Food Fun Family

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

Seven Nights of Sunsets #PSF Give Me Your Best Shot

Lolli — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 03:19:19 +0000

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a week since we packed up the car and started driving back home from Florida. We might have only been in Florida for a little over a week, but the sun and the heat (in the mid-80s the whole time!) literally transported me to a different time and place. I found myself forgetting that we were still in the middle of winter. I was reminded during our stay in Florida that I am not a cold weather person. I like my warmth. I like my sun. I also really love being somewhere where I can actually see the sunset (versus seeing some colorful clouds above my neighbor’s roof tops). Since I captured so many sunset shots (I might have gone a little overboard!) during my stay on the beach, I thought they’d make a perfect Give Me Your Best Shot – Photostory Friday.

Every night at 5:30, I would drop everything I was doing and walk down to the beach. I’d invite anyone to come along with me, so I always had a few beach buddies to appreciate the beautiful landscape with me. It’s incredible how unique each sunset is, even from the exact same vantage point. (In these pictures, there is only one sunset shot from a different beach). Each night was a new inspiration for me. These sunsets filled my spirit.

I think the only sunset I missed during my time in Florida was Christmas Day because I was too busy cooking a big Christmas dinner for 13 people. But that’s another story…

That last picture is my daughter and her fiance. YES…her fiance! If we aren’t friends on Facebook, you might not have seen the news. My daughter got engaged the week before Christmas, and her wonderful fiance joined us in Florida (if we didn’t scare him off after more than a week of living together in close quarters, then I don’t know what will). We are excited to have him join the family!

If you’re wondering…no, I’m totally not old enough to have a daughter getting married. Thanks for asking. ;)

Now it’s time for the first Photostory Friday – Give Me Your Best Shot of the year! We’re pretty laid back here. If you have a post with photos from this past week, feel free to link up below. No rules. Just some good, old fashioned sharing and connecting.

Happy weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

ZooAmerica at Hersheypark

Lolli — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 04:55:47 +0000

For years, my sister and her family lived right across the street from ZooAmerica (we could see – and smell some of the animals from her front door). And yet, before this month, I had never spent much time ZooAmerica. What a missed opportunity with my kids! Now that I’ve been introduced to the zoo, I can’t wait to take my kids back. Although I think I got a little spoiled with our behind-the-scenes access – the kids might expect the same. I visited ZooAmerica while on a press trip to learn all that Hershey, PA has to offer. Accommodations and activities during the press trip were provided, but all opinions are my own. Note: photos that do NOT have my watermark on them were provided courtesy of Hershey.

About ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park

ZooAmerica is an 11-acre, walkthrough zoo that cares for more than 200 animals representing more than 60 species from five regions of North America. The thing that I loved the most about ZooAmerica was that every animal at the zoo was native to North America. These are animals that live near us – animals that you can see in the wild throughout the United States.

The exhibits are broken up into 5 bio-climactic regions of North America:

Southern Swamps
The Great Southwest
Eastern Woodlands
Big Sky Country
Northlands

The other thing I loved about ZooAmerica was that the 11-acre size is manageable to be able to see all of the exhibits in a day without totally wearing the kids (and mom or dad) out. I’ve been to too many zoos that were so huge that there was no way to see everything in one day.

ZooAmerica prides itself on its focus on education and conservation. The zoo offers a variety of educational programs for people of all ages – kids and adults alike. You can check out the zoo’s website for details on upcoming programs and events.

History of ZooAmerica:

ZooAmerica opened as Hershey Zoo in 1910, when Milton S. Hershey received a dozen prairie dogs. That zoo closed in 1971, but it reopened in its present format – a facility that highlights North American animals – on May 7, 1978. ZooAmerica currently operates as a department of Hersheypark.

The Zoo is open daily year round (except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day). Same-day admission is free with Hersheypark tickets. Hours vary by season.

Our Experience at ZooAmerica

The first animal that we met was Mumford the grey faced screech owl. He weighed less than half a pound but was FULL of attitude. He was a hoot! (that was a bad joke…lol) We each got a chance to hold Mumford, and I’m happy to report that none of our shoes were ruined in the process. It was close, though…

We also had the chance to see baby alligators, born in Florida in August, and on loan at the zoo. They still live inside at this point.

I was impressed, as we walked through the zoo and saw various animals, that our guide, zoo curator Dale Snyder, was able to point out where each of the animals came from and what their names were. The animals at ZooAmerica are often rescue animals – animals that have been injured in the wild and would have died if they had not found a new home.

We met Chief and Butch, the black bears, and even had the opportunity to feed them berries. Dale taught us a command that Butch (the larger bear) knows well. If you hold your fist out towards his face, he will lick your fist and then expect a berry for his “trick.” Butch had to lick my hand quite a few times in order to catch it on camera.

Do your kids (or you??) love to visit the zoo? You will love ZooAmerica!

Photostory Friday – Give Me Your Best Shot Link Up

Link up your photo posts from this past week on the linky below.

Please note: there will be no link up next week due to the holidays. I will be celebrating with family off line. I hope you have a fabulous Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate!

An InLinkz Link-up

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 04:22:52 +0000

What is it about Christmas time? Despite the fact that I’m taking it really easy in the shopping department, I feel like I have NO time this month. Everything is busy and rushed…but on the other hand, everything is beautiful and festive and I’m loving it. Just in a hurried kind of way.

I just got home from a fun night in DC with a friend seeing the Nutcracker performed by the Washington Ballet, and my bed is calling me. So I’ll make this quick. Here are just a few of the moments I’ve captured this past week (there have been a lot of moments captured…). It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here – what about where you are?

This week included a wonderful chocolate-filled trip to Hershey, PA, and I can’t wait to share all of my excitement and pictures and information with all of you. Check back (hopefully tomorrow!) for information on Hersheypark’s Christmas Candylane. Such a fun time to be at the park!

For the stories behind all of these pictures (and for more pictures!) see my Instagram page.

What have you been up to this week? I’d love to see your photos and posts so feel free to link up below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Monumental [Give Me Your Best Shot] #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 01:38:38 +0000

I couldn’t think of a title for today’s Give Me Your Best Shot – Photostory Friday post. The fact is, my brain isn’t working too well today. I have had one of those “I’m so stressed and have so much on my to-do list that I can’t focus on anything or get anything done” days. Have you had a day (or two) like that? I call it stress-paralyzed. There’s too much so I just shut down.

And I often get stress-paralyzed before I travel…because work doesn’t stop and there’s so much to plan and prepare. I know that I will have a fantastic, relaxing, rejuvenating time once I’m there, but until I’m gone I will concentrate on all of those things that I haven’t finished yet.

Oh! By the way, I’m heading to Hershey, Pennsylvania for the weekend for the ?#?SweetWelcome2015 press event. Be sure to follow me on Instagram all weekend for all of the fun – from Hershey Park to Zoo America, a Hershey Bears Hockey game to a Chocolate Spa treatment (yes, Chocolate + spa treatments!) and lots and lots of good restaurant food. I’ll be posting pictures on Instagram and tweeting while I’m in Hershey, but I’ll also be posting even more details on the blog soon. Hershey is one of my favorite places ever!

So…let’s look at some pretty pictures. Sound good?

This past week’s highlight was our family’s post-Thanksgiving trip to DC to take some family photos

What have you been up to this past week? Are you in full holiday mode yet? I am eager to get a Christmas tree up, but we’ve been too busy to get it done. Instead, I’ve got bins full of Christmas decorations filling up the floor space in my room. Oh, the joys of living in a small house! Soon we’ll be trading a crowded bedroom for a crowded family room as we try to fit a Christmas tree where a couch goes (and move the couch in front of the piano…..it’s so fun, I tell you!).

Feel free to link up your photo posts from this week. And have a fantastic weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

Why I Rebranded My Blog #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 03:02:48 +0000

This week has flown by way too fast! Now that it’s been nearly a week since I rebranded my blog, I’m starting to feel at home here. I am so happy that I made the change! Today I took the final step and changed my twitter handle over to @foodfunfamily. I’ll miss @1momof5, but I love having the same handle across all of my accounts. Now if only I can get Facebook to make an exception with my fan page url… (I’m not holding my breath!)

I figured that I would take a minute to mention why I decided to rebrand, and explain a little bit of the process that I went through. When I started blogging back in 2008, I didn’t realize that blogs had “names” or that people I didn’t know would visit me. When I realized that I wanted to turn my friends-and-family blog into something bigger, I knew that I wanted to get off blogspot and buy my own domain, but I wasn’t sure at that point “who” I was as a blogger. I chose “Better in Bulk” because, back in 2009, I was neck deep in lots of little kids. Everything I did was “in bulk” (yes, that’s including my kids!).

But I found that as I branched out and started meeting other bloggers and brands that “Better in Bulk” didn’t tell people who I was or what I blogged about. Most people assumed that I was involved in couponing or shopping (I’ve heard references to Costco so many times!). Even though I DO, in fact, shop in bulk, that’s never been what I’ve blogged about.

When I was at Type A Conference at the beginning of October, I had two conversations about rebranding. The first convinced me that I needed to bite the bullet and rebrand. And it left me absolutely terrified. The second conversation, just 24 hours later, also convinced me that it was time to rebrand. But that conversation left me excited and motivated and ready.

I came home from the conference with a vague idea of the direction I wanted to go, but I could not for the life of me find a name that made sense AND was available (along with all of the social handles). One thing that was important to me was making all of my online presences “match” – it was hard to be 1momof5 on social and Better in Bulk on the blog. They didn’t fit together. I bought another url that I liked but was hung up on one word. It wasn’t totally “me.” I sat on it for about a week and a half, unable to move forward with it.

And then, last week, I came up with Food Fun Family, which (at least in my mind) describes to a T what I blog about: FOOD (recipes and round ups), FUN (entertainment, outings, travel, books) and FAMILY (parenting, family-friendly products, home tips, crafts & DIY, etc). I was thrilled to find a name that was fun but descriptive of what I wanted people to remember about me.

I slept on the name, still liked it in the morning, bought the url, and within days I had designed a banner/logo (on my own) and contacted someone to do the transfer for me (not on my own. Eek!). Once I found that name, everything fell into place pretty quickly.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time organizing things behind the scenes, and there’s still plenty to do but I’m glad I decided to go for it early versus waiting until everything was perfect before starting the change.

Have you ever rebranded your blog? Have you considered doing it?

Here are a few of the pictures that I’ve taken this past week. Honestly, now that the vibrant fall leaves have mostly all fallen, it’s a lot harder to find good subjects to photograph.

PS – did you notice that gorgeous wrap bracelet up there? You can see my recent Instagram post about it here, or you can check out Rocksbox and give it a try for FREE for a month with my code: 1momof5xoxo. Note: I am a Rockbox Insider and am trying out a membership for free in exchange for sharing pictures and thoughts on social media. I am loving it!

What have you been photographing lately? Feel free to link up your picture posts below!

An InLinkz Link-up

This Week on Instagram… #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 02:37:23 +0000

We’re in between fall and winter sports and so, for the moment, things are just a little bit less hectic around here. Except that “less hectic” is practically a joke because I still have 4 kids at home…

This week, it was harder for me to get out for my morning walks as regularly as I’ve been doing, partly because of two half days (which completely throw off the morning AND afternoon schedules) and partly because of morning rain and partly because my plantar fasciitis came back with a vengeance. I have had my foot pain under control for years, and all of the sudden it is back in full force. I’m not very happy about it!

Here are a few of the pictures I posted to Instagram this week. Are you following me yet? Please stop by and say hi!

This week on Instagram…

What have you been up to this week, and what pictures have you captured? Feel free to link up your posts below!

An InLinkz Link-up

We’ll Hold On To Fall a Little Longer #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 06 Nov 2015 03:00:05 +0000

I’m not ready to let this time of year go. It’s too perfect. Maybe that’s why I can’t seem to get anything productive done….

Here are just a few of my favorite photos from Instagram this past week. Check out my Instagram account for more.

What have you been up to this week? Feel free to link up your photo posts below!

PS – That necklace up there (Pave horseshoe necklace in gold by Sophie Harper) is my absolute favorite item in this month’s Rocksbox (I was invited to try out the service in exchange for showing off my pieces on social media). I think I may have to keep this one! If you haven’t used them before, Rocksbox is a monthly subscription service where you can rent designer jewelry. Wear the jewelry as much as you want and then send it back for another set when you’re done…OR buy what you #LOVE at a discounted price. Each Rocksbox is personalized for you by your stylist based on your tastes. Mine were PERFECT for me. You can try out Rocksbox at www.rocksbox.com/invited_by/laurabff667 FREE for a month with my code: 1momof5xoxo

An InLinkz Link-up

Enjoying the Fall #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 01:57:09 +0000

I’m not ready to say goodbye to the fall, but the sad truth is that October is about to end, and November is typically when the final leaves fall off the trees and snow (or at least the threatenings of snow) creep into the forecast. Once Halloween hits, Thanksgiving is pretty much the next week (right?)…and the rest of the year just zooms by.

I really just want to hold on to this for a little bit longer….

(These are a few of the images I’ve posted to Instagram this week. I’ve become a little obsessed with taking *better* Instagram photos since getting my iPhone 6S earlier this month, and I’m loving the challenge. Hey, anything to inspire me to take more pictures, right?

What have you been taking pictures of lately?

PS – see that gorgeous ring up there?? I’m loving my first Rocksbox delivery!! (note: affiliate code coming…) If you haven’t used them before, Rocksbox is a monthly subscription service where you can rent designer jewelry. Wear the jewelry as much as you want and then send it back for another set when you’re done…OR buy what you #LOVE at a discounted price. Each Rocksbox is personalized for you by your stylist based on your tastes. Mine were PERFECT for me. You can try out Rocksbox at www.rocksbox.com/invited_by/laurabff667 FREE for a month with my code: 1momof5xoxo

An InLinkz Link-up

Fall is Everywhere! #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 00:26:28 +0000

We interrupt this fall day with some stress-inducing website-talk (which is almost as interesting and understandable as car talk!). The fact that this post is live AND visible is nothing short of a miracle. The short story is that my site was utterly messed up from a plugin that I installed to take care of a different problem. After hours and hours of stressing and researching and waiting for my host’s tech support to get around to my number in live (I’m still waiting to hear back from them…) my amazing husband was able to fix the issue and I can post again! But the whole experience has left me feeling less than excited about being on my computer.

The highlight of each morning lately has been the walks that I’ve been taking, iPhone camera in hand. It’s like I’m taking a photo walk every day. I’m notice more beauty and appreciating my neighborhood more than ever.

And I’m totally obsessed with Instagram now. Are you following me there, yet?

Fall is everywhere…

What have you captured lately? Link up your photo posts below!

PS – Have you seen my brand new recipe linky, Fresh Flavors Swap? It goes live each Friday, and I’d love to have you stop by!

An InLinkz Link-up