Do you remember my sneak peek of my girls’ back to school outfits from Gymboree? Well, here’s the complete outfit:I admit that I fell in love with these boots first and then built the rest of the outfit around them because I love them that much. My daughter has worn Gymboree boots every year that … Read more
I’m currently in denial that back to school is right around the corner. We had so many plans this summer and it feels like the entire two months just blew past in a blur of travel, lazy summer days, and play dates. I feel like I’ve now got a deadline looming that I might just … Read more
This post has been sponsored by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have kids, which means it’s a constant struggle to balance the sometimes not-so-clean activities of young kids without becoming the anti-bacterial gel wielding mom. This year has been especially bad and while I’m tempted to sanitize every surface they … Read more
When you think back to school must-haves, you’re probably picturing this, right? 
I’m going to argue that getting ready for back to school is not just about kids. Us moms have to wake up every morning, make breakfasts, pack lunches, get everyone out the door in time, and deliver our little darlings to school safely. We could stand to go back to school shopping for the necessities that will get us through the school year as well.
Our back to school must-haves look a bit more like this: 
You know how all kids go through various stages and it’s easier to connect with them at certain times? About two years ago my sweet girl was going through a stage that left me frazzled by the end of the day. What I realized was that we needed something for just the two of us, and it was going to be even more crucial as she started school full-time. 
There were three main criteria I needed to address: 1) The activity had to have no rules that I needed to enforce since I was the enforcer the rest of the day. 2) It had to be something that wasn’t extra work for me so I didn’t have to plan, execute, and then deal with clean up. And 3) It had to be something we both enjoyed that allowed us to reconnect so that we could weather this stage we were both going through.
One day it hit me that the answer to reconnecting with my daughter was through art. We both love just about every type of art and we both find it relaxing, so it was the perfect solution for getting us both to enjoy each other’s company and rediscover how much fun we have together. Since that day we’ve worked side by side to draw, paint with water colors, sew, and even build together on our doll house we’re renovating… and it has been amazing for all of us. 
Are you in the thick of back to school planning like I am? There are clothes to buy, glue sticks to stock up on, and there are goodbyes to plan for, because back to school is sneaking up on us quickly.
But, what if your baby isn’t quite a baby anymore and those days of construction paper and pencil cases are well behind you? For you, back to school shopping requires some creativity in order to send your child off to school on the right foot.
Sure, you need the latest sneakers and some updated clothing, but what I think is more important than that is what your child will be listening to. Sending them back to school with a good pair of headphones, earbuds, or even a portable speaker can make those early mornings, bus stop waits, and late nights studying a whole lot more enjoyable if you have your music with you. 
Can you believe fall is just around the corner? It seems like just last week I was walking the kids to and from school each day, packing lunches, and taking them to and from extra curricular activities, but here we are again ready to start a new school year. While I don't love the idea of summer ending and sending my kids to school, I do really love going back to school shopping.
Last week we headed out to Northgate Mall in Seattle to shop our favorite stores and check out all the new stores they have added this summer. With great clothing and gear for all ages, it just makes shopping for everyone so easy.
It truly is a one-stop shop, which is why it's one of our absolute favorite places to shop. And, with back to school sales signs in nearly every window, now is a great time to hit the mall! 
Oh back to school, how I dread you! More than just having to give up my sweet kiddos for hours every day, I also dread the whole back to school process of each new school year. This next year is going to be even harder for me as I will officially be without my firstborn all.day.long. The thought is enough to bring me to tears, so I have no idea how on earth I’m going to cope once Kindergarten is a distant memory and serious school starts. 
But, while I can’t do anything to ease my growing separation anxiety, I know where I’m going to turn to make our transition as easy as possible: SchoolKidz by Staples. Designed to make back to school easier than ever for busy parents, SchoolKidz handles all the supplies and school lists, including all the tissues I’m going to be needing come September.
It may seem really early to be talking back to school because the kids are still in school for a few more months, but some things are worth planning ahead for. By setting your account up now and encouraging your child’s school to get involved, you can make back to school not only easier for yourself, but also for the entire school by making shopping for school and classroom supplies as easy as a few clicks. 
I remember thinking that summer was far too short when I was growing up, but as a mom I feel summer is even shorter than I remember. Our weeks go by in a flurry of summer vacations, mini getaways around Puget Sound and playdates at the lake and ocean. All summer long you can find us with our toes in the sand, building castles and having picnics, enjoying ice cream as the sun goes down, and then just as quickly as it started, it seems like it’s fall again.
And, this year the coming of fall means a very big thing for us: the start of Elementary School. My daughter is really excited about going to the “big kid” school in our neighborhood and I’m excited to walk her there, hand in hand every morning and then pick her up every afternoon. But, with the arrival of school comes the changing of the leaves, the cooler weather, and the start of the rain that will be here on and off until April.
So, we’re starting school and kicking off the start of the rainy season with some new rain duds from Gymboree. That means rain boots, rain jacket, and umbrellas. But, it also means long pants for my son since he still goes to school twice each day to pick up his sister, and so far that has equaled a whole lot of wet jeans from puddles and rain.
Thank goodness Gymboree had everything we needed and more, including this gorgeous rain set that would make any rainy day seem brighter.
My daughter has worn it to and from school a few days now when it was sprinkling {or "sparkling" as she would say} and it was perfect for the warm days of fall. When she’s not wearing it, it stuffs nicely into the bottom of her school bag still leaving plenty of room for all the things that need to go back and forth to school each day.
I’m sure by now you’ve seen the Kmart Back to School commercials with the kids on the playground telling “Yo Mama” jokes to compliment each other’s new Kmart gear. Just like the infamous “Ship My Pants” commercial of earlier this summer, it’s clever and funny, and every time it comes on, I find myself stopping what I’m doing to watch it.
I mean, who doesn’t want to be so fashion forward and fiscally responsible that the kids are talking about it on the playground? Well, now you can be that cool mom simply by shopping at Kmart for back to school.
And, their fall sales and deals couldn’t come at a better time, because in addition to back to school items and school supplies, fall means the start of many different activities that all cost a good chunk of change. With so much going on, your budget can get pulled in a lot of different directions, and it’s easy to realize you’re over budget before school has even started.
