Angela Barako
Angela Barako has loved living in Scottsdale for the last 22 years with her husband, Tom and three daughters (plus two dogs). Angela is the co-owner of Phoenix Moms, Scottsdale Moms and Flagstaff Mom Collective. Plus she had been a member of the Scottsdale team as a contributor since 2011. She reads lots of books, is a big college football fan (Go Big Red and Sun Devils!), likes cooking, loves Pilates, sometimes attempts to garden, and is addicted to reality TV.
Rainbow Loom Bands {sponsored review}
I have a full blown Rainbow Loom ADDICT at my house.
My nine year old daughter is obsessed with all things Rainbow Loom. She watches YouTube videos and makes anything and everything out of those...
Spring Break in Arizona {what to do here}
If you are a local or you are planning a spring break visit to AZ, there are a ton of great things to do in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and surrounding areas. Here is our list of...
Sunday Meal Planning Series {School Day Breakfast Ideas}
Here are some ideas to making school day breakfast quicker - with little arguing!
1) Set up a calendar with a breakfast plan. Having a schedule makes it easier to plan ahead, and not repeat...
Best Birthday Party Locations in Scottsdale & Phoenix
This is an updated version of a post I wrote a couple of years ago for Scottsdale Moms Blog. Some information previously written has changed, but the demand from Scottsdale Moms Blog readers looking...
A Can’t-Miss Culinary Event at Macy’s – with celebrity chefs!
Who wants to join us for a fun upcoming event?
We are so excited to tell you about a culinary event at Macy's on Friday, January 30th! Celebrity Chefs Tom Douglas and Cat Cora will be...
Want To Add More Fun To Your Life? Three Local Ideas
Are you looking to add more fun and connection to your life - and your family life - this year? Here are three ideas you can use to start your year on a positive...
Lemons, Lemons, Everywhere | Five Unique Ideas for All That Citrus
Is your tree overflowing with lemons? We are revisiting a post from 2012 with five unique ideas for what to do with all that citrus!
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Every year from December to April, we are gifted with...
Kids Eat Free Restaurants!! Save this list!
SMB's Kids Eat Free Guide
If you are visiting from out of town or are a local and looking for new restaurant choices, this list is for YOU. Be sure to bookmark it now for...
Best Holiday Gifts {food edition}
Looking for some new ideas for holiday gifts this season?
Here are 6 of our best holiday gifts--food edition!
Some of these items are from local companies (score!) and they are all fabulous. I would be THRILLED to...
AT&T Event at Top Golf {tech gift ideas for everyone}
A few of us lucky SMB contributors got a chance to check out a fun, new Scottsdale hot spot {Top Golf} and preview some impressive tech products at an AT&T event!
We got to try Top...
Sunday Meal Planning {Recipes with more than one use}
This is the second post in a fun, new feature on Scottsdale Moms Blog. We are calling it the Sunday Meal Planning Series. We are going to use these Sunday posts to share with...
6 life hacks you need to start doing!
I love ideas and products that make my life easier! Who doesn't, right? Here are six life hacks for the kitchen that not everyone may know about, and I HAD to share with you!
1) Wash your...
Sunday Meal Planning {Family Recipes}
We have a new, fun feature on Scottsdale Moms. We are calling it Sunday Meal Planning Series. We are going to use these Sunday posts to share with you what the SMB contributors are...
5 MUST HAVE baby items (that you probably have not heard about)
My brother and his wife are expecting twins any day now. As my family impatiently waits for the second set of twins to be born in my family, I started thinking about those must...
Paradise Bakery supports a great cause {GIVEAWAY}
Paradise Bakery & Cafe is joining the fight against breast cancer this year by baking Pink Ribbon Bagels® throughout the month of October.
On October 10th, 100% of net sales of the bagel at participating...
Ending the School Work Clutter| My Solution {SMB ARCHIVE POST}
We've been back at school for a month now... and if your's anything like me, the school work is starting to pile up! So we're bringing back a great post from the SMB Archives...
Future Forward | A new choice for fall camp {and a giveaway!}
Fall break is right around the corner (how is that possible, it feels like we just started back to school?!). Many of us working moms and dads are going to love this new choice for...
Dehydration Risks {and the ONE remedy you need to have with you}
The following information is sponsored by DripDrop Hydration Solution.
It may be the beginnings of fall around the rest of the country but, in Arizona, we still have 100+ degree temperatures! Even with the heat...
My New Awesome Find {car repair}
I have a confession to make.
I am not the best driver. First of all, I own a minivan. It is huge. There are blind spots everywhere. Parking the beast is the WORST! And I am...
Vidogi Salon {a fantastic giveaway}
Several of us from the Scottsdale Moms Blog Team and friends of SMB were lucky enough to try Vidogi Salon last week to get fun makeovers.
We sipped champagne and had a few snacks. We got...
Back to School ~ How to handle the kid who won’t let go
I have done this back to school thing for several years now and each one of my children has gone through the clinging, crying, "won't let me leave the building without having a fit" phase.
As...
Brio Tuscan Grille Giveaway {$25 gift card}
We are so thrilled to have Brio Tuscan Grille as the location for the next Mom's Night Out Event on July 24th. It is going to be so fun! We have 20+ giveaway items worth...
Do you hate your home? | Five Home Updates for your Outdated Arizona House
If you have spent any time house shopping in Scottsdale and Phoenix, you will notice that outdated homes are in abundance here. Last year, my husband and I spent almost one full year looking...
Brio Tuscan Grille {giveaway!!}
Note: Brio Tuscan Grille at the Scottsdale Quarter will be the next venue for our Mom's Night Out Event. Tickets will be available at the end of June. Sign up for the SMB mailing...
How to tell if you are raising an Arizona kid| Five Fun Examples
Witnessing my own children grow up here in Phoenix is quite different from my experiences growing up in the Midwest. My kids will never feel the chill of waiting for the school bus in...
The Sleepover| How to survive by revamping it
About one year ago, my seven year old twins started asking to host a sleepover. It was the new thing all the kids at school were doing. And eventually I relented. Truly, all of...
Teach Your Children the Joy of Giving| 3 Tips For You
It’s December, time for the annual Christmas Gift Balancing Act to begin! Every year it’s the same struggle. On one side there are my children, expecting all these great presents (that Santa magically brings...
The Thumb Sucker and My Tips to End That Habit
I’m embarrassed to say that until quite recently my youngest still sucked her thumb...And she is almost 5 years old.
All three of my kids have been thumb suckers at one point in their baby/toddler...
The Phone Number Every Scottsdale Mom Needs to Know!
I must warn you, after reading this blog post, you will feel itchy and uncomfortable. Read ahead at your own risk!
The school nurse called and said those two words you never want to...
How to Raise a Reader When You Are Sick of Your Children’s Books
A few months ago, I wrote a post sharing our ideas on how to start your own book club. You can read it here, if you missed it.
Recently, we had found ourselves in a...