Be A Tourist In Your Own Backyard

Most kids have gone back to school but I know there are still some of you that can celebrate summer break for a little longer. Shout out to all the Michigan folks. With just a few short weekends left to get out and explore, I want to talk about how easy it is to be a tourist in your own backyard.

Now you know that I have moved a lot and lived in a handful of different states. I didn't always take advantage of the activities in my surroundings. In fact, there are still a few items on my list that I never visited while living in Indiana. I don't want to make those same mistakes and miss out on any beautiful places while living in Maryland. 

A and I recently were invited to a wine tasting celebration with some acquaintances. We had such a blast, made some new friends, and were able to explore an area of Maryland we probably wouldn't have ventured off to on our own. It reminded me of all the fun we had while living in California visiting San Francisco, Monterey, Carmel, Santa Cruz, Reno, Lake Tahoe, etc.

1. Try out new restaurants. Avoid the chain restaurants and hit up a mom and pop shop. Maybe even venture out and try a different type of cuisine. Also, when it comes to food, find out what is popular around your area. For example, anywhere around me would highly recommend blue crab.

2. Go out to a sporting event. Does your city have a football, baseball, hockey, or any other sports team? Buy tickets for your family and cheer on your hometown team.

3. Visit a museum, aquarium, or zoo. These are perfect to learn something new. If you are trying to be frugal, look for free museums in your area or look for free perks like Museums on Us from Bank of America.

4. Go to a National Park or any park. It always does the body good to get some fresh air. Go out for a hike or just explore some new parks near home.

5. Head to any hotel or motel lobby or welcoming center. Here you will find dozens of brochures for activities to do around town. And if you want to, you can talk to the concierge at the hotel for any recommendations - that's their job!

Click to tweet: Five tips on how to be a tourist in your backyard

When is the last time you went out and explored your town? Have you tried anything new recently?

Life in the Fast Lane

Wow - that's really all I can say.

This last month has been just a crazy dream, or nightmare, depending how you look at it. A and I went to Maryland to pick out a new house in just 2 days, we listed our home in Indiana for sale, we booked hotels, rental cars, packing crew, movers, car haulers, and the list goes on. We set aside time to celebrate our friendships with coworkers and friends alike. Dinners were had, beer and wine were consumed, and a few tears shed by the least likely of hearts.

The last few days were filled with the remainder of going away festivities and packing all of our belongings. Every last box was placed on the truck with care and our cars were hauled away.

Now I sit in a hotel room, after eating far too much food from a lovely restaurant in Washington, PA. We don't have a home in Indiana and we don't have a home yet in Maryland. We are homeless. Or house-less if you want me to be politically correct. Its a very weird feeling.

I had every intent of getting a review posted for the most fabulous essential oils. It's all the rage right now and who isn't pushing dōTERRA or Young Living essential oils down your throat? Literally! After working in the spa industry, I like to do my research on companies when they throw out terminology including 'therapeutic' grade, or the like, I would still purchase Insta Natural essential oil over the other brands.That's just my opinion.

Being busy isn't the only excuse for not posting the review. I dropped my precious bottle of peppermint oil and it shattered to pieces. I placed the 4 oz glass jar on the kitchen table and tuned my back. Next thing I hear a rolling sound then BOOM. Peppermint filled the room and I imagine the house still smells of peppermint essential oil.

Please check out all brands of essential oil, especially Insta Natural. Just be sure that the oils are 100% pure.

How has your week been going?
*I received some of the products mentioned in the above post from Tomoson for review. All opinions are my own. See disclaimer at bottom of page.*

Traveling by Plane - Pet Peeves

Traveling. It can be fun, exciting, and stressful all at the same time. I have spent a fair amount of time traveling by plane and have seen a lot. A lot of people, in my opinion, doing it all wrong. Here is a list of pet peeves that I have while traveling by plane. Please do not be a perpetrator of these!

TSA Security Checkpoint

It is not okay to argue with TAS or disobey them. They have the final say in your destination - whether you are able to board that plane or leave the airport. If you are new to this whole security checkpoint thing, I do not feel for you. Follow all of the signs and directions given to you. Don't ask if you have to take off your belt or empty your pockets. Most likely you will, so do it from the beginning. I cannot stand those that don't understand this process. 

Carry-on Luggage

Good for you. You fit all of your belongings for your trip in one, two, or three bags. Oh wait, you are only allowed one carry on and one personal item. If you think you can get away with taking more, I will stare at you with devil eyes. My resting bitch face might be my actual bitch face. Also, I don't think it's fair or appropriate that you place all of your carry-on items above your seat. There is room under the seat in front of you. Don't be a hog!

Bringing Food on Flight

I cannot stand those that are not respectful of those around them, let alone the whole damn plane. Bring food that doesn't offend people. Please don't bring anything overly garlicky, jerky of any sort, eggs, stinky cheese, and the list goes on. Be kind!

Boarding the Plane

Please take as long as you would like finding your seat and rummaging through your carry-on bag. Please stand right in the middle of the aisle. Trust me, no one will mind. Okay, all of this makes my blood boil. It would be nice if these people just shimmied into an empty row to allow others to walk by. Again, be kind!

Boarding the Plane Part 2

"Now boarding zone 2." This doesn't mean that you, as zone 4, should jump in line. Wait your turn. Everyone will board the plane soon enough. Take a breather. 

Taking seflies

"Look at me. I'm on a plane!" Really? Who are you going to send that to that would actually care. Those that take selfies just look silly.

I did do this on an empty plane. Don't judge. 

I could probably come up with several more pet peeves. More than I can count on one hand. What are your biggest pet peeves while traveling by plane?

We are MOVING - East Coast Here We Come

I started this blog back when I got married and moved from the Midwest to California - a traveling Wife. You can read all of the history of this little blog here. So here we are again, moving. I believe I am a professional mover now.

Who is ready for some packing, traveling, home buying and home selling posts? Maryland, I hope you are ready for us!!

The RIGHT Way to Shop for Souvenirs

The airport lines start to wrap around the check-in counter, then you wait again to go through security, only to wait in line one last time to board the plane. Most of us have been there before. Whether it be for a romantic vacation, short getaway, or traveling during the holidays. But once you get to the destination it will all be worth it. In most cases.

You may or may not have your itinerary planned out. You know where you want to go, what you want to see, and the cost associated with all of that. However, if you are anything like me, I do all my research before hand and travel with no itinerary. This leaves so much more time for exploration and just living like the locals. I also do not stay in hotels. 

Gosh, I think I need to write a post about traveling without an itinerary and another post about not staying in hotels... Stay tuned!

Anyway. The best part about vacationing is the memories that you bring back with you. I was once told to buy one item from each trip to remind me of it. Not just an ordinary ol' souvenir that says, "I've been to ...". The cost and size should not matter because it will always remind you of that time you were in [place your vacation here]. 

Due to this amazing piece of wisdom, I have a few tips while shopping for souvenirs.

1. Don't go to a souvenir shop. Or do just to get ideas of what you don't want. I have purchased numerous coffee cups, shot glasses, t-shirts, posters, etc that have all made their way into the trash man's truck. Try and avoid the abyss of a souvenir shop. That coffee mug that cost you $20+ will not remind you of your vacation.

2. Ask the locals. Ask them where they shop. Ask if there is a local handmade store. Ask if there is a specialty (non-produce) food of the area. The locals know all, so ask for their advice. 

3. Look around. Not all souvenirs need to be purchased. I'm not saying to help yourself to a five finger discount but nature could be your best friend here. I do not know all the laws if you are traveling out of the country, but you might not be able to travel back with sand, rocks, shrubs, plants, or whatever you can find from the Earth.

When I traveled to Costa Rica, they were redoing their tile sidewalks. There were hundreds upon hundreds of tile lining the streets waiting to be disposed of. I thought it was a great idea to take 4 of those tiles to use as coasters or trivets at home. It was a perfect idea and every time I put a glass on my coffee table I am reminded of my trip. 

4. Take pictures. Is there a funny sign that you want to remember? Go take a picture of it. Are you standing in front of the most beautiful view? Ask a stranger to take your photo. Are you traveling with family? Take candid shots of them shopping, exploring, or just relaxing. These will all be fantastic memories to remind you of your trip.

5. Buy something useful or something that matches your home decor. Again, if you just purchase random items from a souvenir shop, you will likely through them away within a year. But where you are visiting might have some unique tools, kitchen supplies, or decor that you have never seen before.

When I traveled to Amsterdam, I was blown away by the houses. The row houses are just absolutely beautiful and I could see myself living there. While stopping in the cutest, little furniture shop, there was this tealight candle holder that was a tiny ceramic row house. It matched perfectly with the decor of my home and it was useful. I love lighting a tealight and using the candle holder. It reminds be of the romantic and cold nights walking around the city. 

Now I can't stop thinking about all the fantastic trips I have taken over the years. Do you have any tips for souvenir shopping?

Midwest vs. West Coast Living

You probably know, if you have been reading for some time, that I used to live in Michigan then moved to California and I now live in Indiana. If this is all news to you then you must be living under a rock! I want to share my experiences with the difference of living in the Midwest compared to the West coast because I am clearly the expert.

I grew up in the Midwest and have lived in the Midwest on and off for 24ish years. But my 1.5ish years in California helped me put the two regions in perspective. The differences I am about to list are not exclusive because I could go on and on. Also, a majority of my time on the West coast was spent in Northern California and Reno, NV keepin' it classy.

Hills, Mountains & Flat land
Between Michigan and Indiana, the highest elevation is 1979 ft. About all you will see when driving through these two states is farmland, more farmland, and maybe a hill here or there.
Between California and Nevada, the highest elevation is 14,505 ft and this is where things get fun. You can drive through mountains, over mountains, ski down mountains, hike up mountains, or whatever your heart desires.

Lakes & Oceans
In case you are not good with your geography, the closest body of water you can get to from Michigan and Indiana is the Great Lakes otherwise known as HOMES - Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.
However, on the West coast you have the big Pacific Ocean.

Wine vs. Beer
Now I cannot be biased to either wine or beer because I love them both equally. I will say that the Midwest has a serious case of craft beer fever. If you are visiting Michigan or Indiana and you are not throwing back a few cold ones from a tap room then you are doing something wrong.
Now, lets talk about the West Coast. Californians love their California wine, especially the north. I don't think you can drive very far without noticing vineyards all along the expressway, again particularly in the north.

Seasons
This is a tough one! The Midwest for sure experiences all seasons. From extreme humidity in the summer, the changing of the leaves colors in fall, blistering cold and snowing winters, to bee invested and wet springs. The West Coast can also be all of the above but with practically no humidity in the summer, less leave colors in the fall, a lot more snow or pure rainfall for winter, and an early spring.

Sports
This might be a completely controversial assumption but I am going to go there anyway. The Midwest's favorite sport to watch is Nascar. Yup, there is something they love about watching cars turn left around an oval track.
Now on the other hand, the West Coast's favorite sport to watch is the rodeo. Remember I said that I lived in Northern California and that was right by the Cowboy Capital of the World. Whether it be bull riding, barrel racing, and so on.

Do you live in the Midwest or the West Coast? 

Did I mention anything that was completely off?

Memories

All afternoon and evening last night, I sat in front of the TV in absolute shock. 

The Boston Marathon is supposed to be a joyous day and that has been taken away from people.

My heart goes out to all the runners, spectators, family, and residents of Boston and Massachusetts.

However, it did brought back memories of the good times I spent in the surrounding area when A used to live there. I thought today might just be a good day to shine light on the beauty that Massachusetts has to offer during these dark days. 

--

Just over three years ago, A took a job offer that placed him just North of Boston. 

I was still attending university and did not move with him but I had a chance to visit during vacations. He made some great, lifelong friends and we were able to see a lot of Massachusetts.

We spent a lot of time at different beaches. They are absolutely beautiful places to be.

We also did a lot of touristy things - like going whale watching or walking the Freedom Trail.

One of my favorite things though was waking up to see the sunrise. I never had the opportunity before to ever see a sunrise. Growing up in the midwest, our closest option was to see the sunset over Lake Michigan. 

The morning was absolutely freezing, so on our way to the beach we stopped at Massachusetts' favorite coffee joint - Dunkin' Donuts. We grabbed a hot beverage and then planted our butts in the cold sand. Thank goodness we brought a blanket because we needed it. 

It was absolutely beautiful.

Have you been to Massachusetts? What's your favorite thing about going there?

Santa Cruz Scrapbook Layout

I have been seriously slacking when it comes to scrapbooking.

I absolutely love scrapbooking but it takes time and inspiration. Plus it also helps if you already have your photos printed off rather than waiting until you want to work on a layout.

Well I finally found a layout to use from a trip about a year ago.

I can't believe it takes over a year to actually put a page together.

One of my favorite and only things I loved about living in California was being about 2 hours away from everything. We went to Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Monterey, Carmel, Yosemite, and so many more places. I am a sucker for a beach though and loved Santa Cruz.

Even when my mom came to visit us in California, we made it back to Santa Cruz.

We never got a chance to actually go swimming while there. Probably because it was freezing.

I had so many flashbacks while I was working on this page. 

I could taste the salmon bites from our favorite restaurant. I could smell the warm, salty air.

I could feel the warm sand between my toes.

I want to go back!

Any other scrapbookers out there?

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Travel Day Makeup Products

I know that there are a ton of people that travel during this time of year.

And a majority of people travel by car or airplane. 

My family is definitely one of those people that will be traveling this holiday.

So, I wanted to share with you all my travel day makeup routine.

You will find, through many different resources, that you should not wear any makeup while traveling. It can lead to clogged pores and breakouts. Either way, I do not feel like a real person unless I have something on my face. Most of the time, that something is mascara.

Well let me share with you the products that I use before I head out the door for my travels.

• Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hr Full Coverage Foundation - color Light
• Covergirl Concealer stick - color 705 Fair
• Aloe Setting Powder
• Sonia Kashuk Blush - color 03 Sunset
• Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner - color Onyx
• Maybelline One by One Volume Express Mascara - color Blackest Black 

And the final look...

 

What kind of makeup do you wear when you travel?

I am such a little Kid.

Today, I am in Indiana with the Hubby looking for our future home.

I thought it would be fun to share with you all what Indianapolis may have to offer or some of the activities I am looking forward to doing.

Go Ape!

Treetop Adventure Course

I have grown to love adventure challenges and I think this would be a blast. This course consists of rope ladders, crossings that include the Log Balance, Flying Carpet 

and Tic Tac Toe, 2 tarzan swings and 5 zip lines.

How fun!!

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

 I am not sure what we will see here but I am sure we will be here at least once.

I am not a huge car fanatic or race fanatic but it is something fun to do.

Indianapolis Zoo

  I love the zoo, any zoo. I just love seeing all the different animals and how they interact.

I am such a little kid.

I am sure there will be plenty more things we want to see and do.

But the first task is to find a home.

Pitching a Tent

Perhaps, not having a tent to pitch.

Well maybe there was a 'tent' that could be pitched, but besides that!

Where am I going with all this crazy, shenanigan talk?

Hubby and I went camping near Yosemite National Park.

Oh yes we did! And we had a blast. 

But I must admit it was far, far, far from 'camping'.

Or pitching a tent.

We ended up renting a cabin 30 minutes outside of Yosemite. 

We do not own a tent and do not plan on owning a tent just yet.

I grew up in a family that enjoyed camping. But camping to us was renting a trailer at a campground 

that had two bedrooms, a bath and half, full service kitchen, dining room, 

living room with cable tv for the rainy days, and air conditioning.

It looks as though I cannot escape from that mindset and we rented this lovely cabin.

Now the pictures from the website do not do this thing justice. I was expecting to 

walk into a stinky cabin with nasty hotel carpet, spiderwebs in the corners, a few 

creepy crawlies in the bathroom tub, and maybe an old tube tv. 

We were definitely surprised.

Laminate flooring, new mattress, flat screen tv, counter size refrigerator,  brand new tub, air 

conditioning, and vaulted ceilings greeted us when we unlocked the door. 

All of this for less than $150 a night?!

Not only was the cabin amazing aesthetically, but we had 

fresh towels and a coffee maker with coffees and the necessary to make coffee.

This place was like a hotel. 

However, we did not rent the cabin just to stay in it all weekend. 

Our goal was to go hiking in Yosemite and not have the long drive back home.

And hiking we did. We drove up to Glacier Point in Yosemite because we think it is an absolutely beautiful place to see if you find yourself in Yosemite. It is only open seasonally due to the 

weather and scary roads. But it is worth the drive up there.

Here are some of the views you can see from there.

I mean, it is pretty surreal looking. Isn't it?

Half Dome at its finest.

Now take a look at this little guy.

Do you see him? Right there on the ledge? He is roughly 7,200 ft above the Valley Floor. 

It is a long drop if he gets too close to the edge. Ballsy little fellow!

Not only did we visit Yosemite and go hiking plus rent a cabin, we had to visit the local bar.

Because that's what you do when you go camping, right?

Iron Door Saloon was amazing and the bartenders were pretty funny too.

But what happens when a guy walks into a bar?

He walks out with a free tractor turbo.

Yup, hubby left the bar with his brand new used turbo just because.

Don't ask how it happened because we really don't understand it!

I guess all this fun happens when you rent a cabin and visit Yosemite.

Have you ever been gifted something at a bar?

Rascal Flatts Concert - Anniversary Vacation Pt. 4

They say that your one year wedding anniversary gift should be paper. And I think we both stuck to that pretty well. 

I got hubby a book and and empty egg to crack open like this.

Hubby got me tickets to...

The Rascal Flatts Concert!!!!

To those of you who don't like country music you can just stop following me now kidding, of course.

Rascal Flatts was the first concert hubby and I went to as a couple 6 years ago oh ehm gee, so long ago.  

So it really meant a lot to me for him to buy me these tickets.

Also, our first dance as a married couple was to "I Won't Let Go". 

Even more reason to be excited for the concert.

I wanted to grace you with a few photos because the concert was amazing.

But the pictures are far from amazing.

There were four bands total which made it even better.

The first opener was Edens Edge.

Then came Eli Young Band.

Followed by Little Big Town.

There was a little bit of motor boatin' action.

Then finally, Rascal Flatts.

It was an AMAZING concert.

--

Now we are heading off to Yosemite for the weekend. 

I hope everyone has a safe and fantastic weekend.

Fishes - Anniversary Vacation Pt. 3

Today I bring to you all part 3 of our anniversary vacation that we recently took.

Be sure to go see part 1 and part 2 if you missed them.

--

We were told by so many people to go check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium and that we 

would not be disappointed. I had heard so many rave reviews that we planned on staying the whole day there. 

Side note - we have been to many other aquariums together and separate, so we had a lot to compare it to. 

The aquarium opened at 10am and we were going to preorder our tickets online in hopes of not having to wait in a line but we failed to do just that. We arrived just after 10am and there 

were roughly 15 families in front of us so the wait was not crazy. 

The first exhibit that you get to is the old sardine cannery I mean the aquarium is in Cannery Row. 

Hubby really liked that because food factories are his thing and he enjoyed 

looking at the machines this may have been the most exciting part for him.

The sardines are crazy creatures. 

We spent a long time at the penguin exhibit because I think they are just adorable. 

We were even able to watch the feeding and some of the penguins 

were looking for nesting material which was cute to see. 

The brighter fish were beautiful.

And there were a lot of jelly fish, considering they had a whole exhibit for them.

Because sardines were and are so big in this area, there were many areas of the 

aquarium dedicated to them. Just like behind us in this picture.

Then, we started getting bored and hungry. 

So we were trying to look for places where you could see our reflection.

We may have been bored and hungry but we still had to check out the seahorses. 

Overall, we had fun but we have definitely been to better aquariums elsewhere. 

There seemed to be a lot of empty space so maybe they are putting in new exhibits.

If you travel to the Monterey area, then give it a try if you are feeling up to it.

*Tomorrow is the final part of our anniversary vacation so look for that.