Over The Top Mommy

Back to School Shopping

Let’s Go Back to School Shopping at Brea Mall

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Summer feels like it’s still in full swing but as it starts to wind down and we get closer to the start of a new school year, there’s a lot to consider when planning for back to school! I’ve embraced the summer so much, I saved all of my back to school shopping until the last minute. It’s ok though, I work better under pressure! I also know I can find everything on my shopping list at Brea Mall.brea-mall-signWith several years of back to school shopping under my belt, I feel like I’m getting better at it each year. I’m definitely a list maker, so here’s my shopping list: back-to-school-shopping-listMy regular back-to-school shopping list has necessities on it such as clothing and shoes and backpacks and lunchboxes.mac-accessories Nowadays, schools also request your child(ren) come to school, equipped with a laptop or other device because they’re “21st Century Learners”. What this means for me as a parent, is that there are now even more school necessities to shop for.school-technology-needs Not only devices but also accessories for the laptop, carrying cases, and anything else that a student might need to be successful in this technological age of implementing digital technologies in the classroom.
apple-store-macbookThis year, I broke my back to school shopping into 2 trips. I wanted to get over to the mall by myself to check out the laptop options for myself, without my daughter there making me feel rushed. Thank goodness Brea Mall has an Apple store! I love going into Apple to look around at all of the latest laptops, iPads, Apple Watches, iPhones, etc. I will admit that it can be a bit overwhelming for me. Luckily for me, “Peter” from the Apple store, took a lot of time to help me pick out the right laptop for my daughter to use for her schooling. The “Beats” they have at Apple are also really cool so I picked up a pair of those too because my daughter’s been begging for some. apple-beatsBrea Mall also has Brookstone, which is another great place to shop for school technology needs, in addition to some other things. I found another pair of wireless headphones for my daughter to take to school. These are great quality and offered at a great price but also won’t have me worrying about her “Beats” getting lost at school. brookstone-headphonesBrookstone also had a great selection of portable batteries/chargers, which she is going to need to carry in her case. brookstone-portable-chargerFor the main back-to-school shopping trip, my daughter and I like to make an entire day out of it. We love to start out at the Starbucks and make our shopping plan while we get something to drink. Then we shop, take a break to have a late lunch at one of the eateries there, and then shop some more. It’s a fun annual tradition and something we really enjoy doing together. brea-mall-directoryI always love to see all of the latest trends for kids when we go back to school shopping. This year there are too many to choose from: dinosaurs, unicorns, cute monsters, super heroes, camo, sparkly stuff, etc. I wanted to buy it all! Not only am I shopping for my daughter, I also like to pick up a few things for my nieces and nephews. back-to-school-gymboreeSome of the stores we checked out this year at were Cotton On Kids, Gymboree, GapKids,  Journeys, Justice, and Vans, but Brea Mall has over 175 specialty shops and several popular restaurants. back-to-school-justice

back-to-school-gap-kidsback-to-school-vansHave you finished your back to school shopping yet? Maybe I should ask if you’ve even started yet? Leave me a comment and tell me if you have any back to school tips, tricks, or ways to make it easier on your own family. I’d love to hear all about it!back-to-school-cotton-on-kids

Connect with Brea Mall on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too.giveaway I’ll be hosting a Brea Mall gift card giveaway soon on my own Instagram so be sure to keep your eye out for it. Good luck with your own back to school shopping!

Back to School Savings with Groupon

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Summer time is such a great time to enjoy doing things together as a family and is just so relaxing. However, as it starts to wind down, moms like me can’t help but to have “Back-to-School” on their minds. Aside from the holidays, this time of year must be one of the busiest for shopping.back-to-school-with-groupon-2This year, I’m all about saving as much as I can on my back-to-school expenses so I”ll be hitting up Groupon. Have you heard of Groupon before? Groupon works with over 9000 national retailers with the goal of passing savings to you. It offers 1000s of FREE coupons, exclusive promo codes, and deals to shoppers to save you money on things like restaurants, travel, shopping, entertainment and more! I love shopping with Groupon because I can use the money I saved towards something else. It’s a win-win!back-to-school-shopping-with-groupon-1There are so many things to buy for the upcoming school year. Whether your children wear a school uniform or regular clothes to school, outfitting them can cost a pretty penny, especially as most of them have sprouted over the summer and can longer wear much from last school year. Then there are school shoes to buy, new backpacks & lunchboxes, and a ton of school supplies. This year I also need to purchase a laptop for my daughter. It seems like the list goes on and on. Here’s just an example of some of the stores I’ll be back-to-school shopping at with Groupon:

  • Nordstrom
  • Macy’s
  • Finish Line
  • Sears
  • Forever 21
  • Nike
  • Walmart
  • Best Buy
  • Amazon

groupon-envelopeGroupon offers savings at tons of the stores and sites I shop at.  You can check out their site and search for the best deals, even from your mobile device. Why wouldn’t you want to save money on things you’re already purchasing?

 

Back to School Shopping at Brea Mall + Enter to Win a $5000 Shopping Spree

I was provided with a gift card in order to shop for this post. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Back to School shopping is no easy task for a mom like me. It usually involves several trips to get everything that’s on “the list”. Luckily, I live close to Brea Mall. There are 4 major department stores (JcPenney, Nordstrom, Macy’s, and Sears) at Brea Mall plus pretty much any other specialty store you can think of, so you know you’re going to find what you need there. (including a Starbucks for yourself!)brea-mall-back-to-school-starrbucksIt’s kind of funny to look at the fashion trends for back to school this year because they remind me of when was in high school! Lots of denim, including denim jackets and acid wash jeans, lace, plaids, chunky boots, preppy pieces, florals, and the best part is that they call a lot of it “vintage”.

Watch this hilarious clip about Moms and Back-to-School Shopping and see if you can relate?

Right now, Simon Malls, which includes Brea Mall, are having a “Throw Back to Back to School” contest. Here are the details:
Did you rock acid wash in the 80s? What about double denim before it was a trend again? Since there’s nothing we love more than a fashion flashback, we want to see your best back to school themed throwback photo from the 80’s and 90’s. To enter, just share your photo to Twitter or Instagram using #tbtbts and #contest for a chance to win a $1,000 gift card, plus a chance at our grand prize $5,000 shopping spree.You can also enter by commenting on your local Simon center’s Facebook contest post with your picture. Click here to go to the Brea Mall Facebook page contest. 

Some of the shops we hit up for Back-to-School shopping at Brea Mall include:

Vans – Right now they have a bunch of Nintendo merchandise including hats and backpacks that coordinate with tennis shoes. My daughter loves Princess Peach and was all over their collection. Word on the street is they can’t keep these items in stock. I guess we lucked out the day we went shopping!brea-mall-back-to-school-vans

Gymboree – I adore the collections at Gymboree because they always feature several pieces that you can mix and match to create different outfits. My niece was excited about the sign featuring Disney Channel’s Sofia Carson, and highlighting some of her favorite Gymboree picks. Everything kitty cat and sparkly gold, including a headband with cat ears on it. I couldn’t resist buying it all for her!  I also loved the superhero merchandise they had for both boys and girls, too! brea-mall-back-to-school-gymboree

Crazy 8 – My favorite thing in this store was the entire wall in both the boys and girls area, dedicated to “8 day denim…wear every day + more!” How clever! That’s exactly up my own alley except it’s just way too tiny. I also found more lunchboxes and backpacks that were matching. They have a ton of cute clothes at Crazy 8 including lots of navy/khaki and white school uniforms, all at great prices.brea-mall-back-to-school-crazy8Champs – Every kid needs tennis shoes. Some wear them every day as school shoes, some kids change into them for P.E. They have a huge selection of shoes in sizes ranging from toddler to adult. Champs also has t-shirts, shorts, workout wear, hats, athletic socks, and more. brea-mall-back-to-school-champs

Lush – Although this isn’t a typical store for shopping for “Back to School”, my daughter will tell you differently and insist it’s a “necessity”! She said we needed to get her all stocked up on these beautiful bath bombs and soaps and handmade cosmetics. I can see why all the girls want to shop here on mall trips. It smells amazing inside the store! brea-mall-back-toschool-lush

Hollister – You can find cute, trendy basics in here like denim jackets, t-shirts, skinny jeans, and cute summer tops. They also have shoes and purses. We’re so lucky to live in California and be able to dress like this pretty much year-round. brea-mall-back-to-school-hollister

Abercrombie – If you’re looking for “preppy” looks, this is the place to shop at. I found a lot of denim in here, as well as jackets, polos, and button-up shirts.brea-mall-back-to-school-abercrombieCharlotte Russe – The first thing that caught my daughter’s eye were the shoes! They had a big selection of the ankle boots that I used to wear. They also have a ton of denim choices and adorable tops and jackets. We found a lot of things to buy for school here. brea-mall-back-toschool-charlotte-russeClaire’s – If you’re a “girl mom” you probably already know about Claire’s. It’s more than just the place to get your ears pierced, it’s the ultimate accessory shop. They have a huge selection of necklaces, earrings, bracelets, hair accessories, backpacks and purses, phone cases and holders, tablet covers, stickers, nail polishes and lip glosses and more! The girls were all over the sparkly pineapple accessories!brea-mall-back-to-school-clairesWell, as you can see, we had a lot of luck during our back to school shopping! Have you finished all of yours yet?

Connect with Brea Mall on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too.

 

 

 

Let’s Go Back-to-School Shopping at The Shops at Mission Viejo!

This is a sponsored post.

Summer is coming to an end and if you haven’t already started your back to school shopping, you should probably get to it soon! I know I need to start mine, so I’ll be heading to The Shops at Mission Viejo…again!

keep calm and go back to school shopping I refer to The Shops at Mission Viejo as “my mall”. Not only do we live close by, but I LOVE this mall because it literally has everything we need in one place and it’s family friendly. We always find the latest fashions there! Emi and I spend a lot of time hanging out together there.

back to school listJust making the list of things Emi needs counts as starting Back-to-School prep, right?

Every year, Emi and I make Back-to-School shopping an entire “Girls Day Out”.  There are so many stores to shop at in The Shops at Mission Viejo and lots of choices for a stop to lunch, when our feet need a rest.

Here are just some of the stores Emi likes to shop at most for Back-to-School:

  • Justice
  • Childrens Place
  • Nordstrom
  • Old Navy
  • Claire’s Boutique
  • Macy’s
  • The Disney Store
  • See’s Candies (you’ve GOTTA bring something for the teacher on the first day!)

 

 Wish me luck with my Back-to-School shopping!

For a complete mall directory of The Shops at Mission Viejo, click here.

Visit The Shops at Mission Viejo on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date on the latest events, trends & news.