Breakfast ideas for little ones

One of the toughest jobs I have as a mom is trying to get my preschooler and toddler to eat healthy foods that are low in sugar and high in nutrients. And trying to get veggies in a preschooler?? Forget it! Breakfast is by far the hardest meal of all for us. It seems like everything my four year old wants to eat is loaded with refined sugar. Recently I was in our local Harris Teeter and discovered a sweet potato pancake mix that both my girls love. Bruce's Sweet Potato pancake mix make naturally sweet pancakes that are both low in saturated fat and cholesterol and have been approved by the American Heart Association. I add a little sugar free syrup (I prefer Cary's Sugar Free syrup) and my girls eat these up. The best part is that they're quick and easy to make (just add water). What better way to get a veggie in!

"Bridesmaids" Movie Review

Last week I went to see "Bridesmaids" with some girlfriends. After hearing all of the hype surrounding the movie, I was afraid I would be disappointed. I absolutley was not!
I have never in my life seen a movie with more great one-liners. It is well cast and well delivered, and people will be quoting it for years. I have heard critics use the word "raunchy" to describe "Bridesmaids", and I think that word is very fitting. This is not a movie you would want to go see with your mother! (Or, at least I would have been red-faced the entire time next to mom.) There is a scene where the women are trying on bridesmaids dresses that I could have lived without (I won't spoil anything, but you may want to cover your eyes for the scene if you have a weak stomache). However, I laughed throughout the entire rest of the movie.

Best Place to Host an Adult Bowling Party

Legacy Lanes (formerly South Hills Bowl) in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh, PA is the nicest bowling alley around. I held my boyfriend's 25th birthday party there, and it was a night to remember! Legacy Lanes is unique in that they have something called "Boutique Bowling". The bar is in a completely separate room from the rest of the bowling alley, and in that room are 7 private bowling lanes, comfy couch seating, a full sports bar and restaturant, tvs, and additional plush seating. They have several options for reserving lanes in this room for a party or other event. The option I chose included 2 hours of bowling, a pizza for each lane, pitchers of softdrinks, and shoe rentals for one low rate per person. It was great! The only thing not included in the deal were alcoholic drinks, but no one had an issue with getting their own drinks from the bar. They offer pitchers of beer at a great price, too. If you're looking for something different to do on a Friday or Saturday night with some friends, I definitely suggest you check this place out!

For All You Pizza Lovers...

If you're looking for a place to sit down and enjoy great pizza with family or friends, go to Mellow Mushroom!!! You can order single slices or whole pizzas. Their single slices are HUGE...I recently ordered two slices and took one to go! They have an awesome selection of pizzas, from BBQ chicken, to mega veggie, to mighty meat lovers...it's almost impossible to leave unsatisfied. They also have DELICIOUS alcoholic drinks!! I recommend the Purple Haze. In addition to the food and drinks, the restaurant's atmosphere is very enjoyable. It has a funky, relaxing style that doesn't feel like a typical pizza parlor.

Pasta Too Makes This Italian Girl Happy

I'm Italian on my Dad's side.  If there's one thing Italy is known for, it's amazing food!  And Pasta Too Family Italian Restaurant in Bethel Park, PA knows great Italian food.  First off, the portions are just the way they should be... HUGE!  Every time I have ordered a chicken dish -- usually Chicken Cutlet Parmigiana or Chicken Romano -- it comes with 2-3 chicken breasts.  You definitely get a lot for your money.  Most entrees come with a "side" of pasta, too (hence the name).  This "side" fills up its own dinner plate.  Speaking of their pasta, anyone who knows me knows that my favorite thing in the world is Pasta Too's Penne alla Vodka.  YUM!!  Not only is the food delicious, but I have never waited long to be seated or to get my meal (relative to the crowd).

Burt's Bees Natural, Long-Lasting Lip Gloss

I'm not the type to wear a bold lipstick, but I do love lip gloss! I've tried just about every brand you can think of... Maybelline, Revlon, Clinique, etc. In the past few years, I've been trying to live a "greener" lifestyle -- including my cosmetics. So recently, I fell in LOVE with Burt's Bees lip gloss! My absolute favorite is Nectar Nude. It has a very slight hint of color but gives a beautiful, natural-looking shine to your lips. They also have other lip glosses that give you more color, and they have a clear gloss. The best part about Burt's Bees lip glosses... they're 100% natural! Each application usually lasts a few hours, so the tube lasts me at least a few months (you really get your money's worth.) It's refreshing to know that I'm not putting something potentially harmful on my skin.

DSW...Cute Shoes for Summer

I have a pretty difficult time finding shoes because I have small feet... I wear a size 5, 5.5, or 6. I get a lot of emails from Payless for their BOGO Sales, which they have pretty often. But I never really find anything at Payless...their selection in my sizes are SLIM. The place to go for a cute, affordable, wide selection of shoes is DSW. They have a lot of flats, flat sandals, wedge/healed sandals, and other stylish shoes right now that are perfect for summer. Whether you need heals to go out on the town, or cute, strappy sandals for date night, or even just comfortable flip flops to go to the pool, DSW has it all!

Red Robin... YUM!

I just recently ate at Red Robin for the first time, and then I ate there again a week later. The service was good, the food was great, and it is one of my new favorite places to eat. Everything they offer is made-to-order, so you can add or subtract from any menu item. The "Chicken Casprese Sandwich" and the "Bruschetta Chicken Sandwich" are both delicious. My only complaint is that they are piled so high that they are difficult to eat! With bottomless fries, or your choice of any other side, you can't go wrong. The "Ultimate Margarita" is pretty good. I wish they offered a "skinny" margarita option, though. All-in-all, I definitely recommend it!

Oil of Olay Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

I am 22 years old and have always had sensitive skin. I thought that because of this sensitivity, I was going to be stuck buying the "higher end" (aka more expensive) moisturizers forever. For a while I was using Clinique's moisturizing gel. Although it was a good product, it was beginning to become a little too expensive for a college student. Both of my older sisters, my mom, and my stepmom all use Oil of Olay moisturizer for sensitive skin and recommended it to me. I figured for only $8, I could at least give it a try. So I bought it a few weeks ago and I must say...I LOVE IT!! It's lightweight, oil-free, and doesn't give your skin a greasy feel like others do. Buying an $8 moisturizer that works just as well as a $27 one makes me a very happy shopper! So, I recommend Oil of Olay's moisturizer for sensitive skin to everyone!

Best Chiropractor in the World

I have suffered from migraines and back pain for about 6 years. I have tried several medications: medications you take when you feel the onset of a migraine, medications you take daily to prevent migraines, over-the-counter medications, heating and cooling pads, avoiding migraine "triggers" (like red wine and cigarette smoke), and nothing worked for me! I was about to give up on getting any relief when I decided to try going to a chiropractor. To be honest, I was not expecting it to help my migraines -- but it did.

Why We LOVE Ann Taylor LOFT

I am 26 years old. I have a sister who is 22, another sister who is 24, a mother who is 50, and a step-mother who is 38. We ALL shop at Ann Taylor LOFT. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone 21 and younger because the clothes have a more 'mature' look to them. They are very nice quality and always stylish -- very 'classic' pieces you can wear to work, casually, anytime really. And the fit is always great. A couple of us need to shop petites, and it is difficult to find clothes that truly fit a petite frame. LOFT's petite cut works nicely for us.

But, my favorite part? The sales. They have days when they entire store

AWOLnation Sail

I love this song. The first time I heard 'Sail' I was on a boat -- ironically. We were cruising down the lake, wind in our hair, beautiful day.. it was just the perfect electronic "chill" song. A great summer jam -- I recommend downloading it to your iPod immediately.

Britney Spears Femme Fetale

This CD is so good! Every track could be released as a single -- they are that good. I was afraid I was going to be disappointed, because I had heard so much hype about Femme Fetale. However, it's one of those albums you listen to over and over and over in your car. So many great dance tracks on it! 'Inside Out', 'I Wanna Go', 'Criminal', 'Up and Down', 'Gasoline', and 'Til The World Ends' are my favorite.

Maybelline Volum' Express The Colossal Mascara

I'm obsessed with this mascara! I have tried so many different brands of mascara, and I always come back to this one. The Black/Brown shade is very natural looking. I usually wear the Glam Black, though. It makes my lashes so long and dramatic. -- it really makes your eyes 'pop'!

Welcome!

Welcome to "Preferred By The Pro's"!

The Pro Family has four generations of women, from one-year-old to seventy-one-years-old.  From where to go on a Friday night - to who has the best prices on baby wipes - and which movies are worth seeing, here you can find our opinions on it all.