Romper Set 1

Romper Set 1 by xoxoandrea on Polyvore

Fall Pics!

Fall Pics! by xoxoandrea featuring short jean shorts

Friday Duds

Friday Duds by xoxoandrea featuring a beige tank top

Swim Roundup 2015

Swim Roundup 2015 by xoxoandrea on Polyvore

Little Boy Meets Playground

Little Boy Meets Playground by xoxoandrea on Polyvore

Summer Dreamin

Summer Dreamin by xoxoandrea featuring denim shorts

Easter (More. Can you tell I'm obsessed?)

We don't get terribly dressy for Easter here. I will probably wear a cotton dress and the hubs will probably wear about what he'd wear to work. 

Sammy is going to wear his Zara jeans with suspenders. Basically because I love them and cannot find enough excuses to get his cute self into these pants. I bought a pair of suspenders that just go on any old pants but honestly these are easier because they don't clip on. They button on. 

I am on a kick to determine why my friend Robin loves Gymboree so much. Aside from the fact that her kids always look flawless in their clothing- I can never find anything for Sammy there. I probably need to tag along. The shirt is Gymboree and the sweater is Osh Kosh from Target. These boots are from Tea Collection. I really like them and find that they're nice for things that need a bit of style and waterproofing!

How We're NOT Freezing...

Two posts in one day?! Pretty amazing feeling over here! Haha really just wanted to share something while this item is still on sale and in stock over at Patagonia.

A word to the wise about the brand. You're paying for effectiveness. It's thick, amazing quality fleece that will make a difference. Their shipping costs are not amazing. Just be warned in that direction. Buying on sale and ahead of time is pretty key for expensive and technical winter gear. 

First the Patagonia fleece jacket. It's currently on sale. I have bought every one I thought I could get use of. So maybe three! I love them. The red one is adorable as well! The hood is pointy and really gives the whole outfit a little something. They are thin enough that I feel comfortable putting Sammy in the car with this jacket. It is warm enough that it does something to fight off the cold. 

So... We layer. I think this is not groundbreaking, but I think sharing common sense solutions with other parents is a nice thing. I start off with a nice flannel button down. I may put an undershirt or not depending on if he will be outside. If only inside today I will skip. I put a nice wool sweater over that. I like a button down for this because the shirt is next to his skin so he is protected from the wool everywhere. I don't want him itchy. I then add his lined jeans. These block the wind and are very warm. I may put on some babylegs up to his knees if he's going to be outside a bunch. Then a good pair of socks. 

For outer wear I love to add some heavy duty mittens and actual winter boots. I think they are easy enough to walk in that he can use them for a functional pair of shoes most days it is very cold. They are usually ok to get on and off, and they're warm. The pair pictured are from Gap, but Osh Kosh typically makes an amazing pair, and we have thick fleece socks from Hunter that pair with rainboots that also are extremely effective. 

I think the key to making it work for us is the layering and not being afraid to buy actual technical products instead of the popular kid brands and hoping they'll be good enough. Shop North Face, Sorel, and other brands that are more expensive and know you can size up a bit and get two years of wear. Or buy on sale. Having things that fight against the cold make that morning drive/bus stop wait so much less nail biting! 

 

Stick a blanket in the dryer and pull out right before you all climb in. Such a treat on really cold days! (It was -11 not including wind chill. I was debating bringing my heated throw!) 

We used to have a remote start on our car, but when we upgraded to our minivan I decided I would do without the remote start- for a couple of reasons. I felt like it only worked at home and never at work so it was aggravating. Secondly it wastes a good amount of gas (the way I used it for sure did), we poluted more, and I felt like it might not be great for the engine. My minivan takes a long time to warm up so we're missing it right now. As I am sure we can all tell because cold and being cold is pretty much my tune on repeat right now. I hope Spring comes soon for everyone's benefit!

Where are my pants?!

First off- sorry for the polyvore image that has the shading and everything on hangers. Both of my favorite pant shops have these in their stock photos; so right now I am just dealing. I will work on this, but don't have time to edit their photos THAT much- and if I were to take pics of Sammy in everything or just of real life pants this would never happen.

 

Second sorry for the lazy blogging lately. I am freezing and most of my life involves making sure Sammy has enough layers that he survives the car ride to school. Praying that Spring finds us soon because -20 weather is pretty well taking a toll on all of us! I have just been hyper focused on really getting my home in order. Everything in its place kind of order and deep cleaning everything. (read: nesting without the actual pregnancy or pending labor)

I am getting Sammy around seven pairs of long pants in the next size. We really like to wear pants two days at my house as long as they are still pretty well clean and no stains. I try to save the environment and my sanity in small measures! That being said I like to have about a week and a half of stuff so I am not in an emergency laundry situation over at my house. I try to keep up but I am only one mama and honestly I get behind. Often.

Zara is kind of my go to (I typed to go before... I am a genius!) place to get pants with a little something extra. This year I am pretty obsessed with knee details. See the first Zara offering above! Gap is perfect for jeans because they tend to hold up really well for us. I love the fleece and flannel lined styles so I try to have a pair or two of those on hand. They are so great for those days where it is very cold, or apple picking in the fall. I find that they are much handier than I would have though. 

Sweats aren't something I have a lot of usually. Zara is my best bet because I can usually buy a size down and they work out. Sweats usually don't have an inner drawstring to make them adjustable. My kiddo is on the smaller side of things and really needs the length but not the width. I also usually find that jeans are a better option for the activities he is involved in.

I hope this rambling helps you start the internal conversation about what you're going to do for the next size up in wardrobe! As mamas we're constantly having to replace clothing and it is great to always be in the position of buying when you can rather than when you have to. I cannot imagine the expense of buying all of his pants in one fell swoop- it just makes so much more sense to me to buy on sale and get the brands I love at the prices that I can actually afford in my spending budget. Happy Shopping!

Sizing Up! Sweaters

 

 

I thought it would be a bit helpful to share what I am focusing on for the next size up (5T). This is our last year in toddler sizes. Sammy isn't a big kid so we've been able to remain pretty true to size until now. He's still able to wear some 3T because I like for his clothes to be tighter than some other moms care for them to be. That is all just a preference thing. 

 

First off - Hanna Andersson striped shirt. I will wait for this to go on sale or find a dupe somewhere. It's nice because it really looks great with some colored pants and ties them in nicely. Secondly is this Genuine Kids sweater from Target. I love it and got a 5T when I got the current one. It's really nice and I get a lot of compliments. Plus the colors in the sleeves are full to coordinate with some colored denim. 

Next is a sweater from Gap. I love the camo and the new way it is done is really cool. The Tiger sweater and navy blue are all from Gap. I love get things there when I can find a deal. Which is often. Sorry about that Gap card bill honey!!!

 

The green striped pullover is from Genuine kids as well. I love their sweaters. This one is great with so many  things and it is that perfect green for a redhead. Lastly is my love- the Patagonia Fleece. This fleece is no joke. He can wear this safely in the car in the Winter months and it is adorable. Plus he thinks he looks like Gnomeo and Juliet. Win for Mama!!! Hope this helps as you begin to start shopping those sales so you are not forced to pay full price for cold weather items next year. Happy shopping!!

Friday Duds

Friday! Sammy is headed to the dentist with my husband while I wrap up my Friday work stuff.

I wanted to send him in something cute because he's been in jammies the last two days. Also I usually try to dress him up for appointments. Osh Kosh always has several items that really stand out. Sammy always gets a lot of compliments on this sweater. (sidenote I wish I would have gotten the next size up!) I love a shirt underneath because I worry he may itch. Tall chucks are pretty much a no brainer!

Hope everyone enjoys their weekends!

Now reporting 12344566 lost pairs of gloves

Last night I got my daily report for Sammy. Each day I get a report that tells me what lessons he worked on during school AND any tidbits about his day. Yesterday was a reminder that they were going to keep going outside every day that they possibly could- and parents need to send appropriate cold weather gear. 

 

Face meet palm. I have sent 4 pairs in as many weeks. Sammy has managed to lose a pair a week. And that is not even counting the random one orange glove I can't match up. Lord help me now. I am praying this trend slows down. I did what any self respecting mother would do in a new school setting... I got some more mittens. Gap is having a 50% off sale event going on so I got a new pair. I am going to try harder to prevent their losses because at $4 a pair they are starting to add up. I am also hitting up target to hopefully find a multipack and stuff his jacket pockets with random pairs. Take that little preschooler bent on making Mommy look flustered. (No need to try! I am doing fine with that on my own!)

Off School Multicultural Event

First Day of School!

This top from Target- Genuine Kids is very adorable! I was thrilled to find it. Green looks great on a redhead but it's not cliche with this one.. Just subtle and really adorable. Pics to follow! Some khakis that are more yellow than sand and some velcro chucks. He takes his shoes off when he gets inside at his new school. I think that is lovely. What a fun way to make everyone feel so welcome. Very excited for these changes at our home!

Days of Christmas 11

I love this Boden shirt for New Year's Eve because that guy clearly has his party hat on! The deal with New Year's Eve is to keep it simple and festive... And keep it PJ like. You might be transferring from the car to bed and you want to have something you can have your kiddo sleep in.

The sweats are so adorable on. They have kind of an interesting feel but are still extremely comfy. I love the moccs with these pants and know I've already done a look involving the two. They slip on and off easily and are so chic for a little dude. 

We're Cajun- not sure if I have mentioned that. We will have a family gathering with a nice pot of Gumbo and some black eyed peas for good luck!

Days of Christmas 10

Happy Christmas Eve!!! This Train shirt is a hit for obvious reasons to every mom who has a train obsessed little boy. I love the texture in these pants coupled with the boots from Carters. 

Hope everyone is enjoying their last day before Christmas!! I am going to save 1-2 days of this whole Christmas thing until New Years for some different looks!

Days of Christmas 9

I love this Gap sweater. I love classics after a couple days of trendier items. These flannel lined jeans are from Boden and I am of course all in on some colored jeans. I got Sammy these duck boots from Gap on sale and with a big time coupon. Still though I think Gap has all of my love for the past year. Boden is killing me with nothing really I have to have... They usually have tons of shirts I am pining over. Carters feels too babyish this year and we've only gotten very few things. Hopefully I discover a fun new brand so I can have some variety on here. But this is real life where I am busy and order things online and this is what I like right now.

Days of Christmas 8

We are getting so close to Christmas! Mix of my faves. H&M suspenders. I do like them but prefer Zara. Gap Vest and Tea Collection shirt. (Pro Tip... Line dry your tea collection)

Hope Christmas shopping is wrapped up for everyone.

Days of Christmas 7

This shirt is from Walmart of all places. I love it! H&M cargo pants are so cute. I of course use basically any excuse to use Sammy's Hunter boots because I adore them. If only I had this much fun dressing myself!

A word on that actually. So I am going to focus on not buying so much for Sammy in the coming months clothing wise. I am mainly a pajama addict but I do need to focus on buying myself more clothing. It is sad but I honestly would rather buy him cute things. So... After Christmas we're focusing on creating looks from what we already have. A capsule wardrobe for preschoolers... How novel. Just kidding. That idea is so silly to me but I am going to be using existing pieces and trying to create several looks from each piece. Sammy is also starting a new adventure where he may need to wear clothes that he can really get dirty. Be looking forward to this new project!

Days of Christmas 6

This OshKosh shirt is a favorite of mine. The fit is nice. In the past their clothes have been baggy and we just can't have that! The sweats are so popular now. And I love them because they add a little something to the outfit and are still totally comfy. I have to admit I don't let Sammy wear this type of pant when I know he's out and about on the playground... He can blow out a knee with a quickness. The mocs are my solution for loving the style of them mocc but knowing he needs something with an actual sole. (Freshly Picked with a sole would be my uber first choice) So these are cute and will hold up much better.