Still selling like a mad woman

Well, I'm still selling but maybe not like a mad woman.

Cuz selling things makes me happy, not mad.

We sold the black futon/couch thing that was purchased from a student who was moving.

We paid $35 and we sold it for $60.

I grabbed this cute little wood coffee table down at Goodwill for $7.

The front legs were pretty scratched up so I priced it at $20.

I sold it a couple of days after posting it on Craigslist.

We also sold Josh's loft bed for $100 (had previously bought it at GW for $25) and a set of bunk beds that we were no longer using.

As for ebay, I sold about 100 items this month and it just keeps getting better and better.

Maybe because I am figuring out what I am doing?

Here are some highlights...

This beautiful yellow silk JCrew dress was purchased at GW for $6.

It was a formal style, which doesn't resell well, but JCrew is a pretty hot brand so I thought I would take a chance.

It sold for $29.99 which is what I listed it at.

I bought this cute girl's Gap denim skirt for $2.

I was going to give it to my 10 year old daughter for school but she didn't want it.

Apparently she had trouble walking in the long skirts.

So, I took it and listed it on ebay.

It sold for $20.51.

Chicos is another great brand which resells really well.

These black stretch Travelers style pants were purchased for $2.50.

They sold for $21.47.

I wasn't sure if these Prana cargo pants in a size small would do very well but since they were only $2.50, I thought I'd try it.

They surprised me when they sold for $11.51.

But my biggest surprise of the month was this fish embroidered, Quacker Factory denim jumper dress.

I almost didn't buy it, even though it was only $3.

It was brand new with the button covers and a pin hanging on the front in bubble wrap and it was a plus size which is a plus (hee...hee...get it? Plus size being a plus. Ok, not funny? Guess you had to be there?)

Maybe because it wasn't something I would wear or because I didn't feel like it was exactly trendy but I hummed and hawed for awhile before putting it in my cart.

Even though I usually don't start my dresses under $10, I was concerned about this one so I started the listing at $7.

I had barely got it listed when it got it's first bid.

Color me shocked.

Color me very shocked when it sold, with multiple bids, for $28.

Wow.

Crazy.

But I love it!

Anyway, my selling will have to slow down for awhile as canning season is in full swing.

Guess I should slow down on the buying as well right now.

But that is the fun part so we will see...

Happy Selling!

Goodbye summer...sniff...sniff...

I sure do love summer.

I love the kids being out of school.

No schedules.

No homework.

Sunny, warm days.

Relaxing.

Sadly, our summer has come to an end.

In our little part of the world, schools do not start up again until after Labor Day.

For some reason, our school has decided to buck the trend and start early.

Yes, I'm whining.

I would love to have just another month week.

I took the summer off for a change.

No swim team.

No swim lessons.

No schedules.

It was perfect and just what I needed after the brutal schedule of the last school year.

We still did activities, traveled and had fun with the kids.

On our own schedule.

I loved it.

I'm now well rested.

Which is a good thing as I'm facing another school year.

Eight kids in four different schools.

Six different sports teams.

Bring it on.

Corey is such a good dad, a hard worker and a very attentive husband.

I feel very lucky.

He really knows me and he still loves me.

Not many people can say that. Ha!

He took the kids swimming a couple times this summer.

He is a modest guy hence all the clothes in the pool.

He was worried about keeping an eye on all the "littles" in the pool by himself.

I would have helped him but that would have required me to wear a swimsuit.

Matthew, who is six, assured his dad that he could help with the littles because "he is six and almost a teenager."

Heaven help us.

Goodbye summer.

Our dear friend.

We will miss you.

Cheap soap

I bet that I'm not the only one who does this with the soap but I'm posting it anyway cuz it is easy peezie to do and saves on the moo-lah.

With nine kiddos one would think that we go through a lot of soap.

Actually not so.

And not because they don't ever wash their hands either.

My anal personality demands that they wash...frequently.

I just love the foaming soap stuff.

We used to use the regular stuff but the little ones would actually fill up their little hand with liquid soap, most of which would just fall off and go down the drain.

Enter in the picture foaming soap dispensers.

I get mine at Walmart and keep one in each one of the bathrooms plus one in the kitchen and one for the garage sink.

I also have 5-6 extras that I keep filled up, under the kitchen sink.

When one gets empty, we simply grab another one and stick the empty under the sink.

When they all get empty, I pull them out and refill them.

Piece of evidence #1:

Foaming soap bottle

Do you know that the store actually sells the "refill" for these bottles?

All it is is watered down soap.

Here is "bottle row", all the inmates bottles waiting for a refill.

Sometimes the bottles end up looking a bit grungy.

I just take them apart and, using a sponge, give them a good cleanin'.

Here is my bottle of Dial.

I bought it at Costco and it is a biggie.

We have had it for years.

Seriously.

It's starting to get down to the bottom so at some point in the not so distant future, I'll have to fork over the bucks for another one.

You only need about one finger's width worth of soap.

Use any more and you will clog the pump on the soap dispensers.

There is a little refill line already marked on the back of the dispensers.

Fill with water up to the line but do it slowly so bubbles don't form.

Cuz that just makes it messy.

Shake up the dispensers after you put the pump thingie back on.

Don't shake it before.

That's like saying "put the lid on the blender before you turn it on."

Believe it or not we have to say stuff like that around here.

Anywhoo,

That's all there is to it.

Happy washing!

More cakes

A friend of mine asked me to make the cake for her kids big birthday party.

Just cuz I'm not a birthday par-tay believer doesn't mean that I am a party pooper.

And who doesn't love cake?

She wanted two different cakes but wanted them displayed together.

We went with a "bad boy" flame look on the bottom for her son and an "everything nice" look on the top for her daughter.

I bought some hollow pillars and put them in slightly at an angle for more of a whimsical look and less of a "weddingy" look.

The funny thing is there were so many candles on the bottom cake that the cardboard under the top cake actually caught on fire.

Too funny.

And yet, kinda not.

Another black and white wedding cake.

I really think these are my fav.

And I have one more next weekend.

They have given me complete creative control.

Waaaahhhaaaahaaaa!!!

**Rubs hands together in glee**

I.can't.wait.

Cook-a-thon

I recently discovered a place that clearances their meats out every night.

Hamburger for $1.50 a pound

Boneless, skinless chicken breast for $0.99 a pound

Chicken (whole or bone-in) for $0.59 a pound

I've stopped by there a couple of times now and now have 140 pounds of HB (I browned it first) in the freezer plus a whole bunch of chicken.

The only downside to getting clearance meats is that you have to deal with it right away.

My goal is to get 100 meals in the freezer, ready to eat, before soccer season hits.

I'm at 75 currently so I still have more to do.

One of these days I'll get some recipes up here too, at least our favorite ones.

Here is a sample of some of the meals that are out "on freezer row".

Beef and Bean pies

A fav of ours.

Making 16 at a time makes for two very tired feet.

Just thought I would mention that.

Chicken chili

I realize that this looks like something someone threw up but I assure you that it really is good.

Chicken chimi's

Yum.E.

I froze the sauce in separate containers.

Maybe, at some point, I'll bore you with a post on how to cook in bulk.

I can't imagine living normal any other way.

Maybe I can get you to come over to the dark side with me?

I was in "time-out"

Thanks for noticing that I was on a bit of a bloggy break.

Truth is, I had discovered something.

Over the last year...

We had six kids play on a total of sixteen different teams, of which we made every.single.game. (Mom did help out with a few on nights that we had more then 2 games at the same time)

Four boys in Scouts, two of which made Eagle.

Two kids in Student Council, planning floats, dances and activities.

Six kids in three different schools with homework, field trips and schedules to keep track of.

Three kiddos at home, too young for school but old enough for us to plan fun things for.

Reselling items on Craigslist.

Cooking for a small army.

Laundry for a village of dirty peeps.

Cleaning a house big enough for us all.

Keeping track of the whole darn thing.

Trying to "do it all".

Results in BURNOUT!

I was starting to crack.

And it was noticeable.

Corey noticed it too.

This was the conversation that we had...

C: Can I help you with anything hun?

Me: Can you invent me a time machine?

C: **Looks confused**

Me: Can you invent me a time machine so I can go back in time and kick my own a** at the moment that I decided to have nine kids?

C: Um....no.

Me: Oh? Well, then there's nothing you can do for me.

Strangely enough, it was the next day that Corey announced that for every one's safety he was taking the kids to Utah for two weeks...and leaving me at home.

So, that hopefully evil demon Becky would leave and normal Becky would be at home when he returned that I could get a break.

Sounds heavenly, right?

I had huge plans.

I was going to clean the entire house, finish all my unfinished projects, clean out all the kids rooms, cook 100 meals, paint all my resale furniture, list 200 items on ebay, lose 50 pounds, look 20 years younger and be totally tan.  Of course, I was going to solve all the world's problems too.

Realistic huh?

So, what did I get done.

Not much.

I discovered a couple of things.

#1 I am unable to sleep when in the house all by myself.

Not like, "I had a bit of trouble falling to sleep."

But, heart-racing, panic-attacking, noise-hearing, door-locking and re-locking, taser-clutching not sleeping.

By the end of week one, I appeared zombie-like from massive sleep deprivation.

I begged Corey to come home early.

They came home after 10 of the longest days of my whole entire life days.

I was just so grateful that they were back home safe and sound.

And I was finally able to get some sleep.

The other thing that I found out?

Our sweet cat, Boo has MAJOR separation issues.

I don't know if it is because he was abandoned once before, but he took the absence of our family very hard.

Every time I would go out into the yard, I had a piece of black Velcro on my leg.

He was a hot mess.

Well, I guess we both were.

When you are sleep deprived, a funny picture of your cat will make you laugh hard enough to have a alleged accident on the kitchen floor.

It will have you naming your cat "King Boo" and taking pictures of him on his throne.

You will also take picture...

after picture...

after picture...

after picture...

of your cat, with his eyes closing due to the flash...

All the while laughing hysterically.

Not that I did, of course.

Ahem...

I'm happy to report that I'm now well rested and back in the saddle.

They just better not ever leave me again.

The end.

Still working on the vacation fund

I am happy to report that we are almost halfway with the Disneyland buckeroos.

We nailed down our house rental and were able to PIF(!!!) thanks to some hard work by Corey and the twins. Who knew that working a fireworks booth in Utah would come in so handy dandy?!

As for lil' ol' moi...

I'm still working the ebay and Craigslist angle.

I won't bore you will all the nitty gritty but will just show you some of this summer's resale highlights.

I bought this beautimous (is that even a word?) Diane Von Furstenberg silk dress for 6 bucks. New it was around $400 (rolls eyes and says "as if" under breath). I listed it for $29.99 and that is what it sold for.

This cute little silk number by Odille would have been promptly designated to my personal wardrobe if I was thin, tan and cute. But since I am lacking in all one or two of those areas, I had to pass.

It cost me 6 smackerals so when it sold for $33 , I was one happy camper.

Craigslist never fails to impress me.

This queen sized platform bed with queen futon mattress sold for $80. I paid $25 for it at GW and had multiple people wanting it.

I love it when it works out like that.

This cute little table and chair set needed some tightening of bolts.

Easy peesey.

I picked it up off of CL for $25, brought it home, Joshua (age 12) tightened it up and I relisted it for $60.

After a freakin email stampede, a mere hour later it was already picked up.

This light wasn't a top seller but I'm only including it here but I thought it was so stinkin cool.

I paid $4 for it and sold it at my Nana's garage sale for $15.

I could just imagine a big ol banker dude sitting here in this chair, all chill with his feet on his desk.

This vintage bankers chair was purchased for $3 and it took a reaaalllly long time before it finally sold for $20.

I would have thought that an old time, solid walnut bankers chair would have fetched more cash.

Weird, huh?

This solid oak desk with hutch was about $600 new "back in the day".

I bought it for $10 at GW and sold it via CL for $40.

This extra large bean bag had some water damage but for $3 I just couldn't pass it up.

It sold on CL for $25.

This cute wooden dollhouse and furniture was picked up for $10 at GW. It sold at Nana's garage sale for $25.

Bunkbeds are always a good resale item.

This set was $25 at GW and they sold for $85.

This is only a fraction of the stuff that come and gone out of here.

I know some people won't understand.

Some might turn up their noses at the notion of me reselling items.

Others might say that it is more trouble then it is worth.

I'm okay with that.