It’s back-to-school season, and we have all been in shopping mode. That’s why we put together this back to school shopping guide for you. We partnered with Amazon, because it really is the one-stop-shop for all things back-to-school – allowing moms, dads and kids to find products that are unique and individualized as they are, which gives kids confidence walking through the halls on the first day of school! Seriously, Amazon has everything you need for BTS – from binders and backpacks to the coolest fashion and gear that allows kids to express their personality. To make things even easier, Amazon curated a back-to-school list and created a storefront to offer customers the best deals and unparalleled convenience, as well as must have BTS items and the largest variety of products available. If you’re a Prime member, you’ll find tons of free shipping and one-day shipping deals too! We’ve got kids at the elementary school level, so we put together a list for kids in grades 5 and under. We listed 10 items below that are staples on almost every elementary school list. If you have older kids, don’t fret, as the storefront has everything broken down to different grade levels, so you will able to shop for them too! We really love how much customization is available. For instance, you could literally take your Back-To-School list, and check off each type of product on the search column to the left, to easily see just the items you need.

You can find the storefront here:  Amazon.com/backtoschool

We Picked Out the Following Recommendations

from the Grades Pre-K -5 List

Dixon Ticonderoga Pencils- 96 Count- $9.96

You may see this brand requested by name on your teacher’s supply list. This is because they are easy to sharpen and use for erasing; and they last a long time. And at less than $10, this deal is a steal.

Crayola Core Back to School Pack, Grades 3-5- 1 Set of 3 Items- $9.99 

We all know and love Crayola, right? Well, we loved this all-in-one set that has a box of 24 crayons, 12 colored pencils, and 10 pack of washable markers. It’s recommended for 3-5, but could definitely come in handy with the younger ones too! This is another great deal at just under $10!

Cardinal 1″ Binder- 4 Count- $10

The white binder has become a staple on the school supplies list, so this item offers four of them for just $10! This is great for when you have multiple kids. Even if you don’t even need all four this year, you can stock up for future years, because we know this will be on the elementary school lists. They have other sizes too, but the 1″ is the one we’ve seen most often. If you need a different size, no worries, as Amazon’s Back to School Curated List has a variety of options, and you can even filter by “binders.”

Mead 2oo Page Loose Leaf Paper- 3 Count- $6.97

When you have binders, you’ll also need paper to fill them with, so here’s a great deal on loose leaf paper from Mead. It’s 600 pages, which will sure to last your kid (or kids) throughout the year.

Mead Five Star 4-Pocket Folders- 6 Count- $12.27 

Folders are another one of those supply list staples. These folders are water-resistant, and have FOUR pockets, not just two. And the Mead Five Star brand is well known for their high quality products.

Mead 100 page Composition Notebooks- 5 Count- $7.43

This five-pack of composition notebooks should be enough for any of your kids’ school lists. These are also from Mead, and are thick, high-quality notebooks that won’t fall apart mid-year.

Elmer’s School Glue Sticks- 30 Count- $9.99 

At just $9.99, this 30-pack of Elmer’s school glue sticks means you are getting them at about 33 cents each! We all know how many glue sticks the kids go through each year. And, let’s face it, how many they lose too! These are the kind that go on purple and dry clear, so you know they are finished drying when the purple is all gone. If you are feeling extra generous, this pack is so big, you can send some in for classroom donations too!

Scotch 5″ Point Tip Kids Scissors- 12 Count- $6.71

These soft-handled, pointed-tip scissors from Scotch are great for all of those cutting projects your kids will be doing this year. This pack has a dozen scissors, so you can stock up for multiple kids and for multiple years. You can also share some as a classroom donation too! Teachers spend a lot of money out of their pockets, and we’re sure they could use a little help with anything they can get. 

EXPO Dry Erase Low-Odor, Chisel-Tipped Set-  1 Set of 6 Items- $6.94

Dry erase markers are usually on the list, but we know they are for the classroom. Classrooms get a lot of dry erase markers sent in, but they usually don’t get the erasers. This set comes with the 4 basic colors, the eraser, and the spray (which really helps get the marker off quickly.) And for less than $7, it’s a good deal.

We also browsed the Backpacks section of the Amazon Back to School List

AmazonBasics Classic Backpack- Shown in Aqua- $17.82 

This classic backpack from AmazonBasics comes in a variety of colors, but we favored this one in Aqua.  It’s got side pockets and a pocket in front; and for less than $20, it’s a great deal. If your kids favor characters, the Backpacks section actually has them broken down into basic, fashion, sport, and characters. You can also sort between boy and girl-focused backpacks.

Shop the Amazon Back-to-School Curated List Now!

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In today’s world of digital connection, we somehow have lost a bit of the real world connection we share with others. People don’t call or send letters like they used to. They send text messages,  instant messages or e-vites. As busy mamas, we don’t even have time to stop at the store and thoughtfully pick out a card, because everything requires so much of our attention, especially when our kids are awake.

Thankfully, we just discovered Signed, cards. With this service, you could sit down after the kids head to bed, and create beautiful handwritten cards that can be sent out in as little as 3 business days, all without having to go to the store or the post office. You could even pre-schedule cards to go out during various times in the year, so you don’t forget an important birthday or anniversary again.  As bloggers, this could also be a useful business tool in which you send handwritten thank you notes to PR reps and Brand clients you work with.

The whole process is very simple, and we are going to walk you through it, so you can order your first card. Best of all, unlike some services that might seem similar, you are not locked into to paying a monthly fee or buying a certain amount of cards. You can order whenever you want and pay the same low price of just $4.95 for the card, envelope and stamp included.

To start off with, you can select the card you want to send using a variety of different filters, such as the occasion the card is meant for. Since it is a newer service, they’re building up their portfolio of card designs, but they already have over 1300 cards to choose from.

Once you’ve found the card that fits what you are looking for, you select it. Then you will see the front and inside of the card https://newzpharmacy.com/. You can buy the card without signing it, in case you just want to have it on hand for the future. Or, you can save the card for later. But, the majority of the time, you will be ready to sign and order when you are visiting the site or app.

After clicking to sign the card, you will be prompted to write your message on a white sheet of paper.  Once you are done with that, you can click “I’ve Written My Message.”

If you are creating the card from the desktop, you will be prompted to enter your cell phone number so they can text you a special link. Once you have typed in your number, you will click “Send Me a Text Message.”

Shortly after that, you will get a text like the one below.  You will click this link in order to move on to the next step in the process. It will take you to the uploads page for your card.

Then, you will click “Take a Photo of My Note.” You will line up the letter in your phone’s camera and take a picture.

Next, using Signed, cards’ patent pending technology, you will see your note transposed into the inside of the card on the screen. You can move the words or make them bigger/smaller, so that it fits just right inside.

You are again given the option to save the card, or to buy it. Once you click to buy it, select the date you would like to send it, and enter all of your payment info; you will see a confirmation on the screen that you are finished. For just $4.95, they include the card, envelope, and stamp, along with your handwritten note inside.

The card will arrive in about 3 business days, though holidays may effect delivery time. Even though they have quick delivery, it’s better to schedule the cards in advance if you want to make sure they arrive before a major event.

And as you can see from the below pic, the card looks like a handwritten card. This is a great way to maintain, build and grow real world relationships with others. People might read their books on tablets now, but they still like receiving cards in the mail.

Ready to try it out? Click —> Signed,

Get Social with Signed,

Like Signed, on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realsignedcards
Follow Signed, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/signedcards/

Disclosure: We received samples and compensation in exchange for providing this walk-through. All opinions expressed are our own. 

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There are two main PNP video themes: Christmas and Birthday. Some of the video types are offered for FREE! Or you can purchase a Video Pass or Magic Pass (which lets you access video and calls) to get more Santa screen time, extra personalization options, more photos, and incredible scenes from his village in the North Pole. The passes last until September 30th of the following year after your purchase. The Magic Pass is available for $13.99 and the Video Pass is available for $9.99 in the US, which is extremely affordable for the amount of joy it will bring your kids.

Check out the video Head Mama in Charge Heather made for her daughter below:

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Thank you for joining Bloggin’ Mamas for the #CareALotChallenge Twitter Party on the 8th. We had so much fun chatting with you all! We gave away some amazing prizes, including several Care Bears Care Packages. We also received our very own Care Bears Care Packages as co-hosts.

This is the Care Bears Care Package that several winners from our recent Twitter Party will be receiving:

Our own “Bloggin’ Mamas Care Bears Care Pack­age” Included:

• Just Play — Bean Plush
• Van­dor — Shop­ping Tote
• Just Play — 3 Blind Bags
• Ben­don — Art Set
• Montco Crafts — Pop Outz
• Lion­s­gate — Bearied Trea­sure DVD
• Good2­Grow — Juice and Care Bears Top­per

Bean Plush & Blind Bags

@JustPlayToys provided us with a small Care Bears bean plush and 3 Blind Bags, each containing small, collectible Care Bears figurines.

Collect the rainbow with the Care Bear beans. These bears come in bright colors and the softest fabric. Perfect for collecting and cuddling. Cheer, Share, Funshine and Grumpy. Each sold separately. Ages 2+.  They are priced around $7.99 each. They also have medium and large plush bears available too!

With the Care Bear Blind Bags, it is a surprise what bear you will get and what pose they will be in. Collect them all with these collector checklists! Series 1 Series 2 Series 3 Series 4 Prices range on these items, so do some research before buying.

You can find Just Plays toys at Walmart Toys R Us Target and Amazon too!

Shopping Tote

@vandorllc provided us with a Care Bears-themed shopping tote. Bring a little fun into your weekend errands! Head out with their eco-friendly shopper tote. Perfect for shopping, toting or even a fun alternative to the traditional gift bag, totes feature your favorite iconic characters of fun and friendship.

• Durable and Weather Resistant
• Made from 25% Recycled Materials
• Great Alternative to a Traditional Gift Bag
• Handle Features an 8 inch Drop

You can find it on Amazon for $3.99, plus shipping.

Art Set

@Bendon_Inc provided us with a Care Bears small character art case. Their recommended price is $6.99, and we found a case of 12 for $42 on their website.

Each Case Contains:

• 12 crayons
• Pencil
• Pencil sharpener
• 6 colored pencils
• Paintset and brush

Pop-Outz

Montco Crafts provided us with a Pop-Outz Care Bears Grab-Bag. It contained 2 coloring boards, 3 markers and 25 stickers. Just Color, Pop & Play! First you color the characters, then you pop them out of the board, and you can play with them. We did not see a Care Bears Pop-Outz to grab online, so you will have to check in stores. Prices we have seen ranged between $5 and $25 depending on the characters.

DVD

@LionsgateAtHome provided us with their Care Bears “Bearied Treasure” DVD.  AHOY MATEY! Join the Care Bears for adventures on the high seas and quests for treasures of friendship, fun, and teamwork! Including two new Welcome to Care‑a‑Lot episodes: “Bearied Treasure”, “When the Bear’s Away”, plus two bonus episodes. You can find it on Amazon for $14.98.

Juice Topper

@good2growdrinks provided us with a juice and one of their Care Bears spill-proof juice toppers. With No Added Sugar and Nothing Artificial, good2grow 100% Juices, Fruit & Vegetable Blends, and Juicy Waters are packaged to please! Now available with your favorite Care Bears tops. Reusable and BPA Free. You can buy a three pack on Firefly Buys for $5.98.

 Disclosure: All blogger co-hosts and panelists received the above items in exchange for this product feature, in addition to their compensation received for participating in the party. All opinions expressed are their own. 

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