Nicki goes to a decent school.  Very nice, clean school.  There are guidelines on dress code that I see broken every day.  Skirts that are way too short.  Boys where that street wear and not on their waste.  I hate when I see boys underwear.  I also hate when I see some of those girls walking around with super short skirts.  What makes it worse is they are getting out of their parents car, they know their kids wear clothes like that.  I just can’t believe it!!!!  I am glad that Nicki doesn’t wear crap like that.

Almost two years ago Tony and I decided that we needed a change.  We decided that in order to do better for our family, we could keep traveling down the same path we had been.  The original plan was that I was going to go back to work when all the kids were in school.  This was the perfect plan but I knew that when that happened after being out of work for (by then it would be almost 8 years) so long I was going to find an awesome job.  I would destine to be a cashier or server somewhere and with a family of 6, well we knew we all deserved better than that.

It was the summer of 2010 that Tony and decided we needed an education and what better time than then.  I had just had the last baby we would have so I knew I had about 3-5 years before I would need/want to go back to work.  We also knew within a few short years we were going to want to move again so we needed to go back right away.

We submitted our applications for admission and also completed our financial aid paper work.  We knew we wouldn’t be able to afford to go any other way.  By July 2010 we were registered and ready to go for the Fall semester.  The first semester we bought all of our books and supplies from the school book store.  We were paying an arm and a leg to get those supplies but we didn’t really have enough to pay for any of it out of pocket.  We decided that with the refund of financial aid money, we would save it for the upcoming semesters so we could try and find books cheaper.

We searched and tried various other companies, from buying books outright to renting them.  We realized very quickly that the most economical way to go was to rent our books.  For the price of one book purchased, we could rent all of our books for the semester.  Yes that’s right, book rental is SO MUCH cheaper and so convenient.

After trying out several companies we decided that CampusBookRentals was the best.  They were so easy to use and navigate their website. You know what I love the most about the website?  I love that I can chose which do date I would like.  Tony and I usually register for our classes the day registration opens up so we like to make sure we have our books in hand well before the new semester starts.  At CampusBookRentals you can chose a due date.  There are 3 other options too.  You can chose to rent for a semester, quarter, or summer.  Those are pre-set days and a pre-set amount for the rental.  They are pretty accurate to how long you would need it too, in addition to giving time to return it.  OR, you can chose your date you would like to have it returned.  This is especially helpful for Tony and I who like to get our books early.  The amount for the rental is then prorated based on days of rental.  Here are some benefits of renting and renting from CampusBookRentals over buying or renting from somewhere else.

As it says above you get FREE SHIPPING both ways and that is for their standard shipping.  If you chose an expedited shipping it doesn’t cost much more and you get it super quick.  I will say though that I usually get my standard shipping SUPER QUICK too.  With your book you also get a bubble mailer so you can use to return your book.  The best part about the free shipping is that even if you misplace or ruin the mailer that was sent to you, you can go under your account with CampusBookRentals and request and duplicate mailing label.  You would have to use your own packaging but the shipping would be free.  How awesome is that????

I have only bought a few of my books since we found CampusBookRentals and that was only because they were Accounting books that I knew I wanted to keep.  Other than that I rent all of my books through CampusBookRentals.    I highly recommend them and I think YOU should give them a try…….remember there is a 30-day RISK FREE Return policy.  For more questions and answer, check out this super cute video.

Oh wait, I almost left without telling you another cool feature they offer, if you did buy books from somewhere, they also buy books back.  It is super easy to use their website.  There is a tab at the bottom of the screen called “We BUY books.”  It will ask you to enter the ISBN  and then it will generate an immediate quote for how much they will buy your book for.  Now I will say they don’t always buy books but I have sold several books to them and it was quick and easy.  Then once you get a quote and accept, you can print the shipping label that will allow you to mail your book to them FOR FREE!!!!!!  Click here for more details on their buy back program.    So what are you waiting for???  Are you planning on taking summer classes, rent your books from CampusBookRentals……you won’t be disappointed. 

I unofficially graduate in May.  What I mean by that is I can graduate with my class even though I still have 2 more classes to take.  I am not sure I want to walk at graduation with everyone.  I mean I want to because I feel this is a huge accomplishment but I don’t because, well I don’t know.  Maybe I should just celebrate with some alcohol and a Dutch Masters cigar.  LOL!  I will be just so happy to be done for a bit.  I feel I stress on my kids too much.  I have done really well the past 2 years and I just don’t want to mess up the last semester, that would suck.  LOL!!!

Only three months left in the Spring semester. Then I have two classes to take, an elective and Public Speaking. I hate public speaking. I am hoping to take that class online. This would require me to have  web cameras on my computers. I would much rather speak on camera then in class in front of all those people!  I just can’t believe I am almost done!

The last couple weeks have been super busy.  I recently got a part time job working at craft store in town.  I work on the weekends.  I love it.  But on top of school 4 days a week, then taking care of my kids and NOW work on my days off from  school.  To say the least, life has been hectic.

I have had to have Nicki watch the kids more.  Sometimes Tony isn’t home by the time I need to leave for school.  Plus when I go to work on the weekends.  She has been doing really well.  The only thing that drives me crazy is when I call to check up on them she doesn’t answer the phone.  Either she doesn’t hear it or whatever.  Scares the hell out of my though.  Usually I call right before my cell phone battery is going to die and then it’s dead by the time she tries to call me back.  My phone dies so quickly in the day.  I barely get a whole day out of  it now.   I need to do some  searches for cheap telephone batteries.  I just need t be able to use my phone the whole day, I am usually gone until 9 or 10 at night and my phone is dead by 7pm.

Anywho, life has been super busy.  I am tired and heading to bed. 

WOW it’s the start of another semester for Tony and I.  Tony headed off to his Calculus class about an hour ago.  He has two classes this morning and then one this evening.  I only have one class on Monday’s, Business Law.  The rest of the week I have two classes each day.  Yikes.  Nicki starts high school on Wednesday.  Holy moley what a crazy week.  On top of that I have decided to take on one last class not at the college.  It’s a tax preparation class.  I really would like to work a little before we move.  The money could be helpful.  The owner of the tax company said he has a Saturday class but he only has 2 people signed up so far.  He said he would like at least 5 people interested in order to go forward.  I really would need to take the Saturday class or I have to teach myself.  That wouldn’t be that big of a deal but I would much prefer an actual class.

I have a lot on my plate and I am ready (I think) for the challenge.  It has been 4 years since I worked and I think I have had enough R&R.  LOL!  One of my classes this fall is a Math class and I am pretty sure it should be easy peasy.  I am not going to stress too much on that one.  I took an Algebra class last fall and I passed with like a 99% so I can’t see this class being much more difficult.  Plus I have both Nicki and Tony that can help me if needed.  I think the most problem is that it is taking up time.  I have to be on campus for the Math class every Thursday for 3 hours.  Yikes.  I could be using that time for other things.

Anywho, I am going to take the rest of my afternoon and read some of my book.  I have my Business Law class tonight and I wanted to get a jump start on the reading.  Oh my what have I gotten myself in to.  LOL!!

I am so excited for Nicki to go back to school it’s not even funny.  She has done nothing this summer.  She hasn’t hung out with friends.  She hasn’t done anything fun but watch TV.  Oy vey!!  The only thing is with her going back, that means we all go.  Tony and I only have 2 weeks left in our break between semesters and I am truly enjoying myself.  I take care of the kids and the house during the day and at night I watch TV.  I hardly ever do that during the school year.

Lil Tony will also be going back to speech therapy.  I am excited because he is actually talking in sentences now the therapist just needs to help him clean up his words.  Some of them are hard to understand.

I need to do some school shopping, maybe get some clothes for Nicki.  Money is always tight for us so any savings I can get I happily welcome.  We have a kmart really close so maybe if i could find some kmart coupons that would help.  I know sometimes stores offer tax free shopping during back to school time.  I can’t wait until Tony and I are both working, we could really use the extra income.  It will be a sad day when I go to work but it will be well needed.