Back to school shopping

Listen closely .... Do you hear that? My change has all kinds of space to rattle around in inside my wallet now that school shopping is done.

Actually, I'm pleased to report we were under the national spending average. I just saw on the news that a recent survey reveals families with school kids expect to spend $563.49 on back-to-school merchandise this fall, up 6.9% from a year ago. Total back-to-school spending this year is expected to reach $18.4 billion. With that much spent, you'd think the learning part should be guaranteed!

Carter did have quite a list for fourth grade -- lots of notebooks and folders (color coded for specific classes), writing utensils, gym shoes, deodorant and an "inexpensive" calculator.

I don't know why he needs a calculator in fourth grade! I am not going to get on my soap box until I find out why he needs it, but I hope it is only to double-check work. He did need to get multiplication flash cards so it looks like he will do some hands-on 'rithmatic!

His most exciting purchase, of course, was the deodorant. He has been looking forward to this since he saw the supply list months ago. I don't know anything about "men's" deodorant -- only that I am not a fan of Old Spice and I don't want him getting the kind advertised to "drive the women wild!" We settled on something in between, I think. I just know he was very anxious to take a shower when we got home so he could test it out!

The whole time we were shopping and putting stuff away, he was saying, "Oh I'm so spoiled! I love you, Mom!" (He spreads the love a lot when he's spoiled.)

Maybe I am lucky I have a boy. He seems pretty easy to please. Doesn't need new skirts or tights or barrettes or lip gloss for school.

Of course, I don't recall getting all that either. I think we got one pair of jeans and a new shirt. Our big excitement was getting new tennis shoes. I was thrilled the year I got the purple and white Kangaroos with the zipper pockets. Those rocked!

There's just no way my parents could have afforded a ton of back-to-school extras. I'm pretty much bargain-minded when it comes to it, too. We managed to get the deodorant for 97 cents and the "inexpensive" calculator was only $1.49 at Good Will. Did I mention the calculator is pink -- Carter's alleged favorite color these days ("I'm man enough to wear pink!")?

That's going to be some first impression for his new teacher ... a kid with a Mohawk toting a pink calculator. What were his parents thinking?!