Join Gymboree and KaBOOM! in Supporting Active Play for Kids #HopNRoll

We received a gift card to shop Gymboree's Hop 'N' Roll Spring line and was provided with another gift card to give away.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.

It took awhile, but Spring has finally sprung here in New England.  The joy on our children's faces to be able to play outside in the sun without a winter coat and snow boots was priceless.  We're lucky that our townhouse community has a vast courtyard and we live within walking distance of a park.  In fact, our town has more parks than I can count on one hand.  We are truly fortunate!

Active play is important for all children.  That's why Gymboree has partnered with KaBOOM! to build places to play for 10,000 kids this year.  This non-profit organization specializes in providing opportunities and places for children to enjoy active play, especially those in poverty-stricken communities.  In addition to providing programs and activities through their Play & Music centers, Gymboree also supports this cause by doing what they do best, which is to create playground-friendly, stylish, and fun clothing for children and tweens.

In early April, Gymboree launched its Hop 'N' Roll playwear line!  This line captures the spirit of Springtime play with it's colorful, fun, and comfortable mix and match pieces for both boys and girls.  Through May 31st, Gymboree will be donating a percentage of the proceeds from in-store and online sales of this fun-loving collection.

Your children will love picking out their fave Hop 'N' Roll pieces, while supporting a worthy cause!  Ours did . . . 

Featuring the Gymboree Hop 'n' Roll Flutter Sleeve Stripe Dress and Neon Leggings, the Hello Happy Canvas Tote Bag, and the Polar Pink Pom-Pom Heart Bracelet

Our daughter is quite the girly-girl despite having two brothers.  She loves to look stylish, but will only opt for clothing and shoes that won't get in the way of her jump roping, playground fun, and keeping up with the boys in a game of tag at recess.

Featuring the Gymboree Hop 'n' Roll Intergalactic Pizza Delivery Tee, Slate Grey Pull-on Shorts, and Marled Trim Pullover (shown in bottom photo)

For our two boys, it's all about cool graphics and comfort!  Gymboree's Hop 'N' Roll collection for boys offers a variety of graphic tees and easy-to-wear pull-on shorts.

Featuring the Gymboree Hop 'n' Roll Skateboard Rhino Tee and Slate Grey Pull-on Shorts

We did choose some pieces from other Gymboree collections to complete the look for my daughter's flutter tee and skirt outfit, such as bike shorts to make the skirt more monkey bar-friendly, an adorable canvas tote bag, and some cute bracelets that matched her outfit perfectly.  That's what I love about Gymboree!  You can mix and match between collections, between seasons, and even between years!

Featuring the Gymboree Hop 'n' Roll I'm a Cool Cat Flutter Tee and Neon Painted Dot Skirt, the Everyday Favorites White Bike Shorts (hidden), the Polar Pink Pom-Pom Heart Bracelet, and the Mod About Orange Striped Bead Bracelet

Shop the Hop 'N' Roll collection from now thru May 31st, 2015 to help Gymboree and KaBOOM! raise enough money to build play spaces for 10,000 deserving children in communities across the U.S.  Which Hop 'N' Roll item is your favorite?

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Gymboree Inspires Us to Celebrate and Cherish Our Children's Special Childhood Moments #cherishchildhood

I received a promotional item from Gymboree as a thank you for taking the time to participate in this campaign.  All opinions expressed are my own.

If you visit my blog at any time, you will likely be able to tell right away that I take an abundance of photos of our 3 children, who are now 6, 6, and 9.  Well, if you can believe it, I probably took twice as many when they were infants and toddlers.  They just changed so quickly back then.  Sometimes I find myself wishing that my children would mature a little more quickly, but when those difficult moments have passed, I come to my senses and wish they could stay little forever.

One thing I do regret is not making more videos of our children.  Although a picture does say a thousand words, some videos are just too precious.  I found this one from 3 years ago.  It was a video birthday tribute the children made for my husband.  I showed it to the twins and they don't even remember filming it.  I love this video because it shows how having fun comes so naturally to children (and it makes me feel a little envious).  I love watching them dance, giggle, and make silly faces.  Like the Gymboree video said, "We only grow up when we forget how to play."



If you'd like to share Gymboree's Today We've Got to Play! video, visit Gymboree on YouTube.

Silly Monkey Stories: Post-Photo Shoot Sillies (2nd Installment)

I just realized yesterday that I had these photos put aside to share and never did share them.  I saved them because everyone seemed to enjoy the last group of Post-Photo Shoot Sillies photos I had shared.  For those of you who are not aware of this, I always take silly photos of the children after they do a photo shoot for me.  This is the only way I can keep them from being silly when I really need them to focus and be serious.  I tell them that they need to save all the silliness for afterwards and boy do they ever.  You would not believe how much silliness they have bottled up inside!

By coincidence, just like the last photo shoot, this one was also for a fashion review for a Gymboree campaign.  I must say that, since I learned to let them do this, our photo shoots have gone much more smoothly.  I am actually looking forward to shooting our Holiday card photos next month.

Which silly photo is your favorite?

Click here to read all our Silly Monkey Stories!

Add Your Cutie's Photo to Zulily's First Day of School Photo Gallery! #yayfirstday

This post was written as part of a Zulily affiliate promotion. All opinions expressed are my own.

 Our three children's first day of school was on Wednesday.  Although all three were excited to return, our 6 year old daughter was the only one who really spent time on her outfit.  Like always, she wanted to wear something cute and playground-friendly.  The boys picked out their favorite graphic tees to wear and were done with it.  Our daughter, on the other hand, wore almost all brand new items, including a new haircut.  How about your children?  Were they all excited to look their best for the first day of school or were they more laid back about it like our two sons?

To see some fashionable first day photos, visit Zulily's First Day of School Photo Gallery!  Zulily asks that we all join in to share our special back-to-school moments. Submit your photos for inclusion in the Zulily First Day of School photo gallery by September 13th.

Our daughter's first day outfit consisted of . . . 

• Apple Bottoms 'Love' Ruched Top from Zulily
• Denim Utility Skort from The Children's Place
• Ositos Shoes Princess Slip-On Sneaker from Zulily
• Peace Backpack from The Children's Place
• Gem Bauble Bracelet from Gymboree

If you end up submitting a photo and it ends up being included in the photo gallery, please let me know.  I will be sure to visit the First Day of School Photo Gallery to give the photo some love!

Find Poppies, Stripes, Fashion Denim, and More for Fall at Gymboree

Thank you to Gymboree for sending us a gift card to shop for back-to-school fashions and for providing an additional gift card as our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Fall is by far my favorite season.  I love the cool crisp air and it means that the winter holidays will be coming soon.  Even though our children say they love summertime, I think they are excited for fall to come.  They get to see all their friends at school again and they get to start wearing their cuddly knit tops and much-missed jeans.  Although I still shop for my children without their being present frequently, now that they are older, I sometimes let them choose their favorite items (within reason) in a store or online.  When I am short on time, I find that shopping online with my children is much more efficient and that is how all 3 children picked out their new fall outfits from Gymboree.

Somehow our 6 year old son, who happens to be the pickiest dresser, was the easiest to shop for.  It is not so much the style he is particular about than the fabric.  He will not willingly put on a pair of jeans.  One of the first shirts he saw was this Stripe Rugby Shirt from the Camp Yosemite Collection.  He and I both agreed that the rugby stripes and the color combinations were very handsome, but mostly I think he chose this shirt because it looked very soft.

The next logical thing was to see what non-denim pants were available in the Camp Yosemite Collection.  Since all the pieces in each of Gymboree's collections are designed to be color coordinated, this made our search a very short one.  Right away, I found the Jersey Lined Cargo Active Pant and knew they were perfect for my son.  Being jersey lined, these pants were extremely soft inside, plus he just loves to wear cargo pants because of all the extra pockets.

Our son was very pleased with the comfort of his outfit and we both loved the look.  I'm not quite sure the outfit goes with his Star Wars sneakers, but maybe nobody will notice.

Our 6 year daughter was not quite as easy to shop for.  She changed her mind several times.  This is when shopping online comes in handy.  I can put as many things in my virtual shopping bag as I would like.  If we had been shopping in-store, I would have been carrying around 5 or 6 outfits while she was making up her mind.

Ultimately, my daughter decided she very much liked the poppies in the Brightest In Class Collection.  We ended up with the Poppy Stripe Tee and the Flower Cuff Jean.  She was just in love with these button-adorned jeans and would only consider tops that would coordinate well with them.  I suspect that she was so enamored with these jeans because she collects buttons.  I hope she's not thinking of adding these to her collection . . . at least, not until she's outgrown the jeans.

As a benefit of being a girl, our daughter was able to choose some accessories to go with her cute new outfit.  The Poppy Flower Bead Bracelet was a no-brainer.  I thought a floral hair accessory would just be one flower too many, so I chose the Big Curly Pony Holder in Gym Navy Stripe from the Friendship Camp Collection for her.  Did I mention that I love to mix and match items from the various collections?

Choosing a pair of shoes was a tough task.  There were so many pretty boots and ballet flats being offered by Gymboree for fall, but ultimately my daughter chose the Bow Slip-On Sneaker.  She liked them because they looked comfortable and playground-friendly.  I cannot tell you how many pairs of ballet flats she would not wear to school last year because the mulch from the playground kept getting inside her shoes.  She also loves that there are little bows on top of these maryjane-style sneakers and that the lining is covered in hearts.

Our 9 year old son definitely knows what he likes and what he does not like when it comes to fashion.  He really wanted a pair of skinny jeans, but that is not a cut that Gymboree offers for boys.  He was ultimately happy with a Straight Jean in the slim fit.

For a top, our son chose the Hooded Double Sleeve Racer Tee from the Ace Driver Collection.  He loves the layered look and is always drawn to anything with a hood.  He also prefers earthtone colors.  This outfit paired with his skater shoes made him one happy 4th grader.

Just like his younger siblings, our 9 year old son likes clothes that look good, but are also comfortable to wear.  Being able to move freely in his clothing is key for getting through a long school day, but especially recess and gym class.

Here are some great promotions being offered by Gymboree (for a limited time only) . . .

• 30% off all regular priced items
• Additional 20% off already reduced items
• Free Standard Shipping on online orders over $75

To keep up with the latest fashions, sales, and promotions, sign up to be a Rewards Member and follow Gymboree on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

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Spring is in Full Swing with Brightly-Colored Fashions at Gymboree!

Thank you to Gymboree for providing a gift card for me to shop and share my experience with my readers and for providing an additional gift card for our contest prize. All opinions expressed are my own.

Spring has only just begun to show itself here in Massachusetts.  Our children are extremely excited about being able to wear short-sleeve tees (without a jacket), short pants, capris, skorts, and dresses.  They really could not wait to celebrate the warmer weather with new outfits from Gymboree, especially since I told them they could each choose their own outfits themselves.

Our 6 year old son loves wearing graphic tees and only ever objects to one thing . . . jeans.  He was the easiest to dress.  Once I showed him this cool looking Motorcycle Ringer Tee from the Summer Wheels Collection, he gave his full approval right away.  I then showed him how the ringer tee looked with the coordinating Dusty Blue Plaid Cargo Short.  Done!  He was off to sit in the children's waiting area in front of the TV, while I moved onto his slightly more difficult siblings.

I have to say that I love these Dusty Blue pieces accented with brown.  It's like a "big kid" version of the boutique baby blue and brown color combination.  Plus, I knew this outfit would look very smart with the brown canvas slip-on shoes he already owned.  A cool shirt and comfortable shorts was all that was needed to make this little guy happy.

Our 6 year old daughter takes after me . . . she just loves to shop!  I knew she would find lots of pieces that she liked and there would be some indecisiveness.  Overall, she seemed to be drawn to the corals and oranges, so that helped us narrow our search down to within the Surf Adventure Collection.  She really fell in love with the Embroidered Flower Chambray Capri Jeans.  I had to admit they were just adorable with the embroidered flowers down one leg and a little grosgrain bow at the waist.  I almost had to disappoint her because, when I held the capris up to her in her regular size, they looked huge at the waist.  Luckily for us, like many of Gymboree's pants, these came in "slim" and "plus size".  So we grabbed a pair in Size 6 Slim and began our search for a top.

Our daughter ended up choosing the Button Corsage Flower Ruffle Tank, which I was thrilled about because it was girly, but not too frilly.  She had also been eyeing the Sparkle Bead Ribbon Necklace and matching Sparkle Bead Bracelet.  I really did not feel that the outfit needed a necklace, but we did buy the bracelet plus the Ribbon Corsage Pony Holder.  This outfit fit our daughter's personality very well.  She wants to dress like a "big girl", but still likes to look girly and sweet.

While shopping with our 9 year old son, I learned something about him that I did not know . . . he is not crazy about plaid.  I found this out when I suggested several pairs of the plaid and madras shorts to him. He insisted that he wanted a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.  So I found a pair of Dark Wash Classic Jeans in Slim Fit for him.  He is currently in between sizes, so the jeans were a bit loose-fitting and longer than he is used to, but they still worked.  Besides, if he continues to grow at the same pace, we will be lucky if these jeans still fit him when fall arrives.

Jeans go with almost anything, so we began to look for a top our son would like.  He wanted no part of the polos or the button down wovens, but he did really like the sport-themed ringer tees.  He ended up choosing Soccer Player Tee from the Gone Surfin' Collection.  He also started eyeing the boys' sunglasses, but, when I looked at them, I noticed that the largest size offered is 4 and Up.  We lucked out though!  These Swim Sunglasses have straight and flexible sides, so our son found them to be very comfortable.

All 3 of our children and I were thrilled with the items we chose.  One thing I love about Gymboree clothing is that they last forever.  We washed all these pieces before we put them on our children.  There were no signs of shrinking, pilling, or fading.  From my past experience, Gymboree clothing will still look new (if my children manage not to stain them) by the time they have been outgrown by my children.  Our younger son always inherits his big brother's clothes and it's a good feeling to know that his Gymboree clothes do not look like hand-me-downs at all.  They are always the pieces I feel very comfortable handing down to the younger children in my circle of family and friends.  I am always so happy when there is a sale going on at Gymboree because I know I am getting top quality clothing at a great price.

To view all the Gymboree collections for Spring and Summer 2013, visit www.Gymboree.com.  Be sure to enroll in Gymboree Rewards, if you haven't already.  Also, if you shop right now, you can earn $25 in Gymbucks for every $50 you spend in-store or online, where you can get Free Standard Shipping on orders over $75.  As always, if you shop, be sure to come back and tell me what you bought!

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