Stir Crazy

Is it possible to go stir crazy when you have a ton of stuff to do?

We still have boxes in various places and piles of stuff we took out of boxes but have no place for. Yet all I can think of are the projects I want to be working on. Finishing my flag quilt, making pillow cases for Bubba's new kid-size pillow, working on the scrapbooks for my time in the AF, writing in my book journal, actually reading a book...the list is long. What I should be doing is finish getting moved in. Put things away, unpack the last boxes, and take stuff to Goodwill if we don't want and/or don't have room for it.

I feel as if I haven't had any "me" time in forever. Which is crazy since every day Bubba is at school is potential "me" time...it just doesn't feel like it when I'm doing stuff that has to get done instead of stuff I want to get done. I guess the sooner I get the "have-to's" done the sooner I can get to the "want-to's"...

PCS #8?

I think we can finally arrived call this Permanent Change of Station (PCS) a success.

We actually left Illinois about 6 weeks ago and got our stuff delivered shortly after that but then we had the week at the beach, five days with the grandparents, and lots of boxes to unpack....Everyone thinks that since this was our 8th move that it should go smoothly and be easy as pie. However, it was our first move with a baby and we moved back into our townhouse which is quite a bit smaller than the house we rented (and no craft room!). It wasn't the worst move but wasn't the best either. Though come to think of it, who ever really has a good move?

Luckily, my husband didn't have to start work until this past Monday so we were a bit spoiled having him around so much. You'd think we would have gotten everything done around the house but we spent a lot of time just hanging out.

We also found a day care that seems to be pretty good. Bubba is going for about 6 hours, three days a week. If only he would stop crying when I drop him off then maybe I wouldn't feel so guilty. It makes me feel like a bad and/or selfish mom. After all, part of why he's going is to give me time to get my own stuff done (and give me some time to myself). Granted, the bigger part of why he's going is to be around other kids and have some time away from me so he realizes the world doesn't revolve around just the two of us...but I still feel guilty. Like if I were a better mom then I could expand his horizons while at the same time keeping him home with me. Not sure how I'd do that but then I guess that's why we're sending him to day care...

I'm hoping now that work and day care have started I can get into my own routine. I just need to figure out what that's gonna be...there's so much I want to do - finish my scrapbooks, write (on the blog, maybe a book, etc.), quilt, start working out, decide if I want to do volunteer stuff (how much and where, too) and maybe get involved with the officer's spouse club here, etc. So much to do, so little time...

Quilting Projects

As mentioned in a previous post, I have been working on finishing up some quilting projects before our move. One of them, the Quilted Flag Wall-hanging, I have been working on since I was at Ramstein in 2003!

I was hoping to have it done before we moved but it's got one

more step - hand-sewing the binding and hanging sleeve down. Maybe I'll get it done while I'm at the beach when there will be other people around to watch the Little Guy...

The other one is the quilt for my best friend. Again, I've been working on it for quite a while...never again will I tell someone I'm making a quilt for them. It creates too much pressure. I'd rather just let them be surprised if/when I get it done and it's ready for gifting...

For the blue quilt I tried some new things...instead of "stitch in the ditch" I drew lines (which you can still see in the picture) and sewed an "X" in each square. Then, I really went out of my comfort zone by "meandering" in the large outer border. In the picture you can see the "Xs" on the front and the meandering on the back. I used white thread for the meandering so you actually can't see it on the front - that was in case I messed up (which of course I did, but only in a few places.) Overall, I think it turned out well - especially for my first effort. I still need to attach the binding and then sew it down. Not sure if I will get either done before the move but I'd like to at least get the binding sewn on. Maybe I'll even finish it before her next birthday in July...that'd be great!

Yard Sale

When you see a sign promoting a yard sale, what do you think of? Finding a good deal? Just more junk getting spread around the world?

I enjoy going to yard sales and seeing what other people are getting rid of. Like most people, I enjoy getting a good bargain - I use coupons every chance I get, I sometimes buy on eBay instead of paying full price and I look through the "sale" rack at stores...so why not save some money buying someone else's stuff?

That's all well and good but I hate haggling. I hate the feeling that someone is trying to pull one over on me - you know, the feeling you get when you go to buy a car...or when you find out that someone else got a better deal on the same thing?

The reason I bring all this up is because we're moving again and have a lot of stuff we want to get rid of. Since it's not junk (at least not to me) I'd like to get rid of it smartly. Friends, eBay, Craig's List, Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc. Whatever way will be fast, convenient and not leave me feeling like I messed up.

The exact feeling I had yesterday when I got rid of some of our extra baby stuff. Now, I didn't want to get rid of any of the baby stuff because I'm not sure I'm done having children. So that was the first problem. I had already given some things (essentially new wipe warmer, breastfeeding supplies, tons of baby clothes, & an activity mat) to a "friend" from OSC who's having a baby boy in a couple months. She said she'd like to pay me, I said look at what she took home and give me what she thinks is reasonable. I don't feel bad at all that I haven't gotten a cent from her. Maybe I will, maybe I won't but for some reason it doesn't really bother me.

Yesterday, I talked to a neighbor (also from OSC and also due in a couple months) about whether or not she'd gotten the car seat and stroller from the first lady. Which then reminded me I had planned on asking if she could use some of the other stuff we were getting rid of. She came in to see what I had and said she'd like the swing, the sling, the mobile and a brand new-never even unpacked-crib set (quilt, sheet, and bumper). She said she had actually just gotten a swing at a yard sale this weekend (for $12) but it was pink and since mine was neutral it would be great (they don't know the sex of the baby). It was my fault things went downhill from there.

She asked me how much I wanted for it. I said whatever she felt was appropriate. I should have given her a price range I was willing to accept. It never occurred to me (especially after she said how much nicer and newer mine was than the one she got at the yard sale) that she would offer me $15 for the swing. I told her to talk with her husband and see if they really wanted all the stuff and then let me know. She took it over to show him and a while later gave me $25 for all of it! $25 for almost $300 worth of stuff!!! AAARGH.

I'm sure there was also a little of that bias where you feel something is worth more because you owned it or have feelings invested in it (can't remember what bias that is). However, if she's been looking at baby stuff at all, she had to know how much all of it was worth - especially when some of it was brand new! How could I have been an officer in the AF and be such a pushover!?

In the end, I used my husband as the excuse to get the swing back. After talking with him when he got home that the swing could hold up to 30 pounds (Bubba is only 22lbs) and that with the move we will need some way to corral him, he agreed that we should never have sold it. He was willing to go over with me and ask the neighbor that since I sold it without talking to him, could we please "buy" it back. So I turned over the $15 and we got the swing back. I feel a bit like a schmuck but I also feel better for having the swing back. The fact that she still got $150 worth of new stuff (that I only had to/agreed to part with since we're moving) for $10 kills me.

So, I think for the rest of the furniture and other stuff we're unloading, I'll do Goodwill or Salvation Army and take the tax credit instead of dealing with the upset stomach that bargaining leaves me with...I'll be happy when this move is over with. This will be my 8th move in 15 years and instead of getting easier it's getting more and more difficult...maybe because we're acquiring more and more stuff and the stuff we already had has become more and more tied to what, for me, makes a home.