On this Willy-nilly Wednesday, I’m talking about jeans. And not just any ol’ jeans…. On my most recent birthday, I opened a present from my brother and sister to discover a pair of pajama jeans. I didn’t know what to think. In fact, my heart kind of sank: I’d become the type of person my siblings thought should own a pair of pajama jeans – that couldn’t be a good thing. I’d seen the infomercials, I’d heard comedians make fun of them, and they seemed like the ultimate symbol of, “Hey, I’ve given up and don’t give a crap anymore.”
After I quit work to write full time, I tried not to let myself become a pajama-wearing hermit. Even though I’d prefer to stay in my PJs all day, I change into actual clothes every morning. Now I’ll admit I put on equally comfy items like yoga pants or jogging clothes, but I do maintain the distinction between sleeping clothes and being awake clothes. And when I leave the house, even for a quick trip to pick up some milk, I fancy myself up by putting on a pair of jeans and smearing on some lipstick. So even though I’m not wearing the professional outfits and full makeup I used to wear, I’ve tried not to descend into complete lazy-slob mode. That’s why when I opened that box to find the pajama jeans, I worried I’d let myself go more than I thought.
But I’m not gonna lie – those things are awesome! They are so comfortable, and unless you’re up close, you really can’t tell they’re not real jeans. So now when I’m out in the yard and see my neighbors, I don’t feel that twinge of embarrassment I did with my other comfy pants. The best part? They make my butt look AMAZING! Seriously. My butt has always been a problem area. In my teens and twenties, it was so nonexistent it was practically concave. As I've put on extra pounds in my thirties, it skipped over juicy and went straight to flabby. However, the pajama jeans make my butt look round and firm – I guess it’s both the cut and the stretchy material. I haven’t been brave enough to wear them out and about yet, but if I can’t find a regular pair of jeans that makes my hind end look that great, then you might spot me prancing around town in a pair of pajama jeans.
And while we’re on the subject of jeans, it’s time to reveal the Rish family dog genes. Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest! It’s been fun seeing all the guesses. They were in line with the breeds we guessed before we got the results, especially so many picks of Labrador for Bailey and Freya. In fact, we figured they were both Husky/Lab mixes, so similar to other designer mutts being crossbred, we called them our Huskadors – but it turns out not a drop of Lab between them. The results show just how sneaky genes can be!
Although they use drawings rather than actual photos, I’ve pulled the official breed pictures from the American Kennel Club site.
1. Bailey

















On this Willy-nilly Wednesday, I’m talking about jeans. And not just any ol’ jeans…. On my most recent birthday, I opened a present from my brother and sister to discover a pair of pajama jeans. I didn’t know what to think. In fact, my heart kind of sank: I’d become the type of person my siblings thought should own a pair of pajama jeans – that couldn’t be a good thing. I’d seen the infomercials, I’d heard comedians make fun of them, and they seemed like the ultimate symbol of, “Hey, I’ve given up and don’t give a crap anymore.”
After I quit work to write full time, I tried not to let myself become a pajama-wearing hermit. Even though I’d prefer to stay in my PJs all day, I change into actual clothes every morning. Now I’ll admit I put on equally comfy items like yoga pants or jogging clothes, but I do maintain the distinction between sleeping clothes and being awake clothes. And when I leave the house, even for a quick trip to pick up some milk, I fancy myself up by putting on a pair of jeans and smearing on some lipstick. So even though I’m not wearing the professional outfits and full makeup I used to wear, I’ve tried not to descend into complete lazy-slob mode. That’s why when I opened that box to find the pajama jeans, I worried I’d let myself go more than I thought.
But I’m not gonna lie – those things are awesome! They are so comfortable, and unless you’re up close, you really can’t tell they’re not real jeans. So now when I’m out in the yard and see my neighbors, I don’t feel that twinge of embarrassment I did with my other comfy pants. The best part? They make my butt look AMAZING! Seriously. My butt has always been a problem area. In my teens and twenties, it was so nonexistent it was practically concave. As I've put on extra pounds in my thirties, it skipped over juicy and went straight to flabby. However, the pajama jeans make my butt look round and firm – I guess it’s both the cut and the stretchy material. I haven’t been brave enough to wear them out and about yet, but if I can’t find a regular pair of jeans that makes my hind end look that great, then you might spot me prancing around town in a pair of pajama jeans.
And while we’re on the subject of jeans, it’s time to reveal the Rish family dog genes. Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest! It’s been fun seeing all the guesses. They were in line with the breeds we guessed before we got the results, especially so many picks of Labrador for Bailey and Freya. In fact, we figured they were both Husky/Lab mixes, so similar to other designer mutts being crossbred, we called them our Huskadors – but it turns out not a drop of Lab between them. The results show just how sneaky genes can be!
Although they use drawings rather than actual photos, I’ve pulled the official breed pictures from the American Kennel Club site.
1. Bailey
















