mamachallenge | Real Solutions for Real Parents | Dallas Blog

Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Great Wolf Lodge is REALLY Great for Grownups

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Think Great Wolf Lodge is just the kiddos? Think again. From margaritas to massages, here’s 10 reasons why Great Wolf Lodge is really great for grownups.

Thanks to Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine Texas for showing our family a howling good time!

Oh, the things we do for our kids…  

Stand in line during for hours for toys that you’ll hate later just to hear that squeal on Christmas morning. 
 
Hold them for hours even after they’ve puked up their guts all over you knowing full well you’ll get sick too just to rock them to sleep. 
 
Take off for a weekend of nonstop kid-loving waterparking, magical wands, arcade games, and more at Great Wolf Lodge. 
 
Great Wolf
 
Actually that’s what I *thought* it was gonna be like during my recent first trip to Great Wolf.
 
In the words of my husband, “we were taking one for the team.” 
 
BUT I was pleasantly wrong and very surprised.
 
No doubt there was going to be fun with a indoor and outdoor waterpark, tons of Not just because my kids were so jazzed for weeks until our trip and kept a huge smile across their face the ENTIRE time we were there, but because the “kids vacay” became one for the big kids, too. 
GreatWolfisGreatforGrownups

10 Reasons Great Wolf Lodge is Really Great for Grownups 

1. The food is REALLY good. 

You’ll find no shortage of chicken nuggets, pizza, really great mac and cheese, and hamburgers here and when you need to feed the kids that’ll work and do you well. But you’ll also find upscale cheese plates, prime rib, and salad options galore. But for those with a little more picky palates, you’ll find it at the Lodge Wood Fired Grill. Expect notable choices like Ahi Tuna, Brussel sprouts, and of course a sizzling ribeye you’ll feel like you’re dining like date night. So if you have tweens, let them head to the arcade while you get in a little dinner or round up the crew and don’t feel like you’ll need a sitter because this is one steak house that won’t flinch when you bring in all the troops. 
 
Great Wolf

2. Perfect Proximity

Want to get me to relax? Then put me in a place that I feel like my kids are safe. While you’ll still need to keep a watchout for children swimming, there’s so much comfort that kids of all ages can be happy and still in reach within a few hundred feet of each other. Even if you have kids of different ages all throughout Great Wolf, there never more a few minutes from you. That makes it a no-brainer for families looking for something to make everyone happy, especially the adults.  
 
Great Wolf

 

3. Keep Going with Caffeine

With so much to do, you’re gonna need the caffeine and they know it. You’ll find a Starbucks to get you moving and keep you going all day long! 

4. Livin’ on Island Time 

When I think of a real vacation, I envision cool cabanas, a Bahama Mama in my hand, and cool water just steps from my toes. Great Wolf has that and lot more. Keep an eye on the kids while they power away all day and you just sit in your chair thinking about how much life would be better if it were like just.like.this. everyday.
 
Great Wolf

5. Get in your own element at the Spa.

While Taylor and I had a “howling good time” with mommy and me manicures and ice cream treats at Scooops Kid Spa, head upstairs to Elements Spa if you are looking for a little less giggles and sparkles. With top of the line massages (including couples and prenatal options), facials and salon services, it’s a real adult retreat within the resort.  
 
Great Wolf

6. Take it to the the Limit.

Are you less lawnchair and more “let’s go!”? Then get going on the Howlers Peak Ropes Course. With a course for the littles and the big kids, you’ll be flying high in no time. Th.ere’s even a bungee jump on one side for those of us that really live on the edge (of parenting that is.) 


Great Wolf


7. Slowing it down with Story Time 

If you sit down to story time at your house every night you know that can be an ordeal within itself. When you’re at Great Wolf Lodge, not only do they take that work off your hands, but they will wear them babies out with appearances, pictures, and of course, stories. They’ll be so ready to go to bed so you can spend a little downtown. 

Great Wolf

8. Dancing Machine

So the storytime doesn’t work to calm down your kids? Or are you just hitting your high around 8 pm! Don’t worry the party doesn’t stop unless you want it too! The pajama party is the nightclub of my dreams. They took it back old school with a mix of now so I could shimmy and shake with glowsticks and bubbles all while wearing our yoga pants. Best of all I knew when I was done, the bed was just a few steps from moving to the Macarena.
 
Great Wolf

9. Wine Down with a Little Wine. 

This is the newest and for me one of the coolest ways to hit the hay for adults. Paired with cheese and sweets, the Wine Down Service, lets you “wine down” with four adult-themed packages like the Kids Snoring, More Pinot Noir-ing featuring chocolate truffles and Pinot Noir. And so the cubs stay asleep while you await your treat, room service will text you at the door so the knock doesn’t wake up! (DOUBLE PAW POINTS FOR THAT!) 
 
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10. Yes, because it’s REALLY FUN! 

Yep, it’s just freaking fun to get away and do something different, to let it go, and most of all, just be a bigKID.With everything you want at your fingertips, everyone in your family will have memories to last them a lifetime…or at least you head back to Great Wolf Lodge next time. 
 
Great Wolf 

Adult Places to Check Out at Great Wolf Lodge: 

Starbucks
The Lodge Wood Grill 
Elements Spa 
Howlers Peak Ropes Course
Room Service 
 
Plan your trip now to Great Wolf with the best rates available.
 
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Best-Hotels-for-Kids-in-DFW2
 
 
 
 

Ab Fab: New Tummy Tuck Tech

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Thinking about a tummy tuck but don’t know how to deal with all the postsurgical stuff? New technology is making it a little easier to get back your even better mom bod.

Thanks to TissuGlu® for sharing this medical advancement and the Mom It Forward Influencer Network sponsorship of mamachallenge.com.

Whether you were blessed with a small waist or are still battling your baby weight (and your kids well past being a baby like mine) most of us have a little extra something around our midsection we’d like to get rid of. I’ve been working hard like many moms to shape up and be healthy, but just like both my OB and my trainer said, “some parts will never go back.”

TissueGlu


Well $#*! (Insert your hissy fit here.)

For some of us, God blessed you and everything goes back and you look great. For those of us that don’t have Heidi Klum’s body, we suck it up (literally) and deal with it. And for other moms, a tummy tuck is their next step.

I’ve known many moms that have gone through a tummy tuck and look great. I know many more moms who have thought about it, but haven’t done it due to all the recovery time and the mess (i.e., drains) that come with it. (Who’s got time for that!)

However, a new technology is making the process a little easier to deal with. It’s called TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive. TissuGlu is the first surgical adhesive of its kind, making a drain-free tummy tuck possible.

TissueGlu

Drains are patients’ #1 tummy tuck complaint. NEW TissuGlu® makes a drain-free tummy tuck possible. Click To Tweet

Most patients find drains to be complicated when emptying and measuring the fluid and painful when they are removed. Drains require maintenance for 1-3 weeks after surgery and sometimes cause additional scarring. TissuGlu forms a strong bond between tissue layers, reducing spaces where fluid may collect, allowing your body to resorb fluid.  This way the healing process is more natural without drains.

TissuGlu

TissuGlu may reduce the need for drains after surgery. By using TissuGlu instead of drains, you may:

  • Return to normal activities more quickly
  • Experience less discomfort and pain than when drains are used
  • Have fewer invasive treatments for fluid management.

I’m not saying let’s all go out and get a tummy tuck. For some of us, exercise might do the trick. But for those mamas that have done the work and still have an area that doesn’t make them happy, then a tummy tuck might be an option for you. And thankfully, TissuGlu is making it a little less difficult to find your best self in your own body.

If you’re considering abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), ask your doctor if a drain-free tummy tuck with TissuGlu is right for you.

Get more information about TissuGlu by going to their website: www.tissuglu.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrainFreeTummyTucks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drainfreetummytucks

TissuGlu

Important TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive Safety Information:

Indication

TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive is indicated for the approximation of tissue layers where subcutaneous dead space exists between the tissue planes in abdominoplasty.

Contraindications

Do not use in patients with known or suspected allergies to urethane-based or isocyanate-containing products.

Warnings

  • Do not use TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive in patients who have had prior exposure to TissuGlu®. Immunological response associated with repeat TissuGlu® exposure has not been studied.
  • The effectiveness for the treatment of patients with BMI > 28 has not been established. Higher BMI patients have a propensity for fluid accumulation and may have an increased risk of seroma formation.
  • Effectiveness was not observed in weight loss patients undergoing abdominoplasty. Weight loss patients have a propensity for fluid accumulation and may have an increased risk of seroma formation and aspiration.

Benefits

TissuGlu® may reduce the need for drains after surgery. By using TissuGlu® instead of drains, you may:

  • Return to normal activities more quickly
  • Experience less discomfort and pain than when drains are used
  • Have fewer invasive treatments for fluid management. The results showed that 73% of TissuGlu® patients had no treatments after surgery. However, some patients did require additional invasive treatments including reinsertion of drains.

Risks

Clinical studies were performed using TissuGlu®. There were no increased safety risks with the use of TissuGlu® than when drains were used. Potential complications associated with the use of the device and the tummy tuck procedures include seroma (fluid) formation. These complications may require treatments such as drain placement and/or fluid removal by needle, which may be performed in the operating room. Additional potential complications include wound healing issues, rash/redness, surgical site or incision infection, scarring, hematoma (bruise or swelling), incision separation, and immunological reaction.

Safety Information:

For full safety information please visit http://tissuglu.com, contact your doctor, or call Cohera Customer Support at 1-800-641-7458.

Disclaimer:

TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive is currently approved for sale in the United States for the approximation of tissue layers where subcutaneous dead space exists between the tissue planes in abdominoplasty. TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive received European CE Mark in 2011, where it is approved for large flap surgical procedures such as abdominoplasty. TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive is not approved for sale in any other region. Any questions related to the indication for use should be directed to your Cohera Medical Account Manager or to Cohera Medical Corporate Clinical Affairs. Refer to the complete TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive Directions for Use for prescribing and usage information.

 

Oh Baby: New Baby Gear Must Haves

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Expecting a delivery from the stork soon? You better hope he’s dropping off these new Baby Gear Must Haves (as featured on Fox Good Day.)

affiliate-links

Just this week I had five friends deliver some of the freaking cutest babies! My Facebook feed filled up with beautiful smiles and memories. While it’s only been a short few years since I spent my days ogling baby strollers (well yesterday really), the baby market has gotten CRAZY!

Baby Must Haves


Remember my trip to the Biggest Baby Shower Ever in Dallas? This little journey got my baby fever running high so I had to have more! And man we found some awesome stuff! Just check out our favorites that you’re gonna either need to click to get it delivered, run to pick it up or like me say, “why didn’t they have that when I had babies!?” 

 Because a hungry baby is a sad baby…

KABRITA GOAT MILK // Online

I tried to breastfeed but everything she drank, she threw up. I would pump, she would drink, she would spit and I would do laundry. What I found out now is she had an allergy to milk AND much more, but if she had goat’s milk formula we could have avoided the whole mess! Kabrita is easy to digest protein snd forms a smaller, softer, and looser curd in the gut than cow milk. 

Baby Must Haves

For some children like mine, cow milk protein may be difficult to digest and may cause mild to moderate symptoms such as colic, constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, chronic congestion, recurrent ear infections, and eczema. Kabrita goat milk foods are naturally easy to digest and may be a solution for the symptoms that may be associated with cow milk sensitivity*.

Because Cookies…

BOOB FOOD Lactation Cookie // Online, $20 (before shipping) 

Boob Food Cookies were created by social media star and chef, Anna O’Steen of Lovely Lady Cakes. While nursing her daughter three years ago, she worried about supplying enough milk for her baby and started researching lactation cookies. After two years of research, she’s created an organic recipe with healthy ingredients that include whole oats, brewer’s yeast, flaxseed, almond butter, and sesame seeds.

Baby-Must-haves

By just eating 2 cookies (90 calories) a day can help you start seeing results within the week, with up to 5oz more breast milk. (Some even say same day results!) 

 

Show Your Cool Baby Style

LIL’ FIREFLY // Online and in-store, prices vary 

When it comes to a onesie, your baby’s style can say so much more than a blank white multi-pack. Show your creative streak with something more creative and fun like Dallas’ new Lil’ Firefly. Lil’ Firefly is a different kind of retail boutique. Embracing your child’s Lil’ Firefly spirit, they showcase clothing that reflect the bright, rebellious spirit within each child. Co-owners Sheri and Michel feel passionate about celebrating the true nature of every child so they joined together to create a company with this specific vision in mind. 

Baby-Gear

Get in Gear

Looking for a new destination for all things hip baby and oh, so Dallas?  The Tot is your spot. With two locations, one in Highland Park Village and now on Lovers Lane, The Tot Playhouse is designed to feel like you are strolling into the welcoming home of a friend. The concept store is filled with gorgeous parenting products including the best in baby gear, kids apparel, toys, personal care products, nursery furniture & décor, and much more – all mindfully selected by The Tot team to reflect a sense of luxury fused with forward-thinking functionality. 

CYBEX YEMA CARRIER // The Tot, $309.95

Style-conscious parents will love the YEMA for its sleek design while babies benefit from the close contact. Let’s be honest, no one likes the ugly carriers that are out there now or feel like the lightweight material can’t possibly hold their child. This one does the job with functional design that confidently holds your child close in three different positions. 

Baby-Gear

gB POCKIT STROLLER // The Tot, $249

When folded it is the smallest and most compact stroller currently available on the market (Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s smallest stroller), 12 x 7 x 14 inches to be precise and just 9.5 pounds. While it can be used for travel, overhead areas on the airplane and fits in your purse, it’s not a substitute for a traditional stroller. 

New-Baby-Gear

DOONA // The Tot, $499

Doona is the world’s first infant car seat that transforms to a stroller in seconds, no additional parts required. Ever went on a walk or a drive and you need to get moving but you don’t want to wake up the baby making a move? That’s why the Doona is your best friend.                

baby-gear-must-haves

MIMA XARI STROLLER// The Tot,  $1,424

Mima offers an innovative range of strollers that boast a patented bassinet/ carrycot system located within the stroller seat unit itself, in order to effortlessly transform and grow with your child and your family.

Baby-Gear-Must-Haves

Just Another Reason to Head to Target

CLOUD ISLAND //  Target, prices vary

If the Starbucks, CVS/pharmacy or the $1 Spot aren’t enough reason to love Target, they’ve added a big one for all expecting and new families.  Cloud Island is Target’s new, exclusive line of nursery décor, bedding, bath and layette products created by Target’s internal design team. The collection includes nearly 500 stylish, affordable items designed with a focus on safety, durability and comfort and will be available at all Target stores and Target.com.

Baby Gear Must Haves

Cloud Island includes more than 70 different prints within nursery and décor products and 14 patterns within the bath collection. Three key themes can be found across the entire assortment, allowing parents to easily mix and match different items in their nursery and bathroom.

Cloud Island bath and layette pieces, including onesies, towels, bibs and more, will roll out starting in August.

 

Sleepy Time is the Best Time 

SWADDLE ME // Prices vary

Why take time how to make the perfect swaddle when you just velcro that baby up? The swaddle (kindly referred to in our family as a baby burrito), is the thing that dreams are made of. A tight swaddle for both my kids meant they’d actually go to bed and not wake themselves up from moving their arms. They felt as snug as a bug in a rug which meant sleep for us! Both there is a technique unless you have a Swaddle Me, which makes it easy with a little more than velcro action. 

BabyMustHaves

4 MOMS bounceRoo // Target, $99 

The 4moms bounceRoo is the only bouncer with 3 unique vibration modes (heartbeat, wave and bee) and 3 intensity settings to help calm and soothe your baby. The bounceRoo also entertains with a fun, natural bouncing motion created by your baby’s movement. The lightweight and compact design is easy to move around the house or take on the go.

4Moms

MOBA BASKET, The Tot, $180

To give babies a better and healthier nights’ sleep, Moba reimagined what the traditional Moses basket should be, and the first Moba basket was born. With a durable basket and stand (sold separately), your baby can be moved where you need, when you need, and looks so chic.

 

OWLET SMART SOCK 2 // Online, $299+ 

The Owlet Smart Sock 2 uses pulse oximetry (most know it as the little red light they clip on your finger at the doctor’s office) to track a baby’s heart rate and oxygen while sleeping. That info is sent to a nearby Base Station and from there to parents’ smartphones, designed to notify you if those levels fall outside the preset zone. I fell in love with this product the minute I heard of it (for obvious reasons) and now it’s on version 2, it’s gotten even better. 

83% of parents who use @OwletBabyCare say they sleep better because of it. Click To Tweet

 

Owlet

It’s a technological marvel that fits right into the nursery, providing parents with incredible peace of mind knowing there is an extra set of eyes helping keep an eye on baby. It’s what we like to call “a little help for the hardest job in the world.” 

Ready to sleep a little better because of your own peace of mind? Then enter to win your own Owlet Smart Sock 2 (valued at $299.) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Show them We Appreciate: Donut What We Would Do Without You {Free Printable}

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National Donut Day is one of the sweetest days on the calendar and it’s this Friday!  Say thank you to those special people in your life by including this “Donut What We Would Do Without You” printable and win this $50 Dunkin Donuts gift card to help with the fun! 

The folks at Dunkin Donuts have sweetened the pot with a $50 DD gift card for one lucky mamachallenge reader! Thank you for this sponsored post.

Donuts. Doughnut. DO-NUTS. 

NationalDonutDay


However you wanna spell it, they’re good. And just bringing a box of donuts to the office, a meeting or showing up early morning with a box for breakfast at home always makes everyone happy. 

Dunkin-Donuts

Besides showing you have good taste, it shows that even with all things you had to do in your day,  you took the time to stop and get something to say thank you! That’s true appreciation – for your team, your department, the mail carrier, your teachers, your dry cleaner or even your police department. 

Dunkin-Donuts

So we put together this adorable little printable to go with your drop off of donuts to show your true appreciation! Whether you want a poster, a notecard or whatever, you can scale this printout for what you need! And of course, it’ll look great paired with your drop off of Dunkin Donuts on National Donut Day! 

ABOUT NATIONAL DONUT DAY

National Donut Day is Friday, June 2, and Dunkin’ Donuts is ringing in the day in a most delicious, delightful and delectable way, offering guests in the Dallas – Fort Worth area a free donut of their choice (while supplies last) with the purchase of any beverage. The offer is good all day on June 2 at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide.

To make the day even sweeter, at 10:00 a.m. on June 2, Dunkin’ will deliver 60 dozen donuts to the Dallas Police Department headquarters at 1400 S. Lamar Street, Dallas, to be distributed to all substations. Dunkin’ is proud to support law enforcement and is making sure the officers have the opportunity to participate in the free donut offer. National Donut Day was originally established in 1938 by the Chicago Salvation Army to honor women who served donuts to soldiers during World War I. The holiday is traditionally celebrated on the first Friday of June. 

DONUT WHAT WE WOULD DO WITHOUT YOU PRINTABLE

Here are several sizes for your use. There’s even a PDF so you can print it straight to a 8.5 x 11 inch paper, landscape. 

Dunkin-Donuts

Download /// PDF (8.5 x 11 inch paper) / Notecard (perfect for a small note with a Dunkin Donuts gift card) / 5 x 7 poster or note 

What a way to celebrate with a $50 gift card to Dunkin Donuts.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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DunkinDonuts

 

Summer Sippin: Frozen Rose Slushie (Frosé)

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Counting down to summer in 3, 2, 1…One taste of this frosé (that’s fancy for frozen rose slushie), you’ll be ready to for the lazy days cooling off next to the pool or at least enjoy dreaming about it. 

Thanks to Total Wine & More® in Allen for kicking off the summer right with this sponsored post.

Frozen Rose

Total Wine & More® its new doors in Allen with a grand opening party, it was time to call in the troops for an evening without the kids and with the girls. 


Total-Wine-Rose-Slushee

Total-Wine-Rose-Slushee  Total-Wine-Rose-Slushee

Total-Wine-Rose-Slushee

If you’ve never to a Total Wine (aka America’s Wine Superstore), the typical store has 8,000 different wines from every wine-producing region in the world, including more than 2,000 wines not available in any other store and more than 2,000 beers. Plus they do sampling, tastings and classes to educated you and help you to appreciate your wine much more. Tonight’s event included delicious apps, cheese pairings, tastings from favorite makers (Conundrum and Moet!), etchings, games, and lots of laughs. Plus it was another wonderful opportunity to browse the huge selection of wines, whiskeys and other spirits that line the many aisle of Total Wine & More®.

Most the time we are so busy we grab just the names and tastes we know, but this really grabbed my attention for finding a new wine for the summer. 

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Being a huge fan of rosé, I was drawn to this beautiful pink display. So of course, this Rose from Brin de Rose caught my attention, too with it’s beautiful packaging and the notes of pepper, floral notes, and that price! I walked out with several bottles ready to take on the summer head on!

frosé

Headed home in the car, I had remembered chatting with a friend a few weeks ago about planning for the summer to spend more time “taking it all in” slowly and savoring the simpleness of all our experiences. The sound of my daughter giggling when she laughs, the aroma of the earth after it rains, the taste of summer when you sip a rose…these were the things we wanted to make sure we enjoyed. 

Somewhere in the conversation, the idea of a frozen rosé popped into our heads. We thought we were geniuses! We had created the best idea since sliced bread. Until of course, I Googled it and found out that we weren’t so smart since half the world had popped up with the same idea. However, the recipes we found for something so simple seemed to take too long (who wants to wait for frozen wine ice cubes) or seemed a little too boring (rose and ice.) We wanted something bright, fresh and like the taste of summer. 

Challenge accepted. 

Our Frozen Rosée Slushy or the fancy name, Frosé, adds all the best parts of summer with berries and lemons blended with rosé, St-Germaine, honey and ice.  The St-Germain is a French liqueur made with Elderflower which is a flower that tastes like like honey and basically the taste of summer and pairs famously with lemons. I was thinking this combination was the perfect pairing for my summer adult slushy, slushee or whatever you want to call it. 

I love when good ideas come together…and then you put them into the blender.

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Total-Wine-Rose-Slushee (8 of 24)

 

Frozen Rose

And with almost no prep, you have the perfect taste of summer. Cold, in a glass, and ready to be sipped, savored, and enjoyed. Just like summer. If you plan to have 

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Print

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Summer Frozen Rosé Slushee (Frosé)

  • Author: Autumn Reo of mamachallenge.com
Print Recipe

Description

Savor summer with this summer sipper perfect for staying cool with those hot, sultry days!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bottle of Rosé
  • 1/4 cup St-Germaine (add more if you love Elderflower as much as I do!)
  • 2 cups frozen strawberries (unsweetened)
  • 2–3 tablespoons honey (local honey is always best!)
  • 1–2 cups ice cubes

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients in the blender, adding ice slowly until preferred consistency.

Notes

  • I like a drier Rosé. You can choose a sweeter blend and omit/reduce honey for your taste.)
  • This recipe makes a pitcher at a time. Half this recipe for 2-3 glasses of wine (just right for you and your friend.)

Visit the Total Wine & More® in Allen, Texas at 190 Stacy Road in Allen, Texas or any of the other locations closest to you.

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Frozen Rose Slushie

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Total Wine & More. The opinions and text are all mine.

 

Your Own Piece of Magnolia: How to Plant a Joanna Gaines-Inspired Herb Garden

By 8 Comments

Planning or just returned from a trip to the Silos in Waco? Create your own little piece of the Magnolia Market: Here’s how to Plant a Joanna Gaines-Inspired Herb Garden.

Thank you to Harvest sponsoring this post and the opportunity to enjoy and take care of the best parts of our lives.

Sometimes you need to get away.

Not to an exotic destination but somewhere there aren’t dishes to do, phone calls to return, kids can swing and play, and the best thing about your day is biting into a creamy, buttery, oh-my-goodness cupcake.


Magnolia-Market-Garden

Some days you just need that.

That’s exactly why we headed to the Silos.

Magnolia-Market-Garden

Unless you’ve had your head buried deep under a rock, Magnolia Market at the Silos is the beautiful space curated by Chip and Joanna Gaines of the HG Network’ Fixer Upper fame. Deep in the heart of Waco, just a hop, skip and a West kolache stop from Fort Worth, you can spend the day frolicking along the gardens, green space and shiplap-covered designs from the dynamic duo that have captivated our hearts and homes.

Magnolia-Market-Garden

You’ll find no special amusement park rights, lights, sparkle or even entertainment here (unless you participate in the annual Silobration.) What you will find is an golden ambiance that embraces the simplicity that it seems so many of us are yearning for with a shop full of housewares, a cupcakery/sweetshop that lines to enter rival the infamous Bouchon in Napa Valley, a small cottage full of fairy garden staples and a few food trucks to keep you fueled.

And for some reason it’s magical. While I wouldn’t call myself a farmhouse kinda gal, the place (which isn’t an amusement park, but just a free greenspace to enter), makes me happy…makes the kids happy…and from the looks of the many thousands that flock there from all over the country, makes us all happy, content, and without much effort at all. All you have to do is get there and take a deep breathe. It’ll consume you. I liken it to free therapy without any medication (unless you indulge in a cupcake or a gluten-free cookie.)

Magnolia-Market-Garden

I just wish I could bottle it up and take the feeling home with us. And apparently so did the kids as they immediately begin asking if we could create a garden “like Joanna and Chip.” A reasonable request of course, but considering my thumb resembles a dark shade of black than green, I first begin to say no. But in my calm demeanor and need to keep our euphoria peaked, we headed to Lowes before returning home to make our garden.

Magnolia-Market-Garden

Magnolia-Market-Garden

Looking through all our photos from the Silos (have your battery charged as you’ll take so many and they’ll all be picture perfect), the kids were really excited by the idea of planting our own herb garden. So without a big plan or design, we began to create our garden. But we didn’t just build any garden. We built one with Joanna in mind. One we thought she’d be proud of. And one that gave us our own little piece of Magnolia in our own backyard.

Magnolia-Market-Garden

Magnolia-Market-Garden

How to Plant a Joanna Gaines-Inspired Herb Garden

1) Decide on What herbs to Use.

We knew we wanted to put a mix of both beautiful fragrant herbs as well as beautiful looking herbs that we could enjoy both while they were growing and hopefully later in our own cooking. Remembering the lavender cupcake that we saw at the Silos (but unfortunately had been sold out just before we got to the front of the line) lavender was our first pick. After that began to fancy a little bit of everything, but honing in on our Joanna-minded skills, less is more. So we opted for Sage, Thyme and with the help of our handy Lowe’s man, we added a little Oregano (who doesn’t love Oregano – especially because it’s so easy to grow and we put it in everything.)

Magnolia-Market

TIP: Whatever you find at your local garden center like Lowe’s is going to be what grows well in your region. You’ll just need to make sure where you put it at home gets enough shade, sun and water.)

2) Choose Your Container.

Herbs are some of the easiest plants because they don’t have deep roots so they can thrive in many kinds of containers. Pots, window boxes, wine barrels, actually really anything can work as long as you have enough room for the herbs and the soil. Plus you’ll want to make sure where you plan to put your container gets enough light for the types of herbs you’ll want to be growing.

We found a recycled wine barrel we knew would look good outside in yard and would be able to be easily moved if it needed more sun or shade.

Magnolia-Market-Garden

3) Select Your Soil.

This was the part I wasn’t quite sure about…the soil. It would seem that dirt is dirt, right? WRONG.

Magnolia-Market-Garden

Magnolia-Market-Garden

The soil, whether it’s potting soil, gardening soil or raised bed all differs in what’s in the dirt. And even more so, where the dirt comes from is so important – not just for your plants, but in the case of an edible herb garden, you’re also eating the plants, so it’s important to make sure you trust your dirt too.

Since we were using the barrel, we selected Harvest’s Organic Potting Mix for our herb garden.

Planting with Harvest’s organic soils, you plant with “clean” dirt ensuring your garden grows without added chemicals, pesticides, preservatives. In doing so, you do your small part in helping reduce landfill waste by keeping nearly 2,000,000 tons of waste from ending up in landfills, which also seems like something Joanna would be happy we took into consideration.

4) Build Your Garden.

As soon as we got home, we immediately went to creating our herb garden. As we dug in the ground, we continued to think through our Magnolia-inspired touches, thumbing through our photos that reminded us of our adventure to the Silos.

Magnolia-Market-Garden

Adding Harvest’s Organic Potting Mix, we filled the barrel to a few inches to the top and carefully placed our herbs lovingly into the barrel. The kids chose how to place the herbs and then we added some water to set the dirt and to give the herbs a healthy drink of water. (Most the time your herbs will come with an insert educating you on the amount of moisture and sun they should receive.)

Magnolia-Market-Garden

After we were done, we basked in our work. Rather proud of ourselves, we instantly begin thinking of how to create a little bit of “Joanna” in our garden.

5) Show Your Love.

For us, this is where all the creativity went to work. We knew we wanted to add some placards to identify our herbs.

Using some popsicle sticks and chalkboard paint, we created some easy markers to slide into the soil. Feeling a little inspired by the fairy gardens, we took a mason jar and a small set of solar lights we found at home to create a firefly look to add to the garden. Simple and sweet, it was just what we were looking to remind us of Magnolia in our own little way.

Magnolia-Market-Garden

Magnolia-Market-Garden

But there was one little thing that was missing.

A little white chalk and a resourced chalkboard later, we knew exactly what it needed to make our little piece of magnolia complete.

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While a trip to Magnolia isn’t always in the plan, there’s a little piece of it here for us to stop and remind us to love, live and grow.

 

The Newest Diet: Digital Fast (Seen on Good Morning America)

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As seen on Good Morning America: How much screentime IS too much? This is one of the hot button question with families today. Maybe what you need is to do The Newest Diet, a Digital Fast.

Affiliate links may be included.

I remember the first time my husband and I successfully had a dinner out of the house with our 3-year-old son in peace and quiet.

Once he had finished his last chicken nugget, we slid him a smartphone, clicked on his favorite cartoon, and then enjoyed dinner, at our own pace, and without wondering if our young son was bugging everyone else around us. 


Screentime

My smartphone was now even smarter than before; it was now my ticket to getting things done like doctor’s appointments, long hauls in the car, and runs to the grocery store, with a toddler in tow.

Fast forward several years, now with two kids and managing my own PR / social media business, there wasn’t just a few smartphones in the shuffle, but a couple of handheld gaming devices, an at home game console, a few tablets and that’s not counting the number of laptops. 

Considering both my line of work and my husband’s, we were big consumers of technology and it only seemed right that so were our kids. Besides, their schools were using them daily. And if we were constantly checking our phones or laying around with our laptops, why shouldn’t our kids. 

But then one day I realized that my kids weren’t going outside to play. There were no playdates. They weren’t in their playroom playing with any of the many toys on the shelves. And forget board games; they were literally still sealed in cellophane because they had never been opened. 


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All my 8-year-old and 5-year-old kids wanted to do was play on a device. Anytime, anywhere. 

So began my quest to understand the effects of screentime  (especially beyond the TV) on kids. Considering the age of technology at your fingertips is fairly new, the research is fairly new as well, but the findings weren’t positive either: Too much screentime isn’t healthy, for them or for me. Research showed that kids lack of social skills, concentration, and even ADHD issues were being traced to too much screentime. 

And coincidentally those problems were some of the problems our kids were having at school. 

I started sharing my frustration and concern with my friends and asking how much time “screentime” their kids were getting.

Each and everytime I brought it up, I was met with the same response, “yes, mine are always on something, but what do we do?” Our parents didn’t have this conundrum, but my age of parenting did. As adults we are now tethered to our own smartphone to do our jobs, order dinner, and sneak a peek in on friends on social media 24/7, why would we want to say no to the one thing that seemed to make life so much easier for all of us. 

Digital-Fast-Limiting-Kids-Screentime

So when the opportunity to work on a project with ABC on screentime effects and the new age of Digital Addiction, I was all in. Introducing us to Dr. Victoria L. Dunckley and her book, The proposal was clear: the kids would go on a four-week digital fast and get rid of all screentime except for a few hours of TV with programming modifications. (If you want to learn about the effects of screens on our brains and our health, you should read this book.) 

Starting the Digital Fast

Digital-Fast-Limiting-Kids-Screentime

Dr. Dunckley with the kids playing board games and explaining the digital fast.

Of course, that wasn’t near as easy as it seemed. There would be some planning to give the kids other things to do and also give me other options to give them: board games, books, craft time, playing outside, whatever it took. Our time as parents on screens would also be greatly modified considering we couldn’t just bust out our smartphones at a restaurant. We had to show by example that during this fast, we were going to spend time doing other things. 

Digital-Fast-Limiting-Kids-Screentime

And of course, there was telling the kids that they we were taking away their devices for a month and then lock them up (and in our case away from the house.) I think that was the part I dreaded most. Were they going to hate me? Was I going to hate me that I didn’t have these tools at my disposal? 

What Happened During the Digital Fast

But you know what? It wasn’t that hard – at least not from the kids point of view. The kids didn’t throw the fits that I had anticipated. After we laid out the rules, they understood and they began asking to go play outside. 

They rode their bikes. We took walks. We played board games. We talked. We ate dinner around the table (both at home and at restaurants) and visited about our day. And at doctor’s appointments, I busted out the colors and the books. To fill up our time after homework and on the weekends, we enrolled in jiu-jistu to give them a new activity (and a new attitude too!) 

AND since I wasn’t on a device when I was with them, I started to enjoy things more too. Our time together wasn’t spent me on the phone or on my computer, but doing family things. I was enjoying being in the moment instead of trying to multitask and do more all the time. I wasn’t on social media all the time trying to keep up with the “Jones.” We were just being together and it felt good. 

Digital-Fast-Limiting-Kids-Screentime

I admit it wasn’t near as hard on them as it was on us at first. The change was something I learned I needed maybe more than they did. And I began to feel the effects. I was happier, they were happier. 

I realized that the devices had no longer been the tool I thought they were, but a crutch for me as a parent to not be present. And wasn’t that the whole point of being one? 

As for the kids, because they were playing and having more family time, they seemed to be happier. And their behavior, while not perfect, seemed to be a little more manageable, especially because me knowing what was happening or bothering them, instead of being on my smartphone allowed me to handle it before it got out of hand. 

And even asked by the ABC crew if they were happier, they said yes. 

Digital-Fast-Limiting-Kids-Screentime

This is me checking in with Dr. Dunckley about the Digital Fast.

After the Digital Fast

So did anything change? Yes. Things got better for all of us. And they continue to as well. While we have officially finished the fast, the screens haven’t been reintroduced. We haven’t needed to add them back into our routine so I haven’t put them out to remind them. They’re still tucked away, out of sight, out of mind. I know as a parent I can’t keep them away from them forever and I don’t plan to either, but I just don’t think it needs to replace the most important part of being a family and having me be a parent. And believe me, I love my smartphone, but I know we all could use a lesson on living in a world of technology. Even though I work in social media it doesn’t mean that it’s the always the best way to communicate. You can’t replace communicating and engaging with people as people, face to face, especially the ones you love most, with a device. 

Do yourself a favor and do a little digital fast of your own. 

Have you had an issue with screentime with your kids? Do you think your family needs a digital fast? 

 

Teaching Thank You: “Fuller Hands Bigger Heart” {Free Printable}

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In today’s world of calls, texts and 140-character tweets, thank you isn’t said enough. Take time to say it and teach it with this “Fuller Hands, Bigger Hearts” Thank you Printable.

Thank you to Cheerios for this sponsored post and reminding us all “thank you” is always trending. 

GiveOneCheerios (3 of 8)

THANK YOU.


It’s the most important phrase that can move mountains and make all the difference.

However, it’s completely under used, under appreciated, and in my opinion, under taught as it should be.

Think about it.

After a long day of managing your family’s to dos, handling a big work situation or even just picking up a friend’s child from practice at the last minute when you have so much you need to do, doesn’t seem that big a deal when you hear a “thank you.”

And I have plenty of times on the phone trying to handle a late bill, a prescription, whatever – and the moment you’re about to scream and pull out each and every follicle of hair, when you take a deep breathe, and let the operator know “I appreciate you, thank you,” progress seems to just kick in like magic.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

It even feels good saying it. But we don’t near as often as we should.

I actual have given to a page in my planner devoted to my thank you list. These are the folks that not only need a thank you said to them, but because they went the extra mile on my behalf, I feel I need to reach out with a thank you note and make a big point to them that I sincerely appreciate them.

GiveOneCheerios (6 of 8)

This month the list got real long when I realized how much I appreciated my extended day (on-premises afterschool care) teachers at my children’s school. Each and every day they take care of the kids while I complete my workday, create crafts and activities, feed them a snack, and care for them until I pull up, normally on fumes and completely out of breath (and in the nick of time.)

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It really amazes me that not only do they monitor them, they interact with them, they instill a sense of responsibility with chores, and recognize the kids when they do something good. AND when I pick them up, the kids sometimes ask if they can stay just a little bit longer…wow. 

Bless them. Each and every one of them.

So when Cheerios asked for us to reach out to someone we knew that needed to be recognized and thanked as part of their #GetOneGiveProgram, it didn’t take long for me and the kids to know exactly a group of teachers that sometimes don’t get the “teacher’s gift” since they aren’t the listed homeroom teacher to a huge number of kids of all ages and grades!

GiveOneCheerios1 (1 of 7)

As part of the program, we wanted all the extended day teachers know they were appreciated so I created this simple card to go with the specially-marked Cheerios boxes you can only find at Walmart. This little note was easy to print off and give to anyone who handles so much for so many other people.

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From start to finish, the kids had so much putting the “care packages” together. They added their own touches to the thank you notes using a few Cheerios, glue and finishing them off with their signatures. The next day I loaded up the boxes with the notes and went to school to pick them up and deliver! As you can see the kids loved surprising the teachers.

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And I think you can also see that the teachers loved having a reminder that they were appreciated and of course, THANK YOU.

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The next time someone utters a thank you to you, remember how it makes you feel.

Then remember to share that same feeling by saying thank you to others and often.

Thank you. It feels good to get one and give one doesn’t it? 

Instructions to download your free printable (4X6 size):

Design one includes a stencil for lining the heart with Cheerios. {Click here to download.}

Cheerios2Printable

 

Design Two includes an outline of the heart {Click here to download.}

Printable1Picture

Find your code inside specially marked packages in stores and enter it on http://wm6.walmart.com/Gluten-Free-Cheerios to send a coupon for a free box of Cheerios to someone that matters.

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Picnicking with Pinots: Napa Valley Moms Trip

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Want to really make a mark this Mother’s Day? Take it from this mama, it’s about the memories. Here’s a look at my adventures with mine: Napa Valley Moms Trip.

Thank you to JCPenney for sponsoring this post and the reminder to tell all the mamas, “you’re #SOWORTHIT!” 

Being a mom is a lot like fine wine….the older you get the better you get.

…But take it from me, don’t wait to savor her, appreciate her as much as you can, when you can.


They always say that one day you’ll really appreciate your mom. Like REALLY appreciate her.

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

In a way that you really can truly understand when you become one yourself.

At that time you get it. And man does it hit you like a big bag of bricks.

Thankfully, while my mother doesn’t live near, she lives close enough if I need something she’s there.

Especially since I’ve had children, she’s there in no time flat.

Without her, there are so many times I wouldn’t have been able to get to a meeting, get my hair done, give birth, go on my dream vacation, cry in the bathroom in peace and quiet. She’s made it happen – whatever, whenever I needed.

And when she goes to leave, to return home to my dad who’s fended for himself while she “Gigis,” the kids and I both walk her out to the car, give her hugs, share kisses, and then the tears begin. All of us.

A few years ago I had a chance to do something with my mama and escape together.

Napa Valley with my Mom

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

Off to Napa we went for a week of fun and fancy free to inhale as much as Napa Valley we could – and over my birthday at that.

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

During our drive from San Francisco to Napa and then on to Calistoga (a drive that everyone should take – it’s SO WORTH IT), we talked, we laughed, and plotted out our week. I had arranged for a few hot spots, but we left our schedule open to make sure we didn’t squeeze the joy out of our relaxing week trying to get all my hot spots on the itinerary (I do that.)

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

Funny enough – we hit almost everything including some that I didn’t think that were possible including Bouchon. One of the items on my list I was able to secure was a tour and tasting at Cliff Lede. A vineyard and winery devoted to classic rock music, the mood of the place rocked (and so did the wine.)

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

Really whole trip was like that. One experience after another, we found a beautiful space, drank beautiful wine, enjoyed some beautiful meat, cheese and other accoutrements, and just enjoyed the space, the moment and our company.

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

However, it really was just lots of picnics we were having all of Northern California!

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

Since our getaway, we haven’t had a chance to escape like that again, but we do reminisce about it all the time. And the last time the kids went to visit her, she mentioned she’d love to have a picnic with the kids but she didn’t have a “proper picnic basket.”

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

I wasn’t sure exactly what a proper basket was but I was sure I would know it when I saw it.

Sitting in my head, that statement took me back to our “picnics” in Napa, so when Mother’s Day rolled around this year, it was obvious that I was on the search for the right picnic basket for her.

So off to JCPenney I went and discovered a vast selection of picnic baskets. From old school baskets to insulated ones, with straps with or without plates, there was a basket for everyone.

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And then I found it – a proper picnic basket. Beautiful and picturesque, just looking at it reminding me of all the moments we had in Napa picnicking with our pinots.

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

But there was one thing missing…a bottle of Cliff Lede that I had picked up from the winery on our trip.

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

The perfect pairing. Just like us.

And just the way to say “YOU’RE SO WORTH IT, MOM” this Mother’s Day.

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

Napa-Valley-Moms-JCPenney

Looking for something for your mama this Mother’s Day or looking for a proper picnic basket of your own, head to JCPenney. Take a look at these baskets AND enter to win $25 JCPenney Gift Card Giveaway.

         

       ENTER TO WIN $25 JCPENNEY GIFT CARD 

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 Napa-Valley-Moms-Trip

Spots Mom Can Relax and Recharge

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Mommin’ ain’t easy. Help mom unwind with this handy list of spots mom can relax and recharge in Fort Worth. 

MamaChallenge is happy to share all the fun families can have in Fort Worth. #SeeFortWorth

Spa

PC: Omni Fort Worth Hotel, Mokara Spa.

Being a mom may be the best job in the world, but sometimes it can be hard to remember that when she’s elbow deep in stinky diapers, last-minute school projects, and a mess of dirty dishes. And that’s not including her own long list of to-dos. Help mom unwind this Mother’s Day with our handy list of ways to relax and recharge in Fort Worth.
 

Wine Down with Wine 


Let mom catch up with the girls or get in some uninterrupted reading time while sipping on a few great wines at Times Ten Cellar. From tastings to special events, everything she needs to begin her downtown wine down is just steps away. If she prefers more for a wine country kind of experience sans the long car drive or plane ride, plan an escape to LightCatcher’s Winery & Bistro for wine tastings and a little trip away from everything right here in Fort Worth (at least until it’s sold.) Make sure to catch a Jazz Sunday brunch for an all-out event.

Lightcatcher Winery

Don a new Do 

In a hurry? In just one hour at Drybar, mama can get the ultimate multitasking hair makeover paired with a mimosa (or elect to leave out the OJ.) Also with that drink order, she can get a 10-minute scalp massage during her shampoo followed by a paired hair order like a Manhattan, Cosmo or a Straight Up. At the end, mom will be ready to take on the world with beautiful tresses to match the picture-perfect smile now on her face.

Relax with a Rubdown

Feeling a little beat up and beat down?  Nothing relaxes mom’s body and soul better than a massage. Fort Worth is full of award-winning spas that can help melt away knots and stresses while mentality whisking mom away. Not looking for a full rubdown? Then concentrate on just the feet with reflexology from FeetWorth where they take down those tootsies for more than an hour…ahhh!

Omni Spa 

Cooldown with Cryotheraphy

If mama is looking for a boost, then The Cryo Spa may be calling. It boasts several health benefits such as increased energy and metabolism. While a few moments in freezing temperatures may not be mom’s ideal way of taking a time out, the end results may change her mind.

Walk off the Worry 

A quick way to relax and recharge is to get those feet moving in the great outdoors. Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to appreciate Mother Nature with a stroll along the Trinity. Head out to the Trailhead Clearfork, Fort Worth’s posh new green space, and enjoy a free exercise class, fresh local goods for sale from the Farmer’s Market, and a Summer Shandy from what Texas Monthly notes is one of the “Best New Restaurants,” Press Café.

 Press Cafe

Stretch it Out with Yoga 

Nothing takes mom to that zen-like state more than reconnecting with her center at one of Cowtown’s many yoga studios. We love Karmandy, SoulSpace and The Yoga Project to name a few. No matter if she is a newbie or a committed yogi looking for a new home to hone your practice, making yoga a part of her daily routine can help ensure mom gets the “me time” that she needs.

Recharge with Retail Therapy

Sometimes a gal just needs a new handbag or a pair of heels. Fort Worth’s options to shop ‘til she drops include the hip Near Southside, the trendy University Park Village, the popular Sundance Square, the bustling West 7th neighborhood as well as the famous Fort Worth Stockyards and the newly opened Neiman Marcus at The Shops at Clearfork. A day just hitting the racks for something special can remind her how special she is to you, too.

Widget: Sundance Shopping

Sleep off the Stress

Ask any mom what she wants and you’ll find a “time to myself” on the list. One trend many mamas have learned to indulge in is a little staycation. The Omni Fort Worth and the Worthington Renaissance know exactly what she needs with clean sheets, no messes, long baths and room service. And with amenities like spa treatments, pool time and beauty treatments, mom will feel like a new woman in as little as 24 hours. 

This article originally appear on FortWorth.com.

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