Southern Yankee Mix

BJ’s Restaurant – Party for Two! {or Five} #BJsRestaurants #PMedia

Apr 172013

The other night we got to go to dinner at one of my favorite places to eat, BJ’sRestaurant! (Their Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Salad with awesome balsamic glaze is what made me a fan – it’s SO good!) Anyway, we were offered the chance to go to our local restaurant and experience their new Party for Two deal. Ideally it would be a date night, but instead it was a party of five (small children, hello.)

So my four favorite people and I headed out for dinner. Our local BJ’s restaurant is in Plano, TX and is always buzzing but doesn’t take long to get seated. (Which is great when you have kids.) We knew we wanted to try the Party for Two, but we took a quick look at the menu anyway. We ordered up an appetizer to keep everyone happy while we waited on the “real” food. The Santa Fe Spring Rolls were awesome for everyone – enough flavor, but not too spicy for the kids.

Nick wanted his favorite, so the kids and I decided to order the Party for Two for ourselves. The Party for Two is only $19.95 and includes soup or salad for two people, a medium pizza, and BJ’s Restaurant’s famous Pizookie for dessert. We got 2 house salads with Italian dressing – one for me and the kids split the other one.

For the pizza, you can get any BJ’s Restaurant Signature Pizza that you like, but we went with the deep dish that BJ’s Restaurant is known for. The Buffalo Chicken Pizza in their menu looked amazing so I decided I wanted that on my side of the pizza. We’ve been trying a dairy-free diet for Hanna for the past couple of months but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy pizza too. We ordered double pepperoni, no cheese on the other half of the pizza. The kids loved it!

My pizza was so good! BJ’s Restaurant menu says it’s, “For Buffalo Chicken Wing lovers! Diced celery, red onions and grilled chicken breast marinated in hot and spicy buffalo sauce, drizzled with ranch dressing and buffalo sauce.” Really, really, good.

The pizza was a really good size, too. We all had a couple of pieces, including Nick, who wanted to try one, and we still had a few pieces left over. Then came the best part… The Pizookie! What’s a Pizookie, you ask? It’s a really big ode-to-deep-dish style cookie that’s topped with 2 big scoops of ice cream. You get to pick between Chocolate Chunk, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Peanut Butter or Oatmeal Raisin Walnut. We decided on the Peanut Butter, ice cream on the side.

The Pizookie was so yummy! It had whole peanut pieces baked right into it. The only thing that maybe could have made it even more amazing would have been a drizzle of chocolate. (Peanut Butter and Chocolate – yes, please!) I’m sure if I would have asked they would have brought me some. But, we were too busy gobbling it down.

We had such a nice family night at BJ’s Restaurant. Good food and great company always makes for a nice dinner! We went to our local restaurant, but the Party for Two deal is happening at all BJ’s Brewhouse Restaurants from March 18 – April 29, 2013. I would definitely recommend BJ’s Restaurant for your next date night or even family outing!

Want to connect with BJ’s Restaurant? Keep up to date on all their delish food and great deals!

BJ’s Restaurant Website | BJ’s Restaurant on Twitter | BJ’s Restaurant on Facebook

BJ’s Restaurant on Pinterest | BJ’s Restaurant on Google+

Disclosure: This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Bj’s Restaurants but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #Bjsrestaurants http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

Posted by Tamara on April 17, 2013 food, reviews 9 Responses »

A Great Start to Crazy Mornings with Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch Cereal

Apr 152013

Mornings are always a bit crazy around here, even with a routine. Three out of five of us aren’t morning people, one is enthusiastically a morning person, and one is yet to be determined. The three of us that are definitely not morning people are all of the ones that have to get up and get going. Even with the craziness I still believe breakfast is necessary to get your brain and body going for the day. But, I hardly ever want to spend the extra time it takes to cook up something elaborate when I’m barely awake. Most mornings we are a cereal kind of house.

When it comes to choosing a cereal I like to find something that makes everyone happy. A perfect cereal for my family is something that isn’t sugar-laden, mostly healthy, and something my kids and I both like to eat. One of our favorites is Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds – we all like the flakes, the crunch and the nuts. So when I heard that Honey Bunches of Oats had a new flavor, Greek Honey Crunch, I was totally on board for trying it.

Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch cereal has the light and crispy whole grain flakes that we love mixed with two granolas, real Greek yogurt, and a touch of honey. Each bowl has 2/3 of your day’s recommended whole grains, with 33 grams per serving. It makes me happy to know that it’s full of whole grains and Greek yogurt – simple and good.

Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch cereal was such a hit in my house that the entire box disappeared before I got to take pictures of it. We had to go out and get another box which has disappeared just as quickly. Oliver, the one morning person in our house, gets super excited over the Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch cereal. When presented with a choice between the Honey Bunches of Oats and another cereal he points to the Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch and says, “That one! That one! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!” The rest of us might not be that enthusiastic, but it’s still been the box of choice when we’re slowly getting into the groove of the day.

Connect with Honey Bunches of Oats and find out where you can pick up your own box of Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch cereal!

Honey Bunches of Oats | Honey Bunches of Oats on Twitter – @HBOats | Honey Bunches of Oats on Facebook

Disclosure: I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward and Honey Bunches of Oats partnered in support of this campaign. Honey Bunches of Oats compensated me for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Posted by Tamara on April 15, 2013 after these messages... we'll be right back!, food 11 Responses »

Beyond Cleaning: Healthing

Apr 122013

I’ve partnered with LYSOL to share their new concept, Healthing, with you. It goes beyond just cleaning, to ensure your family stays healthy. As a self-confessed germaphobe, who’s still sitting here sick for the gazillionth time this season, I love this idea. We take a few extra steps here at our house to try and stay healthy. I’m sure you’ve heard me mention how the kids and I always wash our hands as soon as we get home, every time. I also like to let the kids take a disinfecting wipe and go wipe door knobs, handles, and light switches – you know, the places everyone is touching all the time.

Not only for my family, but everywhere, it’s been one of the worst cold and flu seasons in a decade. So, this spring, LYSOL wants to encourage people to adopt a lifestlye change, and instead of Spring Cleaning, practice Spring “Healthing!” One of the first steps to Healthing is understanding the difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning and organizing are important, but killing germs on surfaces that are commonly touched by your family members can lower the risk of spreading bacteria and viruses. Personally, I also love (LOVE) that LYSOL realizes that Healthing needs to go beyond just the home. Just one of the ways they’re doing that is connecting with 65,000 schools to promote healthy habits and good hygiene.

Here’s some of my favorite tips for Healthing from LYSOL:

Use a disinfectant product, like LYSOL^® Disinfecting Wipes, to help ensure you’re killing germs as you clean, and think beyond the usual places. Be sure to clean even the smallest surfaces, such as light switches.

Make it a family activity and tailor tasks to specific age groups. Give younger children simpler, one-step tasks like dusting or picking toys up off the floor, and save the more complex jobs, such as vacuuming, scrubbing, and disinfecting for older members of the family.

Remember to practice proper hand washing as well after you clean, either with soap and water for 20 seconds or a hand sanitizer. Hand washing is the single most important thing you can do to prevent illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Ready to learn more about Healthing?

In select US markets, LYSOL and Giuliana Rancic have partnered together to visit YMCAs to demonstrate Healthing. At each location attendees will get hands-on education about products and steps to improve hygiene habits in their houses. (They will make sure it’s fun and relatable to kids, too.) LYSOL will also provide educational information and products to the local YMCAs and donate a one-year membership to a deserving family.

You can also find out more about LYSOL’s Healthing Initiative by connecting with them online:

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for LYSOL^®. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Posted by Tamara on April 12, 2013 after these messages... we'll be right back!, health Tagged with: healthing 1 Response »

Bedwetting – Facts vs. Fiction

Apr 102013

As you know, I’m a GoodNites Bed Mats ambassador. We’ve been trying them out with one of our children who sometimes wets the bed. If you haven’t heard of them before, they are these great disposable mats that you can put down right on top of your child’s sheets at night. They aren’t crinkly or noisy, they have a great adhesive that is super sticky but doesn’t leave a residue, and most importantly, they are super absorbent. So far, I’ve loved the ease of use, and if there is an accident while the GoodNites Bed Mat is on the bed – no sheet changes! It really is clear why GoodNites Bed Mats was awarded the 2013 Product of the Year in the Children’s Products category by Product of the Year USA. If you want to see how easy they are and just how great they work, check out my video.

Did you know that bedwetting and potty training don’t have anything to do with each other? It’s true. Potty training is when you are teaching a young child to use the toilet, where bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) is involuntary urination while sleeping after the age that bladder control normally happens. Because keeping dry at night isn’t something that’s taught, but rather something that’s outgrown, make sure you give your child the support they need when an accident does happen. Check out this infographic for more great facts about bedwetting – you might just learn something new!

If you want to learn more about bedwetting there is a ton of great educational information on the GoodNites website. Also, if you are ready to give GoodNites Bed Mats a try, grab this special coupon offer! (Please note – the coupon expires 2 weeks after the date that it was printed.) I’m looking forward to sharing one more post with you about how GoodNites Bed Mats have been working for us, as well as some of my personal tips on bedwetting.

Did you learn anything new about bedwetting?

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of GoodNites. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Posted by Tamara on April 10, 2013 infographic, Parenting No Responses »

Social Shopping with The Find App

Apr 082013

I recently had the chance to review the Find app, a pretty cool shopping application for your phone. Find allows you to share mobile photos of your purchases. It then automatically links your pics to the item online so others can purchase your great finds! You can even meet new friends who have similar shopping interests, and enter weekly giveaways just for uploading your pictures.

My favorite thing is discovering other people’s purchases and adding them to my wishlist. There are so many things that I’ve saved to my computer as bookmarks, yet I end up forgetting about them most of the time. With Find, you have your own wishlist page where you can save photos as direct links to purchase pages. When you’re ready to purchase, just go to the wishlist page, select the item, and hit the find tab in the top right corner of the picture. You’re taken directly to the item’s website. Viola, it’s that simple!

When you make purchases, you can take photos of what you bought and upload them to your profile. Friends can see past purchases in your profile, and since Find automatically adds links to your uploaded images, your friends can buy anything they see in your profile!

I was able to explore other people’s profiles and add quite a few things to my wishlist. People post all kinds of amazing things, from clothing items, to home goods and lots of stuff for kids.

I do want to mention that in the beginning I had a few technical difficulties. When I tried to post pictures to the app, it wouldn’t work. I got an error message every time, but within a few days it seemed to fix itself. The other issue was not being able to invite people to the app. On some apps when you connect to Facebook, it pulls your friends list up and you can send invitations. This app doesn’t let you do that, but hopefully it’s a feature that they will add in the future.

With that being said, I love everything else about Find. It’s great to be able to share my purchases with other people. I’m also a fan of how the personal profile works.

Find is giving away a $100 gift card every week to one of its users! To qualify, you have to have posted at least once that week and have 3 or more followers. For each find you post each week will give you an extra entry into the weekly giveaway.

You can download Find in the app store for free: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/finds/id593238150?mt=8

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the Finds mobile app. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Posted by Ashley on April 8, 2013 app, reviews, tech, technology Tagged with: shopping app, social shopping No Responses »

Quick Fix Tips and A DOLE Fruit Crisp Party

Apr 052013

The other day I invited a few friends and their kids over to have some fun and experience DOLE Fruit Crisps. They are these great little fruit cups that come with a granola topping that you can mix together, warmed or cool, for a delicious snack or dessert. DOLE Fruit Crisps come in three flavors, Apple Cinnamon, Apple Pear and Peach, and are made from all natural fruit and whole grain oats.

DOLE sent us a great party package that included some of each flavor to try, ingredients for a Peach Crisptini mocktail, nail polish and Sharpies, party supplies and some great “quick fix tips!” Everyone loved the DOLE Fruit Crisps! The kids gobbled them up and said that the oat topping was their favorite part.

Personally, I loved that they reminded me of a cobbler or a piece of french apple pie with the crumbly top (yum!) Except, no actual eating of a piece of pie. The adults thought they made a great less-guilty dessert. I know on a few nights I grabbed one and ate it after the kids were in bed, when I wanted something sweet.
Hands down the Peach Fruit Crisp and the Apple Cinnamon Fruit Crisp were the group favorites. (Probably that pie tasting factor again!) I really enjoyed popping them into the microwave for a few seconds to warm them up, but they are equally as good straight out of the bowl.
The girls and I talked about how DOLE Fruit Crisps made a great quick fix! Perfect for when we wanted to satisfy that sweet craving or when the kids wanted a snack. They are quick, easy, naturally sweet, and have a great crunch to them. We talked about a few other things that made great quick fixes, like getting a Sharpie marker to match your nail polish. That way, if you chip a nail you can quickly color it in and go on your way until you get the time to redo your polish.
The kids had a great time playing and snacking, and we had a great time sharing some sweet treats and talking about things that make our lives easier in a pinch!

What have you done when you were in a pinch for a quick fix?

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Dole. I received product samples to facilitate my party and review, and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Posted by Tamara on April 5, 2013 food 8 Responses »

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