Life's Sweet Journey

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Favorite Ways to Travel in December || #TravelTuesday Link Up

Happy #TravelTuesday!! 
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!! 
#TravelTuesday Travel Blogger Link Up
~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! 
Travel Blogger Link Up


Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Gift Guide for the Wine Lover Under $25

Under $25 Gift Guide for Wine Lover's 

Happy #WineDownWednesday! 
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! 

Wine Lover's Gift Guide Under $25

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?! 

Friday, November 23, 2018

The Perfect Gift for the Holiday Season Wood Watch Giveaway

"After all this TIME?"
"Always!"


JORD Wood Watch Giveaway

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 JORD Wood Watch makes the perfect gift for the man in your life; here's why:

Friday, November 16, 2018

Five on Friday with Neutrogena Hydro Boost

FRIYAY!! 
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! 


Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Where to Park in Seattle Washington || #TravelTuesday Link Up

Happy Tuesday Fellow Travel Lovers! 
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!! 
#TravelTuesday Travel Blogger Link Up
~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"!