Bouquet of Newly Sharpened Pencils

As a child my mother would take us kids to visit our Great Uncle Walt after we went to Hoggle Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah.  He always gave each of us a legal notepad and a black ballpoint pen. To this day I have a love affair with yellow legal notepads and black ballpoint pens.  Every time I go by office supplies I run my hand over the crisp paper and remember my Uncle fondly.  Last year for Christmas my husband brought me to tears when I opened up a package of yellow paper and black ballpoint pens.  It is not surprising then, that fall is one of my favorite time of the year!

Maybe my memories of my Uncle are behind my fascination with school supplies.  Growing up I loved when the stores set up their school supply displays.  I would stand in these sections and look at every pen, folder, notebook that was within my gleaming eyes.  When I went off to college the first time I didn't buy the refrigerator and matching bed set with chairs.  I bought TONS of school supplies.  Even after my first year was over I still had school supplies left over.

One of my favorite movies of all time is the movie "You've Got Mail"  Joe Fox types to Kathleen how he loves New York in the Fall.  "It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."  I totally fell in love with the movie the moment he said this.  And then when she picks up the package of scotch tape and smells it - HEAVEN!!!!!

Yesterday on my way home from somewhere I stopped by Walmart to get some much needed groceries.  The first thing to meet my gleaming eyes were the school supplies as you walk into the front sliding glass doors.  In front of the crayons, pencils, paper, etc. were lists of what each school wanted the kids to bring the first day of school.  I practically dragged Chase and Emma over as I searched for our School District.  My hopes plummeted when it wasn't there.  Today I went to another Walmart - looking for THE LIST.  Nope - not yet.  I went online to the school website.

Woohoo - They have it there.  Chase and I are going to have a Mommy/Chase date soon and we are going to go buy the following items:

Backpack Without Wheels (Large enough to carry a pocket folder)

2 - Boxes of Crayons (24 count)

2 - Boxes of Sharpened Pencils (not Dixon brand)

12 - Glue Sticks

1 - Small Elmer’s Glue (liquid)

3 - Two Pocket Folders with Fasteners

1 - Pair of Metal Scissors – Blunt Tip

1 - Highlighter

1 - Box of Washable Markers – Classic Colors

1 - Large Eraser

2 - Composition Notebook

1 – Kindergarten Rest Mat (or towel)

1 - Paint Shirt (Adult size, long-sleeved shirt, used)

Baby Wipes

Tissues

1 – Spiral Notebook

 Supply Box

Donations (Not Required)

Ziploc bags – assorted sizes Paper towels

Paper plates

Dry erase markers

 I like that there is a section of donations - Most of the lists I have read in the past two days have been about twice this size, and dry erase markers were a required purchase in all of them.   

Who knows, maybe as my children grow older they too will browse the office supplies and have good memories of school shopping with mom.  I know I still do.