mamachallenge | Real Solutions for Real Parents | Dallas Blog

Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Celebrating Dr. Smith’s Dallas Launch with Celeb Mom Ali Landry

By Leave a Comment

(Syndicated from Mom2Momdfw.com) 

Saturday was busy. 


After the Fox Good Day Saturday segment on all things pumpkin, I ran over to Fearing’s at the The Ritz-Carlton for Dr. Smith’s Diaper Ointment expansion launch. While it was rainy and humid, indoors it was a wonderful brunch experience with moms talking about what moms end up always talking about – their kids. 


The only thing that was different than my normal brunch is this time we had a special guest in our midst, a former Miss USA, model and 8-week post-partum mom Ali Landry. And she honestly was so incredibly nice, real and absolutely amazing. And I couldn’t take my eyes off her shoes. 

Here are more photos from this great event hosted by Dr. Smith’s Diaper Rash Ointment. 
Entrance to event

Of course I would have food shots! Here’s a fruit k-bob with yogurt drizzle (loved the napkins, too!)

Breakfast corny dogs with maple sausage.
It was also the opening day of the State Fair of Texas. Coincidence? I think not. 

Loved the presentation on bite-sized pancakes with blueberry dressing.
(Did you notice the deviled egg tray makes a perfect presentation?) 

Flowers were beautiful and matched my mimosa perfectly!
Me and the girls with our new bestie, Ali (well, maybe not bestie, but she seemed like one of the girls that day!)


From their family to ours: Dr. Smith ointment to take home to our babies!

Right now the company is also offering a $2-off coupon on their Facebook site to use at local pharmacies like Walgreens. Visit the Dr. Smith’s Official Facebook page to download yours now. 


Saving you money and your child’s bottom too, that’s Dr. Smith’s.

Top 10 Must-Haves to Get Your Pumpkin Fix

By 3 Comments

Fall (or autumn as I prefer to call it), is definitely upon us.

At least the calendar says so.
While here in Texas Mother Nature is taking her time to give us a little fall weather, the grocery stores have definitely served up a thousand ways for you to taste the official flavor of fall, pumpkin.

Probably one of the most pinned or hashtagged items on social media right now, pumpkin has replaced apple as the official flavor of the season, at least according to BusinessWeek – and I couldn’t be happier.


So if your Starbucks #PumpkinSpiceLatte isn’t enough to keep your tastebuds satiated, here are just a few of the items I picked up this week at Walgreens, Walmart and Tom Thumb.

Top 10 Pumpkin Must-Haves

1. Duncan Hines Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes: Comes with its own pumpkin spice icing!

2. Nestle Coffee Mate Pumpkin Spice: It’s not just for coffee; try this for making your french toast!

3. Kellogg’s Pop Tarts Pumpkin Spice: In less than two minutes you can have a taste of something like pumpkin pie!

4. Jello Instant Pudding Mix Pumpkin Spice: I’m thinking there’s going to be something delicious made with this soon!

5. Yoplait Light Pumpkin Spice Yogurt: Some people love it, some people hate it. You decide

6. Betty Crocker Pumpkin Cookie Mix: Need pumpkin stat? Then cook these up with a cream cheese icing for that almost-homemade cookie smell throughout the house.

7. Krusteaz Pumpkin Pie Bar: I want to eat these now – especially since they have a Gingerbread crust. It’s like heaven in a bar.

8. Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies: How could these be bad? Pumpkin + Cheesecake = happy tastebuds.

9. Kraft Jet-Puffed Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows: Not only are they pumpkin flavored, but pumpkin-shapped too. We use them for s’mores and fell in love.

10. Pumpkin Candy: Every candy has made a version of pumpkin-something shaped or flavored. The highly coveted and posted Pumpkin Spice M&Ms couldn’t even be found, but Hershey’s Kisses and Candy Corn have both turned into pumpkins this season. And if you are looking to find more pumpkin, check out McDonald’s, Einstein Bros., Seattle’s Best and Dunkin Donuts for more pumpkin, drive-thru style.

Join me in all kinds of PUMPKIN FUN on my Pinterest!

Why We Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

By Leave a Comment

Food Fridays: 

I’m not a very good Mexican. 


While I may be half, I don’t speak Spanish and much to my hubby’s dismay, I don’t make tortillas or a mean batch of tamales. I don’t celebrate Mexican Independence Day and there was no quinceanera for me growing up. However, it was during college working for the office of equity and diversity and a job that allowed me to recognize individuals at the University of North Texas who had impacted diversity efforts, I began to understand the importance of embracing everything about you – including the part of me that I didn’t recognize much. 

Now as a parent, while I have not celebrated my ethnic heritage, I felt it was very important my kids were exposed of the Hispanic culture and also to attempt to learn the language to make them more rounded individuals, especially in Texas when almost 40% of the population is of Hispanic descent. That’s why I enrolled my kids in a bilingual school called Spanish Schoolhouse that actually teaches the Spanish language along with other preschool – kindergarden skills. It never ceases to amaze me when I hear my 5-year-old speak converse in Spanish with native speakers without any issues or help! Now he not only is he learning to communicate with others, but we are enabling the opportunity to communicate in another language. 


So this week as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, several activities at school have had us busy this week like dress day and our first big project, a report on Venezuela. Of course that also meant we wanted to make it fun, so I went off to find arepas, a traditional Venezuelan “bun” made of cornmeal and filled with meats like pollo (chicken), bistec (steak) and basically anything else you want.

Since mama was busy for work with a huge week of events, that meant I needed to find a place that made arepas instead of attempt to learn how. I had no idea how hard that request would be! But I was able to track down a place that had them, order them from a woman who doesn’t speak English and here’s what we have ready for our special presentation! 

Overall, I feel I’m providing an opportunity and a chance for my children to be more successful that I have been in my lifetime by being a good communicator. Additionally, I’m helping them to be more rounded individuals to learn other cultures and histories so they can be respectful of people that may seem different, but in actuality are just like them or in their case, just like their mom. 








Mother-Daughter Day at Daired’s Spa & Salon

By 8 Comments

Disclaimer

This week’s Try-it Tuesday isn’t anything fitness this time, but I can promise the stylist that the fingers that had to do my hair got a real workout.


When you Google “Texas Big Hair,” it’s my headshot that comes up…we’ll maybe not on the front page, but believe me I have a big ole head of crazy hair. It’s coarse, curly and long – and when I blowdry it, I resemble something off a Tina Turner video. Needless to say, after 30 something years, finding someone to cut my hair isn’t always easy. 

Then I had my beautiful baby girl. While she looks a lot like her mama (God, bless her), she has her own big crazy hair to handle, although it’s actually very little like mine. She has the brown curls, but the similarities stop there. She has soft, fine hair with a daddy-gave-me-this hairline I have yet to figure out how to style. So most the time her hair is a little bit of a crazy mess and it’s definitely needed some trimming or something or someone to give me a little guidance on what to do with it. 

So with an upcoming appearance on TV and limited time to fit just one more thing in, I called Daireds Salon and Spa Pangea in Arlington. I was actually very surprised they actually accepted kids into a salon like Daireds…especially when you look at their services lists for salon, spa, cafe and boutique. But they gladly scheduled us both.

Sweet goodness, we’ll see how it goes. 

In my past life, I was privy to get the opportunity to enjoy some of the best spas in Vegas. And while Dallas is full of day spas, very few of them even begin to equal up the experience you get in LV. However, entering Daireds you definitely get a “posh spa” feeling – without the snob appeal. It’s interiors are beautiful, colorful and keep your eye wondering while you wait for your turn to hit the chair. I love the fountains both indoors and out. 

I had been prepared to have Taylor’s cut and then mine so I could assist with a two-year’s hair cut. Much to my surprise we had separate stylists and my little girl immediately aged 10 years as she was brought to the chair, put on a smock and began her first big-girl hair cut. Her stylist was awesome and dealt with all the stress from both mom and baby girl perfectly. Taylor actually wanted to go with her instead of mam. Unfortunately, I was getting my hair done, so the pictures aren’t so great, but you can see her sitting just like a little princess. I could already tell this would be the first of many experiences with us two gals. 

My stylist, George, had asked what I wanted to do with my hair, so of course, I responded with what any normal girl would say, “Make me look like Eva Mendes so Ryan Gosling will fall in love with me.” While he couldn’t take off the weight around my mid-section, he did take off the weight on my hair and gave it some life. I had bounce and style. And while I don’t look like Eva Mendes, I do resemble one of her commercials with all the hair-flipping I’ve been doing lately. So I guess that counts.
While I wouldn’t never want to call Daired’s a family salon and spa, there are definitely opportunities when you can bring in your kiddo for a hair cut or a special day and expect both of you to enjoy it. I had planned to keep her under control so I had reinforcements like goldfish crackers, juice and toys to keep her happy – at least until I snagged her a fresh chocolate chip cookie from the in-house cafe!

Now don’t think I’m about to start having baby girl for massages or facials any time soon, but it was nice to think that if the occasion presented itself, I have a place to bring her. Until then, mama will continue to check out the services like massages, nails or facials, until its her time to drive herself on over and make her own appointments (which could be anytime with this girl.)

Daired’s Salon & Spa Pangea
2400 West Interstate 20
Arlington, Texas 76017
(817) 465-9797 or metro (817) 467-9991
Website

Satisfy Your Craving for Pumpkin without the Calories

By 5 Comments

Satisfy Your Craving for Pumpkin without the calories! It’s possible with these easy but delicious recipes full of pumpkin flavor, but not pumpkin calories! 

So today to kick off my favorite season, we whipped up two delicious recipes that can help satisfy that pumpkin kick you are on (and everyone else on Facebook and Pinterest) on KTXD The Broadcast this morning. 

Did you see what I forgot to put in that shake? That’s right. The banana. Very fitting for my slip-up! But when you are doing live TV, you just smile and move on! Watch it again and see if you see my reaction when I realize I forgot!

 Did you also see that adorable chalkboard pumpkin on the table with the TV show name on it? My friend Shannon at MilkandCuddles.com made it, and it fit perfectly into the show! THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO USE IT! 

Anyhow, I’ve included the recipes here for the two recipes I made (although they are so super easy you really don’t need them!) 

 PUMPKIN BREAKFAST SHAKE


(Makes 2)

 Ingredients
1 banana
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup milk
4 Tablespoons honey (or 2 Tablespoons brown sugar)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2-3 cups ice (depending on how thick you want your shake)
whipped cream granola for garnish

 Instructions
Place all ingredients except whipped cream and granola in a blender and blend until smooth.
Top with whipped cream and granola.

 PUMPKIN DIP

 Ingredients
1 tub Cool Whip (Use this version for those watching calories) 
1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 can pure pumpkin (not pie filling, the real deal!) 
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (homemade version or use this version.)

Instructions
Mix above ingredients and serve with graham cracker sticks, apple wedges, or ginger snaps (yes, the best gingersnaps I always suggest are these…but fruit is an excellent option for a healthier version.) 

Are you looking for more pumpkin flavors? Then check out my PUMPKIN PINTEREST board for all kinds of yummy things (both healthy and not-so-healthy!) 

Chicken Dance or Polka Prance But Don’t Get Up on the Table: Addison Oktoberfest Songs

By Leave a Comment

I’ve been going to the Addison Oktoberfest for several years now…perhaps it’s because I help to promote the event, but honestly, I would even if I didn’t get paid to (yes, it’s that fun.) It’s actually considered one of my perks for the year (along with Taste Addison, the Dallas Chocolate Conference & Festival and several other fun & tasty events and organizations I get the pleasure of promoting the good word for throughout DFW.) However, I will admit my first year at Oktoberfest, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. And even seven years later, I still wonder the same thing:)

Since “induction” is part of the job, I do my best to help describe for others what they should expect for their “first time.” While I think there’s nothing like diving in headfirst into this event – dances, dirndls and all, I figured I would share at least the words to a few of the songs that will probably be heard at least 100 times while you are in the Schloss Addison Tent (aka Main Tent.) If you are having a good time, you’ll probably have a stein of Paulaner in hand and then suddenly the crowd will go wild with one of these little numbers:

“No Beer in Heaven” 

 No Beer in Heaven
In Heaven, there is no beer
That’s why we drink it here.
And when we’re gone from here, Our friends will be drinking all the beer!

And let’s not forget my personal favorite:

“Ein Pro-sit”

Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit, der gemiitlichkeit
Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit, der gemiitlichkeit
(Cheer!) Eins, zwei, Drei g’suffa!
Zicke, zacke, zicke, zacke, hoi, hoi, hoi,
Zicke, zacke, zicke, zacke, hoi, hoi, hoi,
Prosit

Don’t worry you really don’t need to learn them. The fun of this event is that after a few minutes you feel like you are just hanging with around 2000 of your best friends in Addison for a good time singing your alma mater. Just do me a favor, please try to overcome the need to jump on the table…

You’ll understand once you’re there. 




Great Looking, Great Cooking: That’s What the MetroCooking Show is Made Of

By Leave a Comment

To-Do Thursdays: 

I have admitted that I’m a little obsessed with food. 

And in the past I have admitted my love for Paula Deen (I found four posts already where I mention her.) However, today I have another admission about the Deen family: it’s my little crush obsession on Bobby Deen. 


Yep, that’s right. There’s something to be said about a man that is as cute as he is, can cook all Southern-style, but knows how to the cut calories to keep your backside from looking like a rump roast. (I think we can all appreciate that, right?) So when my Bobby comes to Dallas for a little intimate cooking session with me this weekend, I thought it might be nice if I shared him with the rest of Dallas (at least for a little while to see what he can do with a skillet.) 

So consider this your personal invitation to join me, Bobby, his mama and a whole lotta great-cooking folks to come out again for the second annual MetroCooking Dallas on Saturday, Sept. 21 & Sunday, Sept. 22 at The Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center (yes, that’s the former Dallas Convention Center, but aren’t you proud Kay gotten something named after her.) This year’s extravaganza brings renowned television chefs, hundreds of specialty food exhibitors, cooking demonstrations and workshops. 

Graphic from MCESshow.com

If Bobby and Paula aren’t enough to whet your whistle, then consider coming out to see The Chew’s Jason Roberts; actress Debi Mazur (most notable on HBO’s Entourage) and her husband Gabriele Corcos from the Cooking Channel’s Extra Virgin; the Grill Sergeant Brad Turner and the Food Network’s Extreme Chef Terry French. Bobby’s also hosting The Bobby Deen BBQ & Photo Op on Saturday where attendees will enjoy recipes selected by Bobby and have their photo taken with him. Paula will swing by the BBQ for a quick “hey, y’all” as well. (Feel free to come tell me hi.)

While you’re there, you’ll also have the opportunity to visit more than 150 exhibitors so you can make sure to take something tasty home with you (husbands are much happier when you go gawk at other men if you bring home some sweet stuff for them like some of the pepper jelly you’ll find there.) 

MetroCooking Dallas 
Sept. 21 & 22, 2013
Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center

Tickets: $24.50, children ages 4-12 are $12.50 and children ages 4 and younger are free. 
Additional tickets are required for special events such as a VIP meet-and-greets with TV chefs, the one-day theater pass and entry to special lectures by the headliners.
http://www.metrocookingdallas.com/tickets

One more admission: Bobby isn’t really coming to Dallas to see me, but I’m sure once he meets me this weekend, he and his new Venezuelan wife would love to come on over for Sunday dinner with my husband and kids once the show is over.


Making Dreams (and Wishes) Come True: My Son’s Wish Story

By 7 Comments

Imagine your first family vacation started with a stretch limo and first-class seating for a four-year old and two-year old.
 
 
Imagine staying a resort that serves ice cream to kids 24/7, hosts Christmas and Halloween weekly and a sweet fuzzy 8-foot bunny comes and tucks in your child before they go to sleep.


Imagine your child having a life-threatening illness and for one week everything from breakfast to baths was done in efforts to make them feel like they were the most important thing in the world and everything you could anticipate was already taken care of on your behalf. 

 Imagine all that and more…cost-free.

 We’ll that was my four-year-old’s first family vacation and his wish granted by Tarrant County-based A Wish with Wings, a non-profit organization that grants wishes to Texas children who have life threatening illnesses.


 Remembering the trip, I’m still almost without words on how I can express my ultimate gratitude for making this wish possible for him as well as our entire family!


And even more astounding is that my son is more than one of the 120,000 kids that have experienced the incredible experience of Give Kids the World Village, a 70-acre, non-profit storybook resort in Florida that treats the families of children with life-threatening diseases on a cost-free dream vacation. 

The trip was full of firsts: a first limo, a first plane ride, a first family vacation and a first (and) only Wish Trip.


While my husband and I braced ourselves for taking two kids on a plane ready with snacks, activities and electronics, we were met at the airport with smiles and assistance – making the trip pretty dreamy for us.

Upon arrival at Give the Kids the World Village, we were in every kids’ dream world with ice-cream served all day, a life-sized Candyland game to play, horse riding, fishing and even a waterpark right outside our door to the two-bedroom villa we were provided during our stay. While we could have been pretty supremely happy just staying on the premises, there was a little boy’s wish of meeting Mickey Mouse to make come true. 

The next morning we charted our first of three journeys to Disney World. It was only fitting we would visit the Magic Kingdom and its new Fantasyland, the newest, largest expansion to the park and made with little ones in mind first. We just weren’t sure exactly how much in mind they had for “wish kids” like Jackson.


Upon arrival, THANKFULLY we were provided a double stroller to be able to roll through with two kids at 90-degrees plus temperatures. And just like they promise, once we approached Cinderella’s Castle, just like a storybook, Mickey and the entire cast began singing as soon as we approached and instantly my kids were chanting, “Dreams Come True” with beautiful smiles upon their faces and twinkles in their eyes. I couldn’t help but begin to tear up and let the magic take over all of us.

However, the magic we would encounter had only begun. Each and every ride we came to was met with a “Hi Jackson” and a better-than-fast-pass leap to the front of the line. Yep, for three days the longest we stood in a line was around 10 minutes and it was Memorial Day Weekend!

While going to Disney World was Jackson’s first wish, his second wish was to go to the beach and build a sand castle. Being so close the coast, my husband and I worked to make this off-the-charts experience even better. So we purchased every sand castle toy we could at Walmart, packed the car with sunscreen and towels and made our way to Cocoa Beach to bask in the sun and see our little ones experience the ocean. It was simply perfect.

I could continue you to share our magical week including a round of Dino-golf, the five times we road the Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studios in the rain or how we enjoyed eating with the Princesses at Askersus Hall and Jackson being kissed by each of them (he still blushes talking about that moment, too!)
 

However, it was the opportunity to give me and my husband the strength and the occasion to finally tell Jackson about his heart condition, what happened to him when he was born and why he has a large scar across his chest. All of a sudden, in this one moment, we felt telling him here, with all these other children at Give the Kids the World,  he wasn’t different because he had a problem, but he was different because he was amazing.

I can never begin to repay A Wish with Wings, Give Kids the World, any of the companies that donate their time and money, or any of the countless volunteers that help keep this cause alive. However,you CAN HELP by contributing to North Texas Giving Day. On this very special day, your donation (of at least $25) to A Wish with Wings will be amplified, giving an even bigger opportunity for even more wishes to be granted.

Together, let’s make sure that even more ” Dreams Come True”  for children with life-threatening illnesses.



 

You Spin Me Right Round, Baby with Terlingo Cycle

By 3 Comments

Try-it Tuesdays:

Disclaimer: I was invited to experience Terlingo Cycle for a free class for purposes of this review. All comments shared here are my own. 

I haven’t done a Try-it Tuesday in quite a while since I have been on my Gladiator quest, so I’m excited I was able to amp it up this week with a new workout experience in Dallas. 



One Saturday AM, about six years ago, I borrowed my old man’s spin shoes and showed up to a class to see what all the buzz was about with spinning. Since I hated biking, I figured this spinning was going to be even worse since it was biking AND we weren’t going anywhere.

Oh, I was hooked from the get go. Now after visiting four distinctive spin styles, I can honestly say that just because they all have bikes and play music, they aren’t all the same. This is certainly the case with Terlingo Cycle, the new cycle studio led by celebrity-fitness guru/cycle teacher to Dallas’ elite, John Terlingo.



Described as “delivering a spiritual cardio party, where the lights are dimmed and music is pumping,” TGO is exactly that. Certainly targeting the young, beautiful and social set of Big D, driving up to the studio, the parking looked like a lot for a luxury car lot with Mercedes, BMWs and Land Rovers. Once in the white walls of the 2,200-square-foot-space (which are still in the middle of construction), I quickly dropped my bag in the cubes, put on my shoes (TGO will provide those in the future), and jumped on a 31 state-of-the-art 2013 A.C. Performance Plus Schwinn bike (state-of-the-art, people) on the back row. Soon the lights went down and the service began.


For the next 45 minutes in only the intimate flicker of the candlelight, the packed room of 30+ spinners worked to reach the recommended RPMs by our spiritual fitness leader, John. Our musical journey traveled us from Jay-Z and JT’s “Holygrail” all the way to Diana Ross and Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love.” While my playlist sit much heavier on the hip-hop or hard-rock side of things when I workout, I did find myself belting out a little Elton John (one of my absolute favorites) aloud while we coasted through our upper body arm workout.

Like visiting a friend’s church on Sunday morning, I enjoyed my experience and definitely got something from my visit, but I still prefer my own place of spin-workout worship. However, in the words of Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolias,” …God doesn’t care where you go as long as you show up.”



Terlingo Cycle
3105 Reagan St. (Lemmon
Dallas, Texas 75219
214.520.RIDE
www.terlingocycle.com

It’s TIme for a Little Potty Talk: Let’s Talk Bums

By Leave a Comment

Mama Mondays: 

We’re starting off the week with a little “potty talk.”

Brittany from Brittany Estes, Becky from The Java Mama, ME – Autumn from Mama Challenge, Jamie from Roubinek Reality and Esther from Laugh With Us Blog.


I mean we’re getting to the real core of the matter – we’re going to talk about bums. And this ain’t about your kids, either. 

Join me today for some fun talk about your Clean Care Routine over on Mom2MomDFW.com.


Pin This!

Visit Mama Challenge's profile on Pinterest.

Pictures Say a 1000 Words

Follow Along!