Top Ten Tuesday – Lands’ End Loves

Last week, Jenny and I had the privilege of representing Lands’ End at the Blissdom Conference. (Have you entered to win the $100 LE gift card we’re giving away?) We had an awesome time!! And we loooooooved our clothes.

Here are our top ten favorite Lands’ End picks from Blissdom!

1) Women’s Suede Hobo Bag. Jenny and I actually both picked out this bag, and we both loved carrying it. The suede exterior is so soft and smooth, and the three pockets inside helped keep things organized. I also liked the magnetic closure at the top.

2) Boots. Jenny wore the women’s casual boots (which I was totally coveting) and I wore the Chalet Faux Shearling Boots. I love these things – they are so soft and cozy, it feels like wearing slippers.

3) Sweaters. Between the two of us, we wore a lot of sweaters! Here’s Jenny wearing one of her LE sweaters.

The other woman in that picture is our new friend Hollee, who was minding her own business in the line for breakfast when we accosted her and asked if we could take a picture of her in her Lands’ End sweater. Fortunately she didn’t seem to think we were completely nuts and posed for this lovely picture. Hollee is a law professor and has a book coming out about work/life balance that I can’t wait to read.

Jonah also likes Lands’ End sweaters – here he is cuddled up with my Fine Gauge Argyle Cardigan.

4) Skinny jeans. I must admit that I was about the last person on earth to try skinny jeans. I am loyal to my bootcuts! But I decided to give them a go, and I’m glad I did. I actually really like them! In this picture, I’m wearing the UltraFit Slim Leg Denim Jeans and the Double Ring Wide Belt (I never wear belts either – I was feeling brave!). Jenny’s wearing a classic cable knit sweater and the Wool Gauze Scarf.

5) Long Sleeve Shirts. In the picture above, I’m also wearing one of my Long Sleeve Lightweight Cotton Modal Crew Tops. I love these things. In fact, I happen to have 10 of them. I got one and gushed about it so much that Andy ordered me five for Christmas on the same day I ordered four more for myself. And yes, I kept them all. They are that awesome.

6) Flats. Last week contained a lot of fashion firsts for me – I also wore flats for the first time ever. Or at least since I was 14. But the Classic Captoe Ballet Shoes looked great with my skinny jeans, and the black patent leather ballet flats were cute with my dresses in the evening. (And as an aside, I just saw these espadrilles and I really want them now.)

7) Dresses. Without a doubt, the evening cocktail parties were what Jenny & I looked forward to the most, and we had a blast. The first night we were there, Jenny wore a black Flannel Mandarin Collar Dress (and a baby) and I wore a 3/4 sleeve Cotton Modal Wrap Dress, which is just about the most comfortable dress I’ve ever had on (and yes, I have wine in one hand and a cupcake in the other. Heaven.)

The next night, we walked the red carpet in goofy expressions long sleeved Cotton Modal Wrap Dresses.

8 ) Accessories. The accessory page on LandsEnd.com is not to be overlooked! They have an amazing selection of scarves like the one Jenny has on above, and really nice jewelry as well. I particularly like their bangle bracelets! Our new friend Molly (who has the best job ever – doing PR for Lands’ End) wore this necklace that I thought was super cute.

9) Socks. I know this sounds silly, but I fell in love with Lands’ End trouser socks! As soon as I put them on, I ran over to Jenny and made her touch them. And then I tweeted about them.

10) Diaper bags. Of course, Jonah wanted in on the action too, so we brought along the Little Tripper diaper bag. I didn’t try it out (sorry Jen, I could have at least changed one lousy diaper) but when I was pregnant with Kate, we ordered a Lands’ End diaper backpack, and it was fantastic.

As you can tell, he loves it.

Needless to say, we had a great time sporting our Lands’ End wardrobe – our clothes, shoes and accessories were perfect for the daytime sessions and the evening cocktail parties. A huge, huge thank you to Lands’ End for supporting not only our trip to Blissdom, but for supporting and believing in the blogging community. Everyone who attended the conference left with a cute Lands’ End tote!

But wait, there’s more.

There’s something in this for you, too!

We’re also giving away a $100 gift certificate for Lands’ End Canvas! Have you heard about this line yet? According to their website, “the new Lands’ End Canvas line features apparel and accessories for men and women that reflects an authentic American style combined with a modern fit.” I seriously did not think I could love Lands’ End any more and then they went and came out with this! So far I’ve purchased two turtleneck sweaters, two pairs of corduroys, an argyle sweater, a cable knit sweater, a button down shirt, a cotton long sleeved shirt, a cardigan… and probably more that I’m not thinking of. But I digress.

I LOVE Lands’ End Canvas, and I want you to love it to. Which you will if you try it, I promise. So! Here’s how to enter:

1) Go check out Lands’ End Canvas and then leave us a comment on this post telling us one thing you’d order if you won the gift card.

2) Tweet about this giveaway on twitter and link back to this post.  You can say something like: “Win a $100 @landsendcanvas gift card from @momminitup & @jennyitup! http://bit.ly/hzXHt3”  Then leave us a comment on this post with your tweet URL.

3) Like the Mommin’ It Up page on Facebook, then come back here and leave us a comment letting us know you did or do.

ONE winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday, February 9.  Contest closes that day at 5 pm EST. Good luck!

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This post is part of Top Ten Tuesday, created by our Blissdom friend Oh Amanda. Check her out!

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Vapo-love

A couple of months ago, I got an email from the folks at Vicks – a press release about how to fight the flu. I didn’t feel like there was any reason for me to spontaneously write about the flu, but I emailed back and said, “If you ever have any opportunities with VapoRub, give me a shout, because I looooooooooove VapoRub.” Ok, maybe I didn’t say it in those *exact* words, but that was the gist. I have a nostalgic, emotional attachment to VapoRub, and it is one of my favorite “feel-better” products when I am sick, or my kids are sick! I love the stuff!

So when that opportunity did present itself, and Vicks asked me to be part of their Blogger Brigade, I was more than happy to say yes.  Because this is a product I have loved since I was a little kid.

I love the smell (which it turns out, is a combination of Camphor, Menthol, and Eucalyptus Oil), I even love the feel (I can’t get behind the cream version.  I like the original, petroleum-jelly-like version!), and I love the effect it has of opening your airways and soothing your cough.  When I was a kid, my mom rubbed VapoRub on my brothers and I when we were sick and I guess that memory conjures up warm and fuzzy feelings of Mom’s TLC for me.  When I was telling my mom about this post, I told her I was excited to work with Vicks because VapoRub is a product I just LOVE.  And she said, “Oh, I love it too!  It brings back such good memories of a warm Vicks-soaked flannel cloth pinned to my PJs when I was sick as a kid.”

See, my mom passed down the VapoRub-love to me, and I fully intend to pass it on to my kiddos.  I started out using Vicks BabyRub on them when they got their first colds, and I still use it on them today (and yes, I DO already have some BabyRub ready for Jonah).  In my experience, it really works to soothe coughs and open airways!

If you have Vapo-love like I do, you’ll be happy to know that yesterday Vicks VapoRub launched a brand-new Facebook page!  You can check it out here and you’ll find helpful tips, advice, and news on how to keep the whole family healthy, as well as family-friendly cold and cough information and a forum for discussions so readers can add their own tips and seek advice from others!

Do you have an Vicks VapoRub stories?  I’d love to hear them in the comments!  And the Vicks folks would love to hear them on VapoRub’s Facebook wall.  Share the Vapo-love!

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I am being compensated as a member of the Vicks Blogger Brigade.  My honest, slightly obsessive opinions about VapoRub are all my own!

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Giveaway – Cleaning from EcoMaids of Dayton!

If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know that I am a crappy housekeeper. I mean no one is going to get any diseases from my house but you will find crumbs under the coffee table and a fair amount of dust. I don’t “deep clean”.  Like, ever. I have these lovely shelves on my walls with antiques in them and the last time I dusted them was…oh, let me see..1970-NEVER.

So, when Sid and Shannon, owners of EcoMaids of Dayton, asked me to review their service, which would of course require me to receive a free housecleaning, I jumped up and down for JOY!  This is a messy girl’s dream come true!  And I was thrilled with the results! So were my no-longer-dusty shelves:

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Isn’t that pretty?

EcoMaids did a fantastic job.  They were so, so thorough – really, my tub and shower have not been this clean since they day they were installed.  They vacuumed, dusted, mopped, cleaned under the burners on my stove, cleaned off my ceiling fans, dusted my woodwork, and all the other things I never do because I just can’t prioritize them.  And, also, because I hate cleaning. 🙂

When I asked Sid what he wanted my readers to know about his company, he simply said that he wants every customer to be completely happy with their services.  I thought that was really impressive!  He didn’t give me a sales pitch to pass along, just expressed his desire to please his customers.  I love it!  But just so you know, here are a few things I like about EcoMaids’ service:

  • They do a “green cleaning” with products that are not harmful to the environment, are non-toxic and don’t smell like chemicals.  Our house did not smell like high-powered cleaners when they left. Which means I didn’t have a headache and I didn’t have to worry about Bobby’s asthma being aggravated. Yay!
  • They are extremely thorough. They come in with a cleaning checklist and they make sure and check everything off as they go, to make sure no area is missed.  I was very impressed with the attention to detail.
  • The staff was courteous and friendly.  They worked around me and the two kiddos I had with me at home and never made us feel like we were in the way or needed to move.
  • My house just plain looked wonderful when they left!  Wonderful!  They have this amazing super-powered vacuum cleaner that really made a big difference on my carpets, too.  My stairs always look terrible and now they look GREAT!

I was overwhelmingly pleased with the service EcoMaids of Dayton provided, and I know you will be too!  You can check them out on their Facebook page or website to get a free estimate or schedule a cleaning.  AND…one lucky local Dayton-area reader will win a Kitchen, One Bathroom, One Bedroom cleaning from EcoMaids of Dayton!  Here’s how to enter!  You can have up to three entries!

1) Leave a comment on this post telling me what you most hate to clean

2) Go to EcoMaids of Dayton’s Facebook page and “Like” them, then leave us a comment on this post letting us know you did so!

3) Follow them on twitter @DaytonEcoMaids and then leave us a comment on this post letting us know you did so.

The contest closes on Friday, February 4th at 7 pm EST.  One winner will be chosen at random.  Winner MUST LIVE in EcoMaids of Dayton’s service area to claim their prize.

Good luck, and THANKS EcoMaids of Dayton!

***UPDATE***  Sid from EcoMaids just called me and said that anyone who requests a free estimate from EcoMaids TODAY January 31st, he’ll give $40 off for your first cleaning!  WOW!  So call and get your estimate and your $40 off!

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