Recently I did a press trip to Houston sponsored through the GoHouston! Travel Campaign hosted by New Creative Writing and Social Media Marketing. As always all opinions are my own.

I love this concept! This was a totally new experience since we don't have anything like this in Utah. And with 12 locations anyone lucky enough to live remotely near one should take advantage of it especially SMG City Centre.

Usually dinner or lunch and a movie are separate unless I do them at home and when you have kids you are so tired at the end of the day that when you finally have your date night it's generally one or the other, not both.

Needless to say this was a real treat for me and my hubby!

While we managed a little time away from our kids during this trip, all through the experience we thought about how much they would love to eat while watching a movie.

It's perfect for families as well because while kids are munching away they can be watching a new release in the theater.

As soon as we walked in we noticed that the staff was super friendly and ready to help us figure out what we were doing. lol

We decided to see World War Z, which was amazing!!! But I will tell you more about that later.

It was so interesting to go in a theater that doesn't have 300 seats.

It's almost like you are a celebrity going to some event and being waited on.

Unfortunately just like a celebrity I thought I knew better and I didn't take one of the staffs suggestions for seating and I picked different seats.

Needless to say the staff knows what they are talking about, so if you have never been before be sure to ask them for their recommendation for the best seats. lol

As for the food it was fantastic! We shared the Chicken tenders and fries and they were yummy!

It was a little weird watching a zombie movie while eating food, so this may be better for some movies than others. lol

All in all it was an awesome experience and the service was great! Can't wait to go back! And I wish they would build some in Utah.  (hint, hint)

If you are looking for the Ultimate Movie Watching Experience head over and make a reservation at The Studio Movie Grill!

Recently I did a press trip to Houston sponsored through the GoHouston! Travel Campaign hosted by New Creative Writing and Social Media Marketing. As always all opinions are my own.

Never have you been able to get so much and spend so little! That's what CityPASS gives you.

We recently got to test out the Houston CityPASS and we loved it.

You know me... I'm not used to paying full price for anything (lol) so it was a Shock to my system when I saw the prices for attractions in Houston.

Luckily CityPASS came to the rescue! Not only will they save you a ton of money, but CityPASS takes all the hassle out of planning your attractions!

If you are like me it can be a little overwhelming planning a vacation (or even outings for the summer) and having CityPASS is like having your own personal

assistant showing you only the best attraction to visit. How awesome is that?!

As a added bonus you also get to line jump! (like a celebrity lol) Why sit in lines waiting to get tickets when you can go right to the front with CityPASS?

And if you have kids, the more lines and aggravation you can skip the better! Happy mom, happy kids!

 

With the Houston CityPASS you get 5 Awesome attractions:

:: Space Center Houston
:: Houston Museum of Natural Science
:: Downtown Aquarium
:: Houston Zoo or Kemah Boardwalk
:: The Children’s Museum of Houston or Museum of Fine Arts of Houston

You get 9 days to use your tickets, but you don't want to cram more than 1 onto one day. These are attractions that need one special day set aside.

My favorite was definitely the aquarium. I wish our kids had been with us on this trip, they would have been so excited to see everything the aquarium had.

It's not every day you visit an aquarium with white tigers, a train that goes under the sea life in a tunnel, rides and crazy cool themes!

We didn't get to the Children's museum, but I'm sure that would be a blast for the kiddos!

All 5 of the attractions would normally come to a total of around $89!!! But with the CityPASS you will save 49%!!

So save some money and stress by grabbing a CityPASS when you plan on visiting any of these cities:

New York City
Boston
Toronato
Chicago
Southern California
Houston
Atlanta
Philadelphia
Hollywood
Seattle
San Francisco

Definitely a must have!

Recently I did a press trip to Houston sponsored through the GoHouston! Travel Campaign hosted by New Creative Writing and Social Media Marketing. As always all opinions are my own.

While on our amazing trip to Houston we were invited to dine at STRAITS Restaurant.

STRAITS menu unites the four major culinary influences of Singapore-Malaysia/Indonesia, Chinese, Indian and Nonya

I wasn't familiar with the cuisine from Singapore and I was afraid it wouldn't be quite to my liking. Wow if I had only known how narrow minded and wrong I was.

If it weren't for this opportunity, my husband and I on our own probably would have chosen a different restaurant and missed out on such a wonderful dining experience.

As soon as we walked in we were greeted by an incredibly friendly staff and seated outside in one of their lovely cabanas.

The air was a perfect temperature and City Centre had live music across the way... it was starting to feel like a scene from a romantic movie.

My husband and I looked at the menu for a few minutes, but we were stuck between a few different options.

Vladimir our waiter suggested we choose the Tender Braised Asian Pork Pot Roast with Chinese Spinach & Pineapple Chutney.

To say "he knew what he was talking about" would be an understatement, but before I get ahead of myself I can't forget to tell you about the Roti Prata.

I can't believe I have been missing out on this my whole life. Do you see those crispy layers? That's heaven somewhere in the middle there.

It's no secret that I am a carb fan, but this is on a whole other level that any other bread, pastry I have ever had.

The Roti Prata comes with a curry that is also top notch, and you don't want to miss it.

I loved this so much that I have now found a recipe online and plan on making this at home.

Unfortunately we don't have a STRAITS Restaurant in Utah or you would find me there every week eating one of these.

I will be sure to let you know how my homemade version turns out.

This was our main course; the Tender Braised Asian Pork Pot Roast with Chinese Spinach & Pineapple Chutney. My mouth is watering just thinking about it right now.

Doesn't it look amazing, my pictures don't even do it justice. The combination of the Chutney and the Pot Roast flavors were heavenly.

I swear they must have had this baby roasting all day, because it was a challenge for it not to melt before it even hit my tongue.

I have never had such succulent and soft pork.

And if you are looking to spend a little less, they encourage ordering dishes to share; family style.

My husband and I shared this, and it was definitely enough for the both of us.

Don't skimp out on dessert! Your sweet tooth will never forgive you...

CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE - I savored every last bite. The perfect complement to an amazing dinner.

Slightly crunchy outer shell and rich warm chocolate on the inside that comes pouring out once you dig in for that first bite.

If you prefer something with less chocolate (I will try not to judge) you could try the Cheesecake Egg Rolls, like my husband did.

Super moist and rich cheesecake filling wrapped up and dusted with sugar.

I would highly recommend sitting outside, I don't want to sound really old lol, but the music inside was really loud and nothing beats eating incredible food out in the fresh air.

To give you an idea of how friendly they are STRAITS, the manager John came over to our table to make sure we were enjoying our meal, not because I was doing a review on the food, but because it's what he does.

He lives for this restaurant and he genuinely wants to make sure every customer is happy, but this motto doesn't stop at the Houston location this is a huge part of the STRAITS every day.

STRAITS is owned and operated by noted restaurateur, Chris Yeo. “It has always been my dream to have a restaurant to make people happy! Food is my passion and through food I make people smile!” he says.

STRAITS Restaurant Group strives to leave a memorable impression by meeting every guest’s individual needs through great food, environment and genuine service.

Few people know that Chris Yeo began his career as a hairdresser and was once more familiar with cutting hair than steaming dumplings.

Had he not given up his blow-dryer for butane burners, foodies across the country wouldn’t have him to thank for bringing authentic yet modern Singaporean and Chinese cuisine to today’s dining landscape.

So if you happen to be near or pass by Straits Restaurant take a lesson from me; step inside, meet some incredibly friendly people and open your palate to some of the best cuisine you will ever have.

You can also check out their Facebook page for all their latest events and news.

When we planned our recent trip to Florida I was so excited thinking about all the fun things we could do and then shortly afterward I realized I was lost.

I had never been to Florida and didn't know what we could fit in our budget and what were the best attractions or events to go to.

It can get a little overwhelming, Florida has so much to offer but you can't possibly fit it all into your vacation.

That is why I started searching for someone that could help me with this dilemma and I found Kissimmee Guest Services.

You wouldn't think it would be that hard to find an honest company to help you plan your activities, but it is!

Don't be shocked when you get to Florida and find a million little stands saying how they can get you free or really cheap tickets.

These "companies" will want you to go to a timeshare in order to get these discounts and unless you have unlimited time and want to fight with a salesman I suggest you don't bother with them.

Thankfully Kissimmee Guest Services is not like that.

Here are the 7 Reasons Why Our Trip Wouldn't Have Been the same without them and why they will be necessary for your next trip to Florida:

#1 -  Kissimmee Guest Services is all about helping you have the best vacation possible.

KGS employees are NOT commissioned sales people pressuring you to purchase more tickets than you will need or pressuring you into activities you don't even want to do.

#2 - FREE delivery of your tickets

I know right? How awesome is that?!! They will deliver your tickets to your vacation home, resort or hotel for FREE!!

You have enough to worry about on vacation so this is a lifesaver!!

 

#3 - Kissimmee Guest Services is the most trusted name in tickets since 1997!

KGS didn't just pop up yesterday for the purpose of making a quick dollar from naive tourists, they are a honest company with an amazing staff.

experienced team members are passionate in helping guests get the most out of their valuable vacation time.

These are employees that care about their job and want to see your vacation be awesome as if it were their vacation.

They also visit all the parks and attractions on a regular basis so they are extremely knowledgeable. 

#4 - All the resources you could possibly need.

No matter what you need while in Florida they can probably get it for you, from discounts on golf to cheap meals for you and your family.

The first thing I picked up once we arrived was a KGS coupon booklet. It had tons of amazing coupons for our family to save money.

The first coupon we saw was for $2.99 breakfast buffet at Sizzler. This was awesome!! I mean how often do you get to eat at a buffet for only $2.99?!!

#5 - Low price guarantee!

KGS always has a low price guarantee which insures you’re getting the best prices that you can! This is crucial considering how fast costs can pile up while on vacation.

It's nice to know that you are getting the lowest price possible and you don't have to spend hours searching around doing price comparisons.

#6 - You can count on them to help guide you to activities you may have not even thought about.

I wanted to experience more than just Disney or theme parks on our vacation, but I was unsure what we should do. So I contacted KGS and they set us up with one of the best experiences our family has ever had!

They showed us the real Florida by pointing us toward Boggy Creek Airboats. An experience our family will never forget!

#7 - Need I say more?

When it comes down to it, Kissimmee Guest Services is like having your own personal concierge while on vacation. Could there be anything better? 

So if you want someone making sure your vacation is every bit as fun as you planned (and more) make sure you head to Kissimmee Guest Services for your own personal ticket concierge!

Be sure to check out their facebook page too! They will keep you up to date with everything that is going on in Kissimmee, Orlando and more! 

My alarm buzzed loudly at its usual time... by the way my alarm is 4 years old and she has no volume control. Haha!

I threw the covers over my head and tried to pretend like I wasn't there, the voices in my head (aka my hubby) told me to stay in bed.

Just then two little giggling monkeys broke down my king size fortress of sleeping solitude and made it into a castle for a little prince and a princess.

I decided to give into the prince and princesses demands and head to their room to turn on cartoons.

My little girl wanted to watch Dora, but luckily it was my little boys birthday so it was his choice and he wanted to watch SuperWhy.

I know a kids show shouldn't get under my skin, but she does!

I mean she's multilingual at a young age and somehow she can't find things right next to her and can't figure out how to cross a bridge on her own! lol

I think this graph pretty much sums it up.

Once the kids get me up in the morning it's hopeless to go back to bed, but I thought while they were happy watching cartoons I would take a relaxing bath in our awesome garden tub.

After getting dressed, it's time for breakfast!

Since it was my little boys birthday I decided to make chocolate chip pancakes to sooth their rumbling tummies.

My kiddos pulled up a bar stool and started to help me mix.

They started putting all the ingredients into the bowl, but unfortunately my little girl completely missed the bowl when she was putting in the flour.

I turned around after getting milk out of the fridge

and you can imagine my surprise...

flour was covering the counter top and coated the whole floor!

I was way to busy freaking out to take a pic. sorry to those who want proof that their kid isn't the only one who makes disasters.

Luckily it wasn't wet flour and I just grabbed the broom and the vacuum out of the hall closet and it was cleaned up in no time.

After breakfast I throw all the dishes in the dishwasher and it's time to head to the store.

(She's trying to skip ahead by 12 years! No thank you! )

The kids hopped into our Toyota Sienna from Karl Malone Auto Body and Paint and we zipped over to Target, I had a huge stack of coupons that were burning a whole in my pocket. 

Couldn't wait to get the weeks hottest Target deals!

Once we got back, the kiddos helped me fill up the pantry and fridge with all of our awesome coupon finds.

I moved on in my chores for the day by popping in a load of laundry into the washer.

After going to the store the kiddos needed a little bit of time to just run around and be kids, so we headed off to the park!

The park is just up the street and my kids LOVE this park!

It has a whole castle them that brings out the imagination in both me and the kids.

We spent at least an hour and a half pretending to be royalty and then pretending to be knights defending the castle.

The natives are restless and starving,

so it was time to get lunch going. Sandwiches, chips, yogurt and Sunny D makes for an easy lunch that I get no complaints on.

It was such a beautiful day it would be a shame not to eat outside.

As you can see they love eating outside and enjoying the sunshine, and I love not having a mess and crumbs all over the kitchen!

While we were eating we spotted a little lizard, so we used our $1 bug catching kits to get a closer look at it.

My little girl then wanted to jump in the pool and go swimming. Can you tell she loves her floatation toys?

I can't believe how much she loves water. Apparently I should have done a water birth when I had her. Haha!

While the kids were swimming my hubby and my nephews decided to enjoy our game room. Awesome place to have for the kids and the kids at heart.

You could find us in here anytime it rains and we can't be out swimming.

I don't have a pool, or a game room, or king size bed but it definitely feels like home! How can that be?

I realize the next morning that it wasn't a dream, a dream come true maybe... but this was a reality a reality made possible by Global Resort Homes.

I never could have imagined I could be on vacation and yet still feel like I was at home (granted a better home than mine) but I felt completely comfortable.

I didn't have to worry about my kids being too loud and disturbing the other hotel guest, because there weren't any other guests!

It was just us in an amazing home with all the same comforts of our own home plus more!

This was a vacation, this was the way to travel, not by being crammed into a small hotel room, but being able to spread out and really relax.

I mean who wants to share a pool with a ton of strangers when you can open your back door and jump right in your own private pool.

And as my husband put it... "your own private pool that you don't feel like you are being covered in chemicals with."

We each had our own room... our own room to watch our own shows on our own TV's after a long day playing at the theme parks, our own room to regrettably throw tantrums in if needed (I didn't get the ice cream I wanted ), our own rooms to feel just like we were at home.

That is exactly what you will get with Global Resort Homes, a home away from home. And a home that is conveniently located right next to Sea World, Disney World and so much more!

Global Resort Homes is... Luxury, comfort, affordability, convenience and more than just a place to rest your head after a long day of exploring while on vacation.

Check out Global Resort Homes to see how amazing your next vacation can be!

A huge thank you to Global Resort Homes for our home away from home at 2625 Daubly Street and for being such an awesome company!