Garage Sales, My Summer Job!

 Well, I had a productive morning!  Anybody who knows me, knows how much I love finding great deals.    I've actually made it into a side job during the summer months.  I spend a few hours on Friday and Saturday mornings buying furniture from yard sales, cleaning it up, retouching paint when needed and then reselling for a profit. Sometimes the furniture needs a quite a bit of work, but usually not.

The past few weeks have held some exceptional finds, that were too good not to share.  We kept the fun things, and sold the rest.  This helps supplement me staying at home with the kids, and I love finding new treasures!

Cool vintage school clock.  Paid $5.  Worth $50.  Now in garage.

Fish welcome sign. MSRP $275.  Paid $100  This was for my brother in law.  He got a great deal!  It came with receipt from a chainsaw carving competition, and will be great at their property.

Radio Flyer trike.  MSRP $59.  Paid $4.  Sold $25.  

3 paintings from Z gallery.  Paid $30

lot of kids toys.  Paid $20. Sold $100(ish).  

EACH painting has a price tag of $199.  MSRP $590.  Paid $30.  These are now in the dining room.

Antique brass fire extinguisher.  Paid $15.  Worth $100(ish)

Little Tikes Slide.  MSRP $39.  Paid $2.  Sold $20.  

Pottery Barn Chesapeake Bay Kid's outdoor table and umbrella.  MSRP $349.  Paid $45.   I think we will keep this.

Princess Slide- MSRP $79. Paid $5. Sold $30. 

Martha Stewart Patio Set.  MSRP $400(ish).  Paid $75.  Sold $250.  

Crate and Barrel set of Jackson Chairs- MSRP $798.  Paid $20.  Sold $175.  

Little people talking zoo- MSRP $69.  Paid $2.  Sold $30.  

Cost Plus World Market patio table.  MSRP $199.  Paid $5.  Sold $85.  

Jeep Jogging stroller.  MSRP $149.  Paid $5.  Sold $50.  

Our two biggest finds were both last summer:

Bausch and Lomb solid brass telescope on a cherry wood base..  We paid $130, and later learned that it is valued between $1900-$4600!!! We chose to keep this.

7 piece teak patio set.  We paid $150 and sold within two hours for $650.  Even that was a steal!  The same set brand new was nearly $3000!  We regret not keeping this.

As you can see, I mainly just purchase big items.  I don't waste my time looking through knick knacks. I drive by a sale, and if I see a big item that catches my eye, I'll stop.  I make sure that everything is nice and cleaned up before posting on Craigslist, and always list for a tad less than similar postings.  This way, I don't keep my money tied up.  Most of my stuff sells within a day or two.  

Helpful hints for making your own extra garage sale money:

*Start with a budget.  I took $100 out of our checking account at the beginning of the season.  As soon as I made this money back, I paid back the account.  I keep my profits in the safe, so I always know how much I have to work with, and only use this money for buying new items.  

*Buy things you like.  I see a lot of great finds, but only purchase things that appeal to me.  It makes it easier to sell, or to blend in with your house until they sell.  The tricky part can be wanting to keep stuff, but you can always chose to upgrade from old furniture to new finds, and sell the old stuff.

*Only buy stuff that it is great condition.  It's easy to clean something, but hard to sell something that is falling apart or has untreatable stains.

*Set a goal, and come up with a fun use for the money.  Last year Adam and I vacationed to New York and Boston on garage sale profits.  

*Chose a garage sale route that is close to your house.  Don't assume that good stuff can only be found in nice neighborhoods.  I find 99% of my things in older homes.

GOOD LUCK, I can't wait to hear about your finds!

Happy Birthday Dixon!

Happy third birthday to my little Dixon Andrew-Lee Baxter!

It is no secret that I adore this little man, I could go on and on about the reasons why, but instead, wanted to use this opportunity to answer a few questions that I regularly get asked, about our life with Dixon.  My hope, and what I believe to be a primary purpose to Dixon's journey, is to inform as many people as possible about his unique make-up.

What is Down syndrome? 
Simply put, it is a chromosome disorder, which is caused by one extra chromosome.  Each person is made up of 46 chromosomes, 23 from each parent.  Dixon, and other friends with DS, have 47. The extra chromosome is carried in the 21st pair, which is why the medical name for  Down syndrome is Trisomy 21.

How does this extra chromosome happen?
Nobody really knows the answer to this question.  Age plays a role (the older the mother, the more likely she is to carry a baby with ds), but my answer is: because it is was supposed to.  Plain and simple.  My chances of having him were 1/1650, (time to buy a lottery ticket).  Dixon does not have Down syndrome because I had a sip of wine during my pregnancy, or drank coffee, or anything like that.  He was just meant to.  And I was meant to be his mother.

When did we find out about his diagnosis?
When I was 20 weeks pregnant.  We went in for our gender reveal ultrasound, and learned that a few measurements were abnormal.  From there, we did an amniocentesis, and learned at 23 weeks that our baby would be born with special needs.

How did we react? 

Honestly, Adam and I were terrified.  Both of us visioned our lives as the parents of two healthy children: a boy and a girl.  We wanted a dog, a house, and a white picket fence.  There really are no words to describe the thoughts that went through my head.  There were many, many times of sheer panic, depression, confusion, guiltiness, anger, and feeling so very alone.  I admit to these feelings, because I now accept them as normal.  Change is scary, the unknown always takes time to adjust to.  This was a big adjustment, and one that I was facing very early in my life.  Adam and I knew that our support group was strong; we were surrounded by people who loved us, yet none of them had walked in our shoes at this point.  The remainder of the pregnancy was long, scary and quite lonely.  My checkups went from once a month to three times a week.  Dixon received several heart scans while he was in my stomach, along with nameless other tests.  Prayers carried us through this difficult time, and proved more miraculous then we could have imagined.

Did we ever consider terminating the pregnancy?
NO.  I can honestly say that we never did.  Sadly, we are not the norm on this decision.  Dixon is the 8%, meaning that 88%-92% of positive prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome pregnancies are terminated.  92%!!!!  This number blows me away, and has changed my life.  This is why education is so important.

Photo of darling little Grady, courtesy of a www.skiingthroughlife.wordpress.com

So, what is different about Dixon?
When asked this question, my usual response is "he is just a little bit cuter than average."  :)
*Dixon is small- he is three years old, and wears size 12-18 month clothes.  He is estimated to be 5'- 5'2 when he is at his maximum height (just like his mommy!)
*He has typical features of other friends with Down syndrome.  These include:  almond eyes, low set ears, flat feet, large tongue, chubby hands, short neck, and a short and stalky build.
*Dixon is VERY smart.  He understands everything, but his speech is a constant struggle.  He has several factors that contribute to this: hearing issues, a high palate, and a large tongue.  HOWEVER, his current vocabulary consists of about 40 words, and is growing daily.  This is incredible for somebody his age with Down syndrome, and something that I am so very proud of.

Does Dixon have health issues?
Yes and no.  He could have many more.  We are extremely lucky that he has not had anything major.  When I was pregnant with him, he had three holes in his heart.  50% of babies with DS require heart surgery.  Dixon was a miracle, and all three holes healed themselves within his first year of life.
He has had minor issues: he has a thyroid deficiency, which requires daily mediciation.  He has had two sets of ear tubes, tonsils and atnoids removed, surgery for testicals, three hernias removed, pneumonia, constant sinus infections, hearing loss (healed by tubes), and we suspect he will have issues with his teeth.  These are all problems that were simple solutions, and we do not foresee any further surgeries needed.  HOORAY!

Does Truth know that her brother is different?
Yes. She knows that her brother has something called Down syndrome.  When she asks what that is, we tell her that it is something that makes him a little different.  But, she learns that everyone is different.  "Daddy has brown hair, Truth has blonde hair, Mommy has freckles, some people wear glasses, some people have brown skin, and Dixon has Down syndrome."  For now, that answer is good for her.  As she gets older, we will alter as needed.  We plan to use a similar answer when Dixon asks.

 Will Dixon be in a special ed classroom?
This question doesn't have an answer just yet.  Dixon will start a special education preschool in July.  We have chosen to do this, because we want him to receive as much special therapy (mainly speech) as possible, in hopes of preparing him to enter a typical classroom for kindergarten.

What is my biggest fear for Dixon?
That he will be teased.  This child is full of more LOVE, more SMILES, more LAUGHTER and more JOY than anyone that I have met in my life.  He does not have a mean bone in his body.  I pray everyday that he does not get teased for what he cannot control.

To wrap this up.  My life began the moment that I had this beautiful child.  I went from somebody who cared more about my outfit and what others thought of me, to somebody who now understands that NONE OF THAT MATTERS!  Dixon doesn't care what you drive, what you wear, where you work, who you're dating, or how much money you have.  Dixon cares about HOW YOU TREAT HIM, period.  I think that he can be a lesson to all of us, in fact,  I PRAY that he can be a lesson to all of us.  I thank God daily for bringing him into my life.  For opening my eyes to what is truly important, and for constantly reminding me that there are people in this world who could use a smile or maybe a little extra help at times.  They are not any different than you or I, and they didn't ask to be born this way.  

THEY SIMPLE ARE BECAUSE THEY WERE MEANT TO BE.

THANK YOU for the last three years.  I can't wait to watch you grow, and see the lovely man that you will turn into one day.  I smile just thinking about it.

I am more proud of you than you will ever know.  Your smile warms my heart, your laugh brings tears to my eyes, and your hugs give me butterflies.  Every time that you learn something new, I feel as if I am learning it for the first time.  I know how hard you work, and your determination is unparalleled.  You are the needed comedy in a serious moment, the unsolicited greeting often forgotten between strangers, and the constant reminder to keep it simple.  I love you so very much, and wish you nothing but the most incredible third year.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUBBA!

A quick recap

Oh my word, where has the time gone??? It has a whole month since my last post, so obviously this whole blog thing needs to be moved up on the priority list.

What has the last month held for the Baxter's? Well...

Truth and Dixon enjoyed a week vacation with Grandma Marji and Grandpa Jerry in Phoenix. The weather was record setting, hitting highs of 118 degrees.

*Adam and Kari spent a week travelingthe east coast, kid free. We spent a few days in Boston, and then took the train south to New York. We met up with some of our dear friends, who now live in Sweden, and toured the city for four days. It was an amazing time.

*We attended the Mooney family reunion (Kari's mom's side), which was two nights of camping at Champoeg State Park. The kids played with their cousins, and we caught up with my 8 aunts and uncles. The last night of camping, there was a big thunder storm, the first that we had ever camped through.

*Truth wrapped up her second round of swimming lessons. She is know floating without a life jacket, and comfortable fully submerged under the water.

*Kari has been interviewing for a documentary about mothering a child with a disability. I am very honored to be apart of something that highlights the positive side of our children.

*We are all getting ready for Sarina and Jason's wedding on July 30th. Truth will be a flower girl, Dixon a "ring master" as Truth calls him, and Kari a bridesmaid. We are very much looking forward to celebrating with them.

This list is basically so I will remember to come back and blog more about each event, but for now, at least it's in writing, so it won't escape my mind completely.

Welcome Summer.

What a week! As we move on to summer, I'm finding myself busier than ever. We are getting ready for a big trip, that is really a combination of multiple small trips. Packing up four people for two completely different destinations is chaotic, but I think that we will all benefit from a vacation.

The kids both finished up their spring semesters at the Little Gym last week. Dixon was in the Birds class (9-19 months), and Truth was a Giggle Worm (3-4 years). I found myself a bit teary eyed as I watched them get their ribbons and awards. Where have the past six months gone? Where has the past year gone? And how in the heck do we have a two and a four year old?!?

Now we are onto the summer semester at gymnastics, which both kids will begin the first week of July. Truth also started ballet last week, and will resume swim lessons later in the month. Like I said at the beginning of this post, they are keeping me busy.

"The term working mother is redundant". ~Jane Sellman

The weather has been wonderful in Portland, so lots of time has been spent outside. The winters can be so long, but as soon as the sun comes out, I am reminded of why we live here. We are blessed to be surrounded by green, to have so much room to run, and to have a mild climate that allows us to enjoy it.

Adam's mom, Marji was in town a few weeks ago. She made a comment about how lucky our kids are to grow up in a place where squirrels run wild in the back yard. I had never thought of it that way before, but she is right.

We are indeed lucky