travel

All about Rise Weekend!

July 6, 2019 ·

I was lucky enough to attend Rise Weekend 2019 in Minneapolis with four of my best friends. We had the absolute time of our lives and all came home a little better for it. Because we weren’t entirely sure what to expect before we went, I thought it might be helpful to share some tips and logistics of the weekend. If you are headed to Rise Weekend (or just curious to know what went on), this post is for you! And if you’ve never heard of it, start here.

Buying Tickets: We knew tickets would sell out fast, so we devised a little plan to ensure we got our hands on them. An individual could buy up to 5 tickets, so we decided that we would have one of our friends go online and buy all 5 tickets at once. This way, we would either all get tickets or none of us would. She got on her computer about 15-20 minutes before tickets were to be released and was able to snag them a few minutexs before the scheduled release time.

What to Bring: (1) Pen; (2) Water Bottle; (3) Kleenex and (4) Jacket. The swag bags contained a workbook, which we went through during the conference. There were plenty of extra “notes” pages, so I did not feel like I needed extra paper or a journal. You will need a pen, however. You’ll be more motivated than ever to drink half your body weight in water, so I would recommend bringing your own water bottle. You’ll also be doing some serious soul work, so you better grab some kleenex. Lastly, I would bring some kind of a jacket to use to save your seat while you shop, go to lunch, go to the bathroom, etc.

What to wear: I would say everyone was dressed “cute but casual.” I saw women in everything from maxi dresses to workout leggings. You will have to get up, dance and jump around quite a bit, so keep that in mind.

Seating: Seating was first come first serve in the general admission section. I would definitely recommend being there when the doors open to get your seat (although we didn’t do this). You can then leave your bag or a jacket at the seat and go do what you need to do before the conference actually starts.

Lunch: Even though they offered box lunches at the conference, we were ready to get out of there and get some fresh air. We took an Uber about 10 minutes away from the convention center, which was perfect for avoiding the lunch rush. I would highly recommend doing this! We ended up leaving our jackets at our seats while we went to lunch, so our seats would be there for us when we got back. It worked out great.

Shopping: One of the mistakes we made was not shopping the conference pop-up shop first thing. By the end of the first day, a lot of the merchandise was sold out. They may fix this before the Dallas conference, but why risk it? I would get checked in, throw a jacket on your seat and head straight to the store to grab your Hollis Co. swag before it sells out.

Thinking about going? If you are on the fence about attending Rise Weekend, I can’t encourage you enough to go. It’s the ultimate investment in yourself. We all came home better wives, mothers and friends. Rachel is a phenomenal speaker, so even though the days were long, they went by really fast. It was also just amazing to be among this community of women!

I hope this post was helpful! Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram at @overanalyzedthat if you have any other questions about Rise Weekend.

Family Road Trip: Crystal Bridges + Bentonville

June 12, 2019 ·

At the onset of 2019, we set a couple goals for the year: travel more + save money. The best way we figured we could accomplish both of these goals was to take some Midwest road trips as a family. At just around 3 hours from our home, we set off on our first visit to Bentonville, Arkansas!

We had no idea what a great getaway Bentonville is, and I can’t tell you how many times my husband and I looked at it each other over our weekend in Bentonville and said: “Why have we never done this?!” Both of us are from the Kansas City area originally, so it was surprising to us that this special place existed just a few hours away.

Our first stop in Bentonville was the Crystal Bridges Museum, which was honestly just jaw dropping. It’s so visually appealing and hosts artwork from world-renowned artists like Norman Rockwell, Andy Warhol, Ansel Adams and Dale Chihuly. Oh, and its FREE!

It was fun to experience the museum with our kids. My daughter took photos of all of the art on my phone, and it was interesting to see what art she found compelling. Because the kids were with us, we took the museum at a brisk pace, but it was great for the kids to keep constantly moving from exhibit to exhibit. As a mom, I was thrilled we were spending the day experiencing new things instead of on technology!

I loved how the museum extended into the natural surroundings. One of the current exhibits, the Color Field, is an outdoor sculpture exhibit, and several of the sculptures invite interaction. This was great for the kids, who were constantly on the move and wanting to touch all of the art! (Yikes!) The Crystal Bridges Museum also offers a great kid-friendly space called the Studio, where the kids could create artwork of their own.

One of my very favorite exhibits was the inflatable pieces by Claire Helen Ashley. After getting to hear from her on a panel of artists the night we arrived, I appreciated these pieces and her vision even more. The kids were allowed to (carefully) touch these pieces as well.

There is a great restaurant inside the Crystal Bridges Museum called Eleven. The food was fresh and delicious, and even the kids meals were healthy: grilled chicken with fruit. They also serve beer/wine if that’s your sort of thing. (It was just what we needed when our patience for the kids was waning–LOL!) I would definitely plan to eat at Eleven on your trip to Crystal Bridges.

We stayed at the 21c Museum Hotel in Bentonville, which was incredible. Again, how did we not know this place existed? The hotel is modern and unique, and check-in was a breeze. Inside the hotel is a great restaurant called The Hive. At the end of the day, we parked the kids in one of the cozy booths in The Hive and had ourselves a little adult time. The cocktails were great, and I wish we had time to eat dinner here. Next time!!

While we were in Bentonville, we also had the chance to wander through the Saturday morning farmer’s market right there on the square in downtown Bentonville. I forgot all of my hanging clothes at home (ugh!!!), so I also visited several of the boutiques in downtown Bentonville, including Blue Moon on the Square and Label. The downtown area is right outside the front door of the hotel, and has a very idyllic small town feel.

Downtown Bentonville also hosts the Walton’s 5&10, and inside the store, is the Walmart Museum. The kids loved picking out an old-school toy (Brooklyn got pick-up sticks and Max an Etch-a-Sketch). The Walmart Museum was interesting and easy to navigate. My favorite part was the preserved office of Sam Walton. Oh, and this was another FREE activity!

Just next door to the Crystal Bridges Museum is the Scott Family Amazeum. Our kids had so much fun playing and creating at the Amazeum. We only had about an hour to explore it, so we will definitely be making our way back there sometime. Because we have passes to Union Station here in Kansas City, the Amazeum was also FREE.

Also walkable from our hotel, were several great restaurants. Everyone said we had to try Onyx Coffee Lab, which did not disappoint. It was packed on Saturday morning, likely due to the great coffee and “instagrammable” decor. On Saturday evening we ate at the Preacher’s Son, originally a church turned restaurant and bar. The food was amazing, and we loved the unique experience of dining in what was clearly an old church.

We also had a chance to head back to the Crystal Bridges Museum in the evening to experience the Forest Concert Series, which is running through the summer (and is also FREE for kids). It was so cool to be immersed in the trees while taking in the Alt-Country music from Yarn & The Vine Brothers. The kids even saw a few deer roaming around, and each of them got to make a magic wand during the concert.

We came home from Bentonville and the Crystal Bridges Museum worn out but filled with so many great family memories. Although this was a sponsored trip, we genuinely loved Bentonville and cannot wait to go back!!!

#Sponsored #SummeratCrystalBridges

Travel Guide: Naples, FL (with kids!)

January 27, 2019 ·

Everything you need to plan a fun family trip to Naples! My parents live in (very north) North Dakota, so we were beyond thrilled when they purchased a winter home in Florida. We’ve been going to the Naples area as a family every Christmas and Spring Break for the past five+ years, and absolutely love it. Because I am a crazy planner, I’ve spent a lot of time researching the best places to eat and things to do–and by this point, we’ve tried them all and have our favorites. This list should make planning your next trip to Naples a little easier. Enjoy!

Restaurants:

Baleen: Located beachside in the beautiful La Playa hotel, this place has the most stunning views! We originally came here on a date night away from the kids and absolutely fell in love with this spot. Dinner is pretty pricey, so I’d recommend grabbing a drink and heading to the beach for sunset before dinner elsewhere. The food is amazing though, so if your budget allows–go for it! It’s also a great place to come for lunch with the kids. They have a really good kid’s menu and the kids have fun playing in the sand and running around while we eat and take in the stunning water views. TIP: The La Playa valet parking is only around $5 and is a headache-free way to park and access Baleen.
The Bay House: We usually make two stops at The Bay House while we are in Florida: once for Sunday brunch and once for dinner + live music. Just give me a mimosa and the buttermilk ricotta pancakes, and I’m a happy lady. My husband loves the Bloody Mary as well, and it’s full of all the good stuff–like bacon! This is another great date night spot, and isn’t too far from Baleen if you want to stop here after sunset. We like to sit in the bar area to take in the live music. People are encouraged to dance, and there’s usually a couple of cute kids breaking it down on the small dance floor. TIP: The Nashville Chicken is life changing. You won’t regret it! And be sure to make reservations during the busy season.
Coconut Jack’s: Nothing says Florida vacation like a frozen fruity drink with a little umbrella in it, am I right?! You absolutely have to stop here, if you are in the Naples area. It’s super kid friendly, and they even have (non-alcoholic) frozen fruity drinks for the kids! We usually opt to sit outside for the water views and warm weather. It’s beachy and casual, but the food is really good. I usually order the grouper sandwich or mahi mahi tacos and ALWAYS the key lime pie. TIP: They have little stuffed animals when you first walk in the restaurant, which work as great bribery to get the kids to cooperate through dinner (wink!) and also serve as an inexpensive Naples souvenir.
Turtle Club: Okay, I would not say this place is buzzing with kids, but we always come with the kids anyway (+ iPads), and the food is incredible. Because it’s located on the beach, we usually arrive 30 minutes beforehand to let the kids run around and burn some energy before dinner. It’s also a great spot to take beautiful beach photos, since we are usually dressed nice for dinner (it’s a little fancy here). They have a great wine menu, and you absolutely have to try their signature seafood chowder. TIP: Make sure you check the time of sunset for your visit, and make a reservation to coincide. The sunset views are beautiful both inside and out!
Royal Scoop: The best ice cream in Naples! With several convenient locations, we often hit up more than one location during our stay. My son loves the superman flavor best, with its bright blue color, and I usually go with the dulce de leche. You definitely need to try this place while you are in Naples!

Activities:

Chartered Dolphin Cruise: This is one of my FAVORITE Florida experiences. As a Midwesterner, it’s not every day you see a dolphin in the wild. It is a truly magical experience! They will often swim right up alongside the boat. We’ve actually used several different chartered boat companies to see dolphins and manatees, and all of them were very good. It can be expensive though, and the ride usually lasts a couple of hours, so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for kids under the age of 4.
Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples: Naples is home to a wonderful Children’s Museum! Next to swimming at my parent’s house, this is my kids’ favorite thing to do in Naples. They have so many great “pretend play” areas in the Museum, as well as a fun outdoor area that includes a stage on which the kids can perform. TIP: If you buy a membership, you can get in the museum an hour earlier than everyone else. During the busy months, this is so nice! There is also a great playground right across the street.
Naples Zoo: You have to check out the Naples Zoo! One of our favorite exhibits is the giraffe exhibit, where you can buy lettuce and actually hand feed the giraffes! This is always a great vacation photo op. We also love to ride the boat to see the monkeys. It kind of gives everyone a chance to rest, while also getting a unique view of the monkey exhibits. The Naples Zoo is walkable and has plenty to see and do without being overwhelming.
Congo River Golf: We’ve been to a few of the miniature golf courses in the Naples area, and Congo River Golf in Bonita Springs is our favorite. The whole course is so cool, and they even have live gators that you can feed! TIP: We try to save this activity for one of the cooler days in our trip or get there in the morning before it gets too hot.
Waterside Shops: Okay, this is not necessarily the most kid-friendly place in Naples, but it is MY favorite place in Naples! My mom and I usually sneak away for a day to shop and eat lunch at the Waterside Shops. If you love to shop, this place is like a dream! It has all of my favorites: Nordstrom, lululemon, Anthropologie…etc. It is exceptionally clean and is never over-crowded. My favorite lunch spots are BrickTop’s and True Food Kitchen.