Our kiddos head back to school THIS FRIDAY! Oh my school starts early in TN! On any other summer we may have all been a little bummed that summer was cut short, but this year I think we’re all ready to get into a routine and start meeting more friends. This summer has been so amazing and basically has felt like one big vacation! For the most part it’s just been the six of us and while this mama bear loves the time together, we also all need to start getting out and meeting more people.

Back to school shopping is always so fun…a clean new backpack, crisp new pencils and a fun peek into fall clothing. I’ve rounded up some of our favorites for girls and boys.

J Crew has become one of my go-to spots to shop for not only me, but for my kiddos too! Their clothes are a little pricier then some other stores for kids, but I’ve found their clothes to be more durable and the quality and fit is just so much better. Also I don’t know about your kiddos, but mine don’t love jeans or pants! J Crew thankfully seems to be the exception. I discovered their chino pants when Owen was little and we’ve been wearing them ever since, he says they are the most comfortable! And while my girls never jump for joy when having to wear jeans, they will wear this pull-on variety. Thank goodness, because I don’t think they’ll get away with shorts year round here in TN!

Sneakers are another must-by before school starts. Mine seem to either grow out of them, or just wear through them, soooo quickly. Owen in particular this year is very interested in his shoes. For the girls, these Steve Madden sneakers have a Golden Goose feel without the price tag! And not shown here, but I got these cute high tops too!

Another must-by are water bottles. Ahhhh water bottles. Too big, too small, they leak, they don’t keep the water cold enough, or they’re amazing and cost a small fortune. Right??? We’ve been using these water bottles all summer and they’ve been a GREAT find. They hold a good amount of water but can still fit in the side pocket of their backpacks (or our car cup holders), add some ice and they keep the water cold for a pretty long time, and most importantly they come in lots of colors 😉

These darling first day of school flags caught my eye too. In the past I’ve done signs (or nothing, lol)…but I love the idea of investing in these and having something consistent year after year! I noticed the set only goes to 4th grade, but they have a 5th grade flag here. And there is nothing more fun then lunch box notes…yes, post-its work great too…or even scraps of paper….but it might be fun to start off the year with these instead!