Back to School Uniformality...

I used to love back to school shopping, even when I was no longer in school myself. I still really love picking out cool notebooks, etc. and I'm quite particular about pens - even now when most of my writing is done at the keyboard.

This year hasn't been quite so much fun.

I have been able to squirrel away scissors, pencils, backpacks, lunch boxes from the Salvation Army. Thanks to my fabulous friend Tracey, I even got X's supply of logo shirts for his school uniform. (The uniform store has them on backorder...) I was only able to scare up one pair of pants from many garage sales. And I'm just trusting the fates that L's skirts from last year fit, because I can't entertain another option at present...

But, alas, list in hand, I took the kids to Target. What was I thinking?

I soon discovered that I had waited way too long to score the 8 (count 'em, 8) sets of Crayola markers that are required. Not a single box left in the store, especially not at their traditional loss-leader price of a buck a box. And no, Rose Art aren't good enough for K or 2nd grade, thank you very much.

There were exactly 3 kinds of folders left. All inexplicably festooned with pink flowers AND skulls. Is this the new gender neutral? Huh.

X got the last pair of uniform shorts. Hope they fit, because I forgot to pick up a belt for him.

Then again, my kids don't start school until the 8th. That means one more additional week, to hit the State Fair, the last days at the waterparks, the amusement parks.

Perhaps Target will restock before school starts. And me? I'm planning on recharging shortly thereafter.