Matilda Jane Paint by Numbers Review and $50 Gift Card Giveaway

The fall is my absolute favorite time of year - the leaves are changing, the candles are burning, and wardrobes shift to all things soft and cozy and warm.  I love nothing more than cuddling up in some lovely fall clothes to get that feeling of warmth and comfort.

So it was with absolute pleasure that we accepted when Matilda Jane recently offered us the opportunity to review outfits from their newest line - Paint by Numbers.  

Have you heard of Matilda Jane?  If not, I'm thrilled to make the introduction.  This beautiful clothing line was created by Denise DeMarchis, a mom and successful decorative artist, who wanted to create "an unpredictable clothing company."  The result was a collection of whimsical prints, colors and textures perfect for lovely girls, tweens and adults.  Denise says "It's all about keeping a little girl...a little girl. Keeping her youthful. Keeping her spinning and twirling and carefree. And most importantly, bringing her happiness." Truly, this sense of happiness defines the brand, who even have Mom in mind with their unique approach to kids clothing.

Matilda Jane Clothing is made to mix and match within the line.  Moms will love the convenience of no longer hunting through laundry for that perfect match - everything is interchangeable.  "You are not wearing that out of this house!" may disappear from a Matilda Jane mom's vocabulary.  Paired with a reputation for the highest quality, Matilda Jane clothing truly makes it easy to build the perfect wardrobe.

Even the unique shopping experience with Matilda Jane is convenient.  Trunk Keepers, experts in the Matilda Jane Clothing line, work with a hostess (known as a Jane) to offer a Trunk Show to guests who get to see the product first hand.  Nothing is more important than touching and feeling the fabrics, seeing the colors and prints first hand, and getting advice for the perfect fit - and Matilda Jane has found a great solution to give you all of these things in a fun environment with friends.

When our box arrived from Matilda Jane I could barely contain the excitement.  Opening the package like it was Christmas morning, I was delighted to find our outfits beautifully packaged in tissue and mesh bags - keeping every little ruffle in perfect place.  

Julie's outfit is simply adorable.  The Limelight Peasant Top in a sunny cream color, subtly printed with butterflies and hot air balloons (which we love by the way).  Julie loved the adorable wrist ruffles, touching them with her fingertips and showing us proudly. 

 Paired with the plum, polka-dot Pointillism Big Ruffle Pants, this outfit takes "cute" to a whole new level.  I loved the personality and sass that just poured out of this outfit.  The fabrics were so soft and perfect for an active kid as our Julie just doesn't sit still for long.

      

I love the opportunity for a "mom and me" connection with Matilda Jane!  My outfit was made with the same rich tones and complimentary colors to the children's wear.  Consistent with the ruffles and whimsy Matilda Jane is known for, my outfit was fun and flirty.  I loved the deep purple of the Grape Leaf Cardigan with it's beautifully patterned weave and detailed buttons.  The Fragrant Lilac Tee covers with great stretch and pretty lace edging.  My Midnight Big Ruffles pants were  super soft and comfortable, and I even I was tempted to twirl in all the flouncy fabric!  I will say that personally, my body type may not have been the perfect one for these pants as my midsection (still a bit ample from twins) felt a little bare.  The great thing about Matilda Jane though, is that I could easily pair the pieces with others from the collection - like the Liberty Button Up top or the Hazel Circle Skirt for additional coverage.  I love this convenience and versatility!   

I even had the pleasure of trying the Nancy in Chocolate Headband since Julie still has little patience wearing hair accessories - even fabulous ones!  I loved that this headband could fit both mom and daughter with it's hand tied closure.  The print is so reminiscent of fall and matches everything beautifully.

We are so thankful for the opportunity to connect with Matilda Jane and try out these beautiful outfits.  We're looking forward to wearing them together again very soon - perhaps on a special Mom and Me outing to the museum or fall festival!  

Matilda Jane has generously offered our readers the chance to win a $50 Matilda Jane Gift Card so you can shop for all of your favorite pieces for your special girl - or even a little something for yourself!  

Enter to win using the rafflecopter below, and be sure to stay connected with Matilda Jane via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Disclosure:  I was provided complimentary product in exchange for my review and giveaway.  I was not paid for this promotion.  All opinions remain my own.


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Bubble Guppies Bring Ballet for All

In our house, the Bubble Guppies are the babes absolute favorite when it comes to television shows.  We have them set to DVR automatically, and have built up a collection of about 40 episodes to access them whenever we need a quick distraction.

And while I do acknowledge that the APA recommends no screen time for those under two, in a house of twin chaos, Mama needs every tool in the tool box to keep it all together.

They sing, they dance, they "line up," have lunch play pretend and all along the way, teach some lesson about every day life.  Emergency workers, trucks, dinosaurs, hair cuts, Egypt, bugs, recycling, and circuses have all been the featured topic of Bubble Guppies episodes.  And I do love these little guys - but for more than the few moments of peace they offer me each day.

Today's episode was titled Super Ballet Bowl and I have to say, I was totally impressed.

Let me back up a bit.  For me, gender equality is a huge deal.  In school I was blessed to have incredible professors who challenged me to consider what I'd been taught by our society about what it is to be a woman, and what I expect of our male counterparts.  This social programming begins within moments of our birth, girls dressed in pink and boys in blue.  Toys and clothes are categorized into those for "girls" and "boys."  And as the children grow to adults, studies show that many are funneled into classes and careers that our society deems to be appropriate for their gender.

As a mom of "girl/boy twins" this label can be particularly sticky, becoming an intrinsic part of their identities and how I relate to them as my children.  Julie is my girl - Brayden is my boy.  It defines them despite my best efforts.

So when I saw the title of today's episode, Super Ballet Bowl, it sparked my curiosity. With a classroom of three boys and three girls, how would the guppies handle this potential gender pitfall?  Would they fall into the current trend - where it's okay for girls to participate in activities culturally and traditionally reserved for boys (like sports and science), but deny boys the opportunity to step into the realm of the creative arts - traditionally held by females?

I am so glad to share that they handled it with ease:

I have to give my deepest commendations to Nickelodeon and to the writers of the Bubble Guppies for going there.  They gave little boys the freedom to do whatever they want - including dance.

It got me to thinking what a fabulous job this show is doing in supporting non-traditional roles - we have a male teacher (Mr. Grouper), a female Mayor of Big Bubble City, female construction workers and police.

In our house, it's Brayden we see moving his feet and bopping his head to the music.  And when the time comes for Julie to start toddler ballet classes, he'll be there right beside her - just as she will be beside him when T-Ball begins.  The world will put it's own shadows of cultural gender identity on my children soon enough, but I'm glad that today, they were offered equality.

The Birthday Triplets: Granny Rosie's Amazing, Magical Day - Review and Giveaway

We love finding fabulous new children's books to fall in love with - and ones about families with multiples are especially exciting!  We were thrilled then, when we had the opportunity to check out the new children's book, The Birthday Triplets: Granny Rosie's Amazing, Magical Day.

This sweet book begins with lonely Granny Rosie, saddened that she'd yet again spend her birthday alone.  She begins looking for a distraction - maybe something in her recipe book?  But none of those adventures seemed quite right - until, that is, a special invitation arrived!  With a little hope and a few special ingredients, Granny was in for a birthday surprise hosted by the magical Birthday Triplets!

Three special girls - Candi, Cookie and Coco (and their pooch Chocolate Pudding) bring excitement and joy to brighten Granny's special day.  Singing and dancing along, the triplets bring celebration wherever they go.

This beautifully whimsical book creates such a delightful world for it's readers.  With a consistent end rhyme, it's a great book to read aloud - such an important thing for our family story time!  The story shares values like compassion and joy and is filled to the brim with fun.  The images are simply gorgeous and full of detail.

While my toddlers surely enjoyed our time reading this book together, especially pointing to all of the pictures along the way.  I think an ideal age for readers might be between 4 and 7.  It's perfect to share together for family reading time, or reading independently for a beginning reader.

The Birthday Triplets: Granny Rosie's Amazing, Magical Day would be the perfect gift for any special birthday as it would bring the magic of celebration into story time.  For families with multiples, this exciting adventure adds an element of familiarity, and illustrates the love and partnership sisters share with one another.  Finally, little ballerinas would be big fans of these dancing triplets with their adorable ballet shoes and tutus.

We loved The Birthday Triplets and I know you will too - even if you're a family of one, two, or three special girls!

 

We are so excited to share this special book, signed by both the author and illustrators, to one of our readers!  Enter using the Rafflecopter below, and good luck!

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While we did receive a copy of this book to review and give away to our readers, we were not compensated for this post.  All opinions are our own. Amazon Affiliate links are provided for your convenience.  If a book is purchased through these links, I may receive small compensation.

Mix'n Match Pumpkin Magnets: Toddler Busy Bag Ideas

As I may have mentioned previously, I've been keepin' busy building a super fun "busy bag" for the kids.  It's a challenge finding ideas that are developmentally on target for our now 21 month olds, but I am glad to share with you some of my fabulous finds!

When I first saw these adorable little pumpkins from MamaMiss.com I fell in love.  What a fun, seasonal (yet not too spooky) idea for our bags.

Supplies Needed: 
Printable Pumpkin Faces from the amazing Melissa over at MamaMiss.com
Scissors
Contact Paper
Magnet Sheet (got mine from walmart)
Pie Pan or Cookie Sheet

What I did: This one was pretty easy-peasy... I downloaded, saved and printed the pumpkin face document, and then covered the whole sheet (front and back) with clear contact paper.  Next, I cut around the circles and across the dotted lines creating 12 pieces.  Finally I cut pieces of magnet from my adhesive sheets (about 1/2 inch by 1 inch) and stuck them to the back of the pieces.  SO easy!

Pros: Simple, inexpensive, seasonal and enough pieces for twins to share!

Cons: None that I can see!

Take a second and vote for me!  You know you want to ;-)

Sand in my Suit

Dan and I have been coming to the beach ever since we started dating - first to Virginia beach, and starting in 2011 (our "babymoon") to Myrtle. I first thought bringing infant and now toddler twins was a bad idea - they'd be terrors eating sand, needing naps, crying at the restaurants, and the sheer amount of STUFF that comes with twins.

I'm happy to admit how wrong I was. Last year's trip was a success due in part to my amazing parents, giving us double the hands for handling two. Now that they're running and so alert, it has been such a joy watching them discover and fall in love with our favorite place - the beach. 

I had worried that having the babies here would diminish my own enjoyment. I'm glad to say, that I have had more fun playing in the sand and swimming in the pool with them than I ever did relaxing alone. Seeing their faces light up with each new experience is pure perfection. This is that joyful part of Motherhood.

And yes, they eat sand, but meh - it won't kill them. They threw a fit at dinner, so we got out their Crayola boards and the tablet. The car was packed to the brim, but all the gear made it here. We've gotten beyond surviving - we're thriving.

Sometimes I don't like to get dirty or messy or wet. I'm thrilled to see a change in myself, where I'm letting go of my own desires because I just can't help but want to be part of whatever it is they're doing. My "high maintenance" needs going by the way side.

Today I had sand in my suit - something I haven't had since I was probably building my own sand castles as a kid. But I didn't care one bit. Playing along side of them was worth every bit.

This has been a long time coming...

PomPom Pusher: Toddler Busy Bag Idea

As we've been looking forward to a nice LONG car ride to the beach with the babies, I've been spending a lot of time putting together our our Busy Bag!  I'm going to be posting each activity that I included separately so it's not too overwhelming so stay tuned for a future compilation post covering everything plus my favorite honorable mentions.

First up with a fabulous little PomPom pusher inspired by Fun & Engaging Activities for Toddlers.  This is the first home-made toy I created for the Busy Bag and Brayden was quite pleased to test it out!

Supplies Needed:
Plastic Tub with Lid (Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese, or Butter work well)
Pom Poms - we used the ones with shiny filaments
Exacto Knife or Sewing Blade


What I did: This was pretty self explanatory - I removed the tub lid, put it on a cutting board, and sliced little shapes into the lid.  Since we did a variety of sizes, I needed to make some larger than others - but generally, shapes slightly smaller than your pompoms are ideal so baby pushes through the hole vs. just dropping them in.  For us, there was one larger hole that the babies preferred since it was a little larger which to me, defeats the purpose a bit.  All in all, they used all the holes and shapes to squish the pompoms into the tub.

Pros: Cheap, easy, and occupied the babies for quite some time!  Because of my (too) large hole, the babies enjoyed the added benefit of shaking the smaller puffs out of the tub once they were all in which worked out kinda well in the end.  This one is one of Brayden's favorite activities and especially likes the shiny pompoms for some extra interest and texture.

Cons: Younger toddlers could swallow pompoms without appropriate supervision. This may or may not be super for your kid while eating out.  We did end up with a few pompoms on the ground, but for us - it was well worth the effort to pick them up in the end since they were content using it for so long.

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Just Between Friends Consignment Sale Coming Soon in Pittsburgh!

If you've been a reader for while, you may know that we LOVE to shop consignment sales!  We were lucky enough to have read about them a long time ago over at The Fabulous Baby Striblings  and have been hooked ever since.

In the past, I've shared my Consignment Shopping Haul and my 10 Tips for Kids Consignment Shopping Success - both are great reads if you're new to this fabulous way to stock your kids closets.

As the seasons change, we'll be needing to fill up on fall sweaters, jeans and leggings.  Lucky for us, the Just Between Friends Kids Consignment Sale is coming up very soon here in Pittsburgh!  

The Just Between Friends Fall/Winter Children's & Maternity Consignment event kicks off for everyone on September 20th.  There is an exclusive pre-sale for volunteers, consignors, first-time parents, foster parents, military families and teachers on Thursday, September 19th!    

What: JBF Pittsburgh Children's & Maternity Fall/Winter Sale
When: Fri., Sept. 20 – 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 21 - 8am-4pm (NEW Merchandise!) & Sun., Sept. 22 - 8am-2pm (Many items 50% off). 
Where: RMU Island Sports Center in the Golf Dome, 7600 Grand Ave., Pittsburgh 15225
Admission: $3 on Friday (under 18 is free - or print your FREE admission pass below for Friday). Admission is free Saturday & Sunday.

Want to outfit your kids in great brands?  Looking for some new toys or baby gear for less?  You  won’t want to miss the Just Between Friends Children’s & Maternity Consignment event.

Want to turn YOUR clutter into CASH at the Fall Sale?  It's not too late to sign up to sell any new and gently used items your family has outgrown at the JBF event. Consignors prepare and price their own items using an easy, online bar code system. They earn 60% of their sales or if they join the team and help out at the event, 70% of their sales. Anyone interested in consigning can sign up for the Pittsburgh event on the jbfsale.com website (click here).

Team members are an important part of the JBF event. JBF Team Members shop FIRST and earn 70% on their consigned items.  Anyone is welcome to join the JBF Team as a voluteer.  You can register for a short 4-hour shift to guarantee early admission at the pre-sale event!

For our local readers, we have a VERY special opportunity for you to shop at the Thursday night pre-sale on September 19th.  Enter using the rafflecopter below for your chance to win a pre-sale pass to shop early and snag up all the best deals.

Hope we'll see you there!

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