Birthday Season and Garage sales

So the unofficial birthday season has started into full swing. I have a rather lofty goal this season, but I plan to spend no more than $10 per family member under the age of 18, and nothing for friends birthdays. (I say plan cause if I end up with too much on my plate, I may have to resort to other things.)

So far I have the first three planned:
one we did a gift card to Chick-fil-a and made a color matching game. It may be too easy for the little girl, however Savannah was able to make it pretty much all by herself and that made all the difference in the world to her. She is so proud of her gift! (We made this one and wrapped it up.... Savannah even colored the wrapping paper for this one cause she was having such a great time....)

Two of the others, we are going to do phonics card sets. So I have to search for phonics games related to the cards, but other than printing that out on paper for moms, it should not be that expensive. (After all, the paint chip samples are free. On a side note, is it bad when your child automatically asks if we are going to get paint chips as we walk into Home Depot???)

On a mom note, I went to the garage sales today. I continue to find that books and clothes for kids is my downfall.... at least I refuse to pay more than a dollar for the items. I find that they are easily offset by the tons of money that I save with the other purchases and the ways in which it enriches our lives. Plus add to that the fact that I can garage sale it out for the same price (provided it hasn't been used up or condition destroyed) you can't beat it. Today I found three books for Savannah, two of them pristine condition Christan children's books and one a make your own silly sentence book, a map game for when she gets a little older, four books for mom (one of which I have pretty much devoured already), a new address book, a TV wall mount stand for our older style TV (so we can free up dresser top space), three children's Cd's, a couple of pajama and church outfits for Zoe, and I think that might be it.... all for thirteen dollars. That isn't even the cost of one of those items new. Even if one of the Cd's turns out to be scratched or something, it was only $1.... hardly worth worrying about. I am starting to worry about being addicted to Garage sales.... and to think back when I first married laughing to myself when someone mentioned that it was the perfect opportunity to start going to garage sales.... look at me now, every weekend! (Though sometimes I come home with absolutely nothing. So the house isn't too cluttered... but don't look in my closets. hehehe)