Tales from my Shopping bag

I had unofficially started looking for the kids Christmas outfits, recently.  I say unofficially, because I was just browsing in my usual spots and finding nothing.  So hope started to fade and desperation started to set in.  I want pictures and those need to be done soon or they won’t be ready before Christmas and I might want to send out the pictures as cards, too.  I can’t say for sure, because who knows how these little heathens darlings will behave during the photo shoot.  The pressure is on, though, and I need to find some great looking outfits before I wake up with cookie crumbs on my chest and a 2009 hat on my head.

I was getting really disappointed looking at my old haunts, because everything seem to mirror last year.  If I wanted last year’s looks then I would just use last year’s pictures.  I wanted something different and new.  I have talked about Hanna Anderrson before and generally I will tell you I like them.  However, I don’t tend to buy from them much, especially during the summer, because not much wows me.  Then comes the holidays and Hanna Andersson out does itself.  If they keep this up, I will continue to go to them for my holiday and winter needs.  Which is not much, considering our winters down here in the Deep South are practically swimming weather when compared to Sweden. 

I had casually thrown my new Hanna Andersson catalog in my bag before I left for carpool on Friday, thinking I would browse through and hopefully find something suitable for the kids’ holiday outfits.  How surprised was I when I found myself slumped in the driver seat of my car, ignoring Sam tearing through the rest of the vehicle while I drooled over every outfit in the catalog.  I quickly grabbed my pen and marked up practically the whole thing.  Later that evening, I would do what I normally do, go online and fill up my Internet shopping bag with everything that my little heart desires and fall dead from the shock of my ending price.  Sadly, much of the tights and ankle tights would have to go to make room on the credit card for the pretty, twirling dress for Amber, snugly sweaters for Sam and that one pullover that I had to have for myself.  Besides, I can buy quality tights and ankle tights, locally, at better prices.  Although, no one beats Hanna Andersson for patterned tights.  Nothing for the hubs, unless he would like me to get him his own big boy sized green and red striped long johns for Christmas morning.  Somehow I think I would be struck down by lightening before he ever fought to get those on. 

Now, on with the pictures.  Again, most of what I have found is for Amber.  Sorry, it is a cold hard fact that girls have way more options than boys.  Also, I had done a good job already of getting Sam long pants on sale during the summer, so all he really needs is shirts.  I was more concern with his Christmas sweater to match whichever dress I managed to decide on for Amber than anything else. 

Casual, everyday:

This is the dress Hanna does best.  It takes on short sleeves in the summer and long in the winter, but mostly it remains a comfortable, twirly girl’s dream. Add tights and the right shoes and it is the perfect outfit for almost any occasion.

I am not sure what it is about this dress, but I am in love.  The pattern is beautiful and it looks warm and toasty.  Paired with boots or some of Hanna’s pretty embroidered ballet flats and this dress is ready for a day at school or running through the forest. Hmmm, we don’t have many forests where we live, but the swamp can get a bit nippy during the wintertime. 

This is the perfect sweater for everyday.  It is great to wear over a light top to take off when you enter the suffocating heat of any indoor area around here.  It seems we have two temperatures: Africa hot when it is cold out and Antarctica cold when it is hot outside.  Somehow those pesky thermometers have perplexed us Southerners for a long time.  Anyway, not only is this a pretty sweater, but it is practical and I can probably get 2 winters out of it.

And because I loved it so much, I got one for myself.  In black, of course, because I am a grown up and pink was never my color. 

The perfect denim skirt to round out the bunch.  Great for long sleeve t-shirts or sweaters. Pair with some tights and ballet flats and this girl is all set for her hectic day at school.  Again, for us, this skirt may even see the light of summer.

Now for the long await ballet flats, I keep going on about:

I love ballet flats, but can’t wear them myself.  They tend to make me look shorter, which is something I don’t need help with.  So, I get them for Amber.  First she loves the fact that they are called ballet flats and second she, like most women, loves pretty shoes. 

Amber wanted the light pink ones, at first, but had to settle for the brown ones, because the pink and darker pink was not available anymore.  Her first lesson in seeing something you really want only to have someone take it away.  It is a cruel world out there, especially when it comes to shoes.  So we added the brown ones to our bag, which I am find with because I believe they will go with more things in her closet.  Besides, she still has the pink color in there, so all is not lost.

At one point, while I was shopping on the site, Amber came up and started pointing out all of the different things she wanted.  I had explained to her that we may not get everything that I was clicking on.  Well, when we came upon these shoes, she practical blew herself off the sofa.  She just had to have them and sadly I just have to get them for her.  I know, I know, setting her up.  Hey, what else are mothers good for but to set you for liking nice and expensive things then shoving you out in the world where you will have to get them yourself.  It is a cruel cycle, but can’t be avoided.

Christmas dresses:

I love this dress and it was my first pick for Amber’s Christmas dress and then the glaring white scared the crap out of me.  Also, I am worried about how it would show up in pictures.  I am not sure I want a blob of white staring out at me.  It is a beautiful sherpa dress.  However, I tend not to buy things just to look at them, so this one will have to remain in the catalog for us.

Again, I love this dress.  It screams classic Christmas, which is why we have done it a couple of times over the years.  As much as I love it, I just couldn’t do the plaid, again.  I needed something more and different.  However, still a very pretty dress that definitely screams Christmas.

Here is the dress I think I have decided on.  Yes, it still screams Christmas and many of you may have already been down this road, but we haven’t.  I love the snowflakes and the Santa affect.  I guess it would be perfect if we lived where snow felled and reindeer was our transportation.  I am still uncertain, but I, like the others, love it and we haven’t done this style, before.  It may just be a winner.

And last, but not least, the boys:

I was thinking this sweater to go with Amber’s dress and then I get a vision of nothing but red and think maybe something else might be better.  However, this is a classic sweater that can be worn throughout the winter season and goes great with dark jeans, cords or khakis. 

I think this one might be the winner to go with the red dress that I will most definitely, but not entirely sure, get for Amber.  It is perfect, she looks like Santa and Sam is her little reindeer.  Okay, maybe a little hokey, but I like it and that is all that counts. 

So there you have it, what I have found on my whirlwind shopping trip through Sweden where I didn’t have to leave the comfort of my sofa.  I tell you this Internet shopping thing is so great.  Now, if only my credit card and husband were so understanding.

 

 

 

 

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Fall Approaching

I don’t know if you noticed, but summer is officially over and fall is creeping in.  (Could someone please tell Mother Nature, she appears to still be having some hot flashes?)  Kids are in school and while they maybe getting away with their summer clothes for now, soon we will need to be adding layers. 

I have lived in the Deep South all my life and there were very rare occasions that required a heavy jacket.  Although that didn’t stop us from wearing them when they were all the rage.  Knowing my kids and the fact that they are still in carseats, I like to layer them.  Remember your carseat buckles will not fit snugly against your child when they are wearing heavy jackets. 

Layering is great, because you go from cold outside to warm inside throughout your day, it allows for you to just peel away what is not needed at the time and then add it back.  If your child is anything like my daughter they will constantly complain that it is too hot with the layers and then complain it is too cold once the layers have been remove.  I simply chock all her clothes into a bag, give it to her and let her worry about her own internal temperature.  That is what comes with age: responsibility of your freaky quirks about temperature.

I made my first purchase with Hanna Andersson this year.  I had flipped through their catalogs many times, but only decided this year that I would actually purchase from them.  I like their look for girls, boys and managed to find something for me.  I am not big on wearing a jacket, either, so I was happy with my purchase of a pullover.  Throw it over a long sleeve t-shirt with jeans and you can run your errands without freezing off a limb or marinating in your own juices.

Reversible pullover.  Two pullovers in one. 

I found some great pieces for the kids, as well.  I bought Amber a pullover, like mine.  Hers is in pink/purple, because I am not by any means Laura Ashley (Hello, the 1980’s are calling), but the pullover is so nice and comfortable I knew Amber would get a lot of use out of it this year.  And maybe next year.  I almost bought one for Sam, but I had to stop myself and found a more appropriate pullover for him. 

 Manly, but sized for the little ones.

I stick with cottons, because they wash well and you don’t have the problem of itching which then leads to lots of complaining about itching.  Yes, when you layer you can avoid the itchiness to some extent, but in my experience I have learned to stick with something that keeps the moaning to a minimum from the starting point.  Besides,  I would rather save the more expensive fabrics for the dream vacation that my husband has promised to take me on to see snow.  Anytime between now and before I die will be good.

I like to see Amber in dresses and skirts, which she seems to be fighting at the moment, so I couldn’t pass up this cute ensemble.

I stick with dark colors for her shirts to keep the mess limited and bright it up with the skirt.  What girl could pass up this pink skirt?  And the twirl factor was more than satisfactory for Amber. It was the first thing she did when she tried it on.  Because I like to see Amber in dresses and skirts and it is winter, soon (okay, maybe 2-3 months for us), I needed to find something to cover her legs.  We tried Babylegs last year, which were fine and cute, but was too much of a distraction for Amber in class.  This year I wanted to tried Hanna Andersson’s tights.  They looked sturdy (not something you really want to hear about in fashion, but we are talking about kids here) and comfortable.  Matter of fact they call them loose tights.  Amber, like most girls I would expect, is rough on stockings so I like to go with tights.  They are warmer and hold up better when running around chasing boys.  Then I came across the footless tights:

I thought this would be a great transition piece.  Again, living in a warmer climate I believe that Amber will still be able to wear these during the coldest of our winter months.  She could either match her socks or go with a completely different complimentary color.  I do understand that I will have to be involved in that process.  However,  I have learned to never doubt my daughter, she has come up with some stuff that looks pretty good on her own.

There were many good ideas in the Hanna Andersson catalog and online store for back to school clothes.  Things that are good for the transition months, but you could still use to keep the little ones warm when the temperature dropped.  Like this outfit:

Amber has many components of this outfit, already, but not the shoes. So instead of killing my husband with a heartattack over prices, I compromised and just got the shoes.  Now, that I have the idea of this outfit we can make it our own when we shop in Amber’s closet.  If you haven’t already stopped by Friday Style, then go read up on how to shop your closet and become make your wardrobe green.  And I am not talking about the color.  I believe that many of the suggestions Susan has, regarding our own closet, can be passed along to our children’s closet.  It may even be more important to watch what and how much we buy for our kids. They do need clothes more than we do and it is easier to over do it.

While shopping for the kids is fun, we must remember that:

1. If you have a child dressing themselves, you don’t want to overwhelm them with choices.

2.  Just like us, kids don’t need tons of clothes to get them through the school year.  Take advantage of their innoence and save your money for when they are teens and want every name brand under the sun.

Now go and look through Hanna Andersson’s online store, get ideas and shop your kids’ closet.  I am sure you can find there are many things that they can still wear and only a few little odds and ends needed to pull it all together.    

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