It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

The other day, while I was shopping, I noticed a "back-to-school" display! I practically danced down the aisle. Yes! Woo Hoo! Back-to-school time! I grabbed a notebook and inhaled the fresh scent of paper! I flipped through the blank pages, just waiting for inspiration. I fingered a set of crayons, colors vibrant, points intact. Ahhh, a parent's utopia.

My kids, on the other hand, walked quickly by the aisles while calling to each other, "Quick! Close your eyes! Must. Get. Away. From. School. Supplies. Ow, it burns. It burns!"

Although I'm looking forward to accomplishing more during the day and hearing a lot less fighting from the kids, I'm actually not looking forward to school starting quite yet. (Shhh, don't tell anyone I said that.) But really, I hate the early morning routine and the homework battles. Summer's kinda nice in that respect. But whether you're counting down the days to school or dreading that first day back, the fact is that back-to-school time is fast approaching.

One thing that should be on everyone's back-to-school list, is a Lands' End backpack. I've always heard that Lands' End has THE BEST backpacks out there, but I've never coughed up the money for one. I buy my kids the cheap backpacks you can find at Target or Meijer or whatever. The thing is - I have to replace them every year. Sometimes they don't even make it through the school year. This year I'm investing in some good, strong, well-made backpacks. After seeing the quality of Lands' End swimwear, I have no doubts that their backpacks will be stylish and, more importantly, durable.

Here's the cool part - one lucky winner will receive a free Lands' End Multitask Backpack. Features of this backpack include:

Stash panel for a jacket, sports gear or bike helmet
Separate bottom chamber to stow a set of shoes
360° reflective trim to keep kids visible
Mesh side pockets to hold water bottles
MP3/CD player pouch for tunes

In addition to the backpack giveaway, Lands' End is offering FREE SHIPPING to all my readers! How better to shop for backpacks, lunch boxes and back to school clothes, than from the comfort of you own home? Sure, you'll save on gas, but even better - you won't have to drag your kids out shopping with you! That alone is worth its weight in gold (or gasoline)! Just shop online at Lands' End between July 31 and August 6, then simply enter the coupon code BACKTOSCHOOL and the pin 2382 when checking out. Can't beat that! Shop HERE for back-to-school clothes and uniforms, and look HERE for the Lands' End backpack guide to help you find the perfect backpacks for your little scholars.

Just leave a comment on this post for your chance to win a Lands' End Multitask backpack in the color of your choice. (I'll choose a random winner on Tuesday, August 5.) And start enjoying free shipping on Friday, July 31!