The Back to School shopping list can be long and lengthy.  Every thing from clothes and shoes, to paper and erasers.  If you aren’t careful, it’s easy to end up running all over town.  That’s why I rely on Walmart to be my one-stop for back to school shopping.  I can find all the crayons, colored pencils and glue on all of my kid’s lists from their teachers.  Scissors, notebooks, highlighters, paper, pencils and pens, whatever the item, I know I can find it in one stop.

But the class room isn’t the only place that needs to stock up on supplies during this busy time of year.  Don’t forget the things you need at home!  The good news is that you still only have to make one stop on your Back to School shopping trip: Walmart has your back!

10 THINGS NOT ON YOUR BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING LIST THAT SHOULD BE

1.  Viva Paper Towels.  These are amazing for wiping up messes.  They are super absorbent and can conquer all the chaos my three boys throw into my life.  One thing I really love about Viva paper towels is how soft they are.  These are my very favorite paper towels to use as make-shift wipes.  They are soft and don’t irritate my kids’ skin.  Perfect for spills and accidents, cleaning off counter tops and mirror and for faces, hands, and even noses.  The choose-a-size sheets make sure I have just what I need when I need it.  And right now, you can score BONUS Box Tops labels on Viva paper towels and earn extra cash for your school!

2. Kleenex Tissues.  Sending your children to school means one thing – more germs in your house!  We are only on our second week back and already Baby N has a low fever and Big J has complained of a cough.  There are just over 20 children in Big J’s classroom and that’s 20 people with germs that might make us sick.  Not to mention how many kids play on the same swing or the same slide or use the same computer or read the same book that he might.  All those places he could pick up strange germs and bring them back home to us.  Sharing is caring, right?  Kleenex tissues are gentle on sore noses and are my go-to brand of tissues.  Help your kids keep those germs to themselves as much as possibly by using tissues for noses, coughs, and sneezes.  Right now, you can stock up for the coming winter months and score some more extra Box Tops labels for your school with Kleenex Back to School tissue packs.

3. Scott Bath Tissue.  Little J has started on the journey from diapers to undies.  YAHOO!  Having two kiddos in diapers is taxing.  Some days, it seems all I do is change diapers.  And I won’t even mention the cost of that many diapers.  Since we’ve added another body to the regular users in our bathrooms, we’ve had to increase our toilet paper stock as well.  Scott bath tissue is soft and doesn’t irritate sensitive skin.  It’s septic safe and means I don’t have to stress as badly when Little J tries to clean up by himself.  And guess what, there’s BONUS Box Tops on Scott products too!  Look at all that cash you’re getting for your school!

4. You favorite feminine hygiene products.  Back to school means back to running around after my kids.  The last thing I want is to be unprepared for that time of the month.  A good stock of feminine products is a necessity in every momma’s arsenal so the days will run smoothly and you can keep up with those darling little angels of yours.

5. Wet Wipes.  These babies aren’t just for diaper changes, although I use them often for just that.  These are so versatile, it would take me forever to list all the ways to use them.  On average, we have four packs of wipes open and scattered through out our house.  That doesn’t include the ones in the diaper bag or the little pack I keep in the car.  Big J’s teacher even requested them on her classroom supplies list this year, and there isn’t a diaper anywhere near her classroom.

6.  A good water bottle.  All that running leaves little time for you to make sure you’re getting enough water.  Take it with you where ever you go and stay hydrated all day long.  A tired and dehydrated momma makes life harder for everyone.  This is a busy time; don’t forget to take care of yourself.

7.  A calendar.  Whether you keep your calendar in digital format on your phone or tablet, just can’t give up the paper edition or both, you’re going to want to keep track of all the dates that will be headed your way fast.  I have so many calendars, it’s a bit ridiculous; but, I can’t imagine the choas my life would be without them.  For your sanity, write it down!

8.  Easy to grab snacks.  We are often running out the door to somewhere.  Some times, I underestimate the time we will be gone.  I usually remember to grab snacks for my kids, but grab an extra for yourself.  Granola bars, dried fruit, and crackers are some of our favorite grab and go snack options.

9.  A good bag.  Whether you’re still carrying a diaper bag, have little kids or prefer something light and compact, every momma needs a good bag to carry all the stuff that we carry with us.  Decide what’s important to you and then go find it!

10.  Good comfy shoes.  Regardless of your style, if you’re going to be running around town and chasing after kids all day, you need some reliable footwear to do it in.  That’s right, girl.  Go shoe shopping!

Whatever you have on your Back to School shopping list, Walmart is your one-stop place to get everything you need.  All the things on this list can be found with one stop at Walmart.  Don’t waste those precious last days of summer and the hectic first couple weeks of school running all over town, trying to cross all the items off your list.  Shop your local Walmart for great prices all in one place.

Thank you to General Mills® for sponsoring today’s post.  All content is 100% original and honest.  Pinky promise.

Has school started for your kids yet?  We’re working on week three of being back in the school year routine around here.  So far, it’s been going well.  Big J is getting used to a little more rigorous schedule than his carefree summer days and the little boys and I are starting to work out a little routine of our own while Big J is in school.  The hardest part for me has been getting back into the laundry routine – gotta keep those uniforms coming fresh from the dryer.  But the easiest part has been something I haven’t stopped doing for years, even before my kids were in school: collecting Box Tops for Education labels.

If you aren’t familiar with the Box Tops for Education labels, let me give you a little background information.  It’s a loyalty program for grades K-8.  You’ve seen the pink and white labels while you’re out at the store on select General Mills products, yeah?  You can cut those little labels out and turn them in to your school (or a local school, if you don’t have kids in grades K-8).  Each of these labels is worth $0.10 and the school can use that money however they best see fit.  The program started in 1996 and over 80,000 school participate!  You might think ten cents isn’t worth it; but, since 1996, over $525 MILLION dollars has been contributed to making our schools better places for our kids to learn.

I’m no stranger to the pink and white labels.  I have been helping collect them pretty much since the program began.  Ever since I had younger siblings in school collecting them, and now that my boys are starting to collect them, it’s just been something I do.  When I was in college, my youngest sister was just starting elementary school.  Her kindergarten year, my mom volunteered at her school as the Box Tops Coordinator.  She ended up doing this every year my sister was in K-6 grades.  Basically, she got to collect all the labels when the kids brought them into the teachers, count them up and then turn in the paper work so the school could get their money.  I lived at home my freshman year of college and was tasked with helping count the labels.  It took several hours and was mildly tedious, but it was very rewarding to see what the school could do with this money.  The year I helped count the Box Top labels, they earned over $700 and the school was able to install some new playground equipment for the kids.  Every time I drive by and see that playground equipment, I can’t help but smile a little and remember that it was the families attending that school that put it there.  Even after I moved out and got married, I still collected them and sent them to her.  Ten cents may not seem like a lot, but I’ve seen what it can do.  And, sometimes, you can find products with BONUS Box Tops.  There is a little certificate with a code on it worth a little extra!

I love the variety of products that contain Box Tops labels.  I don’t have to sacrifice nutrition for the labels.  But, if I do splurge a little, I still get Box Top labels on those products too.  And it’s not just food!  General Mills® products are one of the awesome brands with Box Tops labels and my family loves General Mills® products, so it’s easy to collect the labels.  My family enjoys awesome, quality products and we can earn money for our school!  I’m all for anything that helps make my job as a mom a little easier.

I love that I can help out my children’s school simply by feeding my family.  I don’t have large chunks of change I can donate to the school, as I’m sure most don’t.  I love that I can still help and General Mills® makes it easy to collect box tops.  Much of what I already buy has Box Top labels on it and it’s just a bonus, since I would’ve bought it anyway.  You can find more information on   With their earnings from last year, Big J’s school was able to keep their Physical Education teacher this year, for which I am so thankful.  Last year, they upgraded the computers in the computer lab.  The year before that, they used the money in the library.  I love so much that the schools can use the money where they need it.  Every school is different and so are their needs.  Maybe it’s buying supplies, maybe it’s updating the teacher’s lounge, maybe it’s on the playground.  Whatever it is, they can use this money to make it happen.  It’s a very small sacrifice to collect Box Tops for my children’s school and the rewards are ten-fold.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of General Mills®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Summer is starting to wind down here.  Big J started back to school on Monday.  We are squeezing in all the summer fun we can while the temperatures are still nice; but, for the most part, another summer is behind us.  I’m starting to get things put away from summer and getting things ready for autumn… hello, pumpkins and apples!  We had some pool noodles we played with this summer, but I don’t really want to try to keep them in good shape for next year… they were only $5 for the lot of them and I value the space they’d take up more than that.  So, I decided to create a DIY Toss Game with them.  When we’re done with this game, we’ll just toss them – or use them as swords.  I can pretty much guarantee that will happen.  So, looking for something to do with all those pool noodles after pool season?

POOL NOODLE DIY TOSS GAME

Materials:
– 5 pool noodles
– duct tape
– string or twine
– scissors
– dowels (if using it on the lawn)

Directions:
–  Bend one of the noodles into a circle, so that the ends are touching.  Tape them together with the duct tape.  It might help to have a second pair of hands hold the noodle while you tape it together.

–  Repeat the first step two more times, so you have a total three circles.
–  Take your three circles and lay them on the floor next to each other so they form a line of circles.

–  Place another noodle on opposite sides of your circle line.  Make sure the bottom of your lowest circle doesn’t hang out lower than the end of your straight noodles or it won’t stand up well.  Use string to tie the circles to the straight noodles.  If you want a more permanent (and slightly sturdier) game, you can tape them on.  I wanted to be able to take it apart without ripping the noodles up though.

–  Once everything is all secured, take the dowels out and stick them in the ground.  You’ll want to take the noodle rings with you to measure the distance between the dowels.  Our dowels were part of an old toy bin shelf contraption-thingy.  We dismantled it and just used those, but they were about a 1/2 inch diameter stick on each side.  Double check the holes in your noodles if you aren’t sure what size will work best for you.  You want it smaller than the diameter of the holes in the noodles.

–  You’re ready to play.  You can set up whatever rules you want to.  Make each ring a different score, or just see who can get it through.

Super easy and we’ve had this DIY toss game up for about a month.  It’s a great activity to send the boys outside to play while I’m finishing up dinner prep or when they are just driving me crazy.  Even Baby N will play… not always like his brothers want him to, of course.  It’s a fun game to play with friends and I love that we can pack it up easily and take it to the park with us.