Ellie’s Thrift Store Party

Day #4

Ellie turned 13 this summer while we were on vacation. So she asked to have a party with friends before we left.

It’s hard to come up with an idea for a party that a 13-year-old won’t react with a,

“Ew. Mom. That’s disgusting!”

She really overuses that word. And not always in the right context.

It’s fascinating how I simply suggest a scarf 

with an outfit and it’s “disgusting”.

The same scarf she’s worn before.

But I digress…

We decided together that McDaniel’s Thrift Store Party theme from years before was such a big hit that we’d try it again.

I made up new scavenger hunt lists (some from ideas I found on the internet, the rest we just made up).

I did not actually go to the store ahead of time to see if these items were in the store.

I was willing to take the risk.

We divided the girls into teams, gave them a clipboard, a pen and a scavenger list and told them to find us at the front of the store when they were done finding everything on the list AND photographing it with their phone.

Monte and McDaniel checked their lists and photos.

I wrapped a hanger in white tinsel as the “major award” for the winning team.

Then we gave the girls group themes to find all together.

Like “Things to wear to a wedding” or “80s Outfits”.

I don’t have pictures of those for some reason.

As the girls were off looking for wedding items, Monte and I decided to make good use of our time and location and check out some potential Halloween costume items.

If you are new to Chairs From the Curb, we dress up every Halloween as a family. A photo from the evening becomes our Christmas card every year.

Last year, we were super heroes.

I’m STILL proud of how those spray paint and white electrical tape boots turned out.

We plan our theme WAY in advance so we can take advantage of sales and trips to the thrift store in July for Ellie’s birthday party.

I was helping Monte into a woman’s blazer when Ellie and her friends walked by.

They said NOTHING.

Not a word.

Just kept going on their search for wedding attire.

I know they saw us.

I’m glad it wasn’t a big deal so we didn’t have to explain why Monte was trying on women’s blazers,

(it was a color option thing, nothing more than that) 

but SOME reaction would’ve been appropriate.

After the thrift store, we went to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Cuco’s.

They made Ellie the cutest dessert complete with a face and hair!

After that, we came back to our house and had Chocolate Cafe cookies and ice cream.

They made cookies with hangers, clothes and dollar bills on them to go with the Thrift Store theme.

The thrift store scavenger hunt theme is so easy, practically free and would be fun for teens or adults.

And this year it helped us find some key pieces 

for our Halloween costumes.