School supply shopping

I have a love/hate relationship with school supply shopping. First off, I like lists. I like to check things off of lists. There is something magical about sharpening brand new pencils and opening up a new binder. Maybe this takes me back to my elementary school days. This is the love part. But as it […]

But as it goes with so many things in life (especially when parenting is concerned) I have way too high of expectations. Like childbirth, the pain is just a faint little memory and I look forward to doing it all again. So I was ready this year. With supply lists and multiple coupons in hand I set out with just my boys. This was probably a mistake since Judah is not starting kindergarten until next year and doesn’t actually need school supplies, yet wants them anyway. It was sort of torture for the poor guy. I started the hate part about 2.2 seconds after entering Fred Meyer. .The begging began, the searching began, the whining began (that was Judah’s contribution), the headache began. And just as soon as it had started, I wanted it over.

I remember the days when the school supply list looked very simple:

Colored pencils
Scissors
Crayons
Notebook
Pens
Glue

Since when did hand sanitizer, kleenex, ziploc bags, and printer paper make the list. And instead of a bottle of glue we now need 15 jumbo glue sticks…..”back in my day…” Okay, I will stop now.

When the night was over I walked out spending about 140 bucks, but saving about 50 with all of my coupons and discounts. Oh that poor man who got stuck behind me with his 12 items patiently waiting while I tried explaining to the cashier that I think she over charged me for a pair of shoes (I later found out I was wrong).

-For anyone concerned about poor little Judah, he did get a few things. He informed me that a notebook, a pen and some converse tennis shoes were the only things on his school supply list.