Monday, May 19, 2008

Our Weekend of Free Stuff


Anyone who knows my husband, Aaron, knows he is the KING of getting free stuff. He's actually just the king of getting whatever he wants, which usually include free things or favors. It's seriously nuts. But this weekend set a whole new level for the rest of us to live up to.

First let me say, I think Aaron hid this passion for payola until we got married. And in the hopes that you'll still like my husband after reading this entry, I think I'll downplay his obsession with getting free things. ;)

His motto is "you never know until you ask". So he asks, and asks, and then asks more.. And if that doesn't work, he'll ask in Spanish. He once was about to miss his plane, so he kept asking the airline worker if there was anything she could do. Finally he found a nice one who told him "doesn't your knee hurt?" and pointed at a wheelchair. She proceeded to push him through the airport security line in the airport. Smooth.

Also recently he got some $250 snowboard bindings for $10!!! He was in a snowboard instructional video and agreed to drop the business name in the video. :) There are so many examples that just make me laugh and shake my head. But I love him!

So this weekend we went to Idaho's largest garage sale at the Idaho Expo. It was ok... we got some good deals. A new softball mitt, some toys for Bright, a sweatshirt. Then we hit some neighborhood garage sales. But we did it the way of 2008 on a hot day, from our car! We just kind of drove around and "car-window shopped" because Brighton was asleep. The first house Aaron gets out of the car because he saw a sign that says "FREE"- a word that sends chills down his spine. We ended up getting a free little mini vacuum that I wanted to use under the high chair.

Then the next house he saw a little kid helmet that he thought would be good for when Bright learns to snowboard, so he just leans his head out the window and asks about it. The girl just walks over and says here, Merry Christmas. It was hilarious.

Aaron must have been on a free-high because he couldn't just end it there. When we stopped at A&W he used some Spanish charm to get employee to give him free cookies.

Then the Gods of Free Stuff were really with us. Sunday we were going out for a walk and our neighbor who is moving was giving away a free Little Tyke slide and one of those green turtle sand boxes. Aaron thought he'd died and gone to heaven! :)

Aaron's little "quirk" with free stuff is so known within my family that whenever someone "works it" to get something, we call it "pulling an Aaron". He is just so darn endearing, no one could ever turn him down!!! Hey, is that how he got me to marry him? ;) Love you Aaron!

P.S. If anyone has any Aaron getting stuff stories, post them here so I can remember!!