Saturday, January 30, 2010

Not Your Daughter's Jeans

Dealing with a post baby body can be a challenge. Not only are our emotions as a new mom (or in my case, now, mom to 2 under 3) completely awry, our bodies have gone in a million directions and as we hate to admit, gravity has started to work against us.

And the thing is, I REALLY loved to shop before I had babies. I loved the feeling of carrying an armload of clothes into a dressing room, and doing the take off-put on-look-turn-stare-“how does this look?” dance with myself (and my hubby if he were so tortured as to have to go with me). Back then, I had a lot more money, a lot more time, and a lot more patience.

Jeans have become my worst nightmare. There are so many stipulations when searching for the perfect jean. I often ask myself questions like “Do they go up high enough on my belly, but not too high?” and “Is the color of the denim dark enough, but not too dark?” and “Is the length ok? Will they shrink too much when I wash them?”. You know, all the typical questions.

I have had many favorites in my days, but I was recently sent a pair called Not Your Daughter’s Jeans (aka NYDJ) to try out, wear about town, and tell ya’ll what I think.

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality and appearance. I was slightly worried about the name. I can see where the company is going with it, making it clear that they care about the ever changing needs in the clothing department of those of us with “daughters” (not just daughter’s, but you get my drift). There are a number of added perks with these jeans that I have never seen in any other jeans. With their “Lift-tuck” technology that flattens the tummy, contours the hips, and lifts the booty, crisscross stitching and reinforced pockets, all working together to make you look an entire size smaller.

Now, I’m not sure I looked an entire size smaller, but I do think I looked pretty good if I do say so myself. I also felt pretty good too. The front of the jeans were high enough to cover my troubled area, and with a belt looked pretty good. I’m not sure if I would be comfortable wearing them with a shorter shirt or something tucked in, because I am still self-conscious about “looking” like I am wearing Mama Jeans, but I do adore what they do for me in the fit department. They are a great length, so I am not stepping on them, but my ankles aren’t showing. They stretch enough so they don’t feel binding, but aren’t baggy. And regarding the name, the label says NYDJ, so even with a name like Not Your Daughter’s Jeans; no one will know the implications behind the initials. They are an all around genuine and authentic department store quality pair of jeans, well worth checking out.

NYDJ can be found at a variety of locations, such as Nordstrom’s, Bloomingdales, Macy’s, and more.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Stella & Dot GIVEAWAY

I have never really been a “jewelry” kind of girl. I have often found a basic necklace or earrings, and wore it for an extended time where it became my staple piece. The only time I would change it up on the rare occasion of getting dressed up, like a wedding or night out with the hubby. Now, being a Mom, I have found that anything I can use to show my “Motherly Pride” scores big points with me, so when I came across Stella & Dot jewelry and their line of monogrammed necklace charms, I was sold. And with the extreme generosity of Elise, a super sweet Stella & Dot stylist, I was able to pick out my very own necklace, complete with the initials of my two kiddos as well as their birthstone (they were both born in March).



I chose the leather cord instead of a glitzy chain, because again, I’m not really much of a sparkly kinda gal, not to mention I have a super strong baby girl who pulls and tugs on anything within reach numerous times a day! And let me say, this necklace has taken a beating and still looks brand new and is as tough as ever.
What I really love about Stella & Dot is the selection of beautiful pieces to choose from. You can search by style, occasion, piece, or price. And within all of these categories, you will be sure to find something to fall in love with! There are items for the minimalist as well as the show stopper and all of these glamorous items would work well with outfits you already own, or shoot, go out and buy yourself a whole new outfit revolving around that new Stella & Dot piece you just HAD TO HAVE! You deserve it!
Aside from making me a happy girl with my new piece of jewelry, Elise wanted to make sure a very special Sharing My Instincts reader got her hands on a piece of Stella & Dot as well! She is generously offering up a Soiree Pave Bracelet in Turquoise to a special winner right here! Perfect for you, or specially packaged and ready for gift giving this holiday season! Just follow the rules below!





WIN IT!
*Visit Stella & Dot and pick out your favorite sparkly piece of jewelry and leave a comment here with your pick!


The fine print:
*Contest end Sunday November 22, 2009 at 11:59pm.
*Winner will be chosen by a random number generator and will be given 48 hours to respond. In the event the original winner does not respond within 48 hours of congratulatory email, a runner up will be chosen.
*Contest is open to blogger and non-bloggers alike, just be sure to leave an email address so I may contact you in the event you WIN!
*Don't worry, by entering my email, I will not keep your info for any other purposes.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

**UPDATE**

Keep an eye out, and although a little later than expected.....

The SHARING MY INSTINCTS re-launch is scheduled for MONDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2009!

Six fulls days of reviews and giveaways to celebrate the re-launch!

Be sure to stop back, you won't want to miss it!!

Reviews and Giveaways from:

Stella & Dot Jewelry
Method
Mary Kaye Music
Bach Remedies

Chicken Soup for the Soul
Hugamonkey Slings

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

NEW RE-LAUNCH OF SHARING MY INSTINCTS

I first and foremost, I want to thank all of my loyal readers and awesome companies for sticking by me through these past months of my non-existent writing. I know a majority of you are mothers as well, and therefore completely understand my lack on involvement in the internet world since the birth of my second child, Lily. The adjustment from mothering ONE child to TWO children was extremely difficult for me, not to mention how much of a different baby Lily is compared to her older brother, Jonah (who is 2 1/2yo). I have had to learn how to be a mother all over again. I won't clog up this site with my personal life (you can visit my personal blog, Mommy Instincts that you can read all about it at if you are interested).

For the EXCITING news!

A complete and total RE-LAUNCH of Sharing My Instincts is in the works and is currently scheduled for the first week of October!

I have lots of reviews and GIVEAWAYS planned (and am still looking for more exciting products and companies to feature, please contact me if you would like to be highlighted on this site!).

I will continue to keep you all in the know through Twitter and Mommy Instincts and Facebook, so keep your eyes peeled for all the details!

Again, thank you for your understanding and patience. Without you, all of this would not be possible!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Sorry for the Delay....

I want to apologize to my readers and companies I have been working with. I have had a huge delay in reviewing products you have sent and products I have been dying to tell you about. With the birth of my new baby girl, Lily I have been going through a lot of adjustment issues. I have been needing to find new ways to live and cope with life as it has been given to me, directly resulting in not being able to devote as much time to my internet obligations as I once did. I am going to set a goal of ONE review/giveaway a week, and as time goes on and life gets a little easier, I will try to up the amount of posts gradually. Thank you for understanding and if you need to contact me, please shoot me an email at sharingmyinstincts AT comcast DOT net.

And if you want to keep up with life as I find time to post at my personal blog, you can find me at Mommy Instincts.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

A Mother's Boutique GIVEAWAY!

When I became pregnant, I decided that I wanted to breastfeed my new baby girl. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I wanted to try. I knew that I would need to do things differently with her right from the start than I did with my son, so I started researching all things breastfeeding. I looked into breast pumps, nursing covers, and even clothing made for the nursing mother. That was when I came upon a now good friend, Judy ( @MommyNews on Twitter) who is the owner of an online store called A Mother’s Boutique.

Judy runs a well-oiled machine over at A Mother’s Boutique, with a huge variety of only the best when it comes to the needs of the pregnant of breastfeeding Mom. From top-of-the-line Breast Pumps, to Nursing Wear, to Slings and Carriers, she’s got it all. She carries brands like Ameda, Bravado, the Maya Wrap, and Japanese Weekend, just to name a few. And with her great prices and amazing selection, you will be able to find exactly what you are looking for.

When Judy heard I was planning on breastfeeding, she graciously sent me something amazing to try, The Body Tank by Annee Matthew, a revolutionary combination of a tank, a corset, and a nursing top, all in one. And I must say it is all of that, and much more! It was the first thing I put on in the hospital after the birth of my daughter, and I wore it all day and night long. It is super comfy, made accessing the breast, even at 3am, easy and effortless. Without the added snaps and clasps found on most nursing tops, this tank is top notch. The added little bonus is tummy control it offers, every little bit helps in making a new mom feel cute and stylish, and this top did just that. Now in these following days since leaving the hospital, I have also discovered the added support made for the breasts of a nursing mom, yes, support is VITAL!

Not only can you find all this awesome stuff at A Mother’s Boutique, but Judy also has an amazing blog, Mommy News & Views, where she talks about all sorts of breastfeeding and parenting topics that are important to all of us mama’s out there. Keep an eye on Judy’s blog as it continues to grow and flourish with valuable information that is sure to not be missed.

Judy can be found on Twitter under the name @MommyNews. She is a valuable asset to the breastfeeding community as well as an amazing friend. Contact her with your nursing questions and I am sure she will be more than happy to assist you.

WIN IT!

One lucky Sharing My Instincts reader will win an Annee Matthew Body Tank in size/color of their choice by simply answering the following question:

"What material is the Annee Matthew Body Tank made out of?"

Email your answer with the subject line reading "A MOTHER'S BOUTIQUE" to sharingmyinstincts@comcast.net.

The fine print:
*Contest ends Sunday March 22, 2009 at 11:59pm CDT.
*Contest open to bloggers and non-bloggers alike.
*Winner will be chosen from all correct answers at random by a random number generator and with have 48 hours from initial congratulatory email to respond. If original winner does not respond, and alternate winner will be chosen.
*Don't worry, by entering my giveaway I won't keep your info for any future use!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Exergen Temporal Scanner

One Less Thing to Worry About

Being the hypochondriac that I am, we currently have about 4 thermometers in our house. And now that I am a mom, I have had to put that thermometer someplace “new”. Well, I wasn’t quite the fan, and decided that there had to be a better alternative out there. I was intrigued by the thermometer they used at our pediatrician’s office. I came to find out it was called a temporal artery thermometer. It is so amazing that the temperature can be taken of the child in less than 3 seconds with a slight swipe of the probe across their forehead. Let’s just say that my son even slept through it a few times, it’s THAT non-invasive.

I never asked the nurses at the pediatricians office about those thermometer’s, because I figured they were medical grade, and not supplied to the regular mama, but after a short bit of research on the internet, I came across the Exergen website where right there on the front page is a place to click on more information regarding the Exergen Temporal Scanner for Consumers [$30-$50]. I saw that it was sold at Wal-Mart so I made a trip there and found it. After bringing it home and even taking it along to the doctor’s office at our next visit (to compare readings with the medical grade version that they use), I got the exact same reading. I was totally impressed and have since bought another one (FYI…don’t let your child play with it, being dropped on the floor too many times by him resulted in damaging our first one).

Even better yet, it’s not restricted to be used only with babies and kids, the hubby and I use it on ourselves as well, and have always been pleased with it’s functionality and complete ease of use. We found it was completely worth the price.

The Exergen Temporal Scanner can be found at Walgreens, Sam’s Club, WalMart and many other retail locations.