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Thrifting

IMG_4229Well were are still here in Utah. Chris went home on Sunday,
narrowly escaping the pukes that had been plaguing Henry & me (and now
Kate) over the weekend. Still not in tip-top shape but feeling much, much
better. The pukes are the worst. I’ll just stop talking about it, so I don’t
totally gross you out.

 I was able to get some thrift shopping in, which I
really, really wanted to do. That always helps to lift my spirits!  The thrift shops in Utah have soo many
children's clothes (surprise) and well, the kids are growing like weeds and so
we were in need. It’s sometimes hard for me to justify buying clothes at full
price when they out-grow them so quickly. Plus, I always find really awesome
stuff, so it makes me glad. We scored on some old-school Fisher Price toys; tell me you
had one of those up top. So awesome.  This was completely an emotional purchase. I so remember
having this as a kid. And Henry's’ eagle eyes spotted this Western Town:IMG_4238 So cool. Now we just need
some little people. IMG_4235 I found a bunch of great sweaters for Charlie (I think baby sweaters
are the best.) This is one of my fav's:IMG_4241 And a little winter hat for Kate:IMG_4247 All in all a good trip to the thrift shops; as Henry says
“We found lots of treasures!!”


Hope you are finding some fun treasures of your own. Happy March!

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32 responses to “Thrifting”

  1. Jacy Avatar
    Jacy

    I totally had that western town! I can still remember opening it. Hours and hours of fun. My parents kept it so now Libby gets to play with it when we’re at their house. Great find!
    Hope you’re feeling better soon! The flu got to all of us this past week, too, and it’s the pits. Although I have to say life seems just a little more beautiful after recovering from the flu. Makes you appreciate your health so much more!

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  2. Ammie Not Amy Avatar
    Ammie Not Amy

    I remember having a Fisher Price Busy Box at our house!!! In regard to the pukes, I would suggest drinking only bottled water when you’re in Utah. Years ago we discovered (after several pukey trips) that if we didn’t drink the water there we were fine. Utah/Idaho water may be cleaner but our internal “plumbing” is accustomed to LA’s over treated water & makes it more sensitive to even the best bacteria. I’m pretty much a water snob & never drink unfiltered water from the tap (here or there) but I’d always end up sick in Idaho. Our first stop once we cross the Idaho-Utah border is Wal-Mart or Costco for lots of bottled water. Feel better!

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  3. skinimini Avatar
    skinimini

    Score! And that first photo brought memories flooding back… thank you for that!

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  4. connie Avatar
    connie

    I had that activity center! My parents must have given it away decades ago, but as soon as I saw that red rubber button to make the bell ding it all came back into my memory

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  5. jessica Avatar
    jessica

    Treasures indeed! I remember that top toy from when I was a kid…is it really vintage already!!!!!

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  6. Abbey Rice Avatar
    Abbey Rice

    My mom discovered ebay a few years ago (oh boy…) and was thrilled to find tons of Fisher Price Little People stuff, the stuff we played with when we were kids. She has totally outfitted the playroom in my their home now with ALL KINDS of Little People stuff – the village, the castle, the schoolhouse and dozens of people, animals, furniture (like the royal family and their thrones, the mail truck and the little letters, the school desks) – it’s awesome! It’s the first thing the grandkids run for when they visit. Sometimes, if no one’s looking, I might play a bit, too…

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  7. Erica Avatar
    Erica

    I have the activity center. It sits in my sons crib. It used to be mine! I was excited to see that you found one. All of my people are at my mom’s. I keep begging her for them, but she won’t give them up. What great finds!!!

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  8. Elizabeth Avatar
    Elizabeth

    We had that Western Town, and my parents kept it (along with lots of other Little People things) and now my son gets to play with it. They even still have a stagecoach and horses that go with it!

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  9. Mama Urchin Avatar
    Mama Urchin

    Oh yes, we had that activity center and I forgot all about it.

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  10. Nancy Avatar
    Nancy

    so fun, hope you guys are feeling better, I live in Ut and am so curious what thrift stores you like. The DI?

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  11. Erinn Smith Avatar
    Erinn Smith

    Oh, I just love thrift store shopping! As long as my Purell comes along too.

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  12. Miranda Avatar
    Miranda

    Oh, I am jealous! I love those old Fisher Price toys, nothing beats them. Not one single thing. Good job you!

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  13. Carol Sandretto-Unsinger Avatar
    Carol Sandretto-Unsinger

    I had a toy very similar to the one you found only mine was Winnie the Pooh… The music box part plays the Winnie the Pooh song and all still. (My mom still has it!) We have a couple of great kids shops here that you can take your children’s outgrown clothes in for store credit and pick up all (new to you) clothes for the little ones. I really love it – they do outgrow them quickly!! Good to hear you are all doing better…

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  14. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    Ahhh we have the western town upstairs!! What a great toy! My kids put everything on that conveyor belt! It was mine as a child and I snagged it from my parents attic one visit 🙂

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  15. Susan Petersen Avatar
    Susan Petersen

    awesome meeting you tonight at Kelly’s. have a safe trip back to california. btw, you have a beautiful family.

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  16. Morgan Avatar
    Morgan

    Is the conveyor belt tied to what you wind up? Ours only slightly moves bacK & forth and I didn’t know if that was right or not….

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  17. Morgan Avatar
    Morgan

    I know! The red rubber button is what totally did it for me, too!

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  18. michelle Avatar
    michelle

    We had that exact toy on top! Gotta love the old DI, gonna guess that is where you were hanging out. I found a fabulous stash of yarn there yesterday!

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  19. sara lambert Avatar
    sara lambert

    I had the FP activity centre – wow, had forgotton all about it until I saw this. My Mum has kept alot of our fp toys but not this! what an amazing find!

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  20. Robbie Avatar
    Robbie

    My oldest son had the FP Activity Center, and he’ll be 36 in March. It looks like new!

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  21. starla Avatar
    starla

    ha! i remember that toy! i always loved the big red button cause when you pushed it, it made the bell ding. hehe

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  22. Elizabeth Patterson Avatar
    Elizabeth Patterson

    Oh…the pukes ARE the worst. Feel better fast. Great finds!!!

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  23. Hannah Avatar
    Hannah

    how does everyone have success at thrift stores but me?? i am the worst thrifter. good finds!
    it was way fun meeting you. what beautiful kids you have!!!

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  24. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    Yup…totally had that activity center up top. I LOVED IT, even as a bigger kid.
    And jacob would LOVE that western town. What a find!
    Glad you’re home. I’m drooling over the thought of being able to go to LA’s fabric district. Lucky!

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  25. Morgan Avatar
    Morgan

    I actually found the activity center at “Thrift Town” which is on 13th E and 33rd South- you should go if you’ve never been.

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  26. Morgan Avatar
    Morgan

    Hi Nancy-
    We usually do the rounds in SLC, hitting Savers on Redwood Road (I believe there is a DI there, too) Thrift Town on 13th E and 33rd S, and Savers on 72nd South- it’s a huge store there and also where I bought a majority of the clothes for the kids.
    The western town was found at Savers in Orem on State St. Good luck!!

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  27. rachel Avatar
    rachel

    Morgan,
    I am an avid collector of vintage Fisher Price. I’m especially nutty over the Western Town. I have Main Street and used to have the Sesame Street Brownstone, the FP house, etc., but have had to purge a few as we moved. I have tons of people. I was going to ask the same question about the best thrift stores in UT. I feel so sad that all of my faves are no longer readily available to me here. So, I’m making a trip up to SLC in the next few weeks. I’ve been slightly unimpressed with the Provo DI and Orem Savers. Oh well.

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  28. Morgan Avatar
    Morgan

    Did you have the Tudor House? That is next on my list. I totally remember having that as a kid. Where have you found your people? The Provo DI is lame. It’s always crowded and totally picked over (in my opinion.) Hit the SLC circuit. I like the Savers on 72nd S. There is also usually a good selection of games & vintage sheets at the DI in Sugarhouse. Also the Savers on Redwood Rd is great. Oh and try thrift town- they are hit and miss, like more stores, but give it a try. Wish I could go with you!! xoxo

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  29. Medical Advice Avatar
    Medical Advice

    good activities for kids..and happy to play that.

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  30. Grace Avatar
    Grace

    Were you thrifting in my mom’s attic? Because we had that very same FisherPrice activity center and that very same FisherPrice Western Town. LOL!

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  31. Amberly Avatar
    Amberly

    She looks just like you!

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  32. Margarida Avatar
    Margarida

    Tears came to my eyes! Believe me 🙂
    I still have my Fisher Price activity board from when I was a little girl and it is EXACTLY like the one you bought 🙂 These things were not available in Portugal 35 years ago and my uncle used to ship them from the States :-)))

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