Silent Auction Blues...

Okay...so today was "Fall Fun Day" at Jay's christian day school (he attends half days while mommy is at work). We visited the silent auction during the festivities and while most of the items were donated gift certificates, random items of little interest or just plain silly items. The most coveted items are the class donated items. Now...when I refer to the "class donated items"...I mean the items that the class has created or the teacher has made with your child involved to commemorate his or her current school year and classmates. No matter what "guided hunts" or big ticket items might be donated...the "class donated items" are always the ones that bring in the big bucks from parents.

As a "newbie" to this whole experience I noticed Jay's class had a canvas basket with items such as board books, a turtle stuffed animal (he is in the Tiny Turtles class), a DVD and a couple of other small toys. Cute items but nothing terribly special...but then I turned the canvas basket and noticed each child's footprint on the side of the basket with their names...how adorable!!! Okay...now I know I want this item! So I casually place my bid (no one else had bid at that time) with 50 minutes left in the auction.

We went on to do other things and realized there was only 10 minutes left so we went back to check on the items we had bid on...when I got back to his class item...there had been 2 other bids after mine...the price was slowly going up...but not significant. I asked Matt how much he was willing to spend...so I upped it a fair amount- not over the top but enough to say I was serious. We decided to stand watch a few steps away...a woman came by and placed another bid on it...I then went back and upped it again...5 minutes left...she walked by and didn't write anything...I thought the sweet little footprint basket was all ours...then they called 2 minutes...there she comes again...darting across the room and she makes her way to the table...I see her writing again...I make my way over to the table and what does she do...stands there and stands there and stands there..."times up"!!! Are you kidding me?!? WOW! She stood in front it. I sure have a lot to learn!! The woman even had an older child...so this was not her first rodeo...I suppose I could have been holding Jay and given this sob story about Jay being my first child and how it would mean to so much to get the basket...blah, blah...I didn't think it would help! I almost got the feeling that she really didn't care about the basket or the items...it was just a competition! I think that's what bothers me the most! Oh well...

So I am sad that I was not able to get the cute little basket with the fun items for Jay...however, it was certainly a reality check for me...especially considering that this is only our first go round. I know there will be many more catty mom competitions over the years...I had no idea it started this early...!