Weekend Wishlist: BEARPAW Boots, Chalkboard Mugs, Girls Personalized Tutu Ballerina Tote Bag, and More!

 It's Friday!  That means I've been browsing the new sales on Zulily.  I love shopping on the weekends because I only pay shipping on my first order and get free shipping on everything else from Friday through midnight on Sunday.  I am torn between all the end-of-summer deals and all the sales on new fall items, so I have some of each on my wishlist today.  I'm mostly set for back-to-school, so now I am starting to think about fall, winter, and Holiday gift shopping.  Even though I already own the BEARPAW Hickory & Camel Suede Ashton Boot, I saw another pair of cuddly BEARPAW boots that I would love to own!  A girl can never have too many pairs of warm boots, right?

What's new on my Zulily wishlist today?

1.  Classic Chalk Talk Mug - Set of Four - $22.99 (Originally $32)

2.  White Heart 'Don't Wake Me Up' Pajamas - $9.99 (Originally $24)

3.  Toddler & Girls Fuchsia Poppy Boot - $23.99 (Originally $40)

4.  Jeanne Lottie Black Fold-Over Clutch - $39.99 (Originally $90)

5.  BEARPAW Hickory Suede Candice Boot - Women - $44.99 (Originally $90)

6.  KidKraft Backyard Sandbox - $139.99 (Originally $300)

7.  Bunnies and Bows Light Pink Personalized Tutu Tote - $29.99 (Originally $50)

8.  Teal Ruffle Peacoat - $69.99 (Originally $240)


If you haven't already, be sure to checkout my post "6 Tips for Shopping on Zulily"!  What's on your weekend wishlist from Zulily or somewhere else?

Silly Monkey Stories: A Phone Call from Teacher

Last week's was the first Silly Monkey Story I've missed in four years!  The reason why I had to skip posting one was because the whole family got hit with the flu.  To keep with the theme, this week's story will be a flu-related one . . .

I was at A.C. Moore last Monday picking up some yarn for my oldest son's school project when my phone rang.  I saw that it was the preschool, so I was immediately concerned.  It turned out to be one of the twins' teachers and she explained to me that our son Luke had thrown up quite a bit.  When I asked about whether he was a mess and if the clothes in his emergency stash was sufficient, she gave me the most puzzling reply.  She said that Luke was currently wearing his underpants and another pair of underpants that look like boxer shorts over those as shorts.  Well, this raised some questions in my head, such as . . .

"What happened to the pants I sent in for his emergency clothing?"

"I know I didn't put boxers with his emergency clothes, so is my son wearing some other child's boxer shorts?"

"Is my son going to be in therapy until he's 30 because he's walking around school wearing some other child's boxers as shorts?"

Anyways, I rushed over to the school and brought in a pair of pants from the car sickness kit I kept in the car.  When I got there, Luke was wearing pants.  It turns out that, when Luke had gotten dressed that morning, he had forgotten to take off his short jammie bottoms.  So, he put on his long pants over his short pajama pants which were over his underpants.  What a confusing morning!  I suppose in the end, I was just glad that he wasn't wearing someone else's underpants.

Click here to read all my Silly Monkey Stories

Holiday 2010 Review: Women's Personality PJs from Soma Intimates

Sleepwear is an extremely popular gift for women for Christmas, birthdays, and anniversaries. The key is to buy the right ones for that particular lady. I personally like lightweight pajamas and am more comfortable when there is less fabric. So the set of thick fleece pajamas consisting of a long-sleeved button down tunic and long pants I received two years ago for Christmas are still folded up on my closet shelf unworn.

Show the recipient that you know her and have put some thought into her gift by selecting women's pajamas that she will actually love and use. As someone who normally wears a tank top and boy shorts to sleep, I was surprised how much I loved these Personality Pajamas from Soma Intimates. The fine jersey knit is super-soft. I would wear a tank top with these bottoms to bed and just wear the shirt open before bed or in the mornings in place of a robe.

Aside from the fine knit, some other details that add to the tailored look of these pajamas are the ribbon accents on the side chest pocket and drawstring at the waist of the pajama bottoms.

These Personality Pajamas from Soma Intimates offer the tops and bottoms separately in sizes XS to XL. Had I known that, I would have requested an X-Large for the top and a Medium for the bottoms. Instead, I compromised and asked for a size Large. Still, because the knit has a bit of a stretch, I found these pajamas to be very comfortable. The only thing I would change is to make the pajamas bottoms sit below the waist. That is just my own personal preference because all my bottoms are low-rise and I find that to be more comfortable.

To help you choose the right pajamas for your favorite lady, take the Soma Intimates personality quiz and answer the questions as you think she would. Then you can determine if her style is glam, romantic, chic, wild, classic, or fun! I turned out to be a cross between romantic and classic.

Visit Soma.com to view their full line of women's lingerie, pajamas, clothing, swimwear, and more.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Soma Intimates and received a pair of Personality PJs to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Review: St. Eve Toddler Girl's 3pc Pajamas for Warm Weather

When I was a little girl, I highly disliked wearing sleep shirts and nightgowns. They always rode up and frequently became all twisted and bunchy. Although my daughter does own a few nightgowns, I usually opt for pajamas for her.

I love it when I find 3pc pajama sets, like this one from St. Eve. They are soft, relaxed, and lightweight. They also give me the option of wearing them year round. Even though we are located in New England where the winters are harsh, the house still gets pretty toasty at night with the heat on. Short-sleeved pjs with long pants is sometimes the perfect thing on such a night. Of course, the short-sleeved shirt with the short bottoms is perfect for spring and summer.

My daughter was just delighted about these St. Eve toddler pajamas. Aside from being her favorite color . . . pink, they also have fun embellishments, such as glittery hearts, satin bows, and satin trim.

These pajamas washed beautifully. Sometimes it is hit or miss with polyester blend pajamas. About half the time, they come out of the first wash all pilled before they have even been worn. This was not the case with these St. Eve pajamas. They did not shrink at all in the dryer either.

You can find St. Eve children's pajamas at quality retailers like Sears and Sears.com .

Thank you to St. Eve for sending us sample pajamas free of charge to base this review upon.

Shop 'n' Share: Brand Name Clothing at BJ's Wholesale Club

Although my family shops at BJ's Wholesale Club weekly and have purchased clothing and shoes there in the past, I have never taken my time to closely look through their vast clothing section. I usually know what I need. If I needed pajamas for the children, then I would know exactly where to look. When BJ's invited me to check out their spring fashions and gave me a $25 gift card to shop for my family, this gave me the perfect excuse to take a closer look at the clothing available at BJ's.

I have always known that BJ's sold some brand name clothing, but I do not remember seeing so many brand name labels in the past. I was very pleasantly surprised and took extensive notes, so that I could share my finds with my readers. Here are some of the bargains that stood out to me the most . . .

Children's:

• "Red Sox" Onesie & Short Sets (Sizes 6-24mos) $8.99
• Boys & Girls "Ed Hardy" Short PJ's (Sizes 2-12) $8.00 Bought It!
• "DKNY" Girl's Dresses (Sizes 2-16) $18.99
• "Ralph Lauren" Girl's Polo Dresses (Sizes 7-16) $18.99
• "Laura Ashley" Girl's Floral Dresses (Sizes 2-6x) $8.00
• "Dolly & Me" Girl's Dresses w/Matching Doll Dress (Sizes 3-8, Doll Dress fits 18" Doll) $14.99 Bought It!

(New brand name pajamas, a shirt, and a dress w/matching doll dress for under $31)

Men's:

• "Reebok" Men's Performance Shorts (Sizes S-XXL) $9.90
• "Nike" Men's Dri-Fit Shorts (Sizes M-XXL) $17.00
• "Polo Jeans Co." Men's Screenprinted T-Shirts (Sizes M-XXL) $9.90
• "Tommy Hilfiger" Men's Short-Sleeved Knit Shirts (Sizes S-XXL) $7.99 Bought It!
• "Michael Kors", "Tommy Hilfiger", and "Nautica" Men's Polo Shirts (Sizes S-XXL) $19.99
• "Izod" Men's Polo Shirts (Sizes S-XXL) $14.99 to $16.99
• "Nautica" Jeans for Men (Sizes 32-42 Waist) $19.99

Women's:

• 3 different styles of "Vera Bradley" bags - All under $45.00
• Several styles of "Nine West" Ladies Tops - $8.00 to $17.99
• "BCBG" Hoodies & Coordinating Drawstring Pants - $17.99 each
• "Gloria Vanderbilt" Cargo Capris (Sizes 6-18) $16.99
• "Izod" Bermuda Shorts (Sizes 4-16) $16.99

Shoes:

• "Nike" Running Shoes for Men - $36.99
• "Nike" Running Shoes for Women - $35.00
• "New Balance" Running Shoes for Men & Women - $35.99

There are really too many bargains to list them all. Other brand names I came across are Liz Wear, Levis, Nicole Miller, Wes & Willy, and more. Please keep in mind that the selection may vary from one club store to another and the selection changes all the time. We'll save the discussion about luxury handbags for another day. Those deserve a whole separate article.

If you would like to take shopping at BJ's for a test run, you can snag a Free 60-Day Trial BJ's Membership through July 5th, 2010.

Pamper Your Man with Karen Neuburger Pajama Pants & a Manicure

My husband is a bug-getter, jar-opener, build-things-out-of-wood kind of guy, but he also likes to be presentable. He is far from being a GQ man, but he does make some effort to take care of himself. Does he go to the salon for facials and manicures . . . no, but he does use product in his hair, puts lotion on his face when it's dry, and likes to have new clothes.

If this sounds like a man in your life, then you might be interested to learn about these two products. The first is men's sleepwear by Karen Neuburger. KN Karen Neuburger for men is an excellent alternative to Joe Boxer. It is for men whose taste include a little bit of sophistication.

What we thought about the KN Plaid Pajama Pants for men:

1) An adjustable elasticized drawstring waist is always a plus in my book. This ensures that the pants will be comfortable whether my husband has gained or lost weight or has just finished a large meal.

2) Although pockets usually make this type of pants look bulky around the hip area, it is always handy to have them. The cotton/polyester blend used for these pants are so lightweight that bulkiness is not a factor at all.

3) My husband is about 6ft tall, but likes to wear his pants just below the waistline. He can usually wear a 31" inseam. These pants were the perfect length for him.

4) These pants washed very well. There was no shrinking, pilling, or misshaping after machine-washing and drying.

5) The weight of these pants were perfect for my husband who is always warm. He only wears flannel pajama pants around the house on the coldest winter days. These pants will work well for him for fall, winter, and early spring.

To view the full line of men's sleepwear and loungewear for men, visit KarenNeuburger.com .

Thank you to Karen Neuburger for providing a pair of sample pajama pants free of charge for us to base this review upon.

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The second item you might like for your man is the Call Your Buff nail block from Paris Presents' Ms. Manicure. This block has 6 surfaces for a convenient quick way to make his hands look presentable. There are numbered surfaces for filing, shaping, neatening the edges, smoothing, buffing, and polishing.

This nail block retails for just $2.99 and can be found at major retailers, such as Walmart, Target, Kmart, and Rite Aid. My husband is a nail-chewer and was reluctant to have his hands photographed, so I took a photo of my own. As you can see the nail block leaves your nails with a healthy shine (the perfect amount of shine for a man), but not a high gloss that looks as if you are wearing a clear polish.

To view the full line of Ms. Manicure nailcare products or to learn more about other product lines by Paris Presents, visit ParisPresents.com .

Thank you to Paris Presents for providing us with a sample nail block free of charge to base this review upon.

Silly Monkey Stories: Recipe For Silliness

These photos were taken a few weeks ago when we had just the right ingredients for silliness to ensue. We had a fun bath, new colorful pajamas, and one happy little girl.


What more would one need?

Click here to learn how to participate in Silly Monkey Stories.

Click here to read all my Silly Monkey Stories!

If you have a Silly Monkey Story to share, sign Mr. Linky below with the link to your blog post (not the link to your main blog page). Please do not forget to visit the other participants and leave them comments to let them know you stopped by!

Giveaway & Review: The Boy's Store Pajamas [CLOSED]

Before the twins were born, I use to buy our oldest son Jake clothing and accessories, such as t-shirts and baseball caps, that would match my husband's. Well after Jake became a big brother, the trend shifted to matching clothing for the big brother and little brother. It's been almost three years, but I still buy them coordinating items, including matching pajamas. Most of the boy's pajamas at The Boy's Store , aside from the infant/toddler styles, come in size 2/2T all the way up to big boy or even tween sizes.

What I thought about our airplane pajamas from The Boy's Store:

1) The main fear I have of waffle textured pajamas is that they may be scratchy. This is not the case for these pajamas by Sara's Prints. Even after we washed them, the fabric remained soft. The wide cuffs at the wrists and ankles are also very soft and comfortable.



2) These cotton/acrylic pajamas not only stayed soft after going through the washer and dryer, they did not shrink, pill, or fade.

3) Although these pajamas look like they would be fitted, they actually are not tight-fitting. For this reason, you should order your real size rather than ordering one size up as you may do with snug pajamas.

4) The fact that these pajamas are flame resistant gives me a little extra peace of mind.

Matching pajamas would be adorable for Christmas morning! I am so glad that my oldest is not too "mature" to think it's cool for his little brother to want to dress like him. I am going to milk this for as long as I can.

Sign up for The Boy's Store monthly newsletter to be eligible for the monthly drawing for a $25 gift certificate. If you need to shop for boy's clothing, you can receive $7 flat rate standard shipping for The Boy's Store orders up to $75 and free standard shipping for orders over $75. You can also find The Boy's Store on Facebook.

Thank you to The Boy's Store for providing us with both review products and a contest prize free of charge.



What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a $35 GC to The Boy's Store.


Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.


How to Gain Entries:
Browse through the various lines of boy's clothing on TheBoysStore.com . Then leave a comment telling me how you would spend your $35 GC if you won this contest. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND TheBoysStore.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4) Friend me on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 2 extra entries, share the link to this contest post on Facebook. Then leave TWO separate comments with the link to your Facebook profile.

6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!