thrift stores

Pictures were taken in downtown Emerald City, while we were waiting for the Bargain Box to open. Jacob was Wolverine!)


The Bargain Box, Goodwill, and Salvation army have been my best friends this summer. The younger three wardlings, as mentioned in the previous post, got into a new charter school here in the Emerald City. The charter school is a uniform school. Our very first uniformed school. There is even a uniform committee at school. (I think that having a committee goes too far.) Numerous emails and board meetings, parents meetings have gone on and on about uniforms. Should they have logo's embroidered on them? shades of red? Jumpers for girls? undershirts? pull overs and cardigans.  Alright already!! They settled on red, white, gray, or black polos (polo dresses for girls are suitable) and khaki pants/shorts/skorts/capris. Outfitting 3 for uniforms is a bit expensive. Once the final word was given (and really before that too) I started popping in the thrift stores to see what we could find. What a big blessing thrift stores are!! Thanks to a friend to passes along some hand-me-downs and the thrift stores, we have only needed to purchase 6 new polo shirts total for 3 wardlings and our lovely Grammy and Papa bought 3 of those.  I have been able to find everything else in a next to new condition for only $1.75 per piece. Totally awesome. Thanks to my folks too for their back to school generosity with socks and undies for the wardlings. Those items are always needed here.
   I love thrift stores. We even found Erin her priest laurel prom dress today for under $5. Thrift stores are hit and miss. With 5 children we can usually find something that someone needs or sometimes just likes. I really like looking through stuff to see what we can find. It is really the thrill of the hunt for me.  Libby did some back to school shopping at goodwill this week and asked, "why do people give away such nice clothes?" I just said, aren't you glad that they do?? I know I am.