Quick - ten Zoints if you can tell me the band that made that song famous…..

And I’m gonna need them, because I’m FLAT SLAM out of cash. Because, cue the music, duh-duh-duh, back to school shopping has begun. It’s funny - I don’t remember my mother spending so much money and so much time on our return to school prep. We each got an outfit or two, a few notebooks and some pencils. It wasn’t stressful for her, at least not as awful as it’s been for me this week. We went to Sears, the mall, Office Max and Target - we shopped our brains out. And we aren’t even finished, since, due to the overwhelming attitude of one of my kids in the mall yesterday, we ended up leaving early without the purchases that she needed. Yes - we were that family. The one with the teenager who acted like a toddler, complete with ugly words, crossed arms and rolled eyes.

I think I’d much rather look here at Zwaggle for many of those same items, especially those elusive “must have” clothing items. And save a whole bunch of money in the process. Just ask the Frugalista in the Miami Herald or Laura Delluriti on the Daily Buzz, I think they agree.

What is especially timely for me is the brand new seasonal section, which soon switches to “back to school”. Heaven knows it is so much easier to shop sitting on my couch than chasing a tantrumming preschooler or dealing with the attitude that only a teenage girl can provide. I can sit in my jammies with a cup of coffee, keeping one eye on the news and one eye scrolling through the site. I can mix and match to my hearts content, clear out the closet of the stuff they’ve outgrown and post it to the site - all while that cranky teenager talks on the phone with her friends, and that preschooler runs amok in the backyard. Everyone wins!

Besides, I don’t know if my nerves can take another mall outing with my kids.

My daughter turned eleven this week. Eleven. She’s my third child, so not my first to pass this great milestone. To celebrate her birthday, my husband decided that we should eat lunch at a local Mexican Restaurant. We arrived well before he did - he had to work and would join us as soon as his coworker returned from HIS lunch break.

After placing our drink orders, I looked down the table at my kids. Four of them had brought their newest selection from the library, and sat quietly reading. The older two chatted and passed iPod headphones back and forth. They were all occupied, so I took a few minutes to glance around the restaurant at the other patrons. (I’m nosy, I always like to watch other people.) I was struck by the chaos at a neighboring table. The family consisted of two grandparents, two parents, and one baby. One little girl, somewhere in the neighborhood of a year old. She was a cute kid, with blond hair, wearing teeny little jeans shorts and an armload of bracelets. Her mother had one of the biggest diaper bags I’d ever seen - and trust me, with six kids I’ve seen a ton of diaper bags. From this bag, she pulled trick after trick, all hoping to placate her daughter. The table was littered with soft books, rattles, bags of snacks, sippy cups, an Elmo doll, and more Little Einstein than I’ve seen in one place in a long time. The mother was frazzled and snippy with the grandparents, who kept handing Pretty Baby anything to keep her amused.

I remember those days. I remember carrying a packed to the gills diaper bag, not interested in eating out at all due to the overwhelming stress of trying to keep one little person amused. I remember, but I don’t miss those days. It occurred to me as I watched that many of those same toys are still in my diaper bag, which I haven’t used in (I can’t even believe this) more than two years. It currently sits in the back of a closet. I thought to myself, it’s time I listed those baby toys, released the diaper bag, sent Little Einstein to a more needy home. I don’t need those baby things, and someone else might be able to have a more pleasant dining experience thanks in part to those toys.

I looked down the table at my kids. No longer still, they were playing with straw wrappers and napkins, constructing houses for the silverware. Two kids laughed at potty jokes, and one pretended to be above it all as he text messaged a friend. Well, it’s still chaos, albeit a different version of it. But one that doesn’t at least require a diaper bag or carrying toys.

Really? Because it’s our birthday too! Yay, Zwaggle! It’s been a wonderful, exciting year and we’ve made some amazing friends out there. Thanks for your support. Zwaggle has grown by leaps and bounds, much like the first year of a newborn baby. With over 7000 registered families in all 50 states and approaching 1800 completed trades, the Zwaggle love has been spread far and wide. I know that I, myself, have really benefited from my trades. (Although, maybe not the one that almost got me arrested. But certainly every other one!)

And the best birthday parties are the all inclusive ones. Even better, the parties that gift the guests - now, those are ROCKIN’ good times. (I never seem to be invited to THOSE parties…) Except this time. And why celebrate just one day when you can celebrate all month? Every Sunday during the month of August, Zwaggle will post premium prizes - a Bugaboo stroller, a Wii, American Girl dolls, and the coveted Webkinz. Even better, throughout the week there will be all kinds of cool new items posted on the site - so visit early and visit often!

The icing on the cake (oooh, I love icing…) is that the Zoints collected from this party gifts will be donated to local Head Start chapters all across the country. AND sellers will earn Double Zoints during the month of August and be entered to win a special 1,000 point shopping spree - the list goes on and on. With presents like these, the Zwaggle birthday party is a sweet deal for all involved - much like icing. (Apparently, I have a one track mind when it comes to sweets today…)

Come early, come often, and help us celebrate our birthday in style. Gifts for everyone!