Here are some of my Friday faves for this week; what are you loving right now?!
{One}
We moved back into Delilah the Dream Machine this week and I am loving being back in our cozy little home on wheels! Since being back in Florida we have gone back and forth between the camper and mom’s condo at the beach. We loved being right by the ocean, but constantly packing up all our stuff every other month was making us feel a bit unsettled. We have signed a four month commitment at a little park in Oak Hill, right along the intercoastal waterway. It is a little outside of NSB, so it will be a bit of an inconvenient drive, but all the parks here are currently full with snowbirds. The added perk of being on the water makes up for it though. We are excited to be able to finally breakout our standup paddle boards again!
This month I am putting a holiday spin on things and sharing some of my favorite ways to travel during the holiday season!
Be sure to link up your travels and adventures below!
My Favorite Ways to Travel During December
{Mountain Moments} This time last year we were bundled up and checking off one of my holiday bucket list items... seeing the Biltmore at Christmas!! It was all kinds of magical! We had even had a few snow flurries to make it even more of a winter wonderland! I had been to Biltmore Estate a few times before, but was always itching to see it decorated for the holidays. While the tickets are a little more expensive, it is so worth it!
{Escape the Cold} While I think the mountains add the perfect holiday element to December, our favorite way to travel during the holidays is by boat! Two years ago we kicked off December in the middle of the ocean with a cruise on the Allure of the Seas. You would think that being from Florida we wouldn't mind a little bit of a chill in the air, but we love heading somewhere even more tropical. There is no better way to do that than with a cruise, especially during the holidays. We have cruised twice the week following Christmas and celebrated New Year's Eve on the high seas. We have also cruised during Thanksgiving. It's fun and festive, while still being warm enough to hang out in nothing but a bathing suit all day!
What do you prefer to do for the holidays?
Escape the cold or search out the best snow?!
Where have you been lately?!
Link up for this month's Travel Tuesday Link Up!
Let's explore together!!
~On the 2nd Tuesday of every month I will be sharing a new travel post and would love to see where you have been exploring!
~Any linked posts will be pinned under Travel Tuesday on my Pinterest account.
~Please leave a little love on the post directly before yours and then anywhere else you like! That way we can all grow this community together :)
~Not many other rules, as I am not a huge fan of those sorts of things! Just add any travel related link and I encourage you to peek around and see where everyone else has been.
~Feel free to grab the image from the sidebar and add it to your post so others know where to link up.
~I will also be featuring my favorite post from the month before and sharing across social media. This month I'm traveling vicariously through Intentional Travelers and their trip to Jerico, Colombia. The hiking looks amazing and I love how they immersed themselves in the local culture!
What better way to celebrate the love of all things vino than with a wine lover's gift guide?!
Got any wine lovers on your Christmas list?
Here are a few things they might enjoy stuffed in their stocking this year!
A Wine Lover's Gift Guide
{1} Reusable BPA Free Ice Cubes- Who else loves their wine chilled?! Red, White, doesn't matter; I'm a Florida girl and I prefer my wine cold, so I always have a stock of reusable ice cubes on hand.
{2} Wine Tumbler- It's like a sippy cup for adults! We tried so hard to keep our wine glasses safe while we were on the road, but sadly, glass just didn't stand up to road life. These stainless steel wine glasses are not only safe from falls, but also keep your wine at the temperature you enjoy. {3} Insulated Wine Tote- Every good wino needs an insulated wine tote with all the essentials; to-go glasses, corkscrew, napkins. You can either tuck two bottles of wine inside or safe one half for a little bit to nibble! {4} Wine Glass Holder (for the shower)- True story: I eat breakfast in the shower; no, not the tub, the shower! It's actually pretty easy- you simply sit on the floor of the shower, while the water cascades down around you. You tuck your breakfast behind the shower curtain, so that water does not reach your food and then every so often you stick your head behind there to take a bit. However, wine should be more optimally reachable, especially if you don't have time to sit. I actually don't have one of these amazing inventions yet and am hopeful that one finds its way into my stocking this year! It will also make bath time more enjoyable too; it's a pain in the butt to constantly feel like I will spill my wine any time I have to reach over the edge of the tub. {5} Wine Stoppers- One of the easiest gifts for a stocking stuffer! I really love these floral, silicon wine stoppers, because they lay flat which allows the bottle of wine to fit more easily in the shelf in our fridge door. Our other wine stoppers make the bottle too tall.
{6} Wine Markers- Hosting any fun holiday get togethers? Book club coming up?! Not only super sensible, but also a super fun way to add personal flair to wine glasses for a party!
{7} Portable Wine Bags- These are my fave! I use them all the time! Movies? Wine bag in my purse! Leaving for a cruise? Wine bag discreetly hidden in my tatas by wearing a romper with a hanging ruffle (pictured here, the romper- for example; not the tatas)! Most cruise lines allow one bottle of wine per person, but it never hurts to have an extra one... do you know how much drinks cost onboard?! Seriously, portable wine bags come in super handy!
{8} 3-in-1 Wine Chiller- It not only chills your wine, but also aerates your wine while you pour! A little wine magician!
Other Wine Gifts Over $25
Who on your gift list is a wine lover?!
Mine includes my mama and sister!
Any other wine gift ideas that I should consider?!
The gift of it is a wonderful thing; time to grow, time to love, time to mature... When Babe and I first started dating I think I gifted him at least a handful of watches during those first few years together. Somewhere along the way we moved away from that, without even meaning to. So, when JORD Watches reached out to me about a partnership I was beyond excited to bring back our old tradition! I thought, "do I gift myself a watch or find something for Babe?" It was a pretty easy decision! Their women's watch selection is also beautiful, but I think a JORDWood Watch makes the perfect giftfor the man in your life; here's why:
It's Friday and I am beyond excited for the weekend!
Who's with me?!
Five Faves!! ONE
It's date night!! Babe and I have been trying to branch out from our New Smyrna Beach go-to spots. When we were only coming on select weekends, we would stick to our favorite spots: i.e. The Garlic and JB's. However, now that we live here we have been trying to broaden our horizons a bit. Last week we tried SoNapa, which has an awesome happy hour! We loved it so much, we are heading back tonight so that I can try the margarita that I almost got last time, before opting for wine. Then we are off to explore somewhere new!
TWO
It's finally cold here in NSB, but last weekend we soaked up the last of the warmth with a visit from my youngest niece. She lives in Georgia, so anytime we get to see her is extra special! We spent the day playing in the sand and she loved following her older cousin everywhere. I love watching Babe be an uncle to all our littles!
Can't wait to see all the fun places you have been!
I'm slowing chipping away at blog posts/videos from our time on the road... for this month's #TravelTuesday I am sharing our day in Seattle! To be honest, I didn't love Seattle as much as I thought I would... don't hate me! Everyone I have met who has been to Seattle gushes about it, but it was a bit too busy for me. I think I went in expecting more of a laid back, seaside city vibe, so I probably set myself up for failure. Seattle is actually like a little New York City. Tall buildings, tons of people to navigate around and NO parking... at least if you have a big truck!
We circled the city numerous times trying to find parking. Due to our size we could not fit in any parking garages (too tall) and all of the parking lots were either full, or the spaces were too tight for our dually to fit into. We finally lucked out and found parking tucked away behind some construction just across from the Seattle Aquarium. Not just solely reserved for oversized vehicles, but big enough to allow us to fit easily, this is a great option for parking in Seattle (you can see more specifics in the video).
We spent about 6 hours in Seattle and mostly milled around. I did love Pike Place Market, but outside of that everything was a little overwhelming if you didn't know exactly what you wanted to do. Our favorite thing about our day in Seattle was definitely the "Underground City Tour" that we did. You get away from the crowds above the streets and are taken back in time to what was part of the original Seattle. We did our tour through Bill Speidel's Underground Tour; full of history and fun, this is a great way to learn more about Seattle!
We ended our day in Seattle sitting beside the water and eating oysters at Elliott's; so yum!! We definitely should have planned ahead a little more, so that we were prepared with a better list of what-to-do with a day in Seattle, but we are glad we got to check it off the bucket list. Leaving the city with the beautiful sites of Mt. Rainer against the setting sun had us wanting to go back and spend more time exploring spots just outside the city. Next time...
Any cities you thought you would love that just missed the mark a bit?
Where have you been lately?!
Link up for this month's Travel Tuesday Link Up!
Let's explore together!!
~On the 2nd Tuesday of every month I will be sharing a new travel post and would love to see where you have been exploring!
~Any linked posts will be pinned under Travel Tuesday on my Pinterest account.
~Please leave a little love on the post directly before yours and then anywhere else you like! That way we can all grow this community together :)
~Not many other rules, as I am not a huge fan of those sorts of things! Just add any travel related link and I encourage you to peek around and see where everyone else has been.
~Feel free to grab the image from the sidebar and add it to your post so others know where to link up.
~I will also be featuring my favorite post from the month before and sharing across social media. This month's feature is all things wonderful; coffee and Spain!! Memories of the Pacific shares all the ins-and-outs of energy boosting goodness in her post "How to Order Coffee in Spain"!
Wishing you all a day filled with frights and fun!!
What have you been loving about October? I may be a little early for 5 on Friday, but here are 5 things I am loving lately...
ONE
All the scary movies and spooky reads!! I may or may not have binge watched scary movies on Sunday and I am so stoked for all the spooky thrillers that will be on TV tonight. I am soaking up as much as I can, while we are still at my moms condo for the next few nights. We move back into the camper midNovember and will have to say goodbye to the endless number of channels at our fingertips. What is your favorite scary movie to watch during Halloween?
TWO
We got to spend the weekend with some of our favorites last weekend and it was exactly what we needed to reset after a crazy few weeks! The bro and sis-in-law came over to spend a few nights. We soaked up the sun, showed them around New Smyrna, and ate our weight in bread and seafood. Can we do it again tomorrow?
Raise your hand if you love October as much as I do?! Sure, I like pumpkins and pirate costumes and pretty leaves; all that jazz! But, what I really love is all things spooky and Halloween inspired! Here are some of my favorite books to read in October.
I have loved scary movies basically since birth, so a month full of them on tv makes my heart happy! I also love reading scary stories... where are my other 90s kids at?! Anyone else remember staying up late and scaring yourself by reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark?! Honestly, it takes a lot to truly terrify me and I would usually fall immediately to sleep. However, there are a few books that kept me up on occasion. I figured I would share some of my spooktacular favorite books to enjoy in October!
I'm still playing catch up from our time on the road,
so I am throwing it back to our time in Utah and sharing
Free Things to Do Around Salt Lake City, Utah
We were hoping to go see the salt flats while we were there, but those are actually over an hour away. There are tons of great things to do within 40 minutes of Salt Lake City that are worth checking out!
I was blown away that this was free to enjoy! It's a park right in the heart of the city, with tons of things to explore and experience. You can check out the old farm and equipment, watch a blacksmith demonstration, hang with the farm animals, take the kids to the awesome playground, or stroll through the beautiful grounds. There are also things that you can do for a fee; like the old house tour and hay/cow train rides for any littles you bring with you.
Disclaimer: This is not always free, but they offer a four free days a year and we happened to be there during one of them. So if you live nearby, be sure to check the schedule. Babe loved the museum!! He likes to read everything, whereas I prefer to look and move on. The Natural History Museum of Utah was perfect for both of us. There was so much to see and so many fun, interactive exhibits that I could flit around from spot to spot, while he lingered and read up on everything there was to learn. The coolest thing to see was definitely the lab, where paleontologists were working on a t-rex fossil that had been found (paging Dr. Ross Geller)!! If you have a dino loving crew this is definitely the perfect spot for you. I really wanted to go to the zoo just down the road afterward, as our free ticket to the museum would have gotten us half off at the zoo, but Babe gave me a hard no (party pooper-lol). If you live in the area and can make use of the free day, you would definitely be able to make a full day out of it if the zoo is still offering half off admission.
I had been worried about how crowded it might be, but it honestly wasn't too bad at all! Parking was a bit of an issue, but we were able to find some on a side street, just a short walk from the museum. You preregister for tickets with an allotted time, so it keeps things from getting too crazed!
#3 Day Trip to Park City and Utah Olympic Park
While not right in Salt Lake City, Park City is just a 40 minute drive and makes such a wonderful day trip! The town is adorable and we loved walking in and out of the little shops. The best thing though is definitely Utah Olympic Park. We were hoping to catch some of the skiers training, but they had already been there that day. If you call they can give you a schedule of when people might be out training. It was still fun seeing all the runs and visiting the museum. There are also things you can do for a fee (ropes course, bobsled experience), but we had tons of fun without adding anything on.
We really loved exploring around Salt Lake City!
What are some free things you love doing in your city?!
Where have you been lately?!
Link up for this month's Travel Tuesday Link Up!
Let's explore together!!
~On the 2nd Tuesday of every month I will be sharing a new travel post and would love to see where you have been exploring!
~Any linked posts will be pinned under Travel Tuesday on my Pinterest account.
~Please leave a little love on the post directly before yours and then anywhere else you like! That way we can all grow this community together :)
~Not many other rules, as I am not a huge fan of those sorts of things! Just add any travel related link and I encourage you to peek around and see where everyone else has been.
~Feel free to grab the image from the sidebar and add it to your post so others know where to link up.
~I will also be featuring my favorite post from the month before and sharing across social media. This month's feature is from Trails Unblazed and their hike to Wilcox Pass in Jasper National Park. Their stare down with the big horn sheep?! So cool!
Hello, October; bring on the fall feels (or Florida-Fall feels lol) and all the scary movies!!
{Collecting} All the book recommendations!! I just finished Into the Water and absolutely LOVED it! Now, I need a new book to sink into... send all your recommendations my way!!!
{Making} Pumpkin Seeds... every fall I stock up on pumpkins, so that I can make my beloved Sweet and Salty Pumpkin Seeds. Can't wait to pop these bad boys in the oven ASAP!!
This week has been all kinds of crazy, so I am super stoked the weekend is here!!
I plan to soak up as much vitamin D {and vitamin sea} as possible!
Before I unplug for the weekend it's time for a little Friday Favorites fun!!
ONE || I am still seven different kinds of in love with this suit! For the longest time I wouldn't wear a one piece {to me it was the ultimate sign of over 30}, but this suit is so fun and chic that I honestly feel younger in it! Also, one piece suits are so much easier for frolicking in the ocean with my nieces and nephews; which is the main reason I first decided a one piece was needed, so that my bottoms didn't accidentally get pulled off by little feet... again!
TWO || Speaking of nieces and nephews... my dad has one of my nieces this weekend, while her mama is on a cruise (#jealous), and I am so excited to spend time with both of them! We had my littlest niece here a few weekend ago and the time with her was just the best. She lives the furthest away and is the one we get to see the least, so it was just a really sweet time having her here to snuggle!!
THREE || Things are moving along with Crimson House! The floors are almost done being refinished as I type this and we are so excited to see how it will all come together. We are hoping to be able to set a soft opening soon; nothing definite right now, but fingers crossed!!
FOUR || Y'all!! Have you read Into the Water?! It is soooo good!! I have had the hardest time putting it down. I had never read Girl on the Train, so I didn't know much about Paula Hawkins or her writing style. If you enjoy Ruth Ware's books I really think you will like Paula Hawkins too! I am so close to the end and am really hoping I can still say I love Into the Water after once I am finish. Anyone else hate when a great book has a terrible ending and you are sitting there horrified and wanting the last week of your reading life back?! I really don't see that happening with this one, but you never know...
If you haven't read it yet, I am giving away my copy to one of you!! Share the love, right?! Join below!
a Rafflecopter giveawayThat's it for now, what are some of your favorites from this week?! Any good reads to recommend?!
If you have taken part in a #TravelTuesday Link Up before, thank you for being patient the last few months! I am happy to say it is now back! So don't forget to add your adventures at the end of this post!
It had been a whirlwind around here recently! I am finally getting settled back into the swing of things and have time to start catching up on all of our travels. It was a wonderful two final months of road-life and I can't wait to share everywhere we have been. One of those great spots was Quincy, Washington!
Y'all did you know Washington had such a fabulous wine region?! I had no idea! We spent our time in Quincy checking out the local wineries and bike riding past tons of cherry trees. Check out the beauty...
Our stay at Crescent Bar RV resort was perfect! Not only does the park include tons of amenities (pool, biking trails, adults only hot tub...), but it is located near a handful of fabulous wineries. While we didn't have a chance to try them all we were able to go to Jones of Washington and Beaumont Cellars. Both were wonderful and worth a try!
If you are a fellow wine-lover you definitely need to pay a visit to Quincy, Washington!
Have you ever had Washington wine?!
Where have you been lately?!
Link up for this month's Travel Tuesday Link Up!
Let's explore together!!
~On the 2nd Tuesday of every month I will be sharing a new travel post and would love to see where you have been exploring!
~Any linked posts will be pinned under Travel Tuesday on my Pinterest account.
~Please leave a little love on the post directly before yours and then anywhere else you like! That way we can all grow this community together :)
~Not many other rules, as I am not a huge fan of those sorts of things! Just add any travel related link and I encourage you to peek around and see where everyone else has been.
~Feel free to grab the image from the sidebar and add it to your post so others know where to link up.
~I will also be featuring my favorite post from the month before and sharing across social media. This month's feature is from Away She Went and her trip to Sedona, AZ. We didn't make it to Sedona while we were on the road and hope to get to visit soon. Until then, we will live vicariously though Sam's trip!
Welp, it has officially been over 2 months since I last posted and A LOT had changed! So I figured no better time to jump back into the swing of things than with a Currently post all tied together with a 5 on Friday! If you follow along on IG then you know we are no longer traveling full-time; we are still in the RV for now while we figure out our next steps, but here is what life is looking like around these parts....
{STARTING} The next chapter in our journey! We actually arrived back in Florida a little over a month ago and it has been a whirlwind. I tried to jump right into things, thinking "just conquer the change head on and roll with", but I took a much longer break than planned, because I finally realized I needed time to just digest everything, reset and figure out what this new normal will look like. We haven't got it all figured out just yet, but isn't that the fun of it?! For someone who doesn't do well with change I have definitely brought a lot into our lives lately.
The warmth, the sunshine, the toes-in-the-sand, flamingo-in-the-sea fun of it all...
It's like music to my soul.
But we all know, summer is also HOT!
We are currently in Idaho, where the weather is cool; after being in cooler climates recently I know the wave of heat will hit hard when we eventually roll back into Florida, but I am already well-prepared and looking forward to finding all the glorious ways to beat the summer heat!
I am the worst at hoarding suits. I think I just threw out one that I have had since high school. Anyways, I was determined to get a few new suits this year and wanted at least one to be a one-piece. I am also on a budget, so didn't want to pay anymore than $15 per suit. So when I saw Christina share a one-piece bathing suit she found on Amazon for just $10 I knew I had to order one. I loved her white palm frond print, but white around me just doesn't stay shiny long. So I went for the black floral print instead. While on that page it led me to another similar suit, which was just as cute! I won't be able to try them on until we get back to Florida (since that is where I am currently still shipping everything), so here's to hoping they fit as well as she said hers did!
{TWO || Strong SPF}
If the high-school me could see the way the 30 year old me applies sunscreen I am sure her eyes would pop right out of her head! When I was younger I would lather on the SPF 4, save the SPF 15 for my face, and call it a day. I was all about that tan! These days I am all about living the wrinkle-free (or at least that "fight getting more wrinkles") life. If only someone would have told my younger self that she was causing these "wrinkle things" with that tan! Now I am all about some good, STRONG sun protection. However, sunscreen has a way of drying out my skin; which is why I am LOVING Hydro Boost gel lotion from Neutrogena. It keeps me protected, with the added benefits of helioplex, while also giving my skin the hydration it needs to not dry out. Here's to some happy, healthy sunning!
{THREE || Solid A.C.} Y'all! Our poor camper, she had been in dire need of a new A.C. and we didn't even know! We spent the winter without turning on the A.C. once; which would have been unheard of had we still been in Florida. It wasn't until we hit Arizona, well into the spring, that we realized something was wrong with the A.C. The fan would blow, but no cold air would come out. It was manageable for a while, since it still cooled down at night. But after a few sleepless nights in Utah we realized something had to be done. With RV air conditioning units it costs just as much, and in this case, a whole not more to fix or recharge them then it does to just get a new one. Babe was determined to tackle the project on his own to save us the cost and give himself a project. We found a compatible A.C. unit on Amazon and he set to work. I think Mr. Fix-It did pretty dang well! Yay for cool air!
{FOUR || Yummy Hydration} Anyone else terrible about drinking water?! If only my poolside sangria counted as hydration! I am so bad about staying hydrated and my body pays for it (hence the dry skin). Well, I have discovered a love for coconut water and it has made ALL THE DIFFERENCE! I down that stuff like, well, water... not only is it super hydrating it also encourages me to drink regular water, because I will usually make a little "water cocktail" to stretch the coconut water. I started off drinking the VitaCoco flavored with pineapple, as I didn't always love the taste of coconut. VitaCoco was the only kind I could drink for a while, now I don't discriminate and I am a purest. Just coconut water, no flavors. I will fill my cup with half coconut water, half regular water, and usually add a frozen strawberry to the mix to enjoy as a little snack to reward myself for finishing my water. I am alllll about some #treatyoself! Another fun mix in: fresh basil and lime! It may or may not also make a yummy addition to mixed drinks ("I'm gunna rehydrate, while I dehydrate")! {FIVE || Splish Splash}
We are heading back east in the next few weeks, so I know the temps are only going to rise! Which is why I plan to find any body of water I can and spend as much time as possible soaking in the gloriousness that is all things blue! We have loved exploring the US (the midland mountains, the beauty of the west coast, and now the northern greens), but I never realized how much I would long for a body of water that I could actually get into. So far everywhere we have been has water to cold to immerse yourself into. It's almost been a tease! It looks so inviting, but one toe in and we're talking popsicles. East coast, I'm coming for you!
Are you just as excited as I am that summer is here?!
How do you plan to beat the heat?!
Let me know in the comments!
**Disclaimer: A portion of this post was sponsored by BrandBacker and I received free product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.
