Back To School

Today was not the first time Mini K has gone to school.  In fact her first day was 5 years ago, but for the past few weeks I have been staring at these 2 feet wondering how they got so big and screaming to myself SLOW DOWN TIME.  

Being a parent is the hardest job I have ever done because I want my children to succeed but I catch myself in moments of sadness knowing I cannot get these days back.  I wonder if I am giving them all they need, telling them enough, but then a day like today happens and I realize, yet again, they are gift from God and he is with them always.  They are lit from within and able to see the joy and hope in each new day and my job is really to make sure that light not only stays lit but gets stronger.  So I gave her a hug and kiss, said a prayer I am still allowed to do that without embarrassing her in front of her friends, took way too many photos and let her go.

She emerged bubbling with excitement, ready to fill her me bag to share with her class tomorrow only to tell me when I asked how the day was with a response of GREAT, FINE what are we having for dinner.

I am laughing at my smug mommy self of last year when we would tell me in detail about her day.  So I promptly came to the computer and started uploading and ordering photos once they were asleep tonight.  If you are having one of those same moments, at least let me share something with you:

1.  Snapfish will give you 10% cash back on your order when you shop through your Ebates account (so you can drown your "how did my children get so big" sorrows in free Starbucks or wine).  You can JOIN HERE.

2.  You can save 36% off your total Snapfish order with code:  PET36

It's official, she is growing up and I am old!

Hover or Run?

I PROMISE this is my last back to school post.  I think there are two types of parents and kids on the first day of school:  the ones that hover by the classroom door and don't want to leave or the ones that skip off down the hall and don't look back.  When a parent and a child are opposite types, well it can be ugly.

Fortunately, Mini K and I are the same type...we run and skip down the hall, away from the drop off line and don't look back.  She is so excited to go to school and is counting down the remaining 9 days of summer vacation.  I love that she is so excited and independent and I always look forward to the structure of a school year and an early bedtime after our crazy summers.   Her uniform is already washed and hanging in her closet, clean socks in her school uniform shoes and first day of school gift for her teacher wrapped and ready.  This year her first grade teacher is a former All-American field hockey player and Mini K thinks this is really cool and she was picked for her "team" class so to speak.  We ran with this theme and got Mrs. G a basket and filled it with a ruler, some pens, a lanyard with her monogram for her teacher ID, some candy, some Advil (my contribution!) and a gift card to the coffee around the corner from school.  We made a tag in the shape of field hockey sticks that says "I am so happy to be on your team this year!".  I would post a photo, but in the craziness of this construction I cannot find my camera cord.

As the summer draws to a close, my list seems to get longer.  Both of my kiddos seem to have grown, A LOT, this summer...and let's not even talk about the fact that their shoes from the start of the summer make me wonder how their feet have grown so much.  While I am not going back to school, I always make of fall list of what I want to add to my wardrobe.  What can I say there is a satisfaction of crossing things off my list....in sharpie of course!

While I don't smoke, I love a good smoking loafer and was thrilled to add these to my closet.

 Well Mini K wanted a pair as well, but pink ones.  Not only did I find her pink smoking loafers, but how about pink smoking loafers at HALF PRICE? You can purchase them HERE, or I should say purchase a $50 voucher for $25 and use code:  PDCOZ10 to save yourself an extra 10%!

Baby C is clearly growing up in the right house, because every time Mini K says school, he screams YEAH FOOTBALL!  In our this, this means burnt orange, tailgate food in front of the tv and hopefully the celebration of many, many touchdowns!

Fall is also birthday party season in Mini K's circle of friends...almost everyone has their birthday before the end of the year so I am stockpiling gifts for the upcoming soirees.

While I know a lot of you do not have kids, or aren't preparing for back to school, I hae to believe that you still like saving money.

Today started with a little happy in the mail:  my check from Ebates.  I mean seriously, how nice is getting a check for things you were going to purchase anyway?  If you haven't joined, click HERE and if you have joined but keep forgetting to go to Ebates and click through to stores, put a note on your computer!

You know that while I love to find a deal, I am not a good couponer (is that even a word?)  I really don't like spending money on things that I know my kids and I won't use outside of school.  Cue navy loafers for our uniform.  I was thrilled to find navy loafer, that are still cute, for under $35 today at MyHabit.  If you haven't checked it out, you should.  You can checkout with your Amazon account and the deals on loafers and Bloch ballet flats are a lot less than the same shoes have been on Gilt.

We have had a growth spurt since football season last year and Mini K has made me promise NO MORE SMOCKING.  I may have shed a tear, but thankfully, I discovered some non-smocked Longhorn wear for Mini K and when you purchase one piece, you get you second half off.  These collegiate clothes are my go to baby gift for friends that I know are die hard fans.  I mean, how cute are the smocked bubbles?  Obviously, even Crisco wouldn't help me squeeze Baby C into the bubble, and is working hard to rid our house of diapers so I ordered the shorts for him and belted skirt for Mini K.  You can check out the entire line HERE.

Now for the girls birthday parties galore.  I struggle with gifts for her school classmates as you want to give everyone something similar and I know most parents agree that their kids seem to have more than enough toys.  When I saw these necklaces, I knew I was on to something!  I think they make a great gift alone, or pair them with some Lip Smackers, some hair ties or even some candy treats in a cello bag with a big bow and my guess is the birthday girl will be thrilled.  We will keep it a secret that the necklaces are only $11.95 with $3.50 shipping and each additional necklace ships for only $0.50!  That's a touchdown in my book!  You can purchase them HERE.

Back To School Teacher Gifts

Tomorrow is Mini K's first day of kindergarten and we are all beyond excited with the teacher and teacher's assistant she was assigned. If that wasn't enough, her two best friends are in her class and there is NO REST time in kindergarten. I am pretty sure this is the 5 year old equivalent of being told you can walk out of Bergdorf's with new shoes, a Verdura ring and all the Goyard you can carry!

I always like to take a little something for the teacher and assistant on the first day. They work so hard getting the classrooom ready and deserve a special treat. I try to think of something that Mini K and I can do together. I altered a teacher appreciation week candy gram idea I saw on Eighteen25.

I purchased the plastic paint can at Michael's and picked upt he candy at our local CVS.

We added and changed the original wording so it reflected the start and not end of the school year.

For the aide in her classroom, we filled one of PGG's fabulous double insulated 24oz cups with individual packets of Crystal Light and added a scallop punched note that says:

I am so excited you will be the kindergarten "ade"!

Mini K cannot wait to take them into school.

Last year we made a Sharpie bouquet. I let her pick out about 12 sharpies at staples and we wrapped them in grosgrain ribbon and put them in a mint julep cup with a card that said: "Teachers are just like Sharpies, they leave a permanent mark!"

You can always fill a chinese takeout box with mints, gum and other treats with a note that says: " I am so FORTUNE-ATE to have you as my teacher!"

Or a coffee tumbler with some Starbucks instant coffee packets and a note that says: "I PERKED right up when I heard you were my teacher!"

All of these ideas are somuch fun to put together with your little one and don't take a lot of time, which is great for working moms like me!

Back To School Prep

I decided to throw all of my energy into my to-do list. With Mini K's first day of school less than a month away, it is a long one.

Her big decision every year is picking out her backpack and lunchbox. The older she gets, the more memories it brings back of doing that same task.

While she always picks, I always steer her towards the Garnet Hill catalog. Their backpacks hold up and they always run a great August special: a FREE lunchbox with every backpack order....not to mention I still haven't figured our while Pottery Barn Kids really only offers a full name on their backpacks. Seriously, every child safety expert tells parents whatever you do, do NOT put a kid's name on their backpacks, coats, etc because it gives strangers too much personal information about your child.

So kindergarten will be the year of the peace signs for Mini K!

I had Garnet Hill monogram the lunch box for only $6, but I always take the backpack to Chase Moon Designs inside the Purple Goose for its monogram. Garnet Hill monograms the backpack the same size as the lunchbox and that is just too small for my taste.

Chase on the other hand, might be a Texan at heart, because she knows the Bigger is Better rule!

For those of you not in the D.C. area you can find Chase Moon at her etsy store and she does ship! A few friends have had items ship directly to her and she ships them right out! If you are in D.C. head on over to her store inside of The Purple Goose...as the entire summer collection (clothes AND shoes) are 50% off!

Next on the list...new running and tennis shoes for me! It's tax free weekend here after all!