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I already had this fantastic Patagonia Tres 3-in-1 parka in another color but I couldn't resist this grey/pink combo!!!!

First of all, I love this coat because it's warm. Made with poly outer and "600 fill-power traceable down" inside. The hood is removable and good for really cold days.

Second, I love it because it's stylish looking and doesn't make you look like a blob. It is fitted for a nice silhouette and can be worn for anything from a professional setting to sledding with the kids (I have Patagonia snow pants for that too, and they are fantastic!) See pic of the 3-in-1 Tres zipped and snapped up below.

Third - it's actually three coats in one. It can be worn as just the outer layer, for a rain coat (but I don't wear mine that way normally, as I already have a Boden rain coat). It can be worn with both the outer and down layers, for maximum warmth when it's wet and cold out. Or it can be worn as just the inner down parka layer when it's dry out - pretty pink!!! The down layer easily zips in and out of the grey outer layer, and snaps at the wrists.

As far as sizing goes, I found the Tres is true to size - I'm wearing a small in the pics, I'm 5'8" and usually around a size 4.

If you want to spend less, Patagonia makes other parka styles, including the Vosque - which has a really similar cut, and 3-in-1 style, but with poly fill instead of down.

Shown in these pics with a Boden tunic (past season), Seven for All Mankind jeans, and these Ugg boots in the chestnut color.

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Outfit of the Day: Oversized Sweater, Faux Leather Leggings, Suede Ankle Boots.

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This sweater is super warm, soft and comfy. Works well with leggings too, even for tall people. Now back in stock!!! I'm wearing a small and I'd say it runs on the big side. I'm 5'8" for reference.

Shown with Spanx faux leather leggings. They also come in "Moto" style which I might have to grab too! And in plus sizes. You probably want to size up in these. I'm normally a small in leggings, but I tried both small and medium in the Spanx and medium were much more comfortable (while still holding everything in place.)

Boots are here in several colors. This style has been sold out of a lot of sizes lately, but there are several extremely similar styles with varying heel heights. These are great for Spring and go with almost anything!!!

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Cool Product Pick - The Gym1 Indoor Playground (formerly "Gorilla Gym")

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This was my kids' favorite Christmas present this year by far! And... they have been fighting over it since. The basic version comes with the pull-up bar, swing, rings and rope ladder. The deluxe version comes with all that AND trapeze bar and climbing rope attachments. So far I've found that my kids have mainly used the basic attachments, but I'd like to try a cocoon attachment also (each of the two straps attaches to one of the carabiner hooks on the gym unit). For little kids, you can attach a standard baby swing to the apparatus and that works just as well!

For younger kids, you may want a mat to go under the gym. (Note - our gym has been moved to a  safer, but not as exciting-looking location in the laundry room since we took these photos.)

For Chase's outfit from the pic above, the shirt is here, socks and pants are also from Boden. All incredible quality per Boden's usual standards!! This is one of my favorite shirts of his, nice thick cotton!

Assembly, for us, took about an hour. My very helpful dad came over, studied the instructions, put it together and hung it up. Once assembled, it only takes a minute or two to hang the Gym1 in a doorway or take it down - and it takes only seconds to change which attachment goes onto the bar. For help with assembly, once you get your Gym1 set, check youtube for some helpful videos!

It doesn't matter how wide your trim is on either side of the door - that is irrelevant. What matters is that you have a molding OVER the door on one side, and that you have clearance in front of and behind the doorway (to give kids room to swing back and forth.) The other dimensions are the width of the door (must be 25 to 36 inches) and the width of the door frame where it clamps on. If you need longer vice grips (in case yours need to extend a lot more than mine shown in the pic below) you can order them here. 

Once the gym is up, you will not be able to close the door to the doorway where it hangs, unless you remove the apparatus.

This isn't only for kids either - with a 300 lb weight limit, my husband or I can swing or do pull ups as well (well okay... I can't actually do a pull up. My 10 year-old can do many however!) Great for burning off energy during those Winter months when it's too cold to go outside!

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Valentine's Day Wrapping Paper (Kids' Project)

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Here's a quick project you can do with the kids. I love hand made wrapping paper! Fun for Valentine's day, birthdays, Christmas, or any other time you want to make a special gift for someone (just vary the theme/shape). Here's what you need:

Brown Kraft paper (if you have none, the insides of brown paper bags work)
Apples or potatoes. Preferably potatoes. It's too tempting to eat the apples!
Knife for cutting out stamps
Tube Water color paints
thick paint brush or sponge brush
Scissors
Brown twine (string)

First, cut out whatever shape you want from your potato. Spread out some water color and mix in some water on a piece of scrap paper. You want it pretty thick. Paint it onto your potato stamp with your brush. Test out the consistency before stamping on your wrapping paper piece. We alternated two shades of red - a true, brighter red and a more burgundy shade, and I thought the variety looked nice.

Tell kids to try and leave an even amount of space between stamps. After every two or three impressions, dip your stampers into the paint again. Allow ample time to dry completely.

Cool Product Pick - Tubelox!

We were excited to get our big box in the mail!!! This is the deluxe 220 piece set.

My kids and I love building toys, so as soon as I saw Tubelox for the first time I knew we had to have some!! Tubelox are BIG interlocking pieces that enable older kids (or younger ones with help) to build cars, houses, slides... all sorts of things. They are a great S.T.E.M. toy (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and have recently won an award from the National Parenting Center! Tubelox were invented by Rachel and Steve, whose toys have appeared on Shark Tank.

Attaching the safety clips

Tubelox come with safety clips, which must be used to hold the connections in place and make sure your creations are rock solid. Tubelox have a high weight limit for multiple kids (the car we built held my 120 lbs.—but I would not recommend them generally for adults to ride!). They do not come with a plastic box, but I found a good one at Staples for about $30.

I reached out to the company to see if they wanted to send me some free Tubelox. They said no. BUT, they did offer to let me become an affiliate and give my readers a code for a discount on the deluxe 220 piece set of Tubelox!!! Code SAVE70 will bring the price of this box down to $180 and your shipping is FREE!!! This offer is only good through Tuesday November 29th, 2016.  Code is now expired, but keep an eye on Sample Sale Mom for an update next time there is a discount code!

Tubelox come with a booklet of different design ideas - or invent your own!

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Best Boys' Clothing Brands (Casual Clothes)

Shirt by Joah Love, backpack by Madpax, and kids' aviator shades.

I have two boys, so that's my focus when it comes to clothing. Many of the following brands make super cute clothing for BOTH genders though! 

Some of these brands will be available for less on resale sites like Thredup, on flash sale sites like Zulily, and on clearance at your local Nordstrom Rack store. Keep an eye on the sample sale mom Facebook group for updates about great sales on many of these brands! (This post contains affiliate links. In some cases I'll receive a small percentage of commission when you make a purchase via one of my links.)

Andy & Evan hoodie with elbow patches

Andy & Evan - This is our go-to brand for our rare dress up days. They also have nice cotton hoodies with contrasting details (hood linings and elbow patches) I have a thing for elbow patches on little boys clothes, love them! And Andy & Evan is very affordable while maintaining great quality (a lot of their basics look like Janie and Jack, listed below, but for much less than J & J's retail). This is one brand you can often buy for much less than the website prices. Check Amazon for sales. We have bought most of our cardigans and hoodies for under $20, including shipping. This brand runs true to size. 

Hanna Andersson - This line, started by a Swedish mom and her American husband in 1983, is the gold-standard for quality American kids clothing. Hanna clothes are HARD to wear out (and believe me, we've tried). Colors stay true in the wash, knees take forever to rip through, and Pjs feel even softer and comfier after being worn heavily by two kids. I prefer their simpler solids, stripes and color-block designs to most of their appliqués and screen prints, because some of it looks a little too "young" for my taste. Their clothes tend to be cut a little bit to the short/wide side, so they don't always work for my older, skinny-as-a-pole son. Sizes are Euro-style. Buy during their sales and you'll save a bundle, Hanna quality comes with a big Hanna price tag. Free shipping available if you order from the website, if you have your purchase shipped to your local store, and then pick up at your convenience. On your very first order, get 20% off for using my link here.

Hatley - Playful, rich, intense colors and fun prints. Possibly the best raincoats out there, with adorable prints, a nice cotton lining and soft, flexible non-shiny exterior. And their pajamas!!! I love the way Hatley really breaks out of the boy/girl traditional roles for color. See My son has some gorgeous turquoise and lime green Hatley turtle pajamas. Amazon is the best place to get Hatley at a hefty discount. 6PM (Zappos' outlet store) often has good discounts as well. They have some incredible sales at end-of-season or on items that are being discontinued.

Hatley PJs, super soft 100% cotton in bright colors/patterns

Janie and Jack - Although most of their styles are too preppy and/or dressy for my casual boys, they have some killer deals on the markdown racks in their stores. Nice appliqué, themed t-shirts, dress clothes, dress shoes, sweaters, and soft-cotton reversible sweatshirts. Perfect for holiday family photos! You have got to check out their hats!!

Joah Love - If you want your child's wardrobe to be described as hip, cool or edgy, this one is for you. Joah Love's designs don't look childish - some are like pieces taken and shrunken down from a 20-something's closet. This brand runs BIG, by a full size. My son was still wearing a sz 6 Joah Love t-shirt when he was in a 7 (or even an 8) in almost every other brand. I look forward to seeing them in many more Joah Love pieces until my boys are in their tweens. Check Nordstrom,  Amazon and Gilt (search in the search bar for Joah Love.)

Jojo Maman Bebe - A Euro brand with cute appliqué shirts, jammies, swimwear and reversible sweatshirts. And especially, the Fisherman's coat – amazing raincoats (tied with Hatley raincoats, love them too). Thick, supple exterior, soft, high quality full cotton lining. Nice little details. And unlike the clothes, which seem true to size, their outerwear runs quite generous. The size 5/6 Fisherman's coat can be worn until your child is a solid size 7. Also check Zulily for sales (do a search in the search bar for Jojo Maman Bebe - Zulily has an option that will notify you when any brand is on sale again.) 

Kate Quinn Organics - Nice, soft organic cotton in pretty designs with an earthy vibe. Runs a size small (especially if you machine wash/dry it, which you're probably not supposed to but I do.)

Mini Boden padded jackets and hats

Mini Boden - Maybe my favorite! Beautiful detailing on everything this British company makes. Quality and customer service are excellent. Iconic, colorful appliqué tees with sewn on designs, the cutest boy socks (they come in a 7 pack sock-box, to match all sorts of different colored outfits.) My favorite thing Mini Boden makes is their warm, gorgeous lined pants for winter, which have a contrasting-color lining. And their winter jackets are wonderful too! See my reviews of past Boden sample sales if you live in PA, NY, or MA, and lots of ways to save money on Boden wherever you live. I find this brand general runs true to size. Remember to check Nordstrom markdowns for Boden - they have free shipping and returns on any amount!

Alex (left) in Boden lined pants, shirt and socks. Chase (right) in Boden lined pants and socks, with a Hanna top.

See Kai Run - There are lots of shoes I like but these have always been my favorites. The reason? The bright variety of colors and designs available, at a relatively low price. So pretty. You need to shop around to get the best deal on See Kai Run, because they have sales all over the place. After checking the SKR website itself,  check Amazon. Then check 6PM - prices often fluctuate by the day. 

Chase in Boden jacket, Hanna Andersson jeans, and See Kai Run sneakers.

Tea Collection - First the good - Tea is ethically made, and consistently has amazing color and design to their pieces. Their designers go around the world to different places, study and photograph the graphic design in that region, and then capture the feeling of that area in one season's line. As a traveler and as a graphic designer, I LOVE this! Past collections have included India, China, Japan, Bali, Turkey, etc… I am always curious to see what's next. They have a way of integrating images and type that is so visually appealing. However, Tea tends to fade and stain more easily than a lot of the other brands on this list. So you aren't supposed to put it into the dryer, and you must stain treat it right away. (We use this stuff. It's the BEST.) I've also been told by Tea aficionados that washing your Tea with a cup of vinegar when you first buy it will help preserve the colors longer. Nevertheless, it's definitely in my top 3 favorites and has a cult following. Tea runs true to size or a bit big. The boys pants/shorts run a full size big, whereas tops and jackets are a more true to size.

Chase in a Tuff Kookooshka Fleece and Tea Collection shirt. Alex (back) in Tea Collection shirt and hoodie. 

Tuff Kookooshka - This company is small, ethically run and USA-made, and their outerwear and hat designs are absolutely adorable. Made of polartec fleece, the pieces are handmade, and they are perfect for New England Springs and Falls. My only complaint is that their jacket sizes only go up to size 6 (which my sons have long since outgrown). If they would keep making up to size 10, I'd keep buying! Recently featured themes include animals, florals, superheros, and mermaids. Check Zulily for sales, esp. around February.

Venait car PJs with appliqué design.

Vaenait - This is another extremely affordable brand with ultra cute stuff. Mostly soft appliqué pajamas. Go through the link and you can see page and pages of different styles, each one cuter than the next. And again, almost all of them only go up to size 6/7 (sigh..) which is considered an "XL". If you are between sizes, it is best to go up. I'm really annoyed that I didn't discover it when my kids were toddlers. If you're obsessed with pjs, you must try some of these. And if anyone from Vaenait is reading this, PLEASE start making more of your designs in the big-kid sizes!

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My Favorite New Spring Shoes

I am in looove with my new Sanuk Yoga Sling flip-flops - They are super comfy around the feet, and soft on the footpads. I'd say the run a touch big (at least for me, as you can see, I have rather short toes). I am normally between an 8 and an 8.5 and the 8s fit me perfectly. I'm looking forward to grabbing a few more pairs and wearing them all summer long.

There are a LOT of colors/patterns on sale at Amazon in the style I'm wearing above, but you'll have to go through one by one to find the best deals in your size. You can check them all out here. 

There are also a lot of other Sanuk styles (sandals, flip flops and flats), although I have not tried the others yet, you can find them here.

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