My Very First Giveaway! School Supplies, Anyone?

We're right on the doorstep of the first day of school. I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad about this.

Any other time, I'm usually thrilled that the summer with arguing, whining kids is over. This year, I think we had such a great time I hardly want it to end.

Or it could be that this year, I pretty much start back with them as I live in the PTO life. (HA!)

Perhaps it could be that this year may be a little bittersweet as my youngest is starting Pre-K.

(I say this as I do the happy dance, chanting I'm free! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! I'm free!)

Still, I think that I'm just not ready because I have NOT finished school shopping.

Is anyone else out there as overwhelmed as I am about the seemingly growing school supply lists? Is it me or are the schools starting to ask for everything except for the kitchen sink nowadays?

So while the economy gets worse, times get harder, pocket get thinner and tighter, kids still have to go to school and still have to have those supplies.

Does anyone remember the days when all you had to do was show up at school?

Anyone? Am I showing my age here? The teacher gave you a piece of paper and a pencil and you did your work. Those were the good ol' days. I guess I need to stop complaining. I hear some lists have started including toilet paper!

Pencils, pens, notebooks, crayons, and is Sir-Talks-A-Lot really going to need 16 glue sticks?

That's why I was so glad that My Blog Spark hooked up with Box Tops for Education and sent me a "TOP THIS" prize pack filled with school supplies, just in the nick of time!

Avery has some great sturdy products that can even hold up to my kids. The 1" binder is great for my 7 year old, whose binder came home in 2 pieces last year. I was so glad to see the JUMBO sized glue sticks because, as I said, they must go through a lot of those! The big ones last maybe 3 times as long! And the highlighters, well, those will come in handy for me as I am trying to keep all of my MOM stuff in order, color-coding PTO from FRG from family life.

Covered in that box also for the first few days of school, if they last until then, is breakfast and after school snack. Now, I have some picky eaters around here and finding something that suits them all is nearly impossible, but when I pulled a box of Pillsbury Toaster Strudel out of the freezer in the frozen food isle, I got YAY's!! all around. I think that the best part for the kids is being able to squirt the frosting on the strudel.

In the frozen snacks isle, I was able to pick up a 40 count bag of Totinos Pizza Rolls, compliments of my little box as well. I only got 2 YAY's that time as Runnin' Man doesn't care for the tasty little snack as the other two do. That's okay, I'll be more than happy to take over his share!

Now, if you collect Box Tops for Education for your school, you'll be happy to know that all the products in my little box, except for the highlighters, participate in the Box Tops program. It's a great program, really. All you have to do is clip the little thingy off of products you are already buy them anyway, send them into the school and you are helping with fundraising!

Each top is worth 10 cents. Okay, that may not seem like much, but not only did I get a box full of great school supplies for the kids, but I also got $2.10 worth of Box Tops to go towards the school! Every little bit counts when your school is in need of recess equipment and a basketball court!

So, if you are still with me as I have babbled about my wonderful little box of goodies, then you will be happy to know that I am priviledged to to be able to give away the same little box to one lucky reader!

WHOO HOO! My First Giveaway!

WIN IT: I'm not going to make it too hard for you to win. All you have to do is tell me in a comment leave a comment telling me what your favorite thing was about the first day of school when you were a kid.

MORE CHANCES?

Follow my blog!

Join MyBlogSpark

Then leave a comment and let me know you have!

Easy enough? Cool! The contest will close on Wednesday, August 13 at 11:59 pm.

Giveaway open to US residents and ends August 12, 2009 at 12 noon EST. Winner will receive coupons in place of actual products for the Pillsbury Toaster Strudel and Totino's Pizza Rolls. All prizes will come directly from MyBlogSpark. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen.

All Info, Prizes and Product are offered my MyBlogSpark.