75% off restaurants in your city! Amazon Local

I think I'm a member of pretty much all of those discount coupon sites.  I love to try new restaurants, retail stores, local museums and events and NOT pay full price for them.  

I hadn't heard of AmazonLocal yet, but I'm up for some more local discounts, are you?

Check it out:

Milk Nursingwear Review & Giveaway - ends 8/20

I'm nursing..............again?

My first little girl is 17 months old, and I somehow managed to slip in a second little girl that was just born 2 weeks ago!

Needless to say, I feel like I have been on a 2 year run of nursing.

This time around, I'll be running around after a toddler, while trying to focus on nursing my newborn, so I will be in need of some comfortable and easy to use nursing wear.

Milk nursingwear came to my rescue.

Gathered Loop Nursing Top - now $38.99 (was $44.00)

I was sent this Gathered Loop Nursing Top by Milk to try out in my new adventures of being a mommy to a "very active" toddler and extremely hungry newborn. Result = Success.

There is a very cool, interior panel that slips to the side for easy access to nursing, while maintaining a level of privacy and discretion if you're out in public.

I love the fabric these tops are made from, a silky smooth and stretchy Rayon blend. This top fit perfectly, hiding the few extra pounds that are left from my pregnancy, while still looking like a normal, non-pregnancy top. FINALLY!

To help you decide on a size, I chose a Medium and am 5'4 and 130lbs, it fits just right and if I planned to loose more weight, I might even be okay in a Small.

More About Milk

• Founder is the proud mother of 4 breastfed children, former Bloomingdale's buyer
• Their goal is to create modern styles that could and SHOULD be used after nursing is over
• Milk nursingwear can be found in a store near you

Buy It

•  Milk Nursing Wear website
• Milk on FACEBOOK
• Milk on TWITTER

 Win It

Prize: $35.00 gift certificate to MILK Nursingwear

• Giveaway ends August 20th, 2012
• Complete Rafflecopter Entry Form for your chance to WIN!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
*Disclosure: This was not a paid post. The products used to facilitate this review were given to me free of cost by the company.  However, all opinions are 100% my own and were not influenced by the complimentary product received. As I am under no obligation to post a positive review if I feel it is not warranted.  

Pho Crystal in Fairview, TX - Restaurant Review

Pho Restaurant in Collin County, TX

Even though this restaurant is called PHO Crystal, I haven't had the Pho here yet. Have eaten Pho all over Dallas, but for some reason I always order the Banh Mi (Vietnamese Pork Sandwich) here.

It could have something to do with the fact that I've been on a tighter budget since moving out here to McKinney - having two bambinos over the last two years will do that to you!  The Banh Mi, is a solid and super affordable choice ($3.50) when I'm in the mood for something different and delicious.

I recommend the Grilled Pork Banh Mi = delish. Also, the fresh shrimp spring rolls with peanut sauce are tasty!

Don't let the "Crystal" in the name turn you away, this is a very casual dining atmosphere and anyone would feel comfortable eating here. No need to don the high heels and sparkling chandelier earrings.

The woman who run this joint is fantastic, flitting about, calling the customers by name, and chatting up strangers. I've noticed she surely has a large flock of repeat customers!

Okay, next time I promise to "splurge" for $2.00 more and try Pho ($5.50) - still a very affordable price for Pho. Can't wait to report back to ya with the results! 

Banh Mi

Pho Special Combination

 Pho Crystal 

431 Stacy Rd. #105
Fairview, TX 75069
Phone: 469-342-6606

Free Chips and Queso at Chili's

Taking the fam' out to eat this weekend?

Take advantage of this great deal from Chili's.........

FREE CHIPS & QUESO 

* Just for signing up for Chili's Email list * 

Need a Hot Date Night? Enter Mimi's Pin to Win Contest for a chance at a Romantic Date and Mim's Cafe Gift Cards! Ends 7/31

Need a HOT date night?

 

Hot is right, as in.........HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE!

ENTER TO WIN before July 31, 2012

• GRAND PRIZE: A romantic day date on a hot air balloon ride ($500 Value)
• SECOND PRIZE: $200 Donation to your local Children's Miracle Network Hospital in your name, PLUS a $100 gift card to Mimi's Cafe
• THIRD PRIZE: $50 Mimi's Gift Card

HURRY, you have less than a week left to enter!

Final week of #WinThisBag - Enter to Win a Chanel Tote worth $1300! Ends 8/6

McKinney Mommas Ladies (and all gentlemen are welcome too) are you ready to WIN a gorgeous Chanel tote worth $1,300?!  This is the final week of our "Win This Bag" promotion, so be sure to enter before it's too late!

Welcome to Our Grand Finale of

"Win This Bag"

Sponsored by

HipSwap

Hosted by

Sidetracked Mom’s Blog

It's finally here! The Grand Finale of the Win This Bag series of giveaways is here!!We've combined weeks 5 and 6 into a two-week long giveaway giving you the double the opportunity to increase your odds of winning by completing the daily bonus entries! 

You'll have from 7/24/12 through 8/6/12 to claim as many entries as you possibly can!If you can remember to revisit your favorite blog to claim your daily bonus entries, you’ll have a huge advantage (2 weeks worth!) over the rest of the competition! 

But before we announce the Grand Finale bag, here are a few words about our sponsor who made this entire 6 weeks worth of giveaways possible!

HipSwap is a mobile and web marketplace that connects buyers and sellers locally and nationally. It enables people to discover what’s inside the most fabulous closets, homes, and shops in neighborhoods and cities across America. HipSwap currently offers delivery service in Los Angeles and New York with its iconic pink delivery van.

Also, be sure to swing by the HipSwap blog to check out their ever popular post on how to spot a fake Louis Vuitton bag!

  

So, far HipSwap has generously supplied us with a Fendi Spy Bag, a Louis Vuitton bag, a white leather Tod’s hanbag and a Gucci Hobo Bag!Are you ready for the brand that will be featured in our Grand Finale?!

This week, you have the chance to win an authentic Chanel tote worth $1,300!

This beige quilted leather Chanel tote is a one-of-a-kind find. It features a black leather trim and large "CC" on side to make it easily distinguishable as the one of the world’s most prestige designer brands.

Dimensions: 11" x 10" x 5" with 7" straps. Estimated Value: $1300

This beautiful handbag was provided by the amazing DoubleTake Consignment Boutique of New Jersey.

The DoubleTake Consignment Boutique first opened its doors in Short Hills, New Jersey in 1992.From day one the store has been packed with women who understand the advantages and value of consignment shopping. DoubleTake only accepts the highest quality & current designer clothing and accessories and has been recognized as a unique clothing boutique where huge savings can be realized.

How to gain entries in this giveaway:

There is only one mandatory entry option; and that is to create a free HipSwap account. However, by entering on this blog through the Giveaway Tools widget below, you have the opportunity to gain a large number of bonus entries! You can complete as many or as few bonus entries as you’d like but remember, the more you do, the better your odds of winning! Plus, once you are following all of your hosts, entering each subsequent weekly Win This Bag Giveaway will be even faster & easier! As promised, you’ll find additional bonus entries to claim for having entered our previous weekly Win This Bag Giveaways!

Good luck!

Giveaway begins on 7/24/12 at 12:01am EST & ends on 8/6/12 at 11:59pm EST.

Open worldwide.

The Giveaway Tools Widget will load below this line. For those of you not familiar with Giveaway Tools, it is VERY similar to Rafflecopter but has been said to be a faster & easier way to enter giveaways. Let me know what you think! As always, thank you for visiting my blog and entering our giveaways! Good luck to you!

Javascript must be enabled to enter this giveaway. Learn how to activate Javascript by clicking here.

Loading Entry-Form

This giveaway is open to entrants worldwide 18 years of age or older, except where prohibited by law. No purchase is necessary to enter. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received. This promotion is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook and is Facebook-compliant. To qualify to win, you must complete, at minimum, the mandatory entry on the Giveaway Tools form. All entries will be forwarded to our sponsor for the purpose of randomly selecting a winner. Winners will be notified by email from a HipSwap representative. Winners will have 72 hours to respond or risk forfeiting their prize. Prize may re-awarded solely by the Sponsor’s discretion. Prize fulfillment is the sole responsibility of the sponsor. This blog may not be held liable for Sponsors who do not fulfill prize shipments. The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. We reserve the right to publicly publish winners’ names and/or likeness. By entering this giveaway, you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.

Win a Frigidaire Affinity® Washer and Dryer Set! Plus Summer Stain Fighting Tips!

Have you seen the cute trailer for the new movie coming out, The Odd Life of Timothy Green?

The scene opens with a child covered in dirt, and the main female role, played by Jennifer Garner, with a look on her face like she knows she's in for another MESSY life adventure.

I know I've felt that way before, with my 17 month old that seems to find a mess in everything she does.  

Watering the herb garden....always ends in a mud bath somehow.  A seemingly innocent mid-day snack........ends in a tornado trail of food throughout the house (and all over her clothes). 

You get the picture.

Frigidaire, the makers of the Frigidaire Affinity® front load washing machine that delivers a better clean, has set out to help get families out of the laundry room fast and get back to spending time doing the things they love to do!

Now it's YOUR chance to do something GOOD for your world, PLUS have a chance to win a new Frigidaire Affinity® washer and dryer featuring Ready Steam™. 

ENTER TO WIN

All you have to do is, visit Facebook.com/Frigidaire and share YOUR personal Adventures in Clean, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children, as part of its $750,000 commitment to the cause. Just upload a photo and the fun online application will turn you into the STAR of your own movie poster, plus enter you for a chance to win a beautiful new washer and dryer set! 

GOOD LUCK!  

And read on for some great tips on getting out pesky summer stains from yours and your kiddos clothes.

ENJOY THESE COMMON SUMMER STAIN TIPS

                                                                            for Frigidaire by Tara Aronson

Smudges, drips, drops and smears – no matter what their source, the key to keeping them from ruining your favorite shorts or T-shirt is to take quick action – before it gets a chance to dry.

For most fabrics, this means blotting up the excess or rinsing the discolored area with cold water (hot can set a stain.) Don’t rub: this spreads the spot and grinds it deeper into the fabric.

Summer spills are especially tough. Here’s how to remove the five most common:

•  1. Crayon.

Scrape off as much of the colorful surface as possible using a plastic picnic knife. Apply laundry detergent directly on the stained area. Gently rub the detergent into the fabric then let sit several minutes. Launder using the hottest water the fabric can handle - or the Sanitize setting of your Frigidaire Affinity washer. Dry as usual.

• 2. Iced coffee.

Sponge the stained area with cold water. Apply a pretreater to the blight. Wash as usual and air dry.

• 3. Grass.

Prewash the garment in warm water in your washing machine –the Rinse & Spin cycle on your Affinity washer – and a laundry detergent containing enzymes. Launder as usual (normal setting) with detergent and chlorine bleach if safe for the fabric. If the garment’s care label instructions advise against it, use oxygen (color safe) bleach instead. Dry as usual.

• 4. Juice.

Soak for a minute or so in cold water. Remove excess water, and then apply a pretreater directly on the stained area. Wash with detergent as usual. Air dry. Do not place in the dryer until the blight is completely gone – otherwise the stain is likely to set.

• 5. Chocolate (or chocolate ice cream).

Prewash the garment in warm water with a laundry detergent that contains enzymes using the Affinity’s Rinse & spin setting. Launder as usual, using the washing machine’s Normal setting. Dry as usual.


* DISCLOSURE: I was not paid for this post. However, I was entered into a drawing to possibly win a prize. Wish me luck :-)

dulce by LaDUNI - Twice in One Week! Restaurant Review - McKinney, TX

dulce by LaDUNI - Fairview

I stopped in here for lunch with my parents from out of town the other day on the fly....should I admit we ended up returning TWICE in one week!?

dulce by LaDUNI boasts a cute little bistro setting for lunch, as the larger formal dining area is closed off until dinner hours. They have a little patio too for those rare days when the weather is nice enough to sit outside!

On the first trip, we tried their Latin paninis. The Grilled Goucho Chicken Sandwich was fantastic on a fresh ciabiatta roll with avocado and tasty manchego cheese. So was the Peruvian Chancho with crispy pork (so juicy and flavorful) with apple cider mayo.

I ordered a side of the Quinoa Salad for my 17-month old daughter, which she loved, including red bell pepper, tart cherries, cilantro, red onion in a melody of beautiful red quinoa.

The second trip we ordered the same sandwiches, PLUS the empanada of the day. My mother, a recipe contest winner, and all around fantastic cook said it was the best empanada she ever had. I agreed. Flaky crust, still crisp and not soggy with a beautiful filling of mushrooms and onions that were seasoned beautifully.

Oh, and this time we ordered a side of rice and black beans for my daughter. I think next time I'll just order up a double of THIS delectable side dish. Oh, geez my mouth was singing La Duni black bean praises for days. And let me tell you, it's not often I sing about black beans!

So, if you're shopping around the Village at Fairview anytime soon, stop off at Dulce by La Duni for a snack or lunch. They have delicious looking homemade artisanal vintage sodas, cupcakes, Latin beignets, and a huge selection of coffee drinks on their menu.

 The Village at Fairview Shopping Center
233 Town Place
Fairview, Texas 75069

* Disclosure: I was not compensated for this article. All opinions are 100% my own.

Time to organize that Spice Rack!

It's time to organize your kitchen!

I recently cleaned out my spice cupboard and bought some magnetic containers that I can stick on my fridge to use as a spice rack. I love the way it adds to the decor of the kitchen, while keeping my spices within arm's reach!


There are so many options these days for organizing and storing your spices.  Rather than shove them in a cupboard, where the spices at the back never see the light of day, take a look at these cool kitchen spice racks that can help you organize your spices in a new way!

17 inch Chromed In Drawer Spice Rack - $56.58 w/ FREE SHIPPING

• I've recently started to see these in-drawer spice racks which are great for those who don't have a lot of extra cupboard space but a few extra drawers that are just piling up with odds and ends.

Euro Wall Spice Rack in Black - $30.42 w/ FREE SHIPPING

• This wall spice rack is great for adding to your kitchen decor while also keeping your spices handy, so you don't forget your stock.

12 Jar White Carousel Spice Rack - 33.75 w/ FREE SHIPPING

•  This Carousel Spice Rack is pretty cool, as you can turn the dial to dispense the exactly amount of spice you are looking for - 1/4 tsp, as well as a large pour spout or shaker option.

Do you have any great organizing tips for getting your kitchen or spice cabinet in order this summer?  

Share them with us below!

Love My Belly - matching Mommy & Baby Zodiac Tee Set Giveaway $100 value - ends 8/3

It's the dawning of the age of.............the Cancers!

 Image courtesy of: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Well, at least for my Baby O. who was born just last week!  She's a Cancer, like her beloved great grandfather, and if she turns out to be half the sweet and solid character that he was, I will be blessed.

 Love My Belly was so happy with the results of our last Maternity Review and Giveaway in May, that they decided to send over a few more goodies for us to try out: a Baby and Momma Bellyscope Set!

This super cool Maternity Astrological Tee comes in all of the (12) Zodiac Signs for momma and a cool onesie or baby tee for the little one!  I loved the way this tee hugged my pregnant curves and accentuated my belly in the soft and stretchy Rayon/Poly blend.  This shirt became one of my favorites to wear, even at the end of my pregnancy.... if only I had it from the beginning!

The matching  astrological baby onesie, is SO cute with a little sparkling foil crab design on the front and back hip. The 100% cotton fabric is extremely soft and stretchy, and this specific "Cancer" design is on SALE right now for only $9.99.  So if you had or are having a baby between June 21st and July 22nd, (like I did) grab one of these now before they disappear!

 BUY IT

• CANCER (6/22-7/22) Astrological Maternity Tee - $65.00

•  BABY CANCER  Astrological Tee (Jun 22nd-Jul 22nd) - on SALE NOW $36.00 for only $9.99
• MORE Maternity styles at Love My Belly Maternity Brands Website
  
  

WIN IT

Your choice of Astrological Maternity and Baby Tee Set from Love My Belly

 Retail value $100

• Complete Rafflecopter Entry Form Below
• Deadline: 8/3/12

a Rafflecopter giveaway


*Disclosure: This was not a paid post. The products used to facilitate this review were given to me free of cost by the company.  However, all opinions are 100% my own and were not influenced by the complimentary product received. As I am under no obligation to post a positive review if I feel it is not warranted.  
 

Coupon for 25% off your ENTIRE order at Disney Store or DisneyStore.com 7/19 - 7/22

Going Shopping this Weekend?

Check out your local Disney Store or DisneyStore.com and use this coupon code for 25% off your ENTIRE PURCHASE online or in store.

Now that's a deal I can get behind.

Online Code: DISNEYPAL

Printable Coupon for In Store: 5825

* Offer expires: 7/22/12 *

Lookout, ladies.....I'm going SHOPPING!

Win a Family Trip for 4 to the Bahamas - Shutterfly's Long Live Summer Photo Contest

Calling all photo-crazy mommas.....

Shutterfly’s Long Live Summer Photo Contest on Facebook has begun!

You could WIN a family trip for four to the Bahamas and a professional photo shoot while you're there to remember and relive the trip for years to come!

Hey, now that McKinney Mommas is a family of four, I'm going to go enter the contest now!

TO ENTER

CONTEST INFORMATION:

• Upload your favorite photo and caption based on the theme of the week.
• Weekly featured photos: up to 5 weekly entries will be selected from the gallery and featured on the Facebook fan page and awarded a $500 gift card on Shutterfly and a copy of the new Lonely Planet travel photography book.
• Grand prize: trip for 4 to Bahamas, 4 nights, family photo shoot
• Plus, if you've already missed the first week or two, no need to worry.  You can enter at any point during the 5-week sweepstakes period. 
• Entry period: July 9th - August 12th, 2012
• Shutterfly's Sweepstakes - OFFICIAL RULES

PHOTO THEMES 

•       Week 1(7/9): Americana

•       Week 2 (7/16): Great Outdoors

•       Week 3 (7/23): Water Fun

•       Week 4 (7/30): Sports & Activities

•       Week 5 (8/6): Parties & Celebrations

ENTER Shutterfly Long Live Summer Photo Contest HERE

Win a Red Leather Gucci Handbag during Week 4 of #WinThisBag - ends 7/23

Quiz:  What is Red, made of leather, rhymes with Oochie, and looks super sweet hung from your shoulder?  

Answer: It's a Leather Gucci Hobo Bag!

Here we are again ladies, it's time to enter to win another beautiful designer handbag here at McKinney Mommas!  Read on below to win!

Welcome to Week #4 of

Win This Bag

Brought to you by HipSwap

Hosted by
Sidetracked Mom’s Blog

“Win This Bag” is a 6-week event that will feature 6 weekly giveaways.There will be one designer handbag given away every week!Each bag will be an authentic, recognizable designer brand such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Coach, or Fendi.Our 6^th week will feature a highly coveted designer handbag and you will have the option to claim bonus entries for each of the 5 weekly “Win This Bag” giveaways you entered leading up to this grand finale!So, enter each weekly giveaway to increase your odds of winning!

Here’s what really separates this event from any other handbag giveaway you may have seen before… some of these handbags will come to you directly from a celebrity’s closet!

That’s right –

Thanks to HipSwap, you have the opportunity to win the exact bag that may have been on the arm of a famous celebrity!
HipSwap is a mobile and web marketplace that connects buyers and sellers locally and nationally. It enables people to discover what’s inside the most fabulous closets, homes, and shops in neighborhoods and cities across America. HipSwap currently offers delivery service in Los Angeles and New York with its iconic pink delivery van.

Also, be sure to swing by the HipSwap blog to check out their ever popular post on how to spot a fake Louis Vuitton bag!

Now, on to this week’s Giveaway!

This week, you have the chance to win an authentic Gucci bag!

This red-pebbled leather Gucci hobo bag is amazing for any occasion. It Features a navy cotton stripe in front and large gold ring hardware at strap ends.

Dimensions: 15" x 9" x 1" with 10" strap. Estimated Retail Price: $1500

This beautiful handbag was provided by the amazing DoubleTake Consignment Boutique of New Jersey.

The DoubleTake Consignment Boutique first opened its doors in Short Hills New Jersey in1992 and from day one the store has been packed with women who understand the advantages and value of consignment shopping. DoubleTake, which only accepts the highest quality & current designer clothing and accessories, has been recognized as a unique clothing boutique where huge savings can be realized.

How to Enter:

1. Create a HipSwap account.You will be asked to enter your name, email and zip code. If you do not live in the United States, please enter your City and Country in the Zip Code field.

2. Once registered, you can earn additional entries by:

a. Pinning your favorite HipSwap bag on Pinterest

b. “Liking” HipSwap on Facebook

c. Following @HipSwap on Twitter

d. Tweet with the hashtag #winthisbag for daily bonus entries

e. Following the blogs who are bringing you this awesome giveaway

There is only one mandatory entry option and that is to create a free HipSwap account. However, by entering on this blog through the Giveaway Tools widget below, you have the opportunity to gain a large number of bonus entries! You can complete as many or as few bonus entries as you’d like but remember, the more you do, the better your odds of winning! Plus, once you are following all of your hosts, entering each subsequent weekly Win This Bag Giveaway will be even faster & easier! And, don’t forget – we’ll be offering even more bonus points for each of these giveaways you entered during our final week of this event!

Good luck!

Giveaway begins on 7/17/12 at 12:01am EST & ends on 7/23/12 at 11:59pm EST.

Open worldwide.

The Giveaway Tools Widget will load below this line. For those of you not familiar with Giveaway Tools, it is VERY similar to Rafflecopter but has been said to be a faster & easier way to enter giveaways. Let me know what you think! As always, thank you for visiting my blog and entering our giveaways! Good luck to you!

Welcome to the world, Baby McKinney #2

Dear, McKinney Mommas readers,

If you hadn't noticed already I've been MIA for the past few days.

.........and THIS is the reason why............

WELCOME to the world, Baby McKinney #2!

Our little one, we'll call her "Baby O", was born on July 12th, 2012 at 2:05pm, just one day after due date and a mere 16 hours of active labor. This McKinney Momma did it the second time around ALL NATURAL!

Whew that was SOME hard work!

So far, Baby O's interests include:

• Nursing: (my nursing iPhone app says "an average of every 1 hour and 6 minutes, for 12 minute durations")
• Crying: I sure don't remember Baby #1 crying quite this much for diaper changes, burping sessions, etc. We'll see....
• and.....being pretty darn cute just about all of the time

Needless to say, for a short time I may not be posting every day, so I can focus on bonding with Baby O and her big sister.  Don't worry though, as we get into the swing of things and find our groove as a new family of FOUR.....I will get back into posting regularly. 

Also stay tuned for cool newborn and infant related reviews and giveaways here at McKinney Mommas all summer long in celebration of the new addition to our family!