My mother tried to get me to read Outlander by Diana Gabaldon for 20 years. So after it aired on Starz, I quit resisting my mother and read the first book. I was hooked! Hooked on the show and hooked on the novels (which took two years to read). I love the character of Claire […]
First 24 Hours on a Cruise Ship: Do’s and Don’ts
Cruises can be overwhelming for first timers and long-timer cruisers. There’s so much to see, do, buy, eat, drink…so how do you decide what to do first and how long until you feel like you’re on vacation? For me, I get my sea legs within about four hours of embarkation. From years of cruising everywhere […]
Why I Blog (Well…Why Not?)
I want to start the new year by reintroducing myself and why I’m here. By the 12 month milestone, my blogging peers have followers in the thousands, fill their calendars with sponsored posts, and hustle like nothing I’ve ever seen. Me? I’m just getting warmed up. I’ve been blogging for about 16 months now. If […]
Cruise Tips: Planning and Packing
So you booked a cruise! YAY!! Now what? Whether it’s your first cruise or you’re twentieth, I’m sharing a few tips that I’ve learned through the years of cruising everywhere from Alaska to the Caribbean & Bahamas to the British Isles & Mediterranean. I’ve sailed on Carnival, Norwegian, and Princess many many many times and […]
Channeling My Inner Child at Houston Zoo Lights
Do you remember driving around neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights when you were a kid? Those are some of my fondest childhood memories, especially during the holidays. Now that I’m a grown up (groan) and sit in traffic 10 hours per week, I’d rather not add another couple hours looking at lights. As a nice […]
Game Changing Garlic Peeling Trick
Are you ready for this? I’m going to share an easy way to peel those mthrfrking garlic cloves without losing your mind. We’ve been through some stupid (and some gimmicky) garlic peeling products through the years and still draw straws for who’s going to peel the garlic. But when my husband found a garlic peeling […]
Personalized Coffee Mugs for My Office Mates
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Our Tradition of Homemade Christmas Cards
It warms my heart when friends and family tell me they look forward to our Christmas card every year or that ours was the coolest. The end of the year is the most stressful time for me, so making these cards as a “year in review” is a satisfying reflection that makes all the stress […]
Christmas Cards Upcycled/Repurposed into Gift Tags (DIY)
Don’t throw away those Christmas cards! Not to hoard or anything (that’s what we tell people, but really, this is a judge-free zone), but those cards with the pretty fronts can be reused next year as gift tags. I saw the idea on Pinterest and was happy to find that I already had all the supplies […]
Wine Cork Christmas Ornaments (DIY)
I’m a wine cork hoarder. I collect wine corks from home, restaurants, wine festivals, and winery trips. I love making wine cork crafts with these little wooden memories. The holiday season is no exception, so I have about two dozen wine cork ornaments on my Christmas tree. Wine makes everything more festive! This is a […]