Back to School Tools: Vote to win $10,000 in Supplies & 25,000 Box Tops for Your School!

Ever since I can remember, back to school shopping was one of my favorite times of year. I have always loved buying new stuff- it was like every new pen or binder represented the fresh start and new adventure I’d embark on for the next year.

Sadly, many kids struggle to get those much anticipated {and even more necessary} school supplies every year. As a result, teachers who are already underpaid that are struggling with budget cuts often end up buying supplies with their own money for their students. It’s rough on everyone- and that’s why this year, Avery Dennison is giving back in a big way to some lucky schools!

win avery supplies

From now until September 14th, you can help your school win one of the top 5 prizes: 25,000 Box Tops for Education coupons, $10,000 worth of Avery school supplies, and $1,000 worth of gift cards! That’s not all- the 25 runner-up schools will each receive 10,000 Box Tops for Education coupons and 10 randomly selected winners {with more than 100 votes} will receive 5,000 Box Tops for Education coupons! Just go to the Avery Give Back to Schools page to find your school & vote- and make sure you spread the word to help your school win! You can vote every day until it ends so make sure to visit daily!

spin to win

You’ll definitely want to check out the Spin-to-Win contest, too! On Avery’s Organization of Moms Facebook page {which is a great resource for tips for simplifying your life} they have a fun game where you can spin to win some of Avery’s most famous school supplies, including Hi-Liters, glue sticks, and my personal favorite, binders! {I seriously will only buy Avery binders- they are the only ones that can hold up to my overuse!}

If you decide to participate in the Give Back to Schools campaign, be sure to let me know so I can vote for your school!

What’s your favorite part about Back to School season?

Note: I received a sample of some Avery school supplies to thank me for sharing these features with you but all experiences are authentic & all opinions are my own.

Back to School Tools: Rubbermaid LunchBlox Kits {Review & Giveaway!}

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I make Justin’s lunch roughly 260 times a year. Over the last three years, we’ve used many different systems: when we first moved out it was the sandwich baggie & recycled grocery bag system, then when I started selling Tupperware that became our new {much more advanced} system. But Tupperware stuff never seems to fit right into lunch boxes- so sometimes I had to resort to sending our nice Tupperware in recycled grocery bags again. We’ve tried several lunch boxes that we weren’t fans of- mostly because the containers {Tupperware or otherwise} never fit right. But recently I realized- maybe it’s not the lunch boxes. Maybe it’s the containers. After all, I was trying to play Tetris with several different sized and shaped containers- no wonder I couldn’t zip the lunch box!

rubbermaid lunch blox

That’s why I was so excited to discover Lunchblox! They let you actually win at the real-life Tetris game that is packing lunch. They are modular containers that fit & snap together and are interchangeable so that you can pick which ones you need & use them daily! I had the opportunity to review the Sandwich Kit, which has a big square one for the sandwich, as well as two small square ones and one small rectangle. One of my favorite features is the Blue Ice ice block, which fits right in between the sandwich container & the other ones and keeps everything cool!

So did it fix our lunch box problem? Well, these fit into most lunch boxes, but the one that Justin had right before we got this system was meant to have a sandwich container in a separate pouch on the bottom {which was annoying} and so it didn’t work for that. We had planned on getting a new lunch box anyway, so we decided to get one from the Lunchblox line! You don’t have to do this to use the containers as they do fit in standard lunch boxes quite nicely- but given what we were working with, it was a good move for us {&we did it on our own dime, not as a review}.

I love things that make life easy, and these kits really do. Instead of scrambling through my cabinets for a container that will fit in his lunch box but still hold the snacks I’m sending him with, I can just use whichever size of the Lunchblox I need & attach it to the kit! As an added bonus, the containers are all microwave safe, freezer safe, BPA-free and my favorite of all, dishwasher safe!

Not a sandwich person? There are several other varieties of Lunchblox, including the salad kit, entrée kit, and stand-alone containers. You can check out the entire selection at Rubbermaid.com, where you can also find a coupon for $1.50 off the set of your choice!

Buy It: You can purchase the Lunchblox Sandwich Kit for $12.99 from various retailers including Rubbermaid.com, Target, Kmart, Kroger, Safeway, Bi-Lo, Winn-Dixie, HEB, other grocery stores and select Wal-Mart stores.

Win It: THREE lucky readers are each going to win their own kit! Just enter using the simple form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note: I received a sample of the sandwich kit to facilitate this review. All experiences are authentic & all opinions are my own.

Back to School Tools: Lunch Solutions from Winder Farms!

Shane’s not in school yet, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have to pack lunches every day. In fact, I’ve been packing lunches since before he was born- for Justin! Since I make Justin’s lunch for him five days a week, year round, he gets sick of the same old choices. I try to change it up when I can, but I make his lunch before I go to bed {it’s that or wake up with him at 4am!} and some nights I’m too tired to do much more than slather some peanut butter on a couple of slices of bread.

Winder Farms has some great solutions for those times when you’re too tired- or too busy- to make a full meal for whoever your lunch is for. These options are all great for Back to School, at-work lunches or even just a quick & easy bite at home!

trios

Trios are exactly what the name implies- a healthy snack containing three ingredients. I had the opportunity to try four varieties:

-Apple, Caramel & Granola
-Celery, Peanut Butter & Raisins {Ants on a log, if you will}
-Apple, Yogurt & Granola
-Pita Chip, Hummus & Sunflower Seeds

All of them were very good & surprisingly filling! My favorite was definitely the Apple, Caramel & Granola combination- the caramel dip was the best I’ve ever had. Ever. Justin ate the Apple, Yogurt & Granola one as well as the Pita Chip one and he loved them! I made him let me try them both “for my review” {I really just wanted to try them} and they were both great!

salads

Winder Farms also has ready-to-eat salad kits which are available in five flavors:

-Chicken Caesar {White meat chicken, shaved parmesan cheese, croutons, and romaine hearts, with caesar dressing}
-Santa Fe Style Chicken {White meat chicken, crisp tortilla strips shredded cheddar & monterey jack cheeses, and romaine lettuce with red cabbage and carrots, with Creamy Poblano dressing}
-Country Chef {romaine lettuce, ham, shredded cheddar cheese, red cabbage and carrots, with ranch}
-Spinach Harvest {Spinach, parmesan cheese, sun dried pears & cranberries, and glazed pecans, with balsamic vinaigrette}
-California Cobb {Romaine lettuce, white meat chicken, sliced hardboiled eggs and crumbled bacon, with blue cheese}

I split these with Justin as well {he had the chef & cobb salads since I don’t eat pork} and he could not stop raving about them. From the first bite to the last, he was complimenting the salad dressing, the mix-ins, everything! I had to agree- I was already a frequent buyer of the Chicken Caesar so it was no surprise to me how amazing the Santa Fe Style Chicken salad was! &I was nervous about the dressing for the Spinach Harvest one just because I didn’t think I liked Balsamic Vinaigrette. I tried it anyway though & apparently I do because that salad was amazing. I could eat these salads every day!

flavored milk sampler

Winder Farms also offers one of their staple products- milk- in convenient 16 oz. bottles that are great for bringing to school or work. They offer a variety of flavors as well to keep things interesting- some of them are very interesting! We tried a variety of their milks, including:

-Vanilla
-Chocolate
-Root beer
-Peaches & Cream
-Strawberry

I don’t drink cow’s milk {I’m lactose intolerant} so I let Shane and Justin sample these for me- with the exception of the Vanilla milk, which I poured onto a bowl of vanilla flavored health cereal to quell a craving I was having for sweets. I wasn’t sure how flavored milk would do on cereal, but it was a light taste and a really yummy one! I gave Shane the rest of the bottle of the vanilla and I think other than the chocolate milk {that he already gets from them regularly}, the vanilla was his favorite. He liked the root beer one too & I took a taste out of curiosity & it really tasted like root beer! It didn’t even taste like root beer mixed with milk- it just tasted like straight up root beer, but with way more nutritional value. He wasn’t digging the fruit flavored ones as much, but he did like them. It was just a personal tastes thing. Justin tried them as well and said they were good!

back to school 101

If you have a child going back to school {or if you pack lunches for yourself or your significant other}, you have to check out some of these yummy options! They’re great to have on hand for those mornings where you’re rushing out the door- and it’ll save you from an after-school fast-food run, too.

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Buy It: If you live in the Las Vegas area, sign up for Winder Farms using coupon code “NotQuiteSusie.com” to receive $30 in free groceries- they’ll even waive the sign-up fee! {$15 value} Once you’re a member, you can have these items delivered to your door.

To learn more & see the wide variety of product offered, check out the Winder Farms website. They’re also on Facebook & Twitter!

Note: I received product samples to facilitate this review. All experiences are authentic & all opinions are my own.

Back to School Tools: Get Ready for School with Boys & Girls Clubs of America!

Back to School season is in full swing- some of Shane’s friends started preschool last week & the rest of our town goes back to school tomorrow. While Shane’s not in school this year, we’ve been doing lots of learning here as well and will be beginning our light homeschool curriculum in a couple of weeks! There is SO much to do to prepare for back to school, no matter what grade your child is in- both for parents and students! If you’re feeling overwhelmed, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is here to help!

Boys_Girls_Clubs_America_Logo

Boys & Girls Clubs of America {BGCA} is a program that keeps kids on track by providing recreational activities including sports and arts programs, and also educates by offering education & career programs as well as character & leadership programs. You can learn more about what Boys & Girls Clubs of America does here & even find a local club using the search tool on the right hand side of their page!

This year, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has teamed up with some great partners to make Back to School easier on everyone. You can find all types of information for preparing for back to school on their Back to School website, including time management tips and a guide for parents of middle and high schoolers to keep their kids on track & engaged.

Tools for Back to School

One of the great partners that BGCA has partnered with is Disney, who along with BGCA created the Tools for School initiative, which includes a pop-quiz style game that you can play- and for every question you get right, supplies are donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs! {Click here to play!}

Another one of the BGCA partners, jcpenney, is making it easy to donate to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Any time you’re shopping at jcpenney, you can simply round up at the register and jcpenney will donate the difference to BGCA as part of their jcp cares program. Easy enough! {While you’re at jcpenney, be sure to get your kids in grades K-6 a haircut- they’re free for the entire month of August at any jcpenney salon!}

Going back to school can be stressful all around, but at least you can feel more prepared after utilizing all of the tools available from Boys & Girls Club of America!

How many kids are you sending back to school this year? What do you do to prepare them- and yourself?

Note: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Boys and Girls Club. I received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Back to School Tools: Nick Jr. DVD Giveaway!

I totally grew up watching Nick Jr. shows like Allegra’s Window and Eureeka’s Castle- with Face as the host, of course! Times have definitely changed since then but Nick Jr. still features great shows that are both entertaining & educational- and so now Shane watches Nick Jr.! He really has learned quite a bit from the shows and while I obviously don’t just sit him in front of the TV all day, I do love that these shows are out there for him to learn from.

To get your preschooler ready for Back to School, be sure to check out these great DVD’s!

dora musical school days

Dora the Explorer: Musical School Days
Don’t miss a musical adventure to help Boots’ teacher get to school on time to greet her students with a song, learn new Spanish words, cheer up the Grumpy Old Troll and help Dora and Boots deliver mail!
DVD SRP: $14.99 {only $9.99 on Amazon!}

the first day of school

Nickelodeon Favorites: First Day of School
Get ready for the first day of school with your preschool pals from Nickelodeon! Dora the Explorer leads the way in this adventure-filled DVD, which also includes episodes from Go, Diego, Go!; Blue’s Clues; The Wonder Pets!; and Ni Hao, Kai-lan!
DVD SRP: $14.99

journey to numberland dvd cover

Team Umizoomi: Journey to Numberland
In this special DVD, the Umi Team must identify shapes, build a super flashlight to find a Brachiosaurus, figure out missing numbers in a sequence and complete other math missions.
DVD SRP: $14.99 {$9.99 on Amazon!}

team umizoomi dvd

Team Umizoomi
They’re mini, they’re mighty and they’re built for math!  Nickelodeon brings its hit animated preschool series that encourages tots to become strong and mighty to DVD with this debut. The DVD contains four episodes, special features, and the guest voice of platinum-selling Jive recording artist Jordin Sparks.
DVD SRP: $14.99 {$9.99 on Amazon!}
Special Features:
·       The Blue Mermaid Shapes Under the Sea Game
·       Team Umizoomi Videos
o   Meet Geo
o   Meet Milli
o   Meet Bot

Buy It: These and other great Nick Jr. DVD’s can be found at many retailers or online at sites like Amazon.

Win It: One lucky reader is going to win all four DVD’s to get them in the Back to School spirit! Just enter using the simple form below- good luck!!

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