Ten dollars worth of memories

Ten dollars and an afternoon with the kids. It doesn't get very far.

I suppose you could get ice cream, or rent a movie. But really, your options are limited. Unless you get a little more creative.

Today was a very filled day for us. We were able to visit the Fishers farmers market and arts market with a friend, where we picnicked and snacked on blueberries from one of the stands and watched the kids dance to classic rock covers. Oh, and I had some adult conversation. From that standpoint alone, the day was a success.

But the ride home proved interesting. I had errands she needed to squeeze in, a few tired kids and no desire to get back out once she got home. And so I promised them a trip to the "adventure store." My daughter was intrigued.

We pulled into Goodwill - hardly glamorous, I know - where they had a 50 percent off everything sale and went to work to find a surprise. I scored with a nearly new business suit for $4.50 - enough to later justify springing for a pair of navy heels to go with it - and we poured over the Christmas tins (picking out the clean ones--yes, you must check) for my daughters' baking endeavors at Christmas. (At 50 cents each, you could hardly complain.)

And then, we hit the jackpot. My daughter's been begging for dress-up clothes for some time. Granted, it's a very specific branded princess kind, but she wants dress-up clothes no less. And we found them, crammed among the racks. Four dress-up "dresses" (admittedly two were shiny women's nightgowns that we're just going to shorten the straps on) for less than $10. All the way home, I heard how she now had dresses for her and her three neighbor friends to play dress up with!

The funny thing is, I have never seen something put away so quickly in my life. No sooner than we were in the door than she spirited up the stairs to put dress #1 on for dinner. It was proudly worn until PJ time, and she puffed up her chest with pride when she told her friend tonight, "I have new dress up clothes. I got them from the camping store."