Monday, February 2, 2009

Outdoor Gear and a Giveaway

GIVEAWAY CLOSED. Read on anyway . . . :)
Well, the silly groundhog said this morning there would be 6 more weeks of winter. We're actually in a little warm spell here, but I know other places in the country and around the world are still in the deep of winter, so today I'm sharing some thoughts on winter gear and having my first ever giveaway!

I'm super frugal, but one area I've found that it doesn't pay to cut corners on is outdoor gear--especially for the kids. Sure, I can get snowpants at Walmart for cheap, but they are leaking through, getting my kids wet, and torn before the end of one winter! Same with cheap boots and mittens/gloves. I will absolutely spend a little extra and get quality outdoor gear for my kids. I want my kids to enjoy being outdoors, even in the winter, and you all know that when the kids get wet and cold, the snow fun is over, and they'll likely end up with pneumonia or something (=a trip to the doctor=$$$) from the whole experience.

SO, we've been weeding out the cheapo snow gear and getting high end gear for our kids for the last few years. It's actually ended up costing LESS because I can get a used pair of Columbia or similar brand snow pants on ebay (or a thrift store/yard sale if you have good ones around you) for half the cost of new and only a little more than the walmart pants, but they last 3 years or more--as long as they fit (my kids don't grow very fast) AND are still good to pass down to the next kid. I've had the same experience with quality snow boots (Kamik, Sorel, Columbia). They hold up, keep the kids feet warm and dry, and can be found used for only slightly more than a new pair of cheapo boots that leak and don't last through the winter.

And now to plug one of my favorite winter products--L-Bow Mittens. If you have not used these mittens, you have to give them a try! My girls are wearing theirs in the photo at the top. Developed my a Minnesota mom, these mittens are waterproof (really!) and built with an attached gaiter that fits over the coat sleeves (or under like my littlest likes to wear hers). How many times do you have to tuck your kid's mittens back in their coat sleeves because the snow is getting in their wrists? And at the end of the snowman, they're crying for hot cocoa because their fingers are wet and freezing! Well, no more of that with these fantastic mittens.They are lined with Thinsulate insulation and the line I have are BREATHABLE as well as WATERPROOF. This means the kids' sweat can get out but the water can't get in! Amazing--warm, dry hands for all your snow activities!

Another great thing about these mittens is the universal thumb (not on gloves). The thumb is a large pocket and right in the middle, so either hand can use either mitten. I thought this would make them hard to use, but my kids have had no problem building snowmen, snowforts, snowballs, snowangels, etc. in them. AND it makes them easy to get on because you about can't miss the thumb hole!For the bigger kids, L-Bow Mittens also makes L-Bow Gloves. Hooray--fingers!

Now, after all that, here's the giveaway. I'm giving one lucky winner a pair of L-Bow Mittens or Gloves! Yep, warmth and snow fun for your little one from me! The winner can choose boy (black/blue as pictured) or girl (red/navy as pictured) plus specify the size: Small (2-4), Medium (girls 4-6, boys 4-7), or Large (girls 7-14, boys 8-12). The small size is mittens, medium or large are gloves. If you don't want to wait to win, you can visit my eBay store here or by visiting the link on my sidebar and buy some now--I even have them on sale this week!

Here's how to enter: Leave me a comment on this post telling me what you like to do outside in the winter. Easy, right? Please make sure I have a way to contact you in case you win!

If you want to follow my blog, subscribe by email (both on the sidebar), post on your blog about this giveaway, whatever else, you can get an extra entry for each one, just leave a separate comment for each thing you do. You can also get an extra entry if you join the NRA through my link or are already a member!

The giveaway is open to anyone US, international, military, etc. and will end Sunday Feb. 8th at 11:59 pm. I'll choose a winner using Random.org next Monday morning. International winners will be responsible for any duties/taxes/fees related to receiving the package. Happy 6 more weeks of winter! :)

44 comments:

Jenn said...

My kids and I love to make snowballs and go sledding. These gloves look so awesome, I am tired of constantly having to put their gloves back on, what a great solution!

Rebecca said...

Would LOVE to win these! It's just fun to get outside and play in the snow with my little ones and these would make it SO perfect! Thanks for the great giveaway!
rgridley@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Looks like they're ready to go!

Shalom,
Miss Jocelyn
http://aponderingheart.com
http://feelinfeminine.com

Momnerd said...

Hmmmm.....what I like to do outside? In the winter? Maybe I shouldn't win this because I can't think of anything. I don't even like walking from the house to the car...JK, I don't really love playing in the snow but I love the beauty of it and taking "short" walks. We've got to get the word out on this giveaway!

Momnerd said...

Oh, and I subscribed! And cute picture!

Wendy Christensen said...

We love to drink hot chocolate in the winter, play in the snow and wiggle like a fish indoors (with kids all over) ...

www.wigglelikeafish.com
Thanks :)

Jessica G. said...

I love to walk in the freshly-fallen snow, making my own tracks. The kids are all about the snowangels. Oh to have waterproof mittens! You can contact me through my profile.

And I'm not a member of the NRA currently but my parents are life-time members and my brother is a certified rifle instructor...does that count? ;)

Melonie said...

I blogged the contest, hope it gets you some more visitors!
http://familyprep.blogspot.com/2009/02/wfmw-quick-tips-for-power-outages.html

My favorite activity would be snowshoeing....I'm hoping to add XC skiing to that when we are back in snow country. LOL

And hubby is an NRA member - I will be getting on my membership via your button soon. I need to remember to keep my cc handy to the laptop!

Krystal said...

My baby loves to be outside...rain or shine, or snow. She is too little now to build snowmen, but she had lots of fun watching with her cousins build one. She will be ready for these gloves next winter, so I would still love to win!
kmcw2002@hotmail.com

Krystal said...

I follow your blog!!
kmcw2002@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

These would be perfect for our little girl! She is blind, and so when we do winter outdoor activities she loves to touch everything! We have so much trouble finding good winter gloves out here on the east Coast. These look perfect for winter walks and snowboarding with her Daddy.

Karies place said...

My kids love to go out and shovel the snow off the driveway, and somehow manage to get holes in their gloves so easily, thus getting cold faster. Would love those new ones. :)

Karies place said...

I have joined your followers.

Karies place said...

Unfortunately my photo seems to be missing. Hmm

Karies place said...

I have posted your blog to mine. Check it out.

~ Doreen said...

In the winter we love to go outside and feed the birds and then come inside and watch them eat!

Kelly Family said...

My personal favorite winter outdoor activity is prunning my roses. I just love the crispness of the air and thinking of the spring and getting something done...


My children love sledding

CollinsFamily said...

We love to make snow people. My children complain that their fingers are hurting and cold after a short time in the snow. I hate soggy gloves. What a great solution!!

krista
ekristacollins@yahoo.com

CollinsFamily said...

I just signed up to follow your blog. I am always looking for new self reliance blogs. thank you

krista
ekristacollins@yahoo.com

CollinsFamily said...

I also signed up on the email list. thank you for this great blog.

krista

Tulip Girl said...

I like to snowblow. really

Anonymous said...

This is our fourth "winter" in the interior of Alaska so much of our year is spent in the snow (6-8 months.) The guys spend time cross-country skiing, sledding, swinging, traipsing about in the woods, bringing up wood to the house, and trekking to the barn to feed the chickens. We had something similar when the oldest were little but they were worn out by the time the youngest could were them. Haven't found them anywhere since! These look great!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I forgot to mention my husband is a lifetime NRA member. My membership gets sent in in March (wasn't budgeted for this month and if its not in the budget it doesn't get spent!) I am trying to figure out how to sign up to follow you blog but am sure will figure out once I take a closer look.

Mythreesons said...

We love sledding! Those gloves look seriously awesome. boymom2@cox.net Thanks!

Kelly said...

We like to go outside and play in the snow - the kids actually like to take their summer toys (like buckets and shovels and even a little push lawn mower) and play with them. We make snow castles instead of sand castles! ;-) Plus my son just runs around and climbs snow piles and rolls around in the snow - he IS a five year old boy, after all.
Those gloves are AWESOME! My poor son comes in and his wrists are always red and cold and covered in snow, no matter what I try.

Regina said...

We looooovvvveee to go sledding. My 7 yr old is such a trooper walking up and sledding down the hill time after time after time! Her little brother and sister have to be carried or helped so it's nice she is able to go up by herself.

Thanks for telling us about these gloves.
rewell35@hotmail.com
Regina

Emily said...

Those are so cool. Why didn't I think of that? I personally prefer staying in the house next to the fire, but my kids love to go outside and sled down the hills. Luckily we live on a hill. ;)

Emily

I think you know my email.

Danielle said...

I like to do nothing outside, but the kids love to "try" to build igloos. To this point we they have yet to get a wall to stand!

mcginnisfamily5(at)gmail(dot)com

dctm said...

No snow here, but we do like to just go outside and play. We walk around our neighborhood, play in the backyard, jump on the trampoline.

dctm at bellsouth dot net

sushi_noem said...

I like to drag my girls around the yard on their sled. And, of course, make snowmen:)

Amanda said...

Walks in the snow with my little man, but not on a day like today where it is WAY too cold. But these look like an awesome idea. I want some.

noreen said...

we love making snow balls (my daughter makes huge ones that she can't throw so she smashes them instead) and snow angels

moushka said...

We build snowmen and sled as a family. My hubby and 6yo daughter both go skiing. My 2yo daughter has been on skis once and hasn't quite grasped the idea yet but we will continue to work with her on it.

rubynreba said...

Like to go sledding and make snow forts with the kids - gloves look like just what we need

sunnymum said...

We love to play in the snow and pull the kids around the yard in innertubes. It's also a lot of fun to put out birdfood and watch them from inside with a cup of hot cocoa!

Sue D said...

Our kids just bought us snowshoes for Christmas so we like to take walks with those.
slrdowney at hotmail dot com

misskp said...

These mittens/gloves look amazing! We (the 10 year old, his dad and I) love to make snow forts and then fire off snowballs at each other. Last winter we all tried snowboarding together. Snow angels are a tradition, too. Thanks for the great giveaway!

miss_k_p@yahoo.com

kathy55439 said...

these are great for kids that take off there mittens all day long.... but a pain when you have to put them on 12 kids Glad I am not a toddler teacher anymore Nannying for 3 kids is so much nicer when it come to getting kids outside

Anonymous said...

Well, we all love to play in the snow, but one of my favorite things to do, if the "flakes" are just right, is take photos! Go see what I did just a week or so ago on my blog. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ByHisGraceInColorado/650120/

Great contest!!
Nancy

Jenn said...

I just subscribed, I'm looking forward to reading more from you, I really enjoy this site!

Angela said...

Megan subscribed.

Brooke said...

I like to make snowmen and snowangels with my kids.

Unknown said...

Since we live in FRIDGID N. Ohio we don't have an option not to do things outside. We love sled riding, snowman building, and making snow angels as for fun things to do in the cold. stef4916@gmail.com

malleycc said...

I love to go sleding when I visit my family in Ohio.