I’m a little obsessed with boxed lunches these days! Browsing Flickr albums and food blogs, I’m gathering ideas of what I can make for my daughter’s school lunch everyday. Adventures in Bentomaking, Lunch in a Box, and the Laptop Lunches Flickr group are all great resources.

Searching for the perfect lunch accessories is no easy feat! I’m looking for cute, reusable items that aren’t too expensive, as I wouldn’t be surprised if my daughter loses it all her first week of school. I mentioned the Goodbyn lunchbox in a previous post, and while that looks like a great option, I’ve been checking out a few other brands. Here are 5 that have stood out.

Do your kids take their lunch to school, too? Any advice for me?

A notepad. A calendar. A good dictionary. A graphing calculator. Lots of books. An encyclopedia. Flashcards.

All supplies that kids need for school, right? That would take up a lot of space in a backpack, but luckily there’s an app for that. Your kids likely have an iPod… maybe even an iPhone. Take full advantage of it by loading it with a handful of apps geared towards students.

A notepad.	Simplenote	Sometimes you just have to jot down a few notes on the fly. Simplenote let you do this, and then automatically synchronizes with your computer and other devices. You can add tags to make the notes easy to search, and even share them with others.	FREE
A calendar.	Cozi Family Organizer	iCal is great and all, but sometimes you have to keep the rest of your family in mind, especially when it comes to mom driving you here and there. The Cozi iPhone app allows you to ffortlessly manage your family calendar, shopping lists, and to do lists, and keep your family journal updated with special moments and photos.	$1.99
A good dictionary.	Wordbook English Dictionary and Thesaurus	Having a good dictionary is essential when it comes to all the reading and writing your kids do in school. This particular app has 150,000 entries, a built-in Thesaurus, Web links and even spoken pronunciations. And it’s fast!	$1.99
A graphing calculator.	PI83 Graphing Calculator	I remember my mom stressing over having to buy me a $90 calculator my freshman year of high school. The PI83 Graphing Calculator app is designed to replace the TI83 graphing calculator, and with over 100 different math functions, it does a good job of that, making expensive and bulky graphing calculators a thing of the past!	$0.99
Lots of books.	Stanza	This was one of the first apps I downloaded to my iPod touch. Having over 50,000 books available at your fingertips… for free! How exciting is that? You’ll find all the classics that are on your kid’s school reading lists, and can buy popular new books as well.	FREE
An encyclopedia.	Wikipanion	You can find just about anything by browsing Wikipedia. Wikipanion provides a dedicated search box for this purpose. I like the bookmarking feature that lets you bookmark entire pages, as well as individual sections. Images can be saved quickly and easily to the Photo library for future reference	FREE
Flashcards.	iFlipr	Create your own flashcards and carry them with you everywhere! Importing your notes is easy – just copy and paste from a spreadsheet. Then add pictures and sounds, edit fonts and font-sizes, highlight, and make lists in a WYSIWYG editor.	$4.99

It may not be something you want to encourage your kids to buy, but did you know that CliffsNotes are now available on the iPhone as well? $1.99 each. (I probably bought WAY too many of those in high school!)

What apps are on your back-to-school supply list?

It’s back to school time! We’ve heard about all the trends in fashion (i.e., jeggings!) but what’s new in school supplies? This year, kids are craving personalized items that they can put their own creative twist on. Parents are looking for eco-friendly options that are reasonably priced. Below are some of my favorite products I’ve seen while shopping for my daughter, who’s starting Kindergarten next month!

Product	Description	Price/Ratings	Reviews/Giveaways
Dell Laptop	Dell laptops feature the latest technology and come in a variety of different sizes and weights, as well as in several colors and designs to fit any personality. Shipping is free on select laptops, and many systems can ship in 24 hours!	Prices vary.	Win a Dell Inspiron laptop at Deal Seaking Mom, who says: “In this day and age, students really need to be technology savvy, and Dell is here to help. A laptop can be a great resource for kids in all grades, whether it’s for homework or to take notes in class on.” Ends 8/14.
DIY backpack	Cool prints, a comfy ergonomic design, plus tons of great pockets equals an A+ backpack that your little book worm will rely on throughout the school year and beyond. The look is up to you–this black and white backpack comes with markers for a do-it-yourself custom design.	$24.50	Win a $50 Gap gift card at Shining 2 Save, who says: “Since it it back to school shopping time… buy clothes for your child, your spouse, a family member, or even spoil yourself!” Ends 9/4.
DoSomething.org-inspired products	These products help students stay organized while learning about important issues impacting their communities. The collection includes planners, notebooks, comp books, pocket portfolios and 3-ring pencil pouches featuring cool designs, background on social issues and tips on how students can make a difference.	$0.99-$11.99	Win a $50 Staples gift card at And Twins Makes 5, who says: “Staples seems to be on top of many of the major trends currently popular with the teen and tween crowd. Some of our favorites were from the “Supplies for a Cause” line… these supplies go beyond function and design and dare to motivate and inspire…” Ends 8/19.
Goodbyn lunchbox	Very cool lunchboxes made for kids ages 5-9, each Goodbyn lunchbox comes with a drink bottle and set of two sticker sheets. The Goodbyn keeps tastes and moisture separate, so lunch tastes like it’s supposed to. Has a built-in handle for easy transport, plus it’s dishwasher-safe.	$24.95	Win a Goodbyn lunchbox at Kingdom First Mom, who says: “This is such a unique concept. The Goodbyn lunchbox actually eliminates the need for any additional containers or baggies; you simply place the food into the neat little compartments, and snap the lid right over it. Less waste, less work, and of course, more frugal!” Ends 8/15.
Mabel’s Labels	These Sticky Labels are fantastic for lunch containers, bottles, sporting equipment and more, providing that famous Mabel’s Labels durability! The labels are dishwasher and microwave safe, UV resistant, and apply easily – just peel and stick!	45 labels for $18.50	Win labels from Marvelous Mom Reviews, who says: “Getting the kids ready to go back to school should get you thinking about how your child is going to keep track of everything you’ve bought them. One suggestion I have is to label them! If your child is anything like mine, they’ve lost item after item at school.” Ends 8/22.
Rebinder	This Green School Supplies kit is a unique time, money and environment saving alternative to typical school supplies. At the end of the school session, students can start new by replacing the ReBinder cover with a brand new one – included in the kit! All products are made from 100% recycled fibers, FSC Certified and Made in the USA.	$39.99 for the kit	Win Rebinder green school supplies at Familylicious Reviews, who says: “Rebinder makes some of the coolest binders… when you want a new look instead of buying a whole new binder you just recycle the old cover and buy a new cover which screws into the three ring closure.” Ends 8/29.
Schoolio by Office Max	This line of fashion-forward school supplies from Office Max comes in a variety of patterns and designs. There are three collections: Butterfly Skye, Hearts, and Skulls, with everything from notebooks and binders to backpacks, lunch totes and desk sets.	Prices vary.	Win a $100 Office Max gift card at Office Supply Geek. “A recent study that OfficeMax conducted about back to school shopping for parents this season… discovered that on average parents will spend $126 on school supplies this year, but… when they drilled deeper… they found that on average, Moms expect to spend $102, while Dads expect to spend an average of $152 on school supplies. So to all of you kids out there, definitely see if you can get Dad to head down to OfficeMax with you when its time to pick up those school supplies.” Ends 8/20.
Smencils	These deliciously scented pencils are made from rolled sheets of newspaper instead of wood. You can even see the layers of newspaper when you sharpen them. Scents includes bubble gum, grape, chocolate, cotton candy, watermelon, orange, very berry, root beer, cinnamon and tropical blast. Each comes in its own freshness tube and will maintain its scent for 2 yrs.	$11.99 for a pack of ten	Win Smencils (and more!) from Sweeps4Bloggers, who says: “I had heard about Smencils, but hadn’t tried them until now. They are even better than I expected… I like the eco-friendliness but what I really like is the amazing aroma. The pencils have been soaked in stimulating peppermint oil – just perks you right up when you smell it! And a little extra perkiness is great for when kids are needing to focus on homework or a test.” Ends 8/15.

What cool products are on your kids’ school supply lists?

My youngest daughter turned 3 yesterday… and just outgrew her favorite part of shoes. That got me thinking about all the kids’ brands out there. Here are a few of my favorites!

$8 billion. That’s how much Toy Story-branded merchandise has sold around the world since the animated film was first introduced in 1995. I can see why – it’s an amazing toy line that stays true to its franchise. The highly-anticipated 3D sequel, Toy Story 3, has just hit theaters and Disney is well prepared, having released nearly 250 new toys inspired by the movie! The new Toy Story 3 toy line features action figures, dolls, role play, games, play sets, construction sets, vehicles, talking plushes, and some very cool robots.

Have you taken your kids to see the movie? What did y’all think? This is the ‘buzz’ on Twitter:

Doesn’t that make you want to go see it NOW? Here are 10 of my favorite toy picks!

Toy Story 3 will also be featured on hundreds of new products releasing globally this summer and into the holiday season, including apparel, accessories, home décor, art, stationery, food, personal care, books, plus specialty and collectible items for adults, and an exclusive assortment at Disney Store retail locations and DisneyStore.com. If you’re looking to buy a new Toy Story toy for your kids this weekend, DisneyStore.com is offering free shipping on any purchase when you buy any Toy Story item. Use promo code: TOYSTORY. Good deal!

Remember the joy of feeding your baby solid food for the first time? First the cereal, then the veggies and fruit. Oh, the mess!

Avocado was the first food I gave my daughters, actually. Creamy and delicious, I have to admit one of the main reasons I did so is because I was lazy. I could give them avocado straight out of the shell! No preparation necessary! They’d only eat a couple of spoonfuls, of course, so then I’d scoop up the leftovers with some chips and salsa. Yum!

Anyway, I usually made all their food myself, but would always have a few jars of Earth’s Best on hand to throw in my diaper bag for outings, or when I just didn’t feel like mashing up sweet potatoes yet again. Now there are several organic brands of baby food available… I don’t remember having this many organic options when my kids were babies!!

Product	Description	Where to Buy	Reviews/Giveaways
Earth’s Best www.earthsbest.com	Earth’s Best offers a wide variety of formulas, cereals, jarred food blends and juices. Flavors vary from basic first foods like apples and bananas, to more interesting selections, like Butternut Squash Bisque.	Buy it online at Amazon.com (23 cents/oz) and at basically any grocery store nationwide.	When I asked about baby food on Twitter, Earth’s Best came out the winner, perhaps because it is reasonably priced and widely available. For example, Tiffany, @give_me_a_latte, said: “Earth’s Best… it’s the only organic line available around here….
Happy Baby www.happybabyfood.com	Shelf-stable and convenient pouches come in fun flavors like Apple & Cherry and Banana, Beet, & Kiwi. Frozen baby food is also available, that comes packaged in cubes in disposable trays, just like if you were making your own.	Buy it online at Amazon.com (when available) and at Whole Foods Market, Babies R US and Target.	“Check out… HAPPYBABY products. They offer everything from baby cereal and food to snacks and frozen meals for toddlers. The HAPPYBABY line has been a hit at our house, all 3 of our boys love the Salmon Stix and Mac & Cheese, Hudson can’t get enough of the Berry HAPPYMELTS… don’t tell him their for babies! All of the HAPPYBABY line is organic and packed full of nutritional yumminess!” – Give Them Roots
Healthy Times www.healthytimes.com	22 unique varieties of organic baby food in traditional glass jars. and flavored baby food. Flavors like Pumpkin Pie, Sun-Sweet Strawberry Kiwi, Aloha Mango Chicken, and Raspberry Glazed Turkey make my mouth water!	Buy it online at Amazon.com (26 cents/oz) and at Whole Foods Market.	“Convenient, flavorful and well-priced — we’re sold on this jarred baby food. The fruit flavors we tested were smooth and sweet (Golden Pears got a big gummy smile).” – Babble
Petite Palate www.petitepalate.com	Created by two personal chefs who wanted to prepare the best possible food for their babies! Yummy flavors, like Apple Pear Blend, Banana Peach Blend, Spinach Potato Puree, Lentil Stew, Split Pea Stew, Puree of Garnet Yams, come packaged in eco-friendly, paper cups, so no need to worry about BPA, broken glass, or hard to open pouches.	Buy it online at Amazon.com (51 cents/oz) and at Whole Foods Market and other gourmet markets.	“Feeding my daughter organic food is very important to me and my husband. We do not want her eating all the chemicals and pesticides that goes onto food. The Petite Palate foods are a great way to feed her fresh organic meals when I can not fix them myself. We just put the flavor of choice in the fridge the day before and it was ready to eat for dinner. Bean’s favorite flavor was Banana Peach Blend. She usually gets bored with one food before is it gone but with this one she eat the entire container.” – Over Thirty Mommy
Plum Organics www.plumorganics.com	Plum Organics Baby Pouches are 100% organic pureed fruits & veggies with no added sugar, juice, colors or flavors. Single fruit purees are available, as well as delicious blends like Blueberry, Pear, & Purple Carrot, Pumpkin & Banana, and Spinach, Peas, & Pear, that come in a convenient BPA-FREE portable pouch.	Buy it online at Amazon.com (28 cents/oz) and ecomom, and at Whole Foods Market, Central Market, Target, and Babies ‘R’ Us	“The ingredients in Plum Organics products are so simple: organic fruits, organic veggies, and lemon juice (as a preservative). It’s as if you cooked fresh produce at home, made purees, and packaged the purees in convenient pouches. ” – Huppie Mama Enter for a chance to win $20 worth of Plum foods at One Scrappy Mom, Huppie Mama, and Cherry Blossoms blog. Giveaways end on 6/11, 6/13, and 6/15 respectively.
Tasty Baby www.tastybaby.com	Minimally-processed and blast-frozen, this gluten-free organic baby food comes in BPA-free, recyclable containers, and is available in fun flavors like Corn in the USA, Life’s a Peach, Bangos, and Hip 2B Pear.	Buy it online at tastybaby.com, Amazon.com (63 cents/oz), and some gourmet grocery stores like Whole Foods.	“Back in December, my family and I were lucky enough to get the chance to try out The Tasty Brand fruit snacks. My family really enjoyed these snacks which are made with all natural ingredients but still taste great. Now that my baby is four months old and has started eating cereal and baby food, I had hoped to be able to do a review of their baby products as well…” – New Age Mama But Tasty Baby products aren’t available in her area, so she’s giving the free product coupons away! Enter by 6/24.

“Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys…”

Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson sang this in a famous song, back in the late seventies. Many mamas would agree – the life of a cowboy is hard! However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t dress your kids like cowboys… Western wear doesn’t have to be limited to Halloween costumes and dress up clothes!

Cowboy boots in particular are very cute on children! Maya, my 5-year-old, owns two pairs – one in red and the other in white. Maura, 2 years old, has an adorable pair of red boots. Why do I like them so much? Besides being cute, kids’ cowboy boots are durable, quite comfortable, and usually very well-made, so even the most active girls and boys can get a lot of use out of them.

Judging from some of the following tweets, I’m not the only one who feels this way about kids and cowboy boots! Below are some of my favorite finds.

Etsy also offers a variety of different handmade cowboy booties. Worth taking a look!

Walking around the airport this weekend, I saw mothers carrying their most precious cargo in baby carriers of all shapes and sizes. There are a variety of different styles, with something to suit just about everyone. I remember using a Hotsling, Snugli, and Hip Hammock with my kids. The one feature these carriers all share is that they let you carry your child safely and easily, while leaving your hands free to pull a suitcase, hold the hands of your older kids, or grab a cup of much-needed coffee! These are a few of #dbest options available at the moment:

My 5-year-old, Maya, is starting Kindergarten in September. At her orientation earlier this week, her would-be teacher stressed the need to read to her everyday. She said that kids really need to be exposed to books, reading, and storytelling at a very young age; they don’t need to wait until Kindergarten to learn to read. Parents can start by setting an example… an interest in learning will come naturally when kids see their mom and dad reading!

This week just happens to be National Children’s Book Week. Celebrate it by visiting a library or your favorite book store, let your kids pick out a fun book, and cuddle up together to read it! Below are 10 fantastic children’s books, along with reviews from across the blogosphere. There’s something for all ages – from tots to tweens!

Product	Description	Price/Ratings	Reviews/Giveaways
Anne Geddes Board Book Collection	An appealing, colorful, and informative board book collection perfect for pre-school babies and toddlers. Anne Geddes’ unique and ever popular baby images make this a great, fun way to learn and a treat for baby and parent alike.	$5.99	and_Dad_too: Anne Geddes board books and baby bunny plush #giveaway @lkwhtmomfound…@and_dad_too! http://bit.ly/aCZGmU (Ends 5/25)
Daniel Goes to Preschool by Gayle Hardgrave	The first day of pre-school can be very stressful for a child. This book lets children explore the emotions that are associated with starting school, and incorporates Spanish vocabulary to appeal to bilingual children and families.	$12.99	shopwithmemama: “Daniel Goes To Preschool” Book Giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/2ew9nfh #giveaways (Ends 6/3) “My little boy is now 4 years old, though I will not be sending him to preschool… I’m teaching him about school and what you do at school. This book is a wonderful book to read to my son. It not only touches on subjects such as how Daniel feels about going to school and that it’s OK to feel such emotions… it also has a little bit of Spanish thrown in there! ” – Shop With Me Mama
Firehouse! by Mark Teague	Join Edward and his cousin Judy as they spend a hilarious day learning how to be firefighters… and when faced with a real emergency, it’s Edward who saves the day!	$16.99	book_mommy: Book Giveaway: The very funny Firehouse! by Mark Teague (Ages 3-5) – http://tinyurl.com/26u72o9 (Ends 5/26) “Mark Teague provides a ton of entertainment, especially with his illustrations. Each page is ablaze with rich color and wisecrack comedy, including an out-of-control fire hose.” – The Children’s Book Review
Mama, Is It Summer Yet? by artist Nikki McClure	A little boy who can’t wait for summer keeps asking his mama, “Is it summer yet?” Mama says, “Not yet, little one,” then points to the signs that spring is turning to summer and encourages her son to savor the beauty of spring.	$17.95 3.5 stars, 2 reviews on Amazon	wesoawesome: Mama, Is It Summer Yet? : Children’s Book Review http://bit.ly/bs4sYK (Ends 5/16) “This book is delightful. Full of warm sentiment about a little boy asking his mother if it is summer yet as they watch the seasons change together.” – INK+WIT
Nancy Drew: Secret Sabotage by Carolyn Keene	This brand-new trilogy follows Nancy’s adventures at a creepy carnival. Who’s writing the burn book blog (i.e. gossip rag), and, later, passing along threatening notes to Lexi Claremont? Nancy goes undercover to find out.	$5.99 Available for pre-order on 5/25.	SimonKidsYA: Happy Anniversary Nancy Drew! In honor, @neshelf is giving away an ultimate prize pack! http://alturl.com/or6e. #NancyDrew80th (Ends 5/25) “As part of the 80th Anniversary of Nancy Drew and her adventures, Simon and Schuster is having an amazing giveaway!” - The Neverending Shelf
Sounds Tough! Big Noisy Machines by Kevin Somers	Machines make the craziest sounds, and children will love to imitate them in this wacky board book that teaches an important element of language development in a fun and appealing way.	$6.95 5 stars, 2 reviews on Amazon	duopress: Book Review and Giveaway for 123 Philadelphia and Sounds Tough! http://tinyurl.com/275jjhb (Ends 6/5) “Sounds tough is a really engaging book. Dexter loves the fact that there are trucks, trains, planes and construction equipment featured throughout the book. It helps teach Dexter all of the sounds and noises from everyday items.” – Dexter’s Super Savvy Mommy
There Was Once a Potato by Bobbi Switzer	What do you get when you mix an over confident potato with an equally over confident yam, a jar of peanut butter, a bowl of jello and a fragile egg? A whole lot of mess!	$21.95 4.5 stars, 7 reviews on Amazon	Happy_momof5: I just posted a New Childrens Book Giveaway http://happymomof5contest.blogspot.com/2010/05/there-was-once-potato-childrens-book.html (Ends 6/9) “This was a very cute book and my daughter really enjoyed it. The Rhyming of the story and the wonderful names of the items in the refrigerator were so adorable.” - Chrissy’s World of Books
Turtle Splash! by Cathryn Falwell	Readers are invited to count down from ten to one in this celebration of numbers, birds, animals, insects, trees and plants.	$6.99 5 stars, 8 reviews on Amazon	kj223: Giveaway! An autographed copy of children’s book Turtle Splash at www.reviewedbymom.blogspot.com (Ends 5/16) “The boys ask for this book each day during story time and it is such a good read with beautiful illustrations that I am happy to oblige.” – Reviewed by Mom
Where Is Love? by Laura Nadler Scott	Fly alongside Leni Lovebird as she journeys far from Mother Bird in search of love, only to discover she has traveled a delicate circle home.	$9.99 5 stars, 2 reviews on Amazon	BTHM1: Children’s Book Giveaway: Where is Love by Laura Nadler Scott http://goo.gl/fb/rtZVk (Ends 5/30) “This is an adorable book and I think all kids will be entranced with it!” – Bless Their Hearts Mom
Zigzag and the Pet Swap by Victoria Moser	Have you ever wondered whether your pet is the right pet for you? Join Zigzag the dragon as he visits a new home for a week, leaving the Princess with two new pets.	$8.99	ParentingAuthor: Giveaway for Zigzag and the Pet Swap: A Great Children’s Book! http://bit.ly/9RbgOc (Ends 5/19) “Written by a nine-year-old! Zigzag and the Pet Swap will charm kids with its delightful illustrations, teach them a great lesson, and entertain them with a fun story. My boys really enjoyed this book, and it launched us into a terrific discussion about wanting things that others have and not being happy with what we’ve got. ” – Susan Heim on Parenting

Organic baby food options are growing rapidly as parents try to be more green and give junior some healthier options. Here are some great organic baby food reviews by bloggers to help you decide which product is best for your family:

Deals for Organic Baby Food to help you afford all that yummy organic food for your baby:

Product: Earth’s Best Offer: Printable Coupons End Date: None Blogger: @SacGreenDeals

Product: Happy Baby Offer: Printable Coupons End Date: 4.30 Blogger: @LivinRichCoupon

Let us know if you have a product or deal you would add to the list.