Amy & Aron's

Back to school time is so much fun and there are so many things to do to get ready. Supply shopping, clothes shopping, back to the store for the stuff we missed on the highly detailed list we made (a few times), then sorting out and name tagging all of the goodies. It's a lot of work to get one little guy ready for the up and coming year. Ye have four!! It's awesome!

This year we have been really lucky to work with some great companies to get together a list of brands and products that we love and use every year for our kids. I hope you love it as much as we do and find it helpful in your shopping. The awesome part is these are all available in store and online so you can get them as you go or all at one time.


Our list will have to be in a few separate posts, we have stuff coming in here and there and I don't want you to have to wait! It's too much good stuff!! We have some products that are in the same category but are all different in use and style. We all have different tastes and I hope we can cover them all for you :)

We love the kid's backpacks and it's so much more than just a bag. It's cool, it's their individuality, and it has all of their stuff to get through the day. These backpacks have to be so sturdy to keep up with them. That's why I love working with Mead. Since we have been working with these guys, a backpack lasts all year. There is a huge difference between these backpacks and other brands.

We tested that out last year. We had 3 Mead bags and 4 kids. Cassie wanted a themed one so we ordered that and poof, backpacks were covered. All of the big kids which had way more use with their bags with higher grades and bigger books. A lot more moving around than Cassie's and she still ended up going through 4 backpacks. The zippers would blow, the straps broke, the adjuster for the strap broke, the seams ripped. It was one thing after another with her backpacks while the older three had fully intact, packed to the brim, nearing busting, and not one broken zipper, strap, or tear. That's AWESOME!!

As a parent, I love finding dependable products that I know my kids can't wear out. Because if they can they will. I have seen this happen so many times it's not funny. My kids are great at reviewing/stress testing stuff. They will far pass breaking stuff in and break it down!

So, who is this wonderful company I am talking about? Five Star of course. Mead makes great backpacks. They also offer some other really great products like binders, folders, and so much more.

I love it that this review is for a whole backpack full of stuff and what makes me even happier is one of my awesome readers will get one too!! That's my favorite part of what I do- Giveaways!!!

Backpacks come in all shapes and sizes.

This expandable reinforced backpack is just what the kids need and I'm going to explain just how cool it is. This backpack offers expandable pockets and middle. SO MUCH STORAGE!!

The face of the backpack is a pocket. It folds down for fast and easy access. There is a covered pocket, and pouches for writing instruments. There's an open big pocket too. The whole section expands out 2 more inches to hold everything that needs to go in there.

There is a stretchy mesh pocket on the side perfect for a water bottle. There is another zippered pouch at the top that is deep enough to put my whole hand in.

The center of the backpack is open and offers a wide opening to get all of the stuff in and out easily. It goes to the water bottle holder on one side and all the way to the bottom on the other side. I like that a lot as a parent. I know my kids have torn up so many folders and notebooks because their backpacks weren't opening wide enough at the top. That is not a problem at all with this. The inside also expands to give 3 more inches of space. That makes a huge difference.

Behind that section, there is another zippered section that holds notebooks, folders, and whatever else they may need. This backpack covers all bases! Sometimes they have after school things and with the extra space, they can add in what they need instead of having to carry an extra bag. I have to worry less about the trips to the lost and found.

The back of the backpack is cushioned so books and notebooks won't be digging into their backs. The expandable sections make every day easier. It can adjust day by day for homework and projects.

What's in your backpack?

In no specific order, I'm going to go over everything that came in the backpack/ There are so many awesome goodies in here, I can't just pick the coolest thing and start there, they are all so cool and have very awesome features. Seriously. These are very well thought products. I wish I had stuff like this when I was in school. Paper spilling in the hall nightmares just came flooding back to me. With these products, the kids are going to be so organized!

The Binder is just like a cool briefcase. I really don't know where to start with all of the cool features on this one. It has so many. It's a binder with a storage pocket on the outside and it offers an adjustable strap for super easy toting. The front of the folder has sectioned pouches that are perfect for clipping pens or anything else. The are different depths too. The folder has a flap that folds over with a long velcro piece so it can be open as big or as little as it needs to be. There are 6 sections inside with tabs in each one for easy finding. This is really designed with convenience in mind.

In between the folder and the binder, there is an expandable section to hold even more. On the inside, there is another pocket and a zippered compartment to store all of the non-paper things like pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, earbuds, USB, scissors, highlighters, and anything else. It's see through so there is no digging involved, it's so cool. The 3 rings are the non-breakable sturdy rings.

The Notebook- The Five Star Notebook offers 100 sheets of college ruled paper that resists ink bleed. You know how frustrating it is when you've written a whole page of notes, flip it over and realize you made 3 pages of notes. Not with this paper. It's good thick paper. The built-in pockets make storing pulled out pages a breeze and the pockets are reinforced to prevent tears. The cover is water resistant and protects your notes all year.

The Five Star Flex- Hybrid NoteBinder is everything you need from a notebook and binder all in one. It's a notebook with the paper already in it but, it's a 3-ring binder as well. The rings won't break. It has a 200 sheet capacity and offers 5- pocket dividers, and 80 sheets of paper. The dividers are cool. 3 of them are tall pockets and 2 are the organizing pockets with the reinforced top to keep the papers from sliding. The thick flexible cover protects all of the stuff inside.

Add-A-Folder- The Add-A-Folder pockets are amazing. I have never seen these until now and I'm completely blown away. This is one of the coolest and well-made add-ons that I have ever seen. Each folder has rings that snap into any notebook or binder. The are at the spine and open out so your pages don't fall out. This is so neat. There is a thick plastic strip that pulls out to insert it into a binder. This makes it easy to take out of either one without ripping the tabs. They are interchangeable to any notebook or binder.

Pocket Dividers- The Pocket Dividers have the same awesome features and the Add-A-Folders. The can go into any binder or notebook and easily slide in and out for convenience. These are tabbed at the top so you don't have to flip through to find them.

Storage and Organization Pocket- The Storage and Organization Pocket is something that had to be developed out of a dream and wishful thinking. This offers the tabs that pop into a notebook or a binder like the ones above but it is a single pocket that has a pouch right on it. This turns ANY notebook or binder into the all in one that the kids need. No more lost stuff in the bottom of the backpack or I forgot it in my locker. It's perfect for a calculator, pens, pencils, and the other miscellaneous stuff.

Tabs- Tabs are so important in the higher grades. Keeping track of everything in one place makes life so much easier. The Peel and Stick Tabs offer long strips of write on surface and don't take up a whole lot of room at the top of the page. They have the trusty 3M backing so you already know they will stay in place like they are supposed to. The Snap-In Bookmark Dividers go right in to a binder or notebook and can be written on and erased!

If you are looking for a brand with high-quality products that suit all of the back to school needs, Five Star has you covered. From backpacks, binders, and notebooks to organizers and the accessories, they have you covered.