SUCCESS!

I mentioned that while we were home, I purchased a friend's daughter's AG collection.  Or what was left of the collection.  My purchase allowed Miss M to go to another week of summer camp & left me with 3 AG dolls, a carrier, a doll bed with the original bedding, the styling chair, styling caddy, 2 doll sleeping bags, 15 outfits, a dog & some accessories.  Before we left VT I managed to get everything organized by outfit, made a note of everything by year it was released & started making plans to sell what I wasn't going to keep.

When we got home I managed to get pictures of everything.  And I do mean EVERYTHING.  Every little flaw, every little scratch.  The three dolls all have hair cuts of some sort.  One of the doll had waist length 70s stick straight hair.  It's now a shoulder length bob.  The doll that Sunshine has said  she'd like has her mid-back length hair cut into a pseudo-pixie.  The doll Sunshine wants for Christmas has bangs.  She doesn't when you first get her.  

After consulting with my mom I decided to try to sell 2 of the dolls---the 70s girl (Julie) & the one who will be joining us at Christmas (Kit).  I could send Kit off for a new wig courtesy of a lady who is on an online forum with me, but it wouldn't solve the problem of the few pen marks on her legs.  True, I could Oxy them & hope for the best, but what if it didn't work?  And then there was the problem of finding her meet outfit & such.  Sunshine has wanted this doll for a year.  She knows what comes with a new doll.  And she knows that Santa doesn't deal in "vintage" or "TLC dolls".  So, Kit will be rehabbed & offered up.  The last doll (known as #22) is in remarkably good condition despite her home hair cut.   I've decided to send her off for a new head after the holidays & see if she'll be Birthday '13 or Christmas '13.  Her meet outfit isn't a big deal as I can get one a little easier than Kit's kit & caboodle.  Get it?  Kit's kit & . . . okay.

Which brings us to today.  70s doll is boxed up & ready to go to her new owner tomorrow, as are her 3 outfits & 3 additional outfits.   I've sold a total of 10 out of the outfits, one doll & some of the accessories.  Kit will go off to "Dr. R" for a new wig & I'll see what I can do to make her vinyl body look a little better.  Today a friend commented that her daughter has been bugging her for an AG doll & she might be interested in Kit once she's a little more presentable.  

I told Hunter that I've learned my lesson in buying AG lots.  It hasn't been terribly difficult selling this stuff but the idea of "what if it doesn't sell" has been looming over my head.   Hopefully the rest'll go quickly as people start buying for the holidays once fall comes.

Christmas in July

Please note that it's 5:47pm on Friday, 20 July 2012 & I am wrapping Christmas presents.  

Sunshine is all gung ho American Girl.  Especially Felicity & Elizabeth, both of whom are retired, I beg your pardon, archived

Archived is fancy speak for "no longer sold in stores or on our website therefore you must pay ridiculous secondary market prices for these items."  But this year I learned something interesting.  There's a "summer slump" on ebay.  Makes sense---people are away on vacation or enjoying more time out of doors with their families to sit home & scour the internet for goodies.

This has paid off to my advantage, as you can tell.  I've managed to scratch 5 retired, nay archived items off of her wish list.  And at very.reasonable prices.  So, this afternoon I'm wrapping these gifts in anticipation of being able to ship them off to VT prior to the holiday season.  One of her presents (Kit's bed) is already up there, only with the old bedding.  Hence the box with the new bedding.  Luckily that won't have to be wrapped as Santa doesn't wrap at our house.  Or at Memere's.

You might be asking yourself why do I have Christmas presents in my living room.  In broad day light.  While we were in VA visiting his family, Hunter decided he'd like to go back up to help out with his dad whose health isn't great.  Sunshine decided (the day before he left) that she'd like to go up too & spend some time w/ Grandma & Pappa.  So, it's Risky Business 2012 here.  Sunglasses, button down shirt, dancing in my foyer & in front of the fireplace.  You know, the usual.

I'm enjoying getting things done & having my quiet time but I miss my little family.  Hunter & I have spent so much time apart in our marriage that I find myself falling into my old deployment routines of staying up too late & sleeping in.  But I've only ever been away from my sweet Sunshine when we went to Paris a few years back.  And I've never been alone in this house.  It's weird looking toward her side of the house & seeing her bed still perfectly made, toys on the floor but no pitter patter of her feet or the squeal of her giggle.  *sigh*  Luckily they'll be home in a couple days & I can get hugs!

This weekend I've got plans with some girlfriends which should be fun.  Yesterday, I met up with the Uber Bookatarian to do some knitting & then was joined by another friend to go to Opelika to an antique mall & then to World Market.  Great day & I was completely wiped out when I got home!

Have a great weekend & promise not to laugh at me 5 months from now when I'm scrambling around trying to find Sunshine's Christmas presents that I wrapped today!

3 Years

October '67.  My Dad carrying me in the bassinet with my brothers & sister at our camp.  

It's hard to believe that it's been 3 years since my Dad died.  Sunshine & I had spent two weeks in VT with him & my Mom, knowing it was truly a "good bye" visit.  Truth be told, I always thought each visit prior to that was our "good bye" visit as his health wasn't good for years.  This time I knew it really was good bye.  

The day after we left VT, he went into the hospital.  Three days later he died.  We'd been home in Georgia for a day & had been out grocery shopping when my Mom called shortly before 2pm to let me know he was gone.  I can still see my kitchen as it was on that day.  And I remember leaving groceries out on the counter for hours afterward.

No matter how much you prepare for news such as this, you're never truly ready to hear it.

I miss you, Daddy.  I miss you every single day.  Father's Day is so hard without you.  I know we have Hunter to celebrate on that day, but he's my husband, not my Daddy.  Your birthday is another hard day to get through.  I try to focus on Sunshine & the rest of our family on Christmas but yeah, that's a hard day too.  I know you're in a better place where you're not in pain & can think clearly but it still hurts to be without you. I love you & miss you.

Dear Girl H8rs

You know who you are.  You're the woman running through American Girl saying "I'm SO glad I have boys!"  And you're the sales associate in *okay, I'll be nice & not give your store name* who said "wow, thank goodness I have a boy!"

You know what?  You stink.  You stink & you're mean.  Who the H would say something like that within earshot of A GIRL?!!  My girl, to be specific.

So you stink, you're mean & guess what?  I think you're a big ol' pootie-head.  Which is what my husband calls me when I'm being well, a pootie head.

As the mom of a girl, I happen to love them.  I love the obsession with all things pink even if means I have to be the bad guy & insist that there IS a limit on the number of pink items our house can old.

I love that my daughter gets all squealy & giggly.  Didn't you do that when you were, you know, A GIRL yourself?  You know you did.

I love when I'm getting ready to go somewhere & Sunshine will come into my bathroom & ask if she can put on a little lip gloss or a little perfume.  I love blow drying her hair & planting a little kiss on the nape of her neck.  I love that she's just as excited by Bonne Bell Strawberry Lip Balm as I am.

I love that she insists that she has her own "fashion" & when she runs into her room to add a necklace or bracelet.

It thrills me to no end when she dances or does little gymnastics moves.  I know she's at the age where the gymnastics bug is biting.  I swear, if I could get the kid to watch ice skating with me, she'd be perfect.   I nearly burst with pride when she said she wanted a pink Boston Red Sox hat & a Red Sox tervis tumbler.

I love that we can take Girls Only trips together.  Or have a girls afternoon---go to lunch, get mani/pedis, get our hair cut, etc.   I love when she tries on high heels & works the cat walk in the middle of the TJ Maxx shoe department.

Does your son do that?  Probably not as you'd stroke out if your son wanted a mani/pedi.  Or if he insisted on getting the Hello Kitty Sleep Mask from the end cap in Target.

I'm not down on boys---I'm married to one.  I love boys.  Well, I love MY boy.  Man.  You know what I mean.  But I don't get the never ending "I'm so glad I have a boy!" spiel I hear from some moms of boys.  It's smug & it's meant as a put down.

Who do these women think their precious princes are going to marry??   GIRLS, that's who!

I'm really glad you're happy with your child.  I'm really happy with mine.

You know, because she's a GIRL!

I swear, I'm alive

I know, I know, I've been away FOREVER!  How did you ever manage to get by without me?  We're home after our annual trek North.   Here's a few of our stops:

We went here (hint:  Generals Grant & Lee met here)

                                     And we went here so Elizabeth & Felicity could have a homecoming!

                                              The Governor's Palace in Colonial Williamsburg.

    And here.  One of my favorite cities in the whole wide world.  Hint:  they speak French.

                                                          Aw, I just gave it away!

So, that's been the last three weeks in a nutshell.   I'll tell you more later.  I promise!