• Travel

    Carnival Legend 2025 – Day 1

    February 12, 2026 - By 

    Picking back up with our San Fran adventures. If you missed the last post>>>Sunday in San Fran. This was the day we shifted from city exploring to life at sea. Morning light filled the room, and our ship sat anchored in the distance, hinting that the next chapter was close. With our bags packed and a few free hours left, we wandered through a couple more San Francisco favorites before making our way to the port. We packed up all our things so we wouldn’t have to deal with it later, then went to explore things within walking distance and…

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    Sunday in San Francisco 2025

    February 10, 2026 - By 

    Today I’m picking up where we left off, still in San Francisco. The first day gave us sea lions, sourdough, and a long-awaited whale sighting. Read about that>>>Saturday in San Fran Now we’re diving into our day in Chinatown. We took a cable car to Chinatown and walked around trying to figure out where we wanted to eat lunch. We ended up at House of Xian Dumplings. So good! We ordered shrimp and pork dim sum to start with Mongolian Beef and Kung Pao Chicken. All of it delicious! We walked over to Golden Gate Fortune Cookies Factory, which is…

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    Saturday in San Francisco 2025

    February 7, 2026 - By 

    Here we are for another travel blog series. Kicking off our October trip with a few days in San Francisco. We landed late Friday night and woke up to clear skies and city views. No rush, just ready to wander and let the weekend unfold. What a nice surprise to wake up to some gorgeous views from our hotel room. We walked to get breakfast at Caffe Central. Really popular spot, but for good reason. Fresh ingredients and made to order. Rob got the Lorraine Quiche (bacon, onions, cheddar, Swiss & provolone cheese) and I got the Fit My Soul…

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    New Years Cruise: Carnival Miracle

    February 3, 2026 - By 

    Heading to the Tampa Area Picked up the girls from their respective homes and made our way down to Tampa. Ate lunch at Chick-fil-a on the way down, which is funny because Elly works at a CFA. The girls really wanted to go to the beach, but we were going to get their after dark. Stopped at Clearwater Beach, watched some street performers, and then found a spot for dinner. Ate at Frenchy’s for dinner Day 1 – Boarding the Carnival Miracle Had breakfast at the hotel Drove to cruise port Got acquainted with the ship and finally got to…

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    Fall Itinerary Through North Georgia’s Mountains

    October 6, 2025 - By 

    This fall itinerary traces a scenic route from Auburn, Alabama through the mountain towns of North Georgia, highlighting cozy stops, seasonal flavors, and places to pause along the way. Each destination includes mileage from Auburn to help visualize the journey, but you can easily adapt the route from wherever you’re starting. While I’ve visited all of these locations before, I haven’t experienced them during peak fall—so this guide reflects both personal recommendations and my hope to return and see their autumn beauty firsthand. Ellijay, Georgia (~180 miles from Auburn) — [My posts about Ellijay] • R&A Orchards :: Begin with…

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    Exploring (Vegas Trip Day 6)

    August 7, 2025 - By 

    We eased into the day with brunch and mountain air, trading city rush for quiet roads and desert views. From Spring Mountains to Pahrump to the glow of the Strip, it was a day of detours, discoveries, and one final spin through Vegas.

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    Two Shows in a Day (Vegas Trip Day 5)

    August 6, 2025 - By 

    Some days come wrapped in setbacks. Others surprise you with unlikely detours that turn out to be the highlight reel. Day 5 started with a limp and ended with lights, laughter, and a couple of unforgettable performances—each one wildly different, both perfectly Vegas. Whether you’re strolling or struggling, the city knows how to show up for you when you lean into the unexpected.

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    Valley of Fire (Vegas Trip Day 4 -Pt 1)

    July 30, 2025 - By 

    After a few days of comfort and calm, we traded poolside views for something a little more rugged. With the Vegas Strip still on the horizon, we took a scenic detour that turned out to be one of the most visually striking chapters of the trip. Think ancient formations, desert drama, and a few unexpected encounters that made us pause, laugh, and maybe sweat a little more than planned. Let’s just say—this day had layers. And not just in the rocks.

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    Henderson, NV (Vegas Trip Day 3)

    July 23, 2025 - By 

    Day three in Henderson didn’t come with a checklist or sightseeing agenda—and that was kind of perfect. After a slow start at the hotel, I wandered through antique and thrift shops, soaking in the local charm. One vendor’s sprawling camera collection made me pause and linger—it was the kind of simple delight that sneaks up on you. With the afternoon heat pressing in, we made our way to the pool area to visit and take in the view—mountains in the distance, stories all around. If you missed the first post from this trip>>>Boulder City, NV (Vegas Trip Day 2) Our…

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    Boulder City, NV (Vegas Trip Day 2)

    July 21, 2025 - By 

    Day 2 of our Vegas trip led me to Boulder City, where a quiet personal connection added depth to an already charming afternoon. Between burgers, browsing, and camera-clicking strolls, I found plenty worth remembering—and even more worth sharing. If you missed the first post from this trip>>>Henderson, NV Day 0 & 1 Day 2 On day 2, I took the afternoon to drive over to Boulder City. A few weeks before going on this trip, I was looking at FindAGrave.com because I find it so interesting. I was going through linking some of my way back family members to each…

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    Henderson, NV (Vegas Trip Day 0 & 1)

    July 18, 2025 - By 

    A couple months back, Rob had a conference scheduled in Henderson—just outside Vegas—and I happily tagged along to turn it into a fun little getaway. From delayed flights and airport vibes to hummingbird photo ops and desert walks, our first two days kicked off the trip in the best way—calm, curious, and full of local flavor. While Rob dove into conference mode, I explored, thrifted, and soaked up the sunshine. It was the kind of beginning that eases you right into vacation mode. Day 0 After church on Sunday, Rob and I packed up and headed to the airport. Some…

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    San Fransisco Trip Day 9

    April 5, 2025 - By 

    Our final day pulled us back to two favorites: coastal cliffs and wine country charm. Napa offered up some unexpected insight, while the rugged shoreline kept stealing the show. And yes—getting to the airport felt like its own plot twist.

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    San Fransisco Trip Day 8

    April 4, 2025 - By 

    Our day in San Francisco started with a jolt of classic charm and ended with a splash of unexpected adventure. From cable cars to winding streets, impromptu food tastings to techy detours, the city served up a full plate of surprises. What looked like a mellow day turned into something much more memorable… even if we were left a little soggy and very hungry by the end.

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    San Fransisco Trip Day 7

    March 22, 2025 - By 

    Day 7 brought a shift in scenery and energy as we left San Francisco behind and crossed the bridge into Oakland and Berkeley. What started as a plan to catch an evening baseball game soon turned into a full-blown city-hopping adventure—one filled with scenic detours, surprise gems, and a few moments that had us laughing, squinting, and maybe even tearing up a bit. California just keeps unfolding in the best ways.

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    New Years Cruise: Carnival Liberty

    March 13, 2025 - By 

    Rob and I decided at some point, we would take each of Rob’s sisters kids on a cruise before they graduate from high school. However, time got away from us and the oldest is graduating soon. It ended up working out for us to go after Christmas. It was a great trip. Abi and her friend, Em were great travel mates. Here’s a quick run down of our cruise on the Carnival Liberty. New Orleans Picked up the girls from their respective homes and drove to New Orleans. We walked around and ate beignets at Cafe Du Monde. Dinner at…

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    San Fransisco Trip Day 6

    February 21, 2025 - By 

    Our final morning in Palo Alto unfolded with a gentle mix of insight, discovery, and coastal charm. What started with a guided stroll through Stanford’s campus bloomed into an unexpected trail of sculptures, stairways, and shoreline beauty—with just the right touch of whimsy and surprise tucked in along the way. The transition from academia to ocean air was seamless… and delicious.

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    San Fransisco Trip Day 5

    January 29, 2025 - By 

    Day 5 marked a bit of a transition—one filled with peaceful campus wanderings, playful wildlife encounters, and thoughtful goodbyes. With the morning unfolding in familiar company and the afternoon spent exploring Stanford’s storied corners, this stretch of the trip offered a slower, more reflective kind of magic. And the evening? Let’s just say it ended on a high note… quite literally.

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    Travel Summary 2024

    December 28, 2024 - By 

    This year, we tried to scale back the travels a bit from last year…We still take advantage of when Rob has a work trip. I think last year and maybe the year before I did a separate post to list all my travels, but I’m so behind on posts right now that I decided not to do that. Here’s a quick run down… April Not sure you can even hardly count this as a trip. We were only gone a few hours, but it was so good for my mental health. After several days of being cooped up after my…