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Valentine’s Day Printable

February 12, 2013 By Autumn Rose Reo 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}

The Cake Mamas Would Rather Wear Than Eat

Virgins Saints & Angels New Line Brings Out the Princess (or Witch) In You

February 8, 2013 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Every little girl dreams of being a princess. Except this one.

While, I’m pretty sure there was a time I wanted to wear a tiara and be Snow White (although this quiz says I’m a Cinderella), my dreams were really to be the witch – cackle, magical powers and all. Thankfully, high school drama musicals allowed me that opportunity to live out my fantasy as well as every Halloween where I love to donn my hat while I take my children trick-or-treating. (Isn’t that convenient?)

However, the celebrity-loved line, Virgins Saints & Angels now makes it possible for me to fulfill my fairytale fantasy and look good doing it any day of the year with their new line inspired by ABCs “Once Upon a Time.” (If you haven’t watched this one; make sure you catch up first on Netflix to get the rundown on this fairytale-come-to-life Sunday show the whole family can enjoy. It’s kinda complicated the first go-around, but be prepared to be hooked.)

Not only does my inner witch love these pieces, but that small sliver of me that still loves Madonna in her “Like a Virgin” days, adores it. How could you not? Take a look at some of my favorite pieces I coveted during the preview event on Feb. 7 at Swag.

Not me, but totally wanted everything around her neck!

I’ll do the laundry with a smile if I can do it with that tiara!

Virgins Saints & Angels makes it fashionable to wear dragons, daggers and spiders year-round.

you say Valentine’s Day, my pretty!?!

You too can get your little paws on this line. And if you have a little time on Friday, Feb. 8 from 1-4 p.m, you can also meet the lady who made fairytales come to life with the Virgins Saints & Angels’ Cheryl Finnegan at Swag. The global trunk show runs until Sunday, Feb. 10 or you can always order a piece online at Swag!

The Cake Mamas Would Rather Wear Than Eat

February 6, 2013 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Want-it Wednesdays:

When you’re pregnant, the words “mint,” “toffee,” “chocolate” and “torte” immediately give you tasty visions of sugar plums (and probably create a little craving, too.) On the other hand, the idea of bras and undies when you’re pregnant certainly doesn’t conjure up any sweet thoughts, but rather ugly images of “boulder holders.”

And that’s where the expectant and nursing moms’ lingerie line Cake cut in.

Taking one of the biggest complaints of moms and moms-to-be, the company gave itself a name that was sure to ignite the want in every mama! And just in time for Valentine’s Day, Cake’s sweet line offers the much-needed style and polish for new and expecting moms that can make you look beautiful when you don’t always feel that way (pregnancy certainly does a number on you.)

Here’s a little sampler of the Cake line:

(Hint to dads and hubbies: this is a great present for Valentine’s Day gift for your baby’s mama!)

Mint Toffee Bra and Boy Shorts

Toffee is a confection made by caramelizing sugar or molasses and adding butter and occasionally flour. The mixture is decadently sweet and so is Cake’s Mint Toffee. Gorgeous green color and sleek styling, it is ULTRA HIP looking and sophisticated.

Shortbread Bra and French Knickers

Shortbread is a classic Scottish dessert made with flour, sugar, and butter. For centuries shortbread was expensive and reserved as a luxury for special occasions such as Christmas. Shortbread from Cake pairs FUN COLORS of orchid and green on a smart tartan frame and then adds cream-colored lace! Sure to wow a young mama and make her feel like a goddess.

Cotton Candy T-Back Bra and Briefs

Remember watching spellbound as the cotton candy maker at the fair spins a confection that looks like pillows of wool but melts in your mouth like a snowflake? Light pink, soft and pretty and considered one of “The Most Comfortable Maternity Bras,: the bra has a feminine, sporty design. Uniquely constructed with a silky soft knit and intelligently placed support panels, Cotton Candy will expand and change with the woman who wears it.

Cake lingerie and sleep wear (so comfortable and beautiful) is sold in more than 30 countries and 350 stores worldwide including Nordstrom’s in Dallas as well as online.

At least if you’re breastfeeding or sitting there with swollen feet your bra looks good, right?

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.”)

NYE 2013: What’s Your Resolution?

December 31, 2012 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Me Mondays:

It’s that magical end of the holiday season day where I decide to be better at…, do better at…and of course, eat better to lose…

Are you resolving this year to make any changes? You’re in good company; so are a lot of other people as you can see below.

However, this year it’s going to be easier to be better because we’re gonna do it together. Yep – the whole reason I created this baby was to help me be better and share my experiences with others so they could be better – hence the name MAMACHALLENGE!

So be ready this January to start the challenge of being the best we can be in 2013! I have lots of surprises in store for us! However, ff course, like any good southern girl…I’m going to think about that tomorrow! Until then, take a look at the top resolutions and how can start to create your plan for betterness tomorrow as well!

Until then, HAPPY NEW YEAR’S!

Thanks to CalorieCount.com for this greeat graphic.

Capturing the Year with The World Almanac for Kids 2013

December 29, 2012 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Sharing Saturdays:

Do you need a reminder that Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift are two of the most interesting people in 2012? Probably not since they may own the title in 2013, but it is amazing so many other people, little-known facts and stats comprised 2012 in a nutshell. The World Almanac® for Kids 2013 provides timely and timeless information on popular subjects such as animals, science, sports, music, U.S. history, and more. Readers will find out what’s hot in 2012 with full-color photographs and facts about favorite sports and entertainment superstars.

What a great staple volume to talk about current events and capture 2012 for your family as you step through 2013 this NYE!

The World Almanac for Kids 2013

Sarah Janssen

World Almanac

Buy It

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.”)

Fill Up on Good Luck with Texas Caviar & Cosmo Jello Shots {Recipe}

December 28, 2012 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Food Fridays:

In our home, Christmas cheer has been replaced with coughing, aching and runny noses… However, we aren’t going to let it slow down our NYE festivities (at least not for the meantime.)

Considering I have a household of people who find cabbage (the symbol for money) and black-eyed peas (the symbol for good luck) to be completely distasteful, I have to work hard to mask the foods while still ensuring we get in all the opportunity for money and good luck as we can get (can you tell I’m superstitious?)

So I’m sharing one of the best ways to make black-eyed peas acceptable on New Year’s Eve with this family recipe for Texas Caviar. Best of all, there’s no cooking involved, so you can’t mess it up AND your kids will be sure to like it (as long as you don’t tell them it’s made with black-eye peas.)

TEXAS CAVIAR

1/2 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 (8 ounce) bottle zesty Italian dressing

1 can black beans, drained

1 can black-eyed peas, drained

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro

2 avocadoes, peeled, pitted and diced

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together onion, green bell pepper, green onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic, cherry tomatoes, zesty Italian dressing, black beans, black-eyed peas and coriander. Cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately 2 hours. Toss with desired amount of fresh cilantro to serve.

One of the other must-haves at NYE are a little adult cocktails! Even if you can’t imagine trying to sip your “so-sophisticated martini” with two kiddos running around the house, consider taking down a few Cosmopolitan jello shots courtesy of Shannon at “Milk and Cuddles.” I can attests she made these a few weeks ago and not only were they delicious and easy to devour…making it possible to have a little adult beverages without keeping them around the house with the kids! The best part was the orange zest on top.

Get the recipe for Cosmo Jello Shots on MilkandCuddles.com.

Clink, Clink! Slurp, Slurp!

To-Do: Round Up Your Herd for NYE 2013

December 27, 2012 By Autumn Rose Reo 2 Comments

To-Do Thursdays:

I’ll be honest and tell you the only thing I feel like doing this Thursday is sitting in my warm bed with a cup of cocoa…however, the to-do list is too long to just waste a perfectly good opportunity to enjoy my kids and the holiday season.

So here’s my picks for a few things you and your kids can do this weekend and of course, the kick-off to the new 2013 year!

Living this close to “The Rodeo Capital of Texas,” take the family out to the Mesquite Pro Rodeo Winter Classic, Dec. 28-29 for bull riding, buck riding and best of all mutton competition and calf scramble!

And while there are several different options for NYE in Big D, the biggest one of course is the Big D NYE. It’s slated to be a [free] good time for the whole family including the biggest, loudest and best fireworks, entertainment, prizes and more.

However, while we are still trying to figure out our New Year’s plans, consider all your options available with Your Holiday Helper: Celebrate New Year’s with Adventure Kids Playcare!

For those of you planning to be homebound on this special day, I’ll be sharing some great recipes for your own NYE party.

Return, Exchange or Regift?

December 26, 2012 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Wow-Mom Wednesdays:

Now that most the holiday gifts have now been unwrapped…the biggest question remains:

To regift or not to regift?

That is the question a recent national survey conducted by Bookoo.com, the online yard sale community, asked respondents as they prepare for the holiday shopping season. According to Bookoo’s 2012 Holiday Regifting Survey, the holidays are the most common time of year for people to regive presents that they previously received from someone else. While frowned upon by some, a whopping 92 percent believe it’s completely acceptable to regift items, and more than 87 percent believe they too have been a recipient of a regifted item. And, with shoppers looking to save more and spend less this holiday season, more than 62 percent plan to regift an item to a friend, neighbor or colleague for the holidays.

Would you keep or regift these babies? (Found on Bookoo.com)

Frequent regifters feel they have mastered the art of regifting and take precautions to ensure it stays a secret. Some popular techniques include re-wrapping the item to look new (53 percent), inspecting the item and removing any gift cards or receipts from the previous giver (50 percent) and planning ahead to make sure they do not give the gift to anyone associated with the original gifter (66 percent).

Most commonly, people regift because they feel that someone will appreciate the item more than they do (62 percent) or because they couldn’t use the gift personally (53 percent). Additionally, regifting has its cost-saving benefits with 82 percent of people estimating that they have saved up to $150 by repurposing gifts.

While most respondents suggest sticking to more commonly acceptable regifted items, including home decor pieces, antiques, books, toys and jewelry, others shared rather untraditional, less desirable regifted items that they received in the past, including:

Two year old fruit cake
Box of chocolates with bites taken out of several pieces
Monogrammed items with someone else’s initials
Used toilet seat
Electric toothbrush
False teeth
Fingernail clippers
Outdated old desk calendar
Items the recipient had originally given to the gifter
Toys with broken pieces
Gift cards that were partially used

While regifting is most popular around the holidays, it is a common practice throughout the year. In fact, other popular times of year to regift items include: birthdays, baby showers and as housewarming and thank you gifts. No matter the occasion, women are more likely to regift items than their male counterparts 3:1.

To view more survey highlights, visit the Bookoo Blog.

About Bookoo
Based in Oswego, Ill., Bookoo offers a network of hyper-local online yard sales for hundreds of communities around the world. Each Bookoo site connects neighbors, allowing them to safely buy and sell their treasures locally, and to view a map of upcoming yard sales in their area. Free and easy to use, anyone can search and post items for sale on Bookoo.com or through the free mobile app for iPhone and Android. Inspired by their passion for finding hidden treasures at yard sales, brothers and yard sale fanatics, Adam and Austin Allgaier , founded Bookoo in 2004 and continue to expand into new markets worldwide. Today, more than a million people buy and sell just about anything on Bookoo every month.

Sharing Saturdays:

For all of you that will be traveling like our family this holiday, cartime togetherness may be wonderful one minute and whoa-is-me another. While talking and sharing time together may be a more positive option, sometimes it’s ok just to turn around and hand them your Iphone. So prepare yourself just in case with these 5 free apps to entertain your kids and save your sanity this holiday season!

Hungry Santa
Fatten up Santa before Christmas. Tilt the device to move Santa’s mouth under falling treats, but watch out for the healthy broccoli. Santa gets fatter and fatter as he chomps on all the goodies. Give him some fatty bonuses by bouncing the treats off his belly before he eats them, or eating long strings of treats all in a row. Go for the elusive “Crazy Chomp” bonus. You can’t play this one without laughing out loud.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hungry-santa/id476208269?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tegtap.hungrysanta

Gingerbread Crazy Chef Cookie Maker
The tradition of leaving cookies for Santa has never been as fun and no-fuss as this. Gingerbread Crazy Chef is an innovative app that kids and parents can use together to create the most colorful, playful and crazy holiday cookies to leave for the Jolly Old Elf on Christmas Eve. Choose the shape, mix the ingredients and make “digital cookies” for Santa. Best of all? No mess and no clean-up! Great for kids, families and parents with children.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gingerbread-crazy-chef-cookie/id569863692?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tabtale.christmasgingerbreadcookiemaker

Cut the Rope: Holiday Gift
From the creators of Cut the Rope, comes the Special Holiday Gift game, which combines all the outstanding physics, devilishly tricky levels, and bright colorful visuals of the original — with a festive winter feel. SHAKE your iPhone for a special surprise! Swipe your finger to cut the ropes and feed Om Nom candy. Don’t forget to collect stars as you play. Think before you cut, and be sure to avoid spiders, spikes and other obstacles … getting that candy to Om Nom won’t be easy!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cut-the-rope-holiday-gift/id406513121?mt=8

Santa’s Village
The perfect game for the whole family. Help Santa by building a bigger and better village, and save Christmas from being ruined by the Grumpkins. Start by building homes for Santa’s elves, create a toy factory and make lots of toys, teach reindeer how to fly, and meet magical neighbors like Yobo the Yeti. Unlock special buildings and colorful decorations to make your village even merrier.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/santasvillage/id457724319?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.makingfun.santasvillage

Snowman Maker Plus
The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful … and since we’ve no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Yes, you can sit by the fire AND build an adorable, realistic looking snowman when you play Snowman Maker.