Mommin' It Up!

This year, for the first time in several years, my big kids needed new winter coats.  They had both worn their previous Lands’ End coats for two years and it was time. So of course I was thrilled when Lands’ End asked if we’d like to do an outerwear review this year! This time, I got my kids something I’d never tried  before – the Lands’ End 3-in-1 Squall Parka (girls here, boys here).

Aren’t they adorbs? But that’s beside the point! The point is, these coats are the flippin’ bee’s knees! They have an extra zip-out fleece liner that can be worn alone as a jacket on warmer days. They have grow-along adjustable sleeves, a waterproof and windproof exterior that keeps kiddos warm and dry and it’s temperature rated from -15 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit! These coats are perfect for playing in the snow (especially when paired with the matching snow bibs, which I am really hoping my kids can use this year!) or waiting outside at the bus stop. And the Lands’ End quality will last and last. I expect Joshua and Sophie to be wearing these for another two years!

Next, I got to try out a coat for myself, woohoo!

I chose the Women’s Modern Down Jacket, and it is just gorgeous! (And seriously? Shouldn’t I be a coat model? I mean the coat covers up my body completely It’s great! Call me, Lands’ End!)  Not to mention soooo warm. When I tried it on inside my house, I was instantly HOT. This thing packs the heat. It is going to be great this winter, which I know is going to be brutal because last winter was mild.  It’s temperature rated from -15 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit! I love the finish on the fabric – it’s a matte fabric that is water-resistant. The hood is also adjustable AND removable as is the faux fur trim, so this coat is really customizable. I love the belt, too, it adds a nice bit of flair. I couldn’t be happier with this chic, cozy coat!

Oh hi, this is Emily now!
Like Jenny, I was thrilled to check out a Lands’ End coat for myself – unlike Jenny, however, I am not a huge fan of pictures of myself and I was totally going to take a picture of my gorgeous coat on a hanger and leave myself out of it all together… but the cut on this coat is amazing and it needed to be shown!

This is the Luxe Wool Pea Coat – isn’t it pretty? I have been lusting after the entire Luxe Wool collection since the first fall catalog came out, and if anything, I like the coat in person even better than I had expected.

Here’s the description from the website:
Woven in Italy, the fabric contains a luscious blend of rich wool and sumptuous cashmere for a refined appearance and wonderfully soft touch. The silhouette is a traditional double-breasted style with princess seams to flatter your figure. The tailoring is beautifully finished with careful attention to every detail, from the decorative pickstitching to the French envelope closure on the inside chest pocket. Among Pea Coats for women, we’ve found none finer!

Like I said, I really love the fit and the tailoring, and I also love the length – it hits me right below the hips, which will help a lot in keeping warm!

Lands’ End will also be keeping my kids warm this winter as well. Like Joshua and Sophie, Kate and Sam will be rockin’ the 3-in-1 Squall Parkas this winter – we found them on a year-end sale last spring and couldn’t pass them up! Lands’ End sent them some hats and gloves to match, so they’re all set.

Here’s Sam in his Squall gloves.

The Squall gloves have a waterproof nylon shell and PolarThin insulation to keep hands dry and warm. They’re nice and long, which will prevent the awful snow-between-gloves-and-coat-sleeves syndrome. Also, they’ve got adjustable SnowGuard cuffs to make sure they fit snugly. Lands’ End makes Squall gloves for the entire family – sounds like a nice addition to Christmas stockings to me!

Finally – there’s nothing more important for staying warm than a hat! Here’s Kate in her Northwest Passage Peruvian Hat.

This cute hat combines a vintage look with Lands’ End function and style. Its fleece lining and (freaking adorable) ear flaps add extra warmth. Love it!

Speaking of Lands’ End, we hope you’ll join us TONIGHT from 6-7 PM EST on twitter for the #LE12HRS Twitter party! It’s 12 hours of twitter all day long from 9-9, but we’ll be hosting and talking about holiday gifts from 6-7 PM. So join us for our usual brand of hilarious dialogue enhanced with awesome Lands’ End PRIZES and info about their great gift selections. See you then!

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Lands’ End provided us with outerwear items to facilitate our review. All opinions are our own.

I’m back again with more awesome games from the Wonder Forge. You guys, I know I sound like a broken record but I LOVE these games! They are so much better than the games we had when we were kids. They are fun for kids and their parents to play together and they are so good for kids’ brains! They are learning through play at its finest!

Today I have two Jake & the Neverland Pirates games to feature. If you have a Jake fan in your house, these are a must-have! The first game is called “Who Shook Hook?”

First, let me say, the age on this game is 4+ but I think 5 or 6 is more accurate. It requires some precision of mind and hand! But it is soooo fun! You have to balance Captain Hook and all his treasures on the hammock in the center of the board. On your turn, you have to carefully remove treasures with the designated tool and try not to make the whole net tip and keep Hook from falling out. Whoever finally send Captain Hook for a swim is the loser, and whoever has the most treasures wins.  It is REALLY fun. It took our family a few games to figure out how to keep Hook in the net for more than a turn or two, but once we got it, we got it! We have a blast with this one.

Next up is the “Neverland Challenge Game”.

This is an awesome game that will get your kids moving! It’s very similar to the Cat in the Hat I can do That! game which I adoooore, but it’s different enough that it’s not a replica. My favorite thing about this game is that it is soooo great for kids learning to follow (and succeed at) multi-step directions and it’s just really, really fun. Kids can earn gold doubloons (oh that’s how you spell that word!) for completing challenges and they have to collect more than Captain Hook to win. You will have fun with your kids jumping, balancing, crab-walking, and giggling over this game. It was a finalist for the 2013 Toy of the Year Awards and the honor is well-deserved. This is a purchase you will never regret! It’s for ages 3 and up and most 3-year-olds can definitely play it!

Once again, I cannot say enough about these great games by the Wonder Forge. If you are going to buy a game for a Christmas or Hanukkah gift, GET ONE FROM THE WONDER FORGE! 🙂 You can get them just about anywhere games are sold. My kiddos had fun ooh-ing and aah-ing over them at Target the other day. Happy shopping and playing!

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The Wonder Forge provided me with these games to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own!