Time to start buying... SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Yes, you read the title right. Now before you start throwing stuff at the computer mad because summer is literally almost here. Hear me out on my thoughts, as a PTO/PTA mom and also the VP for now 5 years running, you get to know the teachers. By January and especially February, this is what I hear... "I am almost out of copy paper. " "I need sanitizer, I am on empty" and things of this nature. Before you go "I bought them supplies at the beginning of the school year" I want you to think long and hard about what some schools are able to pay their teachers. For my son's school, and we are 1 RURAL school. I know our school budget isn't much and they make do on so little. I know we grew up hearing "The schools have no money" and it was true then and even more now. Think about the rising costs of living and how little a teacher's salary has gone up. I am not trying to guilt any parent here. At the end of the school year think about how little they have to work with.

So, my solution. The 1st day of school comes every year, same time every year. You know your kid is going to school and supplies are needed.The supply lists come out at various times maybe the 1st day of schools like ours. Other schools may mail it with your teacher assignment a few weeks before school starts. I long ago decided to divide and conquer. There are specifics you can not get until the list is in your hands, paper, markers, number of folders, etc. So I start buying now what I KNOW I will need.

Here is my list I am literally stock piling for the teacher
Tissues
Sanitizer
Sanitizer wipes,
Box of copy paper (some schools demand teachers supply their own)
Colored copy paper (2 or 3 reams)
Pencils
Crayons
Dry Erase Markers
Pencil Sharpeners (for your kid)

These are items that you can get some good deals on slowly to stock up. If they can't use it, there is another teacher who can. Sharing is caring for them or they will be trading Kleenexes for Sanitizer.

I am also stock piling for myself AKA buying clothes on clearance. Plus we order our backpacks and lunch boxes from Amazon. It is their downtime, so I want to get a good deal. Our favorite sports teams are from our home town, so Amazon has the best deals for us.

My list,
Backpack (My son goes through these once a year, this year we had 2)
Lunchbox (Another one of those things that gets a lot of wear and tear)
Thermos (for drinks)
I am shopping for a new lunch box system to have a variety depending on the meals. (Another blog idea)
Wide Ruled Paper (homework)
Homework Box supplies (I will post on this later)
Clothes you know your child will need (Shorts, school uniform items, sweaters, etc)

Start a list on your planner or on your phone. Add things as you think of them, stuff like this you NEED. If you can get a bargain or stock up to help the teachers it is a Dollar well spent

Lunch Box Love and why I am so glad I ordered them

I have been following a lot of blogs for almost 9 months now about packing lunches and like myself they post pictures on various social media sites. I always see these little cards that are about the size of business cards, that have just a few wonderful notes on them.

I kept checking the website, but I thought "Ohh my son won't like them." (my son is 9 and you never know at this age how they feel about public displays of affection... of any kind) Finally I broke down and ordered them when they were having a HUGE SALE. I decided if he didn't like them I would give them to friends or save them for my daughter when she started school. My delivery got here the Saturday before our school was scheduled to start their state testing. PERFECT TIMING!!! The delivery was super fast, I had ordered them on Wednesday.

I opened them up and yes immediately read all my cards, there are over 100 and they give you a few extra in each pack to write your own note if you want. The cards also on the back have a fun random fact or a joke which I love. I packed one for the first day of the daunting test, which I didn't let him see me sneak it in. The result was amazing. He came home with a smile and said he loved it. He shared the fun fact which I pick the funniest one about a Japanese butterfly having it's eyes on it's butt. Seriously, potty humor applies to all 9 year olds.

I added a few pictures so you could read some of the notes.

In closing, I love this product. I like packing his lunch, but this gives a little something extra for him. If he had a bad 1st part of the day, he can read something that might cheer him up. When you get your mail and have a card or a note from a friend, it means the world to you right? Plus a funny note or a joke, that is even better. I also feel it can promote kindness and kids need kindness. Our children need to see us as parents giving kindness so they can learn from our example.  

Please go to Lunch Box Love and poke around on their site. They have lunch cards and other things you might just love. 

Disclaimer! Lunch Box Love owned by Say Please did not compensate me in any way for this review. I wrote this on my own and the views here are mine and of my own. All pictures are property of One Happy Momma of Two and @lunchesby1happymommao2 on Instagram. Please contact me to use any of the pictures provided. If you would like please feel free to email me here

The disappearing weekends

School is almost out for us and as a member of our PTO executive board... we celebrate as much as the teachers. Baseball is going on right now, swim starts the following weekend after school, and then there is this move we are trying to maneuver. With school starting up in mid-late July (year round schools here) the following Thursday after the swim championships.  Every single weekend is book solid with games, swim meets, and other social functions.

I have decided things are going to have to change. I can't do this every weekend booked solid run run run. It's not fair to my husband who is RUN RUN RUN at work all week he needs down time too. He is going to want to veg out on the couch and watch a baseball game or a movie. Plus in Southern Arizona, who wants to be run run run in the hot hot heat?

The disappearing weekend seems to happen more and more these days and for long stretches at a time. With families and kids, do they need down time? How often do you feel is needed? I feel Sunday is church and nothing else unless. We do a Sunday dinner, take walks, and maybe have guests over for dinner. I am horrible at going and going then all the sudden I piled on to much and break down. I at that point cancel the weekend and we have our jammies on Saturday Morning until we go to church.

 What do you do to handle your schedule and make sure your family gets down time outside of sleeping and church?

My love of reading... Cookbooks?

So, I have this weird thing, well for me because I don't know other people who do this. I love to read cookbooks. I am super super weird. I am not talking your Betty Crocker (No offense Betty, I do use your recipes). I read cookbooks written by people, who share why they came up with a recipe, what fun story or situation got the creative juices flowing. I also love love love those cookbooks churches or a PTA will do because mom's cook for scheduling around families. While I love Betty Crocker, Better Homes and Garden and so forth. I love a recipe a mom has tried and knows is a crowd pleaser on days when, there is school, homework, PTA meetings, soccer practice, and ballet. That isn't to say I don't like to cook a nice meal other than the major holidays. I just love knowing a recipe is a keeper is quick, easy, and will be a crowd pleaser.

I have a few that I am loving. You have heard me talk about Catherine the founder of Weelicious and she has written 2 books. I love them and use them weekly. I am currently reading Best Lunch Box Ever by Katie Sullivan Morford. 1/3 of the way in and it is a keeper for me. Another blog I follow Momables and the fabulous Laura Fuentes is currently working on her book.

When it comes to packing lunches, meals, anything with food. People have their tastes, some stick with what works other people want to change it up ever so often. I love these books and I have a huge respect for the moms who put work into them. I am trying to change up our whole family and what we eat. I like change and for me, I want to try something new. My husband is a man who loves to stick with what works, I agree to a point. When I am staring down the tortillas for tacos for the 5th time in a month, I need a change.

My kids are who I typically experiment on and lately my luck has been running pretty good. My son has expanded his palette. He has his dad in him and don't mess with the fruits and veggies, if you follow me on Instagram where I post pictures of my lunches, you see the theme. I am hoping that changes but for the most part I think he is stuck in what he likes there and won't change.

So let's hear it. Do you have a favorite cookbook or blog, if so what ones? Do you stick with the norm or change it up with your meal plans? How do you handle your picky eaters?