Easter can be an exciting holiday for everyone. It’s the ultimate symbol of the Spring season and a time of rebirth. Although celebrating Easter can be a lot of fun, preparation for this joyous holiday can also be overwhelming!
As a new mom (many years ago) I wanted to attack the holiday from all angles. My eagerness stemmed from the excitement of having my very own children. Over the years, I’ve learned to focus on what really matters. The small details will come together once you concentrate on the priority of the day.
Easter Brunch 2015 – Flemings Prime SteakhouseCaesar Salad and OmelettNational Aquarium with the boys
Easter Celebration Tips:
Create your dinner menu – Decide whether your family will dine in or out. Either option provides a good opportunity for quality fellowship. Traditional Easter meals (if you’re cooking) include a honey glazed ham, roasted leg of lamb, baked salmon, green bean casserole, rice pilaf, scalloped potatoes, macaroni and cheese, or home-style dinner rolls.
Coordinate Easter crafts with the kids – This particular tip can vary depending on your interest but the idea is to teach your family the meaning of Easter. Quick holiday crafts include decorating eggs, planting a Spring garden, or designing Easter bookmarks.
Consider taking Easter photos – Start thinking of the right location, lighting, and even the weather. Also, we can’t forget to coordinate the perfect attire whether a traditional suit or casual spring outfit.
Decorate, Decorate, Decorate – Nothing brings more excitement than putting out spring decorations. Add a wreath to the front door, create a tablescape, or flower arrangement in the hallway.
Easter TablescapePre-school Easter Celebration
Some of my favorite Easter traditions include Sunday morning worship, egg hunt, brunch, and spring photos. What are some of your favorite Easter traditions, share them with us here?
February is Heart Health Month and BJs Wholesale Club has some delicious produce (and recipes) to help us live a healthy lifestyle. Personally, I am a huge fan of smoothies! They’re easy to make and the perfect breakfast option for families.
Smoothies can be made in a variety of ways depending on your health needs. For example, if you’re having digestive issues, add a teaspoon of Flaxseed into your mixture. Drinking a smoothie provides ease into your morning routine and allows breakfast on the go. It can also serve as a filling afternoon snack instead of drinking a soda or eating potato chips.
1/2 cup Cascadian Farm Frozen Organic Strawberries
1 cup Milk
Make It:
Place all ingredients in a blender
Cover & blend on high speed, about 1 minute or until smooth
Pour into 3 glasses
Serve immediately
For my smoothie recipe, I like to include a small amount of water and 2 teaspoons of Wellsley Farms Pure Honey. Also, if your schedule will be hectic the next morning, take frozen fruit out of the freezer (the night before.) This will help ingredients blend faster and more consistently. Pour the smoothie into your tumblr and go!
Ingredients are from BJs Wholesale ClubCute Tumblr from Dollar Store
follow my Snapchat @kwest1908 to see more behind the scenes at BJs Wholesale Club
On December 12, 2015 I hosted a Lifestyle Segment at Fox 45 WBFF news station. The purpose of the segment was to share this year’s Top Ten Toys from BJs Wholesale Club.
As the Spokesperson, I was able to discuss the following items:
Doc McStuffins Take Care of Me Lambie
Doc McStuffins Get Better Talking Mobile
Princess and Ice Castle Dollhouse: A BJ’s Exclusive
Star Wars Episode VII Jedi Master Lightsaber
Care Bears Sing-a-Long: A BJ’s Exclusive Bundle
Disney Frozen Ultimate Olaf
Miposaur with BONUS Recharge Kit
BJs has a variety of products for all age groups and delicious array of food items. This is the perfect time to renew your membership before the new year. Visit a local BJs Wholesale Club for your last-minute holiday needs!
The numbers are in. The National Retail Federation expects a solid 3.7 percent increase in 2015 holiday buying amounting to $630.5 billion – an astonishing total for just two months of sales. However, they are tempering their glee noting that “…Americans remain somewhat torn between their desire and their ability to spend; the fact remains consumers still have the weight of the economy on their minds” and “expect families to spend prudently and deliberately.” The NRF also expects online holiday sales to increase between 6 and 8 percent this year, adding up to $105 billion.
What does this mean to the holiday shopper? It means that consumers will be shopping where they know they will get the most gift-giving bang for their bucks. And that’s where wholesale clubs like BJs step up with a tried and true value proposition. Not just in-club either. The online deals at BJs.com also fill the void of many Johnny-come-latelys to subscription online buying, because BJs has the power of expertise to seek out and offer exclusive deals on the most popular items this holiday season.
The experts at Selling Christmas have identified some of the biggest trends this year, and for both online and in store gift buying, BJs members will see 2015 holiday favorites, such as:
Precious Metallics at Non-Precious Prices:
Straight from the pages of Elle Magazine: “Iridescent fabrics are the stuff dreams are made of. Seriously, try and look at them without being mesmerized. We predict that these fabrics will be a major street style staple. “
Glimmering metallic from copper to silver to gold can make any room or person look and feel glamorous.
· Satina 8-Premium Cosmetic Brush Set with Travel Case – Get the look professionals create to achieve pro-perfect application of face and eye makeup with various brushes including an angled foundation brush, large eye shadow brush, smudge brush and more. $19.99 In-Club Only
Moscow Mules Mugs – Set of two traditional stainless steel mugs with a long-lasting shiny copper finish and brass handle. The perfect drinking companion for cool, refreshing drinks year round. $17.99 In-Club & BJs.com
Crystal Bead Love Knot Stud Earrings – Pair these gorgeous round earrings with any look, day or night. Packed with dozens of round crystals, each 12mm earring possesses a startling amount of sparkle and shine. The base is not without its own elegance, combining the smooth cool of sterling silver with the warm richness of 14K yellow gold in a swirling design. IGI Appraisal Value $135 At BJ’s: $89.99 In-Club & BJs.com
Berkley Jensen 100 Sq. Ft. Gift Wrap Ensemble – Five rolls of premium wrap, gift tags and coordinating bows and ribbons in a variety of metallic hues for the holiday season. $14.99 In-Club Only
Winter White:
Even if snow doesn’t touch down, incorporating winter white is still a popular way for getting into the holiday spirit. Adding classic white ware pieces will elegantly contrast with reds, greens and metallics.
· Berkley Jensen Write-and-Wipe Menu Board and Place Card Set – Let your dinner guests know what’s on the menu with this write & wipe ceramic menu board and six place cards. Use the included dry erase marker to write entertaining dinner highlights, a special dessert menu or messages of congratulations. The place cards can be used for table settings or labeling different dishes. This set is easily washable to reuse again and again. BJ’s Exclusive $14.99 In-Club & BJs.com
· Berkley Jensen Swirl Chip and Dip Dish – Constructed of super-white porcelain, the attractive Berkley Jensen Swirl Chip and Dip Dish is the perfect vessel for favorite party snacks. The bright white color makes a nice background for special occasion fare, allowing the cuisine to take center stage. Dish has an 11.8″ diameter with built-in well for dip, olives and other snacks. BJs Exclusive $11.99 In-Club & BJs.com.
· Berkley Jensen 5-Tier Buffet Server – Make the food table a display with this 3- or 5-tier buffet server from Berkley Jensen. Five stoneware trays can be used individually or as a unit, and the wire stand makes all dishes easy to reach. The trays are microwave-safe for convenient reheating and dishwasher-safe for easy clean-up. BJs Exclusive $29.99 In-Club & BJs.com
· Berkley Jensen 3-Piece Graduated Porcelain Trays with Handles – Berkley Jensen Porcelain Platters are a sleek and modern way to serve food. With pierced handles for easy handling and three different sizes, you will host and serve with ease. Comes with a small (8″x7 5/8″x1 1/8″), medium (10″x9.5″x1 38″) and large platter (12″x11 3/8″x1 3/4″). $14.99 In-Club & BJs.com
LED Lights to Light up Your Life:
Think light emitting diodes (LEDs) are just for flashlights and cell phone displays? Think again as new products are helping to bring more seasonal glitter to homes.
Sylvania Color-Changing LED Garland – Nine feet of color-changing LED bulbs intricately woven through garland is a perfect holiday accent to mantles, doorways or stair railings. Choose between steady warm white lights, steady multi-colored lights or continuously changing white to multicolored lights. The timer feature means the lights will only be on when you want them to be on without worrying about turning a switch on and off..$34.99 In-Club & BJs.com
24″ Berkley Jensen Oversized Pre-Lit Gold or Red Ornament with LED Lights – Brighten up any front lawn with these festive oversized ornaments.
48″ Berkley Jensen Stacking Snowmen with LED Lights – Colorful and festive stacking snowmen bring a sense of joy to holiday decorations. The bright LED lights are both cool white and multicolor and the included timer function allows for energy-saving convenience. BJs Exclusive $149.99 In-Club or $179.99 (Delivered) BJs.com
For a rustic and classic theme, chalkboards continue to be a stylish way to create conversation starters when entertaining.
Slate Wine and Spirit Notes, 3-Piece – These slate notes in assorted seasonal designs is such a unique way to label a gift for a wine bottle or to help label holiday cocktail fusions. $9.99 In-Club Only
Slate and Wood Paddle Serving Set, 13-Piece – Serve a variety of cheeses in an elegant manner with this 13-piece wood and slate cheese board. With black slate markers and white slate pencils, your guests will know exactly what they are sampling. Includes antique brown wooden tray with leather rope, black slate board, 3 stainless steel cheese tools, 4 black slate cheese markers and 3 white slate pencils $17.99 In-Club & BJs.com
Enjoy photos from the holiday Lifestyle Segment at WBAL News. The serving platters, recipe, and ingredients used for the Cranberries Holiday Cooking Demo are compliments of BJs Wholesale Club:
Gray Sweater from BJ’sCranberry – Orange ChutneyPecan and Cranberry Crusted Salmon with Cran-apple drizzle
Cranberry-Orange Chutney
Ingredients
12 oz. Cape Cod Fresh Cranberries
2 Tropicana Navel Oranges
2 cups Domino Pure Cane Sugar
1 cup chopped, toasted Wellsley Farms Walnuts
Directions
Pour cranberries into a food processor bowl. Cover and pulse in 2-second bursts, scraping down bowl with a rubber spatula, until the berries are coarsely chopped. Do not over-process. Transfer cranberries
to a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
Quarter unpeeled oranges and place in the processor bowl. Pulse until just coarsely chopped.
Combine oranges with cranberries in mixing bowl. Stir in 1½ cups of sugar and chopped walnuts (if using). Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary by adding more
sugar a little at a time.
Pecan and Cranberry Crusted Salmon with Cran-apple drizzle
Ingredients
2 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoon Butter, melted
2 Tablespoon Wellsley Farms Organic Honey
1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup Chopped pecans
1/4 Cup Dried cranberries, chopped
2 Tablespoon Fresh parsley, chopped
4 6oz. Salmon filets
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Cooking spray
Drizzle
1 Cup Fresh cranberry sauce (prepared according to package directions)
1/2 Cup Apple juice
1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Add fresh cranberry sauce, apple juice and vinegar in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for five minutes stirring often. Remove from heat. Set aside.
We’re going into the winter months and that includes drinking warm beverages. Coffee is generally the number one source because it keeps us awake and the flavor is delicious. We don’t want is to run out of our favorite beverage so the next option is to purchase a bulk quantity.
BJs is the number one source when buying home goods for your family on a budget. The warehouse club has an array of brands for shoppers but most importantly they offer ethically – sourced coffees from Wellsley Farms:
In honor of October’s Fair Trade Month, BJs Wholesale Club announces today the expansion of its Fair Trade Certified™ selection to include 11 ground and whole bean coffee varieties from its own brand Wellsley Farms™.
“From the lush mountains of Indonesia to the highlands of Guatemala, we travel the world to deliver Fair Trade Certified™ coffee to our Members while ensuring farmers receive fair-minded prices for their harvests,” said Melissa O’Brien, coffee buyer for BJs Wholesale Club.
Working with farmers that respect their land and their workers is the foundation for producing high-quality Wellsley Farms Coffee. All coffees are made from 100% Arabica beans from the current crop year only – carry-over beans are never used. Size, color, defects and freshness at picking are also carefully inspected. After fresh harvested beans pass a visual test, a sample is roasted. Once approved, only then will they become Wellsley Farms beans.
“With coffee farmers typically not having much land to support their whole family, by sourcing Fair Trade, we’re increasing the amount of money the farmers are receiving to help improve their social, economic and environmental conditions,” said Scott Williams, assistant vice president of quality assurance and environmental stewardship for BJ’s Wholesale Club. “On top of the Fair Trade price, farmers also receive a Premium, which is an additional fund for them to use to build schools, purchase medical supplies or use as they see fit for their communities.”
Wellsley Farms Coffee Highlights
Breakfast Blend Ground Coffee – A great way to start the day is with a cup of this signature, medium roast of 100% Arabica beans and a rich warm aroma!
Organic Sumatra Estate Whole Bean Coffee – For a uniquely earthy yet fruity flavor, this medium dark roast of 100% Arabica brew is sourced from the Selected Sumatra Estates in Indonesia.
Colombian Supremo Whole Bean Coffee – Classic, sweet flavor with a crisp finish makes this medium dark roast of 100% Arabica beans a real crowd-pleaser!
Guatemalan French Roast Whole Bean Coffee – A dark roast with a full body and 100% Arabica beans, this makes for a bold choice in the morning.
“BJs Wholesale Club is not only a company that offers high-quality coffee, it’s also a company with a uniquely authentic commitment to the people who grow it,” said Jennifer Gallegos, Director of Coffee at Fair Trade USA. “This is even more apparent with the introduction of their Wellsley Farms line, making BJ’s the first major retailer to shift the most own brands coffee varieties to Fair Trade Certified™.”
Wellsley Farms Fair Trade Certified Assortment
Whole Bean Coffee
Organic Sumatra Estate, 40 oz.
Espresso Blend, 40 oz.
Guatemalan French Roast, 40 oz.
Costa Rican, 40 oz.
Columbian Supremo, 40 oz.
Ground Coffee
Decaffeinated Blend, 40 oz.
Breakfast Blend, 40 oz.
Colombian Ground, 40 oz.
Organic Peruvian, 32 oz.
Hazelnut Flavored, 32 oz.
French Vanilla Flavored, 32 oz.
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About BJs Wholesale Club
Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, BJs is a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States. The company currently operates 208 clubs in 15 states.
BJs provides a one-stop shopping destination filled with more top-quality, leading brands including its exclusive Wellsley Farms and Berkley Jensen brands, which are all backed by BJs 100% money-back guarantee; more fresh foods from USDA Choice meats to premium produce to delicious organics in many supermarket sizes; and more great value and amazing savings every day. BJ’s is also the only membership club to accept all manufacturers’ coupons and for greater convenience offers the most payment options.
It’s football season and you know what that means, fun and delicious food! Get ready to cheer on your favorite team with help from BJs Wholesale Club. It’s easier than ever to plan party menus at BJs for tailgating (or homegating) at home!
With their wide selection of festive, fresh and fine-quality foods, BJs makes it convenient to order deli platters, cookie assortments and custom-order cakes made exactly to your specifications. There’s no need to stress out, simply plan your menu and pick up items.
To make the process easier, browse through the brochure, then fill out an order form in-Club — or download one to print and fill out at home then, simply drop it into the kiosk at your local club. There’s a wide variety of foods such as Wellsley Farms® or Dietz & Watson® Sandwich Ring, Wellsley Farms ® Entertainer Platter, Perdue Party Wing Platter, and Classic Cheese Tray.
Your order can be ready for pick-up in as little as 24 hours! I’m looking forward to hosting my next tailgate party with yummy treats from BJs Wholesale Club.
Get creative with sandwich ideas and take a break from your “normal” turkey club! Below, I’ve shared a video to provide some fun lunch solutions.
Photo from BJs Member Services Ad
Start your lunch prep (today) whether for yourself or family in a matter of minutes. Of course, all ingredients can be found at your local BJs Wholesale Club.
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