mamachallenge | Real Solutions for Real Parents | Dallas Blog

Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Get Your Pass: How to Be a Chick-Fil-A VIP

By 3 Comments

Food Fridays:

After THIS week, I wanted to share something that just made me smile. Food often does, so that’s why I write about it, take photos of it, talk about it and eat it often. 

This little adventure though was a little different than our normal trip to Chick-Fil-A. I wasn’t just a customer; I was a VIP. And best of all, you can be too! Here’s how: 
A girlfriend of mine handed me these “backstage” passes for an All-Access Tour of the local Chick-Fil-A. She said that her kiddos loved it and it was cool to see what CFA does  behind the “magic curtain.” So of course, I had to go. 

On our way out of town, we stopped at the Chick-Fil-A in Grapevine for lunch and our “tour.” Since my kids would eat CFA for every meal of the day, I knew they would love it too. We ordered our normal meal and showed them the pass. With a smile they told us to enjoy our meal and when we were done, they would be happy to escort us. 

Of course, that got me thinking about why I cared out the tour. Would I be as excited at just any fast-food joint. Not at all. But it was Chick-Fil-A and “I Love Chick-Fil-A.” And after my tour I was going to find out exactly why. 

First it was impertative we start with a little history lesson about how CFA became CFA. Then as we approached the kitchen door, we were asked to put on shoe covers so we wouldn’t spread germs and also slip on the floor in the kitchen. Unfortunately I was told is that I couldn’t take any shots of my backstage tour, so I don’t have any photos to share. But I will tell you that the 15-minute tour was worth it just to see the CFA logo drawn in sugar and to learn that CFA is the biggest customer of Sunkist Lemons. (It would have made the cutest photo!)

Then we took a gander at their side items, ingredients and what products they used to make many of their customer favorites, especially the kids meal items (which we purchase at least once a week) and score a free cookie coupon (the best chocolate chip cookies ever.) Next we were able to see the feature presentation, the cooking of that amazing chicken with the family recipe that has made CFA one of the most successful quick-service restaurants. As a finale, my son was able to create his own family-recipe ice cream cone from the machine (it’s not ice milk, people) and go to the play area to enjoy his dessert and a little play time with his sister. (Remember, when you’re four, this is all a pretty big deal.)


After our experience I just thought about how cool the experience was. And even more so, how it really made us even more fans of the food. So much so, I decided I needed to highlight just a few of the reasons 

WHY I LOVE CHICK-FIL-A 

1.  That chicken. OMG. My first CFA was not until college and only then did I understand why people stood in line for just a chicken sandwich.
2.  Chick-Fil-A sauce is the stuff that dreams are made out of (I only wish they sold it in a bottle!) 
3.  Drive through service that is friendly, quick and done with a smile – no matter which one I go to!
4.  Huge condiment spread. The Reos are condiment people so the fact that there is a station that’s neat and tidy and anticipates all my needs, I love. 
5.  Sticky placemats for the kids to keep them from eating off the table. (Had to be a mom that made that suggestion.) 
6.  Hello, another condiment!?! And ketchup reigns supreme for my husband. Plus, dip-accessible containers. (Why does anyone use those packets anymore?)
7.  My son’s favorite place to eat. I can always ensure I have a perfectly behaved son if I so much as dangle the idea of the “Cowplace” as a treat. (I’m not above incentive programs or bribery:) 
8.  Playground Sneaker Keeper to keep all the kids organized and hopefully, from coming home with the wrong ones. 
9.  Everyone loves the cow. I mean come on. That’s a gimme. 
10. Anything that makes my husband smile like this makes my “I Love List…” In this case, it was the ice cream. (Perfect to go with that cookie!)
11. Playground equipment that is INSIDE and allows for toddlers to play. Part of the reason CFA won me over is that I could take my 18-month old and she could play without falling down in the dirt or going beyond her means.
12. Those cookies are THAT good. So good that I ordered them for my son’s birthday party…too bad the kids didn’t eat them because the adults had already snagged them all. 

So you want to be a Chick-Fil-A VIP? Then all you have to do is ASK! Just give a call to your local CFA and see if they are doing the “All-Access Backstage Tour.” I know the Grapevine location said they invite everyone to be a VIP! And if you are a real CFA fan, they even do a 90-minute tour of the corporate office in Atlanta! 

They’ll leave the fryer on for you. 

Disclaimer: This was a nice family trip to Chick-Fil-A. It has nothing to do with any political, religious or other views, but just that my family likes to eat CFA. A lot. And that the Chick-Fil-A Sauce must have something addictive in it because I can’t get enough of that stuff. Ever. And I totally paid for every bit of what we ate and Chick-Fil-A had no idea I was going to blog about it either. So how’s that for honesty and transparency? 



Valentine’s Day Printable

By Leave a Comment

Love Week Continues! 

In addition to my normal tasks this week, I’m playing party planner for both kiddos Valentine’s Day parties. For the boy, we went with downloadable stickers that said “You Rock” on Pop Rocks and for my daughter, I had to create something a little bit more special. She’s changing schools, so I wanted to do something to say goodbye – even if she’s not even two yet. 

I already had some Play-doh in reserves (from last Valentine’s Day clearance) and then had to come up with something to pair with it: 


While the artwork isn’t amazing, if you’d like to use it, I thought I’d share – just in time for Valentine’s Day. 
Get this Valentine’s Day downloable PDF here.

For more Valentine’s Day fun, check out these posts:

Heart-Shaped Food Fun for V-Day

Healthy Valentine’s Day Treat with Easy S’Mores Flaxseed Cupcakes {Recipe}


It Hurt Me (Good) to the Core {Free Fab Ab Video}

By Leave a Comment

Try-It Tuesday:

Every mom, except maybe Heidi Klum, has to work to get her abs back after giving birth.

Too bad in my case, I’m still looking to get some in the first place.

Bellybands, girdles and Spanx are very useful in creating optical illusions, but when it comes down to it, nothing beats working out that core section to create those coveted Jennifer Aniston abs.

Unfortunately, while practice does make perfect, it is hard to pony up to a pilates class because when you hear “100,” you think it means it’s a sponsored Nabisco snack time. (That’s another story.)

Thankfully, Jill Miller has created a solution that helps you build-up those abs layer-by-layer to help you overcome core and abdominal weakeness caused by underuse, injury and scar tissue (i.e. babies.) Through  her seven sequences that can be completed at home in no matter what shape you’re in, she works to create a strong, flexible and balanced core with her newest video in her Yoga Tune-Up series, Coregeous (yep, say “goregeous” with a “c.”)



While I won’t be sharing my first experience working through the video, I can definitely admit – my abs have been worked in ways I never thought possible. After being in bed due to illness, I need a lot of help. And if I can get up off the floor tomorrow, I’ll be doing this again and again…(How else am I going to make Ryan Gosling mistakenly call me Eva?)

FREE ALERT: Wondering if this is for you? Jill’s really nice and has some free videos for you to check out online.


Coregeous with Jill Miller
$14-$19 

DISCLAIMER:
I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC’s 16 CFR Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

To-Do DFW: Bears, butterflies, boos and blooms, Oct. 19-21

By 1 Comment

To-Do Thursdays


Everything about this weekend is FALL. And in Texas, this season is only about two weeks long. So between the bears, butterflies, boos and blooms, you’ve got all kinds of options! However, it looks like most of them are on Oct. 20, so you’re going to have to make some decisions.

Tip from me: Choose only 1-2 things to do and have a blast. Don’t try to make it too all of the events and not have any fun at any of them!

Here’s my roundup of a few events that will entertain your family this weekend in DFW:


Dust off your wings Oct. 20: Grapevine Butterfly Flutterby & Fall Roundup

#To-Do #DFW: Enjoy fall with Celebrate #Roanoke, Autumn in the #Arboretum, & Flower Mound #Pumpkin Patch

By Leave a Comment

To-Do Thursdays

This weekend is actually shaping up to be all about fall and family. With few opportunities left to enjoy the amazing Texas fall weather, I’m suggesting you get out outdoors and just spend time doing nothing, but enjoying each other. 

Here’s my roundup of a few events that will entertain your family this weekend in DFW: 

Here’s my son at the Flower Mound Pumpkin Village in 2010.



Celebrate all things Roanoke with Celebrate ROANOKE, Oct. 13

Enjoy Autumn. It doesn’t last long!

Always Know Where “Kids Can Eat Free” with Free New App

By Leave a Comment

I try to always give readers a heads up on where they can score free food — especially when you are paying for kids to eat, too. Worst off, when you are trying to eat healthy it can go to the wayside if you have to take out the whole family. (I mean how can you compete with a Little Ceasar’s Pizza at $5 for a large pepperoni!) That’s why one of the most heavily downloaded lists is that of all the “kids eat free” restaurants in DFW. But keeping up that list and printing it out to put on the refrigerator may be a thing of the past with a new free website and app.


Jennifer Bilbro, a busy mom tired of overpaying for kids’ meals, founded Out to Eat With Kids, an online database featuring local restaurants with economical and healthy kids’ meals. At OuttoEatWithKids.com, parents can search by zip code and day of the week to find a selection of FREE or reduced-price kids’ meals at local restaurants. Parents can also access this incredible resource for meals on-the-go by using its free mobile app. (This is what I use.)
Out to Eat With Kids features more than 15,000 restaurants nationwide and is constantly being updated with new deals. Plus, Out to Eat With Kids is working with the National Restaurant Association to promote healthy children’s menu options that meet nutritional standards through its Kids LiveWell program and features a special logo next to qualifying restaurants.

I found around 15 Kids Eat Free specials in DFW on the app, so it’s off to a great start. And hopefully so are we to saving a little money!  

Pin It To Get The Perfect Mom’s Day Gift

By Leave a Comment

Every Mother’s Day everyone scrambles to get the right Mother’s Day gift. Although I have received a good one or two myself (my husband surprised me the year right before my was born with a pair of diamond earrings in my Sunday paper), for the most part it’s like Forrest Gump said, “you never know what you’re gonna get: (and in some cases, not get.) 

So rather than scour the planet to try to figure out what you think mom wants for Mother’s Day, I’m going to tell you exactly what to do to get it right this Mother’s Day… 

Go to Pinterest. You’ll find the motherload (yes, that was the perfect pun!) 

Yep, this social media site (whose users are 70 percent women in the U.S. according to Mashable) is going to give you a full listing of everything you can think of to get for mom and probably at every price point. Don’t know if your mom is on Pinterest or know she doesn’t have an account? Don’t worry: just get one for yourself and type in “Mother’s Day” to get tons of ideas that you can make or buy just to make your mom feel special this Mother’s Day. 

First thing you should know is Mother’s Day isn’t really about what you get her. Yep, while jewelry, purses and all that is nice, you can get away with a lot cheaper items and get big brownie points. A meal, a craft or a keepsake may make take you a little time, but remember, the gift is about letting her know how much you appreciate her. However, if your mama has been screaming for a new Louis Vuitton (like I have) and you’ve got the cash to splurge, don’t worry, you’ll still get your bonus points and a lot more too if you get if for her (honey, this special note was just for you.) 

Here’s just a few pins I’ve come across that might make good Mother’s Day gifts for mom, grandma, etc. And if you’re like me and you get to purchase your own gift and then let everyone know what they got you, there’s even a few ideas just for Mother’s Day for you to give to your kiddos one day to show them how this whole Mother’s Day thing is supposed to work. 


        
      
    

So to all your mamas out there, I hope this post helps to create your perfect Mother’s Day! 


Pin This!

Visit Mama Challenge's profile on Pinterest.

Pictures Say a 1000 Words

Follow Along!