although i am not one to love the packing and loading for these evenings -- the adult food, the kids food, the diaper bag, the cooler, the ice, the sippy cups, the extra clothes in case someone potties, the list goes on and on - i love the feeling of spreading out the picnic blanket when we first arrive - the audible "pooooof" of the blanket being spread out in the air and onto the ground - and watching the girls scramble to get it laid out "just right." the particular blanket i have used this summer was a thrift store purchase. it's a king sized bed sheet and i once used it for a couch cover but decided rearranging it on the couch on a daily basis after two sets of little feet jumped on it each day, just took the fun out of such a vibrant piece of material. so it's now the official summer picnic blanket.
the secret in such a fun find for you non-thrift store shoppers: Target often sells its' out of season items to Goodwill. You aren't always guaranteed a huge deal, but the price is always lower than what the store price was. I paid $7 for this brand new sheet, originally priced in the $20's when sold at Target. The best Target items you will find at Goodwill are following holidays and the back-to-school season; items that need to be removed from the stores and that are often in a large supply. i tend to find Target's leftover holiday decorations quite fun to sort through at Goodwill and buy them at cheapo prices. give it a look in september - i can almost promise there will be a notebook or two waiting for a desirable price -- maybe you can stock up for next year???
