3 Ways to Make Sparkly Easter Eggs

Compensation provided by Snack Pack® via Mode Media

I love Easter. We never really do too much for Easter - sometimes we go and visit my Dad, other years we just stay home...but there is something about the impending spring and summer months that make Easter just special.

A Trip to the Timberline Lodge

Last month for Emma’s birthday she decided to have an overnight trip to the mountain with family instead of a birthday party. She had always wanted to go up into the snow so this year I made it happen and we drove the two hour drive to Mt. Hood and stayed at the historic Timberline Lodge.

If you are from Oregon I’m sure you’ve heard of the lodge, which was declared a historic landmark in 1977 and has nearly 2 million visitors a year. Timberline is also the hotel that was filmed in Stephen King’s movie The Shining.

My First Time at a Monster Jam®

Last weekend we did something that for some might seem a little unusual for Valentine’s weekend - we went as a family to see Monster Jam®.

Snow Tubing at The Mt. Hood Ski Bowl

A couple of weeks ago we took my Dad and the kids on an overnight adventure to Mt. Hood for Emma’s 8th birthday. None of us had ever spent much time at the mountain (which probably sounds crazy to Portlanders) and I was trying to figure out exactly what we could do and where we could stay. We ended up staying at The Timberline Lodge (more on that in the future), but stopped at the Mt. Hood Ski Bowl to do some snow tubing first.

Zip-lining For the First Time

Have you ever zip lined before? Honestly it wasn’t something that I had given too much thought to until last September. I had heard of people doing it and enjoying it, but it had never been something that was presented as an opportunity for me, and I never went out seeking for it.

While I was touring the KOA in Ventura County though, we were offered the opportunity to check out two of their 3 zip lines - and I couldn’t refuse. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, and there was definitely mixed levels of bloggers, from experienced to novices like myself.

Make a Family Memory: See Kung Fu Panda 3

Kung Fu Panda 3 hits theaters today, but my family and I were lucky enough to snag an invitation to a local red carpet premiere a couple of weeks ago and excitedly went to the theater to watch it before it was released.

We have always been a fan of the Kung Fu Panda movies, so naturally the kids were very excited to see movie number 3. I went mostly for the kids at first, with no idea that I would end up loving this animated feature so much!

Living Locally: The Oregon Coast Aquarium

One of our favorite quick weekend getaways is heading to the beach. We live about an hour from the Oregon coast, making it easy to drive over for the night or even just for a day trip. One town we like to visit is Newport, Oregon, which is in the central Oregon coast. Newport has a population of just over 10,000 and has several districts that offer different interesting activities for all ages - with one of the most popular attractions being the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

We usually visit the Aquarium once every year or two; letting the kids explore all of the exhibits that cover the 39 acres which overlook the Yaquina Bay. The aquarium was established in 1992 and brings in approximately 450,000 visitors every year.

The kids love looking at the indoor exhibits that hold vibrantly colored fish and mesmerizing jellyfish. They also love exploring through the outdoor exhibits which are characterized with rugged cliffs, caves, and pools where sea otters, harbor seals, and California sea lions make their home.

A Single Snow Day

The Joel Palmer House 

Snow -you love it, hate it, or are somewhere in between. Here in Oregon the mountains are a top destination place to in the wintertime, but here in the valley we can go several years without a single snowflake, and other years we can be surprised with a few inches on the ground. I am always excited for some snow, because it brings back fond memories from when I was a kid.

My kids are just the same.

At the beginning of our winter break, the weather was very close to snowing. So close we could see a few snowflakes mixed in with the rain. The kids stared out the windows all afternoon and even went so far as to make up “snow songs” (as opposed to rain dances I suppose). Hearing a 5 year old boy singing about ‘letting it snow’ is the most adorable thing ever by the way.

The Best Memories of 2015

This year has flown by SO quickly! It always amazes me now that I'm well into adulthood just how fast each year flies by. It makes me want ensure that my kids have as many wonderful childhood memories as possible. 

Last year I reflected back on the year and did a round up of my favorite moments, and I wanted to go back and do the same thing this year and some of my personal best memories. It was hard for me to narrow it down because I have many fond memories with my children, but mostly I wanted to highlight things that I wrote and shared with on here. 

In no particular order:

Our Christmas

Last weekend turned out wonderful around here. We’ve literally had three days of no schedules or agendas, where we were able to lounge around in sweatpants, eat too many holiday treats, and play board games while watching TV. 

4 Ways to Share Joy

I have to admit, even though Christmas is a couple of days away, I haven’t felt very joyous lately. It’s not like I’m that I’m not happy or excited to make cookies and watch my children open their gifts, but I think my mood is just coming from a combination of things: extra holiday stress; a brain that doesn’t slow down; and a self-derived pity party for myself because we won’t be celebrating the holidays with any extended family this year. Add in all of the Pacific Northwest rain and gloomy weather and it just puts a little extra damper on things.

Even though I’ve been personally feeling the holiday blues a little bit lately, there have been a few things that have really lifted my spirits - and they might surprise you.

It's More Than a Holiday Program

Metal chairs fill the gymnasium floor. Handmade paintings, decorations, and ornaments line the walls and stage. Lights and additional risers have been brought out. Programs are all printed on festive colored paper.

On The Beach in November

Our family loves going to the beach. We are lucky to live only about an hour’s drive away. While we all love visiting in the summertime on a gorgeous afternoon, some of my favorite trips to the coast were not during the summer months, rather from trips that we have taken in the fall and winter.

A Pumpkin Patch with Papa

Quite a Day + Frozen on Ice

Hello! Remember me? That blogger who has left you hanging since last week? Well that was unintentional, believe me! I’ve wanted to sit down and get a full day’s worth of writing and photos to upload on here and just haven’t had the chance to do so – until today.

Another Day, Another Field Trip

Yesterday I chaperoned Emma’s field trip to the pumpkin patch, and it felt like Deja vu  - probably because I was just there last week with Noah and his class. The owner of the pumpkin patch was delighted to see us. They are a pretty popular pumpkin patch for schools in the area to visit, yet she told us that we were the only 2nd graders that booked a field trip this year, and that all of the rest were Kindergarteners and First graders.

A Recap of Feast Portland 2015

Last month (I can’t believe it’s been 4 weeks already!) I attended one of the best foodie festivals around: Feast Portland.

This was the second year I was given a blogger pass, and after the amazing time I had last year at Feast, I couldn’t pass up another opportunity to attend. Feast is made up of many events across 4 days; marquee events, hands on classes, dinners, and plenty of additional parties throughout, with proceeds going to a good cause.

Why Field Trips Are Important

After Noah’s field trip to the pumpkin patch yesterday I rushed back to the school to help organize papers and count money for the grade school’s annual Read-A-Thon; the P.T.S.O.’s first big fundraiser of the year.

After a couple of bumpy roads with my time with our school’s Parent Teacher Student Organization, this year I’m finally beginning to feel a little more confident in it, and have a handful of other parents who are just as supportive as I. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

The Wine Bloggers Conference: Day 4

Oh my goodness, how has it been nearly two months since this fabulous adventure? Today I'm sharing my final day at the Wine Bloggers Conference that was held in Corning, NY. To read about my first three days, check out my initial post here.

Sunday morning’s sessions began with a lively blogging panel which included Madeline from WineFolly.com, and Jana from MerlotMommy.com Their wittiness and sense of blunt humor made for a very entertaining hour, where they discussed questions from the audience. After one last panel, we all headed outside for the final lunch, and I learned a new food: spiedies. Here in Oregon I had never heard of them before, but they are chicken prepared on a skewer, then you take the chicken off of the skewer and place it on a bun, then from what I heard you scoop up more sauce on the bun.

Living Locally: Wicked at The Keller Auditorium

Last night I had a girl’s night out with one of my friends and we drove up to the Keller Auditorium and saw Wicked for the first time. Over the years I’ve heard the name “Wicked” here and there, and friends have told me before that “you just HAVE to see it”.  Not knowing the exact story-line I knew that it had something to do with the witches from the Wizard of Oz, but I didn’t know just how in depth the story was.