Editor Reviews

Nobody gets excited about a new laundromat, until they end up with a power outage at home, or either a washer/dryer that’s out of commission and family members complaining that they’ve run out of clean undies. Or maybe it’s a season in life where you end up with a backlog of laundry and want to knock it all out in a couple of hours flat. Or… you know… when it’s time to wash those huge bed comforters or all the draperies in the house.

That’s why I’m ecstatic to tell you about the new washateria at 24421 Gosling Rd, just south of The Woodlands. If you’re at Woodlands Parkway & Gosling Rd, just head south on Gosling and you’ll arrive at Smart Wash Laundry less than a minute past W. Rayford Rd.

Shhhh!! Who knew silent mice were a thing? Such a simple little gadget has made all the difference in my household!  A year ago, I didn't even know there was a such thing as a silent mouse. My poor husband. All these years I've stayed up late, night after night, working on my computer - click, click, click goes my mouse as he tries to sleep while I browse the Internet and make updates to my website. He has never complained. I mean, you would think a mouse click is no big deal, but at the end of the day when the house falls quiet, even smaller noises seem to be amplified.

Have you seen the Little Live Pets "My Puppy's Home" toy? It's a WoodlandsMommy.com Editor's Pick for the 2023-2024 season, because it's one of the most innovative and magical toys we've seen in a long time. In a nutshell, your child will (very easily) assemble a sweet little dog house, choose a name for his/her new puppy, and once the kennel is complete, the puppy magically appears inside of it, giving a playful bark. I'm not joking. Your child will see the newly-built empty kennel, and then within minutes, there's the cutest surprise in the form of an adorable pet puppy right there!! The cute pet puppy appears with a toy bone in his mouth and making interactive puppy sounds. Let me just say that my 9-year-old and my 18-year-old daughters were equally impressed with this toy!​

What would you think if I told you your child can mix up some fun kitchen ingredients and actually bake up a REAL interactive plush friend? It's true! The Cookeez Makery Oven Playset is one of the most innovative toys I've seen in a long time! Your child can mix together some raw ingredients, pop it into the Cookeez Makery Baked Treatz Oven, and he/she will soon have a new plush companion! I find myself wondering WHERE WAS THIS TOY when I was a kid? It's an extraordinary blend of creativity mixed with a bit of MAGIC.

Hey foodies! I have an adorable restaurant for you to add to your list. It’s part of the new Hyatt Regency Conroe in Grand Central Park – just a short drive from The Woodlands (20 minutes tops!) – so you can make this a full-blown staycation experience. An R&R (restaurant and retreat) is the ultimate couple’s date or girl’s weekend away, so start making plans!

Conroux opened at the end of May and is located on the first floor of the Hyatt Regency at 1001 Grand Central Parkway, Conroe, TX 77304, just south of historic downtown Conroe.

I made my visit a mommy & me excursion with my teenage daughter, and we also checked in for an overnight stay.

Editor's Experience

Ahhh, let me tell you!! The restaurant is sooooo gorgeous! It’s bright and spacious with high ceilings and modern architectural details. I really admired the circular dining booth seating that makes for cozy couples’ conversation. In my case, hanging with my teen, we enjoyed sitting together and taking selfies! 

Gotta be honest… the "roux" in the restaurant name made me think that this was a Creole/Cajun type of joint, but luckily I was smart enough to check the menu in advance. There's some fusion going on, but this isn't New Orleans cuisine, so don't come here expecting it. The full-service restaurant actually celebrates Texas Gulf cuisine with homage to Vietnamese flavors through menu items like crawfish fritters, corn chowder, and pork belly banh mi. This place does food their own way, featuring dishes driven by local ingredients.

For starters, we ordered two drinks: a Passionfruit Cherry Limeade mocktail, and The Texas Sunset, their signature craft cocktail with orange juice and pineapple, two of my favorite fruit flavors! I'm not one for alcoholic beverages, but I heard that this one had smoke involved, and, well, I'm always up for a good “show.” The drink was poured tableside, so indeed I got the entertainment I was seeking, a beautiful display of aromatic smoke, softly twirling upward. To boot, the drink was delectable and elegant, sweet and citrusy – sure to especially delight you if you enjoy a good Bourbon.

For appetizers, we tried the corn muffins, the crawfish fritters, and crab cakes. My favorite was the crab cakes, and you’ll have to disregard the fact that it’s plural on the menu. It’s served as a single crabcake that’s thick and plentiful (enough to share), fresh, and flavorful.

I asked my server for a recommendation for the main entree, and she quickly offered the redfish as a favorite choice. Perfect, as it was the very thing I was eyeing. Mmm, mmm, mmm. Be warned, it's called Blackened Redfish, but it wasn't the blackened with all the smoky, charred, Creole flavors that I was used to. What I got was an absolutely scrumptious, perfectly-flavored cut of fish, with crispy skin on top. That single piece of crispy skin really made my whole meal! It was well-seasoned with a slight tangy/lemony flavor, and I know I will order this dish again and again. The fish was paired with the best sautéed spinach. Mind you, spinach is often something I tolerate but never something I truly enjoy. This spinach, however, was very enjoyable!

Hold on, I said the crispy fish skin made the meal, but I forgot about the dessert.

Believe me when I tell you that I am serious about my chocolate cake! For dessert I ordered the Chocolate Mousse Crunch which was rich, but not too rich, smooth and decadent, yet it had a layer of crunchiness that just made for one perfect bite after the next. It’s served with a dollop of chocolate sauce elegantly spread on the plate. The chocolate cake was so palette-pleasing, I ordered a second one to go.

Here's a photo of my daughter’s cheeseburger. As far as burgers go, it wasn't her favorite, and she did feel like it could've been a bit juicier. (I don't know why she ordered a cheeseburger when there were so many other unique flavors on the menu to sample!) She also felt the burger could've used a bit more salt. I didn’t sample it, but I did taste the fries, and they were delicious!

I definitely recommend giving this restaurant a try when you're tired of the same old same old. You'll get a peek at the Hyatt Regency hotel, which is beautiful.

As I mentioned above, we stayed overnight. Hyatt Regency Conroe has 250 well-appointed guestrooms, with complimentary Wi-Fi, modern bath amenities like Smart Mirror featuring ideal lighting, and 65” flat screen televisions with streaming capabilities. Our bed was comfortable, the room was clean, and the whole vibe had a contemporary flair. All in all, it's about what you'd expect for a new Hyatt hotel.

My favorite part of the hotel was the multiple conversation areas. Throughout the hotel, especially the first floor, there are multiple elegant spaces to sit with company. I can imagine myself staying overnight again for a work escape, and inviting a girlfriend or two to join me in the lobby area for some juicy conversation.

After you’ve had a chance to visit, please drop me a line and let me know what you thought about it!

This was our first time tie-dyeing socks, and they came out so cute that I wanted to share our experience with you. If you’re intimidated at the thought of dyeing t-shirts, or maybe you need a project for the kids that will take less time and is easier to manage, consider purchasing the Tulip Slumber Party Crazy Socks Kit (affiliate link). I purchased this kit over a year ago, and we finally decided to pull it out and bring our creations to life. It turned out to be the perfect creative thing to do to fill some spare moments at home on a Saturday afternoon. (We dyed t-shirts too, and my kids are serious about their tie dye, so all-in-all – t-shirts and socks – we spent 45 minutes on  the "dyeing" part of this project. If you're just doing socks, I estimate it'll take 10-15 minutes or less).

Valentine’s Day may traditionally be a lovers’ holiday, but it’s also an opportunity to connect with those who make your heart happiest, whether it’s family, friends or anyone who enriches your life. Celebrate all types of love this Valentine’s Day with thoughtful gifts that show how much you care.

As the old adage says, the fastest way to one’s heart is the stomach. Sweet treats are a sure sign of your affection, and for centuries, chocolate has been revered as the flavor of love.

From gifting to hosting and all the other moments throughout the season of love, you can delight your nearest and dearest with gourmet chocolates from Ethel M Chocolates.

Thanks to an amazing colleague, I was recently re-introduced to the many benefits of using Clinique products. Last year (Christmas!), I was gifted a bag of goodies that included a tube of Clinique's dramatically different moisturizing lotion, one of my favorite moisturizers ever! (Certainly you've seen it before. It's yellow.)

Honestly, the gift was a blast from the past. I used Clinique a long time ago, when I was in high school (well, I guess not THAT long ago). But somewhere along the way, I traded in the reliably, dermatologist-developed, multi-step skin care regimen in exchange for lazy nights of not really washing my face much at all. (Please stop judging me.)

When it comes to seasonal apparel for kids, The Children’s Place is a WoodlandsMommy.com Editor's Pick. I've been buying their graphic tees for my kids for over a decade, and while the prices have gone up a dollar or two over the years, it’s still a bargain to get a cute, 100% cotton shirt for fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, for only about five dollars. (Of course they have shirts for the other seasons too - Easter, Valentine's Day, patriotic days, etc.)

So, Popeyes has beignets now. I’m not a beignet snob, but I’ve had my fair share of beignets that didn’t measure up. These DO! Otherwise, I wouldn’t bother writing a whole post on a fast food dessert, trust me.

The beignets are filled with Hershey’s chocolate, they’re slightly crunchy, slightly chewy, and made fresh to order (which added an extra 4 minutes to my wait.) I WOULD say I like them better than the ones I’ve had at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans, but I don’t need anybody (particularly my husband) coming after me. So I won’t say it.