Backpack! Backpack!

It’s that time of year again…school is starting! My library has been so busy that despite the return of the school year also meaning that my daughter is returning to school I am anxious for slower days at work, for more relaxed programs and back to a routine.

But my favorite thing for back to school is an excuse to buy school supplies! There is nothing like walking into a school supply store, a Target, a Kmart, wherever and seeing rows upon rows of new supplies just waiting to selected, new backpacks just waiting to be filled with the supplies. The smell of a fresh box of crayons, the allure of a new box of pens just waiting to be opened, notebooks ready for ideas, notes, doodles on the side.

This year The Bee starts a new school. We are both on edge for various reasons, she is nervous about having to leave her old school where she attended from the time she was four. I am nervous because she is attending a Catholic school. She is going from Do as you feel to do as I say. We are both anxious about the change. Buffy and I went to Catholic school for all of one year and I can still remember the impact that it made. I don;t think her experience is going to be negative; it’s just going to be a change. I have also toyed with the idea of returning to school. For reasons that would require another blog post, I think school and me will be one really soon.

Anywho, this year we are ready for school supply shopping. Along with her mandated uniforms we are ready to stock up on new backpacks, purple ink pens and wide and college ruled back packs. I can’t wait to hit the sales!

I am also excited to share that some of the strain of shopping can be eased thanks to the “Win an overstuffed backpack of goodies from Fill the Backpack from Splash Creative & The Centsible Life valued at over $750. giveaway. That’s right! The Centsible Life is working with seven other bloggers for Communities in Schools.

From The Centsible Life‘s site:

“Fill the Backpack benefits Communities in Schools

This isn’t just an ordinary giveaway though, it’s also a way for Splash Creative Media to give back. 10% of our net profits are going to our nonprofit beneficiary, Communities in Schools, a wonderful organization that surrounds students with a “community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.”

A donation to Communities In Schools is an investment in the future of our country. For approximately $200 per child per year, we are able to keep 97 percent of the young people we serve in school and on track to graduation.

You can find out more about Communities in Schools, donate, or learn how you can volunteer via their website, twitter and Facebook pages.

Fill the Backpack Giveaway includes:

• Eventbrite: $50 credit for Eventbrite events-great for school events and fundraisers.

• Leapfrog: LeapFrog’s Leapster Explorer ($69.99) provides handheld learning experiences in a portable device designed for ages 4-9. It serves as a mobile hub for downloadable Learning Apps that include eBooks, video, games, and flash cards that auto adjust during game play according to a child’s needs and skills and works with LeapFrog cartridges (prices vary).

• Sleep Innovations: Help your kids get proper rest, so they can study better Sleep Innovations REMedy Study Bundle set, twin XL, contains a 1 1/2 inch twin XL-size gel memory foam topper and gel memory foam pillow in a reusable zippered canvas bag.($80)

• Etymotic: an exciting new family product from Etymotic that will be released next month! You’ll be among the first to own it! ($49 or $79)

• Snapfish: A $50 gift card to Snapfish with tons of great ideas for back-to-school including photo skins for gear, personalized notebooks, and more!

• AVG: AVG 2012 ($54.99), the latest Internet security solution from the leader in online security.

• Mabels Labels: The Ultimate Back to School Combo ($39) with everything you need for labeling everything for back to school, and Bag Tags ($21)

• Marble Jar: Looking for a way to help reinforce positive behavior for your family? The Marble Jar app for iPhone ($2.99) can help.

• ChicaLogic: ChicaLogic is a company that creates software for women, by women to keep your PC running smoothly. ChicaPC Shield ($29.95) and ChicaPC Fix ($29.95) work to scan your PC to find and remove threats caused by malware invasions and errors caused by regular use.

• Lands’ End: You can’t beat Lands’ End backpacks for durability and quality for kids of all ages. (prices vary)

• Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac ($150) or Microsoft Office 2010 for PC ($149.95) are packed with features that help you tackle every assignment, and work together on group projects-from almost anywhere.

• California Innovations: California Innovations eco-friendly lunchboxes are offered in a variety of colors, sizes, and even with your children’s favorite Disney characters. Made from recycled material (and PVC free), this is a great alternative to paper bags.

• Stonyfield: From everyone’s favorite organic yogurt company, we have a gift pack with coupons for YoKids, an activity book, and more!

• Carolina Pad: Carolina Pad offers a fun back to school package featuring exceptional quality and design. You can find everything from binders to notebooks, planners to folders for back to school in their online store or at retailers nationwide.

• Scholastic: Literacy is the cornerstone of a child’s growth, and for nearly 90 years Scholastic has created quality products and services that educate, entertain and motivate children and are designed to help enlarge their understanding of the world around them.

• P&G: P&G offers an Back to School box filled with tons of great products to help you and your family get back to school. Even better you can help kids stay in school by purchasing products using P&G’s brandSAVER.

• Johnson’s & Johnson’s: A back to school gift pack including Johnson’s products including detangler (no more tears over hair brushing), hand and face wipes (perfect for on the go cleanup), and baby powder (for everything from the locker room to your shoes. For all those playground scrapes, and bumps they’ve also included Neosporin, and Mickey Mouse Band Aids.They work better together.

• Playful Planet: Keep your kids healthy, and get some fun exercise in on rainy or cold day with the Splash Creative Media as part of the Fill the Backpack Campaign.

This is a lot of swag!

Enter on all the Splash sites!

Visit the sites of the Splash Creative Media team to learn about the other companies who have generously donated items for our Fill the Backpack giveaway! The Fill the Backpack team consists of:

Visit all of the sites and enter for a total of 8 chances to win!

Getting ready for school,
-r