Clothes Clothes Clothes

I used to think it was just me.  Then I started hearing other moms talk about the same thing.  The daunting task of keeping up with kids' clothes- what fits who, then tomorrow, it doesn't.  Each season kids get an entire new wardrobe for the most part.  Unless you're Carson, in which case you haven't grown-then you can wear your same clothes over and over.  Just kidding, he does grow.  Just not like his sister.  He is just getting into 2T clothes, and even some 3Ts if it's small!  It seems like just when I get all the clothes switched out, the old ones packed up, the new ones in the drawers...the season changes and I have to do it all over again.  I've always shopped ahead when I can for the kids, it's getting harder now to predict sizes.  We accept all hand-me-downs people offer us.  I recommend that, even if you don't think you'll need it.  Take them and you can pass on what you can't use.  I try to hit clearance racks, yard sales, and consignment sales/stores for my kids' clothes.  We also get some hand-me-downs from family.  Emilynn gets all of Alyssa's clothes.  However, she is too chunky right now for Alyssa's pants.  :-(  I thought I had her winter clothes squared away, and we had to re-group.  She is in 5Ts and I've gotten her plenty of leggings and stretchy pants for winter.   I try my best to store all "future clothes" by size and boy/girl.  It is a lot to keep up with though so sometimes things get out of order and it drives me nuts!  Now that I know we are done having babies (sniff, sniff), I can pass Henry's clothes along and keep the special stuff and hopefully bless others with our extra stuff.  Anyway, I'm just rambling about clothes because it is such an ordeal.  It really is.  That's okay, we are blessed to have clothes and somehow I always find what we need when we need it, in just the right size! 
Tonight for example, Amanda and I met and went to a consignment sale.  I took Carson and Henry with me and we set out to shop.  I was able to find 8 outfits for Emilynn-all are leggings/stretchy pants with tops, all are name brand-mostly Gymboree and Gap.  I also got a pair of Old Navy overalls for Carson, a shirt, a sweater, and a sweater vest, 18 pairs of socks from Old Navy & Children's Place- all for $44!  I love that my kids can wear name brand, nice clothes for great prices.  I am as thrifty as they come, but when it comes to kids' clothes, I believe you get what you pay for.  Meaning-the brand name clothes hold up better, and I've found they are easier to get stains out because they are made with nicer quality materials.  I bought Emmy a Garanimals outfit this year, she's worn it twice and it looks so old and worn already.  The pants are so faded it's ridiculous.  I definitely got what I paid for because they were cheap.  Since Carson was with me-we also got $5 worth of toys- we got a monster truck, a motorcycle with rider, a John Deere book, and for Emmy we got a Dora backpack with the map. 
I also have lots of things in the consignment sale-so maybe I'll make enough money to cover what we bought-then it will be like everything was free!  Well, not really but that's how I think of it!  :-)