Hand me downs

As a tween, or "pre-teen" as I was called back in the day, and as a teenager, no words ever made me cringe so much as the words "hand me downs." It usually meant, I was getting someone 10 year old, so out of style they'll never come back, worn out clothes, coats, shoes, etc. I hated hand me downs with a passion. Read me lips people!!! With. a. passion. But growing up poor, and as the daughter of an over worked-under paid single mother, you learn to deal with it, and eventually be grateful for what you've been given.

Fast forward 20 or so years, and you'll find me more than willing to take in hand me downs for my children, but far more likely I am to be the giver of said hand me downs. You see, I have been blessed beyond measure. I have been married to one of the hardest working, if not THE hardest working man in the world. He's gifted in many areas (honestly, about the only thing I know that he CAN'T do, is get pregnant & give birth), and he makes a good living to provide for us, and our family. Our children have enjoyed and benefited from many hand me downs, and they've enjoyed & benefited from our being about to afford to buy them new clothes, shoes, coats, boots, & just about everything they've ever needed for their extra curricular activities. Blessed, I tell you....beyond measure.

So, during baseball season, and now carrying over into football season, I've found myself in a wonderful position. I've become friends with women who have families of their own, and while they are not struggling by any means, I know how much their children will benefit from some of our hand me downs. Our daughter has bigger wardrobe than Hannah Montana, and well, she's pretty much outgrown 3/4 of it!! And our son, while he can be rather hard on his clothes (what boy isn't?), he's managed to amass at least a dozen pair of jeans (or possibly more) in various husky sizes. Not to mention shirts, coats, boots, cleats, etc. TOO MUCH STUFF!!

I am going to be having a yard sale with my mother in law (at her house), over the Labor Day weekend in a few weeks. I had planned on taking the kids clothes and selling as much of them as I could, and then donating the leftovers to Goodwill. However, Brian & I had a long conversation about how charity, for lack of a better term, begins at home; or rather in our home community. You see, I would much rather hand down some of the kids' clothes to people in the community, that I know could/would use them, but also appreciate them, and then eventually hand them down to someone else. I am trying desperately to get back to my frugal beliefs, and lead my children by example.

Speaking of being frugal, I am hoping to share more ideas for saving money, reusing, re-purposing, etc. on my blog, in the future. I have many ideas, hints, recipes, & tips to share. In today's economy & joblessness, we need to band together more now than ever. I would love to see us get back to neighbors helping neighbors, giving & accepting hand me downs with no preconceived ideas or thoughts of worthlessness, making do with what you have, and sharing with others. It is simply, the way it should be.

Love & hugs to you all!!!