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Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Light Up Your Legos with LiteBrix

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Wow Mom Wednesday:

The turkey hasn’t even been bought but the Christmas presents are already beginning to build (waiting for someone to wrap them.) While my son has alerted me he wants only one thing from Santa this year (a Thomas the Tank Engine Trackmaster set that is almost impossible to find), I know that he’ll still expect a few other things under the tree. However, since he’s got a LOAD of Thomas already and has also created quite a Lego inventory, where does a mama look for ideas. 

What to get, What to get, What to get.

Designed to shine a light on kids’ creativity, the Lite Brix Super Light Building System from Cra-Z-Art is the next level of building blocks. The light-up building construction sets feature translucent bricks with battery powered LEDs (via a battery pack) that cycles through four different colors.

Your kids can transform their creations into spectacularly-lit masterpieces for daytime or nighttime play, but best of all – these building blocks can work with your other sets (hello, Legos!)

While we got to get our hands on a “Space Trooper”, you can create an entire light-up city, or mix and match and make into tons of amazingcreations with the LITE BRIX systemlike space shuttles, to racecars, fire stations, an airport and more. While I thought I would be able to open up the box and just let him run wild, he did need me to put together the pieces to show him how it worked. My son is 4 though and the box clearly notes ages 6+, however, I did need the directions to figure out how to put it together initially. But once we finished, there definitely was a “wow, mom!” reaction.



One note to families with younger siblings: our set-up time was best AFTER the younger kiddo went to bed so I didn’t have to worry about small pieces.

Available at Toys R Us stores nationwide and Barnes and Noble.
Prices vary from $19.99


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.”)


The Cool Way to Do Christmas Cards

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Tech Tuesdays:

“O Christmas Cards, O Christmas Cards, 
How will I ever complete you. 
O Christmas Cards, O Christmas Cards, 

O Christmas Cards, O Christmas Cards, 
How will I ever complete you. 


It’s the last minute, I need you fast, 
Thank goodness this year there’s OfficeMax.
O Christmas Cards, O Christmas Cards, 
Now I can complete you.”

OfficeMax IMPRESS
Did you know your local OfficeMax is not just your place for office supplies, but they also do holiday card printing? Not only are they are cute designs but they are really reasonably priced! (And just to add you can get seals, stamps and more as well!)
OfficeMax ImPress Print Center is offering a GREAT deal on custom holiday greeting now through December 30, 2012.  At checkout, simply enter “CARDSAVINGS” to get 50% OFF PLUS $50 OFF holiday card orders of $200 or more at www.officemaxphoto.com/holiday-store.html.
However, one of you will be the winner of free greeting cards from OfficeMax ImPress from MamaChallenge! All you have to do is register this Rafflecopter (and you even have multiple opportunities to enter) now until November 18, 2012.  
Good Luck!
For more cool options for holiday cards and the giveaway, check out my last post. 
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.”)

The Cool Way to Do Christmas Cards – Part 1

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Tech Tuesdays:

Can you believe we already are talking Christmas cards? While photographs should already have been done (ours aren’t), but to get cards printed, mailed, sent and delivered before the holidays, you should have orders already done. So basically, we are behind already. Super, right?
Paper Culture 
However, you can consider looking at a service to do all the work for you after you select the invite, but can you really afford that? Yes, you can with Paper Culture.
With their Mail & Message option, Paper Culture will stuff, address, stamp, and send your cards for free (all you pay is postage). All you have to do is upload your list in a spreadsheet or manually insert in your own online address book. And even better, the company vows it plants a tree with each order and prints everything on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.
And best of all, the holiday designs as well as their general stationary templates are clean, attractive, modern and totally “fridgeworthy” (as DailyCandy says of Paper Culture.) From baby shower invitations, baby announcements, bar mitzvah, birthday parties and everything in between, Paper Culture has designs that will work perfect for you.

 I love their fun personalized kids designs to use as thank you note stationery and monogram sets as gifts for this year for my colleagues. You can never go wrong with personalized stationery, especially when it does something good for you by doing something good for the earth. 

Now instead of thinking about whether can you wait until New Year’s to do your cards, download a few photos from Facebook, pop ’em into one of their cute designs, add your name and give ’em your names and address for them to do. You can actually be done in less than hour. And if you act fast (by Nov. 15, 2012), you can even get a 30 percent discount with the code SAVINGS30.

For more cool options for holiday cards and the giveaway, check out the next post! 
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.”)


How to make a no-cook, no-clean Thanksgiving that Grandma Can be Proud of

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When my husband and I first were married, Thanksgiving was a special event where we made a unique meal  and invited our friends to dine in their PJs as we ate with china, crystal and silver. Each Thanksgiving meal was different like the year German theme so we had Sauerbraten, German Potato Salad (made with a pound of bacon) and a Krispy Kreme bread pudding (made with a dozen doughnuts!) After finishing off the meal, we’d all lay around in our elastic flannels and complain about how much food we ate. It was total bliss.


While I love the memories of those days, when our kiddos came into the picture, suddenly holidays with our families were much more important and somehow the traditional Thanksgiving meal found itself at back on the menu. However, this year’s schedule, no matter how hard we wish we could see our families, there’s just no time between work, school and the travel time to spend an entire day in the kitchen to make and clean up Thanksgiving with our families. The whole idea seemed kind of miserable. However, as parents we feel we are responsible for creating traditions that transcend our lifetime – just as our parents and grandparents did before us.

Since ordering pizza or going to a restaurant really wasn’t what we are looking to do, I was looking at home options. Naturally, Dickey’s and my local grocery store and HoneyBaked Ham came to mind as possibilities, but I wasn’t sure if turkey or ham was the right way to go. And then I found out HoneyBaked ham recently reformulated their turkey breast recipe, preparing it like their award-winning ham and wanted my family to be a part of the test-run. Score.

I actually had never been into a HoneyBaked Ham store so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Set up part warm meat shop and part frozen section at a grocery store, I was able to go straight to the front and order my meat, turn to the freezer case for my sides as well as my dessert choice. That easy.

Speaking with my associate, since it was pre-Thanksgiving the store featured several side order options, but during the holiday season there would be more available including bread options (a fundamental Thankgiving meal item!) However, there was so much to choose from just to create a perfect dinner or special Sunday meal.


Our selection included:
HoneyBaked’s New Recipe Turkey Breast
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Herb Stuffing
Carrot Cake

When we returned home, the only work I had to do was put the sides in the oven for 30-45 minutes. When they came out, dinner was done and it smelled delicious. I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical and that the food would resemble those meals you get in the deli section that just don’t measure up. However, that wasn’t the case in the least.


The turkey ham (the name my son called it) was amazing. It was moist, tender, sweet and had that perfect crunch that HoneyBaked is known for. AND DID I MENTION IT WAS LESS THAN 2 GRAMS OF FAT PER SERVING, SO SECONDS ARE TOTALLY OK! Both sides, if I hadn’t kept them in their containers, could have easily been a better alternative to some of even my family’s homemade recipes. And that carrot cake. was really to die for. Unfortunately, it called to me at nighttime and thankfully, I was able to resist the urge some of the time. It really was an outstanding meal and contrary to the norm, we ate every part of those leftovers.


Best of all for me, no cleanup. I just threw the containers away when we were done. Cost? No different that what Thanksgiving normally would be and considering the time I saved not having to make anything. That made it even more attractive. My only work was to make the order and pick it up.

So Thanksgiving 2012’s busy schedule can actually take a break at least an hour this year for us to partake on what is already making me hungry again – the taste of that HoneyBaked turkey (and maybe some carrot cake, too.) Wondering about leftovers? They’ve got you covered with some pretty tasty recipes, but that’s IF you have leftovers. 

Curious? Hungry? Already making your order? Here’s a $3 off coupon!

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.”)


How We Winged it in Napa Valley

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Well, this trip was one for the books! If you haven’t been following – Mama took on a real challenge this week and extended her Food Fridays, Sharing Saturdays, Mom Mondays and took a little rehab Tuesday for a four-day trip to Napa. 

In a word. Amazing. 


For a woman obsessed with food, wine and beautiful scenery, it was a dream come true. That and a friend with a hotel discount to share plus a free airline ticket from years of accumulated miles.

So I took a few days off the blog to get up close with the one and only Napa Valley…And while it was hard to eat at some of the most delicious restaurants in the region and sample the area’s biggest cash crop (that would be vino, people), I took one for the team so I can report my lessons to you. (I know it’s hard, but someone has to do it, right?) 

Understand – I had no reservations for anything before we went to Napa other than a plane ticket. So we totally winged it. Completely. And we did it pretty cheap. (Well as cheap as Napa can be.)

I will tell you that while every restaurant I wanted to eat at in Napa Valley said it was full and no reservations, I did manage to eat at 10 different restaurants in three days. (Again, another reason for everything in January to be focused on being healthy!) But since the food and the wine was the only thing anyone cares about, I’ll give you the list of my rundown. However, to answer the most asked question, I did not eat at The French Laundry. (But lucky for you I did take a photo of it to share with you and did a little Facebook “Check-in” for fun.)



1. Opa – San Francisco Area 
A local chain, but I was starving after my 7 AM flight and anything with goat cheese is fine by me.


Name summed up our trip. Small plate heaven and perfect for several sharable plates featuring cheeses, fried olives with goat cheese and mushrooms (probably with goat cheese.) Great service, unpretentious and very hip. Must go.


3. Fish Story – Napa 
Seemed like a pretty swanky place, but they let us in to enjoy their sustainable fresh fish choices. It was cold and I was close to the West Coast, I enjoyed a great Clam Chowder.
4. Morimoto – Napa
My first foam experience.  Found totally by accident we noticed all these interesting sweet treats in a window. After walking in and asking to see a menu, we realized we were in the Iron Chef’s cooking haven. Since we had devoured a few meals, we laid low with a ramen soup, chocolate cake with all kinds of stuff like a beer foam (see below) and drinks. While some pretty simple menu items, they were still very interesting to view as well as to eat. And they didn’t disappoint us and actually had us wanting more…but our stomach couldn’t have taken anything else for a while.

This small-town find quenched my craving for a good simple sandwich to eat that included fresh everything – homegrown arugula, white cheddar, cheese, red pepper pesto and meat from local sources. I could eat one of these every day and be happy.

6. LaSalette – Sonoma

Probably one of, if not, my favorite places we enjoyed in Napa Valley. Sat at the bar, watched first-hand the talent of a great kitchen at work  for my first Portuguese experience. Devoured some of the best scallops I’ve ever eaten ever along with a bowl of butternut squash soup and a delicious wine flight. Afterwards,  I didn’t want to eat anywhere else since I wanted to just hold on to the lingering flavor.

7. Taco Bell – Napa
I admit it, but like always, the gordita did its thing well.
While they didn’t serve brunch, they did serve a great outdoor patio, spicy bloody mary and some of the best breads ever including a housemade focaccia so perfect it made me cry. (Yes, it was that good.)  


9. Buchon Bakery – Yountville
Somehow I was going to get my Thomas Keller fix in somehow and it wasn’t going to be The French Laundry, his casual spot, Adhoc or his fried chicken/pork bbq outpost, Addendum, so Buchon Bakery was the winner. We lined up for 30 minutes to get our moment to order some lovely baked goods to go. Couldn’t pass up anything called “Oh, No You Didn’t” (a s’mores macaron dipped in chocolate) and the creamiest quiche I’ve ever tasted.


10. Redd – Yountville
This place had captured our interest online and when we drove through by its façade, but when the friendly gal at Hope and Grace told us it was great for small plates, cool for hanging out and that her hubby was the somm, we thought we’d try it out. Good call on our part to listen to the wifey. Lobster Risotto and Duck Potstickers were delish.

As for wineries visited, we didn’t do as many of these, but we had a great time where we did and what we did. With a limited budget, no reservations and a short weekend, we had to be smart. That’s why Tasting Rooms within most of the towns we visit we the right idea for this trip. And most of these, we ate there, too!

I actually posted realtime from the vineyard on Saturday, so you got a fresh look at my first wine and vineyard tour. Conducted by the nicest Estate Educator, Ryan Hortum, we learned so much about viniculture/viticulture as well about this multi-family business with a very interesting historical story, up a very winding hill and overlooking Sonoma. We basically called them the day before from our hotel and made a reservation, so about 18 hours notice.


2. Domaine Carneros – Sonoma 
One of my favorite places we visited since we stumbled upon it right before it closed as we were driving, we were able to quickly ordered all the wines we wanted to try, open up some deli crackers and goat cheese and just overlooked the countryside for an hour.


3. Hope & Grace – Yountville
We had 10 minutes left in Yontville before heading to Calistoga, so we stopped in to try a little local wine love. Cute spot. Cute name. Cute help (see “Redd” below for more info on her.) Had a great Cab and Pinot, so we grabbed a few half bottles for gifts and got on the road. 

4. Castello di Amorosa – Calistoga 
A pretty unique experience within itself, this 13thcentury styled castle included a tour reminiscent of many of the places I visited in Italy this summer and then the finale included a delicious food and wine pairing experience with Mary, the castle sommelier. I really enjoyed myself and purchased a few gifts to bring home, too including the most delicious almonds with truffle oil. OMG. For this reservation, we called about 15 hours in advance and so glad we were able to join because it was such a treat!


…and a few more small ones that while nice, didn’t make the list.

What did I learn from my fantastic trip? That it was possible to go many places just on a whim. Almost everywhere we went, we called prior to coming and told “we’re fully committed tonight.” Then we showed up and almost without any wait AT ALL, we got a table. Now it may have not be the best table in the house (sometimes we were seated at the bar, but at LaSalette the bar is the best place in the house since you can watch the chef staff create food masterpieces.) 

Also, what did I learn? That there’s lots of amazing food to be enjoyed in Napa Valley and it doesn’t have to be a $250 nine-course, three-hour tasting. (Unfortunately, my curiosity is still peaked and I still would like someone to sponsor my trip to The French Laundry to dispel all my thoughts about it…) It’s small, simple and enjoyable if you like food and wine. IF you are looking for other activities, seek refuge in San Francisco. The only “kid” thing I found in Napa Valley was Sonoma’s TrainTown and I bet it was way more than my tastings.

As my learning lesson comes to a close, I’ll share my advice. The next trip I would probably have a few ideas of what I wanted to and perhaps spend a little more time in Northern Napa Valley (Calistoga, St. Helena and Yountville) and skip Napa and Sonoma all together. And I totally would love to enjoy more sparkling wine experiences that I didn’t have time to visit this go around like my cousin’s favorite, Shramsberg, Mumm and Domaine Chandon. And certainly a trip to the recently awarded Michelin star in Calistoga, Solbar.  

So, I conquered this field trip…But what’s next for another food adventure? HOLIDAY!


To-Do: Here’s the first of your Holiday Helpin’!

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To-Do Thursdays:

This has been a power-packed week of events with my birthday, Halloween and a pending holiday. The smiles on my kiddos’ faces and a late bedtime verifies that 2012 was a good Halloween, so like any good mom I’ll share a few shots from the best of the evening. 

However, it’s all about looking forward, so I’m putting my star on a few events this weekend to officially celebrate the next two months of HOLIDAY! Can you believe we are already in the home stretch? 

21 days to THANKSGIVING
53 days to CHRISTMAS
60 days to NEW YEAR’S DAY


Now that I’ve officially scared you (and me), no need to worry! Mamachallenge.com is going to help you get that gold star for HOLIDAY 2012. Whether you’re looking for gifts, recipes or things to do, we’ll bring ’em to you. So just stay tuned to here AND do subscribe to 100 Days to Holidays newsletter from Parents. It’s always one of my must-dos and it’s a great way to get ideas for the holidays that make you look like a Martha Stewart without the jailtime. 

While we have time for holiday planning, we don’t have a lot of time for planning this weekend. So here’s the scoop for Nov. 1-4:


Follow me on Facebook and Instagram (arredmon) for photos of my look at Napa Valley
Get a leg on shopping with a Rundown on Holiday Markets (This weekend is the Junior League of Arlington’s Holiday Magic!)
Do something with the leftover Halloween candy with a little help from Steve Noviello!

Combine Halloween + Harvest For Hauntingly Easy Holiday Decor

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Wow Mom! Wednesdays:

What’s the best part of Halloween? The photos!
Here’s one of my kiddos – SpiderMan and our Little Witchy Poo! (so funny I couldn’t get them together).


Also, wanted to share this costume…personally one of my favorites – Cinderella. One of my friend’s daughters wore this dress and she really felt like a princess, especially when the sun went down and her dress lit up. Best of all, since the dress had motion-detectors, when she did a “princess spin” the dress lit up with her! It was magical – and even though she didn’t feel up to par for a long night of trick-or-treating, she definitely enjoyed her time in the “dresslight!” And for mom, the lights made it so easy to keep an eye on your child wherever she walked down the street! Perfect for your “princess” all year long. (I’d snatch this one up if you can find it like at Target or Amazon.com.)

Oh the decorations! We went minimal this year on our decorations since I just didn’t have the time to get them all up and then as soon as I did, I’d have to take them down! So we did a fall harvest theme that could extend into Thanksgiving time so mama’s work wasn’t put to waste. Thankfully, with an online trip to Kmart, I was able to get a few fun fall things to make me look like the next queen of decorating (and all for $100!)

$12.49 for this cute pumpkin
$25 for this 3-tier candle display
$20 for this wreath

$12.49 for this floral bundle
$20 floral arrangement

$ 9 for this cute Tablerunner

Happy Decorating! (And stay tuned for more tips, ideas and more!)


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.”)

Birthday Fun in Dallas with Spa at the Village, DISH Drag Brunch, Hotel Zaza Sunday School & Napa Valley

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Me Mondays:

 “Me Mondays” are supposed to be a one-day dedicated to focusing on making things better for ALL moms. However, today the title is most apropos because today IS my birthday, so I’m sharing how this mama spent the weekend celebrating her 22st birthday (hahaha, give or take 10 years or so.) I have to admit it was the best one yet! It was all about conquering some bucket list items!

 Starting off the fun festivities, after a hard-hitting session of Jay’s Bootcamp and one of my favorites Friday’s spin class with Melissa, I spent a glorious afternoon at The Spa at the Village in Colleyville. Thank goodness for a perfectly timed Groupon  because for less than $100, I was able to get the Pumpkin & Spice Fall Spa Package (which is valued at $430!) The whole experience was heavenly — with a delicious massage, a pumpkin facial and even a an inch loss body wrap (always a nice way to start off a birthday is with a few inches off your body!) I opted to get a few add-ons as well which were well worth it since my dark circles have seemed to disappear – or at least minimize for the time-being! The staff was amazing and I know I’ll be back since they offer specials to their members and I can’t remember the last time I felt that relaxed. 


After Friday afternoon, I was more than happy to call it done with my festivities, but that was just the beginning. My amazing husband had me open a FedEx box addressed to him, but when I opened it, I found a beautiful handbag. I have to admit, I’ve been waiting for a long time to get this purse, so I couldn’t have been more surprised. It is beautiful! While this one wasn’t a bucket list item, it was on top of my “All I Want For Christmas…” list. Santa just showed up a little early this year!

 Again, just the beginning of the birthday fun, I spent a few hours with some friends on Saturday enjoying a few of Fort Worth’s most beautiful homes and best chefs with The Kitchen Tour, a fundraising event for A Wish with Wings. It may have been chilly, but some of the tasty soups we enjoyed made it worth it (that and the bloody mary that kept me warm on the inside!) I love looking a beautiful homes and certainly enjoying award-winning food from local restaurants, so this was ideal for a pre-birthday event!

 Sunday was the icing on the cake. My mom and two of girlfriends got gussied up and attended Brunch at DISH. Referred from Dallas’ Queen of the Scene, Cynthia Smoot, Once a month the Oak Lawn rest throws a party with brunch, bottomless mimosas and drag queens. It’s hard to imagine a drag show at 10:30 AM in the morning, but it and the three-course brunch was a perfect way to spend the morning. Another bucket list item complete. However, bottomless mimosas ensured the party wasn’t over yet. 




 Of course, what would Sunday be without Sunday School? But this is not the Sunday School you are used to. Hotel Zaza puts on a heck of a party and this time Halloween was the occasion. While I wish I could tell you how great the food and drink was, especially since the pancakes are supposed to be phenomenal, but it was more like a night club than a breakfast spot. Sunday School Brunch includes food and fun like no other…just be ready to need a little recoop time after all the fun is over! This event is a MUST for anyone in Dallas. (Just be happy I don’t have photos to share with you!)


While I could definitely say that I had the best Birthday ever, I still have one more bucket list I get to complete for this birthday…a trip to Napa Valley! I can’t wait to share this bucket list item with you upon my return! I can hardly wait, but after this weekend’s fun, I’m glad that I have some days to recharge and rehydrate!

So if today is your birthday, I hope it is as wonderful as mine has been — thanks to some amazing friends and family members. And if you have a birthday coming up soon, I have one piece of advise: “Celebrate your day like it’s the last one you got!” 

4 Ways Mom Can Make Halloween Simple (and Fun) for Her

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Me Mondays:

I LOVE HALLOWEEN. The decor, the food, the costumes and all the kids ringing my door bell with “Trick or Treat!” It’s just such a sweet, fun and great little holiday!

My little Snow White’s First Halloween, 2011.

But with a one-year old and a four-year old, juggling taking my babes trick-or-treating and then running home to meet those kids trick-or-treating SOLO is not an easy task. Not only does it take some careful preparation, but it’s all about timing and for me – simplicity. With such a long day getting things ready and then to continue well after my kids go to bed (when your youngest goes to bed at 7:30 p.m.), the door bell is ringing until at least 9 p.m.


So this year I’m working hard to slimline things without feeling like I’m cutting myself short on something I normally enjoy with a few tips to ensure Halloween is fun for me (as well as the kids!)

1) Order dinner – in advance
I know there are a thousand pins you have collected over the last couple of weeks to create the perfect Halloween-themed dinner, but let’s face it – you can’t do it all. Really. So I just make it a fun night and order a few cheap pizzas, pick them up AHEAD of trick-or-treating and then we’re done. You can eat a slice before you go out and then a few pieces after you get home without any issue. It’s cheap, easy, and fun! Just make sure to put your order in early since Halloween is a big night for delivery, so just avoid the wait (and more traffic on the road) and pick it up yourself. Between the ready-made pizza places like *Cici’s, Little Caesars or Pizza Patron at around $6, you can’t go wrong.

Sign up now for CiCi’s Pizza Perks and a you’ll be in the loop to receive a coupon for 3 medium To-Go pizzas for $10.  What a great way to treat your little goblins, ghouls, ghosts and princesses before they head out into the dark, candy-filled night!

2) Wear Comfortable Shoes
I’ve professed multiple times that I don’t like shoes. We’ll I do, but…they are a necessary for walking the neighborhood as we travel from house to house for trick-or-treating. I could probably just put on my houseslippers/flip-flops and walk out the door. However, since the probability of me bumping into neighbors I haven’t seen in months. For this reason, I want to sport that mom’s-still-got-it look rather than mom-lost-it that sometimes can be seen if you bump into me at the grocery store.

Thankfully, I just found a pair of shoes I’m currently in love with. No, they’re not my normal Crocs, but a pair of Dr. Scholls. Now before you start to think I’ve borrowed a pair of my grandma’s house shoes, you’ve got to take a look at these babies.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Scholl’s Shoes/drschollsshoes.com

Aren’t they cute? I thought so as well and this oxford-style shoe is totally on trend for 2012 (an added bonus for me!) This classic loafer called the Florenza is my go-to shoe for mom style, color and of course, my favorite – COMFORT! Imagine that all those inserts could be found in one shoe – memory fit foam, pressure relief and massaging gel insoles. Retailing at around $65, I feel like I’m standing out a litttle bit among the sea of Sperry’s and Tom’s most everyone is sporting and for me, I can still have the same feel of a flip-flop!
Available at more than 5,000 retail locations and online at Piperlime.com, Macys.com, Zappos.com and DrSchollsShoes.com.

3) Simplify the Bag Load
While I’m not a shoe diva, I am about my bags. I love big bags and can fill them at capacity if you let me (isn’t that what moms are known for.) But on Halloween, with two trick-or-treat bags and all the other necessities – phone and keys, are about all I can handle and I still need both of my hands to lead the kids along the way. That’s why we I found this scarf/clutch combo, I was ELATED.

Here’s the Sholdit I have.
Photo courtesy of www.sholdit.com. 

The Sholdit was created by a mom with the need to have her stuff and her hands, is basically a scarf with inside pockets to contain your basics and if needed, can fold back up to a small clutch – all in one! Scarves are my go-to accessory for making my mom uniform (a t-shirt) look cute quickly, while giving me a little style, and the fact that I can store my phone and keys without stuffing my pockets like a plumber, makes me so uber happy. And in so many cute colors and lightweight materials, you can securely store your stuff without adding 10 lbs. to your shoulders or hips. Get yours now for $49-$79 at www.sholdit.com.

4) Give Out What You Want 
Another issue over the last few years that has really kept me worried is what food to give out. When I was growing up, if you scored a full-size candy bar from the guy up the street, you were set. But now, what you give out is less a reflection of what kids would enjoy as it is “Is this mom mindful of safety, health and fun?” And of course, costs for a bag of candy soaring more than $10 for a bag of 50 snack-size treats, trying to participate in Halloween has really turned into a chore.

This year I said no more and bought what I wanted my kids to eat and what I would be happy to serve from the House of Reo. For a reasonable cost of $6 a box with 35 bags of Utz Mickey Mouse Cheese Balls, Halloween Rice Crispy Treats and a small selection of chocolate. I stocked up on what I thought we would need for 2 hours and then if any was left over, I could use the pretzels for snacks and lunchboxes while mom and dad wouldn’t have to sneak food out of the kids bags! Plus, Mickey Mouse still makes me cool AND they are gluten-free…SCORE!

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.”)

Suck it Up and Suck it In (with a Corset)

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style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Me Mondays – Part of my never-ending challenge to create a better me…
When I think of the word ‘corset’ I  immediately think of Scarlet and Aunt Mammy in “Gone with the Wind.” The two women working to lace her up before going to the Wilkes BBQ and then later again in the movie, when she talks about trying to make her 21 inch waist go back done to 19 inches.  That actually makes me laugh now since it’s been a while since I was 21 inches – a very long time and I certainly haven’t been wearing a corset…at least not until now.

Scarlet and Aunt Mammy work together to cinch her waist back to 19 inches in “Gone With the Wind.”
However, what I used to think as that thing that women USED to wear back then (or if you are a pop star on stage) isn’t so passé anymore. Actually corsets are back on the rise reports the BBC; real women are actually wearing them again as daily undergarments in attempts to make things look a little smaller, a little smoother and in some cases, a little sexier. And after giving birth to two children, a girdle or a corset now seems like small potatoes to get all that mess in the middle to look a little better.
Then last week a special package ended up in my mailbox from corsetchick.com. With Halloween around the corner and a mama still without something to wear, I was intrigued to see what the box had in store for me. And of course, being committed to the cause to help other women like myself and in hopes to squeeze my ass into a pair of my B2K (before two kids) jeans, I happily pulled them out and began the siphoning process.
Devil costume includes corset, skirt and accessories. (Photo courtesy of corsetchick.com)  

When I opened things up I found both a witch and a devil complete with a skirt and appropriate accessories.  They were really hot outfits, although it was still going to take some guts and a few shots of liquor to wear thse out of my house. I will admit I now understand why it took Scarlet and Mammy to cinch her in – it really is a two-man process. I had intended to be THAT wife and put one of them on for show after a weekend away, but I really needed his help to put me in it or get it off of me when he got home (it was a lot less sexy and a lot more funny than you could have imagined.)
Add a hat and this corset and skirt becomes a witch costume. (Photo courtesy of corsetchick.com) 

But once I got it on, I did feel pretty hot mama. I couldn’t breathe so great, but at least I looked good. And along with a pair of fishnet pantyhose and sexy shoes, I was going to conquer Halloween, even if the only trick-or-treat was going to be happening behind closed doors. ;>
As for suggesting if a corset is for you? That’s all up to you (and your waistline.) However, corsetchick.com can give you a chance to try one out without making a huge financial commitment. And they certainly make it fun with all kinds of cute outfits for Halloween (and more if you’re looking at adult dress up time.) The only thing you should know is to ignore the sizing and cut them off immediately when you receive them at home. For instance a size XL is an 8-10, so if your waistline is over 32 inches, get ready for 2XL. Not exactly what you want to see before you slide your tummy into a piece of lingerie, but that’s nothing a pair of scissors can’t fix. 
Trick-or-Treat!

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.”)

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