Market Street DFW

“Market Street is awesome!” “I LOVE Market Street.” “I missed Market Street when I moved from home and was so excited to find out they had them here too!” These are all phrases I’ve heard from many of my friends describing their own personal love affair with the grocery chain.  Having never experienced it myself, I recently decided to give it a try.

The closest Market Street to me is located in Coppell, right off 121. Camera in tow, I headed there first thing Saturday morning.  (Ok, so maybe it was closer to lunch, and maybe I slept in a little later than I planned…) I have to say one of the coolest features I like about this place already (and I hadn’t even been inside one yet) was the section on their website that lists recipes to try, complete with a printable shopping list and everything! They have a Recipe of the Day, a section of Family Recipes Under $15 and a Virtual Recipe Box where you can store your favorites.  Since I was heading to my BFFs house for lunch, and since she loves chips & salsa, I decided to try out Market Street’s Avocado-Corn Salsa.  I printed the recipe (which included the shopping list) and put it in my purse.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in to Market Street was that there were 3 options of carts. Yes 3.  It took me a second to figure out if they really were offering different features or just different colored handle bars. The 3 options are like small, medium and large at drive-thru. The large carts were full sized carts, the medium ones were half size (in length) and the small ones were little-kid sized! Like a play plastic cart, only REAL! OMG. If I wasn’t so close to 30 I’d totally use one because I am a sucker for all things mini-sized!

After convincing myself to bypass the mini-cart, I grabbed a medium one and headed to the produce. I have to admit, it was a food photographers DREAM. Everything was picture-perfect. If there weren’t so many people around, I would have spent the better part of my memory card shooting everything my eyes landed on. But I used restraint and stayed on task.

I grabbed all my ingredients and headed to the front. While doing my shopping, several things really stood out to me. One, every employee who passed me either greeted me in some form (a nod, smile, or hello) and/or asked if I needed any help finding anything. But it wasn’t in the annoying-please-just-leave-me-alone-so-I-can-shop-way. It was in the genuine, helpful but not overbearing way. I really enjoyed feeling welcome and cared for! The second thing I noticed was how clean it looked! Being an almost exclusively-Wal-Mart shopper for about 10 years, I think I’d just gotten used to stained tiles and random crap in the aisles. This was definitely a treat!

I checked out and was about to grab my basket to head to my car when the gentleman who bagged the groceries said, “I’ve got it! Just show me where to go!” WOW. I hadn’t had car-side delivery for groceries since back when I was a kid at the grocery store with my mom. Which let me just say, as a parent going grocery shopping with your kid(s) – getting your groceries escorted and loaded in the car by someone other than you is DEFINITELY like star-treatment!

Note: The Dasani water was on sale 3 24-packs for $11. I have never seen such a deal! Not even at Wal-Mart! I snatched up 3 cases since I pretty much only drink bottled water (sorry Brita! I just don’t have enough reusable water bottles to drink filtered pitcher water!)

Groceries in tow, I headed to Amber’s and we made the salsa! I took out all the ingredients and followed the directions: Toss avocado, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and salt in a medium bowl. SUPER EASY! Note: Yes, the salt was from Wal-Mart, but everything else was from Market Street.

We doubled the recipe since the original only served 4 and there were at least 6 of us, plus Amber loves chunky fresh salsa.  The salsa turned out great! Although we did have a few adjustments: add one clove of finely miced garlic, about 1/4 cup of finely diced red onion, and one minced jalapeno for some added heat. We ate it with Tostitos Rounds and Tostitos Hint of Lime chips (the chips were 2 for $4 on sale).

Enjoy with friends and if you’re in the neighborhood I HIGHLY suggest you try out Market Street for yourself. You won’t leave disappointed!

Transform YOU!

I’ll be honest – I don’t really enjoy working out. I never have.

And leave it to the fate of my life for me to marry a military man who loves working out.

Fate is funny. But not funny enough to change my ways.

I’ve heard part of the problem is my will. I don’t want to change my ways. I’ve also heard it’s hard without accountability.  In fact, that’s pretty much the only reason I think I’d ever take advantage of a paid membership to a workout facility – for the accountability.  It’s obvious that when you want something and you have accountability to achieve it, amazing things are possible!

I recently had the opportunity to hear about Transform U Fitness, a community of individuals coming together in search of a way to be strong both mentally and physically.   Accountability at it’s best!  They are dedicated to making the world a happier healthier place AND they do it by giving you the support you need, and in the process form lasting friendships.  But don’t take my word for it, take theirs:

Name: Judy R.

Age: 49

Total lbs lost: 30 (to date)

When did you realize you wanted to change your life and be healthy? I have always worked out, but could never achieve my goals. So, after years of working out at the gym and not getting the results I wanted, I decided it was time to get serious about this weight loss thing. I was going to sign up with a trainer at a local gym, but my sweet husband said “Why don’t you call Heidi? She is doing something, because she looks amazing.” So, I did and she got me started working out at T.U.F., which has transformed my life. I now eat cleaner and my workouts are more intense and consistent. It truly has been a life changing experience.

What is your biggest challenge? My biggest challenge is staying on track with my eating, but I am able to stay more consistent with the help and support of all the ladies at T.U.F..  Thanks ladies!

What are some tips for others to help them stay on track? Set goals, stay positive, and never give up no matter what. If you slip up or have a bad day, just get back on track and your good to go. It doesn’t hurt to have a place like T.U.F. to come to, and a trainer like Shayla to kick your Butt three times a week either..

What is the best compliment you have received since the “new you”? My husband, Bill is always giving me compliments, even when I look my worst. So even though I appreciate his compliments, it’s my daughter Rachel who gave me the best compliment. She said “mommy you sure are looking thinner, and I am proud of you, all your workouts are paying off. Good job mommy!”

What is your favorite exercise and why? I guess I would have to say, running.  The reason I like running is because I feel I lose the weight quicker and I like being outdoors. However, I am just getting into Yoga and must say that I really love it!   Yoga challenges all your muscles, and helps keep you focused, which is exactly what I needed. Thanks Heidi!!!

Transform U Fitness is a private personal training and yoga studio located in Lewisville, Texas.  Their motto is: Transforming Bodies…Transforming Lives. They have many success stories just like this, illustrating how a healthy lifestyle is achievable.

Name:  Dee L

Age:  29

Total lbs. Lost:  50+

Throughout most of my adult life, I have struggled with diets. I did them all – Can’t eat meat, Can’t eat carbs, Can’t eat foods high in fat, Can’t eat chocolate.  When the diets failed (which they always did), food became my comfort. Over the last three years, life got crazy and I pretty much accepted the fact that I would always be big. However, Shayla changed my perspective on diets, exercise, and my overall opinion of myself.

She introduced me to healthy choices and the benefits of an active lifestyle. With Shayla, it has never been about what I can’t do. Instead it has been about what I can do.

I can do 100 lunges.

I can run sprints.

I can even do boy push ups.

And yes, I can enjoy chocolate or cheesecake. Through Shayla’s constant encouragement and accountability, I have shifted from a frequent dieter and over-eater to someone who looks forward to her workouts. Thanks Shayla for all you have done to show me what I CAN do!

They work with each individual client, every step of the way, to plan lifestyle changes that bring real results. Their programs are class based, always guided by a Cooper Certified Trainer, to provide encouragement and variety as they aim to decrease workout boredom.

Name:  Heidi A

Age:  42

Total lbs lost:  50

I remember the flyer you posted, “Transform your life in 4 weeks.”

I can say you deliver on your promises.

I have tried for years to lose weight and become healthier and for some reason, until I met you, I could not put all of the pieces together.

Dieting alone did not bring results.

Exercise alone did not work.

You were able to bring the eating plan, cardio and strength training together for me to achieve real results.  Amazingly, it wasn’t painful and I can’t believe that I now like to run and don’t dread my cardio work.  The benefits go beyond how I look though.

I feel stronger and more confident.

I am setting an example for my kids that maintaining a healthy body is important and encouraging them to try new things and set goals.

You have transformed my lifestyle in numerous ways.  I want to thank you for all you have done and continue to do – you have a special gift.

Transform U Fitness is expanding quickly and they are excited to offer a full schedule of yoga, Zumba and Hoopnotica classes, in addition to their regular boot camps,  starting July 5^th. This expansion allows them to provide adult and kids bootcamps along with adult and kids yoga programs, running simultaneously so that families can get fit together.  They also offer the services of an on-site massage therapist as well as an esthetician for their clients, by appointment.

If you are ready to try a new approach to getting fit and healthy, one that’s proven to work, then get ready to Transform YOU with Transform U Fitness!

…and the winner is:

Thanks to those who entered the contest to win a make-your-own fashion designs with Fashion Playtes!

The winner of the $20 gift certificate to FashionPlaytes is: CANDACE!

Thanks to all who entered and if any of you would like to try Fashion Playtes out, feel free to use the following coupon for $10 off your first order: burbmom10

Happy designing!

Fashion Design for Girls!

One thing I love about childhood is the never-ending supply of creativity. As you get older you start to let the obstacles of the world effect your hopes and dreams. You second guess your “grand ideas” and start listening too influentially to the people who tell you that you can’t do this and you can’t do that. But childhood imagination in it’s purest form is limitless!

I don’t know a girl who doesn’t enjoy picking out her clothes in the morning, and in fact I remember picking out at least 2 options for what to wear when I was younger, depending on what I felt like. In fact, I still do that now! So when I was approached by FashionPlaytes and asked to test out their site that allows young girls to design their own clothes – I knew immediately I wanted to be involved! I called up my step-daughter’s mom and we set a date for me to pick her up!

I brought Faith to my house and we went to their website and got started.

I told Faith we had a budget of $30 and that she was gonna design her own custom clothes. She was so excited! We had lots to choose from: shirts, leggings, dresses, belts, skirts, headbands, and even doll clothes!

The first thing she had to do was pick what type of garment we were gonna make. Faith opted to create a shirt, so once that was decided she just needed to pick the style of shirt she wanted. There were lots of options – it was hard to decide! However, Faith decided she wanted to do a t-shirt and, if the budget allowed, she wanted to make a matching dress for one of her dolls too! So we choose a t-shirt in her size and then went on to the next step.

Once we chose the style, the next step asked us to pick the color of the shirt. The site had several options of shirt colors – maybe even too many options! It was hard to decide on just one.

Faith asked me what my favorite color was and I told her blue. She said she was trying to decide between a light pink or blue, and I told her she could pick whatever she wanted because it was her custom design! She finally decided on blue

The basic t-shirt she choose in blue was $12.00. After choosing the color, the next step was to start choosing trims and details we wanted to add to the shirt. Each additional embellishment you add-on to the shirt increases the price. The first add-on she picked was a a blue polka-dot under layer that complimented the blue color in Faith’s shirt.

Our options were to add the under layer to the bottom hem of the shirt and to the hem of both the sleeves. It was so cute we couldn’t help but choose both! The other options included ribbons, ruffles, rhinestones, appliques, rosettes and graphics. All of which were super cute, but at this point Faith’s shirt had already reached $20.50, and we still needed to design her doll’s shirt, so we moved on.

One of the last steps in your creation is adding a label and they have an option where you can add the child’s name to the label! Faith was super stoked about this and just “had” to have it! She chose the background image that would be behind her name, a flower, and then typed her name and chose the curly-cue font because she liked it best.

After that we saved the creation and put it in our virtual shopping cart. Then we chose the dress for her doll (it was one size fits all and only one style) and we chose one in the same blue (Moon Blue) as her t-shirt so they could match. She’s so cute!

Then she added the same under layer in blue polka dots so they could be coordinated and we added it to the cart! By the time we were done with the designs and added shipping and handling to the order, we went over budget by about $12. But Faith had such a fun time doing it we decided we’d go ahead and keep what we had created and complete the order.

It was so much fun designing a shirt with her, and the best part was the site was VERY easy to use! In fact, Faith sat at the keyboard the whole time while I snapped pictures and watched! Once we ordered her creation she and I talked about what she liked about the site and if she’d change/add anything. She said she loved it, wanted to do it again and the only thing she’d like to see added was an option to put text on your shirt because she would have loved to add her name to her custom creation – she was so proud of it!

Faith and I think these would make great gifts for any girls you know and the best part is that you (or your child) can design them and give the girl a one-of-a-kind creation that no one else will have! It would also be fun to make a outfits for special occasions like birthdays, holidays or even for her first day back to school.

Furthermore, what a great (and inexpensive) way to let your child explore their creativity and take pride in their unique fashion sense. The site allows the girls to save all their creations in a section called “My Collection” (whether or not they purchase them) which is a great way for your child to explore several design options. In that section, your child can “collect” all the designs they have come up with over time, and then later they can look back on what they have made and see how they have stayed true to one style, or maybe how they have branched out and taken fashion risks. So give it a try and let your little fashionista start designing her future wardrobe now!

Need more incentive?

How about a contest and a coupon?!?!?

One winner will receive a $20 gift certificate to FashionPlaytes and, after the contest, I’ll announce the winner and release a coupon code for $10 off any purchase! To enter the contest, you can do ANY (or all) of the following:

• leave a comment below telling me what type of clothes you’d most like to design
• go sign up at FashionPlaytes with your child and then leave a comment here that you signed up
• Follow my blog on Facebook or leave a comment on my personal blog (this isn’t really applicable, but I love comments!)
• Follow BurbMom on Facebook

Each task above gets you ONE entry (so technically you could have a total of 5 entries).  Get started – the contest ends JUNE 10th at midnight!

mommy-daughter date to American Girl

Before Thomas left on deployment he and I talked about me and his daughter, Faith, going to see his parents for her Spring Break. I was really excited about the opportunity because she doesn’t see her grandparents often and it gave me a chance to finally bond with my future step-daughter one-on-one.

I decided to take her on a date before our big trip so we could get comfortable with each other, and since she loves American Girl I thought the American Girl Bistro in Dallas at the Galleria would be the perfect place for us to go! I told her ahead of time to bring her favorite American Girl doll with her and she told me she choose Kirsten because she was the “best behaved.” Ha ha ha!

We arrived and were taken to our seats once we got there. Our company for the night included Faith and myself, as well as Kirsten and Thomas (via the phone). While Faith caught up with her daddy, I began looking around and quickly decided it was the poshest little bistro I’d ever been in! Girly, pink & sparkly!

While I was taking in the scenery and snapping photos, Faith was explaining the menu choices to her daddy on the phone. Meanwhile, Kirsten was behaving nicely (I’m not surprised since that good behavior is what won her a trip to the store with us!)

They had a really neat menu set-up where you paid a set price and you each get an appetizer and a main entree. We started by ordering our drinks. Faith opted for PINK Lemonade and I choose my predictably boring water with lemon. While we decided on what appetizers to choose, we took a break and played a game with our napkin rings. The rings were made of paper and on the backs they had words on them. The game was to create a sentence using the word on your paper ring. My word was loyal and Faith’s word was friend. Faith got creative and used both her word and my word and said, “I am loyal to my friends.” I thought it was a great sentence.

For appetizers Faith chose chicken noodle soup and I chose spinach artichoke dip with toast points. Faith was skeptical of my choice since it had the word spinach in it, but I assured her it was delish. She tried it and couldn’t believe how much she liked it! She even said she wanted to tell her mom she liked spinach! Score!

After the appetizers we were served our main course. This time Faith was the predicable one choosing chicken nuggets with a fruit skewer, while I went for the salmon with mashed potatoes and veggies. It was AMAZING. I was pleasantly surprised at how flavorful and beautifully plated the food was…it definitely made me feel like a princess! Faith was really excited to dig in and almost didn’t let me get the picture!

Once we finished our dinner we discussed dessert (man this girl is after my own heart!) and we eventually decided on the brownie sundae. Chocolatey, but not too chocolately. Our runner up was the mini ice cream cones, mostly because I’m a sucker for anything in mini-version – I think it’s so cute! However, in the end we just decided to share the sundae – another awesome choice made by Faith! It showed up and I swear the choir of angels let out a little song and cast a beam of light on it…or maybe I was just imagining that…

We dug in right away and mmmm’d and ahhhhh’d our way through half of it before we came up for air. At that point I’d had my fill and Faith considered for a moment whether or not she was done…she wasn’t! She managed to get a couple more bites in before she decided she was done. Poor Kirsten…she sat there and watched us devour that whole meal and I think we only offered her a bite one time!

After dinner we really wanted to look around the store, but we were running out of time to get Faith home and ready for bed since she had school the next morning. We did have time to stop by the display at the front real quick so she could show me the doll she liked. That store was pure heaven for her! I’m actually surprised I never even heard of it until just a couple of years ago.

As we walked out to the car we decided we’d definitely have to come back again. Faith even suggested the next time we come early in the morning and plan to stay there all day…at least we wouldn’t go hungry. I think next time it would be fun to see what other things we can do in the store together. I know they have a salon for the dolls and I think for the girls too. And then there’s always the shopping…what girl doesn’t like shopping to some degree? No matter what we decide, I’m really looking forward to getting to spend more time with her before the wedding and getting to know my future daughter even better!

Trying on more than wedding dresses

I love getting my hair done…the wash, the blow dry, the smoothing…

The fact that I can own the products & use the same styling tools but still not be able to create the perfection found in a salon is precisely what justifies the trip to me.  Dallas hair salons are definitely abundantly available, however finding the right one for you can be a painful, and pricey, experience.  Truth be told, when it comes to my hair, there are really only two places I’ll go.

One place is Splurge Salon in Highland Village.  When BurbMom first started, I actually accompanied Holly there for her BurbMom makeover.  The salon was pretty new and I distinctly remember the girls were all very friendly. Oh, and they had free wi-fi. For an internet-junkie like myself, that was all I needed to know!

Recently I had an opportunity to go to Splurge to do a test run of potential hair styles for my upcoming wedding day! Magazine cutouts in hand…I headed over to the Shops at Highland Village, where Splurge is located.

I was the first person there, since my appointment was the first of the day. I was greeted by the front desk attendant and she immediately offered me something to drink. I like when a salon does that because what’s worse than getting ready to be confined to a chair for at least an hour while you’re thirsty? Answer: not much.

I was quickly greeted by my stylist for the morning, Stephanie Fuller.  Stephanie had cute hair AND makeup – always a good thing to take note of when someone’s doing your hair – how do they look?  She passed the test and we got down to business.

I’m here to try out a couple of ideas I’m considering for my wedding day.

I also brought accessories to try…I’m prepared like that.

Stephanie took a look at the pictures and we talked through the plan. We’d start with the look where the hair was down (Look One) and then we’d convert it into the pinned up look (Look Two). Perfect!  While Stephanie went to gather the tools, I took a before picture to note what we started with.

Stephanie told me it’s really best to come with dirty (as in un-shampooed, not hair with actual dirt and/or leaves in it) hair when styling an updo. However, if you have oily hair, you could shampoo it several hours before you show up.  Personally, the rest of my hair probably could have done without the shampoo, but I HATE how greasy my bangs get after a day.  Part of the problem is constantly running my hands through them to push them to the side, but I digress.

I showed up with freshly shampooed hair.  Stephanie began to get to work separating my hair and curling it in small one inch sections.  This part takes the longest, but once we’re done we’re good, she told me.

I used the time to drill inquire about her life, why she got in to hairstyling, etc.  She told me it was something she’s been doing since she was in high school. Along with hair, Stephanie is trained in makeup application and other cosmetologist services.  This makes her quite a valuable asset at Splurge!  I decided to survey the artist’s tools.

Once Stephanie finished the curling she used the hairspray and comb to tease hair at the crown of my hair because I specifically said I wanted to have some volume up there.  Stephanie said often times she’ll purchase BumpIts™ for her brides and include that in the price, so they can keep it afterward.  For hair that isn’t cut in a style that’s compatible with height at the crown, this is the best option for height and hold. However, for this test run, we didn’t use one.  Soon she was done with the first look.

She added one of the fabric flowers I brought with me to finish the style and you could even see it from the back view.

I loved the feel of the waves. I could tell they were in place, but they felt so smooth!

Stephanie? How did you do that? How did you make the waves hold, but not be stiff and crunchy like when I spray them down?  This is truly “touchable” hair!

Stephanie used a mixture of two Kerastase products and rubbed them between her palms to “activate” the product. Then she grabbed each curl on it’s own and lightly grazed it with the product.

Once the first look was done, the second look was more than halfway done. Stephanie added some bobby pins, some more miracle product, repositioned the flower and Voila!

Don’t those curls look like silk? They felt like it!  I liked this look because it seemed very playful and young.  It also appealed to me since our wedding will be outdoors and it could get pretty warm!

Another thing I liked about this look was that from the back it was really cute! Not that I anticipate having tons of pictures taken from the back, but I did realize that several people might see that angle of me throughout the day.

Stephanie was great and I really enjoyed getting to know her while I spent the morning at Splurge.  As for the styles, both were cute, but I think I’m still looking for that “special” style…one that embodies me and one that reflects the style of our modern-vintage wedding.  I realize that’s an oxymoron, but it’s us and it works!

If you’re looking for a salon in Dallas to design your wedding day hair, or makeup, done, I highly recommend Splurge. They have a super talented team of girls, a cute salon, several services available, and they’ll include a trial run before the wedding day.  In addition, if you have Stephanie as your stylist, you can get both hair AND makeup done by her.  If you go by, be sure and tell them you heard about them on BurbMom.net.

How to make salsa

This week I’ve been up at the FMIL’s house and we decided to make homemade salsa for our Mexican-inspired dinner. The recipe was easy and a big hit, so I thought I’d share it with you all!

You need:

• 3 cans Ro-Tel Tomatoes
• 1 small green or yellow pepper, chopped
• 8 medium green onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon jalapeno pepper, finely diced
• 3 Tablespoons of lime juice
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together well. Chill. Serve with tortilla chips.

Fruit smoothies the kids will love

It all started with a bunch of browning bananas. I was at the house making dinner for the boys and I asked them if they wanted a banana with their dinner.

1.Gross. They are all brown and yucky.

2.I don’t like them like that.

3.Nooooooooooo.

Hmmm…it seemed wasteful to just let them get even more brown and then throw the whole bunch in the trash…so I did what any adult does when they are trying to bribe convince children to do something: I called it a treat!

Hey, who want’s delicious banana drinks with dinner? They are so good and they have sugar in them!

1.Oooh! I do, I do!

2.Yummy, I like nanas and sugar.

3.I want to try that.

Improving, I peeled the bananas, placed them in the blender (because the blender is for special occasions, right?), added some soymilk, some vanilla extract, 2 cups of ice, and a spoonful of white granulated sugar.

Then I poured them in to cups and gave the boys fun colored straws to drink with. They loved them! They wanted more.

1.Can I try it? Can we add more sugar?

2.Can we have nana drinks tonight?

3.You know what? I like banana drinks.

Realizing that this newfound treat might turn in to a sugar-heavy mealtime addition – I got creative.  The next time I saw browning bananas I decided to try it out.

Guess what boys? Today I brought over something else we can add to the drinks.

1.What?

2.What is it?

3.Let me see!

Blueberries! And strawberries!

1.Oooooh.

2.Yummy!

3.I love blueberries!

So I pulled out the blender, added about a half cup of frozen blueberries and a half cup of frozen strawberries.  Another big hit!

Over the years I have added all kinds of fruits and have even started using juice instead of soymilk. Each time we make them it’s a fun experiment to see how they will come out and how the flavors will work together. I’ve even gotten in the habit of repeating the ingredients out loud each time so the boys can memorize the basic recipie.

I’d say aside from the fact that this helps me get at least 3 servings of fruit in the boys at mealtime – my favorite part is that those “icky spotted bananas” don’t have to go to waste anymore!

Homemade Fruit Smoothies the Kids will LOVE:

1. In a blender combine:
   • 1 – 2 bananas (if they have brown spots then they are more flavorful)
   • 2 cups ice
   • 1 – 2 cups of fruit juice (apple is good, orange is also good – but a bit of a more overpowering flavor) – you want to cover about half of the mixture.
   • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
   • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
2. Blend until ice is broken and not visible.
3. Pour into cups and add straws.
4. Serve.

Serves: 4

Recipe courtesy of: Me!

Strapped Olympians

I’ve been watching the Olympics since I was in primary school. I remember putting the tape in the VCR (those of you born in the 90’s, think pre-DVD times) and recording the winter games so I could watch them over and over. I think I had convinced myself that if I watched them enough times I’d somehow absorb their talent and have my own chances at being an Olympian.

I also love watching the Olympics because I can feel like part of the winter festivities, without actually having to get cold.  I love the snow, but only if I’m actively participating in it so as to keep my body hot.

Speaking of being active in the snow, have you all seen the US Women’s Ski Team in action this year???  And apparently they weren’t just getting after it in Vancouver, but they were also gettin busy in Jackson Hole, Wyoming!  What exactly were they doing there you ask?  Getting Strapped of course!  Jackson Hole is home to StrappedBelts.com and recently 3 of our US Women Skiers (Hailey Duke, Megan McJames and Sarah Schleper) partnered up with StrappedBelts.com to get schooled in the art of wearing some seriously eye-catching bling.

The girls had just walked in the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics and had some free time before hitting the slopes.  They were told to do anything, but nothing athletic.  From the looks of these photos, Hailey, Megan and Sarah even know how to make fashion a sport!

Strapped Belts was launched in 2008 by John Frechette. After his employer went bankrupt, John found himself Strapped; strapped for cash and strapped for a job (boy can I relate to that)! Using his new found time John began dabbling in some of his passions, photography and painting, which eventually led him to discover his unknown love for glass!  Beyond belt buckles, Strapped Belts also offers fused glass cufflinks, earrings, rings and even some houseware items!  For BurbMom Readers: John is offering 25% your entire order if you simply enter the code OLYMPICS at the checkout. Go ahead, try your hand at the sport of shopping…

The girls obviously scored big with this partnership but it’s no surprise they would gladly put their Strapped treasures aside to sport some Olympic Medal bling…and we sure hope they will!

The women will participate in the final games Friday, February 26th.  For more Olympic Ski coverage, check out the U.S. Alpine Ski Team or NBC.

Photos courtesy of Kelli Baxendale.

Candy Haven is Pure Heaven!

Personally I love birthday’s, especially my own!  There’s no greater excuse to throw a party than surviving another year of adulthood, right?  And what party would be complete without cake???

Several years ago (who’s counting) for my 21st birthday I chose to celebrate with my close girlfriends and since it was the big 2-1, we decided no ordinary cake would do.  Luckily I lived in the DFW metroplex and so my landlord at the time decided to get me a cake from Candy Heaven Haven.  Have you ever had one of those cakes that melts in your mouth? It’s not too sweet, but definitely flavorful and of course totally cute too? If not let me tell you that you are missing out!

Another thing that I love about Candy Haven is their specialty in making custom cakes to fit the theme of your party. Each of their cakes are baked to order, so that means they are fresh and moist, and they have an excellent creative team that makes all their custom designs possible.

I especially love the birthday cakes for children’s  and baby shower cakes, because what’s cuter than baby stuff?!?!

Additionally, Candy Haven offers a unique package for baby’s FIRST birthday.

When you order a baby’s first birthday cake, you also receive a “smasher” cake. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like.  It’s a cake, simply decorated in coordinating colors of the “real” birthday cake that has a simple number 1 on it and it’s used for the baby to play, mash, poke, etc. so they can enjoy their cake time without destroying the cake the guests will eat. It’s a super cute idea and one that I’m sure many of us wish we had thought of. (Note: there is a minimum order price to get the smash cake deal)

To order a Candy Haven cake, simply contact the owner (Jane Boyle) or any other associate at (940) 565-1474, or you can visit their website.  They also accept emails at candyhaven@yahoo.com, or drop in for a visit to their store at 301 N. Interstate 35-E, Denton, TX  76205.

If my opinion isn’t enough to sway you, let the business speak for itself: Candy Haven is locally owned and operated and has been in business for over 25 years!  They are unique to the area in that they are the only specialty cake/candy shop up here in our area.  In addition to the cakes they make, Candy Haven also offers handmade chocolate, caramel apples and double dipped strawberries – yum.  If that isn’t enough to fill your mind with sweet thoughts, then try their Jelly Bellies, gummy candies and chocolate covered nuts in the jars along the walls.  Trust me, the moment you walk in you’ll smell pure sweetness in the air…and since it’s only a 15 minute or so drive, go check it out for yourself and be sure and let us know what you think!

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