Birthday Fun at Texas Tumble Tots!

October is birthday month at our house.

My oldest's birthday is October 2, my youngest's October 30. (My middle daughter is our loner with a May birthday... Even my husband and I share August!)

It's not always easy hosting two parties in one month (especially when you are on a budget!), but it's always fun!

My youngest, who admires her older sisters greatly, wanted a party similar to my oldest's. So, after hearing lots of great things about Texas Tumble Tots, I decided to try there.

And I'm so glad I did!

Party guests arrived to an obstacle-course of gymnastics equipment ready to be climbed on. Slides, bars, beams, cushy mats... The kids came ready to play- and play they did!

The party hostess helped younger kids with the balance beams and bars, and lead them in a few activities, including Simon Says, musical hula hoops and bubbles.

The back room was set up for eating and gift opening. And, to my delight, it also had two small bounce houses for the kids to enjoy! One featured a large slide that my girls loved going down head-first, and the other was a mini boxing ring perfect for bouncing and playing.

I was able to bring in whatever food I wanted, so I chose some fruit platters from Kroger, a chicken nugget platter from Chick Fil A, a few odds and ends from Costco and a cake from Sams. Kids got to enjoy the food at small red tables just their size.

The gym itself features plenty of seating for adults to be able to relax and socialize while kids burn off some energy. There is also a corner with books and small toys for little ones not yet big enough for the gym floor. The facility is kept very neat and tidy, and is easy to find just a few miles off of 287 when you take the Heritage Trace Parkway exit.

I chose not to do a fancy set up- no balloons, streamers, banners or the like this time around. But there is certainly tons of space for decorating if you want to so do!

I would highly, highly recommend Texas Tumble Tots as the perfect indoor birthday party venue! Great for hot, hot summer days and chilly winter days. I love when I don't have to worry about canceling a party last minute because Mother Nature isn't cooperating! I would recommend this venue to birthday boys and girls ages 10 and younger.

Texas Tumble Tots is located at 12615 FM 917 in Alvarado.

facebook.com/texastumbletots

www.texastumbletots.com

Save Calories and Earn Cash!

Like my children, I'm over-the-top excited for Halloween weekend.

We have plans to attend three Halloween events, plus we are throwing my youngest a birthday party on Saturday (yay for October babies!). 

My two younger girls have parties at PreK this week. As well as parties at dance class.

And then there is the big event itself: Halloween night.

I love love love it!

But I do fear the amount of sugar that is about to enter my home...

Hi. My name is Stephanie. And I'm shamelessly addicted to sugar.

Aside from consume it all shamelessly in my closet while my girls sleep and blame surrobabe for the incident, what am I going to do with all the candy that is going to pour into my home?

Luckily, I've come up with an answer that does not involve the words "eat it all."

Actually, it's a win-win.

I'm going to let my girls each pick out 10-15 pieces of their favorite candy.

Then we are going to "sell" the rest to a local Halloween Candy Buyback Program sponsored by a local dentist's office. That dentist's office will then donate the candy to the troops. So my girls get to enjoy all the Halloween festivities and some of the candy and then earn some dollars for their piggy banks as they hand over the candy to someone who will appreciate it. Win win.

Here are the two local dentist's offices in our area offering candy buyback:

Carrier Dentistry
515 S. Carrier Pkwy, Ste 102
GP, TX 75051
(972)642-2423
carrierdentistry@sbcglobal.net
www.carrierdentistrytx.com

Starting November 1st, Carrier Dentistry will buy your candy for $1 per pound! They will then shipped your candy off to the troops stationed overseas through the charity Soldiers' Angels. Awesome!

Greystone Dental
1476 Eastchase Parkway Ste. 115
FW, TX 76120
817-451-9588
greystonedental@gmail.com
www.dentalDFW.com

Starting November 1st, Greystone Dental will accept your candy and send it overseas to the troops. Although they are not paying you for candy, this is a great way to teach kiddos about paying things forward!

There are lots more locations in the greater FW area participating in this program. For more info, check out www.halloweencandybuyback.com.

Alternately, if you'd like to send your candy to the troops directly, visit halloweencandybuyback.com to get started!

Arlington... Welcome to Cake Bliss!

There is no such thing as too much dessert. 

In my opinion, anyway.

So when Dionne Dixon opened Cake Bliss last month in the Pantego area, I knew we were in for- literally- a treat! Cake Bliss does cupcakes, cakes and cinnamon rolls and takes special orders. Cake Bliss has been making cakes for the DFW area since 2011. My girls and I stopped in yesterday to check out the space and treat ourselves to cupcakes before we started our Saturday happenings, and we had those cupcakes devoured before I even started the car!

Before you watch Cake Bliss on Cake Wars on Halloween, get to know a bit more about the Michigan-born owner and master baker behind Arlington's latest gourmet treat stop!

Everything Arlington: What made you decide to open a bakery in the Arlington area?
Cake Bliss: I'm originally from Michigan, but we've been here for nine years. I've developed great relationships with past clients and it only seemed right that I'd open a place in this area. A perfect space opened up in Pantego, and I jumped on it.

EA: What is your vision for Cake Bliss?
CB: I want Cake Bliss to be what people in this area think of first when they think custom cakes. I want them to know that the work is beautiful, but the taste is delicious too!

EA: How did you first get into baking?
CB: I'm an RN by trade. Funny story is that I started taking cake decorating classes at the same time that I started nursing school. I've been doing both ever since, but this year I decided to stay home and focus on the cakes. Then later on I decided to open the retail space.

EA: What is your favorite cake? And what is your favorite cake to make?
CB: My absolute favorite cake is German Chocolate Cake. It's a more involved cake, and it tastes amazing! My favorite thing to make is the chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. Mostly because of the reaction. Most people aren't too sure about it, but when they taste it... It never fails!

Short and sweet:

Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate but ONLY with peanut butter. Otherwise vanilla.

Whipped or buttercream frosting? Cream cheese

Sweet or savory? Sweet of course, but even better with salty... Like salted caramel.

To have Cake Bliss design the perfect sweet treat for your next event, contact her at 682.220.9296.

www.cakeblisstexas.com

facebook.com/cakeblisstexas

All images used with permission and taken from Cake Bliss' Facebook page.

Being Thankful

I love this time of year. The weather is cooling down, the leaves are falling and the excitement of the holidays is starting to build. I know in about two more weeks I will start to see holiday decorations everywhere I turn. I will dig out my copy of Love Actually and play it on a continuous loop until Christmas day (kidding not kidding...).

And the Christmas lists will start. My girls will circle everything in the American Girl catalog, write down every toy they see on Nickelodeon commercials and tell me on every Target run we make that they want, essentially, three of everything.

While I absolutely love everything about this time of year, I sometimes struggle with teaching my girls to think of others and not just themselves. I remind my oldest constantly to stop worrying about what vacations her friends are taking or how many birthday gifts so and so got at her birthday party (and then I find myself worrying about the same trivial things). I tell my girls that yes, someone will always have more than us. More toys. More cars. More clothes. More vacations. But there are many, many more people that have so much less.

As we tumble toward Thanksgiving, I am trying to fill my girls' time with activities that teach them more about the world around them. I am working toward teaching them to do good for others. To selfishly give- not for recognition or applause, but because giving is a reward in itself.

It isn't always easy with young ones, I've found. Many of the organizations in the area have minimum age limits before kids can volunteer for their projects, big or small. But here are a few ways we will be giving back this holiday season:

1. Trash Pick Up.
-My Girl Scout troop will be picking up trash at River Legacy next weekend. We will put on slubby clothes and gloves and hit the trails to pick up discarded trash. During the clean up, we will also be discussing the importance of not littering because of its environmental impact. The nice thing is- this type of activity doesn't have to be sanctioned. You can hit up any park, trail or area in town (that is a safe space from roadways) and pick up trash. Teaching our kids to care for the world they live in is a great lesson!

2. Mission Arlington Help.
-Both my Girl Scout troop and my mommy group will be at Mission Arlington in the upcoming weeks to help them prepare for the busy holiday season. What rocks about Mission Arlington is that they will work with volunteers of all ages. I will be bringing my 3 and 4 year olds to help out there! They designate age-appropriate activities for anyone who wants to get involved. For example- they will have little ones help sort out donated cans (green beans go in this box, but corn goes in that one). We will also collect items for their Thanksgiving Baskets before we go. I will have my girls shop for these items and pay for the goods at Kroger, and we will talk about being thankful that we get to have another Thanksgiving with good food and wonderful family.

3. Host a Soup Mobile Cookie Party.
-Last year my friend Sara hosted an easy, fun playgroup for our littles during Thanksgiving Break. She asked each mom to bring cookies to her house- homemade, store bought- whatever. She provided zip lock bags. We made an assembly line and the kids put 2 or 3 cookies in each zip lock bag and zipped them shut. We packaged more than 100 baggies in about 15 minutes (we only lost a few cookies to hungry tots). Then she took them to Soup Mobile charity in Dallas (www.soupmobile.org) where they were distributed to the homeless by volunteers with the charity. It was a fun, easy way to get the kids involved. I even let my oldest pick out the cookies at Kroger that we brought- and we talked about how these weren't for us, but for people less fortunate.

4. Adopting an Angel
-One of my favorite parts of the holidays is shopping. I love finding the right gifts for people- bonus if I can find a great gift at an amazing price. But still, I really enjoy scouring toy stores and discount stores in search of fun, unique gifts for the loved ones in my life. So I've adopted an angel from the Salvation Army giving tree every year I've lived in Arlington. Usually, I pick out boys, because I'm a pro at shopping for girls and love the excitement of shopping for little boys. This year, I'm going to let my oldest pick a deserving child off the Angel Tree (oh how I wish I could adopt them all!) and have her help me shop for his gifts. I'm going to remind her that not everyone wakes up during the holiday season to a room full of gifts- some mommies and daddies can't afford it. This will serve as a reminder to her that she is very fortunate- for her always-messy playroom full of toys, her overstuffed closet, her full fridge. And again, it will help to remember that it is more fun to give gifts at the holidays than it is to receive.

5. Closet Clean Out for the Pregnancy Center
-One of my least favorite parts of the holidays is the stuff. We have so many people in our lives that love my girls and shower them with gifts during the holiday season. And with two October birthdays- we barely finish unwrapping birthday toys and we are diving head first into Christmas chaos. This year, before we open all the gifts that will flood our family room Christmas morning, we will clean out our playroom, and each of my girls will pick out three toys she no longer plays with. We will take these toys over to the Pregnancy Center on I20 between Little and Green Oaks for donation. We will talk about how these toys will go to their resale shop to be resold to another sweet little girl, and the money will be used to help out young mothers who may need financial assistance to help them raising their babies.

Other great ideas for tots:
1. Have your kids make holiday cards for soldiers stationed overseas. Crayons, paper and a fun imagination are all that's required for this. (soldiersangels.org can help you get them to the right place)
2. Have your kids have a lemonade/hot chocolate/cookie stand and pick their favorite charity to donate the money to. If you want to have them personally hand over the money, have them drop it in a Salvation Army pot outside the mall during the holiday season.
3. Go caroling at a senior center or rehabilitation center. Bringing cheer to others will certainly help your kids see the impact of their kindness.
4. Part of a large mommy group or other organization? Host a coat drive through onewarmcoat.org. Have your kids help make flyers advertising where and when to drop off gently-worn coats. Or have them help you pick out a few new ones at Walmart or Target to donate.

Halloween Happenings!

Here it is! My (much-requested) list of activities in the upcoming weeks for Halloween!

Please note: this only includes activities for the Arlington, Mansfield, Kennedale and GP area. There are amazing events in Fort Worth, Dallas and the surrounding areas, as well, but there are other great blogs to obtain that info from :)

October 7, 8, 9

River Legacy's After Dark at the Park: F, Sat., Sun., 5p- 9p. Tickets $8 each. Activities, crafts, food vendors. Please note: some events will cost extra. Free hayrides to and from the parking lots!

October 14, 15, 16

Viridian Fall Festival: Overlook Park at Viridian, Arlington, Saturday 10/15, 8a- 3p, free. Life-size games, petting zoo, food trucks and craft beer!

Sponsor Adoptions and Arlington Animal Services 5th Annual Howloween: River Legacy Park, Arlington, Saturday 10/15, 10a-5p, free. Bring your pets! Games, activities, face painting and a pet parade! Plus pictures in the Pumpkin Patch!

Flint Academy Fall Festival: 2111 Roosevelt Dr., Dalworthington Gardens, Saturday 10/15, 11a. Fall Festival.

October 20, 21, 22, 23

Third Thursdays Mansfield: downtown Mansfield, Thursday 10/20, 5-8p, some events may cost. Ghost tours, trick or treating. Aria Grace will have princesses doing glitter tattoos.

Nash Bash: Erma Nash Elementary School, Mansfield, Thursday 10/20, 6p-8p, activities will cost. Support the school at a fun event formerly called trunk or treat.

Forest of Fear at Loyd Park in GP: Loyd Park, Friday 10/21, dusk until 10p, per-vehicle cost. Drive through and see spooky decorations put up by campers or ride on hayrides. Concessions available.

Halloween Pumpkin Swim: Kirby Creek Natatorium, GP, Saturday 10/22, 1-3p, $3 per person. Jump in and have a swimming good time! Pumpkin painting, as well, one pumpkin per person.

Kennedale's Trunk or Treat and Pumpkin Palooza: Kennedale Public Library, Saturday 10/22, 5p-9p, free. Trunk or treating starts at 5p! Food trucks will be there. Watch Hotel Transylvania starting at 7p!

Fall Fest at Country Day School of Arlington: 1105 W. Randol Mill Rd., Sunday, 10/23, 3p-6p; tickets for sale. Take the kiddos out to support the school! Petting zoo, carnival games, face painting and more!

St. John the Apostle Family Fun Fest: 5450 Mansfield Rd., Arlington, Sunday 10/23, 3p-6p, free. Bounce houses, face painting, live music and more.

October 28, 29, 30

Faith Christian Center Fall Carnival: 6900 US Highway 287, Arlington, Friday 10/28, 4p-7p, free. Train rides, candy, games- fun for all!

Boo Bash at the Mansfield Activities Center: 1200 E. Broad St., Mansfield, Friday 10/28, 6p-8p, entry fee per child. Carnival-style Halloween party. Wear your costumes! Food and games galore!

Forest of Fear at Loyd Park in GP: Loyd Park, Friday 10/28, dusk until 10p, per-vehicle cost. Drive through and see spooky decorations put up by campers or ride on hayrides. Concessions available.

Newman International's Fall Festival: 1619 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington, Saturday 10/29 11a-3p, free admission, tickets required for some activities. Food, games, dunk tank, bounce houses and more.

Matlock Medical Fall Festival and Health Fair: 3132 Matlock Rd., Arlington, Saturday 10/29, 11a, free. Raffles plus arts and crafts with pumpkin decorating for littles. Free Kona ice!

Trunk or Treat with First United Methodist Church: 313 N. Center St., Arlington, Saturday 10/29, 3p-5p. Lots of food, games and prizes! And lots and lots of candy!

Trunk or Treat with Northpointe Baptist and Texas Leadership Charter Academy: 2001 Brown Blvd., Arlington, Saturday 10/29, 3p-5p, trunk or treat is free, some activities will cost money. Fall festival and trunk or treat.

Trunk or Treat at The Welcome Table Christian Church in Arlington: 4600 Highwood Dr., Arlington, Saturday 10/29, 4p-6p, free. Trunk or treating plus bounce houses. Fun for the whole family!

Fall Festival at Holy Cross Lutheran Preschool: 4400 W. Arkansas, Arlington, Saturday 10/29, 4p-6p, free. Bounce houses, crafts, face painting and a petting zoo!

Pantego Halloween Event: Bicentennial Park, Pantego, Saturday 10/29, 5:30-8p, free. Cupcake walk, haunted house, scavenger hunt. Bring a canned food item and spin to win on the wheel of prizes!

Mansfield Police Fall Festival: Katherine Rose Park, Mansfield, Saturday, 10/29, 5p-10p, free. Fun for the family with bounce houses, hayrides and food vendors.

Fall Family Fun Fest: St. Baranabas, 5011 W. Pleasant Ridge., Arlington, Saturday 10/29, 6p-9p, free. Games, bounce houses and candy galore!

Halloween Carnival: St. Vincent De Paul, 5819 W Pleasant Ridge, Arlington, Saturday 10/29, 6p- 8p; $4 per person or $10 per family. Games, spook alley, prizes and treats!

St. John the Apostle Trunk or Treat: 5450 Mansfield Rd., Arlington, Saturday 10/29, 6:30-8p, free. Trunk or Treat event.

Fall Festival: Light the Night: The Grace Point Church, 5950 S. Collins, Arlington, Saturday 10/29, 6:30-9p, free. Lots of food plus bounce houses, life size jenga and more!

Haunted Hallway at Traders Village in GP: Traders Village, Sunday 10/30, 11a, $4 per vehicle to park. Haunted houses and a lot of candy for the kiddos. Fun event for all ages.

Trunk or Treat at First Baptist Church GP: 950 Mayfield Rd., GP, Sunday 10/30, 5-6:30p, free. Candy, games, bounces houses and more!

North Davis Church of Christ Fall Festival: 1601 N. Davis, Arlington, Sunday 10/30, 5-8p, free. Fun fall festival.

Shreek on the Creek, Church on Rush Creek Mansfield Campus: 2200 Highway 287 North, Mansfield, Sunday 10/30, 6-8:30p, free. Bounce houses, candy, games, prizes and much more!

Shreek on the Creek Mira Lagos Location: 1355 E. Seeton Rd., GP, Sunday 10/30, 6-8:30p. free. Bounces houses, photo booth, games, prizes and candy galore!

I love taking my kids trick-or-treating on Halloween, so I've not included any events that take place that evening. However, the Arlington Church on Rush Creek will have their Shreek event that night from 6-8:30p. South Oaks Baptist Church on 287 will also have bounce houses and hayrides Halloween night if you want somewhere fun to be! If you are like me and live in Arlington, I highly recommend trick-or-treating on Waggoner St. in Pantego (it's near Pantego Christian). The neighborhood goes all out and the street is closed to traffic. We've gone the past two years and love it! (I'll be the one massively pregnant waddling around in yoga pants and a black shirt with a pumpkin face on my enormous belly!)

Birthday yard cards- an unexpected, awesome surprise!

So my oldest turned seven today.

It may sound cliche, but I have no idea where the years have gone.

Seven!

I mean- I for sure have more wrinkles. And a minivan. And a house in the 'burbs. And... The whole nine. But I am definitely in denial that I've been trying to figure out this whole thing called Motherhood for seven years now!

My seven-year-old is majorly into dinosaurs. Sometimes, she likes her American Girl doll. Every now and again, she doesn't totally roll her eyes at the clothes I pick out for her from Justice or Kohl's.

This year for her birthday, though, I really wanted to give her something she wasn't expecting.

North Texas Yard Cards was the perfect surprise! facebook.com/northtexasyardcards

After she woke up, I asked her to let the dog out with me. She told me she would rather just watch cartoons and wait until I let her open her presents, but I insisted.

Imagine her surprise when our yard had a huge birthday sign with her name on it for her!

Her face lit up! She said "Wow, Mom! I've never seen anything like this! Now everyone will know it's my birthday. And that's awesome!" She danced around and asked me to take a zillion pictures and really, really enjoyed her name in the spotlight!

Every now and again I nail birthday presents. This is one of those times.

North Texas Yard Cards for the win! www.northtexasyardcards.com

(Booking your yard sign couldn't be easier, either! Just call or text the owners with the date and message and theme. They will deliver the night before and take down 24 hours later. Easy peasy! They deliver anywhere in Tarrant County and are based in Arlington- and we know how I feel about supporting local businesses! Yard Cards start at just $79 and are such a sweet surprise for birthdays, anniversaries, homecoming, prom- I could go on!)