Tag Sale?

According to the Yankee or Dixie quiz, depending on where you're from you either call it a Tag Sale, Yard Sale, Garage Sale, or Rummage Sale.  But no matter where you're from, it all means the same - selling your crap for money.  WooHoo!

This weekend is Green Valley Ranch's annual Community Garage Sale (according to the Yankee or Dixie quiz, that term is not distinct to any one area, so props to the GVR HOA for using appropriate terminology :)  Because John left Friday for his super-fun Bachelor Party extravaganza in St. Louis, Jess and the kids came down Thursday night for a spendover in eager anticipation of Friday's big sale.   Of COURSE we had fun, Of COURSE the kids didn't finally go to sleep until nearly 11pm, and of COURSE they were up again at 5am. 

And by "they were up," I mean Gabe was up.  I think.  Perhaps it wasn't Gabe who first woke up, but Gabe is the one we all heard.  That sweet boy has been blessed with a magnanimous voice that has a yet-to-be-discovered-God-intended purpose in his life, I'm certain.  He has two settings - mute (only active when in sleeping mode) and loud (active every minute of every day he is not sleeping).  He is sweet as pie, and you have to love his spirit - more difficult to love when there is a five on the clock than when there is a seven on the clock, however.  (The kids will tell you they "woke up" when there was a "six-zero-zero" on the clock, which is when we actually let them get out of bed :)

Because Jess and I had been up until midnight organizing our wares we were much less enthusiastic than Gabe when there was a five on the clock.

And by organizing wares, I mean modeling "wears" :)
She looks stunning, doesn't she?

John wasn't overly excited about the early wake-up either, but being the faboo hubs he his he got out of bed, made super-strength coffee, and helped corral the kiddos until he had to start work (at which point they were shipped outside to run their business, the timeless and ever-present Lemonade Stand).

Three of my very faves, gearing up for a busy day of lemonade selling.
Toile skirt optional.

I am honestly unsure how anyone could pass up their quarter lemonade stand.  Gabe, full of his voice and sincerity would walk up to each and every customer and say "Would you like a glass of pink lemonade?"    If they said "No, thank you," Gabe, the persistant salesman, would try to bug (bully? :) them into buying by repeating the question over and over until we made him stop.  Or, he might take another, more complimentary route:  "I like your pretty pink shoes, would you like a glass of pink lemonade?"  (literally heard that).  However he asked, if someone would say "sure!" the three of them would run around hog-wild like they just found a winning lotto ticket.  It was a race to push the button to get the lemonade out of the jug, get it to the person without spilling it, collect the quarter, and put it in the piggy bank.  Ahhh, the simple joys. 

When they weren't selling lemonade, they were bustling about in their princess clothes and "tip-toe shoes" (Gabe opted to sport the simple headband), traveling to "Souf Carolina" in the wagon (Auntie Katie should be flattered to know that Tanner only ever "travels" to Souf Carolina anymore!), and playing with all the toys we had out for the sale.

Gabe, aka Mr. (Snow) White

Gabe, with his two "Wagon Babes," loads up for Souf Carolina.

VROOOM! 
 I'll show you Wagoneers how to REALLY get to Souf Carolina!

Poster for the Summer, 2011 Besties Foundation.
SUPER CUTE!

Anyway, for Jess and I the day started slow.  People would come in waves so thank goodness Jess was there to help watch kids and sell things!  Sometimes (I swear) there were 20 people in my driveway! Since I have/had the most junk, I definitely made the most bucks (Jacque may overtake me if her high-dollar items sell on Saturday! :)

Hangin' out, peddlin'.  Notice we are in the driveway.

The rummage sale was trucking along, when around 12:15pm, the following conversation (or very similar to it) took place:

Jess:  Those clouds over there look foreboding.
Me:  They are fine.
Jess:  It looks like it might rain.
Me:  It looks like this every day.  It hardly ever rains.
Jess:  I think we should bring stuff inside.
Me:  Do you live here everyday?  I do. I see this everyday.  It hardly ever rains, and even if it does, it will just sprinkle.

At this point, Jess reluctantly took her seat beside me as we waited for more customers.   Instead of customers....by 12:22, we were schlepping our goods into the garage hoping the deluge wouldn't last very long.  I (sheepishly) stood corrected.  (Good thing we're besties :)

Jess sits in the garage admiring freshly moved tables,
 full of confidence about her meteorological aptitude. 

With Day 1 under my belt, I am anxious for Day 2 to commence - and for more people to buy our crap! (John & I made over $500 overall last year! :) Hopefully Saturday's event will have bluebird skies - I'll have to consult my bestie meterologist to make sure :)

Happy weekend! :)



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