like so many others, this week was back-to-school for us. which meant the past ten days or so have been kind of a hot mess, consisting of:

• finishing up day camp

• washing uniforms

• washing backpacks

• endless trips to target

• planning for packed lunches (let’s face it, this is a crap shoot.)

• many, many, many orders on amazon

• purging a lot of moola

• addressing a few little nerves about starting second grade

the mudroom bench. backpack + shoes all ready for the first day of second grade.

i finally sat back on wednesday night + realized that in all of my grand taskmastering (is that a word? i say it is), i hadn’t had a real opportunity to really be emotional about my oldest heading off to second grade. i am such a doer, and i totally get bogged down by the to-do list, so once the backpack was packed, the uniform was laid out, and the lunch was packed, it kind of hit me: this little boy who is thoughtful and kind and smart and funny and inquisitive was going to second grade. already. and, i had a little mama moment where i cried thinking about how fast he is growing up. but at the same time, i love watching what he’s going to do next + how he’s going to grow and change!

so, after i had my moment, i kept doing what i know to do: try my best to make things great for him. i knew he was nervous (we went through something similar last year), and having come from something similar when i was his age, i wanted nothing more than to take it from him….but at the same time knowing, how important it is for him to learn how to manage those feelings. while it might seem silly, we tried to re-focus: talked about teachers who couldn’t wait to see him, his new classroom (and the class pets they’ll have!), what he wanted to take for snack + lunch, and what he was looking forward to. and, after day #2, i’m so proud to say that we’re doing well! we’re excited + amped + loving school. and, i know many of you mamas + daddies out there know the relief that’s felt when your kids come home from school with a smile on their face!

so, we made it through the emotional part of the week, and along the way, i came across some fantastic resources + tools that might help some other mamas + daddies get through another school year!

my fave lunch packing tools:

• YUMBOX leakproof bento lunch box. okay, i have not been on the bento box wagon. i’d see those adorably packed lunches in their perfectly segmented boxes, and i just felt stressed. ninety percent of the year, i pack little mr. re-nest #1’s lunch in a rushed panic in the morning. there’s no time for dino-shaped anything. but, this year, we needed a new lunch solution. so, i started searching for ideas + for healthy lunch options….and, the bento kept showing up. i went for it. and, two days in…..we love it! isn’t it adorable?

alright, isn’t the inside the cutest? it’s space-themed! and, tells me what to put where….score!

first day of school lunch! make-your-own pizza crackers, strawberries + red peppers with hummus

• mackenzie navy pottery barn kids lunch box (in space theme!). this is our second pbk lunchbox. kindergarten + first grade featured a superman themed box, and after two years, it was time to retire him. it’s a great size, well-insulated, and comes in so many adorable patterns + colors! plus, you can get it monogrammed (seriously, it doesn’t get much better than that for this mama!)

my fave pre-prep breakfast for kids:

• banana oatmeal chocolate chip muffins from debbie riechert fitness. i’m seriously obsessed with this recipe. and, my boys love them! and they include healthy stuff like bananas and flaxseed, and i mean, when would you ever get your kids to eat flaxseed without them knowing? 

my new go-to packed snack:

we love annie’s! and, the clif kids z bars are amazing!

• i admit: at the end of last school year, i was pretty much tapped out in the snack idea department. i just couldn’t anymore. so, i got a little motivated before school started and searched for some new and great ideas for the oldest’s daily snack for school. and, i think i found it: annie’s organic bunny pretzels, clif kids z bar, raisins, and a few m&ms thrown in. day #1 taste test: i got two thumbs up for this one! i mixed up a batch to keep in a container for a week, then just filled up our little snack bags each day to make this step super simple + easy. 

tell me: how was your first day back at school in your family? what are your tips + tricks for making back-to-school a little more sane?