My favorite part of getting ready for school as a child was school supplies. Clothes shopping always meant a fight with my mom about clothes (or, at least that is how I remember it now, though, I can't imagine we fought about clothes when I was in, say, second grade). But, what's to argue about a new box of crayons and a lunchbox? Oh, the smell of a new box of crayons, or freshly-sharpened pencils. The feel of a new package of notebook paper or a new stack of folders and spirals. I always got a new lunchbox, couldn't even tell you now who was on them (Charlie's Angels, one year??) But they were always metal with a plastic thermos, complete with little plastic cup. And a new pencil box! Not a plastic one, but a cardboard one. Oh, how I loved those cardboard pencil boxes. It was later in my school life that Trapper Keepers and fancy notebooks were invented, so my earliest and best memories are of simpler supplies.
Shopping for school supplies with Sis and Bud had me contemplating a new backpack, one with a cupcake on it, which I totally didn't need (and didn't buy). Instead, I bought a package of sheet protectors and a package of business card magnets. With those, I'm making magic. I've put 2-3 of those little square magnets on the back of those clear plastic pockets and now use them to hold important school papers. But I also outlined two of them with construction paper--voila, a reusable artwork frame! Sis and Bud were thrilled to have a fancy place to display their art. I've also then made picture magnets from our leftover stash of wallet-sized pics so that there are images of them and other family members adorning our chalkboard wall. And today, I had the best idea yet: cut up those baseball cards Bud got in his schultute and put them on magnets to make a team for a chalk baseball field.
Well, both Mama and my visiting childhood friend were appalled that I would consider cutting up a baseball card. Oh, well. I'll have to think of more uses for the other 85 magnet backs I have. Any ideas? You might be getting magnets of the twins for Christmas this year . . .
I agree...shopping for supplies at the beginning of the school year was special. Waaaay back in my day, I loved my new Big Chief tablet and brand new pencils. I was so sure that everything I wrote would be done so neatly. We had paste that was probably the consistency of a glue stick, but it was white and came in small jars. You used a little flat stick to dig it out of the jar and spread it on your work. It smelled good and, I confess, I was one of the ones who would sneak nibbles of it.
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