Back to School: Week 1- Supplies

This week the kids and I purchased their school supplies. I armed the children with their supply list and shopping cart and off they searched to find the item on those lists. They did a great job comparing prices and decided if the cheaper versions was the better choice. They also buy extra, at the cheaper price, so they can use it as they run out of supplies during the year. I am raising good consumers, pat on my back.

We brought our bounty home and sorted it in to piles.

Then we put it away to pack another day :)

 

Once their backpacks are packed for the first day of school, we keep the extra in these bins. I like the bins because when they run low on something during the year they know where to go to get more.

 

Next week we start planning lunches.

 

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Summer Purge: The Attic

To say my house is currently a "hot mess" is putting it kindly. Every summer I do a big  house purge.  I sort, reorganize, donate, and toss clothes and toys. This year I decided now that my "babies" are ages 10 and 8 years old, it's time to purge the baby stuff.  Yes, ALL the baby stuff is the attic.  I'm talking: high chairs, cribs, bassinets, onesies, all things baby. It's time to let go.  :')  So I sent my hubby up into the 1,000 degree attic and down came the bins. 

As I look around at the MESS, I keep reminding myself that sometimes things look worse before they look better :)

We took down:
15 bins of just clothes 0-3months all the way to 4T
4  bags of toys and stuffed animals
3 bins of blankets and other bedding
2 high chairs
2 kick and play toys
1 bouncy seat
and tons of dust

My plan is to sort the bins (not the dust, we'll keep that) and give some of the clothing to my nieces and nephews.  The rest will go to consignment  ( I'll have more on consignment in another post) or Good Will.

There were a couple of things that I classified as keepsakes.  Those things I placed in a separate bin to save and give to my children when they are all grown up (tearing up right now).  I found their coming home outfit, first birthday outfit, toys that were their favorites and some other goodies.

August 1 or D day

August 1 reminds me that there are about 4 weeks until school starts.  I know it seems crazy to think that summer is ending but I will admit that I have always loved the smell of new school supplies.  My children (ages 10 and 8) on the other hand may not share my same joy ;)

I like to break the children in slowly with the whole back to school thing.  My hubby is a cold turkey kinda guy but that doesn't work out for us.  So in an effort to ease the transition each week we tackle a back to school project.

Week 1: Supplies
This let's my little people know that summer time is starting to wind down.  They enjoy back to school shopping so I like to start there.  Break them slowly :)

Week 2: Lunches
I start to think about what they will eat.  This year I want to pack healthier lunches so I am making a list of their favorite foods.  Then I'll figure out a school lunch schedule and what to buy.

Week 3: Schedule
This week I put the kids on there back to school bedtime and wake up calls.  It takes about two weeks for us get back into the groove of things.

I also take this time to start them on chore schedules.  We have fall chores that they start.

Week 4: Clothes
I wait to last minute on this because I am terrified they will have some crazy growth spurt and they will not fit their clothes.  

Each week I will let you know our progress and how it works for us :)