I wasn’t going to share this dump cake recipe with you. I don’t know why… I just felt like maybe it was beneath my “standards”.

I have no idea why I’m being so judgey with myself about it! It’s really not that different than the amazing Peach Dump Cake I shared on Dine & Dish a couple years ago. It’s not like I’m “above” using canned ingredients and box cake mixes. I guess I just felt that it was too simple. In fact, it was so simple, Leah (my 4 year old) pretty much made it herself. I just had to open the cans for her and tell her what to do and she did it. With an abundance of pride, at that!…

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The post Simply Simple {Recipe: 3 Ingredient Cherry Chocolate Dump Cake} appeared first on Dine and Dish.

Nick and I just got back from enjoying a kid-free vacation in Park City, Utah… the first we’ve shared in over 6 years.

In 6 years time, it is pretty easy to forget all the reasons you fell in love with your spouse in the first place. I definitley knew I still loved my husband, but this vacation was exactly what we needed to get reacquainted with each other again, and that was a good thing.

With 4 kids and grandparents who live far away, getting away for even a date night is hard. Add to that living on one income and juggling busy schedules, finding the time and resources to get away isn’t easy, but we decided it was time to make it happen.

There’s something to be said for adult time… getting to have real conversations without interruption, sleeping without little bodies wiggling between you, eating at restaurants you wouldn’t set foot in with children, doing activities (like our 22 mile hike) that you wouldn’t sanely take 4 kids on…. it was truly blissful.

It’s important to turn off the noise and let the light shine on you as a couple every once in awhile. Hopefully, now that we’ve had this reminder, it will happen more often than not. I am grateful for the man I married. I love my kids too, but I know that we will both be better parents if we continue to invest in our marriage this way, don’t you think?

We’re back home now, but have one more kid free evening ahead of us. I see these fun cocktails and a good movie night in my future!

I’m thankful for my in-laws for keeping the kids at their place while Nick and I vacationed together! We couldn’t have done it without them.

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Cherry Poke Cake Cocktails

This refreshing cocktail recipe tastes just like old fashioned Cherry Poke Cake.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Pinnacle Cake Flavored Vodka
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• 4 ounces cold Sprite or 7-Up
• 1 ounce cherry juice from the Maraschino cherry jar
• Maraschino cherries for garnish

Instructions

• Fill a highball glass with ice
• Pour Cake Flavored Vodka, Lime Juice, Sprite or 7-Up and Cherry Juice over ice. Stir well.
• Garnish with cherries.

The post Then There Were Two {Recipe: Cherry Poke Cake Cocktail} appeared first on Dine and Dish.

I am happy.

It feels so good to say that. I am happy and that makes me happy.

After a year of ups and downs, worrying, frets and stress it feels so good to be able to say that I really am happy.

Our summer, so far,  has been one of intentional happiness. I purposely didn’t sign my kids up for camps, activities, VBS, etc. this year because I wanted everything we were doing to be exactly what we wanted to do. I didn’t want to be running around, car pooling, feeling regrets because we didn’t have time to do what we wanted to do. We wake up each morning and everything on our agenda is things we want to do, not have to do. I feel kind of selfish, having a carefree summer, but it has been so nice.

I need to start doing my Happiness Reports again, because there are so many things making me happy right now. So many little things I’m taking notice of that bring me joy.

A hot cup of coffee, made for me by my husband…a thoughtful gesture not unnoticed.

A string of white lights, hung in the trees.

Taking pictures, even if it’s of nothing “special”… just getting out my camera and capturing what my life is full of.

Summer breeze, time to read, lazy mornings….

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The post Happiness is a Bowl Full of Cherries {Recipe: Cherry Cream Coffee Cake} appeared first on Dine and Dish.

This giveaway is now closed. The winner was Amy of www.utryit.com. Thanks for entering!

Our family was recently asked to try the new Ocean Spray® line of Cherry Juice Drinks and then share our thoughts about their juice in a video for their Facebook page! You can check out my video on their site (where I realize I say “ummmm” way too much), but I’ll clue you in to what we thought.

My kids love the regular Cran-Cherry juice. In fact, since receiving my first bottle, we have gone back to the store three more times to restock. Personally, I really liked the Diet Cran-Cherry juice! I gave up soda a month and a half ago thanks to some urging from my dear friend, Kate. I honestly do not miss or crave soda anymore, but there are times after dinner where I just want something sweet. The Ocean Spray® Diet Cran-Cherry Juice Drink has solved this problem for me. At a mere 5 calories per cup, it curbs my sweet tooth without any guilt!

Ocean Spray® wants to give you all the opportunity to try their new line of Cherry juice as well! Go “Like” their facebook page and you can download a Buy One Get One Free coupon for their juice! In addition, if you share a short video on their facebook page after trying their Cherry juice, you can be entered to win $1,000 and a trip to New York City! Don’t wait though… the video promotion ends on February 28th!

In the meantime, my friends at Ocean Spray® have a giveaway for Dine & Dish readers. Up for grabs is a $25 Ocean Spray® Cherry Juice Prize Pack. To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite flavor of Ocean Spray juice is (flavors can be found here).

For additional entries:

1. Become a fan of Ocean Spray® on Facebook. Leave a separate comment on this post letting me know you did so.

2. Take the Pick, Sip and Dish challenge, uploading a short video to the Ocean Spray Facebook page letting them know your thoughts about their new line of cherry juice. Leave a separate comment on this post letting me know you did that.

All comments must be received by midnight, CST on February 28th. Winner will be chosen via random.org and notified via a valid email address. Thanks and good luck!

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Ocean Spray. I have been compensated for my time but all opinions expressed are my own.

The post Ocean Spray® Cherry Juice Drink Taste-Maker Giveaway – CLOSED appeared first on Dine and Dish.

It’s been a week of frozen treats and food On a Stick at our house. Today, I’m combining those two in a way that highlights all the goodness summer has to offer. Fresh Bing cherries are paired with delicious Green Valley Organics yogurt to produce a creamy, delicious Popsicle that will have you wishing summer was all year long….

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The post Recipe: Sweet Cherry Yogurt Popsicles appeared first on Dine and Dish.