This past August, our family went on a family vacation to Colorado. I’ve promised time and time again to share with you all of the fun we had in Denver and Estes Park, and I’ve finally had the time to go through the 600+ (ahem) pictures I took so I can share some of them with you. We had a such a great time as a family in Colorado and I can’t wait to visit again!

The first leg of our road trip found us in Denver, Colorado. We decided early on that Nick and Jacob would have guy time in Denver while the girls and I lived it up together. While the boys took in a ball game and other boy things, the girls and I went shopping then got settled in a room at the beautiful Four Seasons Hotel downtown. (more…)

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of heading to Medford, Oregon to spend a few days with the folks at Harry & David.

First of all, as you can probably guess, I loved Oregon. Completely and totally to pieces. And yes, I may have said one or two times that I want to move there… big shocker, right? I promise I don’t say that about every place I visit… just many!

Friends from left to right: Maria, Rebecca, Amy, Jenna, Heidi, Jessica, Lori, Sandy, me, Rachel and Bridget

Joining me on the trip to Oregon were some of my great friends in the blogging business. You know them all, I’m sure, and I bet you read their recaps weeks ago… these gals are talented, smart, beautiful and totally on the ball. I would be the slacker of the group.

We gathered together in Medford to spend some time getting to know the folks at Harry & David, a bit better. We were given the opportunity to take an inside peek at the company, look at how their operations run, and discover the true heart of their organization… the people who have worked for them throughout the years. Needless to say, I was impressed.

While I was in Oregon I learned a few things. I discovered that Harry & David grows their pears and peaches right there in Oregon. I also learned that they are the most incredible peaches and pears I have ever tasted (which is why I am signing up for The Harry & David Fruit of the Month club ASAP… you can’t get fruit like this in Kansas!)

I learned that I have fairly mad skills when it comes to basket arranging. Creating and tying bows… not so much. (Plus I found out that Harry & David is full of long-term, dedicated employees. People who work there, stay there. As a former Human Resources person, I know what a special thing that is… they are obviously doing something right!)

I discovered that even though I thought I hated blue cheese, I actually LOVE blue cheese… specifically blue cheese from a friend of Harry & David, Rogue Creamery. See that simple little app up there with Harry & David peaches and a piece of blue cheese? I could eat that every single day and nothing else and be perfectly happy. So good.

I was also reminded of my love for the friendship I have with people I have met through the years from blogging. It’s crazy that some of the people I consider to be some of my dearest friends are people I met on the interwebs. I am so thankful to have these ladies in my life and am especially grateful to Harry & David for bringing us together for an epic event. It was truly fantastic.

The recipe I’m sharing today is a throw together of an incredible salad we had on the Harry & David event. It was probably one of the best salads I have ever had and the dressing was so light…I had to try and create a version at home. I have no idea if I’m even close, but this Red Wine Peach Vinaigrette is almost as good!)

Disclaimer: Harry and David paid for my travel and accommodations and treated us to an amazing event. All opinions expressed are my own.

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We’re going on a road trip…

Actually, we’re headed out on our family vacation at the YMCA or The Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado with a stop at The Four Seasons in Denver along the way.

This equates to fine times ahead, but a long, 10+ hour car ride to get there. Long car rides + four kids = a whole lot of fun, as you can imagine.

People always ask me how I get my kids to travel so well in the car. Long distances are nothing… in fact, each spring break the kids and I take a 36 hour round trip car ride to visit my parents in South Texas. They are little road warriors, which is a great thing.

My secret to a less harried travel experience is snacks. Lots and lots of snacks. I swear my kids could eat the entire trip if I let them (and sometimes I do if it buys me some peace and quiet along the way!)

When I saw this great idea on Pinterest, linked from the Tip Junkie site, I knew it would be a fun way to ration out the snacks for our upcoming vacation. Each kid gets their own box full of a variety of our favorite snacks. How smart is that? This way I don’t have to dole out snacks the entire way and they can snack on what they want, when they want. Pair it with a cold water bottle and I’m hoping we have happy travelers!

Instructions for creating your own travel snack kit for kids:

• A clean, lap size tackle box with adjustable compartments. Choose one that latches closed tightly to avoid accidental spilling.
• Small snacks that will fit within the adjustable compartments
• If you want to get all fancy crafty on your kids, you can use puffy paint or something fun to decorate the outside. In fact get some stickers and let that be a travel activity they can do in the car on the way!
• Simply fill the compartments with snacks, latch it up and surprise them with it once you start your road trip! It’s that easy!

What are some of your favorite tips for traveling with kids? Make sure to check out these other Kid Travel Tips from Tip Junkie!

Nick and I just got back from enjoying a kid-free vacation in Park City, Utah… the first we’ve shared in over 6 years.

In 6 years time, it is pretty easy to forget all the reasons you fell in love with your spouse in the first place. I definitley knew I still loved my husband, but this vacation was exactly what we needed to get reacquainted with each other again, and that was a good thing.

With 4 kids and grandparents who live far away, getting away for even a date night is hard. Add to that living on one income and juggling busy schedules, finding the time and resources to get away isn’t easy, but we decided it was time to make it happen.

There’s something to be said for adult time… getting to have real conversations without interruption, sleeping without little bodies wiggling between you, eating at restaurants you wouldn’t set foot in with children, doing activities (like our 22 mile hike) that you wouldn’t sanely take 4 kids on…. it was truly blissful.

It’s important to turn off the noise and let the light shine on you as a couple every once in awhile. Hopefully, now that we’ve had this reminder, it will happen more often than not. I am grateful for the man I married. I love my kids too, but I know that we will both be better parents if we continue to invest in our marriage this way, don’t you think?

We’re back home now, but have one more kid free evening ahead of us. I see these fun cocktails and a good movie night in my future!

I’m thankful for my in-laws for keeping the kids at their place while Nick and I vacationed together! We couldn’t have done it without them.

Nick and I are in Park City, Utah for our first kids free vacation in more years than I care to admit. We have had a very nice, relaxing time beginning with a 4 hour nap the first day! We’re obviously making up for lost time.

When we haven’t been napping, we’ve been exploring the beautiful outdoors. Park City is one of my favorite towns. Quaint shops, great restaurants and amazing landscape, we’ve talked time and time again about how much we would love to live here. At the very least, if moving isn’t going to happen, we know it is one of the places we want to return to for vacations in the future.

Today we had the opportunity to go to Olympic Village and just so happened to be there in time to see some future olympic hopefuls training. It was a pretty amazing thing to watch!

Our goal for this vacation was to rest, relax and reconnect. We didn’t go into it with much of a plan – it’s kind of how we roll, and one of the things I love most about my husband. When it comes to traveling, we like to take things as they come and let our mood direct our days.

This afternoon was about as perfect as it could get for exploring the mountains during a hike. Thank goodness I had my new Nokia Lumina 900 Windows Phone. Without a plan in place, Nick and I were able to download an app called Outdoor Navigation, find a great trail for hiking, and keep track of our elevation, distance, direction and speed. It was honestly the easiest app I’ve ever used for outdoor navigation! My Windows phone also worked like a dream in the mountains, never losing signal and keeping us on track perfectly. Make sure to check out the Windows Phone Home Page for your own demo of the power of this great phone.

I’ll be sharing more about our vacation as well as more about my experience with the Windows Nokia Lumina 900 phone over the next couple weeks. Oh, and stay tuned as I’ll be sharing a giveaway for one of the phones as well! I hope you enjoy following along!

Disclosure: Microsoft gave me the the new Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone to test drive.  I am being compensated for this review, however all opinions are all my own.

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I mentioned in a Project 365 post a couple weeks ago that I had recently returned from spending a few days in New Orleans with Zatarain’s. I’ve been meaning to write about my trip since then, but have honestly had a really hard time trying to condense what I want to share with you into a post worthy of the experience.

Photo courtesy of Laura

Let me start off by introducing you to the 2012 Zatarain’s Blogger Ambassador Krewe… most of us started off as strangers but after a few fun days together, we became fast friends. We all have different personalities and our styles all vary, but we meshed together so well. It was a perfect fit all around. From left to right: Jim, Manyana, Rachel, Laura, Steph and Myself.

Zatarain’s, a signature part of New Orleans cooking for over 100 years, invited us to New Orleans for a complete immersion experience. They wanted to bring us into the company to learn all about them as well as immerse us in the culture of New Orleans. What I discovered is the two go hand in hand.. one isn’t possible without the other.

Zatarain’s is a company with heart and soul, just like the city it is located in. We all know Zatarain’s as a leader in the spice, seasoning and rice mix market, but what stood out to me the most was Zatarain’s strong values and family centered focus. The sense of family and values was loud and clear every where you turned. How many company’s this size do you know who stop midday and eat lunch together “as a family”? Right… that’s pretty rare, isn’t it?

I was surprised to find New Orleans to be the same way.. a very family centric city. As someone from Kansas, I imagined New Orleans  to be a booze loving, shirt lifting, do anything for beads kind of town. Sure… there is some of that, but for locals, the absolute heart of New Orleans and the Mardi Gras season is family and community.

Well, family, community and food. I have never been to a city with such a vibrant food scene like this one. Rich in history, rounded in tradition, and centered on quality, New Orleans is a food lovers dream land. Thanks to New Orleans own Chef John Besh, we experienced an afternoon and evening of eating and drinking like nothing I’ve ever been a part of. Experiencing the restaurants Borgne, Domenica and August are a must if you visit New Orleans. If you go, you can expect wonderful hospitality and some of the most amazing food you’ll ever taste. Come hungry because you will leave stuffed!

I feel honored to have been welcomed into the Zatarain’s family and to be embraced by the kindhearted people of New Orleans. We experienced some Mardi Gras parades while we were there and I cannot wait to take my kids someday. I can’t put into words this experience but can tell you that a Mardi Gras parade with the family and community of New Orleans is like nothing I’ve ever experienced… in a very good way. It’s a vibrant, fun filled, surreal experience.

Photo courtesy of Steph

A special thanks to Zatarain’s for opening my eyes and heart to your great company, to Chef John Besh for stuffing us full of food and drinks and for the great hospitality of your chefs and staff, and to the city of New Orleans for just being you… I fell in love.

I’m sharing a recipe today that was served for lunch while we were at the Zatarain’s headquarters. This recipe comes from the Zatarain’s kitchen and is a “Jazzed Up” version of Zatarain’s boxed Jambalaya. It is seriously the best Jambalaya I’ve ever tasted. Enjoy!

Recipe: Zatarain’s Jazzed Up Jambalaya

• 1 80z box Zatarain’s Jambalaya Mix
• 2.25 cups water
• 4 ounces bacon
• 12 ounces smoked pork sausage (cut in moons)
• 12 ounces bite size pieces chicken thighs
• 4 ounces creole seasoning
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 quarter cup green onions

1. In a medium sized pot, fry down bacon until cooked, remove bacon (leave drippings). Add smoked sausage, cook unitl it starts to get brown, then remove.
2. Rub chicken thighs with creole seasoning. Add chicken thighs to the pot and cook till pieces are starting to brown. When finished add back the sausage and bacon with the vegetables. Cook for around 5 minutes.
3. Add water and bring to a boil. Add the Jambalaya Mix and stir and cover.
4. Bring back to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for around 20 minutes (or until most of the water is gone) stirring occasionally. When done turn off heat, uncover, stir in green onions, recover and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve and Enjoy.

 I am a compensated member of the Zatarain’s Blogger Ambassador Krewe. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

I am linking this post to I’m Lovin’ It on TidyMom!

This giveaway is now closed and the winners have been notified. (P. Kennedy and R. Smith). If a response isn’t received within the required time frame, new winners will be selected. Thanks for participating!

I recently returned from the trip of a lifetime…an all expenses paid trip for my family to Universal Studios Resort and the Loews Portifino Bay resort in Orlando, FL. I’m pinching myself that we were even asked to take part in such a great event.

I want to share a few highlights, in the way of a top 10 list, with you but don’t worry. There’s something in all this for you too! We’re giving away EIGHT 2-day passes, which includes tickets to both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. We are breaking this up into 2 so TWO families have the chance to win 4 2-day passes! Each package of 4 is valued at $539.96. All packages together are valued at $1079.92. The prize is to be used by June 11, 2012, or winner will forfeit prize

Without further ado, here are my top ten highlights (in no particular order) from our trip!

1. Butterbeer

If you are a fan of Harry Potter, you’ve most likely heard of Butterbeer. Let me tell you this… I can’t get this stuff out of my mind. They only sell it in the Harry Potter part of Islands of Adventure and we did have to sneak away quite a few times just so I could get my Butterbeer fix. I may have to go back sooner than later so I can satisfy my craving! I attempted to get the recipe from the chef who created all of the recipes in Harry Potter land, but he wouldn’t budge. Darnit!

2.  The Rides

Oh my… the rides. I’ve been known to take the chicken exit a time or two in my life. You would be happy to know that I conquered the two terrifying roller coasters (The Hulk and Hollywood Ripride Rockit) pictured above as well as several others. What I loved about these two parks is there are rides for every age. From the rides at Seuss Landing to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, there is something for every age at Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure! (I don’t know if other parks have this, but these two parks have “child swap” areas for specific rides, where you wait in line and then go into a room with child friendly movies. While one parent rides the other watches the kids and then you “swap” places once the ride is over. So cool!)

3.  New Friends

This was the first blogging trip I’ve been on that included my family and it was such a blast. The kids met new friends, my husband and I met new friends, and it was a fun experience all around! I think one of the best quotes I heard was from one of my sons new buddies when he said “This trip is kind of bad because you make all these great new friends and then we have to leave them.” I totally get that. It was so hard to experience this and then to say goodbye when the week was over.

4.  Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Orlando

The most luxurious, family friendly resort I’ve ever stayed at. Kid friendly, pet friendly, adult friendly… this hotel had it all. Gorgeous pools, incredible plaza area with entertainment, courteous staff and more! If you are planning an Orlando vacation, definitley consider checking out Lowes Portofino Bay Hotel! (The pictures above is the view from our balcony, overlooking other parts of the hotel and the plaza)

5. Blue Man Group

Short and sweet, but if you get the opportunity to see their show, go. Incredible and like nothing else I’ve ever been to!

6.  The Food

The food… oh my, the food. From the dinners created by the chef at Loews to what we ate while at Universal and Islands of Adventure to our date night at Margaritaville, we ate some good grub. There is a cocktail recipe I am hoping to snag for you… see that straberry cocktail in the pics above? Soooooo good!

7.  Luau Fun

I’ve never been to a Luau before, so being treated to a luau as part of one of our evening activities was a definite highlight. I left there completely beaming.  You know when you have those moments, looking around at your family, and things just seem oh so perfect? That was how I felt that night. Things couldn’t be any better. Such a fun experience!

8.  Flash Mobs

We had the chance to be live at the Universal Studios press conference where they shared some exciting news. Universal Studios is creating a ride based on the hit kids movie, Despicable Me (one of my favorite movies!) After the announcement, we were all outside and witnessed a Minion Flashmob. It’s hard not to smile when you witness a flash mob – especially when minion’s are involved.  You can find the Minion Flashmob at this link.

9.  Welcome Summer

Loews Portofino Bay had a wonderful summer kickoff event on our last evening there. Hula hooping, dancing, cup stacking, bean bag tosses, great food and fun. What a wonderful way to end a most amazing week at Universal Orlando and Loews Portofino Bay hotel.

Before I get to #10, I just want to say a huge thank you to the folks at Universal Orlando and Loews Portofino Bay for including us. We are so grateful to have been a part of this amazing group of bloggers. Our family will remember this trip forever…so many great memories were made. If there is such a thing as vacation perfection, this was it. We wouldn’t have changed a thing! Our most sincere thanks!

and now…one of the best parts of our Universal Orlando vacation is…

#10. Sharing it with you!!

As I said before, I am so excited to share this giveaway with you! We’re giving away EIGHT 2-day passes, which includes tickets to both Universal Studios Orlando and Islands of Adventure. We are breaking this up into 2 so TWO families have the chance to win 4 2-day passes! Each package of 4 is valued at $539.96. All packages together are valued at $1079.92. The prize is to be used by June 11, 2012, or winner will forfeit prize.

If you are planning a vacation to Orlando, I want you to know that I never thought of Universal Studios as a destination for our vacation. I always considered it as something to tack on to after planning a vacation to other Orlando destinations. We were so busy and had so much fun during our week at Universal…between the hotel pools and entertainment, the two theme parks and the City Walk, we still didn’t have time to get everything in. Next time we head to Orlando, our family has voted to make Universal Studios our destination!

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite vacation. Receive an additional entry for each of the following:

• Tweet the following: I just entered to win a family 4-pack of passes to Universal Studios Orlando from @dineanddish & @uornews http://su.pr/86c9Hh (Leave a comment on this post letting me know you tweeted)
• Follow @UORNews on Twitter (Leave a comment on this post letting me know you did this)
• Become a friend of Dine & Dish on Facebook (Leave a comment on this post letting me know you did this)
• Leave an extra comment on this post letting me know what your favorite color is – just for fun.

Winner will be chosen via Random.org. Entries must be received by midnight CST on Wednesday, June 1st 2011. Winner will be notified via email on June 2nd and will have 48 hours to respond. If there is no response, another winner will be chosen. Thanks and good luck!!

Universal Studios flew my family and I out to Orlando for an all expenses paid vacation and they are providing the prize pack for the giveaway. All opinions expressed within this post are my own.