Wyoming countryside

As an adult, I chose to move to a state which housed the majestic Rocky Mountains.  But I still miss my true Midwestern roots in South Dakota from time to time.  So when my now retired South Dakotan parents recently sold their house, in order to move closer to us here in Western Colorado… I knew it was last call for a nostalgic trip to my home state.

At its best, this is a grueling journey through “Does this state EVER end?” Wyoming.  With greatly varying degrees of length, depending on things like:

• The dog’s whining, growing to an intolerable level
• Dad the Driver’s caffeinization-to-rest-stop ratio, and
• Antsy kids restrained in car seats, with escalating senses of frustration and stir craziness

… we could be looking at anywhere from a 9 hour (all time best) to 13 hour journey.  Ugg.

Road Trip to South Dakota… across endless Wyoming

I recently wrote about my trepidation to take on this trip alone with my 2 kids (in When Did I Become Such a Road Trip Wuss?).   But thanks in no small part to the encouragement received by you guys – I decided to tackle the trip.  And I’m so glad I did.

Check out that surreal, “Toy Story wallpaper” clouded sky…

And I must say Wyoming has never looked more beautiful.  This was likely a result of my sentimentality kicking in (*sniff* “I’ll never get to buy cheap Wyoming gas again…”) combined with a recent winter of particularly heavy snows which made the landscape seem, if you can believe this:   lush and green.

(For Wyoming, this is pretty darn lush & green…)

If you’ve never road tripped through Wyoming, then I’m not sure if you’ve ever truly experienced the Wild West.  Now, I’ve seen wide open spaces my whole life.  (They filmed the majority of “Dances With Wolves” at my home town, Pierre, SD.   That’s some seriously wide open prairie.)  But still, it’s almost hard to fathom that the vastness of this seemingly untouched land of Wyoming still exists, in our modern day and age.

That’s some seriously wide open space.

Here you will spot as many antelope grazing in the fields, as you will cattle or sheep.  Probably more.  It’s awesome.

I had to do it.  Forget to pack your sleeveless shirt? No worries! You’ll find these beauties at your friendly Wyoming gas station…

So at last we arrive in South Dakota.  Thank you, book-on-CD!  Talk about a life saver.  As a side note, I was able to pull off listening to this by turning the car speakers to the front, while the kids watched the movie player in back.  This proved to be an excellent diversion, which helped me pass the time quite enjoyably, while I soaked in the scenery and conquered those hundreds and hundreds of miles.

Fortunately our destination was in western South Dakota – the Black Hills.  This forested, rocky hilled part of the state is absolutely gorgeous and is a fantastic vacation destination.

People seem to be either familiar with the Black Hills from seeing pictures of Mount Rushmore, or are completely unaware that an *unexciting* little state contains such a beautiful, forested area.  I say “hills”, but in fact the Black Hills’ Harney Peak, with an altitude of 7,242 ft, is the highest point between the Rockies and the Alps.  That’s a fantastic 3 hour hike, by the way, with it’s most popular trailhead being found at the definitely-worth-seeing Sylvan Lake.

We had a wonderful mini summer vacation, including train rides, horse rides, and multiple waterfall viewings.  I will write about that soon!

I’d love to hear from you… is your family taking any fun trips this summer?

*o*     *o*     *o*

The post Road Trip to South Dakota (…Ode to Wyoming) appeared first on Colorado Mountain Mom.

Photo credit Australia.com

When was the last time you daydreamed about taking a trip to Australia?  As luck would have it, I’ve got a (pitifully unused) US passport, I totally dig shrimp on the ‘barbee, and I’d be ready at the drop of an Outback hat for a visit to the land Down Under.   But aside from my keen desire to experience seeing koalas and kangaroos in their natural habitat… I honestly had little notion of what a trip to Australia, specifically Queensland, could potentially entail.

So to enter this exciting #5DaysInQueensland blogger contest, I had to do a little research.  The marketing strategy being, of course, that my resulting tantalizing list of things to do in Queensland will whet your appetite, too.

So how did I do…?  Would you like to come along on a trip like this?

What I Would Do in Five Days in Queensland

While I’d need a little professional help sorting out the most optimal order, here’s what I came up with.   Let’s see what you think of my “five days in Queensland” plan.

Day 1:  Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef

Photo credit Australia.com

Shame on me, I did have to quickly reference a map.  But after that, I figured this one out fairly quickly, all by myself.  Legendary.  Breathtaking.  And a once in a lifetime experience.  Queensland is home to the Great Barrier Reef.

Now I’m not going to talk any smack here, about how I’d go scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef.  I know myself well enough, and although a water lover and mid-level outdoor adventurer… diving falls too closely in the “claustrophobia inducing” category for my comfort.  I’ll take snorkeling, please.

Oh, to swim with a sea turtle!  That’s something a mountain girl like me would get a real kick out of.

Day 2:  4WD Safari through Daintree Rainforest

Photo credit Adventure North Australia

“Where the barrier reef meets the rain forest.”  When I conjure images of Australia in my head, I think of the vast, red dusted outback.   They have a tropical rain forest?  Who knew…?!  Intriguing.

Near as I can tell, a number of tour companies in this area offer 1/2, full, or even 2 day guided tours exploring the Daintree Rainforest area in 4 wheeled drive vehicles. Which are needed to cross numerous streams along the way.  Oh, heck ya!

Learning a bit of the ‘Bama Way (rich Aboriginal culture) and taking in the Wujal Wujal Falls would be a lovely addition to this day, as well.  If you trek long and far enough up towards Cooktown and need to conclude your round trip journey in 1 day, air flights are available to bring you back to your starting point in a scenic and timely fashion.

Day 3:  Seaplane Tour of Whitsunday Islands

Photo credit Tourism Whitsunday

Whitsunday Islands sounds like a rather large area with endless, almost-hard-to-imagine white sandy beaches, and weather described as “beautiful one day, perfect the next”.  This is definitely going on my Must-Do Top 5 Queensland List.  And from a sea plane (or even helicopter) – what a fantastic way to take it all in!

I’m also going to have to ask for some quality, sit on the beach and do absolutely nothing time at some point during this day.  I have a sneaking suspicion it may be my favorite.

Day 4:  Whale Watching Off the Gold Coast

Photo credit Sea World Whale Watch

Be still my beating heart.  Few things take my breath away, and make my spirit soar in awe and appreciation, quite like seeing majestic marine life in the ocean.

From June to September, whales are a common sight off the Queensland coast.  There are numerous, lovely tour boats with “100% whale sighting guarantees” running whale watching tours off the Gold Coast.  Yes, let’s do that… shall we?

Day 5 – Meet a Koala

Photo credit Australia.com

Water, water everywhere… did you notice that about my first 4 days?  I can’t help myself, in my real life I’m land locked.  The allure of the sea is much too strong to let it pass me by.

But today, on Day 5, at long last, I meet my first koala.  Where will I find them?  In the “lush hinterland” of Noosa, a natural paradise.  Here, the tourism site states you can “see koalas and exotic birdlife in the trees near your accommodation”.  Are you kidding me?  I’ve seen deer frolicking here and there, throughout my entire Midwestern/Western life.   But the thought of seeing a real live koala, in a not-zoo, just hanging out munching leaves in a tree… completely blows my mind.  Where do I sign up for this, again?

And just outside of Noosa, you can also find villages with open-air markets, art galleries, gourmet restaurants and friendly pubs.  Sounds to me like the perfect ending to a perfect Queensland trip!

Aaaaaand…. Back to Reality I Go!

With a full time job, a modest income, two young children and the general chaos of our existence…  my travel dreams are far from realized, at this point in my life.  But for me, planning and dreaming of amazing travel destinations is half the fun.  So for that reason, I thoroughly enjoyed this little trip down fantasy lane, of “What I would do in five days in Queensland”!

Maybe someday. 

You can follow the Twitter hashtag #5DaysInQueensland to read other blogger’s dream trip ideas for Queensland.  Or better yet – join me in this fun contest, and write your own post… What would YOU do in five days in Queensland?

*o*     *o*     *o*

The post What I Would Do in 5 Days in Queensland appeared first on Colorado Mountain Mom.

We recently tested one of these unique packs out on the hiking trail.  Here’s what we thought of the RIBZ Front pack product and performance.

RIBZ front packs, in small and regular sizes

Ribz Front Pack Review

The first thing I appreciated about this clever little guy, is the versatility of the Ribz Front Pack.  It can be worn either by itself or in addition to your backpack.  The name is derived from the fact that the pack sits cleanly and snugly along your ribcage, and it’s surprising unobtrusive.

How often during an outdoor adventure do you find that you’d like access to something in your heavy, strapped-on backpack… only to decide that it’s not worth the hassle of completely unloading yourself, placing the backpack on the ground, and digging around for what you need?  Right??

Herein lies the beauty of having a pack worn on your front.  The Ribz Front Pack can serve several purposes:

• A comfortable way to balance the load
• A means to bring additional gear on your adventure
• Just to enjoy having easy, on-the-go access to things

I was also impressed with the organization options.  On both the left and the right you will find 1 smaller outer zipper pocket, and 2 mesh organizer pockets attached to the interior walls of the main compartments – giving you plenty of options to store your stuff, and quickly and easily retrieve it.

Ribz Front Pack loaded with contents, including water bottle

It may look somewhat confusing to put on, when you first unroll it (how do I crawl into this thing, anyway?) but it’s actually quite slick.  There is a large toothed plastic zipper that holds the left and right packs together… which lays flat against your stomach.  This keeps the pack from swaying, bouncing, or getting in the way of your arms.

To put the pack on, you unzip this zipper, put each shoulder strap on like you’re putting on a jacket, then zip it back up.

I only had one mild disappointment in this pack.  And it’s because my very first thought when I first ran across RIBZ, was “Awesome!  You can carry your water bottles up front, and easily grab and drink from them!”

I’ve written on this blog about the hydration challenges I’ve faced with wearing a child in a carrier pack and hiking alone.  The only way I could take my child off my back was on a table or tailgate.  So during our hike, I didn’t have an easy place to store/grab any water.

Well, unfortunately the RIBZ pack isn’t quite tall enough for the average water bottle we use to stand up in.  But you still have 2 options:  use a smaller bottle (in my photo above, you can see a standard 16 oz. REI water bottle, which did fit) or I suppose just lay your water bottles horizontally.  In fairness, this is not a flaw in the RIBZ design.  If it were taller, it wouldn’t fit as well and as comfortably against your ribcage… which is the whole point!

For any who experience pain when wearing a backpack, just the weight balancing aspect alone make this pack worth a try to help alleviate back pain.  It’s surprisingly comfortable to wear, and I found that I greatly prefer 1/3 of my pack weight in the RIBZ and 2/3 in my backpack over all the weight in my backpack alone.

Ribz Front Pack worn solo, on a hike of Mt. Garfield in Western Colorado

The materials used are of excellent quality.   The shoulder pads are somewhat small and thin, but were still plenty adequate for the amount of weight we carried.  But having them slight assures they add no cumbersome bulk, and helps cut down on any would be “strap-and-pad-congestion” you may otherwise encounter, when wearing it in addition to large padded backpack straps.

I think overall the RIBZ Front Pack is an exciting, innovative, fresh thinking design that makes a heckuva lot of sense.  Just think of all the outdoor recreation possibilities, beyond simply hiking:  fly fishing, horseback riding, kayaking, or long distance biking.  We were very pleased with our experience using it.

The RIBZ Front Pack comes in 4 colors, 2 sizes (small or regular), and sells for $59.99.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the RIBZ Front Pack for free from RIBZ as coordinated by Deep Creek Public Relations. All opinions are my own.

The post Gear Review: RIBZ Front Pack appeared first on Colorado Mountain Mom.

What would you like to play in Colorado this summer?  The outdoor recreation options are almost limitless in this beautiful state, and the free Colorado ActionPass is your ticket to receiving discounts on over 40 activities throughout Colorado.

If you were familiar with the Ski Free promotion during winter time, you have likely heard how easy it was to participate.   This is a similar promotion, designed to help you and your family get out to enjoy everything Colorado has to offer in the summer!

Colorado ActionPass ~ What Types of Activities?

Colorado ActionPass has over 40 activity partners, providing great discounts on fun things such as:

• river rafting
• kayaking
• ziplining
• mountain biking
• hiking
• rock climbing
• golf
• horseback riding
• cowboy cookouts
• kart racing
• air shows
• adventure parks

Just about everyone can find something fun that strikes their fancy on THAT list!

Free Colorado ActionPass  ~ Where Do I Get One?

All you have to do to get your very own FREE Colorado ActionPass™ is purchase 10 gallons of fuel at a participating Shell station. You can collect ActionPasses all summer long.

Every ActionPass you collect can be redeemed for a discount voucher to whichever activity you choose.  Just bring your stamped fuel receipt and validated Colorado ActionPass™ to receive your activity partner discount.  Each can be used once.

The Colorado ActionPass website is great, and will provide you with all kinds of additional information like details on the activities you can select from, to where to easily find participating Shell stations.

My family participated in the similar Ski Free promotion last winter, and it is a very slick and easy process.  You will want to check the website for details given by each activity provider, and some will have conditions (such as certain days of the week when the ActionPass voucher can be redeemed).

These are some really great discounts, on many things my family has been interested in checking out, and can now do so more affordably.  We’ve always wanted to check out the tram ride up to the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, and will definitely be taking advantage of the Colorado ActionPass to get 50% off our Iron Mountain Tramway tickets this summer.

Summertime Fun Discounts With Colorado ActionPass

So whether you live here in Colorado, or plan to visit this summer – Colorado ActionPass is an easy, excellent promotion to take advantage of.   Here are some helpful FAQs that will answer any additional questions you may have.

The promotion is officially live now, and runs through September 15, 2013.  Collect  your Colorado ActionPasses all summer long, and make Colorado your playground!

The Giveaway – Win a Colorado Rafting Trip from AVA

One reader is going to win a half-day rafting float trip for 2!

The winner will receive a gift certificate for a party of two, for a half day float trip on the Upper Colorado River from AVA Rafting.

• AVA’s 4,000 sq. foot Idaho Springs Outpost is only 25 miles from Denver.
• Clear Creek is easily accessible form Denver, Boulder, Summit County and Winter Park and has sections for all abilities from beginners to advanced trips.
• Find out more on the AVA Rafting Facebook page.

The winner’s trip meets at AVA’s Kremmling Outpost.  It can be taken by kids as small as 30 lbs (starts at age 2), so a very fun fit for families who will be playing in Colorado this summer.   Retail value of 2 adult tickets, $128.

Enter using form below.  Open to US residents.

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This is a sponsored post, paid for by the Colorado ActionPass promotion.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Summertime Fun Discounts With Colorado ActionPass [Giveaway, Ended 6/12] appeared first on Colorado Mountain Mom.

I’ve crunched the numbers, run it by my husband, and it’s official:  I get to start planning our family’s next Disney World trip, for this winter!  I’m so excited, I can hardly stand it.

It will have been 2 1/2 years since my kids have been there.  (Shhhh!  We snuck there last January for our 10th anniversary without them!)  When I look at our pictures, of my daughter’s first trip, and my son’s first trip… I can’t believe how young they look!  It’s high time to make some more of those magical memories.

To celebrate, I’ll have these be my calendar shots for the month.  A trip down memory lane – my kids first Disney trips…

My daughter’s 1st trip, just turned 4 years old.  My princess… in her (night) “gown”.

My son’s 1st trip, age 1.  Going in for the “Nice to meet you” open-mouthed baby kiss.

*o*     *o*     *o*

Thanks so much, Deb at Focused on the Magic for hosting this fun weekly photo hop! Click the button below to see more Disney shots from this week.

The post Disney Wordless Wednesday ~ Kid’s First Disney Trip appeared first on Colorado Mountain Mom.

Throughout the past year, you have likely heard me talk about the Colorado based women’s active wear company, Stonewear Designs.  Or maybe you’ve seen me posting pictures of myself wearing some of their pieces from the 2012-13 line.

It’s been a wonderful experience serving as a Stonewear Designs Ambassador,  and I’m excited to pass along to you that the search is now underway for another group of active women to join the ranks and become Ambassador for the 2013-14 season!

What Does Being an Ambassador Involve?

Stonewear Designs Ava Convertible Dress, Rockin Jacket, and Electra Tank

From their website:  “As a Stonewear Designs Ambassador you will promote Stonewear Designs through social media posts, blog updates, and personal product reviews.  As well, you will support them at your local events and provide them with videos and pictures showing your busy active lifestyle while wearing Stonewear Designs.

In return for your support, they will promote you as a sponsored ambassador and provide you with $1,500 in athletic wear for all your upcoming endeavors!”

You will receive the clothing in two installments – $750 from the upcoming Fall 2013 line, and then another $750 from the Spring 2014 line.  So stinkin’ exciting!  It’s all your choice, you select right from their catalog.

Some of the specific requirements which will be expected of you include the following, over the next 12 months:

• A minimum of 8 LiveStonewear! blog updates and/or videos about fitness, health, and any other subject of interest that supports the Stonewear Designs mission.
• Weekly engagement with our Facebook Page and Twitter account, as well as regular engagement on Instagram, Pinterest, and the blog, where applicable.
• 24 pictures showing your active lifestyle while wearing Stonewear Designs for the LiveStonewear! blog.
• 10 product reviews, 5 for the LiveStonewear! blog, and 5 to be published on your personal or professional blog.
• Rated product reviews on our website.
• Promotion and support of Stonewear Designs at your local community events, where applicable.

Now I’ll be honest when I tell you that this list was a bit daunting to me when I first signed on for this commitment last year.   (Yeah, those  pictures were, by far, the scariest part…)

But it’s been an absolutely delight working with Stonewear Designs.  It’s is a small, women run business.   And this fabulous group of ladies is passionate about what they do:   design and produce extremely comfortable, durable, versatile, and flattering-for-all-body-types women’s active wear!  This is a high quality brand that you will feel good about wearing, and helping promote.

You will find as an Ambassador that you’ll wear your Stonewear Designs almost daily, for all kinds of uses – from the office, to the gym, hiking some trails, looking cute running around town, or just being comfortable at home.  And you’ll look so darn good (and be having so much fun)… you won’t even mind having your picture taken and posted. 

Stonewear Designs Toaster Zip Top

Apply to Be a Stonewear Designs Ambassador

Stonewear Design Rockin Capri and Jacket

So who are they looking for?  “Do you lead an active sports lifestyle? Are you involved in your community, and/or do you give back to the world with your energy and time?”

This past year’s Ambassador consisted of gym instructors, yoga gurus, runners, rock climbers, and a couple of just all around active, outdoorsy moms (myself and Amelia of Tales of a Mountain Mom fell into the latter category).

I’d say if you lead an active lifestyle, are a blogger, and enjoy being active in social media – you’d be a great fit!  They are looking for people to help generate ideas, write reviews, and maintain ongoing interaction with the Stonewear Facebook page, Twitter account, and Pinterest boards throughout the year.

I highly recommend the experience, and am thrilled that Stonewear Designs has asked me to stay on for an additional year as an Ambassador again during the 2013-14 season!  Yaaaay!  *Happy Dance*

So join me!  Apply by July 5th, 2013.  Find out more and download your application here.

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If you have any questions for me about the Ambassador experience, please ask – I’d be happy to answer!

The post Join Me As a Stonewear Designs Ambassador! appeared first on Colorado Mountain Mom.

The new Microsoft Office 365 Home Premium is an essential tool to help you and your family plan and prepare for that next big trip – so you can enjoy more of the things you want to do.

With Office 365 Home Premium and the new features in OneNote, you can access all of your ideas and information even when you’re on-the-go.  Plus, you can now put all of your notes, reservations, confirmation numbers, directions, website links, and more into one place and get great travel advice from the new, free travel notebook, with expert tips from Travel + Leisure. Your information will be easier than ever to find with the search and tagging features, plus you can access it from anywhere by saving it to the cloud on SkyDrive.

I have no doubts that this is the wave of the future in personal home (and mobile) computing, and a very handy tool to have for travel planning.

–>  Before your trip, the free OneNote travel notebook offers you a cool template which can help guide you through which details you should be considering, during your travel planning phase.

–> During your trip, it provides a method to access all those confirmation and scheduling details.

OneNote Travel Notebook- “Remember” tab

Microsoft Office 365 Home Premium ~ The Experience

I confess I hit a couple of road bumps during my initial installation of Microsoft Office 365.  The install appeared to have stalled out, the status bar unmoving, with a message that I had a slow connection.  After several minutes, I “killed” the install and tried to start again.  I don’t recommend doing this!  It didn’t allow me to re-do and complete the install a second time, even after following the support articles advice on un-installing first.  I didn’t have time to struggle further with it, so moved on to a use a different computer instead.

Lesson learned:  Be patient during the install.

You’ll need a Microsoft account, since that is how it appears to match you up with all your devices, and keeps track of you and your files you’ll be saving to your SkyDrive in the Cloud.  If you don’t have one, it allows you to create one for free.  I used my same hotmail account login which I’ve had for years, and that worked fine.

So once everything is installed, and you’re all logged in… it walks you through your settings, “Hello, Tami!  How would you like your Office to look?“   I picked “Spring”, and it added a cute leafy design above the top right menu.  Your look is displayed inside any of the apps you have launched, giving your Office 365 a custom feel.  It can also be changed down the road, if you like to mix it up.

I was surprised the installation of the Office software added directly onto your local hard drive is fairly substantial (I thought it may be more web based?).   The upside being, you can easily find and launch anything from the software suite – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access.  They should all be found on your Program menu, under “Microsoft Office 2013″.

So what is the Office 365 product all about?

Microsoft Office 365 Home Premium comes with one license for your entire household to use and can be installed on up to 5 devices, including Windows tablets and PCs.  Combine that with the fact that you do NOT save things directly to your hard drive, but rather can save everything from your OneNote travel notebook onto SkyDrive (you’ll get an additional 20 GB of SkyDrive storage with Office 365).  So what exactly does that mean…? 

It means that no matter which family member found, added, commented, voted on, or saved the travel planning information, you can all see it… anytime, from anywhere!   Save your OneNote notebook to SkyDrive , and access it on your (Windows) mobile phone or in a browser with the OneNote Web App.

Organize Your Travel Planning With OneNote

OneNote Travel Notebook “TripBook” tab

There are few things I love more than travel, and I relish every moment of travel planning!  For me, it’s the “dream stage”.  Researching the endless possibilities of where to stay, play, and eat for virtually any destination.  I read the reviews.  I chart the location distances.  I  comb through the hotel pictures.  Fun, fun, fun!   Add given my crazed, ever present desire to document and organize… I’ve met my lil’ Right Hand App in the OneNote travel notebook.

“Start planning your dream vacation with this free OneNote travel notebook. It’s packed with tips from Travel + Leisure, a built in expense tracker, remember lists, and everything you need to hit the road.“

Even if you are not *that* travel planning mom, using a tool like this is efficient and helpful.  For me, it’s not just keeping track of the planning details before your trip.  It’s having access to anything you may need to reference during the trip that greatly eases the mind.

OneNote Travel Notebook “Budget” tab

To experiment, I planned out a dream trip that I would love to see us take next winter.   I felt there is a bit of a learning curve with using OneNote (it was my first time).  But overall, it’s pretty intuitive.

I loved the pre-built pages on each of these travel notebook tabs, containing sample template content (shown in photos).  I found it a little confusing how to generate additional pages from scratch, which looked like the cool sample pages but contained my own content?  You can select a template that is used each time you create a new “page”.  None of them seemed to match up exactly with the default, initial Travel + Leisure pages.  It appears that you are just supposed to edit those pages directly in order to preserve that particular formatting.

You can, however add as many additional pages as you like under each tab.  All pages (created under that tab) then appear in a list along the right, and can be easily navigated by a click.

So what features did I enjoy most, when using OneNote for planning a trip?

Favorite tips, on using OneNote for Travel Planning:

• I thoroughly scour the web for THE best hotels to stay at!  (I don’t mean “5-star” best, I mean “best price, pool, locations, and nice rooms” best.)  I love the ‘Research‘ tab, which features a sheet to build your list of top hotels… noting a price, location, pros and cons for each!  Brilliant!  Along the right, switch to activities or food and track your favorites in those categories, too.
• The ‘Schedule‘ tab lays out a clean display of Day 1, Day 2, and so on for your trip.  Briefly note the time, activity, and any reservations here.  So clean, organized, and a great way to see your trip itinerary at a glance.
• Did you remember your flight details, the hectic day of your departure?  Check the ‘Reserve‘ tab for the quick and handy low-down, your flight reservations are all here.
• Save ALL of your confirmation numbers, website links, and even directions in one place – organized by each day’s schedule.
• I can store the restaurant and attraction ideas that look fun, for my husband to check out on his own time and let me know which he agrees with.  He can then move those to the “must do” section for me to reserve!
• I always have an Excel spreadsheet built, for every trip we’ve taken.  It’s the easiest way to calculate, modify, and track costs involved.  I can import my travel expense spreadsheet right into OneNote, where I’m still allowed to edit or format it however I’d like.  It will sync any changes with my original Excel file.  You can even graph your budget, and monitor your progress in saving for that trip.
• They talk about a Clip ‘n Save feature, and I’m guessing this was the same thing as selecting “Insert – Screen Cliping” from the top menu bar.  This was super slick.  After selecting that menu option, it prompts you to draw a box around anything on your desktop you’d like to capture.  Then back inside your OneNote notebook, click where you’d like it to appear and it instantly copies a picture of what you selected.   Walla!  No need to print out that hotel reservation confirmation page.
• Bloggers, you’re going to love this one…  During the trip, when you return to the hotel each night… go to your ‘Journal‘ and ‘Photo Appendix‘ tabs of OneNote and upload any photos, audio notes, or just jot down a few highlights from your day.  Instant blogging material for when you get back home!

You can download OneNote for free here.

Office 365 Home Premium – Giveaway

One of my readers will win a one-year subscription (US $99.99 value) of Office 365 Home Premium!

Office 365 Home Premium includes:

• The latest and most complete set of Office applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access.
• One license for the entire household to use Office on up to five devices, including Windows tablets, PCs or Macs, and get Office on Demand from any Internet-connected PC.
• An additional 20 GB of SkyDrive cloud storage, nearly three times the amount available with a free SkyDrive account.
• 60 free Skype world calling minutes per month to call mobile phones, landlines or PCs around the world.
• Future upgrades, so you always use the latest time-saving technology.
• Automatic save to SkyDrive, so your documents — and even your personal settings — are always available from virtually anywhere and on your favorite devices

Giveaway open to all.  Enter using the form below.

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This is a sponsored post from One2One Network and Microsoft Office 365. All opinions are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Travel Planning With Office 365 & OneNote [Giveaway, Ended 6/5] appeared first on Colorado Mountain Mom.

Mountain Garfield, Colorado (picture credit http://www.scenicusa.net/031610.html)

This is one of those (for me, rare) chit-chat kind of blog posts, since there were a few things I felt like telling you guys.  I’ve used headings for your quick perusal, in case only part of that title interested you…

An Apology

At it’s heart, I like to believe the soul of my blog is my love of writing and sharing some of the fun things in life.  I’m sure you’ve noticed I’ve been sucked over to the “other side” (dare I call it the dark side) of writing reviews.  And here lately, it’s lots and lots of reviews.

But I always tried to balance it.  I had this little unwritten rule for my blog:  For every review, I’ll post a completely non-business-affiliated article.

Then I get these greedy streaks, where I pitch a bunch of companies for cool stuff I’d like to try… all at once.  I just went through one of those waves.  And I kick myself every time I do it.  Then blogging turns into a chore, with assumed deadlines I know I should meet.   Definitely can take the fun out of it.

So right now I’m working through one of those gear review gluts, and I apologize for how many reviews, and only reviews, I’ve been posting lately.  Please bear with me.   (And if you are in the market for any of that outdoor type gear, I actually have stumbled across some really quality stuff – especially for kids.)

While I plan to wind down on the gear reviews, I’ll warn you that you’ll continue to see sponsored posts.   Cause that money has started going directly into the “Disney World in 2014 or Bust” fund!  The first trip we’ll be purchasing 4 plane tickets, instead of just 3.   Ouch.  So yes, I’m willing to pimp my blog out for a good cause like that!

A Makeover

A friend I met at the Conversations With Coca-Cola conference I went to in Atlanta last Fall has decided to fire her blog design business back up.    So she’s tackled giving my site a makeover.  I’ve been wanting to do this for awhile now.  It’s been a fun and really interesting process (ever wondered how they know how to design something you will love?), and I’m about to reveal the newly made over Colorado Mountain Mom!

It’s unique and fun – she’s doing an amazing job.  I’m really, really excited to show it to you and to start using it.  Coming very soon.

A Mountain I’m About to Climb

About a month ago I heard that Grape-Nuts was going to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary’s historical climb of Mt. Everest (during which he ate Grape Nuts) by paying 60 hikers across the country to summit the mountain of their choice.

Handing out Grape Nuts Fit  samples (their new granola type cereal) along the trail, of course.

And I now know, wearing a really bright purple t-shirt that says “Grape Nuts” on it.

So anywhoo…. I applied, and was selected.  I’ll be climbing Mt. Garfield in Western Colorado on Memorial Day with my little brother (a.k.a., my “Sherpa”) and if the babysitter pans out, hopefully my husband.  I haven’t had the opportunity to tackle something like this in quite some time.  I’m a little nervous, since I’ve heard it’s an incredibly steep climb.  Ready or not, here we gooooo!  I have to summit and get that money shot, to receive my $500 Grape Nuts Summit Sampler check.

I’m pretty sure I can do it.  After all, that too is going in the “Disney World in 2014 or Bust” fund. 

*o*     *o*     *o*

The post An Apology, A Makeover, and a Mountain I’m About to Climb appeared first on Colorado Mountain Mom.

“For the first time, running shoe technology was utilized to supercharge a true hiking boot.  Light, cool, and athletically-inclined”… did you know that Vasque actually pioneered this hybrid style of hiking boot?  Here’s what I thought of how the Breeze 2.0 GTX fit and performed.

Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX Hiking Boots

Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX, in Slate Brown/Blue Fish

I’ve definitely noticed Vasque when shopping for hiking boots in the past, but at the time I felt they were a little out of my price range.  Well, three pairs of (still spendy) hiking boots later, I finally got a chance to try out some these signature women’s Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX… and I realized I should have just invested in this one fantastic boot in the first place.

The first version of the “Breeze” came about in 2004, with the BREEZE XCR.  With this innovative design, Vasque was continuing to push hiking footwear in an athletic direction.  “Running shoe inspired sole construction reduces weight, making the Breeze ridiculously agile.  One of the first boots on the market to meet Gore standards for breathability, allowing the use of GORE-TEX® XCR.”

Since that time, they have continued to reconfigure the Breeze to be lighter, tougher, and more breathable than the original.

Women’s Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX, in Gargoyle/African Violet

I took them out of the box, and instantly noticed the substantial and impressive sole and tread.  Although this gives them the appearance of having some heft to them, my first impression once I tried them on is how incredibly light they are.  The sole is made of  Vibram® rubber compounds – designed to deliver superior grip, traction and durability.

You want your hiking boots to be substantial and give you sufficient foot and ankle support, but don’t want to weigh your feet down unnecessarily, adding to how quickly you will potentially tire on the trail.  The Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX offers an excellent balance in this area.   Beefy in support, yet you don’t have to sacrifice in agility.

In fact, after my first trail in my Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX’s it hit me afterwards that my feet had become an afterthought during our hike.  The boots were so comfortable, and helped me navigate the terrain we ran into so effortlessly, that I didn’t even notice them.  Which I think is ideal in a hiking boot.

After cinching and lacing them up once at the onset, I have found that I do not have to mess with re-tying the laces again.  The laces stay tightly tied.  This should be a given with all hiking boots, but it’s not.  So that’s another thumbs up, in my book.

Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX ~ Sizing & Gore-Tex

A word about sizing.  You can get the women’s Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX in either regular width or wide.  Vasque feels strongly about offering this option, to make sure you receive an optimal fit.

I will warn you that the regular width seems a bit narrow to me, which is fine… since you have a wider sizing option to chose from.  My foot is actually narrow, and I rarely purchase wide width shoes/boots.  But I am starting to have bunions (which I hate admitting, it sounds like something a little old lady has) and that joint bone sticks out at the widest part of my foot.  The regulars squeezed that portion of my foot too tightly.  Once I switched to the wide width, they worked like a dream.

Other than that, I think length wise these boots run very true to size.

The difference between the Vasque Breeze 2.0 and Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX is that the latter have Gore-Tex, so will keep your feet dry during any stream crossings or wet foliage you encounter.   Any time you have Gore-Tex in your boot, you sacrifice a tiny bit in temperature regulation (keeping your feet cool), but it’s typically worth it and a very nice thing to have.  It’s so dry here that I haven’t tested out the water proof aspect of the Vasque Breeze.

However, I did get to chat with an REI Salesgirl (an avid hiker) about these boots, and she was very enthusiastic in relaying to me that Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX hiking boots are her favorite pair she owns.  They were her choice on a recent 6 day backpacking trip, which included hiking a “14er” (mountain over 14,000 feet in altitude).  She said they crossed multiple streams during that trek, and her feet stayed completely dry.

Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX Hiking Boots ~ Where to Find Them

You can find women’s Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX Hiking Boots either directly on Vasque’s site, at your local REI store (ours is small, yet this appears to be a style they carry in stock – a nice option to be able to try them on), or at other online outdoor retailers.

I strongly recommend Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX as a high quality, super agile, and very comfortable hiking boot that will deliver performance for hundreds of miles of hiking adventures.  I dearly love these boots!

Happy trails. 

*o*     *o*     *o*

I received a pair of Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX Hiking Boots at no cost, for the purposes of performing this gear review.  All opinions are my own.

The post Gear Review ~ Vasque Breeze 2.0 GTX Hiking Boots appeared first on Colorado Mountain Mom.

Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When you are raised in a rural state, driving long distances doesn’t faze you.  It’s a given.  And once you reach the age where you are trusted to leave home for the weekend, then the road trip adventures really begin.

For a good portion of my life, I was a road trip warrior.  I lived smack dab in the middle of South Dakota.  We were perfectly willing to drive 3 hours one way to go to a Fair, to go snow or water skiing, or just to visit someone.  And then back again, on the same day.  No problem.

The possibilities of where we could drive in one day’s time were exciting.  (Well, maybe “exciting” is a strong word.  It was the Midwest, after all.)   I felt no reservations whatsoever when making road trip plans.  Hey, let’s go wherever we want!  We can drive there!

Granted, this was a time back when gas prices were a non-issue.  And before a thrown-from-a-horse injury left me with permanent hip pain.  But let’s face it.  At my age, horse injury or no… my body would very likely still ache after too much time spent in the car nowadays.

Add in the daunting tasks of feeding, watering, entertaining, and stopping for potty breaks for your multiple children who now tag along for the ride – and you’ve got yourself some serious second thoughts before heading out in the car for that nice long road trip.

Currently I’m faced with a dilemma of wanting to visit my parents one last time, at their lovely and relaxing log house in the forest, before they move away (to here in Colorado).  Forever leaving my home state behind.  Last call.

But this would mean heading out with my 2 little ones by myself, since my husband and I’s work vacation schedules aren’t going to collide for this trip.  That journey averages us 13 hours.  And I keep wavering between Go for it!, and *Heavy sigh*  Sooo not gonna happen.

Truth be told, one of my concerns for that scenario is safety.   My years of road trips were not without a few perils and their own brand of excitement, including car breakdowns in poor weather, and multiple flat tire incidents.

True Story:   Single-girl road tripping alone across the South Dakota interstate, and my Ford Explorer gets a flat tire.  By this time, I knew how to change a flat tire by myself, but it was nice of some people who stopped to try and help, so I accepted the husband’s assistance.   Within minutes, he had crushed my running board, by the incorrect placement of the tire jack.

To add to the chaos, I’m trying to contain my energetic Siberian Husky on a leash, by keeping us in the relative safety of the ditch next to the road… which is somewhat tying my hands from trying to oversee the task/damage at hand.  As he struggles to loosen the lug nuts, the guy begins to rock in place.   (Yes I said the guy, not the car.)  And to chant incoherently.

I ain’t gonna lie, it was seriously creepy.    Plus he was getting no where with the job, other than causing disturbing body damage to my vehicle.

So here’s the rub.  He was able to get my FLAT tire off, but couldn’t get the vehicle (with improperly placed jack) high enough to get the inflated, spare tire on.  My rescue had seriously stalled out.

Mercifully, a third vehicle pulled over and held an intervention.   Driving a big rig work truck, a no-nonsense kinda man jumps out, well equipped to change my tire.  He took one look at our fiasco and just shook his head, like “What the heck is going on here?!“  Brushed my first “helper” aside, and wrapped the job up in under 3 minutes.  I was so relieved and grateful, I almost cried.

Oh, and the best part.  Once the whole unnerving scenario was finally concluded, Chanting Guys’ wife starts dancing around, leaping through the air and repeatedly shouting “Praise The Lord!!“.  Umm, yeah – what you said.   Praise the Lord that the 2nd guy stopped to help, since your husband was doing much more harm, than good.

Oh, I could tell you some stories.  This kind of thing used to happen to me on a semi-regular basis.  But I digress.

As you can see, I have a bit of road trip “baggage” – Ha.  Back to my hesitancy to tackle road trips in our present day…

It’s a shame, really.  Because I feel like it’s cast a shadow over some of our otherwise incredible destination options now that we are located closer to the Southwest part of the country.  We are only 9 hours from California.  NINE HOURS from DISNEYLAND, yo!  Have we gone?  No.

My husband’s never been to California in his life (East Coast boy).  California rocks.  I mean, I wouldn’t want to live there.  But it’s got fabulous vacation options.  And here we sit.  NOT road tripping to California.

So I ask myself in puzzlement and self-disappointment:  When did I become such a road trip wuss?

*o*     *o*     *o*

Do you struggle with being a road trip wuss, now that you’re all grown up?  (And what’s your vote… should I suck it up and drive with the kids to South Dakota by myself for one last visit?)

The post When Did I Become Such a Road Trip Wuss? appeared first on Colorado Mountain Mom.