The one-stop-shop for all your back to school needs

Thank you Kohl's for #Sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions stated are that of my own. 

Elliana's Back to School Shopping List

Do you ever feel like winter lasts forever and summer goes by in a blink of an eye? I remember it was that way as a kid, and it only seems to go by faster now that I am older. Not sure if that's because I have kids of my own, but I seem to barely have time to take a breath and next thing I know I'm changing the calendar month already.

The other day, I caught myself staring at my planner and thinking out loud--- is it really the middle of July? Is August really right around the corner? It really is, I heard it say back to me. It really is. 


It took me a moment to realize that I was kind of sort of maybe talking to something that could not talk back to me, and that maybe I should perhaps start thinking about an effective way of slowing down time. In the meantime, until I find that miracle, I will just have to learn how to manage my time better.

So with July rapidly coming to an end, and August creeping around the corner, it is hard not to start planning for what the next month will bring. August, the month that sends every parent out there in a rush to get everything sorted out before their child or children start back to school. It means lunchboxes, backpacks, school supplies, new wardrobes, class schedules, textbooks, meet-the-teacher conferences, and important dates to mark off on the calendar. The more kids you have, the bigger the to-do list. Every school, specifically each classroom, has their own list of requirements and requests. Every child has their own needs and desires for wardrobes. Not to mention sports and hobbies thrown into the mix. With that being said, when running errands and doing your shopping, a one-stop-shop is always a game changer for me.


In this case, I like to say—less is more. Less stops+less time wasted=more happiness for all.

Specifically, mom.


Although my kids are little now, and we have hopes of homeschooling, I still plan on doing the same thing with them that other kids do around this time of year. School for us will be year round, but it will always "restart" in August. A time for us to discuss our goals for the year, talk about the projects we want to work on and what we want to learn, as well as gather the necessary supplies, update our wardrobes, and shop for our needs and wants. At the rate that these two are growing, I am sure that we will not only be updating our classroom, but definitely our closets as well. Need I also mention her, THEIR SHOES! Boy do those feet love to grow.

So between the calendar talking to me, and me envisioning the children going from ages 3 and 1 to graduating college, the anxiety set in and the planner in me got a headstart to shopping at Kohl's. I needed to update my school supplies, grab some new learning activities for the kids, and update their tiny little wardrobes for their growing bodies.

This year is the first year that Kohl's has teamed up with Office Max to make the school transition experience for parents a little easier and smoother. While shopping in-store for the latest trends, must-have gadgets, school uniforms, dorm needs and more, you can also now pick up their supplies that will help them stay organized and on top of their school work. Here is a little nerd alert fact that many people don't know about me—I loved school supply shopping even more than I did clothes shopping. The planner. The new markers. The organized notebooks and folders. Oh man, I would just sit in my room and get excited about the idea of putting my new backpack together.

And here I am getting excited about being able to do the same for our kids.


So the verdict? She went straight to the school supplies first. Didn't even blink an eye at the haul of clothes that I brought home, or the bright new sneakers, and even the recorder that I was sure she would gravitate towards first. Nope, the flashcards, the glue, the folders and notebooks, and of course the new crayons won over everything else.

And I could not help but smile.

She is just like her mama. A little school nerd at heart.