You ladies are all incredibly sweet. The excitement everybody had for Jennifer when I posted some of our shopping adventures over on instatories earlier this week was really quite touching! Know this: WE TOOK NORDSTROM BY STORM and had an ABSOLUTE BLAST! I had such a nice time with this girl and her mom. I handed her TWO $500 gift cards and we got busy!
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 this year’s winner!! But before we start shopping, I wanted to introduce you to Jennifer. Meet Jennifer and her son, Braden!
I asked Jennifer to tell you all a little bit about herself, and she sent this: Hi! I’m Jennifer! I am a single mom of Braden, who is 18 and has autism and intellectual disabilities. His dad and I divorced when he was just 19 months old, and he was diagnosed with autism right before his third birthday. His dad was involved in his life but sadly passed away when Braden was 11, so he’s been my “perms-buddy” ever since.
Thanks for the introduction, Jennifer!
So before we started picking out clothes, I handed her this Barrington Bag as a surprise! And y’all… she was SO SURPRISED and THANKFUL! Barrington is always so excited to jump on board to help me celebrate the Special Mama winner every year. This year they sent the St. Anne axis tote. I have this print in a Savannah tote (which is a bit smaller than the St. Anne, and it has a zipper). It’s definitely one of my favorite fall and winter bags, and I know it will be a favorite for Jennifer too. (Remember, you can always use the code PTMTSAVE10 for 10% OFF your Barrington order.) Thank you, Barrington!
ThirdLove also wanted to help us celebrate this year, so they are gifting Jennifer with one of their bra wardrobes! If you read the blog, you know that I wear two brands of bras, and ThirdLove is one of them. Many of you have become fans as well, and the overwhelming favorites are the t-shirt bra and the full coverage bra. My smaller chested sister prefers the classic push up bra. I am so proud that the brands I love have a heart for giving! Thank you, ThirdLove!
All right, let’s get this party started!
We made one big sweep through the Nordstrom women’s department and then headed to the dressing room with our huge haul. Personally, I was disappointed that there wasn’t much Anniversary Sale inventory left in stores (there’s quite a bit more available online), but we still managed to find plenty! I’m resourceful like that. 😉
Every single year I bring a Kut from the Kloth denim jacket back to the dressing room for the special mom. And EVERY SINGLE YEAR the special mama oohs and ahhhs over it. It’s the stretchy fabric that makes it so much better than most denim jackets out there, and if people have a preconceived notion of what they think a denim jacket is (stiff and boxy), their opinion is changed!
Paired here with an olive green tee and stretchy khaki jeans, she was ready to go! She ended up not getting the jeans in the picture (Jennifer is only 4’11” and the proportions were a bit off), but she ordered THESE instead. They fit her frame much better, they come in several colors, and they are ON SALE!
tee / denim jacket / khaki pants she ended up getting
Get The Look For Yourself Here:
And I found that a couple of colors of the above tee are ON SALE, as well as several of the tanks!
This top didn’t catch Jennifer’s eye at first, but because I have and love the orange one that is currently ON SALE, (see me in it in one of my most popular posts HERE), I knew she needed to try it! And she loved it!
This floral top isn’t online yet, but I’m hoping it will hit soon.
peplum top in solid colors / jeans / necklace / She will wear her Sam Edelman Felicia flats with this outfit!
Get The Look For Yourself Here:
This next top was the first top she grabbed, and I think it was her personal favorite of the day. And she also absolutely LOVED the fit and the colors available in the pants (they are Wit and Wisdom!).
border print top (also comes in plus size)/ stretch twill skinny pants / axis tote c.o Barrington Bags
Get The Look For Yourself Here:
So she actually loved the olive green pants so much, that she ordered them in khaki as well. They are ON SALE right now, and look how many colors they come in!
She also told me that she has other Wit and Wisdom jeans at home. I’m telling you, they have a cult following! People absolutely love the Wit and Wisdom brand.
And I loved this striped cowl neck tunic. It looks great with jeans, but I’m thinking it would be awesome with leggings too!
We stopped for lunch, ate some yummy food, and had a really nice time getting to know each other a bit! And look how cute Jennifer and Mary Kay are!
So, once everything was purchased and the dust had settled…there was a whopping $3.10 remaining on her gift card.
I didn’t show you everything she tried on and purchased, just the highlights! We really had the best time, and the shopping itself was such a whirlwind. Jennifer was able to grab a lot of basics that are really going to extend her wardrobe. Check out the pieces she scored. That’s quite a haul!
Such a great day!
Our shopping 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.
Jennifer and Mary Kay – I had so much fun getting to know y’all! Thanks for a great day!
I posted earlier this week on facebook that I had received lots of questions about the bras and undies I swear by, so I answered them (see below). Well, I received a lot of additional input on that post, so I made a new graphic and am posting again!
Some smaller chested ladies were asking for a bra recommendation, and the overwhelming response is seen (and linked) below! There were also quite a few endorsements for the Natori thong….and everybody still loves their Hanky Pankys.
My answers to the questions were mainly that I DO NOT hand wash my bras or undies. I wash and dry them with everything else, and they get no special treatment. HOWEVER, lots of ladies said they wash theirs in lingerie bags and then lay flat to dry. That method is probably better, but I’ve never done it. And the answer to the second question is YES, THEY ARE TOTALLY WORTH THE MONEY!
And last but not least, when showing you a picture of Jennifer in the floral peplum top, I referenced how it was the same top as a fiery orange one I had shown earlier this year. Well, just in case you didn’t click on the post, here is a shot of the top on me.
It’s longer on the sides than it is in the front and back, which makes for an unexpected and very pretty shape. Both the bell sleeves and the peplum hem have tiny little soft pleats that make everything lay really nicely. And it’s got really great movement!
For size reference, several reviewers have reported that it runs large, but I didn’t find that to be the case. I’m wearing my normal size small, and I definitely couldn’t have sized down. If you have a smaller chest, I do think you could size down, because it’s definitely roomy and flowy.
ruffle peplum top / turquoise necklace / leopard clutch / sunglasses /white jeans / wedges / earrings
Have a wonderful weekend! See you back here on Monday!
Erika Slaughter says
What a fun day!! It looks like Jennifer scored some fabulous items. And what an amazing mama she is! I’m so glad you do this giveaway every year!
Jennifer says
Thanks so much!
Keisha Dawson says
This is always my favorite post from the Anniversary Sale. You do such an incredible job giving a sweet mama a say she will never forget! It blesses my heart so much!
Susan Jeffries says
Congrats Jennifer!! She looks beautiful in those fun printed tops!
Jennifer says
Thank you!
Shay Shull says
Sheaffer! I LOVE Jennifer!! I was actually a little emotional reading this post. What a beautiful smile she is (and her mom too!). She just radiates JOY! I am so happy that she was blessed by your giveaway. What a special mama she is both inside and out.
Jennifer says
Thank you so much!
Narci says
This is my favorite post that you do all year long!! She is just precious, and she found some great finds!! Woohoo!
Jennifer says
Thank you!
Megan says
Congrats Jennifer! Looks like such a fun and well deserved shopping spree. I love seeing the under five foot ladies represented!
http://www.lettinginthelightblog.com
Jennifer says
Thanks! It was a ton of fun!
sydnee says
What a sweet mama! She deserved this special day!
http://www.tulipsandpersimmon.com
Jennifer says
Thank you!
Carol says
This is such a wonderful thing that you do every year for a special Momma. I always look forward to this post. I
Natalie says
She is just precious!
And I love the floral peplum on her–gorgeous!
Jennifer says
Thanks! It was a great find! Sheaffer found it and I’m so glad she did!
April Parrish says
Always love these special posts!!! Jennifer seems really sweet!
Jennifer says
Thanks!
Rebecca says
One of my favorite posts every year. So many fun things. Thank you for your heart to bless others in this way. I’m sure she will remember this day forever. ????
Candace says
Thrilled for Jennifer!!! Looks like it was a wonderful day!! She’s such a special lady!
Kristin says
This is great! Thanks for doing it, and for sharing with us!
Cheri says
This was a wonderful gift for you to give Jennifer and she looked so beautiful in the photos you posted. I really enjoyed this post.
heidi says
Jennifer is so precious. I’m so glad she got to go have fun.
You are so incredibly kind to do this each year.
These posts always make be teary!
Laurie S says
Bless your heart, sweet lady. Looks like everyone had a fabulous time!
Cynthia Hepworth says
I just love that you do this, and I love seeing some clothes on someone who is shaped a little more like me. Thank you! She seems lovely.
emily @ a little bit of emily says
That peplum foral top was just so dang cute on Jennifer! I can see why it was her favorite. I just really love that you do this – it’s so kind and I love how you get different brands involved!
Barbara Parnell says
I cannot begin to tell you how this warms my heart. Makes me so happy to see Jennifer taking care of herself!! Love that she spent almost every dollar! As a fellow special needs mom, with my son just about the same age as Braden, I know her journey. She is selfless,full of love ,overworked and overtired, but not complaining. That is what we do. We love these children more than life itself! So glad to see her with a big smile . It is so nice to be treated to so many goodies!! A big thank you to you Scheaffer, for recognizing that the parents in the special needs community work so hard, and something lik ethis is just such a treat for a mom. Love everything about it! This post put a big smile on my face! To all the special mamas out there..keep those chins up and keep moving forward. We all make this world a better place!!
Stephanie says
How fun. Who knows if I’ll ever win one of your Special Mama giveaways, so I think I just need to head down to Dallas someday to go shopping with you (with my own money). You always pick such cute stuff… and OKC doesn’t have a Nordstrom 🙁
Linda Z says
What an uplifting and heartwarming post! Cheers to Jennifer and the many, many other special Moms. (I am sure it must be fun to shop with you, Sheaffer).
Jennifer says
Thanks for the super kind words! Sheaf fear is fun to shop with, and we had a blast! What she didn’t know is that she’s been unknowingly been dressing me for a few years–half of my wardrobe came from her blog! I had a good shoe selection already from Anniversary sales in the past and hitting up Nordstrom Rack, so we focused on clothes! It was an amazing day and I am so incredibly grateful!
melodee says
how very sweet! I love all of her picks! What a deserving mamma!
Lori says
Oh this is extra special seeing Jennifer getting a free shopping spree and help from Candace! I’m a mom with a daughter with special needs. I found out about your blog from a neighbor I was telling I have no idea how to put an outfit together. I spend my energy on my daughter and family. You’ve helped me see how to pull together clothes ideas. Your blog inspires me.
Your smile radiates even more that I know your a speech therapist and heart for children with special needs and spoiling these precious mamas!
Sheaffer says
Thank you so much to everybody who took the time to leave such lovely comments. Spending the day with Jennifer and Mary Kay was such a treat, and I’m so happy she was able to find some new clothes that she loves! xoxo, Sheaffer 🙂
Erin says
I’ve read your blog for years and I’ve never commented, but just wanted you to know how much I love that you do this. I taught special ed for several years and those mamas are truly something special. Thank you for celebrating them!
Bethany says
I love this so much! So special!
TNelly says
Very very sweet and kind of you Sheaffer. Congratulations Jennifer and don’t let the $3.10 go to waste, grab a coffee or cute accessory.