Autumn Rose Reo

Sweet! Buy dozen Tiff’s Treats for $4, Make a Dream Come True for Local Boy THIS SATURDAY

April 22, 2014 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

When two of my favorite organizations, A Wish with Wings and Tiff’s Treats have partnered together to grant the wish of nine-year-old Viggo, a survivor of Stage 4B Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, to go to Disney World, I needed to do whatever I could to help!

Especially since A Wish with Wings made my son’s dream come true for our family to experience Disney World.

Tiff’s Treats will hold a grand opening fundraiser at its newest location in DFW – its sixth in DFW and its first Las Colinas store — at 114 E. John Carpenter Freeway, Suite 110, Irving, 75062 (intersection of 114 and O’Connor), on Saturday, April 26, 2014, from 9 a.m. to noon. The event will raise funds for A Wish with Wings, which grants wishes to special little Texans with uncertain futures due to medical conditions. These funds will grant the wish of nine-year-old Viggo from Fort Worth, who loves Legos, Minecraft and the Beatles, and whose wish is to travel to Disney World this summer with his family, where he can focus on being a kid, instead of on the treatments he has had to endure for Stage 4B Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

On Saturday, April 26, celebrate the store’s opening and help raise funds for Viggo’s wish by purchasing up to six one-dozen boxes filled with one of Tiff’s Treats most irresistible flavors: chocolate chip, snickerdoodle or oatmeal raisin, for just $4 a box. Proceeds up to $5,000 will be donated to A Wish with Wings. Sales at this event are cash only. Viggo and his family will be there to share in the fun. It’s a flash grand opening event — and it’s all for a great cause!

Tiff’s Treats’ warm cookie concept normally requires a 30-minute notice for pick-up orders or one hour for delivery — however, for the grand opening fundraiser, no advance order is required, and customers can simply walk in to the new store and purchase hot cookies from 9 a.m. to noon. This deal is valid only at the new Las Colinas Tiff’s Treats location.

As the delicious aroma of fresh-from-the-oven cookies and brownies fills the air at the new store, guests can enjoy festivities and chances to win prizes. Get there early: the first 10 people in line at the grand opening April 26 at 9 a.m. will win a $100 Tiff’s Treats gift card, while the next 10 will receive a $50 gift card, the next 10 will receive a $25 gift card and the next 10 will win a $10 gift card. Guests who purchase a box of cookies at the grand opening can also enter in a drawing to win free Tiff’s Treats cookies for a year! Anyone who brings a new, unwrapped toy to the event to be donated to a Wish with Wings will also receive a $5 Tiff’s Treats gift card.

The mission of a Wish with Wings is to grant magical wishes to little Texans with life-threatening conditions. First chartered in 1982, this Texas-based non-profit has granted more than 1,200 wishes to children all over the Lone Star State with uncertain futures due to medical conditions. For more information on a Wish with Wings, visit the organization’s website at www.awishwithwings.com or call 817-469-9474. If you know of a child who is in need of a wish, please visit www.awishwithwings.com to get more information.

Tiff’s Treats in Las Colinas opens for regular business on Sunday, April 27. The new Las Colinas location can be reached at (972) 889-7700 or online at www.cookiedelivery.com.

Have a sweet week!

Fitness Feels Good with FitnessMat {Giveaway}

April 22, 2014 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Note: I was provided a Fitness Mat for purposes of this review.

Yoga is often considered a pathway to help with flexibility, stress reduction and overall health.

However, a few weeks ago, while I was in downward-facing dog, no part of me felt good. My knees hurt, my ankles hurt and my wrists hurt. All I kept thinking is “why am I here?”

While I am not the most fit person in the world, my pains weren’t coming from me not being capable, but actually the stress on my body of the poses I was doing with my crappy, paper-thin yoga mat.

While it was cute, matched my outfit and my price range, it wasn’t doing anything for my joints. I needed a mat with more padding, but still would allow me to do my poses in yoga or when I was doing other fitness moves.

The FitnessMat is therapeutic flooring innovation for those looking to enhance their fitness experiences will immediately benefit from the advanced technology of FitnessMats. The tried and true proprietary APT™ polyurethane material suspends and supports body weight, reducing impact and stress, while maintaining an inherently antimicrobial finish for easy cleaning and maintenance.

The FitnessMats also feature ADA-compliant 20 degree beveled edges that never curl and always lie flat, eliminating trip hazards. FitnessMats enhance every fitness experience by making it clean, safe, and comfortable in the privacy of your home or the public-facing gym spaces – designed to perform and built to last. Perfect for yoga, Pilates, free weights, stretching and more.

FitnessMats are available online at www.wellnessmats.com as well as select retailers.

The mats come in three classic colorways, gray, black, and brown and two different sizes tailored to your exercise needs. The 6′ x 2.5′ FitnessMats are long enough to support the entire body and retail for $239.95. The 4′ x 2’2″ FitnessMat are ideal for kneeling, stretching, and stepping and retail for $149.95. And they are also ideal for making fitness feel good again…well at least as much as working out can feel good.

Or you can win your own FitnessMat on mamachallenge (at $150 value)!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Time to Get Moving!

Trash to Toys: 10 Recycled Educational Toys

April 21, 2014 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Thanks to today’s contributor, Kiddie Academy (www.KiddieAcademy.com) for the following ideas for creating recycled educational toys.

Want to feed your child’s imagination, while helping the environment?

Earth Day is a yearly reminder to consider our role in protecting the environment. Parents can make a positive impact by creating fun, educational toys from everyday items that may initially seem like trash, but can be repurposed into teaching tools.

Computer Keyboard:
An outdated keyboard is a perfect teaching toy, as it includes the entire alphabet to assist in early literacy exercises. Challenge your child to sing the ABC song while locating each letter on the keyboard.

Shoebox to Mailbox:
Children love getting mail. Reinforce both reading and writing skills by creating a family mailbox from an old shoebox. Encourage your child to write notes to family members, and leave notes for them as well.

Water Bottle Instrument:
Fill a clean, dry plastic water or soda bottle with rice, bells, beans or coins and shake them to hear a variety of new sounds. Glue the top on to secure the contents.

Junk Mail:
Instead of immediately sending your unwanted mail to the landfill, allow your child to play with the envelopes and letters. She can pretend to be a postal carrier while getting additional exposure to printed words.

Magazines:
Glossy photos in magazines are perfect for creating collage art that provides fine motor skill practice with scissors and glue.

TV Remote:
Children love pushing buttons. An unused television remote control can be used for number and math play. Simply remove the batteries and ask him to find the numbers as you call them out.

Clothing:
Dramatic play is an essential teaching tool that allows children to explore social roles, practice problem solving and language skills. Add no longer needed pieces of your own wardrobe to the toy chest to encourage your child’s imagination. She can literally “try on” a different role by wearing your skirt, hat or shoes.

Linens:
Your child can use a worn out sheet or towel as a cape, picnic blanket or as the roof to a play fort.

Toilet Paper Tube:
Empty TP tubes are a favorite art tool in classrooms. Save a box of them, and give them to your child along with a few craft supplies to see what he can create. Binoculars, stamps and creatures are popular choices.

Boxes:
While it’s tempting to immediately recycle a box, your child can have hours of fun using an empty box for creative play. What seems like trash to you could become a school bus, secret hideout or magic castle.

For more eco-friendly education tips, parents can visit Kiddie Academy’s Family Essentials blog: http://www.kafamilyessentials.com.

Fish Friday: Celebrating Lent with Baked Tilapia with Shrimp from Olive Garden {Recipe}

April 18, 2014 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Those who are observing Lent and abstaining from meat may be struggling to come up with dinner options for their families. This Baked Tilapia with Shrimp recipe from one of our family’s favorite restaurants, Olive Garden, is perfect to conclude Lent or for any night your family is craving seafood. Serve it with your favorite vegetables.

For a lighter version of this recipe, try Olive Garden’s new Baked Tilapia with Shrimp at only 340 calories!

Baked Tilapia with Shrimp Recipe

(Serves four)

Ingredients

4 Tilapia filets

1.5 – 2 lbs. Medium, unpeeled, deveined shrimp

1 tbsp Butter

1 tsp Garlic, chopped

1 tbsp Onion, finely chopped

1 cup White Wine

1 cup Heavy Cream

1 stick (4oz) Butter, cubed

1 tbsp. Parsley, chopped

Pinch Salt

Pinch Pepper

Instructions

Make the butter wine sauce. (Yields 2 cups/4 portions of 4 fl. oz.)

Melt 1 tbsp. of butter, chopped garlic and finely chopped onion in pot for 3 minutes. Stir with rubber spatula. No browning.

Add white wine and heavy cream. Simmer gently until volume reduces by half. About 1 cup.

Turn off fire.

Add cubed pieces of butter. Stir until butter, wine and cream are combined. Sauce should have a slightly thick consistency.

Finish with salt, pepper and chopped parsley.

* Important: A fresh butter sauce must be served after being made. This sauce will not chill and reheat. When adding the butter to the reduction, the temperature of the sauce cannot exceed 150 degrees.

Rinse the tilapia filets and shrimp under cold water and place in a baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes. (Filets’ internal temp should be 145 degrees.)

For plating, place the shrimp on top of the filet and top with the hot butter wine sauce. Serve with your favorite vegetable on the side.

Easter Eats: Cheesy Corn Bake from 3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House {Recipe}

April 17, 2014 By Autumn Rose Reo 2 Comments

For our family, Easter lunch/dinner looks a lot like a lighter version of Thanksgiving: a big piece of meat with all the same kind of fixings like mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, we’ll you get the picture.

So to change it up for this year, we opted for BBQ. Good ole barbecue. While Dallas-Fort Worth has tons of amazing places to enjoy BBQ cooking at its best, the hubs wants to make it himself. However, I’m in charge of the fixings. And it’s just not BBQ if I can’t get at least a few bites of this Cheesy Corn Bake from 3 Stacks Smoke House in Frisco. There’s just something about this golden goodness that screams “I need to eat this NOW.”

Perhaps it’s the cream corn.
Perhaps it’s the cornbread mix.
Perhaps it’s that one stick of butter and cheese.
Whatever it is, it’s good.

And while Trace “The Rib Whisperer” Arnold of 3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House isn’t giving out all his secrets for tasty BBQ, he did share this recipe and his tips to make it perfect. And now I’m sharing it with you!

CHEESY CORN BAKE
Trace “The Rib Whisperer” Arnold of 3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House

Ingredients

1 can of undrained whole kernel corn

1 can of cream corn

8 oz. of sour cream

2 well beaten eggs

1 box of Jiffy cornbread mix

1 stick of melted butter (not too hot, avoid clarifying the butter)

1/2 cup finely diced fresh jalapeño peppers

Instructions

Place mixture in a well-oiled 9×13 pan and bake for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees.

Variations

Top with fresh grated cheddar or blended cheese.
Substitute jalapeños for green chilies. Cayenne pepper is also a great substitution for heat.
Add red bell pepper for a holiday flair.
Add brown Panco bread crumbs and top for a crunchy texture.
Light sour cream will reduce calories.
Cream cheese can be substituted for sour for a richer blend.
Fresh corn can be used in place of canned.
Plain yellow cornbread mix can replace Jiffy if you want to eliminate the sweet flavor of the Jiffy.

After this, you might be making this Easter side at Memorial Day, July 4th and Thanksgiving, too! Plus if you get a chance to visit 3 Stacks, I highly suggest you also try the fried dill pickle cheese fries – they’ll make every day better!

Hoppy Easter!

11 Monthly Subscription Boxes For Everyone {As Seen on TV}

April 16, 2014 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

I’m getting to go a little out of my own box this week on Good Morning Texas with a look at the coolest trend to hit your inbox and mailbox: subscription boxes!

I’ve scoured the Internet to find some of the coolest, my unique, and downright just too much fun to pass up subscription box concepts for the ladies, the gents and even Fido, too!

Here’s my rundown!

For the Ladies:

Fabletics // Women’s Active Wear

Kate Hudson’s new line of stylish active performance clothing at half the price. Take an assessment and either stylist sends you full outfits or you can online shop as normal.

Starts at $49.95 for full outfit

Sent Her Way // Feminine Products

Sent Her Way takes the chore to the store out of every woman’s routine by shipping all her customized supplies each month!

$9/month

Stitch Fix // Styling and Clothes

Stitch Fix is a personal styling service. Complete your style, size, and budget preferences, and they will send you a package of stylish goodies to try on at home, choose what you like and return what you don’t! And there’s even suggestions to how to wear it!

$20 styling fee goes towards your fix if you buy clothes. Each fix is priced in separate pieces or as discount when all are purchased.

For the Men:

Carnivore Club // Cured meats

Straight from Canada, each month members receive a faux-wood box filled with 4-6 handcrafted cured meats themed around French charcuterie, Italian Salumi, Spanish Chorizo, South African Biltong and Artisnal Jerky, etc.

$50-$55

Dollar Shave of the Month, www.dollarshaveclub.com

Personal Shave Care

“Shave Time, Shave Money.” Get your personal grooming products sent monthly starting with you choosing the blade!

$1, $6, $9

Mystery Tackle Box, www.mysterytacklebox.com

Sporting goods/fishing

“Discover Baits to Build Your Confidence.” Perfect for your fisherman for special tackle and bait options.

Starts as low as $13.75/12-month subscription

For Everyone on Your List:

Birchbox, www.birchbox.com

Makeup

Each month subscriber received a box of carefully selected deluxe samples for women/men to try. Then they can purchase the full size versions on the Birchbox Shop.

Women’s $10/month for 4-5 deluxe samples. Men’s $20/month for 3-4 deluxe samples.

Escape Travel Box, www.escapemonthly.com

Travel-themed food/fun items

Can’t go vacation, then get one sent to you. A destination-inspired monthly delivery of luxury products to help you relax, renew and escape!

$49.95/month

Barkbox, www.barkbox.com

Pet Snacks

Tell us how big your dog’s bark is. Toys, gifts & gadgets for every dog size.

$18-29/month, plans available at every length.

Stunner of the Month, www.stunnerofthemonth.com

Sunglasses

Fun sunglasses of every shape, size and look.

Naturebox, www.naturebox.com

Natural Snacks

Full size healthy snacks sent straight to your door. Three box sizes that fit your diet like No-GMOs, no-gluten, no-dairy.

Pick size/price. Starts around $20/month

Five Must-Have Baby Products (that I wish I had when my kids were babies) {Giveaway}

April 14, 2014 By Autumn Rose Reo 1 Comment

When I had my first child, I never thought I would have another shower again. There was no way to keep him happy or quiet, so when someone would come for a short visit I would ask for 10 minutes to throw some water on my face. Then my mother-in-law got me a Bumbo.

Life changed after that for the better. I couldn’t believe that anyone could live without one.

That was about six years ago.

Now Bumbos are like a basic necessity on any baby registry.

So when I had the opportunity to visit Dallas Market Hall for PBJ: Play. Baby. Juvenile, a juried trade event for the most innovative gifts and gadgets across the baby and children’s industries!

It was like a wonderland of all the things that made you say “why didn’t I think of that?” So here’s the rundown of some of my favorite finds that could have made those early months so much easier!

Mixie Baby is the only self-contained 2-in-1 formula bottle, making feedings possible at any time. Formula and water are stored in separate compartments of the bottle. For feeding, simply press the button on the bottle’s bottom and shake to mix. Mixie is BPA, phthalate and PVC free and is dishwasher and microwave safe.

Can you imagine later at night being able to make that bottle with a click of the button? And it’s even compatible with Dr. Brown’s and BornFree nipples!

The Cup Catcher is a multi-use connector developed by a local Southlake couple to safety tether a sippy cup, bottle, or even your favorite toy to a car seat, highchair, stroller, wheelchair or shopping.

So instead of spending 10 times an hour picking up the cup off the floor while running through the grocery store or the mall, you could avoid bending over relentlessly!

Cuddlecloth® is an award-winning and patented instant release & hands free bath towel designed for baby’s safety, made for moms convenience. This patented, innovative and practical bath towel bib is made of 100% cotton terry spa velour, one of the largest, thickest towels for baby on the market.

Remember those first baths and you were so gently with your baby until it came time to pick him/her up with a towel, wondering if you were going to drop them? This is where this towel comes in handy. Just check out this graphic that shows you exactly why you want one of these instead of those terrycloth ducks that don’t have any purpose.

The Dream by Babyhome is a highly designed travel cot featuring a unique adjustable leg system that provides three different uses for the same product. Its aluminum structure gives it a modern, sophisticated look complemented by removable and washable fabric in a variety of colors. A foam mattress, a honeycomb breathable pad and a fitted sheet are included.

We had three pack ‘n plays; whether it was cheap or expensive we somehow either broke them or couldn’t get them put up without screaming an expletive. There’s no “set-up” for these and is light as a feather.

The Emotion also by Babyhome, stands out for its easy maneuverability, compact folding and lightweight. It is a highly popular stroller because of its attractive design and modern colors, while it is also one of the most functional and practical on the market. With the use of available car seat adapters, Emotion becomes a useful stroller from birth to 55 pounds.

And at the end of all my stroller envy! I mean I’ve had five strollers and now I’ve found one that hits everything from cost (approximately $300), durability, comfort and weight!

“What was your baby product you couldn’t live without?”

Answer that and you could win a Mixie Bottle Starter Set ($40!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Easy Easter Crafts Using Handprints {As Seen on TV}

April 11, 2014 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

I’m not a crafty mama. But it’s possible to be crafty without much skill and two hands! Here are some Easy Easter Crafts Using Handprints!

So when my latest assignment on Good Morning Texas was to demonstrate some Easter crafts…I kinda wanted to turn into a turtle and duck into my shell.

So I decided that the best crafts are the kind that anyone can do – even me.

While I don’t enjoy crafting, I do like to have a little piece of memorabilia from my kiddos to keep or give to the grandparents who don’t always get to see the kids, but love getting to stay involved in the kids’ lives.

After getting a cute craft from my child’s school using my daughter’s feet for leaves and her hands for petals, I sprung an idea. We’d do all things fun with handprints.

Honestly, these crafts are so easy, they don’t even need instructions. Just take a look at my tutorial I did on GMT on April 10. And you still have time to do these since they are so quick and still get them in the mail just in time for Easter. Or you could use many of these for Mother’s Day, too! Need more ideas?

Check out my Pinterest Easter Board!

Follow Autumn Reo {mamachallenge.com}’s board HOLIDAY: Easter on Pinterest.

Do you have any handprint crafts you’d like to share?

Beautify You at BEAUTY LIVE This Weekend at Galleria Dallas

April 10, 2014 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Even if it doesn’t look like I wear it, I love makeup.

I mean my favorite “holiday” after Christmas growing up was Clinique Bonus time. Now as an adult, I’m not just on the lookout for a new favorite lipgloss, but now I’m looking at wrinkle reducer, eye brightener, primer and all those other things that sound more like painting a house than applying makeup. So like any good student, I need to get some schooling from time to time. So a few weeks ago I went to Nordstrom’s Trend Show and this weekend I’m hitting up BEAUTY LIVE at Galleria Dallas, April 12 & 13!

It’s all beauty, all the time with two days of nothing by sessions, freebies, demos and more. While the event is free, tickets are only $20 for each sessions for reserved seating and that includes a gift bag and a $20 gift card!

Expert Sessions throughout Beauty Live include:

SATURDAY, APRIL 13:
11am – Expert Beauty Panel featuring Courtney Kerr of Bravo’s Courtney Loves Dallas, Galleria Fashion Stylist Holly Quartaro and a panel of experts

12pm – TONI&GUY Presents: Hair Meets Wardrobe

1pm – Courtney’s Favorite Things
Courtney Kerr, star of Bravo TV’s Courtney Loves Dallas, talk show host of KTXD’s The Broadcast and fashion blogger, has hand-picked her all-time favorite beauty and skin care products and she is sharing the love! Join us to find out what’s in Courtney’s make up bag, and you could go home with one of the dozens of products she is giving away.

2pm – Macy’s Presents Spring 2014 ‘Must Haves’

3pm – BELK presents Spring Beauty Panel hosted by In Style Magazine.

4pm – Tata Harper, founder of Tata Harper Skincare Presented by Nordstrom Spa

5pm – Sephora Presents Re(Marc)able Beauty featuring Marc Jacobs’ newest beauty trends

6pm – MAC

SUNDAY, APRIL 13:

3pm – LUSH Fresh Handmade Beauty

4pm – Westin Galleria Dallas and The Second Floor Bistro-Bar Present SuperFoods

In addition to the expert sessions, Beauty Live showcases all the top trends in beauty with dozens of events and activities. Tour the many how-to Beauty Stops stationed throughout Galleria Dallas for simple secrets and top techniques for a more gorgeous you. Guests will enjoy free hands-on makeover opportunities throughout the center.

And of course while you are there, go check out the new Belk…just know this is going to be a weekend you’re gonna buy stuff.

Have fun and I’ll see you there!

Win $500 Gift Card! Belk Opens its Texas Flagship Store at Galleria Dallas TODAY #BelkDallas

April 9, 2014 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Last week Dallas was invited to celebrate a 126-year tradition that now makes its home in Dallas with the first Belk flagship location in Texas!

The 180,000 sq. ft. store that once housed Saks Fifth Avenue, rolled out the red carpet with a pre-opening event gala full of giveaways, southern hospitality, tons of great fashion and even a celebrity-hosted runway show with Nashville star Hayden Panettiere.

Benefiting Susan G. Komen, the night’s activities began with a beautiful entrance that greeted guests as they rolled up to valet, showing that Belk was definitely prepared to make a impression.

Considering I had been to a few Belk stores around DFW, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but after mentally “pinning” about four handbags I was lusting over, including the Calvin Klein color block “Celene-like” bag one below, I figured I was in for a treat (and my wallet for a possible problem.)

I found many of my favorite brands including Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Free People Nanette Lepore, Laura Mercier and many more with tons of options for all ages and styles.

This Wednesday, April 9, 2014 marks the official grand opening of the new Belk at Galleria Dallas with lots fun including a gift card giveaway for the first 800 customers (and cards up to $500!)

But if you can’t make it to Belk on Wednesday, make plans to enjoy several of their grand opening events including Shoes & Champagne on April 10, April 12 & 13 at Beauty LIVE event and even a Girls’ Night Out with Cynthia Rowley on April 17!

I have a feeling that Belk will soon become your favorite go-to store for your modern southern style. (If you sign up on their website you also get a 20% discount!)

Check out more style with Belk at @BelkDallasGalleria on Facebook, @Belk on Twitter and @MyBelk on Instagram and Pinterest!

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