You ladies are all incredibly sweet. The excitement everybody had for Jamie (the Special Mama winner!) on Wednesday when I posted this picture on instagram was really quite touching! Know this: WE TOOK NORDSTROM BY STORM and had an ABSOLUTE BLAST! I fell in love with this girl!
We all know that being a mom is HARD! Of course it’s rewarding, wonderful, lovely, and the best thing you’ll ever do…but it’s also really hard. And being the mom of a precious little one with special needs although also rewarding, wonderful, and lovely is extra hard. The doctors appointments, therapy sessions, late nights, early mornings…it’s all hard. While working as a speech therapist in the schools, as well as privately in people’s homes, I had the incredible privilege of seeing these mamas with their children each and every day. They loved their babies so fiercely, and to see the patience and perseverance they demonstrated on a daily basis was inspiring. And the joy they would take in their children’s accomplishments was my favorite thing to see. I cried with many a mama as we would celebrate their kiddo’s milestones together!
I developed a heart for these mamas who gave everything they had to their children and their families. They never really took time for themselves, and they very rarely spent money on themselves. So, with a little nudge from Candace, the idea for these giveaways was born back in 2014! If you are new here and want to read an in-depth account of how the Special Mama giveaway series started, click HERE.
Recognizing and celebrating these VERY SPECIAL moms is hands down my favorite thing I do on the blog all year. Today you all are going to get a front row seat for the $1,000 shopping spree with Jamie!!! But before we start shopping, I wanted to introduce you to Jamie. First of all, she’s CRAZY FUN, super easy to talk to, and totally darling. I had an absolute blast shopping with her. She was nominated by several people for the contest, and ended up being the cousin of a friend of mine from high school! Blythe (Jamie’s cousin) is a sweet girl that was 2 years younger than me at ol’ LH. She was able to join us for lunch (after an early morning church camp drop off for her daughter), so there’s no picture of her with us because she didn’t feel she was “camera ready”. 🙂 It was so much fun catching up with Blythe and hearing her brag on Jamie and what an incredible mother she is, how precious her kids are, and how she and her hubby are such an amazing team!
This is Jamie with her precious family several years ago.
The kids are older now. This is Quinn. He’s 7. I mean, isn’t he precious?
And this is Logan. She’s 6. Just look at those dimples!
Here’s a little something Jamie had to say about her family: My husband, Jesse, and I met at Tarleton State University, but didn’t date until years later. Luckily, we reconnected and married and have two BEAUTIFUL children. My son Quinn is 7 and my daughter Logan is 6. Quinn was diagnosed with autism at about 18 months and we were devastated, but quickly started reading everything we could since we knew virtually nothing on the topic. Early intervention is key!! So when Logan came along and displayed the same characteristics as Quinn…we at least had some idea of what steps to take. Jesse and I have two pizzerias that keep us super busy but Quinn’s and Logan’s sweet giggles and and hugs at the end of each long day remind us how lucky we are. Everything we do is for them and we hope that we can be used as a tool in spreading autism awareness and continue to raise money for treatment (and hopefully one day, a cure!!).
We started our spree by me asking Jamie what types of things she was looking for and what she needed. When I asked her if she needed any new shoes, she immediately commented that she loved Chuck’s! We headed over to the Chuck’s, and I asked her if she had ever owned any Shoreline Converse. She hadn’t, but she loved the idea of just slipping them on and off and not having to tie them. She settled on the grey pair, which is great for all year wear! You can get the Shoreline Converse HERE. I recommend ordering down a 1/2 size. CUTE!
Next stop, lingerie. No, I didn’t make her try on nighties :), but you know I had to make her at least try the beloved blardigan. When looking at them, she actually preferred the shape of the baby blardigan. Jamie pet it, I oohed and ahhed appropriately, and then she slipped it on. And she fell hard. They were out of the anniversary sale blardigans at the store (re-stocked online in 2 colors this morning!), and she realllllllllllly liked the color of this one, so she just went for it. Sadly, the regular baby blardigans not included in the sale (the color she is wearing) are out of stock right now online. 🙁
And yes, I also insisted she had to at least try the MUST HAVE bra and underwear. She did. And she was forever changed because of it. She got both. You’re welcome, Jamie. 😉
In addition to the $1000 Nordstrom spree, Jamie also received some other amazing items from some of my good friends at Barrington Gifts of Distinction and Accessory Concierge. I called my contacts at both companies, and they were both THRILLED to treat our Special Mama!!! Barrington sent her a gorgeous Savannah Florentine Leather tote. You should have seen Jamie’s eyes light up when I handed it over to her! And Accessory Concierge sent some of my favorite pieces to her as well: the azul stone pendant, the frieda necklace, the maleficent tassel necklace, and the spiked stretch bracelet. Jamie loved all of it!
These are the additional items she received that we were going to incorporate into her outfits!
After the shoe and lingerie departments, we finally headed over to the clothes. It was time to do some major damage! When discussing what she needed, we knew she wanted at least 1 pair of great jeans (she wears jeans every day at the restaurant). I also suggested a military jacket and she loved the idea! But if you think the Anniversary Sale stock online is bad, you wouldn’t believe the stock in stores. Anniversary Sale items were pretty much limited to 1 or 2 racks in each department. However, we got lucky and immediately scored with both items! She splurged on my favorite pair of AG jeans (because they fit her like a freaking dream), and we ended up finding the perfect military jacket as well. The jackets available in the sale weren’t speaking to us, but THIS one was light weight, long, and had just the right amount of detailing. AND IT WENT 45% OFF yesterday!!!!! Oh, and great news about the jeans! Although they are on backorder, you are able to order most sizes now at the Anniversary Sale price!
I also showed her my favorite Madewell tees, and she got the heathered grey and the white. They are great basics to wear on their own and/or layer under cardigans, denim jackets, blardigans, etc….
LOOK HOW CUTE SHE IS!!!!!!!! Size References: Jeans true to size, tee true to size (she’s wearing an x-small), jacket runs just a tad small. Jamie is either an x-small or a small, and she went with the small
military jacket / turquoise necklace / grey madewell tee / AG jeans / shoreline converse / leather tote
Look how cute the back of the jacket is! The cinched waist is so flattering, and you have the ability to tighten or loosen it for the perfect fit. It comes in white as well and has excellent reviews. I actually really love the idea of the white jacket too!
Get The Look For Yourself Here:
If you know me, you know I also had to suggest at least trying a denim jacket. Jamie already had a light wash denim jacket, but she liked the idea of a dark one. I of course recommended the Kut from the Kloth one that I have! In this outfit she paired the white tee with a pair of Vigoss jeans (that she ended up getting as well)!
white madewell tee / Kut from the Kloth denim jacket / Vigoss jeans / tassel necklace / leather tote / shoreline converse
Get The Look For Yourself Here:
So after we had tried on the above casual pieces, we decided it would be a good idea to add some dressier pieces to her closet! THE MUST HAVE SHIRT looked great on her and can be dressed up easily with a pair of nice pants or a pencil skirt, but it also looks great with jeans. She loved it!
MUST HAVE SHIRT / AG jeans / brass ladder necklace / spiked bracelet
Get The Look For Yourself Here:
And just to keep things real. This happened after she locked herself out of her dressing room for like the 7th time. Ha!!!!! (I did get her permission to post this picture, and she thought it was a must. Which is just one of the reasons why I loved her.)
She didn’t end up with this next sweater because she needed a smaller size, and they didn’t have it. But I loved the color of the sweater, the ankle jeans (a little too short with flats, but will look perfect with booties), and the edgy necklace.
sweater out of stock / cropped jeans out of stock (Jamie snagged them for herself!) / triangle fringe necklace
Jamie had seen the MUST HAVE leggings on the blog, and she wanted to try those for sure. And she loved them. I mean, OF COURSE she loved them. #whatsnottolove We paired them with THIS dress, but didn’t love it together. It looked a little too “sweet” on her, if that makes any sense. I suggested she throw the military jacket on with it, and then it was HER! For size reference, she was wearing an x-small in the leggings (she’s going to have to get them hemmed to wear with flats, she’s about 5’3″) and a small in the dress.
military jacket / dress / MUST HAVE leggings / tassel necklace / leather tote
Get The Look For Yourself Here:
We were having a great time, so we paused for a dual selfie to document the occasion. I have no idea where either one of us is looking. Ha!
my outfit: shirt out of stock 🙁 / necklace (anniversary sale) / earrings (anniversary sale – brown mother of pearl)
We stopped for lunch at the Nordstrom Bistro (one of my very favorite places to eat!) and Blythe (Jamie’s cousin that went to high school with me) joined us. We had the best time! I’m soooooo mad I didn’t take pictures of the food because it was amazing! Two of us got salads (that were gorgeous and yummy), but one of us was extra smart and got the crab mac and cheese. Sadly, I wasn’t the smart one. I didn’t get the mac and cheese, and although my salad was delicious, I regretted it with every single bite of lettuce that I took. Luckily, I was offered some bites of the heavenly concoction, and I gladly accepted them. 🙂 #ioweyoublythe #fistbump
After lunch, we grabbed some fun pics! And maybe got the side eye from a handful of Nordstrom shoppers while doing so. #allegedly 😉
After all of that exercising, she needed a rest.
You know, just casually posing with a life-size boot.
And how dapper is this guy?
Our trip was a HUGE success! Our Special Mama walked away with lots of great staple items that I know she will be wearing for years to come.
Jamie – I had so much fun getting to know you! Your eyes absolutely sparkle when you talk about your kids, and it’s clear that even though you make countless sacrifices for them on a daily basis, you are HAPPY to do it! You conduct your life from a place of JOY, and I absolutely love that! I’m so happy to call you a new friend!
She sent me this sweet message to me after our day together: Sheaffer, I cannot tell you how much I needed a shopping day. You will hardly ever catch me complaining about autism (I mean, what good does it do??)…but probably like many parents of special needs kids, I go through stages where depression and anger start to creep in. I was definitely in a slump the week before our shopping spree and you have no idea what just taking a day for myself and not thinking about life’s difficulties did for me. Keep doing what you’re doing, mama!!????????
Her message made me tear up, because this was my hope for these giveaways when I started doing them. I just want these super deserving moms to feel appreciated and celebrated! I also thought her note gave you another peek into her joyful heart. I hope it’s an encouragement to other mamas who might need it right now.
One more thing before y’all go. Here are some sale items that look like they are well-stocked and still available!
Paige jeans /must have shirt / tandem bootie / ugg boots / frye boots / earrings / watch /
Have a great weekend with your people!
Lindsay says
What a special mama Jamie is. Her children are beautiful and I love how you said she is rooted in joy. What a sweet family.
Mary says
Jamie is adorable, and I love the items she chose!
Erika Slaughter says
How cute is Jamie?!! She scored some great stuff!
Shay Shull says
I know I say this every year, but this is my favorite post you do. How precious is Jamie? I am so inspired and encouraged by her story. Praying for her family right now. What a wonderful thing you did for her Sheaffer. Lots of love to both of you!
Karen Stoltenberg says
I loved reading about the day! Thanks for sharing this sweet blessing with us!
Narci Dreffs says
Oh, friend!! I love your special mama giveaway!! What a special day for this mama, and she is darling!!! Xoxo
Beth M. says
LOVE these posts! Thanks to you and the sponsors for recognizing how hard these special mamas work for their families!
Regine Karpel says
Yes.
http://www.rsrue.blogspot.com
Diana says
What a fabulous post , I love it! As a special needs teacher, this made me tear up. Jamie is adorable!
kathy says
I’m so happy for you, Jamie!
Sheaffer, you’re the best!
Christina says
Jamie is adorable! I’m nearly in tears reading this and seeing her special day! I love my must have leggings and must say, I never thought to have them hemmed!
Allie says
Thank you, Sheaffer, for doing this each year! I’m a teacher and I can only imagine how strong my students’ parents are. You taking the time to give them a fun day is so appreciated! Cheers!
Allie
http://agalnamedal.blogspot.com/
Sallie says
You are the sweetest for doing this, I LOVE reading these posts. And how stinkin’ cute is Jamie? I mean, really? She’s got it going on and I’m sure this was a memorable and special day for you. Thank you for making these momma’s feel special.
Kathryn says
Now my eyes are all welled up! Love these giveaways and love that sweet Candace pushed you (I mean encouraged) you to do them!!
Holli says
As a special needs mama myself, I know what a blessing this was to Jamie. What a wonderful thing you do!! Loved all the outfits too, so adorable!
Jennifer says
❤️
heidi says
Oh I wish I could have tagged along. .it looks like you had a blast.
Jaime deserves to be spoiled.. what great thing x
cassie {hi sugarplum} says
First of all, Jamie is too cute for words…I want to be her friend!! And I love love love all the cute stuff you guys found!!
Chas @ Haute Mommy Blog says
What a blessing for her! So great that you do this.
Angela says
ALERT ALERT! the baby blardigan is back re-stocked! Yahoo! I ordered 2 🙂 can’t wait to get it!
Karen says
What a sweet mama Jamie is. Loved this post. Sheaffer love your blog!
Olivia says
It’s so nice to see bloggers doing good things like this! Kudos to you. A quick question on the baby blardigan- I got one and love it! But you mentioned its in the lingerie section. This is s sweater, and not pajamas, right?! ????
Sheaffer says
Hi, Olivia! It’s both! I wear it around the house ALL THE TIME. But I also wear it out of the house, as do others!!!! xoxo, Sheaffer 🙂
Elizabeth Valdez says
I love these posts! Such an inspiration to everyone including future mothers like myself!
Heidi says
What a lovely, deserving gal! I had a quick question about the split neck “must have shirt”. I’m almost 5’4″, and my hips are not my friend. I was thinking of ordering this to go with the “Must have leggings” and my Tory Burch riding boots. Would you suggest the petite size or the regular size? (And also, would this make a cute outfit?)! Thanks, Sheaffer!
Sheaffer says
Hi, Heidi! The regular size for sure. However, I’m almost 5’4″, and I’m not sure they pleione tops are long enough for leggings for me…but I have a short torso and long legs. Good luck! xoxo, Sheaffer 🙂
Heidi says
Oh good to know! I wouldn’t want to accidentally west leggings as pants! 😉
Candace says
What a blast!!! I absolutely loved learning about Jamie and peeking in on your shopping trip!! She is a beauty!! If Jamie is comfortable sharing, I’d love to know the name of their pizzeria. Always fun to support other autism families!
Staci says
What a great post! I always look forward to reading your blog. I am hoping you will sometime do a post about how items should fit, i.e. where should a pant hit on your leg when wearing booties vs flats. I don’t know!?! Thank you for your joyful spirit and fabulous sense of humor! I don’t even watch the Bachelor, but I laugh so hard reading your reviews!
Hollie M says
It makes my heart happy reading about Jamie’s day. Sheaffer, I am so glad that you are able to do this for these special mamas. They are absolutely deserving of this tiny reprieve from the struggles of every day.
Sarah Lock says
I heart this entire post. It gave me all the feelings.
And I had to giggle at Blythe not being “camera ready.” She’s one of the most beautiful people there ever was (inside out out)!
I had to have a talk with my UPS guy. He delivers to my house around 6:00 pm and almost everything I’ve ordered from the Nordstrom sale has been shipped individually so when FIVE packages arrived yesterday, his eyes almost popped out of his head. I gave the UPS guy a look and I think he got the message to deliver before hubbie gets home! 😉
Kristen says
What a great day! Thank you for doing this for these very special mamas!
Attention Big Foot NorthPark shoppers – I just returned a size 10 Lucky Bootie in Brindle color if you want to go grab them (I went with the Vince Camuto cut out ones that are TOO cute)! And of course, because I “returned” something I promptly went upstairs and bought the Hinge military jacket on sale (you can never have too many military jackets, right?) and the Kut from the Kloth denim jacket (I have the lighter was one too but wanted a darker wash)!
Sarah Lock says
Oh and you making her hold up the bra and panties for a picture was so something my Grammy would have made me do when I was 12. Hilarious!!!
Missy@My Sh!tty Kitchen says
This looks like such a special day for such a special momma! Love this idea. Have a great weekend!
Erin smith says
These are my favorite posts of the year. So special to do this for these deserving women. Thank you and thank you for sharing with your readers!!
Leigh says
What a sweet time and wonderful post! I am curious – as a reader for a few years now, you reference speech therapy in the past tense. Are you no longer working as a therapist?
Sheaffer says
Hi, Leigh! I am not currently practicing as a speech therapist. However, I am keeping my licenses current, taking all required CE courses, and am sure I will go back to it in the future! I love being a speech therapist! xoxo, Sheaffer 🙂
T W says
Such a sweet momma! Not a dry eye here. Maybe next year in addition to the sponsored give away, readers could donate to a second deserving momma! I’m in! I look forward to these posts every year!
Sheaffer says
So sweet!! Xoxo
Jess says
She is too cute! I love the military jacket with the floral shirt on her. This post makes me so happy. Thanks for treating this special mom!
Andrea Oster says
I love this post! It looked so fun 🙂
Maddy says
Hi Sheaffer,
Are the Hue leggings true to size?
Sheaffer says
Hi, Maddy! Yes, I wear a small. They are reallllllllly long on me (I’m 5’4″), but I only wear them with tall boots so I just cuff them up. If you are short like me and want to wear them with flats, you’ll have to get them hemmed! xoxo, Sheaffer 🙂
Kelli {A Deeper Joy} says
And I just teared up when reading her message to you. Such an amazing giveaway! Love all the items that she chose!
Lisa Kissner Cooper says
A lovely post! Great giveaway!