I have never been a fan of school supply shopping. It ranks up there with the dentist or the gynecologist. I mean, you get this list that is so crazy long and "HELLO!" I have four kids. That means I have four ridiculously long lists. Then to top it off the lists are brand specific! Really?? We can't send our sweet little one's to school with "Eagle brand" pencils? Elmer's glue sticks are the be all, end all of glue sticks? And another thing... Why do moms act as though they are getting the last brownie at a dessert bar when shopping for the above mentioned supplies? Seriously, take a zoloft or drink a glass of wine before you shop if you are going to act like a "Real Housewife of New Jersey"!

I, of course, was genius this year. I didn't wait until the week or day before school is set to start but went three weeks early! I also decided that rather than wait until I felt like getting out of the house,(sometime after a few episodes of Law and Order), I would go at 8:30am. The girls are up anyway and why not take advantage of their awakness. Target is a wonderful place most all of the time but there is a quiet loveliness so early after opening, that no one should miss.

So final words of wisdom: condense four lists into one master list, shop weeks ahead, hit the store of choice in the early AM, oh and promise the kids any kind of snack they want if you can make it through the list without threatening a smack!