Cherry Hill is a favorite family tradition that has lasted 40+ years. What’s the secret sauce to getting 100+ people together every year? Maybe it’s the delicious slices of pie on Saturday night, maybe it’s the races down Cardiac Canyon, or maybe it’s the campsite games and conversations. Whatever the reason, I am grateful to grandparents who have gathered us to together at Cherry Hill since I was a baby. And now I take my own babies!

This family-friendly place is nestled in Davis County. It’s grown from a campground with a pool to include a water park, rock wall, mini golf course, and more.

Seriously acres of activities to explore. I promise you will want to stay for more than a day. It seems to get better and better every year. I was content picking cherries there when I was a kiddo and playing tag on the playground.  Now there is so much to do, you may want a season pass to enjoy it all! 

Typically it’s tradition for us to close out our summer at Cherry Hill, but I’m thinking we need to sneak in another weekend in July! There’s brand new slides to check out and my kids are begging to go!

Cherry Hill is celebrating 50 years of being family owned and operated. To celebrate 50 years, they are giving away over $20,000 in prizes including Megaplex tickets, Lifetime products, ski passes, and much more every day of the 2017 summer season. Check out their website and follow them on Facebook for more information and to see a calendar of events.

Have you been to Cherry Hill?

What is your favorite part?

What are your favorite family traditions?

I’ve partnered with Cherry Hill and US Family Guide to let you know about their 50th Anniversary Celebration. All opinions are my own and I love sharing this fun, family tradition! 

The post Summer fun at Cherry Hill! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

It’s no secret that our family are HUGE fans of The Leonardo (see blog posts here, here, here, and here . The Leonardo is one of our favorite things to do in Salt Lake City, Utah. We love it so much that our kids are getting a family membership from Santa for Christmas.

This year we are focusing more on EXPERIENCES than things. And The Leonardo is chock full of educational and fun experiences for everyone – from my preschooler up to my 4th grader.

Earlier this month we spent an entire Saturday afternoon exploring the new exhibits – Flight and Where Children Sleep. Engaging, interactive, and just plain fun are a few words I would use to describe the exhibits.

What makes The Leonardo so magical for this mama is that my kiddos are having so much fun that they don’t even realize they are learning. Math, perception, physics, empathy, geography, diversity … we touched on each of these topics during our last visit without even popping open a text book.

The Leonardo caters to all different learning styles. From hands-on and tactile to the book/fact lovers like me! The exhibits also change throughout the year so there’s always something new to discover.

Now here’s the fun part. If you are like me, you are scrambling for last-minute gifts for Christmas right now. A family membership to The Leonardo would be perfect – you can get a year long membership for six people for only $105! Plus use the gift code TP7650 and you get an extra month free. It’s easy to order online.  I am so excited for my kids to see their membership Christmas morning!

I received a family membership to The Leonardo as part of this post. We’ve been fans for years so I’m excited to share the museum more with you in 2017! 

The post Family Time at The Leonardo + Discount Code appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Halloween time is here and our October has been jam packed with fun, fall things to do in Utah! Today I’m sharing a few of our family favorites so that you can join in on the fun!

Photo Courtesy of Living Planet Aquarium

Skeletons, Spiders, and Sea Life – Oh My! 

The Haunted Aquarium in Draper is SPOOKTACULAR! All your favorite aquarium attractions with the added fun and flair of Halloween – skeletons, tombstones, spider webs and more! From skeleton dives with the sharks to pirate alchemy to trick or treating, you don’t want to miss out. The fun starts on October 21st and continues through Halloween – be sure to check their web-site for the full schedule.  See more of our spooky favorites from our visit to the Haunted Aquarium on Facebook Live and Instagram, too.

Photo Courtesy of Springville Museum

Halloween Party at Springville Museum of Art

We are excited to be adding a new party to our list this year! This one is held at the Springville Museum of Art on Wednesday, October 26th from 5 pm to 8 pm. Believe me, I am jumping at the chance to combine Halloween fun with culture. The Museum of Art is a local treasure and I’ll take any chance I can get to expose my kiddos to it! There will be Halloween games, treats, scary stories, art projects and more for the kiddos to enjoy as they explore the haunted halls of art. Plus it’s another chance to wear fun costumes!

Little Haunts – This is the Place Heritage Park

Head to Salt Lake for some old-fashioned, non-scary Halloween fun with Little Haunts at This is the Place Heritage Park.  Trick or treat in the pioneer village, visit the Story Witch, make take-home crafts and have so much fun! Plus my kids can’t get enough of the pony rides, train rides, and panning for gold! Little Haunts is this weekend as well as October 29th.  Be sure to visit their site and print off a coloring page in advance so your kids can enter the contest as well!

Jakers Pumpkin Patch

Halloween isn’t complete without a visit to the pumpkin patch! Jakers in Springville is especially fun for the younger kiddos! Love that they open at 9 am – perfect for moms with preschoolers.  Jump in the corn pile, take a hay ride or get lost in a maze – lots to do! Plus pumpkins start at $2.

Witch Fest at Gardner Village

This one has been a family favorite for almost 10 years and it just keeps getting better. The witch scavenger hunt is a must for us and it always ends with cheese bread and hot chocolate at the bakery. It’s a fantastic mix of Halloween for adults and children. Mom gets to check out the gorgeous shops an the kids get to have fun, too! My kids love the play area and I love the atmosphere. Dressing up makes it even more fun! Check out the schedule of events here. 

Cornbelly’s at Thanksgiving Point

Cornbelly’s is another attraction that just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year.  There’s so much to do that I am not surprised that they added season passes.  Spooky shows, haunted mazes, fireworks and more! Their fun lasts all of October. You can check out their calendar of events here. 

Scarecrow Walk at Homestead Resort

If you want to experience a true October in Utah, you have to head up the canyon to Midway. I guarantee it will be the prettiest fall experience you have this year. We love the quaintness of the Scarecrow Walk at Homestead Resort and the stunning foliage everywhere you look. Stop by the Homestead gift shop for some fudge before you go out and hike one of the many gorgeous trails! Here are a few more for our Midway favorites.  Make a weekend of it and enjoy a relaxing stay at the Homestead, too! 

What are your favorite family friendly Halloween activities in Utah?

The post Family Favorite Halloween Activities in Utah appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

1. Ringling Bros & Barnum and Bailey circus is in town! You are in luck because I scored you a discount code for Saturday night. Use the code DADS. The circus will be at the Vivint Arena through this Monday night so don’t miss out. You can catch all the details here.  My kids are so excited to go early for all the fun before the show.

2. Chalk the Block at Riverwoods in Provo is another one of our favorite fall family traditions.  I’m crossing my fingers that the weather will be good enough! One of the years we went, Waffle Luv had their truck there. Hoping that is the case again because this preggo is craving waffles and biscotti! Saturday is the last day. My kids have a blast checking out all the chalk drawings and creating some of their own.

3. The STEM Expo at Utah Valley University will be a first for us.  It is Saturday 9/24 from 10 am to 1 pm. It doesn’t cost a penny and it is a fun way for kids to learn in an interactive environment. My kids love building and creating so this will be fun to check out.

4. Saturday is  a free day at The Leonardo thanks to the Smithsonian.  You can download tickets here. It’s hard to say who loves The Leonardo more – my husband and I or our kids! You can see some of the fun we’ve hard there here. We’re especially interested in the new flight exhibit. I promise you’ll have hours of creative fun! It’s a hands-on museum that is fun for the entire family.  This would be great to do in combination with the circus on Saturday!

5. I can’t wait for the Women’s Session of General Conference Saturday night as well! (You can totally send the boys to the circus and have a girls night!) Lily is 9 years old so we will be going together. It’s a great chance to get a new perspective and spend time together. I’m also excited to start prepping for General Conference next week. You can see some of our favorite family traditions here and here.

Can you see why I am excited for this weekend? Now to decide what to do! What are your plans for this weekend?

The post Things to do in Utah this weekend appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

(Two chances to win family passes! Check it out on below and on my Instagram page! )

My kids are quite vocal about their love of animals. They get it from their Dad! Although I am kind to animals, my kids just can’t get enough of them. Spring is one of their favorite times of year because that means Baby Animal Days!  This year it is May 6th and 7th courtesy of Utah State University Botanical Center.

This will be our third your attending. We go – come rain or shine! My kids do not let me forget it.

Here’s a sneak peek from my friends at My Mommy Style into what is in store for you at Baby Animal Days! You can see just how excited Lily is to check out the baby animals at .24 seconds. She’s the in the red coat holding the baby chick.

This year there are TWICE the number of baby animals. Come meet baby pigs, goats, lambs, ponies, calves, baby chicks, rabbits, and maybe even a yak!

Don’t miss out on the other fun activities as well – horse rides and miniature train rides. Your first ride on both are covered with your ticket! We spent several hours at Baby Animal Days last year and my kids still talk about it.

Along with the baby animals, there will also be food vendors and craft activities for the children.  I know my children are excited for the train ride!

Here is a schedule of the events so you can make sure you don’t miss your child’s favorites!

When: Friday, May 6, 3-8 PM  &
Saturday, May 7, 10 AM-6 PM

Where: Utah State University Botanical Center
875 South 50 West, Kaysville, Utah 84037

Friday
3:00 PM Sheep Shearing Demo
3:30 PM Wild Wonders Show
4:30 PM Scales and Tales Show
5:30 PM Sheep Shearing Demo
6:30 PM Wild Wonders Show
7:30 PM Scales and Tales Show

Saturday
11:00 AM Sheep Shearing Demo
12:00 PM Scales and Tales Show
1:00 PM Wild Wonders Show
2:00 PM Sheep Shearing Demo
3:00 PM Scales and Tales Show
4:00 PM Wild Wonders Show

Here’s a link to directions from I-15 if you are unfamiliar with the area.

Avoid lines and buy tickets in advance. Use the code blog5 to get $5 off a family pass. Buy tickets here. 

See you there! Remember to enter to win below and on my instagram page! Two chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Family time at Baby Animal Days in Kaysville + Giveaway! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Photo Courtesy of Feld Entertainment

My family just got home from our first visit to the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus Xtreme and it was fast-paced and magical! Jam packed with acts that will drop your jaw and have your children cheering, it is a fun-filled show for all ages.

Our favorite acts? Kyler and Lily were both wide-eyed and in love with the poodle act. Those darling dogs had so many fun tricks! Cort and Johnny gave a big thumbs up to the thrilling pendulum act. That act had me gasping a few times. The beautiful and coordinated aerialists were at the top of my list!

Have you been to the circus? I’ve put together a few helpful tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your first (or second or third) visit to the circus!

1.VERIFY DATE AND TICKET TIME 

This one seems so simple, but with multiple show times it is better safe than sorry! We accidently showed up at intermission to a show once and it was such a bummer!

Photo Courtesy of Feld Entertainment

2. GO EARLY FOR THE PRESHOW

The All Access Pre-Show is FREE with your ticket. It starts an hour before the show. Guests are invited to step right up and try on costumes, learn circus skills, and meet the performers. Lots of fun photo opps! You can also enter to win an original pacyderm painting. I recommend arriving early because it definitely gets more crowded the closer you get to show time.

3. ESTABLISH EXPECTATIONS

Be sure your children know what to expect as far as souvenirs and snacks before you go. Snacks and souvenir’s ranged from $7-$24 so be prepared. The Icies in commemorative cups were $15. My favorite booth at concessions was the face painting.

4. MAKE IT FUN FOR THE CHILDREN TO EARN

My husband and I are having our children earn their souvenirs/treats by working on their goals. We printed them each one of the dozens of adorable tracking charts from Kid Pointz. They are tracking their simple chores, reading time, music practice, etc.! My children appreciate things so much more when they earn them and I am sure that they will be so proud of them.

Photo Courtesy of Feld Entertainment

5.  BE AWARE OF YOUR CHILD’S NEEDS

The circus is LOUD and EXCITING! Loud noises and bright lights are pretty consistent. We had a lady sitting nearby who loudly whistled after most of the acts. If you have a child who is sensitive to noise be sure to bring noise canceling headphones. Added tip, Energy Solutions Arena has complimentary ear plugs at the guest services desk that you can ask about.

6. RESEARCH THE BEST PARKING

If you are coming to the circus in Utah, I will let you in on a little secret my Dad taught me. Local restaurants will often let you park at their establishment during an event if you put your receipt in the window. We grab a gyro at one of our favorite Salt Lake City restaurants and then it’s just a short walk to the Energy Solutions Arena. Check to see if restaurants in your area have similar policies!

TRAX may also be a good option for you – just make sure that you double check train times! If you are in a different state, be sure to check out the parking situation near your arena and see if you can find a good deal!

There are also plenty of lots along the road to the Delta Center that offer parking for $5 on up. Be sure to bring cash!

Photo Courtesy of Feld Entertainment

7. BUILD THE EXCITEMENT

You can check out Circus Xtreme Youtube videos here. My daughter LOVES surprises, but my son likes to know exactly what he is doing. We’ll be showing him the youtube videos in advance. Here is a video of one of our favorite acts – the human cannonball!

The glow in the dark aerialists were absolutely amazing as well! Check out the video on my instagram feed!

8.  LOCATE BATHROOMS

I recommend making a bathroom trip before you leave home, again at dinner, and again before the show starts – just in case! You can never be too careful with the under six crowd! Make note of the nearest bathroom to your seats just in case you have to sneak out with a little one during the show.

9. BRING BINOCULARS

This is my husband’s favorite tip. Even if you have great seats, children love looking through binoculars for a closer look!

10. DISCUSS PERFORMANCE ETIQUETTE

Before we even get out of the car, I like to go over a few simple rules with my children. They are pretty basic – stay by family, walk, and use nice voices. For arena events, I add keeping our feet to ourselves – no one likes the back of their seat kicked. This is a high energy performance so cheering and laughing is definitely welcomed, though!

I hope these 10 easy tips will help you enjoy your first Circus Xtreme performance! There is still plenty of time to get tickets for Saturdays and Mondays performances.

WHEN: Thursday, September 24 – Monday, September 28

Thursday, September 24 7:00 PM

Friday, September 25 3:30 PM & 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 26 11:30 AM, 3:30 PM & 7:00 PM

Sunday, September 27 1:00 PM & 4:30 PM

Monday, September 28 7:00 PM

WHERE: Energy Solutions Arena – 301 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

TICKETS: Ticket prices range from $20, $35 (VIP) and $65-70 (Front Row)*

Kids (ages 2-12) tickets available for only $10 each for select seating on weekday shows
Save 50% on Opening Night discount tickets (select seating only; not valid on VIP/Front Row levels)
All seats are reserved; tickets available thru Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or visit the Energy Solutions Arena Box Office.

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Getting my family outside playing together and enjoying the sunshine is a top priority this summer. Our day at the Get Messy Get Clean Festival at Thanksgiving Point fit the bill perfectly.

Whether my children were creating and popping massive bubbles (you’ve got to see the video HERE) or planting an herb garden in pots they decorated themselves, they loved every minute and begged to stay longer. I had Annie’s cheddar bunnies and Justin’s almond butter packets to snack on, so I was happy to oblige!

What I loved most about the festival was the message that as a family you can get messy and get clean in a way that is healthy for your body, the planet, and even your pets!

Target brought together so many of my favorite brands – Mrs. Meyers, Justin’s, Ella’s Kitchen, KIND, Hyland’s, Annie’s, and Yes To – and introduced me to a few new ones as well – Ecoscraps, Paddy’s Bathroom, Freshpet, and Angie’s. All the brands believe products should be #madetomatter and that is something I can get behind as a mom.

Here are a few of the the things that we learned (or relearned!) at the festival that I am excited to make even more of a priority in our home.

1. Get in the garden. The Ecoscraps play tables made from recycled materials were a huge hit with my three year old. He dug in the tables for at least half an hour while his siblings were at the bounce houses.

Kyler is exactly the same way in our garden at home. Whether he is planting or harvesting, this boy loves to be in the dirt. Added bonus if he finds grasshoppers or roly poly bugs! Here’s my secret if you have picky eaters like me, they are much more likely to eat the fruits/veggies if they have grown them themselves! Plus this study is food for thought, playing in the dirt could help children be smarter – check it out.  Gardening is the perfect skill to teach your little ones.

2. Know what you are eating and where it comes from. This goes hand in hand with the gardening. Help your children make the food choices that are best for their bodies. At our house we adore Annie’s macaroni and cheese. It is a staple!

3. Start ’em young. Kids gravitate toward what they are used to. Start when they are young with habits that are good for their bodies and the environment. For example, my daughter loves eating what we call “Mac and Peas.” I make up a box of Annie’s White Shells and Cheddar and add frozen peas in while the noodles are cooking. She will not eat macaroni and cheese any other way now! Score for veggies!

4. Make it fun. Mary Poppins has it right – a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down! My kids loved the Mrs. Meyers hand-washing stations throughout the festival. Lemon Verbena and Lavender were the favorite hand soap scents from our family. When we are washing up, we like to sing the ABCs. It’s an easy way to know that we are washing long enough (and hopefully thoroughly enough, too!) Combining good-for-you products with sustainable habits and fun activities is a win for the whole family!

5. Do it together. My children watch EVERYTHING I do. And that means that they are often repeating the same actions. If I am out in the garden and enjoying the fresh air, my children are most likely right by my side. Whether it is blowing bubbles or visiting the local animal shelter, do it together and make healthy habits as a family! When my daughter was in kindergarten, we declared the school break our “summer of service.” We had a blast picking up litter on hiking trails and collecting pop cans to recycle.

This year was the first Get Messy Get Clean Festival by Target and I hope that there will be many more! Find out more about the Made to Matter brands here. 

This post is sponsored by the #GetMessyGetClean Festival. All opinions and fun are my own! 

The post Five Ways to Raise a Sustainable Family + #GetMessyGetClean Festival appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

We’ve hit the point during the summer where if the kids are home, they tend to gravitate toward electronics.  So I am always on the lookout for fun and educational activities that get us outside and moving. Here are just a few of the activities from the festival that my kids are excited about:

1. Monster bubbles and bubble play from Paddy’s Bubbles.

2. Coloring and hand-washing station from Mrs. Meyers. 

3. Painting and planting with terra cotta pots from Ecoscraps.

4, Small space gardening classes from Ecoscraps.

5. Soccer activities. 

6. Kids Yoga.

7. Police dog demonstrations and puppy adoptions from Fresh Pet. 

8. Face painting.

9. Bounce houses.

Fun, right? Pack up the kids and join me Saturday, July11th from 10 am to 4 pm at the Thanksgiving Point Electric Park. Each guest receives a Made to Matter gift bag with samples from some of my favorite brands – Annie’s Homegrown, Mrs. Meyer’s, Justin’s, Ella’s Kitchen, Hyland’s Homeopathy, Yes to Carrots, Kind, and more!

When you come, be sure to share your fun experiences on social media using #getmessygetclean and #madetomatter for a chance to win giveaway prizes from those fantastic brands. For the moms and dads, there will be a food truck round up. I’ll be on the lookout for some of my favorites! Hope to see you there!

Now for the fun part, the sponsors are giving away a $50 gift package full of Annie’s Homegrown products. My family personally loves Annie’s from the macaroni and cheese to the fruits snacks. Be sure to enter to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is a sponsored post. 

The post #GetMessyGetClean Free Kids Festival at Electric Park at Thanksgiving Point appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

It’s been over 20 years since Jurassic Park debuted in theaters. You better believe I am excited for Jurassic World. The original sci-fi adventure classic directed by Steven Spielberg still pops into my mind whenever I see the mirror sticker “Objects in rear-view wIndow are closer than they appear.” The preview from Jurassic World had me at the first few notes from the original Jurassic Park sound track.

As a teen who read all the books by Michael Crichton and watched all the movies, I was always dying to know what it would really be like in the parks. PS – you are going to want to head over to the Jurassic World website to check out the park maps and web cams. The details are too much fun for an avid theme parker visitor like me.

To celebrate the debut of Jurassic World this week, I’ve joined forces with some of my favorite Utah bloggers to put together a Jurassic Giveaway of epic proportions. Dinosaurs are no strangers to Utah after all!

Did you know that Utah is a Dinosaur Fossil gold mine?! I mean, Utah, it’s a big deal. Check out the details of a few of our prizes!

So big in fact, that the Utahraptor was found right here in Moab, Utah. That’s right people, we have our own dinosaur. It’s also a cousin of the Velociraptor in Jurassic Park. Utah has a lot of dinosaur history, so we’ve compiled a list of our favorite Dinosaur Museums. You’ll definetly want to add these museums to your summer bucket list.

Natural History Museum of Utah | Salt Lake City

The Natural History Museum of Utah has the world’s largest and only display of 14 ceratopsian (horned) dinosaur skulls. The Museum collection is super unique because nearly all the specimens are from Utah and at least 15 of them are new to science since 2000!

They also have the Lythronax (similar to tyrannasaurus) that was found in Southern Utah and can only be found on display here in Utah! This was one of my daughter’s favorite field trips in first grade.

Museum of Ancient Life | Thanksgiving Point | Lehi

The Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point has 60 complete dinosaur skeletons and is one of the largest dinosaur museums in the world. You’ve probably driven by it and seen the giant tyrannasaurus rex on the building. My children and I can spend hours in this museum – I kid you not. With over 50 hands-on exhibits including a dinosaur dig site and erosion water tables, it’s one of our favorite ways to spend summer days.

Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park | Ogden

Tucked in the mouth of Weber Canyon, you’ll find dinosaurs hidden throughout the brush by the Weber River. Watch paleontologist clean off fossils or dig for some gems in the cave. The Jurassic-World-like playground will have your kids playing for hours!

St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site | St. George

This museum just opened up in 2000 and is family-friendly. It’s built over dinosaur footprints that you can see through the floor. Best part? The footprints were found right here in Utah. It’s a small museum, but it is jam packed with fossils! Be sure to schedule a tour, our guide was fantastic. He entertained the little ones, but included tons of fascinating facts for my husband and I.

National Geographic just did a story on all the new species that are coming out of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument in Southern Utah and all the pieces are sent to the Utah Museum of Natural History. Pretty cool right?

So cool in fact, that we’ve got a giant giveaway!

***GIVEAWAY***

We will have five winners! Thanks to our amazing sponsors! This giveaway has a little bit of something for every age. Baby, littles, teens and adults will all love this giveaway.

Natural History Museum of Utah : Tickets

Thanksgiving Point : Tickets

Megaplex Theatres : Movie Passes & Large Popcorn

The Salt Project : 2 Adventure Packs

LeggyBlondeShop : Dinosaur Planter

LovelyLettersDesign : Dinosaur Party Invites and Thank You Cards

SnuggleMeDesigns : Dinosaur Hooded Towel

Cloud9Craftss : Jurassic Park Movie Poster

LittleSaplingToys : Dino Teethers

The Potter’s-Place : Potter Pack

Here’s how the bounty will be divided.  We will have 5 winners.

The Grand Prize Winner

5 Tickets to the Natural History Museum of Utah

5 Tickets to Thanksgiving Point’s Museum of Ancient Life

2 Movie Passes & Large Popcorn from Megaplex Theatres

2 Salt Project Adventure Packs

First Choice to 2 other prizes

1 Dino Teether

1 Potter Pack

Second Place

5 Tickets to the Natural History Museum of Utah

5 Tickets to Thanksgiving Point’s Museum of Ancient Life

2 Movie Passes & Large Popcorn from Megaplex Theatres

Second Choice to 1 other prize

1 Dino Teether

Third Place

4 Tickets to the Natural History Museum of Utah

2 Movie Passes & Large Popcorn from Megaplex Theatres

Third Choice of 1 other prize

1 Dino Teether

Fourth Place

4 Tickets to the Natural History Museum of Utah

2 Movie Passes & Large Popcorn from Megaplex Theatres

Fourth Choice of 1 other prize

1 Dino Teether

Fifth Place

2 Tickets to the Natural History Museum of Utah

2 Movie Passes & Large Popcorn from Megaplex Theatres

Fifth Choice of 1 other prize

1 Dino Teether

The post Jurassic World Giveaway + Four Dinosaur Museums to Check Out in Utah appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Now that is school is out it’s time to start thinking of how you will keep your kiddos busy this summer. While they can certainly play outside, there will be days where it will be miserably hot. A great place to visit that will keep them cool and entertained is Discovery Gateway!

We’ve already made our first visit to Discovery Gateway this summer. As you can tell from the picture above, it’s been one of our favorite things to do in Utah since Lily was a baby. And that’s one of my favorite things about Discovery Gateway – there is something for all ages. On our latest trip, we arrived at opening and didn’t leave until 4 pm. The kids loved every second of it!

Be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post as well as check out some tips of how to get the most out of your visit. But first, here’s a little about this fun museum!

Discovery Gateway children’s museum is located in the Gateway Mall in downtown Salt Lake City. Discovery Gateway offers 60,000 square feet of interactive, hands-on fun. You can explore their engaging workshops, programs, and exhibits that invite the whole family to create, learn, and play together!

Exhibits Include:

• The Garden- A 30-foot beehive greets visitors to The Garden, an exhibit where children and adults work together to keep things “buzzing.”
• Kid’s Eye View– In the Kid’s Eye View exhibit, children can explore the big, wide world on a kid-sized scale.
• Story Factory- From classic stage to modern multimedia, the Story Factory exhibit offers visitors numerous ways to explore telling a story.
• Media Zone- Anchor the evening news or report the weather using the green screen in our Media Zone exhibit that takes visitors behind the scenes.
• The Studio- The worlds of the artist, scientist, and engineer combine in this hands-on creative space.
• The Terrace- Put your rescue skills to the test as a pilot, paramedic, or commando.

Now, we’ve been quite a few times and we’ve learned a few tips along the way about how to get the most out of your day.  Ready for some insider tips?!?!?

1.  Be on the look out for good deals! When we went last Friday, this was the best deal out there!  Loved saving 37 percent off my tickets!

2. Be there when it opens so that you can sign up for the extra classes before they fill up. They do put out additional sign-up sheets for the later classes around noon so you will want to check back in before you have lunch. These classes are one of my favorite things about Discovery Gateway. From counting fun with octopus art projects to learning about and creating their own Matis masterpieces, the classes are fun, up-beat, and educational. Our favorite day to go is Friday, because there are three different classes offered during the summer. It is the perfect way to break up the day. Check out all of the classes and times here. 

3. Take a sack lunch to enjoy at their picnic tables on the bottom floor by the entrance. I put string cheese and frozen gogurts in a small insulated bag and they were perfect for lunch time. Food and drink is not allowed in the museum so plan for snack times/meals down at the picnic tables.

4. Establish expectations before you enter the museum. My children are ages 7,5, and 3 and all love different exhibits. Before we got out of the car, we made a plan to rotate who chose the next exhibit to visit. We would stay at each exhibit for 30 minutes or until the person who chose decides it is time to go. This seemed to work pretty well for us. We also made the rule that you had to be able to see Mom at all times.

5. Ditch the purse/diaper bag and wear a backpack. I put our lunches, my wallet, changes of clothes, etc. all in a backpack so that I would have my hands free to play with the kids. This made it so much easier than having to keep track of a purse. You need both hands free to take fun videos like this of the Hurricane Simulator.

For more details about our favorite exhibits, check out this post. 

Giveaway Time!

I am excited to be giving you the chance to win a 1-year family membership for 4! This is a $115 value!

Enter using the rafflecopter widget below. You must be a Utah resident to win. Giveaway ends 6/22/15. Good Luck!

Disclosure: This blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment or shipment. I was not compensated to participate in this giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post contains affiliate links. 

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The snow is coming down in Utah and my seven year old princess is so excited to go to Disney on Ice at the Energy Solutions Area! Time to snuggle up with some hot chocolate and get a sneak peek of the fun that awaits us.

While the children check out the preview, I’ll be packing up and laying out costumes for tonight. My little ones look for every excuse to wear their Disney outfits! Lily will be wearing her new Ice Queen dress from Little Adventures and the boys are wearing their Buzz and Woody shirts from the Disney Store.

The Buzz and Woody shirts came as part of pajama sets, but I think they work perfectly with jeans. When you shop at the Disney Store be sure to go through a cash back site to get the best deal! Over Christmas I shopped at the Disney Store through my Ebates link and it was nice to get some money back. I also check Swagbucks and Shop at Home to see who is giving back the highest amount. May as well make money  back if you are already shopping at the Disney Store online!

Other items I am packing are:

Disposable Bibs to protect their costumes through dinner and any snacks at the venue. We bought this brand for our Florida trip and they have protected us from many a Mickey Mouse popsicle and Disney treat!

Toy Story Look and Find book for the boys. We have several of these books and they are great for during dinner and while we are waiting for the show to start.

Glow Sticks. We got ours at the dollar store, but you can also get them in bulk on Amazon.com. Then you will be set for the 4th of July, any Disney trips, and lots of summer fun!

These few items seem to help keep our Disney on Ice experience a little cleaner and calmer. Be sure to follow me on instagram to see our favorite parts of the show! If any of these tips help you, I would love to see! Use the hashtag #keepmovingforwardwithme on instagram and I will check them out.

Need more tips for your first Disney on Ice? Check this out!

And if you need help choosing costumes, I’ve got you covered here at Dress up tips for Disney on Ice.

I hope you’ll join me this week at the Energy Solutions Arena for Let’s Celebrate – Disney on Ice. Here are the details – be sure to scroll down for the SPECIAL DISCOUNT CODE! 

WHAT:            Make an ordinary day extraordinary when Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate! – Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt brings more than 50 Disney characters from 16 beloved Disney stories together in Salt Lake City for one colossal party on ice!  This fun-filled show features a magical montage of celebrations, holidays and festivals from around the globe set to a blend of contemporary music and favorite Disney songs, playing at the Energy Solutions Arena from March 4 – 8, 2015.

Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse on a delightful tour as they celebrate a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains; a Very Merry Unbirthday Party with Alice and the Mad Hatter; Mardi Gras with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen; a Valentine’s Day Royal Ball with the Disney Princesses; a Hawaiian luau with Lilo & Stitch; a winter wonderland with Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear; traveling to far-off exotic places including China for the Chinese New Year, Brazil for Carnival and Japan for the beautiful Cherry Blossom festival Sakura.  Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate! – Presented by YoKids is the ultimate jam-packed celebration of the century featuring fun and surprises for the whole family!

WHERE: Energy Solutions Arena

301 West South Temple

Salt Lake City, Utah, 84101

WHEN: March 4 – 8, 2015

Wednesday, March 4th 7:00 PM

Thursday, March 5th 7:00 PM

Friday, March 6th 3:30 PM & 7:00 PM

Saturday, March 7th 11:30 AM, 3:30 PM & 7:00 PM

Sunday, March 8th 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM

TICKETS: Ticket price levels are $20, $25, $40 (VIP) and $52 (Front Row)

Special Opening Night discount tickets available for only $15 each (not valid for VIP/Front Row)

Tickets available for purchase online at Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Energy Solutions Arena Office.

Use the code MOM to get $5 off your tickets! The code is valid for the following performances Thurs. 7:00pm, Fri. 3:30pm, Sat. 11:30am, Sun. 4:30pm. The code is valid for the $25 and $20 tickets only and limited to 6 per order. Only valid online and it is good through show time!

To discover more, go to DisneyOnIce.com. Be sure to follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Station Park is Farmington’s hidden gem and I am so excited to give you a little sneak peek into some of my favorite things there. Be sure to enter to win the $300+ prize package from Station Park’s amazing businesses (scroll to the bottom)! If you need a date night with the hubby (hello couples massage!) or you are looking for something fun to do with the kids (ice skating and yummy cobbler!), Station Park is your place.

My first Station Park experience was in November for the dessert restaurant Cobbler Cove’s grand opening. I immediately fell in love with the thousands of twinkle lights, the family friendly activities, and all my dining and entertainment options. I’ve visited several times sense then and it just gets better every time!  I love Station Park so much that I invited 50 Utah bloggers and Instagrammers to experience it for themselves. Here are the top ten reasons to visit Station Park that I shared with them and that I am now excited to share with you!

1. This cobbler! I have to start with this yummy cobbler as that is how we began our evening at Station Park.  Check out the #cobblercove and #stationpark on Instagram to see all the fun we had and their reviews of Cobbler Cove! My favorite is the chocolate cobbler with mixed berries topped with Farr’s vanilla ice cream and an oat crumble. There are 15 flavors to choose from as well as a myriad of tasty toppings and sauces. Next time I am going to try out the pineapple!

Cobbler Cove is brand new to Station Park and has the coziest dining room complete with a couch in front of a fireplace as well as seating that faces out to the beautiful surroundings of Station Park. One of my favorite things about Cobbler Cove is that they try to use local fruit as much as possible – go local! Be sure to check it out on your next visit to Station Park!

2. The fountains. Think Bellagio in Vegas and Disney fountain shows – just as amazing! You can see them anytime, but there are amazing shows on the hour to the music of Van Halen and Adele. Check out this night-time instagram video of the fountains by Like Mother Like Daughter. You need to see the fountains at day and night for the full effect!

3. The family-friendly amenities. With upscale retail, dining and entertainment, a children’s play area, an outdoor winter skating rink, and a world-class show fountain – there is definitely something for everyone. Station Park expertly combines luxe surroundings with family-friendly amenities. Did you know that there are darling wooden toys for children to play with in the lululemon dressing room? That scores them major mommy points in my book! My daughter gets so bored while I am trying on clothes and I love that lululemon came up with a solution! I am sure that my kids will be making full use of the playground this summer while my husband and I trade off shopping, too.

Photo courtesy of Station Park

4. The restaurants. Station Park boasts over 20 restaurants from casual to fine-dining. One that I am excited to try is ParkStone and they are included in our giveaway! Love the location by the fountains and the beautiful indoor/outdoor seating areas. ParkStone, like Cobbler Cove, likes to spotlight local and fresh ingredients. Looking forward to trying their asparagus fries and the spicy egg and bacon burger – yum! For a review of Parkstone check out The Morrell Tale. The pictures look scrumptious!

Photo courtesy of Station Park

5. The community activities. From free Family First Mondays to free exercise classes at lululemon every Saturday morning, there is something going on at Station Park every week. Family First Mondays are filled with activities, entertainment, and discounts that your kids are going to love. For special event dates, be sure to check out the schedule on Station Park’s web-site.

I love that the classes at lululemon are taught by local exercise experts from places like Dance Factory, Crossfit, and Centered City Yoga. Stop by this Saturday at 8 am and check them out for yourself. You can even get a sneak peak of the classes from the videos on their facebook page.

6. The shopping. With over 45 stores, Station Park is a shopper’s dream! One of my favorite stores there is DownEast Basics. Remember all the darling finds I made with Alicia from Chic on a Shoe String? I love this purse and these pants that I discovered Saturday night. I am excited to go back since their new line launched TODAY! Check out their online and in-store specials!

7. The convenience. You will want to shop, stay, and play at this beautiful shopping and entertainment destination right off of I-15 with easy access to Front Runner. Literally five minutes off the freeway. I live in Utah County and I have already been up to Station Park three times since Thanksgiving – worth the drive! Station Park has their own hotel in the works – it is going to make the perfect staycation! Putting it on my bucket list.

Photo courtesy of Station Park

8. The luxe. I love that Station Park is the complete package – a movie theater, a gym, restaurants, shops, and outdoor entertainment. The beauty of Station Park is that they didn’t stop at convenience, location, and selection. Station Park takes it up a notch to provide you with a luxe shopping experience. One of my new favorite places to walk through at Station Park is the concierge area. Isn’t it beautiful?

And the luxe carries over to the stores. I went gaga over these light fixtures at lululemon and Sanctuary Aveda.

9.  The spa. Speaking of luxe, a trip to Station Park wouldn’t be complete without stopping by Sanctuary Aveda. Can I describe you to my dream day? Shop til I drop in the morning with a lunch at ParkStone (remember that amazing hamburger and appetizer!!!). Next, a deep-tissue massage at Sanctuary Aveda followed by a movie at the Cinemark. Top it off with chocolate raspberry cobbler by the fire and I am set!

One feature of the spa that a fellow blogger and I were loving is the membership service. Typically with a membership service you get a monthly massage. At Sanctuary Aveda, you can select from several services including a facial or pedicure. Fun to mix it up a little!

10. The date nights. Doesn’t every thing I mention sound perfect for date nights? Hello Valentines! Spoil your kids with ice staking and a movie in the early afternoon and then come back for a massage and cobbler by the fire at night. One date night that is on my list this year are the cooking classes at Harmon’s. Love the variety that they offer!

Now, for what you have been waiting for! The giveaway!

Whether you are checking out the latest in fashion at DownEast Basics, dining at the ParkStone wood-fire grill, grabbing groceries at Harmon’s, working out with lululemon on Saturday morning, or having a spa day at Sanctuary Aveda, you are going to want to cap off your fun with fresh-baked cobbler from Station Park’s newest dessert restaurant Cobbler Cove! You are going to want to cozy up by their fireplace and enjoy America’s favorite dessert.

One lucky reader is going to be spoiled with some of our favorite things from Station Park!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I organized an event for bloggers and instagrammers for this post. We received complimentary cobbler and hot chocolate to review. Thank you Station Park and Cobbler Cove!

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Date night just got spookier Utah! The husband and I attended a VIP event at Evermore Park Pumpkin Fest on Saturday and were blown away by the haunting details and stunning technology. This is not your average haunted forest and pumpkin festival peeps! Here’s a little sneak peek to what awaits:

Think choose your own adventure meets Halloween haunt meets Victorian time period. Did I scream like a little girl and push  my husband ahead of me in the twists and turns in the mausoleum – oh yes! Did I stop to oogle all the ah-mazing costumes when I was done screaming – that’s another yes!

The Evermore Pumpkin Fest includes an exhilarating jaunt through a haunted cemetery where you can complete one of four different quests (or keep going back to complete all four!) This was my husband’s favorite part. An interactive haunted quest – sign him up! I liked that it was subtly scary at times rather than in your face scary all the time. This totally makes it more spooky to me. All inhabitants of the tavern and cemetery are in character and interact with you. I believe it is the first time I have talked with someone on a haunted excursion before!

Word has it that the always in character residents of the tavern and haunted cemetery are very accommodating to all ages. But if a haunted cemetery isn’t your thing, there is plenty for the little ones to do as well! There are hundreds of jack o lanterns all designed and displayed in a unique fashion from the entrance archway to the giant pumpkin character at the end of a hay bale maze.

Don’t miss the street entertainers while you are checking out the pumpkins! You may even come across a 20 pound blood python or the birds of Evermore which were definitely crowd favorites amongst the kids and adults.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. TONIGHT (Wednesday, October 29th, 2014) is the PERFECT night to go to Evermore Park because not only will you be treated to all of the above, but there will also be a music festival starring Mindy Gledhill, Fictionist, and more! Get tickets online in advance for $5 off. Steal of a deal for a haunted excursion and a concert!

My husband and I had a blast at  Evermore Pumpkin Fest and definitely think it is the new haunted place to be in Utah. If you are looking for a fun activity to do with family or friends this week for Halloween, look no further. From college students to the littles, it’s fun for all ages.

One of my favorite parts of our VIP experience at the Pumpkin Fest was hearing from owner and visionary of Evermore,  Ken Bretschneider. While the grounds of Evermore hold the Pumpkin Fest this year, tentative plans are underway to begin construction on a multi million dollar adventure theme park that is both interactive and immersive. John and I marveled at the miniature set of the park that included a  graveyard and hedgemaze, a high-tech hotel, a water park nestled into a cliffside castle, a Victorian village straight from Dickens, a church complete with catacombs to explore underneath, a derelict pirate ship and hideaway cove and much, much more. Be sure to follow Evermore Park on facebook to keep up to date!

To say we are excited for it is an understatement! But for now, my husband is ready to go back and choose his next quest at the Evermore Nightshade Cemetery! Head on over tonight and catch Mindy Gledhill! Remember, tickets are $5 off if you preorder online. The Pumpkin Fest runs through November 1st and is located off exit 275 in Pleasant Grove.

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This year has been so incredible busy and I have been blessed with amazing opportunities! When I saw the prompt from SITS Girls to blog about 10 Things I am Grateful For, I just had to join in. Thanksgiving is still two months away, but it is so important to have gratitude in our hearts all year long. As I wrote my list, I was reminded that there are many more things than ten that I have to be grateful for. So here is just a snipped of the gratitude in my heart this week:

1. Cortland. I am grateful for this little man and his love of learning. His preschool was canceled this week so we spent the day exploring The Leonardo in downtown Salt Lake. The one on one time was just what we needed.

2. Lily. I am grateful for her creativity. She is in her element in artistic environments like the one we discovered at Provo’s Chalk the Block. She sees and creates beauty around her.

3. I am grateful for General Conference twice a year – an event in the LDS Church where we gather to learn from our worldwide church leaders. This year I collaborated with other LDS bloggers and came up with a myriad of resources and ideas to #sharethegood and help better prepare our families for General Conference. (We are also giving away over $400 in gift cards and fabulous products!)

4. Family History. I am grateful that I have always had a desire to learn about my roots and where I come from. My mom is the second cutie from the right, isn’t she adorable? I’ve been blessed with many opportunities to study my family’s history and I hope to continue to do so with my own children! Right now, I am indexing on Family Search and it is fascinating! Plus it is easy service!

5. Travel. Oh how I love to travel! I am thankful for our family adventures! We go to Bear Lake each year with my extended family. I love seeing my children exploring out in nature and discovering new things.

6. Health. Health is something I have taken for granted. I’m relooking at my relationship with food. Grateful for fuel for my body like these delicious Bear Lake raspberries!

7. My husband. This man tops the list of what I am grateful for! He is incredible supportive of my hopes and dreams. Best father and husband that our little family could ask for!

8. Creativity in the World. I am constantly amazed by the creativity and brilliance of those around me. We visited the Midway Ice Caves in Heber City this past winter and they truly took my breath away. Much gratitude to those who think outside the box and share their visions with others!

9. Lifelong Friends. I know that I hit in the jackpot with friends. I met these lovely ladies in college when we all worked on the newspaper together. They accepted me and all of my quirks and have been there for me ever since! Whenever we get together, we are able to start right back where we left off. They inspire, they make me laugh, they make my life better.

10. Kyler. And last, but not least. My little ray of sunshine. This little man’s energy and excitement for life simultaneously rejuvenate and exhaust me every day. Love him to pieces.

Check out the other lists of gratitude at the SITS Link Up!

What are you grateful for today?

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I just got back from a week-long visit to my sister, the lovely Cambria from Live to be Inspired. She moved across the country to Pennsylvania and just had her first beautiful baby girl! I was spoiled with dozens of newborn snuggles – in between making meals and doing tiny, adorable laundry, of course.

On the last day of our visit my sister decided that she was up for a road trip. We made the drive to Gettysburg and had just enough time to see the highlights of the historic city. Here are our top five recommendations if you only have a day or a few hours in this amazing place!

1. David Wills House

Many of the museums close between 4-5 pm, but we were able to spend about 45 minutes at the The David Wills House. This was perfect to help us get our bearings of the city! The Civil War refresher course was definitely needed as well. With several interactive exhibits and short films, it easily kept the attention of my five year old nephew. Plus we were able to get maps and brochures to help us navigate the rest of Gettysburg.

Seeing the room Abraham Lincoln slept in and must have pondered the Gettysburg address in was awe-inspiring. There is something uniquely special about learning history in the places where it actually occurred. I could scarcely imagine the more than 50,000 soldiers descending upon this tiny town, much less losing their lives there. The statistics were astounding and the accounts of brother vs. brother, friend vs. friend where heart-wrenching.

2. Gettysburg National Military Park

My father, the history officiando who we had on speed dial during our trip, highly recommends beginning your visit at the National Park Service and Museum for the Gettysburg National Military Park. We arrived after hours so we were out of luck! But if you do have time, the Gettysburg Cyclorama is an excellent way to see the scope of the battle before going out into the fields.

You could truly spend hours walking the paths, but with evening approaching we spent a few quiet moments on the ridge across from the cemetery admiring the beauty of Gettysburg and feeling humbled by what took place there.

3. The Soldiers National Cemetery 

We crossed the road to the Soldiers National Cemetery – something I definitely did not want to miss as part of our evening in Gettysburg. My sister paused at the entrance with her little boy to talk about silence and respect for the soldiers and what took place there. It was a sweet moment to witness. It is important to teach our children facts and dates, but it is just as vital to teach them the morals and feelings that encompassed such events.

As you walk the paths of the cemetery, you truly get a feeling of treading on hallowed ground. The sacrifice of each man buried there became very apparent and embedded in my heart.

4. The Pub & Restaurant

To round out our visit to Gettysburg, our last stop was dinner. As we poured over restaurant recommendations in the area, we all agreed that we wanted to eat somewhere unique to Gettysburg. Hoping to find a place with a touch of history, we discovered The Pub & Restaurant in Historic Lincoln Square. Right across the street from the David Wells House! Our request to eat out on the patio gave us a perfect view of the history-steeped establishments on the square. Be sure to have quarters on hand for the parking meters around the square.

I love dining family style so we selected several appetizers and a pizza to share. The food was as amazing as the surroundings. The fresh baked Italian bread smothered in cheese and flavored with garlic was a favorite as well as the Southwest egg rolls with an avocado dipping sauce that stole the show. The Caprese pizza was just as much a crowd-pleasure with its fresh spinach, house Bruschetta mix, and mozzarella and Fontina cheeses. Feast your eyes on the ooey-gooey yumminess!

5. Child-Friendly Gettysburg

Our visit to Gettysburg was relatively child friendly. With more time I would do the junior ranger program for children at the Visitors Center. The interactive programs allow the children to experience for themselves what it was like to be a soldier in the Civil War by handling equipment, documents, and uniforms from the era (in a safe and age-appropriate manner, of course!)

While I was at the David Wills House, I picked selected a board book, The Story of Abraham Lincoln for my children’s souvenir. My children are ages 2-7 years old so it was right on their level of reading and understanding. It is available for purchase at the store or you can order it ahead of time to prepare your children for their visit to Gettysburg. My five year old nephew and I talked about Gettysburg in a simplified manner on the ride there and I think that it helped to pique his curiousity.

My evening in Gettysburg was just enough to whet my appetite for a return visit. While I am grateful for the brief time I had to walk the hallowed paths, I am eager to return to places of such historic significance. There is so much we can learn from our past and pass on to our children!

Have you been to Gettysburg?

What is your favorite historical place that you have visited?

What historical place is on your bucket list to visit?

The post What to see in Gettysburg if you only have a day! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

One of the first things I think about when I go on vacation is how I am going to carry my travel essentials – my cell phone, ID, and credit cards. When I went to Europe I had a small travelers pouch that I wore underneath my blouse, but it just had a pocket in front and and a stretchy band in the back continually that rode up. Go back even further to my child hood and I wore this beauty:

Raise your hand if you ever wore a fanny pack to Disney! I did many, many times – much to my fashion demise. As an adult, I am so happy that we have converted to the Disney meal plan so I no longer need to carry snacks in my fanny pack. However, I still need somewhere to carry my cell phone, ID, and credit card.

Enter the HipsSister! This was seriously a lifesaver! No joke – both times I placed my cell phone in my pants pocket it fell out. A cast member luckily returned it to me at our drawing class at the animation studios the first time and I was on the floor looking under the seats at the Maleficient preview the second time. Trust me – you don’t want to do that!

From there on out, the ONLY place I put my cell phone was in my HipsSister. Love this product! I tried out the Global on my Walt Disney Worldtrip. It has two pockets – one smaller (6″ x 6″) that I put my cards in and one larger (7″) that I put my cell phone in. The two separate pockets are perfect because I hate worrying about if my cards are going to fall out when I am constantly taking my cell phone out. Worried about carrying your cell phone closer to your body – HipsSister has phone shields! Definitely getting one for my next trip.

The Global comes in black and carbon. While I happily used it for my trip, it is most commonly used for runners and athletes so I am excited to try it out on my next 5K. Hate running with keys jingling in a pocket and worrying about if they will fall out! The HipsSister is a perfect solution!

The temperatures were in the 90s while I was in Florida so I was so grateful that the Global is made of a lightweight material. It fit perfectly underneath my t-shirts and when seen it gave the illusion of an under tee. No hint of unsightly fanny packs!

Another product from HipsSister that I am so excited about is the SwimsSister. Love this sleek and sassy way to store your cell phone while at the beach and water parks. Genius!

How do you carry your essentials on vacation?

The post Disney Travel Essentials – HipsSister appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Last year I shared some of the ways we are saving for our Disney vacation. With our vacation coming up next month, it’s time to update with more ways to save for Disney!

1. As I mentioned in my last post, saving for a Disney vacation boils down to determining the amount you need to save, dividing it up into monthly achievable amounts, and working toward it each month (my next tip will help you with that!). Some months I do great earning money with freelance writing and yard sale groups; while other months I concentrate more on coupon savings from our monthly budget. Find out what works best for your family and stick with it! I’ve listed a few of the coupon and cash back apps I use below as well as some more ways we’ve been able to bring in extra cash.

2. If you are new to planning Disney vacations, well-established Disney gurus like Get Away Today are invaluable! They can help you with all the details and take the stress out of vacation planning. Get Away Today is the leader in Disney vacations and since several of my blogging friends rave about them – I just had to check them out! Here’s what I found out:

• Get Away Today offers the great deals on hotels including free night specials and exclusive offers like free breakfast, free parking and waived resort fees at select hotels. (cha-ching – love those savings!)

• Discount Disneyland tickets

• Free gifts with package purchases (your kids will love this!)

Get Away Today currently has a Layaway Lock-in plan that allows you to hold your vacation (Southern California only) for as low as $125 down. Lucky for the Disneyland fans! Here are more details about the Layaway Lock-in plan:

1. $125 fee includes non-refundable $50 Layaway Plan fee.

2. $125 down payment for each room if multiple rooms are purchased. $50 fee

only applies once if rooms are booked together.

3. Make as many payments as you’d like prior to travel.

4. Vacation must be paid off two weeks prior to travel.

5. Layaway Lock-in plans may be set up online at www.getawaytoday.com or over

the phone at 855-GET-AWAY.

This Layaway Lock-in plan works perfectly with what I mentioned above about saving for a vacation. The earlier the book, the more you save. You determine the amount and when you make payments up until two weeks before the trip when you pay it in full. Start planning your summer vacation and get $10 off with this exclusive code for my readers (KeepMoving). Stay tuned into Get Away Today on Facebook for the heads up on more deals!

3.  Sponsored Tweets. If you are an avid tweeter and have followers who like to click on your links – this money-maker is for you! You set a price to be paid per advertised tweet based on your number of followers. Last August I started at .50 cents a tweet and I am up to $2.00 a tweet as my followers have grown and more people have clicked through my links. I only select tweet ads that are applicable to me and then I can personalize them. People won’t click if they don’t relate! If you are social media savvy or a blogger – this is a simple way to make a few extra bucks. I’m almost up to $100. Sign up and tweet away!

4. Shopmium.I love the new coupon apps available on your smart phone! I use several and every little bit helps. They are simple to use – see what products are available, purchase them, save your receipt and click a picture, submit, and see the moola! Right now Shopmium has Fage yogurt, toothpaste, Heinz ketchup, Mini Babybel cheese, Smuckers fruit spread, and more. If you use any of those products – you need to sign up and save on your groceries!

Just download Shopmium on your Iphone or Android and sign up with my referral code: GFCEAFVU. When you sign up, you get a Lindt chocolate bar … for free! My favorite thing about Shopmium is that there is not a minimum payout. The coupon amount goes directly into your paypal or bank account – no waiting! In the spirit of full disclosure, this is the first time I have referred Shopmium and the other coupon apps so I have not made any money from referrals – just the coupons! If you do choose to sign up, it will give me a referral bonus and you will help me on my way to Disneyworld!

5. Ibotta – Another great couponing app and the first one I signed up with! A feature that sets Ibotta apart is that it also gives cash back for restaurants like Chili’s and Quiznos. They have a larger database of coupons including ones that are specific to certain stores. Ibotta also has bonuses that are fun and will save you extra money. When you sign up for Ibotta, you can earn a $2 bonus right away. You can cash out after $5 to paypal or get a Starbucks or iTunes gift card. I’ve been using Ibotta casually and have a balance of $20 – that’ll pay for snack time at the Disney parks just by couponing and buying products that I would have bought anyway.

6. Checkout 51. I downloaded the Checkout 51 couponing app the beginning of March and have received $6.25 cash back in my account. This app has a smaller amount of cash back offers that are updated weekly, but it includes products like milk, apples, peanut butter, and bacon. They didn’t have a link I could pass on, but if you search for it in the app store, it will come up. Their payout level is $20 and they mail you a check.

7. Shop At Home. Shop At Home is similar to Swagbucks and Ebates in that you get cash back from any of your online shopping. I take a quick peek at whichever has the highest cash back rate and then shop through that site. If I am going to be shopping online, I may as well be getting money back! For example, this week I am shopping for a wedding gift at Target – I can go through Shop At Home and get 4% cash back.   If I want to do some early souvenir shopping, I can shop the sales at the Disney Store  before the trip and get cash back by going through Shop At Home as well! Get an Easter dress from Kohls (because they are doing a fabulous $10 off $30 in children’s apparel and shoes) and receive 4 percent cash back. You can see how it slowly starts to add up!

8. Watch for good credit card offers. Disney teamed up with Chase earlier this year and had a fantastic promotion. We signed up for a Disney credit card and were able to get a $200 Disney gift card after we purchased a certain amount. We put our Disney vacation package on the credit card which easily met that amount. We paid it off right away from our vacation savings so there was no interest and now have $200 for dining at Disney!

9. All of my extended family knows we are going to Disney this year. While I don’t go around asking for Disney gift cards and cash, if someone does ask what we would like for our birthdays – we tell them Disney gift cards or things for the trip. We’ve tied many of our birthday and Christmas presents into necessities for the trip. My children may find a few trip essentials in their Easter basket this year, too!

10. I am still entering giveaways as much as I can! I spend about five minutes a day entering giveaways from blogs and occasionally win helpful prizes! Since I last posted I’ve won a $50 VISA gift card, tickets to local events, and several Amazon.com gift cards that have helped with groceries.

I hope you find these tips helpful! What are other ways you save for a Disney vacation?

I’d love to pay it forward to one of my lucky readers! I’m giving away a $20 Disney Gift Card to help get you started on your savings!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support! 

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One of my favorite memories from last year was running The Color Run with Lily, my six year old. The Color Run is definitely a family-friendly race and we saw tons of families on the course.

We had so much fun that it is already on our calendar – August 23 in Salt Lake City! The 2014 Kaleidoscope Tour is going to be big – new t-shirts, new headbands, new wristbands, and they’ve added sling bags for everyone that is registered! Check it out:

Did you know that The Color Run is the single largest event series in the United States? I believe it! These people know how to party! Here are my tips for running The Color Run with children.

1. Bring sunglasses or goggles, My daughter was concerned about the color dust getting in her eyes and borrowed my sun glasses at the start of the race. We also had bandanas to cover our mouths during some of the extra colorful times.

2. Be flexible. My daughter loved running under the arches and when race works tossed colors at us, but the color sprayers were not her favorite. We avoided the sprayers at her request after the first one and lingered longer under each of the color arches. Your child may be different! Be ready to have fun in many different ways! Don’t be afraid to jump right in and get covered with color.

3. Do a few practice runs before hand to prepare for the 5k. My daughter and I took a few short runs together before the race. We still ended up doing a lot of walking, but we had a blast!

4. Dress the part. Grab anything white (that you don’t mind getting colored) from your closet. The more fun the better. Tutus are completely acceptable. Make sure to bring an older pair of running shoes that can get colorful, too.

5. Have towels on hand for the car-ride home. There were drying stations at the race, but it is still a good idea to cover up your car seats just in case!

6. HAVE FUN! Arrive early and stay later for the dance parties. Lily loved meeting the Utah Jazz dancers.

The race is untimed and geared toward runners/walkers of every level! If this is your first race check out my blog post on 5K Tips and Tricks!

Sign up and join me in the fun! My readers can use the code COLOR5OFF to get $5 off their registration! The code is good for ANY CITY so you can join the party from any of the races around the country. Be sure to type the code in instead of copy/pasting. Sign up before May 1st because that is when the prices go up! Prices are cheaper if you join with a team as well. Plus it is more fun with friends!

The race is untimed and geared toward runners/walkers of every level! If this is your first race check out my blog post on 5K Tips and Tricks!

Are you running The Color Run this year?

What is your favorite Utah race?

Thanks to The Color Run for providing me tickets to run the race! I only write about events and products that my family and I personally love. This post contains affiliate links.

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The highlight of February was our visit to the Midway Ice Castles – it has been on my bucket list for years! I was thrilled that they brought them back to Utah! If you did not make it this year – add it to your must-do list for next year. My children loved it – played on the slide and the tunnels for hours. Bonus – Lily got to meet Anna and Elsa! If only Snow-laf hadn’t gone to the snow spa before we got there!

In between our two visits to the Ice Castles, we drove over to the Dairy Keen. Whenever I ask about places to eat in Midway – Dairy Keen comes up! You know, the train place! The restaurant was decked out for the Olympics in addition to their regular entertaining decor. Our meal at Dairy Keen was seriously the most peaceful meal of our year so far. The children ate quickly and then played with the train and lego tables while Johnny and I finished. It was the perfect way to warm up before heading back to the ice castles! I had to splurge on one of their raspberry shakes, though, despite the cold temperatures!

Lily attended another fabulous interactive art lesson at BYU’s Museum of Art. The classes fill up quickly, but they are worth it! This month she studied Timothy O’Sullivan and landscape photography. When they were given the chance to “photo” their own landscape, Lily knew just where she wanted to go. A trip to the MOA always includes a walk in the sculpture garden outside for our family.

One first grade dance, one neighborhood Valentines play date, and dozens of home-made Valentines = a pretty fantastic Valentines for the Parker family. I love that Lily how excited when we come to her school.

Our family LOVED the Olympics. We enjoyed these yummy blueberry crepes as part of our Opening Ceremony celebrations. Cortland grabbed his flags of the world place mat and had fun identifying all the flags during the Parade of Nations.

And that is a quick sneak peek at the happenings around the Parker house during February!

What adventures did your family have during February?

How do you celebrate Valentines?

What was your favorite Olympic event? Did you watch with your kids?

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Deep down inside me I have a traveling, wandering, exploring soul and my daughter has inherited that same yearning for adventure from me. Last week I surprised her with a day off of school and whisked the entire family up to see the Ice Castles up in Midway. Best decision I’ve made all winter.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed

by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Mark Twain

The Ice Castles in Midway have been on my bucket list since they first arrived in Utah a few years ago. I was thrilled when they came back in town! My family bundled up in snow gear and made a day of it. We arrived right at opening, 2 pm, and happened to catch the end of the filming of Alex Boye’s latest music video. The Piano Guys also shot a music video at the ice castles. It is definitely a stunning location!

The music video was just released so I have to add it into this post! Check it out. The little girl’s voice is stunning!

My children were enthralled by the ice castle wonderland, to say the least! For an hour and a half they roamed the ice maze, crawled through frozen tunnels, zoomed down the slide, and exhausted themselves with fun in the mountainous outdoors. We took a quick break to eat an early dinner at Dairy Keen where the children warmed up and had played with the train and Lego tables.

When we returned to the ice castles, it was still light and my daughter happily had the chance to meet Frozen’s Anna and Elsa.

As the sun set, the ice castles completely transformed by the minute. Day, sunset, dusk, and night each hold their own marvel and splendor at the ice castles. As is stated on the web-site, “there is nothing like seeing nearly 30,000,000 pounds of glowing translucent ice. We’ve created tunnels and passageways through the ice that are only lit at night with light that emanates from within the ice.”

My children are already begging to go back! The Ice Castles at Midway have a permanent spot on our list of winter family traditions.

Here are some tips from our family to help you make the most out of your trip to the Ice Castles.

• Dress your children in warm layers. Snow pants, gloves, and hats are a must for little buns sliding on the amazing ice slide! My son loved that it lit up at night. 
• Wear snow boots with traction. We were all in boots and had no trouble with slipping.
• Bring hand warmers if your gloves aren’t water proof. You can get a value pack at Costco or on Amazon.com. We like these – HotHands Hand Warmers 10 Pair Value Pack.
• Make a day of it. Come right at opening on a week day for an hour or two. Grab an early dinner and then come back for the amazing difference at night!
• Come on a week day if you can, especially if you have small children. Weekends are popular in Utah! We went on a Thursday and my children were able to roam and explore to their hearts’ content!
• Visit soon! They anticipate being open until Saturday, March 1st, but that is weather dependent!
• Bring all ages – even my two year old loved it!
• Make sure to have your camera!

Here is all the information you need for your visit! You can also find it at the Ice Castle web-site. 

Hours of Operation:

Monday – Thursday:  2pm – 9pm

Friday: 2pm – 10pm

Saturday:  noon – 10pm

Sunday:  CLOSED

Ticket Prices:

Monday,  Family Day
General Admission:  $8
Children age 4 to 11:    $5
Children 3 and under:  Free

Tuesday – Thursday:  
General Admission:  $9
Children age 4 to 11:    $6
Children 3 and under:  Free

Friday – Saturday, and Holidays:  
General Admission:  $10
Children age 4 to 11:    $7
Children 3 and under:  Free

The Ice Castles are located at 150 W 100 North in Midway. For my out of town friends, there are also ice castles located in New Hampshire and Colorado!

We took over 300 pictures during our day the Ice Castle. Here are a few of our favorites:

Thank you so much Midway Ice Castles for inviting our family up to experience your beautiful creation!

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