Outerwear

Outfitting a growing child in the Midwest is pretty exhausting. A trunkful of outerwear is required, and of course, the Nugget is growing so quickly that he won't be able to reuse most of it next year. I do like to invest in quality pieces so that Lil' Sib will be able to use them too.

My standards: machine washable (except the raincoat), under $50 per piece (I got all of these under $30 each), easy for Nugget to put on/take off "by self", and dog-hair resistant. Polar fleece is like a magnet for dog hair!

Outerwear:

1. Fall/spring jacket. Purchased with a 40% off Gymbo rewards coupon. For autumn, I like to have a canvas jacket with a warm but thin lining.

2. Rain coat - gift from Grammy and Grandpa. I like that the waterproof layer is soft and more fabric-like than crunchy plasticky.

3. Vest - the Nugget's is red with a polar bear zipper pull, but very similar. Purchased on sale and with Gymbucks last year. I love the vests, because they tend to fit the Nugget longer than the coats do, and they're great for that in-between weather.

4. Winter coat - purchased from Lands' End Overstocks department with a free shipping promo.

Accessories:

1. Rain boots - purchased from Lands' End Overstocks with free shipping promo. I couldn't find a link, but they have an antibacterial/anti-odor lining which is awesome considering....potty training...

2. Kid-sized, no pinch umbrella - gift from Grammy

3. Snow boots - snapped them up during a free shipping promo AND sale and paid $18.38! I love that these open wide, so they'll be simple for the Nugget and his teachers to take on and off twice a day at preschool.

4. 2 pairs knit mittens for out and about. Bought 1 pair on sale at Gymbo, the other was gifted by Uncle Tom. I love the Gymbo knit mittens because they are 2 layers of knit and lined for extra warmth. They are also cute, so the Nugget is more willing to keep them on because there is a doggie or a penguin "looking at me!"

5. 1 pair mitten clips from Target Dollar Spot to keep the mittens attached to the coat. Only one lost mitten in 2 years thanks to these suckers!

5. 1 pair waterproof mittens for snow play - what do you think about these L-bow mittens? I already have a Target pair, but these look so tempting - when snow runs up the Nugget's arms, it's pretty much the end of his outside time.

6. 2 winter hats. My sister is knitting the Nugget an awesome hat that I can't wait to show you! And the Nugget has a couple cute ones from Grammy that I think will still fit this year.

7. 1 scarf - I want to knit the Nugget a new one to match this year's coat.

8. 1 fall/spring-weight knit hat. I scored it at the Gymbo outlet for $3.

9. Snow pants - this year's are a gift from Grammy (notice a trend?), and they are the first non-bib snowpants for the Nugget. Probably a good thing since I'm sure he'll have to use the bathroom the second he's bundled. If you're not lucky enough to have a Grammy in your life, Target and JCPenney often have great deals on snowpants/bibs for $15 or under.