It’s Football Time with KING’S HAWAIIAN! #GameTimeGrilling

September 21, 2016

This blog post was sponsored by KING’S HAWAIIAN® but the opinions are all my own.

It’s FOOTBALL time y’all! We are big TCU fans in our house. Of course I am torn between two families…my family in Arkansas are big Razorback fans, and my husband went to TCU. Arkansas just played TCU and lost…. 🙁

There’s nothing like a fall weekend with friends and family eating good food and watching football. It’s the obligatory thing to do on the weekends am I right?

So, we love our football…but we also love good FOOD! Last weekend the boys were watching the game and I headed to HEB to make some yummy ham & cheese sliders. This is definitely one of my go-to recipes for football and party food! hawaain

KING’S HAWAIIAN® rolls are great for lots of sandwiches, but this is our favorite!

HAM AND CHEESE MELTS:

You can choose the original or go a little spicy with the Jalapeno rolls
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Cut the entire package in half

Layer with ham

Top with cheese 🙂

Put the tops back on the KING’S HAWAIIAN® rolls

Spread the butter/mustard/poppy seed mixture on top!

And ENJOY like my precious boys here 🙂 They love watching football together…it gets a bit loud in there I must say! Ha ha!

KING’S HAWAIIAN® also has a fab new line of grilling sauces & we LOOOOVE to grill while the weather is still nice outside. Here is my hubby cooking up some yumminess on the grill! That’s the KING’S HAWAIIAN® Kona Coffee BBQ sauce! 07042010-25

We try to cook at home during the week to help save and prepare our meals in advance. These sauces make preparation easy and simple!

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Also, I was browsing in the Food Network Magazine this weekend and LOOK!!! These cute little “spooky sliders” using KING’S HAWAIIAN® rolls are so adorable! See recipes below:

Happy Football season from our little Horned Frog to yours!

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RECIPE:

HAWAIIAN HAM AND CHEESE SLIDERS

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup melted Butter
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Poppy Seeds
2 tsp Dried Minced Onion
12 King’s Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
9 oz thin sliced Deli Ham
8 oz thin sliced Swiss Cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.
Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
Combine butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, poppy seeds, and dried onion.
Slice the rolls to make sandwiches. Remove tops and set aside.
Place the bottom pieces into the prepared baking dish.
Layer the ham onto the rolls.
Top the ham with the Swiss cheese.
Place the tops of the rolls onto the sandwiches.
Brush or pour the liquid mixture evenly over the rolls.
Bake 20 minutes or until the rolls are lightly browned and cheese has melted.
Separate into individual sandwiches to serve.

Fall into a Good Routine with ProNamel® for Kids

September 13, 2016

The ProNamel® brand has compensated me in connection with statements made in this post.

It’s time for back to school and making sure your kiddos are in tip-top shape this year! Bring on the back to school shopping, the school supplies, and yearly physicals. I’ve talked with you all before how important taking care of your child’s teeth is. In my opinion it’s just as important as a well check-up. A healthy mouth can help your child’s overall immune system and prevent infections in the future.

I was at Connor’s class visiting one day and I was astonished as I sat there and saw so many kids with fingers in their MOUTHS! Ugh…

I know we can’t be there to remind them 24/7 not to stick their hands in their mouth & tell them how nasty it is, but we can instill good dental hygiene to help prevent germs and bacteria from growing.

ProNamel® 6-12 Years Toothpaste for Kids is the toothpaste we use and it works great to keep Connor’s teeth healthy! Tooth enamel is precious and needs to be protected, starting at an early age. Acid Erosion compromises the strength of enamel. This is where ProNamel® 6-12 Years Toothpaste for Kids comes in. ProNamel® for Kids actively strengthens enamel and protects against everyday acids and cavities. I work for a Dental office and our Doctor also recommends ProNamel® to our patients.

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It’s never too early or too LATE to start good oral hygiene habits in your kids.

We try to make brushing our teeth fun and we also tell Connor how important it is to keep his teeth healthy. Now that he’s getting his permanent teeth in he knows he’ll only get one set of those. It’s important to take care of your smile, because it’s the only one you’re going to get 🙂

We have another tooth on the loose! Ha ha!

Here are some tips to make brushing fun for your kids:

Let them pick out their own toothbrush and toothpaste, they have an opinion too! Toothbrushes come in so many fun styles these days- some have lights and even music!
Show them how to brush their teeth in a routine way. Side to side, back to front.
Try rhyming or music to make brushing teeth fun.
Tell them how sparkly and pretty their teeth look when they are done. It helps build self esteem.

As you get ready for back to school, send your child out there with confidence. A bright smile can go a long way. Education is key and having the right tools and great products help make this Mom’s life a lot easier.

COUPONS ARE AVAILABLE HERE.

Follow along for all the latest on ProNamel® for Kids on Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.

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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

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This sweepstakes runs from 9/13 – 9/30

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Home Remodeling…and other Stuff

September 7, 2016

So, let’s play catch up shall we? A lot has been going on and I want to remember these things when I’m an old gray mare….so I shall blog about them 🙂

We closed on our house!!! Whoop! Whoop! It only took almost a year and a half, but it was worth the wait 🙂 The market here in DFW is crazy, so we feel like we won the house jackpot and the best part is Connor still gets to stay at his wonderful schools.

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We found a new ice cream place that freezes the ice cream on a hibachi type slab and rolls them up. It was fun to watch and Connor loved it! 14206046_856553344445349_8222023181738132229_o

My first friend in the new house, my bff Kelly 🙂 (Ignore the plastic EVERYWHERE!) 14207821_857193031048047_7843104448549306073_o

This was one of the funniest things I read all week. It’s sad but true, our generation has lost all sense of conversationalism. Something I truly enjoy, but am also guilty of being on my phone. If I’m alone, almost always on my phone…it’s a serious crutch. raqj636g9e69

We’ve got a bunch of remodeling going on at the new house and we are super excited to get moved in. It will be fun to share all the details with everyone as we go through the design process.

Here’s an example of what we are trying to do right now:

LIVING ROOM

And the chaos that ensues:

The entry way already looks a ton better with the faux brick gone. We are getting all new lighting from Savoy House. Lighting makes SUCH a big difference! I can’t wait to show you all the after photos!

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Connor had his first swim in the new pool. I posted some videos and things as we go through the remodel process on Facebook and Instagram if you want to follow!

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All the wood will be painted white.

The kitchen currently…

The dining room will be a very pretty dark grey from floor to ceiling. The color we chose is called “Peppercorn” from Sherwin Williams. We are changing out all the lighting to fit more to our liking. The former homeowners had a more “Tuscan” style.

Connor playing Legos in my new office. I’m so excited about this space! I really want a chalkboard wall…

The hall bathroom

Anyway, so that’s a bit of what has been going on. We are so thankful that God has provided us with the perfect home after a long year of searching! So so thankful. Connor boy started soccer again and seems to be enjoying the first grade. Except he brought home a book about snakes this week and I can hardly stand to open it! Yuck!

I’ll be attending the Megaphone conference next week and I’ll be sure to document all that fun too! I can’t wait to hang out with all my Arkansas peeps and one of my favorite bloggy friends Michelle 🙂 Yippee!

So, yeah a lot going on and some days I feel like this…but you know what it’s FALL and I’m ready to scarf it up and throw on some boots!

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Hang in there…the best is yet to come!

That Week I Drove a Swagger Wagon…and LOVED it!

August 29, 2016

Connor had his first week of FIRST GRADE last week people! Hold me…

To say we’ve been busy would be the understatement of the century. We are closing on our new home today!!! After a year and a half search we FINALLY found our home and I’m so excited to share with y’all. It’s going to take a lot of paint and love to make it ours, but I’m looking forward to that whole process.

Well, y’all we have definitely been riding in style lately. I got to test out the brand spanking new sparkly and shiny 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. This van definitely puts the “swag” in “swagger wagon“.

I grew up in a GMC Safari the size of the Titanic. You know the vans that looked like a tank. I wish I had a better picture of Big Blue…but this is her peeking out of the corner there 🙂

My Mom loved it because of the captain seats in the middle so my sister and I couldn’t touch each other or breath in each other’s direction…hence less fighting. She is also 6 feet tall, so she had extra leg room in the tank. Anyway….good times were had and I have to say I never saw myself owning anything related to a mini-van because they just seem so large and in charge. scn0062

Until a couple weeks ago when I drove the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. Ahem…sleek, modern, and definitely not a tank.

I want to show you some of my favorite features.

Okay, so when I first got in the van I was like “How do I reverse?”

It’s on a KNOB people! No more stick shifts or gears…a beautiful little round knob that would make your iPhone jealous.

The security features, gadgets, and gizmos had me playing for a while. I absolutely love the media and radio apps.

Heated seats and a heated steering wheel to give you warm fuzzies in cold weather. We Texans thank you Chrysler for a VENTED (air-conditioned) seat option because Lord knows it’s 110 degrees outside 7 months out of the year.

There is plenty of room in here for 7 people. Let’s just take a look at the captain seats in the middle shall we? If you and your sibling can’t stand to be within 5 inches of each other there is your answer!

Ample sized cup holders for my Starbucks addiction & plenty of storage compartments. 🙂

I don’t know about you, but I’m the kind of gal that likes to know exactly how many miles I have left in my tank until I get to a gas station. Because sometimes I’m cutting it a little bit close. Also, see the lane change warning, and speedometer. Basically, the people at Chrysler care about you and want you to be SAFE!

Okay, now this is what my son freaked out over and cried about when we had to give this van back. TWO TVs. The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica comes with the Uconnect^® Theater and as a Mom this is appreciated by both parties. I get to listen to my music and Connor gets to watch Star Wars to his heart’s content. It’s a win/win! Bring on the road trips!

Also, loved the hands-free power sliding doors. Because I only have two hands people!

Thank you so much Chrysler for our week in the Swagger Wagon dreams are made of, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. I would definitely be driving this van loud and proud. Let’s just say I’m quite happy the days of driving a tank are over.

I think we need more kids to fill this…

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Here is a Facebook Live video Connor and I did together. I wasn’t planning on posting it, but it does show a lot of great features. We literally JUST got this van and drove to Starbucks…so we were still exploring! Ha ha!

Looking for a new car, but have an old station wagon sitting in the garage? Check out Junk Car Medics & make some extra cash off that old set of wheels!

I hope you enjoy it or at least have fun laughing at us and my frazzled state…

School Lunch with Pearls Olives-To-Go

August 22, 2016

This post is sponsored by Pearl’s Olives to Go. All opinions are my own.

Oh my gosh school starts TOMORROW people!

I’m over here like…

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I pack Connor’s lunch for school every single day. He’s gotten a lot better since Kindergarten, but he has always been a picky eater. Then again, sometimes I’m surprised what he likes. A lot of days it’s the same thing over and over again…so we like to switch up our routine with something different every now and then.

Last year we tried Pearls Olives-To-Go and they are soooooo great for school lunches people! There is no pitting, stuffing, or chopping. That adds extra time to my mornings and allows me to spend time on more important things. (Like maybe an extra 5 minutes of sleep! Ha ha!)

There are four different Pearls Olives-To-Go varieties to choose from.

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Packing lunches is so easy & I know Connor is getting a fresh fruit in his lunch!

We are so excited for first grade tomorrow and thank you for a yummy lunch Pearls Olives-To-Go!

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Back to School in Style with Mini Boden + Enter to WIN a $500 Boden Shopping Spree!

August 7, 2016

This post was sponsored by Boden as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

School starts in a few weeks and my baby is going to be a FIRST GRADER! Somebody stop time for me okay? I mean seriously how cute is my lil’ guy?

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When I was a little girl my Mom would take my sister and I back to school shopping and it was the best thing ever! My Mom always made it a fun event shopping for school supplies, backpacks, shoes, and clothing.

I want Connor to look forward to going back to school too. A few weeks before school starts I start getting Connor excited about getting a new backpack or lunch box…and CLOTHES! I know how I felt on the first day of school walking into class with a new outfit on. There is just something about wearing a new outfit that makes you feel a little bit more confident.

This year Connor and I picked out clothes from Mini Boden. I’ve always loved the prints and British styles that Mini Boden offers. The clothes I’ve bought from Mini Boden have lasted & lasted throughout the years. It’s one of my tried and true children’s clothing brands. The styles that Mini Boden offers are so adorable! And don’t worry about buying from across the pond, Mini Boden provides worry-free shipping (free shipping & returns over $49).

Here are some of our favorite outfits we got for back to school from Mini Boden:

I just adore these jeans, dress shirt, and shoes:

These Super Soft T-Shirts are a fall staple:

Connor is really into dinosaurs right now so of course we got this adorable Jurassic Stripe T-shirt!

No outfit is complete without a pair of shoes 🙂 We chose these Suede Desert Boots that can go with just about anything- dress up or down with a pair of jeans for khakis.

Connor is going to join Cub Scouts this fall, so he’s going go camping! Nothing is better than a nice cozy pair of jammies when camping. Mini Boden has the cutest styles and prints when it comes to pajamas!

I’m super excited about first grade and I know Connor is too 🙂 Thank you Mini Boden for sending us back to school in style!

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Contest opens on August 1, 2016 and closes August 22, 2016

I-C will randomly select 3 winners from all program entries and will handle fulfillment of the winning prizes.

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Baskin Robbins Blessings + National Ice Cream Month

August 2, 2016

Did you know last month was National Ice Cream month???

Yes Ma’am…it sure was! I know I’m a little tardy for the party….but, I don’t need a special month to tell me to have ice cream, but because we are celebrating and all….

Baskin-Robbins celebrated National Ice Cream Month with the launch of their new Polar Pizza. A couple weeks ago Connor and I got to go to Baskin-Robbins and create our very own Polar Pizza. Oh my goodness it was AMAZING!

Choices….choices….

Look at those chocolate dipped waffle cones covered in sprinkles!

We got to pick our very own toppings for our Polar Pizza. There are also Polar Pizzas ready and available in the grab-and-go freezer.

We chose Reeses Cups, M&M’s, sprinkles, and the flavor of the month OREO® Birthday Cake! It was soooooooo good!

My all time favorite Baskin-Robbins treat are the Clown Cones. My Dad used to take my sister and I to get Clown Cones as a special treat 🙂

Now that is a happy ice cream loving boy right there!

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I’m so honored to support a company that sends donations to support the United Service Organizations or (USO) and the introduction of a new ice cream flavor.

The donation program and new ice cream flavor are in honor of the military nonprofit’s 75th anniversary and steadfast commitment to supporting our nation’s military throughout their service. Being a former military family ourselves, this means a lot to us!

I went to Baskin Robbins the other day and I bought several people in the store their ice cream. I told my friends I felt so HAPPY and excited to do a random act of kindness! We were given gift cards in exchange to talk about this promotion, but really you guys, I am so blessed to work with companies like Baskin-Robbins who give back to others. That’s exactly what I wanted to do….and the looks on all those people who were given something as simple as an ice cream cone was priceless.

We’ve already been back for more Polar Pizza. It’s so incredibly good, and I am a sweets connoisseur, so I know good desserts! Ha ha! This is a winner in my book. Choose from either a brownie base, or a chocolate chip cookie base. Pick your ice cream and toppings and there you have it….the perfect dessert!