Food Fun Family

Kings Dominion BBQ and Brew Fest 2017

Lolli — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 21:20:19 +0000

My family and I were thrilled to receive an invite to BBQ and Brew Fest at Kings Dominion this past weekend. We couldn’t wait to return for our second year in a row (although this was BBQ and Brew Fest’s 3rd season at the park). The post was sponsored by Cedar Fair in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, but all thoughts, excitement, and photos are my own.

We decided to make this year’s BBQ and Brew Fest at Kings Dominion a fun family weekend getaway and stayed in the Richmond area Friday and Saturday so we could have a full day – opening to closing – at the park. We couldn’t have asked for better weather for a day at Kings Dominion, especially for August!

What is BBQ and Brew Fest?

BBQ and Brew Fest, in it’s 3rd season, runs Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 8pm between August 5 and August 20. Park-goers can enjoy mouthwatering BBQ from all over the region and relax or dance along with live entertainment (whichever strikes your fancy!). For those of you who are 21+ and enjoy a good craft beer, you can quench your thirst with the best local craft beers in Virginia. Since I’m not a beer drinker myself, I just enjoyed as much of the BBQ as possible!

Memphis Dry Rub Ribs

Memphis-style Mac & Cheese

North Carolina Pulled Chicken Wontons

Shish Kabob Beef from Georgia

How it Works

Visit BBQ booths around Candy Apple Grove to taste sample size BBQ dishes from Texas, Georgia, Memphis, North Carolina, Virginia, and St. Louis. Each sample size portion costs 2-4 Taste Tokens. Tokens can be purchased at the Festival Information Center. The “sample” sizes were very generous, and we all got plenty to eat!

BBQ and Brew Fest Menu 2017

We all spread out and visited several BBQ regions. I think my favorite item was the tater tots with pulled duck and creamy gouda cheese. How delicious does that sound?! It was as tasty as it sounds and looks!

Tater tots with pulled duck and creamy gouda cheese

Live Entertainment

There is live music and entertainment every day of the festival between 12-2pm and 4-6pm – perfect for the lunch and dinner crowds! There are places to sit and enjoy the music while you sip on a cold drink and nibble on some tasty BBQ.

Enjoy a Day at Kings Dominion

Of course, we enjoyed the rest of the day at Kings Dominion riding as many rides as possible and taking a relaxing break or two at a show, too! Check out this summer’s shows at https://www.kingsdominion.com/play/shows-and-entertainment. We loved Jump: The Ultimate Dog Show (which runs through September 4 in the Peanuts Showplace) and Origins: A Cirque Experience (which runs through September 4 in the Kings Dominion Theater in Old Virginia).

Origins: A Cirque Experience at Kings Dominion

Jump: The Ultimate Dog Show at Kings Dominion

There’s so much to do at Kings Dominion – from family-friendly rides to thrill rides to water rides to shows! We did a little bit of everything last weekend!

Caricature Drawings at Kings Dominion

Cooling off on the Shenandoah Lumber Company Log Ride

Hurry over to Kings Dominion for the remainder of BBQ and Brew Fest 2017. You’ll love it!

Connect with BBQ and Brew Fest

Learn More about BBQ and Brew Fest: https://www.kingsdominion.com/play/events/bbq-and-brew
Park website: https://www.kingsdominion.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingsdominionva
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingsdominionva/
Twitter: @KingsDominionVA

6 Things to Do at Hersheypark Christmas Candylane

Lolli — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 12:00:32 +0000

My family and I spent last weekend kicking off the holiday season at Hersheypark as part of my Sweetest Moms ambassadorship. Our park admission and some activities were covered by Hersheypark, but all thoughts are my own.

Hersheypark’s Christmas Candylane began Friday, November 11th and is open on select dates through Sunday, January 1, 2017. For operational hours and dates visit www.Hersheypark.com.

Tickets are only $19 and free for kids 2 and under.

I highly recommend bundling up and bringing layers when you visit the park during the holiday season. It’s kind of fun to take a break from our normal summer visits and enjoy the park fully decked out for Christmas. There are festive lights everywhere, Christmas music playing around every corner, and…refillable Hershey’s hot chocolate! It doesn’t get much better than all the hot chocolate you can drink (note: souvenir hot chocolate mugs can be purchased at most of the food vendors throughout the park and can be filled for free on the first day or for 99 cents after the first day. I recommend buying the mug as soon as you get to the park!).

Here are 6 things to do at Hersheypark Christmas Candylane:

Enjoy 5 Fabulous Roller Coasters

Bundle up and enjoy 5 of Hersheypark’s fun and fabulous roller coasters: Cocoa Cruiser, sooperdooperLooper, Wildcat, Wild Mouse, and Laff Trakk. There are a ton of kids rides open as well.

Meet Santa and His Reindeer

Santa is available at Hersheypark (near the Kissing Tower…just follow the signs!) for pictures and the obligatory “gift discussion.”

You can also schedule breakfast or lunch at Hersheypark Place. You get a delicious meal and entertainment from Mrs. Clause and her friends, singing, story telling and a treat for everyone 12 and under. There are tons of photo opportunities with Santa himself. Reservations are required.

Santa’s 9 reindeer (including fan-favorite, Rudolph) are also available for a visit. You can ask the reindeer’s special handlers any question you can think of. We learned a lot about reindeer antlers (did you know that they get a new set of antlers EVERY year and that you can tell reindeer apart by their antlers, which are totally unique from other reindeer?).

A Music Box Christmas

A mysterious music box found in Grandma’s attic brings the magic of Christmas to life in this delightful show that “kids” of all ages will enjoy! Expect lots of dancing and songs and a special, sparkly surprise at the end! A Music Box Christmas can be seen at the Chevrolet Music Box Theatre at Hersheypark.
Presented by Capitol BlueCross

NOEL (“Nights of Extraordinary Lights”) at The Hollow

NOEL, a breathtaking light show featuring more than 200,000 dancing lights synchronized to your favorite Christmas music, is something you can’t miss on your winter trip to Hersheypark! Shows are every half hour starting at 5 PM (when the park is open). Note: there are a few different shows, with a unique variety of holiday tunes, so be sure to check back a few times during the night.

Christmas Candylane Storytime

Join one of Santa’s elves for a holiday story at the Cookie Workshop, located in Kissing Tower Hill.

Weeknights: 6 & 7:30 PM
Saturdays & Sundays: 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 6 & 7:30 PM
Dec. 24, 31 & Jan. 1: 2:30, 3:30 & 4:30 PM

Rudolph’s Skating Pond

Enjoy “ice” skating on Rudoplh’s synthetic skating pond. You can rent skates for a small fee (I believe it was $2 or $3) right next to the reindeer stables.

Photo courtesy of Hershey

What are you most excited to do at Hersheypark Christmas Candylane? Be sure to check back, because I’ll be bringing more family-fun coverage of our trip, including our stay at Hersheypark’s Camping Resort, our appearance on Hershey’s Kitchens Live, and fun things to do at Hershey’s Chocolate World.

5 Fun Family Road Trips for Fall Foliage

Lolli — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 18:55:48 +0000

Fall is the perfect time to take a family road trip and enjoy some quality time together on the road. The weather is cool, the crowds may be thinned out, and if you go during the right time, the trees will be full of vibrant leaves waiting to be kissed by the sun.

Exploring the country in the fall means you’ll get to do some sight-seeing at gorgeous locations that are decked out in autumn splendor. America is full of many scenic locations that make for perfect road trips, so why not plan a trip to one of the five below?

Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina

The Blue Ridge Parkway spans 500 miles and is a great route to take for a road trip because you get to enjoy a variety of farmland and forests. The drive takes you near some popular cities such as Asheville, North Carolina and smaller mountain towns like Blowing Rock and Galax, which is a popular destination for bluegrass fans because of the Blue Ridge Music Center.

Another popular road trip destination in Virginia is the Shenandoah National Park. You could plan two separate trips and enjoy the sights that both routes have to offer. The Shenandoah National Park is home to Skyline Drive, which is a 105-mile road that goes through the park and has abundant views.

No matter which route you decide to take, be sure to check the foliage update on the state’s website to go during peak viewing season. You might want to plan ahead and book a hotel in advance during the peak season because rooms go quickly in the area.

Vermont’s Green Mountain and Mad River Byways

Vermont is a very popular destination for travelers who love seeing the fall foliage. You can drive leisurely on one-lane highways that take you through mountains and valleys that are full of color. To get the best views, start where the Mad River flows in Waitsfield, travel through Waterbury, and go on to Stowe. Stowe is home to the highest colorful peak in Vermont. The entire route is a short 23.9 miles.

While you’re there, you can enjoy a cider tasting at Cold Hollow Cider Mill or go shopping at the Cabot Annex, which happens to include the famous Cabot Cheese and Lake Champlain Chocolates. These little attractions are a perfect follow-up after a beautiful drive such as the one in Vermont. Since it’s a short route, you will still have some time and energy to explore the area.

The Coast of Michigan

Michigan’s coast offers plenty of opportunities to view breathtaking fall foliage. The route starts in Traverse City and runs 100 miles through Northeast Michigan. You will see fishing towns to explore and sweet coves from Lake Michigan’s shores as well as beautiful, fiery-red oak and maple leaves contrasting against the green fir, pine and spruce trees of Grand Traverse Bay.

You can stop and enjoy the views from Inspiration Point, walk through the idyllic villages of Omena and Peshwabestown that are located by the lake or visit an attraction from the 19^th Century, the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. There is something for the whole family to enjoy in Michigan.

Lake Moosehead, Maine

Lake Moosehead is Maine’s largest lake and is lined with vibrant trees full of fall foliage for you to enjoy. To see the best views, start at Maine’s white-water-rafting location, The Forks, and travel to Jackman and into the North Woods. Be sure to stop at the Attean Overlook to see its famous views that extend all the way to the Canadian border.

Then go on over to Rockwood towards Lake Moosehead’s shores and stay a while in Greenville before driving under the trees as you take unpaved logging roads that boast beautiful sights. The entire route spans 75.2 miles.

If you and your family are feeling up for a challenge – why not hop on the 3,271 mile path of The Oregon Trail? It begins in Maine and takes you on the path the American settlers took across the nation to Oregon and you’ll see miles of beautiful country along the way.

Before you plan your trip, check the state’s website for the best times to see the leaves at their peak.

New Mexico’s Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway

This 84-mile route is home to some of the best views in the southwest. The Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway runs from Taos to Eagle Nest, through Angel Fire, and then back to Taos again. There are many things to see along the route.

Eagle Nest is home to Wheeler Peak, a 13,161-foot peak. Along the route, you will see aspens in shades of orange, cinquefoil in purple and cottonwoods in red and yellow. You might spot some of the wildlife as well, such as black bear, eagles and elk.

In this area you can visit Elizabethtown, which is an old gold-mining town, or stop by the Taos Fall Arts Festival if you’re in the area when it’s open.

So the next time you get the itch to enjoy a long drive on some open road with beautiful scenery, consider one of these destinations during the fall. Grab a map and plan your trip so you won’t miss out anything. All that’s left to do is pack your suitcases and load up the family for your next adventure.

About the Author

Jennifer Landis is a foodie, mama, and healthy living blogger. She loves yoga, tea, and running really far (but not really fast). Follow her on Twitter @JenniferELandis and check out her blog, Mindfulness Mama.

The Chocolate Lab at The Hershey Story

Lolli — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 21:07:13 +0000

My family visited the Chocolate Lab while we were visiting Hershey, Pennsylvania as part of my Sweetest Moms ambassadorship. Although our overnight accommodations at Hershey Lodge and Hersheypark tickets were compensated, we payed for the Chocolate Lab experience on our own, because it was something we wanted to do. We loved the Chocolate Lab and it ended up being one of our favorite memories on our trip!

What is The Chocolate Lab?

The Chocolate Lab is an interactive experience inside The Hershey Story – The Museum on Chocolate Avenue, located at 63 West Chocolate Avenue in Hershey. You can expect a fun hands-on chocolate activity inside a “real” lab, made more fun by the fact that everyone must wear aprons and hair nets/bonnets! Get ready to roll up your sleeves and lick your fingers!

Not only do lab participants get to make their own chocolate creation (dipping, molding, mixing, and adding mix-in ingredients), but they learn about the chocolate making process and get a little historical background on Milton Hershey and his love for chocolate.

We even got to taste chocolate nibs – even “darker” than dark chocolate!

Each lab lasts about 45 minutes and is led by one of the Herhsey Story’s resident chocolate gurus. Of course, at the end of the lab, everyone can take home their chocolate creation (although ours only lasted a few minutes outside the lab doors!).

Choose From a Variety of Chocolate Lab Experiences:

Workshops vary and all of these may not be available when you visit. When we were there, they offered 7 classes between 9:45 am and 6:00 pm. Check with the front desk at the Hershey Story for a listing of workshops for the day you are visiting, check the website, or call ahead.

S’mores Galore – Have some summer fun as you make your own, sweet variation on S’mores (without the fire, of course). Learn the origins of this campfire confection and some Hershey’s trivia. You’ll also learn about chocolate from tree to graham cracker.

Build a Bar – Follow in Milton Hershey’s footsteps as you design your own candy bar. Discover the business behind the product as you choose ingredients to add based on flavor, appearance and your own preferences.

Chocolate Beach Bars – Celebrate summer by designing your very own sea shore-themed milk chocolate bar using edible decals and plenty of “sand.” Take a walk along our “chocolate beach boardwalk” as you learn about Hershey’s classics. Also find out where and how “cacao” is grown, harvested and processed into your favorite chocolate confections.

Planet Chocolate – Learn some delicious geography by finding out more about the many places around the globe where cocoa beans are grown. You will be guided to recognize differences in cocoa beans’ appearance and taste and make your own unique bar to take home.

We attended the Build a Bar lab and had the opportunity to pour our own Hershey’s milk chocolate into a special Chocolate Lab mold, tap out the air bubbles, and then add toppings as desired. My kids liked their chocolate pure and simple (nothing wrong with that!) but I chose to add white chocolate chips to my bar (PS – we learned what white “chocolate” is during the lab, too!).

I think the favorite part of the lab for just about everyone in the room was when one of the lab assistants gave everyone the green light to finish off all of the extra chocolate from our bowl. There were lots of smiles during that portion of the lab!

Chocolate Lab Tickets:

You can purchase tickets at the front desk at The Hershey Story. It is recommended that you arrive early and get tickets about 60 to 90 minutes before your desired lab is set to start. You can always use your waiting time to walk around the Museum (separate admission). Each lab time has limited seating and they do sell out. They told us to line up about 10 minutes prior to the lab start time. Once the doors opened, one of the chocolate gurus seated all families together.

$12.50 for adults
$9.00 for children 4-12
Note: children under 4 are not permitted
Children under 13 must be accompanied by a paying adult

Note: family members that are not interested in attending a Chocolate Lab can still watch through the glass to see how much fun those inside the lab are having!

7 Tips for a Successful Staycation

Lolli — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 21:00:41 +0000

There is nothing quite like a relaxing vacation – especially after a cold, long winter. What is it about being cooped up inside during the cold months that makes me itch to get out of the house and travel? Spring break is already done for the year here, but with the return of some spring-time cold weather (boo!) I’m eager for a getaway.

With kids in school and busy jobs that keep us tied to home most of the time, planning a decent vacation can sometimes seem a daunting task. Not to mention the COST of traveling with a family of seven! We’re fans of summer-time road trips to far-away destinations, but we can’t afford to spend that much time on our vacations most of the time. And who wants to wait ALL year for the next vacation?

According to Dictionary.com, a STAYCATION is “a vacation spent at home or near home, doing enjoyable activities or visiting local attractions.” It’s a relatively new term, but the idea is timeless!

Staycations can be a great way to save money on family travel. You also “save” on post-vacation recuperation time when you can avoid the wear and tear of travel. Staycations are also great because you can plan a ton or nothing at all and still have a blast.

That’s why we’re such fans of staycations!

7 Tips for planning a successful staycation

Treat your staycation like a “real” vacation. And it IS a real vacation…just without the cost and time of traveling somewhere. Make sure that you put yourself in full vacation mode. In other words, put your feet up and relax…or do whatever it takes to unwind. You’ll feel the difference when you do.

Act like a tourist. There’s something so enjoyable about sightseeing in your own hometown. Look at sites and attractions from an outsider’s eyes. Not only will you have fun while you’re doing it, but you might just discover something new!

Take advantage of the extra time. Since staycations are vacations without the travel time, put that extra time to good use. You can check in to your hotel early to take a nap before heading out for some night-time fun on the town or use that time to explore a new museum or see a show. (I’m not the only person out there who loves napping on vacation, am I?)

Enjoy the off-season. When you take a staycation, you can pick the perfect time and avoid the typical tourist crowds. Not only will venues be less crowded, but you can often get better prices when you’re there on the off-season.

Unplug! That’s right. This is nothing new for anyone, but it’s worth repeating. Make your staycation even more powerful by unplugging and making real face-to-face connections. Yes, Instagram and Facebook and even email will be there when you get back (you can even post “latergrams” if you’re eager to share pictures of your fun staycation. It’s ok to delay!

Try something new. Eat out at a restaurant you’ve never been to before. Try a new show. You might just find a few new favorites that you can visit for a future date night or family activity.

Plan ahead and search for deals. Sign up for a few of the local deal sites (like Groupon or CityDeals) and take advantage of coupons and specials (especially for off-season times).

Have I convinced you that it’s time for a staycation? Well, you’re in luck, because Radisson Hotels want to get you started on the perfect getaway! Bonus: as great as staycations are, heading out of town is pretty amazing too. Where would YOU go if you won Radisson’s #TakeMeThereSweepstakes 5-day trip for two?

I chose the Radisson Hotel in Melbourne so that I can dip my toes in the water and enjoy a peaceful day or two in the sand.

When you tweet a postcard of a location you’d like to visit, you’re entered to win a prizes from Radisson (details here) but you ALSO receive a 10% off e-certificate just for sharing. So basically, EVERY tweet is a winner.

Speaking of winning, I’m going to make this #TakeMeThereSweepstakes even more fun. When you tweet your entry from the sweepstakes page, you can come back here, share your postcard and be entered to win $40 paypal or Amazon cash from me! This giveaway will end 4/22/2016 at 11:59 pm ET and a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Good luck!

Please note: this giveaway requires that you have a social media account (Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest) to enter. I apologize in advance for my readers that do not use social media.

Tip: to grab the url of a social share on twitter or facebook, just click on the timestamp and copy the link in the search bar at the top of your page. It should look like this: https://twitter.com/foodfunfamily/status/718835951489937408

Entry -Form

PS – although this post is sponsored by Radisson Hotels, this giveaway is self-funded by me.

How to Save Money on Your Next Vacation

Lolli — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 19:45:27 +0000

This post on how to save money on you next vacation is part of a sponsored series with Socialstars and Shell; all opinions are my own. #ShellCrowd #fuelrewards

Summer is just around the corner. Unbelievable, isn’t it? We’ve had several beautiful spring-like days this past week, and I’m looking forward to more sunshine in the days ahead.

As much as I’m not a fan of heat and humidity, I LOVE summer because it’s the time of year when we can do more traveling as a family. Vacationing with a family of seven can hit a little hard on the wallet, so we’ve had to be creative in our efforts to travel as a family. The good news is that there are many ways that families – regardless of size – can make traveling affordable. And when you don’t have to worry so much about travel expenses, you can spend more time focusing on having fun and creating memories together (which is what family trips are all about, right?).

Here are a few of our tips for saving money on vacations:

How to Save Money on Your Next Vacation

Start saving now. It’s amazing how far a few changes throughout the year can go. A few things that have helped us save money throughout the year (so that we have more to spend on travel) include:
- cut back on eating out
- reduce unnecessary extras on monthly bills (ie, check your cable or your internet bill. Are there features that you aren’t utilizing that you could cut out?)
- put a little cash aside each month in a vacation fund
Spend wisely on the road. One of the biggest expenses we have when we’re traveling is eating out. Instead of eating each meal at a restaurant (which can be pricey with a family as big as ours!) we try to make sure that we find places to stay that offer a free breakfast. We bring snacks along with us so we’re not tempted to grab junk food at every gas station we stop at, and we stop at a local grocery store for sandwich fixings for lunches on-the-go instead of eating lunch at a restaurant. Instead of spending money on a fancy lunch, we spend time together at a park for a picnic lunch. Not only are we saving money, but we’re creating fun vacation memories, too!
Use a trip-planning tool or travel app to find the best deals wherever you’re heading. You can often find discount tickets to attractions at local grocery stores or online. We also like to find hidden, free gems that the locals love and recommend. Sometimes the off-the-beaten-path discoveries end up being our favorite experiences on our travels.
Save money on each fill-up. We love to take long road trips together, but the price of gas can add up fast. In order to save money on gas, we use the Shell Fuel Rewards® program to save money on each gallon of gas. Check out the details below.

Did you know? When you use the Shell’s Fuel Rewards® program when you fill your tank with gas, you can save 3 cents per gallon EVERY time? Also, if you link a Mastercard, VISA, or American Express credit card to your Rewards account, you can EARN 5 cents/gallon or MORE for every $50 you spend (this is not just on money you spend on gas…anything you buy is included!).

You can even COMBINE savings – earn 10 cents/gallon when you use your linked card to dine out, 15 cents/gallon when you shop online at participating retailers, 20 cents/gallon when you book a flight through the Rewards program. You can STACK those savings and pay 45 cents/gallon LESS at the pump (this is just an example). When you use those stacked savings on your next vacation, just imagine how much LESS you’ll be spending at the pump!

BONUS: New members get a 25 cents per gallon Sign Up Bonus

Find out more about the Shell Fuel Rewards® program at my first post HERE!

How do you save money on family travel? Share with me in the comments below!

5 Reasons to Travel to Kissimmee Florida this Winter

Lolli — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 17:50:20 +0000

I don’t know what the winter weather has been like where you live, but after the last 2 weeks of blizzards, being snowed in for a week, and cold temperatures, I am ready to head back to Florida. I was not made for cold weather living. No, I am much more drawn to sunshine and mild temperatures. Which is why Kissimmee, Florida is pretty much the ideal place for a winter getaway with the family.

My family LOVES to travel to Florida in the winter (it’s the best time of the year to go to Florida, in our opinion!). What’s better than escaping the cold and the snow and trading the big winter coats in for sandals and t-shirts?

Not much.

A few years ago, our entire extended family got together at a resort home in Kissimmee to spend the week of Thanksgiving together. We stayed happily busy every day, and we could have stayed for another 2 weeks and NEVER been bored! I’ve also visited Kissimmee without the kids and couldn’t believe how many things there were to do (I couldn’t wait to bring the kids back to experience everything I tried!). Now, I’m thinking we haven’t even scratched the surface on all Kissimmee has to offer!

Note: all of the images in this post are my own, from the various adventures I’ve had in Kissimmee.

5 Reasons Kissimmee Florida is the Perfect Destination for a Family Vacation This Winter

Amazing Weather: As a California transplant living on the East Coast, I admit that I miss a mild winter. Kissimmee’s year-round beautiful weather is a dream come true for me. There is nothing quite like being able to pull out the sandals for a few days when you’ve been wearing winter boots at home. Lower temperatures make it more comfortable to be active outside, plus the summer humidity (and pesky insects) are gone for the season, making winter time in Florida the perfect time to be outside.

Family Fun: Isn’t it all about finding quality activities for the family to do together? Kissimmee has a little bit of everything (except snow….which is totally ok with me!). Kissimmee is just minutes away from world-famous theme parks including Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando (hello – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the PERFECT place to take a family of tweens and teens!), SeaWorld Orlando, and LEGOLAND Florida.

Lower Prices: Costs tend to go down during the winter months, from hotel and resort fees to the fees for a round of golf. Cheaper prices means that you can afford to do even more on your vacation. During the winter, you are more likely to be able to afford a fancier resort or vacation rental, or you can extend your stay with the money that you save.

Smaller Crowds: The attractions are less crowded during the off-season winter months which means more space to relax and shorter lines at the attractions. When we go to the theme parks in the winter months, we’re able to get one more rides with not as much waiting around, which makes the kids happy. And when the kids are happy, I am happy. Fewer crowds means that you get to do more with your time and enjoy some true relaxation.

Outdoor Adventures: Whether you’re in to ziplining or scouting for alligators on a thrilling airboat ride in the Everglades or soaring above it all in a hot air balloon or simply relaxing next to the pool, Kissimmee has it all. I’ve dabbled in a little bit of everything in Kissimmee, and I have to say that the ziplining can’t be beat! And trust me – ALL of the afore-mentioned activities are much more pleasant during the mild winter months!

Get your FREE Vacation Planning Magazine to plan your next trip to Kissimmee!

Escape the COLD Sweepstakes

So I’ve convinced you that you need to go to Kissimmee now, right? How does WINNING a trip for 4 sound? Between now and March 27, you can enter Experience Kissimmee’s “Escape the Cold” sweepstakes by texting SUNNY to “313131” or by visiting the official sweepstakes site, EscapeCold.com.

You are not going to believe the prizes! Three Grand Prize winners will each receive a Kissimmee getaway for 4. The 5-day/4-night prize package includes:

Round trip airfare for four
Rental Car
5-day/4-night stay at Meliá Orlando Suite Hotel at Celebration
Admission to Gatorland and the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line
Wristbands for unlimited rides at FunSpot America—Kissimmee
Tickets to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom provided by Kissimmee Guest Services
Tickets to La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil
Airboat experience with Wild Willy’s Airboat Tours

Don’t feel lucky enough to win the Grand Prize? Guess what? You’re in luck because DAILY WINNERS will receive a “Winter Survival Kit” containing Kissimmee branded items such as, a scarf, gloves, hand warmers, color changing mug, hot cocoa and more!

Enter HERE! And good luck (you can totally win this!).

To see a few of the things I’ve done in Kissimmee, check out all of my Kissimmee, Florida posts!

Family. Time. Together. {Give Me Your Best Shot PSF}

Lolli — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 05:26:29 +0000

When we got back from our family vacation, “real life” hit me so hard that I hardly had time to reflect on our vacation and the wonderful time our family had together. Frankly, I should be in bed right now and not longingly looking through vacation pictures, but such is my life, right?

I need to start off this post by saying that I have decided to discontinue Give Me Your Best Shot/Photostory Friday. This will be the last link up. Maybe at some point I will decide to start up another photography link up, but I have not been giving this series the attention or the passion that it deserves, and I think it’s simply time to move on to things that I AM passionate and excited about.

And there really ARE things that I’m excited about, both on the blog and in that “real life” that hit me so hard last week.

I have also become very passionate about improving my photography in my Instagram stream, so I do hope you’ll join me there if you haven’t already.

Before I show off a few of the family vacation shots that we captured in Florida, I thought I’d share the VERY FIRST Give Me Your Best Shot post, from almost exactly 7 years ago. SEVEN years! No wonder AJ looks like a baby here!

I have to say…it was a whole lot easier and more fun to take pictures of adorable toddlers. Teens seem to like to give me weird faces more often than they like to smile pretty for the camera. Still, we were able to get some great memory shots during our family vacation (all shots taken on my iPhone). Don’t you think?

(this is the moment that the girls realized that their big sister was asking them to be her bridesmaids!)

Please feel free to link up your photo posts below. I’m going to miss this weekly link up, but I’m excited what is in store for this little blog of mine. Don’t be a stranger!

An InLinkz Link-up

Road Trip Tips for Traveling with Teens #MomHacks

Lolli — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 17:06:07 +0000

Do you love to travel by car? We do! Be sure to scroll down to read my best road trip tips for traveling with teens.

Unless you live down the street from your entire extended family, then most likely the holidays include some sort of travel plans – either you’re traveling to see family or family is traveling to see you. If those travel plans include extended time in the car, then chances are you need some tips for traveling by car with kids (or if you’re like me, then tips for traveling with teens. Eek!).

Autotrader provided the Happy Kids, Happy Ride Kit giveaway below, and the winner will be chosen at random by me. All thoughts are my own.

Are you heading on a road trip with your family this holiday season? We love taking family road trips, and I’ve been very fortunate that my kids have almost always been very good travelers. But hours upon end in a car is tough for anyone – even the most seasoned traveler. Even I need a few reminders every once in a while.

Autotrader, the leading authority in car buying, has put together an amazing list of #MomHacks for driving in the car with kids. I love their idea of putting colored pencils and paper inside old DVD cases for coloring in the car. Now, that’s portable entertainment!

Also worth reading is this article by Autotrader about holiday road trips.

“Holiday travel doesn’t just have to be about getting to where you’re going,” said Tara Trompeter, managing editor at Autotrader. “Family time in the car can be a great opportunity for making memories — or a recipe for grunts and grumbles. A little bit of planning ahead before you get on the road will go a long way toward filling the experience with more fun and laughter for everyone involved.”

Getting ready for a road trip with your family?

You need these tips!

I think my favorite tip of all is #1…Which tip resonates with you?

A Day in Denver, Colorado + Hammond’s Candies Factory Tour #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 03:20:32 +0000

When we were making plans for our month-long road trip this summer, one of the places that I was most eager to stop through was Denver. My best friend and her family moved to the Denver area (which, in case you’re not familiar with US geography, is REALLY FAR from Maryland…) nearly 2 years ago. I still hadn’t made it out to her new house to visit. They were gracious enough to open their home to 6 of us. Our stay was short – by the time we got to Denver, we had been on the road for several weeks already, and Denver was our last stop before making our way the rest of the distance to Maryland – but we soaked up every minute while we could.

While we were there, we visited her horse, walked around downtown Denver and the Capital building, and toured The Hammond’s Candies Factory. The kids LOVED the candy factory tour (who doesn’t love a tour that ends with candy?) and the adults loved the fact that the factory was nicely air conditioned, since the weather that week was HOT.

When we were on the Hammond’s tour, we learned how their candies are made and even watched some of the factory workers making gourmet flavored candy canes from start to finish. I was blown away by how complicated the process was!

The Hammond’s factory tour is very kid-friendly – we took her four kids plus four of mine, and they were all very entertained throughout the 30-minute tour. I’m sure it helped that they were watching different types of CANDY made, knowing that they’d get a piece of candy at the end. We saw them making flavored jumbo candy canes but you could go back the next day and find them making a totally different candy!

Have you ever taken a candy factory tour? What did you see them making?

About the Hammond’s Candies Factory Tour:

Website: https://www.hammondscandies.com/

Cost: FREE! No reservations required, but large groups are encouraged to call. Parking is also free!

Hours: Monday-Friday 9am – 3pm | Saturday 10am – 3pm | Closed Sunday | Tours run every 30 minutes

Location: 5735 N Washington Street Denver, CO 80216 (the one and only factory where Hammond’s candies are made)

Phone: (303) 333-5588 X110

What have you been up to lately? Link up your posts (any posts with photos you’ve taken recently) in the linky below. Enjoy your weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up