"Used - Good Condition"

Help me think this through. In my mind "good condition" for a used book means - some visible wear, maybe a dent or ding or two on the cover, yellowed pages, some smudges or stray marks.....but not Sharpie marks all over, water damaged pages, lots of dents on cover, liberal marking in the text, loose binding with pages about to fall out.....

I would think the above would be "fair" or "poor".

What do you all expect? I was going to say I should NEVER buy used again, but then I got my TOG stuff from Robin and it's lovely AND she only charged 50% of new - whereas this other charged 70% of new.....

BTW - when I commented on the condition of the book I was told that it had worked fine for her family for a year and she never considered that it wasn't in "good shape". OK - when my books look like this they get marked WAY down or go on a free table...or we keep using them. I wouldn't have minded buying it if I KNEW that was the condition I was getting......

The irony is that I recently sold something used. I'd loaned it out and hadn't checked it before selling it (bad move ::snort::) - evidently IT was in shocking condition - so I know this can happen.....but I'm wondering am I simply expecting TOO MUCH for USED? I mean it IS silly, say on PBS, to expect NEW when it is used.....but on the other hand - or maybe a foot by now - it irritates me to pay a price that is 70% of new and find that it is in BAD shape. I would have gladly paid 80% and bought it NEW from ROCK SOLID or RAINBOW or AMAZON - I DO have several more children to use this book.....

What do you all think......BTW I decided to keep the book because the son who is using it this year is NOTORIOUS for being rough on books....::snort::

ARGH - Spending Alert

Since determining to actually COOK for my family again, I keep thinking of all our favorite crock pot recipes. The freezer and the crock pot: "a busy mom's best friend".

My crock pot finally broke after 23+ years of use. It broke months ago and I've been contemplating what I want to replace it with. There are many more options now. I thought I'd swing by Walmart and buy a new one. However, I read Emily's blog and remembered how much I LOVE our nesco roaster. I have the 18 qt one. I can use it as an oven with oven temps, or a slow cooker....maybe I should get one of these instead.

The problem now is WHAT SIZE and they aren't sold HERE in town...I had a menu planned around my crock pot before I realized I don't have a crock pot. LOL

The 18 qt is great for big crowds, holidays, bulk cooking, days when my oven breaks.... but I need a smaller one for "normal" days too. The Rival 6 qt was getting a bit tight for dinners...but then again our family seems to be in a shrinking mode. I think the 12 qt may be to big. What do you think?

Early Morning Thoughts


I find myself with a bit of extra blog time. Mike and the older two boys went to base to work out. I would typically be at Curves by now....but the little ones woke up and all the big ones are gone. I'll get a later start.


I realized sometime yesterday that our older two students forgot the message I gave them two weeks ago. I wanted the first week of work to be spread over two weeks. That helps with the "short week syndrome" caused by labor day, and gives time for slow books to arrive. They seem to have missed this message. I'm sure part of our stress is the shock of going from 0 - 150 mph, so to speak, in one short day. ::snort::

As for Jamin's zeal to learn all he'll ever need to know this year, (so that he can write next year),we shall see when we get into a routine if the 10 credits he now has (cut from about 18) are workable. I know that our TOG credits are FULL credits and really could be honors credits, maybe that is why 10 seem full to me. It really takes more work to earn that TOG credit than it does to work through a text book. ::snort:: Seriously, Jamin counts minutes on all his subjects and timewise the TOG credits are all worth at least 2 and some 3. LOL We'll see how this schedule works when we have a normal full week, with all our activities factored in.

I realized this morning, that I've not cooked since we started school. That has to stop. We are schooling ALL day - right up until 7 or 8 p.m. LOL

I've gained 10 lbs since Michael has been home. I am honestly not sure why. I still work out. I don't think I'm pigging out....but I have been skipping meals or days of eating again and then bingeing....so I'll go back to the "plan". LOL

Stacia's been running around all morning saying "I like toast, I like toast" - not quite as cute as "I like Daddy".....but she's putting words together. Of course, now the parrot is saying, "I like toast" as well. LOL

WHY AM I UP WHEN THE REST OF MY FAMILY IS IN BED?????
She fell asleep at 11:30 this morning and we couldn't resist a couple of quiet hours for school. I THOUGHT it was early enough that she'd sleep tonight too - and she was SOOOO tired....but she's wired tonight. What to do?

Terrific Tuesday

We got a lot done. We are exhausted (all except Stacia that is). Michael worked.... Josiah worked. I worked out - but I seem to be allergic to Michael, I gain 10 lbs every time he returns home from a deployment.

Jamin and I created a lesson planner that will work for him. Jared fine tuned the lesson planner he created last week. He's down to 10 credits but I think we need to eliminate a few more things. It's TOUGH because for instance he has 3 writing credits - but that's his passion! It's also the place we could cut as he already had 7 English credits at the end of his Sophomore year. LOL

The younger ones and I continued to read our Egyptian books. We talked about finally making a salt map - it has to happen ONE of these years......

We got a lot of packages today. Email was down so I couldn't email anyone to let them know...maybe tomorrow. Two more came after this....
The Turbo Three and I sneaked out after lunch to buy school supplies while Stacia napped.

Tonight was our first Bible Study of the season. We'll be studying friendship for the next 6 weeks. I think it's safe to say that "ready or not" the race is back on. ::snort::

Maybe tomorrow?

Marvelous Monday

I KNOW it's Tuesday - but there you have it. LOL

Debbie and the boys came over to celebrate Labor Day with us yesterday. A hem - I came up with yet another creative, easy, hospitality idea. I made a salad. Debbie and I ran to the deli and picked up chicken, salads, rolls, french bread, and desserts. ::snort::

If that weren't bad enough I roped her into helping me make two slides to be used on base and in our contemporary service advertising women's ministry (PWOC). I also had her help me find the "official" word on "See Ya at the Flagpole".

The older boys played games.....Scottie and Cy were the last ones standing....

Jared and Mikey played Mill Bournes with the younger three - so nice of them to do that.
Later, Mike kept the Turbo Three occupied while the boys played Monopoly...

And I trimmed Stacia's bangs, while Debbie captured it on film. The only thing missing was STEVE - but he's close in our thoughts, hearts, and prayers.

Reading and Freezer Challenges

I'm a bit behind schedule but promise to draw winners for the gift certificates for both the reading and freezer challenges by this weekend.

The entries for the Reading challenge are closed.

If you've participated in the Freezer challenge and not left a comment; click here and let me know you participated. If you still want to participate - that's fine with me.

Winners will be randomly drawn by the first volunteer that walks by when I have a spare moment.