Spice Up Date Night or GNO with Breakout Games!

I love a good puzzle.

And I love to watch crime shows on TV.

My husband and I are currently a little too into the My Favorite Murder podcast.

I probably should have been a crime detective, now that I think about it.

So, in an effort to spice up date night, my husband and I, along with three other couples, tried Breakout Games at Parks Mall (located upstairs between Barnes & Noble and Sears) this past weekend.

Breakout rooms have been a trend now for a couple of years. The concept is simple: You are "locked" in a room and given very few clues as to how to escape. You must work together with your teammates to discover clues hidden all over the room. Clues come in various categories and can be difficult or easy to decode.

This was our second time, actually, attempting a breakout room, and, unlike the last time around, this time we actually escaped! I even contributed an important clue this time around, thankyouverymuch.

What I love about Breakout Games at Parks is that there are multiple options. I chose "Do Not Disturb" for our Saturday Date Night, but there are five other options available to interested parties (other choices include escapes such as Museum Heist and Island Escape).

Up to eight people can participate in this particular game (some only allow seven). The rooms are quite small, but, trust me, you will want the everyone's opinions and contributions as you attempt to escape the room you've been quarantined to!

Breakout Games is a fun way to add some variety to date night, girls night out, team bonding events and more! These escape rooms get you thinking and interacting with one another- and they are so much fun!

Learn more about Breakout Games here: 

breakoutgames.com/dallas

*Please note: I was given free admission to Breakout Games in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own*

Partake Foods: Your New Favorite Allergy-Friendly Treat!

I have a wicked sweet tooth.

Like, an extreme I'm-eating-cookie-butter-with-a-spoon-as-I-type-this sweet tooth that keeps me craving sweet things day and night.

So when Partake Foods (www.partakefoods.com) asked me to sample its new line of allergy-friendly cookies, my only question was "How soon?"

Partake Foods was started by a mother (whose husband just happens to be from Arlington- a Martin High School graduate!) who had concerns about what she was feeding her daughter. After learning her daughter had food allergies, she set out to find healthy, allergy-friendly snacks. What she found was that there were limited products on the market that didn't contain common allergens or lots of processed junk- or worse yet, both! So, she made her own.

Partake Foods Mini Cookies are free of the top allergens, including nuts, egg, dairy and soy. They are also non-GMO verified, gluten free and certified Vegan. Wow! Talk about a clean cookie! My kids don't have food allergies, but I do know food allergies are on the rise. Some say food allergies could affect as many as 1 in 10 kids by the year 2020.

So I worry. I worry about what snacks I send with my kids to places such as school, camp, after-school activities. I recently read a viral article about a girl with severe peanut allergies passing away because she mistook an unsafe food product for a safe one. What if my kiddos accidentally and innocently share unsafe products with someone who is allergic?

Enter Partake Foods Mini Cookies- a snack I can send basically anywhere with my kiddos without worry!

But my next thought was, of course, what do they taste like? My husband literally said, "If all that stuff isn't in those cookies, what is?" (the short answer, ingredients such as organic cane sugar, gluten free flour blend, lentil protein and more) Again, I'm not someone with much experience firsthand with food allergies. But I did text the nutrition label to two friends whose sons have food allergies, and both said the labels on these cookies looked great!

All that was left, then, was the taste test. I dove happily in to the box of Sprouted Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies- and I loved Every. Single. Bite! My oldest tried two and said that she, too, thought they were delicious! I don't think my oldest would mind one bit if these cookies starting showing up in her lunchbox once school starts! (School is going to start soon, right? Right?!)

I then asked my friend Melina if she and her son would try some cookies. Her son has allergies to nuts and some seeds, so she has more experience with allergy-friendly foods. Here is what she had to say after sampling the Carrot Oat and Sweet Potato Millet Cookies:

"While both are similar in texture and taste, my 7-year-old gobbled up the Carrot Oat cookies. They had a slightly sweeter taste. I do have to say, BOTH packages were gobbled up with 24 hours, so really they were both enjoyed by all, but we preferred Carrot Oat.

They are crisp (similar to a ginger snap cookie) and have the feeling of eating a healthy cookie. They taste good and are not overly sweet."

These cookies are now available at Whole Foods all over DFW- including the North Arlington location!

Enjoy these tasty treats and your weekend!

Please note: I did receive compensation for my review. All thoughts and comments are my own (or that of friends who assisted me in this article). 

CozyPhones: The most comfortable (and cutest!) headphones you'll ever own!

My kids always complain about headphones.
They are too heavy or big for their heads. They don't stay up. They aren't comfortable.
And earbuds are no better. They can't keep the buds in their tiny ears!
And sometimes, sometimes, I simply can't handle the sound of some kid somewhere opening a chocolate egg on YouTube and I need my kids to wear their headphones. Do I even need to give a reason why here?
So when I discovered CozyPhones, I knew I stumbled upon a great product.

CozyPhones are headphones for kids and adults that fit into headbands that are both comfortable and stylish.

My kids were instantly addicted. Not only did they each get an adorable animal to wear on their heads (a panda, a unicorn and a cat), they each got a pair of headphones that doesn't slip and is comfortable to wear! (And I don't have to listen to silly videos on high volume anymore- score!)
Even better, the headphones can be removed from the headband so the band can be washed if need be.

The headphones themselves have soft foam at each ear, making them comfortable for all-day wear. My husband wears his at night when he's messing on his phone and I'm trying to read. I wear mine to go running, and I don't have to worry about them falling off or hurting my ears! (They are a bit challenging to wear this time of year, though, to run, if I'm being honest. Because they fit my head the same way a fleece headband I might wear in Winter would, they do tend to make me overheat a bit. But they will be absolutely brilliant in the winter!) The cord is braided, which makes it far more durable than the plastic ones we've used in the past. The headbands come in a variety of sizes, colors and styles, too, so there is definitely something for everyone!

These headphones are literally so great for kiddos you'll wonder why you didn't buy them sooner!
Get them here: www.CozyPhones.com

*Please note- I did receive free CozyPhones in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own*