hubby spent all day Sunday cleaning out the 
garage, cleaning out all salt and snacks out of the van; while the girls happily played around him. Since I was suffering horribly with a splitting headache I spent the day in the house rummaging around the totes with the summer clothes. As I'm folding a basket of laundry that has flannel pj's and turtlenecks I am simultaneously filling the girls drawers with t-shirts and capris. I used to think I am the only person who spends hours rotating the clothes, but after my neighbour told me she was up until 1:30am doing the same thing I didn't feel so hopeless.
If you would have told me before I had kids that this is one of the most time consuming jobs ever, I would not have believed you. It is not so bad for Papoosie Girl, I pull out the tote with all of her clothes from last summer, try to figure out what fits; then put it all in her drawers once I empty out the cords and sweaters. It is much harder for Rosebud and after I go through the same process for her I need to make a "too small" pile to pass along to our friends. Then I need to figure out what of Papoosie Girl's clothes will fit Rosebud this summer, not what she just outgrew, but usually the summer before. Then there is the adventure of pulling it all out, figuring out what will fit her (their body shapes are different) and what I still like, etc. I realize this sounds like a load of hooey, but believe me this takes much more time than I ever could have imagined. Not to mention I try to sort the winter stuff I am taking out into piles of "for sure won't fit next fall" and "might fit next fall" to make the next season change easier.
Sometimes I am tempted to dump it all and start fresh, but besides the obvious cost factor that just seems like even more work. Then the funny things is it seems like Rosebud has so many clothes and none all at once...she will have 25 t-shirts that are for play and nothing for going out. Or she will have tons of shorts, but I can't find any capris in the totes. It is like a huge conspiracy so I have to not only sort what I have, but figure out what I need and then make a list and figure out which Grandma is going to take care of it for me.
Yeah yeah I know. BIG problems to have...Trust me if you felt as crappy as me this weekend you would understand this was a problem, albeit tiny. And don't think I have put away all the winter stuff - that is just begging for a snowfall. I did that a few years ago, I put all the winter stuff away only to have the temperatures drop a week later, causing me to stomp to the basement for warmer clothes. Nope this year the turtlenecks and capris will have to live together in the drawers for a few weeks until I am certain winter is really over. Mother Nature can't fool me, nope not this year.
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This was a good weekend...despite all my bitching and complaining. We had a surprise 60th Birthday/Retirement party for my Mom Saturday. It was so much work, but completely worth it and I am sure contributed to my lethargy Sunday, I was wiped out from the party prep. My Mom was shocked and surprised so we did our job...I can't believe she is retiring. It is making me feel a little old today.
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I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Monday Musings - Strange Weather -When turtlenecks and capris live together
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11 comments:
I was clothes-sorting this weekend as well. I went through five boxes of boy-clothes for Bub - I'll put off the Pie until I receive my next shipment of hand-me-downs.
The year I was in grade 8, it went up to 30 degrees on April 30. (It was 30 degrees on the 30th - I've never forgotten.)
Sorting my kids clothing is one of my major tasks - all of The Girl's outgrown clothes are sorted into worth keeping for the Baby and stored or not worth keeping and donated, while The Boy's things are sorted merely by worth keeping for sentimental reasons or straight to donations. ANd then, yes, seasonal. They have too much clothing.
Yes yes! I forgot to add the Goodwill pile and consignment store pile (not much in that pile since I pass along so much just the odd outfit I know I will never use and/or friend can't use)....not to mention the hand-me down box from my sister-in-law...I am grateful, but I'm with Beck it is just too much clothes sometimes.
Ugh! The clothes rotating is endless!
Seasonally we are weeks behind you, but I'll be doing this soon. I thought I was the only person stressed by the clothes rotation.
The elder boy is smallish for his age, while the younger is big for his age - this means that instead of doing hand me downs I have to buy lots new. Like with winter coats: Dr. Know had a size 2 and a size 4, but Danger Boy needed a size 3 this year, and next year a size 5, but I only have a size 6 which Dr. Know used this past season.
And so Dr. Know fits all the t-shirts from his big brother in December, and come July only the hand me down sweaters fit.
It is still cool here still. Only 5 degrees, with 2 feet of snow on the front lawn but only 1 foot in the back (the difference between southern exposure), but I'm in capris pants. They're my talisman for warm weather. Never mind that I've also got on wool socks.
-N
That is a BIG job and one that no one warns you about. The on-slaught of clothing and sorting and shopping. If you get borrowed clothes from others then it's a matter of getting them back to where they come from. Yeah - it's a big job.
Having one of each sex adds to the confusion, since they share no hand-me-downs. I finally gave up on saving clothes for "another" child. If we have an oops #3, he/she will get a whole new wardrobe!
ADA-We really do have the same kids! I had to buy a winter coat this year for Rosebud because I had a 3 (too small) and a 5 (too big). I mean they are both girls and all, but it seems we are always missing something. Currently in Rosebud's drawers she has clothes ranging from size 3 (some bottoms) up to size 6 (shrunken t-shirts and PJ's of PG's) and they all fit. Her wardrobe is such a mish mash.
Yesterday while sorting I could not find a single pair of jean capris in 4 - did Papoosie Girl go from 3x to 5? Who knows - I do know there are none.
You are not the only one concerned about this...it is all so nuts and endless as JOY points out.
Capris and wool socks oh baby.
Omaha Mama-I am lucky most of the hand-me downs I get I get to keep, so no keeping track. I do lend out a lot and now that my best friend is expecting number three it will all head her way again. I have held on to everything thus far...just can't let it go yet. I am beginning to see your point though - new wardrobe if there should be a number 3!
Wow! I did this too! My dilemma is: winter clothes not entirely too small yet, but unless I move them ... no room for new spring clothes ... which she needs because a) it's warm out now and b) she's getting bigger. Gah!
I buy all the stuff together, so that it all inter-matches (easier for Dada to make outfits ...) but then I have to incorporate the handmedowns into the routine ... very stressful.
jsut when i think i can put those turtlenecks away...we get ourselves some cold weather...bah.
Such a task...
Andmy daughter is an only child... But she grew two inches in 6 weeks... how is this possible???
And everything...everything does not fit...
she grew two shoe sized... Holy Growth Spurt Batman!!!
We sorted clothes, too! And, we donated a TON. Felt good. :) And, yeah, the weather's crazy! I think I got colour!
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