Travel – Page 7

Mexico Recap: Part 1

Posted on July 14, 2022July 14, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hola!

Well, I had some time to sort through my photos and look at my notes in order to get started sharing about our vacation.

We were all so excited for this trip, and I’m glad we waited until early July. We were plenty busy in June, and now we still have some summer left after this vacation.

So, let’s get started…

Saturday:

We were up bright and early on Saturday to finish packing last minute items and hit the road for Cincinnati. Our flight actually didn’t leave until 12:30, but we left our house at 8:30. We hit up Starbucks for coffee and breakfast before starting the one hour 15 minute drive. We got our car parked and took the shuttle to check in. The line was pretty long for me to check my bag, but once it got moving, it was fine. Travis and the kids went on through security while I waited to check my bag.

I found them in terminal A, and we had a Subway sandwich while waited to board the plane.

Poor Hadley…our trip started off with some major tummy troubles for her…

…but we were excited to get on the plane.

Thankfully, everything was on time with no cancellations or delays. We were on a chartered flight, so maybe they were having less issues than the other bigger airlines?

Cincinnati to Cancun was a three hour direct flight. We all snoozed a bit, and I finished a book on my Kindle.

Hayden had the window seat and snapped this photo as we arrived:

We landed in Cancun around 3:30, and walked down the plane’s stairs directly to a tram that took us to customs. We got our passports stamped and headed to baggage claim (for just my bag *sigh*) After about twenty minutes, we got my bag and got in the chaotic line to turn in our forms for our stay in Mexico. Then we went outside to find our transportation. Nothing says vacay like a bar right by the transportation lanes. Travis snagged a beer, and we waited about 15 minutes for our van. We used a travel agent, and she set up the transportation through Nexus, and they were so efficient and helpful. We had a van all to ourselves for the 50 minute ride to …

Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres…

(Again, with the help of our travel agent, we narrowed down our choices to Catalonia and another resort…I believe it was Dreams, but we ended up showing both to the kids for their input. Dreams seemed to have a few more things like slides and lazy river, whereas, Catalonia had the private pool). A friend of mine told us to join Facebook groups for the places we were interested in, and Travis did that. The private pool was the determining factor for the kids. Again, both seemed like good choices, but in the end, we were very happy with our decision.

This was the view right when we walked in to the lobby…and the ocean can be seen there in the distance.

While Travis checked us in, I hung with Hadley who still wasn’t feeling well, and Hayden enjoyed a welcome drink! haha

Basically, this resort had four main buildings of rooms. The bigger pool (party like pool) was between buildings 1 and 2. Between buildings 2 and 3 was 5th Avenue with restaurants, shops, and often times the nightly entertainment. Then, the family pool was between buildings 3 and 4. Because of the Facebook group, Travis knew to request building 4, and I’m so glad he did. It was the perfect spot for us.

We even got lucky to be at the far end of building 4 with only one room between us and the boardwalk to the beach.

We were in a “Privileged Grand Family Suite and Swim Up.” Besides having enough space for all of us and the private pool, “privileged” status meant we had access to a couple of restaurants that others didn’t as well as the shaded area of the beach, one hour at the spa for each adult, percent off of some items, and a few other “perks.”

This is the view as you walk in the room. It ended up that my kids took turn on the bottom bunk and then the other slept on the pull out couch. That pull out couch was an added bonus that I didn’t realize we had. There was a sliding glass door on the right with access to the private pool. There were smart tv’s in the living room and main bedroom, but we never turned them on.

As you walk in, to the left is a huge area with space to hang clothes, cubbies, fridge, etc. To the right was a really big bathroom and then the bedroom. The bedroom also had a sliding door to the patio/pool.

The room key was on a wrist band. We all had wrist bands, but at first, only Travis and I had the key on them. After a couple of days, we had the kids get the wristbands with the keys.

We got settled, and then I lost Travis. Well, I found him at the poolside bar which was right by our room. How convenient. (That bar did close around 7:00, so it was never loud). He did bring me back my first margarita of the trip. He handed it to me, and said, “I don’t think it’s skinny!” haha We later learned, if you say, “no sugar,” you got a skinnier version of the marg.

We let the kids swim for a bit….

…and then I wanted to see the beach!

The sun was setting, so we stayed a few minutes before heading to dinner.

For most restaurants, you needed a reservation for dinner, but not the buffet, so that’s where we went for dinner. When we got there, we realized there was a private room for privileged guests which was a nice touch.

The buffet was so nice, and had so many options. An overwhelming amount of options. Hayden ate all the things, and Travis and I had tacos. #wheninrome Poor Hadley could barely finish her toast.

After dinner, we walked around to get acclimated…

This is 5th Ave. where there are shops and restaurants.

We came back to the room, and Hayden swam for a bit. Hadley still wasn’t feeling well, and we all were asleep by 10.

Sunday:

Since we woke up pretty hungry, we just hit the buffet again…and that’s when I remembered how much I love a churro. Hadley woke up feeling 90% better, so we were all thankful for that.

Usually if we had the buffet for breakfast, my fave breakfast was just coffee, an egg, pineapple (and maybe a churro ;).

On the way back to the room, we realized that lizards and iguanas are all around the property. Throughout the week, we really only saw them in the morning, so we knew to be on the lookout…not that they would harm anyone…just didn’t want to step on one…or be startled.

We made our way back to the room and then went to the beach for a few hours. Travis and Hadley rented the kayaks and had a great time. Hayden and Hadley went back out for a bit too. It was a good activity for them. (Also, there was a kids club at this resort, but I think it went to age 12, and my kids were fine just hanging with us. Again, the private pool allowed them to swim while Travis took a nap or I read) Later in the trip, we found the game room…I do think the kids would have used it a bit had we found it sooner.

I started Emily Giffin’s new book…I read it in two days. Loved it.

Then, the kids wanted to check out the other pool. Now the bigger infinity pool with waterfall and a few other things was “Pool A”….but my friend who was there a couple weeks before us mentioned it as more of a “party pool”…later in afternoon…and that did seem to be true. (This pool also had activities in the morning like aerobics, games, and more) We were there until around 2:00, and it was fine. (Also, both pools closed around 8:00 every night) The kids had a great time, and then it was time to find lunch.

We ended up on 5th Ave. at a burger/pizza place. Travis and Hayden got burgers, and Hadley and I had a couple of slices of pizza.

After lunch, I went back to the room. We stopped by the bar at the family pool and got a couple of margs. They kids and Travis hung out in the family pool…and this was my view from our pool:

(peep Hadley doing a handstand. haha)

We had a 7:00 dinner reservation at the Grille. This was our view while we waited:

Travis and Hayden ordered steaks, I had the sea bass (so good! and one of the reasons we went back there a few days later), Hadley had Caesar salad and mashed potatoes. She loved every bite.

(All the restaurants had the QR code that you could scan, and then for the dinners, you always had appetizer, entrée, side, and dessert options that you ordered all at once. The “Executive” level people had a few extra menu items and a couple of extra reserved tables and an additional restaurant…I guess those are travel members/time share holders?) We never had an issue getting a reservation, but Travis stayed on top of it, and you could do your reservations two days in advance.)

After dinner, we headed to 5th Ave. for the nightly entertainment. (I will say that if you were staying in the buildings between 5th Ave, the entertainment was always over by 10:00, and some nights the entertainment was in the theater or by the lobby)

Monday : 4th of July

Monday was the 4th of July, and Travis and I got coffee at Beloved which was one of our favorite restaurants. You don’t need a reservation there, but it’s reserved for “Privileged” and “Executive” guests.

We had coffee with a view and then took the kids to the buffet (Hayden loved the buffet!) for breakfast.

The buffet was decorated in red, white, and blue which was fun…so was Hadley!

Travis had already been to the gym, so I decided to get my elliptical workout in while I actually felt like doing it.

Then, we had some beach time…

Travis and the kids went back to the “party” pool for a bit while I stayed at the beach and read my book. Of the four of us, I enjoy the beach the most. That being said, I don’t get in the water much…it’s more about the view and shade of palm trees while reading that means vacay for me.

Travis and the kids were back in the family pool chatting with a family we ended up seeing most every day. They were from San Antonio and had kids my kids’ ages. Hayden suckered Travis into buying a football, but that is what kept Hayden entertained in the pool…and they’d play with the other kids too.

While I got ready, the kids hung out in our pool before dinner.

We had 6:00 dinner reservations at the Mexican restaurant (Adelita). Needless to say, they make a good margarita and guac! I got the fajitas, and they were amazing.

After dinner, we went to the beach for about 30 minutes to watch the sun set, and snap and 4th of July family photo.

We sported our red, white, and blue in a lowkey way. 😉

Then, we went and watched the entertainment. It was USA themed with all kinds of popular songs, dance routines, and some of the dancers were dressed as Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, the Statue of Liberty and more.

Around 10:00, we headed back to the room. Right as we got in our room, I heard fireworks. Hadley ran outside, and we were able to catch a short fireworks display from the resort next door. It was brief, but it made my American heart happy!

Tuesday:

We started the morning with breakfast at Beloved. And…this is where I fell in love with their version of avocado toast (avocado “tostada”).

One thing I’m glad our travel agent told us to do was bring cash…mainly ones and fives to tip the bartenders, servers and cleaning staff and others. We didn’t have a single bad experience. Every server was friendly and made every effort to get our food out to us, refill drinks, and more.

More beach time…where I finished my book.

The kids had strawberry daiquiris…

…and then the weather turned iffy. These were the only rain clouds we saw all week.

….and there are all three of my people realizing maybe they should come in!

Right as they got out of the water, it down poured. We grabbed our stuff and headed straight to the kayak rental hut. After 15 minutes, the rain moved on and we went back to Adelita’s for lunch.

Tacos on a Tuesday…is there anything better?

Between pool A and 5th Ave., there was a crepiere that Hadley was dying to try. They served ice cream too, but both kids got Nutella crepes. This place was just open during the day, and there was also a couple of food trucks there too.

I went back to the beach and started my second book of the trip while the kids and Travis went to the family pool.

When we got back to our room, this is what we found:

(I had flashbacks to our honeymoon and seeing these fun towel displays) The kids thought it was so neat!

We had dinner reservations at the hibachi place (Ayami), and we sat next to a sweet family from Chattanooga. They had four young girls!

I chose sushi as my app, and it was so good. The chef provided wonderful entertainment while cooking our meal.

Then, we hit up the theater for the entertainment. The performers sang and danced to American songs through the decades. We enjoyed it…especially Hadley!

Well, that’s the first part of our trip! We really did have a great time, and with each day, we settled in and relaxed a bit more. We also became acclimated about where things were, restaurant options, reservations and more.

Thanks for hanging with me for all the pictures and details. I never know what others may want to know…plus, I want to remember what we did.

Part 2 will be all about Isla Mujeres. It was such an amazing experience.

See you back here tomorrow!

Travel

What I packed for vacay

Posted on July 12, 2022July 12, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Well, I had hoped to share part 1 of our vacation with you today, but time has just gotten away from me.

Re-entry has been hectic. Travis went to work early Sunday morning for a horse sale this week, and I’ve been unpacking, doing laundry, prepping for the kids’ activities, and more.

Funny story: I went to Walgreens early Sunday morning. When the worker said, “hello,” I responded with ,”Hola!” #oldhabitsdiehard

On Sunday, Hayden ate Ruffles chips we bought at the Cancun airport and made a turkey sandwich with turkey that was opened before we left, and we had Panera for dinner. So, I felt like I needed to get some groceries yesterday, to say the least!

Also, you know when I shared with you that I’ve taken over 700 photos of Homer since we got him three years ago? Well, I apparently love turquoise blue water just as much! So, I need to sift through my photos and get going on those posts.

I did get my suitcase unpacked yesterday (everyone else’s got unpacked Sunday along with laundry), and I decided to finally look at what I packed and make a master list/template for me to use in the future.

Like my closet re-organization post, this may be more for me than anyone else, but I know I will like having this as a reference point.

Packing (and unpacking) was a bit easier thanks to having my closet and drawers organized. It was easier for me to see what I had in order to pack. I bought a few new things, but overall, I went with most of my favorites, some of which I’ve had for months or years.

So–a little back story. I’m a chronic over-packer. That’s it. End of story. Going in to this vacay, Travis knew I’d be the only one to check a bag. This was true, but good news is I used to over-pack a large suitcase. This time, I over-packed using my new (for my birthday in January) medium sized suitcase. #babysteps.

Anyway, nothing like travelling internationally to make you want to just walk off the plane and straight to customs rather than wait a half hour for your bag putting you middle to back of the customs chaos line. (For the record, it was chaotic in Cancun and quiet (but slow to get bags) in Cincinnati.)

So, once we got home, I did what I’ve always said I wanted to do. I took out what I didn’t actually wear on vacay, and then repacked what I did use in to Hadley’s suitcase to see if I could ever actually be a carry on packer…

…and…

TA. DAAAA! (Well, I did have to sit on it to zip it, but a good amount of stuff is in there.)

The clothes on the left are what I didn’t wear, and then that’s Hadley’s suitcase.(My mom got the kids these suitcases (20 inch carry on size) for Christmas 2020, and they’ve been perfect.) Travis got me a new medium sized one from Macy’s during an after Christmas sale. #perksofJanuarybirthdayshopping

Now, real talk –a few of my shoes aren’t in there, but they weren’t ever in my suitcase. Thankfully, Hayden is a very light packer, and my few sandals were in his suitcase.

I still swear by packing cubes, but have you seen these Ziploc Space Saver bags? Travis picked up two at Home Depot, I believe. I used one for the dresses I took, and he used one as well. On the return trip home, I still used one for my dresses, and then we used the other for most of our dirty clothes (seen below)

My carry on was my Weekender bag from Target. I bought it in May; I’ve used it a few times, but this was my first time using it on a plane.

In it, I packed a beach bag, a couple of pairs of sandals, two books, my Kindle, my curling iron, two purses, three hats (beach hat, sun visor, and ball cap)and a few other random odds and ends. I told you…it holds a lot, and it wasn’t even packed to the brim.

It seems to go in and out of stock, and I think there are a couple of variations, but it’s a great bag.

Now on to the real point of this post….my checklist for future beach vacations in hopes that I can become a carryon girl.

On the plane:

I wore my long black muscle tank dress from Target that I’ve had for years along with my favorite Amazon cardigan. I also wore my faux Birks.

Essentials:

underwear, bras, sports bras, socks (I didn’t over-pack in this department)

Pajamas:

one pair of lightweight pj pants
night gown
t-shirt
pink pj set (from Target)…these have been my favorite this summer. (top // bottom)

Workout:

The gym was so nice, and I’d set a goal of working out three times, but hit the gym for the elliptical twice. That being said, on our boat day, I swear we swam half a mile on our snorkeling tour, so that counts as exercise!)

2 shorts: black and gray
black tennis skirt
2 workout tops

Tank tops:

Black
Navy
Tan

Shorts:

One black pair and one army green pair of lightweight shorts to wear with tanks.

Swim:

4 swimsuits
3 coverups (including my favorite new blue one and the green one I purchased earlier in the summer)

Dresses:

8 dresses (really seven dresses because I wore one on the plane) (I originally packed 10 dresses…I know, I know…too many!)

Shoes:

Faux Birks (I wore on the plane to and from as well as other times)
Braided heel sandals
Tennis shoes for working out
Flip flops for pool and beach
Two pairs of flat sandals (I definitely could have just brought one, but sandals are light-weight and easy to pack!)

Purses:

On the plane, I used my cross body shoulder bag purse.

These were in the Weekender bag:

Lululemon belt bag (I used this so much…when we went to breakfast, lunch, excursion, and it fit easily in the beach bag)
Favorite Amazon crossbody purse (I have it in beige, and it’s on sale!) I used this every night when we went out to dinner and to watch the entertainment in the evenings)

Hats:

I packed these in my carry on bag:

Beach hat. The one I have, I bought two years ago from Nordstrom. It’s my “go to” beach hat. (Usually on vacay, I feel like I have to wash my hair every day (which isn’t something I usually do) because of the salt water and heat. This trip, I got away with every other day because of dry shampoo, and I even wore this hat a couple of times to lunch or dinner). I don’t see mine on Nordstrom’s site, but this one looks similar.
Ball cap — I have so many, but usually bring my Patagonia one on vacay.
Sun visor – I got this one last summer and love it. It’s easy to pack because it rolls right up. Sometimes, my head gets hot when wearing my other hat, so this visor is perfect for blocking the sun and letting my head breathe. (If they makes sense?)

Makeup/Skincare:

I always pack my makeup bag, but then I usually pack one or two more other travel bags with travel size things, skin care, etc. This time, I just put everything I needed into the makeup bag, and just used one travel bag for my Dime Beauty skin care products for day and night. (We used some of other bags in this set to hold our passports, medicine, etc.) My cosmetic bag fit perfectly into the corner of the suitcase.

Plane Ride Home:

This dress came in a couple of days before we left, and I love it. I wore it to dinner one night and then on the plane ride home with a gray sweatshirt. (I usually get cold on the plane.)

….and that’s it. Well, that was still a lot, but it’s less than what I brought.

Things I packed that I didn’t wear:

3 blouse shirts/sleeveless tops
2 swimsuits
workout leggings and top
white jeans (I love white denim and will wear in the summer, but I guess I’m more of a dress person, especially on vacation)
one tank
2-3 dresses
Denim shorts
long sleeve shirt
and a couple other things, I’m sure!

Now, I know there will be quite a few who read this list and will still think I packed too much…and you are not wrong. 😆 Others, will be super impressed that I condensed my packing down to these items in my packing cubes.

Shew! It’s such an effort for me to pack that I always put it off. Honestly, more than packing, it’s the other odds and ends that leave me scatter brained (all the chargers for all the things, books, Kindle, medicine, swim goggles, etc.)

I hope to share about the first part of our trip later this week!

What are your packing tips? I clearly need to add them to my packing routine. I will thank you…and so will my family! 😂

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Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Favorites {#120}

Posted on July 8, 2022July 7, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your week? Ours was amazing.

We spent our time at Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres this week, and it was a wonderful family vacay.

I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

Here are some favorites from the week:

I’m sure our Mexico vacay will be its own post (or 2?), but here are some fave photos from the week.

We flew out of Cincinnati on Saturday.

A margarita within a few minutes of check in to our hotel…

We had a private pool right next to the family pool which ended up being a perfect luxury on this trip.

The beach was only a few steps away from our room.

We celebrated the 4th of July in our (low key) red, white, and blue.

Daiquiris on repeat…

Tacos…on a Tuesday!

We took a boat (& snorkeling) excursion to Isla Mujeres.

The views were breathtaking.

The water was amazing.

The kids had so much fun.

Nothing beats sunsets at the beach.

Trav’s birthday was yesterday, and we spent some time at the spa.

Then, we celebrated with a birthday dinner at the steakhouse.

Hayden really embraced the all inclusive life, Hadley loved swimming and activities, Travis enjoyed “Mexican apple juice” (cerveza!), I read three books this week, and we all have sun kissed cheeks.

As always, we loved the family time, but we are ready to be reunited with Homer.

Favorite Mom Meme:

Even on vacay … 😂

Weekly Recap:

I had a full week of posts…

Monday: 4th of July Faves
Tuesday: Prime Purchases
Wednesday: Currently Loving
Thursday: Closet Reorganization

Not Just a Mom:

We have our NJAM link up on Monday.

This month’s topic is: family food traditions. We hope you’ll link up with us!

What do you have planned this weekend? I have a feeling re-entry will be rough for us. We’ll take the weekend to get back on track with all the things.

See you back here on Monday!

Monthly Musings, Travel

Monthly Musings: Summer Travel

Posted on June 30, 2022June 29, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How is your week going? Ours has been pretty lowkey, and I’m not mad about it!

I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for this month’s Monthly Musings.

This month’s topic:

With a couple of trips planned this summer, this is the perfect topic!

1. Favorite summer destinations:

I’ve shared before, but we love Siesta Key, Florida and go there most years for vacation. We also love the Charleston, SC area, and have stayed in Isle of Palms and Folly Beach a few times through the years.

2. Warm or Cold Temps?

In the summer, I definitely prefer warm temps especially if it means my view is the ocean.

3. Are you traveling this summer? Flying or Driving?

We have both flying and driving on the agenda. We’ll be flying to Mexico soon, and then we will drive to KC to see family in July too.

4. Ocean? Lake? Mountains?

Seeing the ocean typically only happens for us once a year, so that’s always a preference.

That being said, I love a lake. It’s nice when we can float in the lake on a summer afternoon.

I do love the mountains too, but that’s usually on my radar more in the spring or fall.

5. Best travel tips to share?

Find you a Travis White who will do all the research? haha Really though, I’m not travel tip expert, but here are a few tips:

I make a list(s) for everyone.
I use packing cubes to stay organized.
We attempt to book dinner reservations ahead of time.
We ask others who have been to the location for tips and recommendations when we can.

6. Vacation budget tips?

I’m definitely not an expert on budgeting tips either, but….

We have a list of places we’d like to go, and try to budget accordingly. If we know we are going on a bigger vacation in the summer, we may go somewhere more local for only a couple of days for Spring Break.

We typically only eat out for dinner. That being said, if we have a big lunch out, we will eat dinner in. Usually, one morning we will have breakfast or brunch out, then have a lighter lunch of sandwiches and dinner at home. Of course, many of our vacations have been to Trav’s aunt’s house in Siesta Key where it feels likes home with a fully stocked kitchen and patio with grill. That’s definitely a huge help!

7. Overpacker? Underpacker?

Uh…my worst nightmare is having underpacked! 😂

I just purchased another set of packing cubes. We now have them in blue, teal, and gray. The kids and I use them the most.

Also, random, but do you follow @Bruncwithbabs on Instagram? I just saw her packing tip of using a hanging sweater (or shoe?) organizer. You hang it in your closet, and put each day’s clothes in a cube, then you can just fold it into your suitcase. When you arrive, you can just pull it out of the suitcase and hang it in the closet. I wonder if this would help me not overpack!

8. Vacation planned in advance? Last minute adventures?

Well, like I said, we usually have an idea of where we’d like to go in the summer, so those are usually planned out in advance. Fall and Spring Breaks are usually planned at the last minute since we don’t go too far away. Since we have family out of town, I usually rotate when we go there (Thanksgiving or Christmas and then usually in the summer).

9. Group vacations or immediate family?

Most the time, our vacations are with immediate family. As much as we’d like to go with extended family, sometimes it’s just too complicated with everyone’s schedules especially as my kids have gotten older.

That being said, we have a group trip planned for Fall Break with friends, and we are looking forward to it.

10. If you have them, do you travel with pets?

Before we had kids, we used to always take our Boxers, Shiloh and Scout, with us when we’d go to KC for holidays. We never took them on vacation though and use a dog sitter. We do the same with Homer and have someone stay with him when we are gone…usually for holidays too.

This post has me excited for our July adventures! Where are you headed this summer?

Not Just a Mom, Travel

Not Just a Mom: Dream Travel Locations

Posted on June 13, 2022June 12, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? We had a great one that was mostly centered around Hadley’s dance recitals. Hayden also had a basketball game, and we enjoyed some family time too. The weather was great, and we savored our time outside because this week the temps are definitely cranking up a notch into the upper 90’s!

It’s the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting our Not Just a Mom link-up with these fun bloggers:

So far this year, we’ve discussed:

Favorite bloggers in January
Day in the Life in February
Reading Habits in March
What’s for Lunch in April
Go to Gift Ideas in May

This month, we are sharing dream travel locations.

I wrote this post in March because I think I was getting excited about Spring Break and summer being right around the corner!

My “bucket list” is on there, but my top five dream travel locations include:

Hawaii
Nantucket
Europe, especially London and Paris. I’d love to get to Italy and Ireland too. (I went on a 10-day tour of Europe when I was in high school, but obviously that was a long time ago, and I’d love to take my kids)
Virgin Islands
Pacific NW
….and one more: Mexico. We haven’t been since 2005 (on our honeymoon)…and we are crossing that one off the list this summer!

Where is somewhere you’ve been that I need to go? I’d love to add it to my list.

If you are a blogger, mark your calendar for next month when we share family food traditions.

In the meantime, we hope you’ll link up and/or read the other posts about dream travel locations.

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Monthly Musings, Travel

Monthly Musings: Vacation Planning and Prep

Posted on April 28, 2022April 27, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Happy Friday Eve! Well, it’s the last Thursday of the month. Isn’t that so hard to believe?!

That means that I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for this month’s Monthly Musings.

This month’s topic:

1. What trips/vacations do you have planned for the rest of the year?

We will take a summer vacation like usual. Since Hayden won’t be playing summer baseball, we decided to treat ourselves and splurge a bit on a vacay. We’re headed somewhere that needs a passport, and the kids are excited 😉

Then, we will go to KC to see my family at the end of the summer. I’d love to plan another quick getaway in the summer, but we’ll see.

We get a week long fall break this year, so we are thinking about going to Florida in October.

2. Best packing tips?

I’d love to say pack ahead of time, but that’s a great packing tip that I never follow. You would think my “type A” personality would shine while packing for a trip, but that’s definitely not the case.

I always have to have all the laundry finished before I start packing. As we put the clean clothes away, I hold out what we’d like to pack for a trip.

I do use packing cubes (more on that with #3), and I do think they are a great way to keep your clothes together, organized, and sorted by person.

As the kids have gotten older, I’ve started making them a list of what they need to pack, and have them do so. Then, I go through and give approval on what’s in their suitcases.

Leading up to a trip, I start a note on my phone of the random things I want to remember: book, Kindle, charger, sound machine, Melatonin, etc. I keep meaning to create a standard packing list to have on hand when we pack, but I’ve never done it. It would be nice to have a “beach” list, “overnight one night somewhere” list, and “KC” list, etc. Maybe this summer I will get to it!

3. Packing cubes. Yes or no?

Heck yes! I started using these cubes (affiliate link) from Amazon a few years ago and haven’t looked back.

Depending on how long we will be gone depends on how I divide these up. If each kid is bringing their own suitcase, I usually just give them a smaller one to hold their underwear, swimsuit, etc. Hadley has used a smaller one for hair stuff and other odds and ends.

If the kids are sharing a suitcase, they each get a color. I actually only have a gray and a teal set, but as I was working on this post, I made a calendar notification to order another set before our summer trip.

When I use them, I typically use a smaller one for undergarments. Then, I use another for workout clothes and swimsuit and cover-up. I will also use one for pjs and shorts, etc. Because I am an over-packer (more on that with #10), these do help condense what I pack. I still usually have a few things like sweaters if it’s the winter, that don’t go in a packing cube.

Travis doesn’t use packing cubes…not because he’s opposed to them but because he’s just a very efficient packer!

4. Favorite travel outfit?

I guess it may depend on the mode of travel. On an airplane, I like to wear a dress with a cardigan or denim jacket. I typically will also wear sneakers rather than pack those since I tend to have a suitcase that’s always pushing the weight limit!

In the car, I love leggings and a sweatshirt with flip flops.

5. Favorite vacation destination? Why?

I shared this post recently on some of the favorite trips we’ve been on. It’s not that we are world travelers, but it is hard for me to choose a favorite destination. If I’m going for comfort and familiarity, I love our trips to Siesta Key beach. We’ve been many times through the years, and it’s a place my entire family loves.

My heart belongs in Charleston! I love SC.

Of course, other family trips like our trek to AZ and then Cali provide such special memories.

If I could get to San Diego (Del Mar) easily and regularly, then hands down that would be my favorite place.

6. Have you flown since March 2020?

We have. As a family, we flew to Florida in the summer of 2020. Then, Travis and I flew to California last summer. I feel like I’ve flown another time as well, but I can’t remember off the top of my head.

7. Beach or mountain vacation?

As you can probably tell from all of the photos above…I’m a beach girl. I don’t necessarily need to get in the ocean, but I love sitting on the beach (preferably covered by an umbrella), listening to the waves crash, and reading a book.

That being said, we love going to Asheville when we can.

8. Do you prefer to sightsee or relax on vacation?

Well, growing up with the Major provided early wake-up times when we traveled. He’d open the hotel curtains and say, “What?! I let you sleep until 7!?” haha

I always swore when I was an adult that I would just relax on vacation, and at the beach, that’s what we do. Places like Charleston have so much to offer in regards to sightseeing and the beach which I enjoy. Having kids “forced” us to sightsee a bit more. For example, Hayden’s desire to see the Grand Canyon prompted us to plan that trip…and then added on the California beach part as a compromise.

We still hope to take the kids to NYC and DC in the next couple of years as well.

9. Hotel, camping, Airbnb?

We’ve done it all, but to me, vacation means a hotel or a nice house. To be honest, we’ve been so spoiled with being able to stay at Trav’s aunt’s house in Florida, that when we stay at a hotel, even a nice one with a decent size room, I feel so on top of each other that I just wish we had more space. I guess that’s become more of a thought as the kids have gotten older.

Travis always “does his research,” and we’ve always had good Airbnb experiences.

As far as camping goes, well…I’ve only “glamped” for a few nights in Asheville. It was a great experience, and I would do it again, but that’s about as rustic as I get.

10. Overpacker? Underpacker?

I am an overpacker to a fault! I want to have all the options. To be honest, through the years, I’ve gotten really good at packing “just” a couple of pjs, workout options, etc. I still tend to overpack sweaters and dresses depending on the time of the year. I want to do better. Not to psycho-analyze myself, but I guess the fact that I’m a homebody by nature means that I want whatever it takes to make myself feel at home on vacay?

Making a list and the packing cubes both really help me at least try to rein it in.

One more thought…

This wasn’t on the list, but are you the type to unpack as soon as you get home from a trip, or do you let your suitcase sit on the floor for a while?!

Honestly, depending on the time of the year or how we traveled (car/plane), etc. determines where I fall on this. There have been times that my suitcase hasn’t been unpacked for a week. I know, it’s ridiculous. That being said, once we get home from a trip, we always make sure everything is out of the car and in the correct room. The kids tend to get their clothes put up almost immediately (per my suggestion), and I put away snacks (if it’s been a road trip), and always put away my toiletries. So that just means I’m about 90% unpacked once we return home and then my suitcase might linger for a day or two depending on if I have time. (I will say this is a character flaw that Travis wishes I would re-evalute! haha)

Shew! This post has me thinking about summer. I can’t wait for summer travel.

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Travel

Asheville Recap

Posted on April 7, 2022April 6, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How has your week been? We’ve been extra busy now that baseball games have started and the kids have had track as well. Just last week, we had very little on our agenda, and now we are back running from one place to the next.

Last week we visited one of our favorite places for a few days of our Spring Break, and today I’m recapping our trip to Asheville, NC.

We typically treat Spring Break as a time to go somewhere nearby. I swear, as a teacher (and I guess as a parent, too), March-May kick my tail. It’s the busiest time of the year for a teacher, and then the kids are busy with sports and activities as well in the spring.

It’s no secret I’m a homebody, but I do love to go somewhere when we have extended time off. I love that we started break in a very lowkey way with just hanging out at home. We were able to do things around the house, run errands, cross things off our never-ending “to do” list and more. Then, it was nice to get away for a few days going to a place we all enjoy and then having a few more days at home before break was over.

We had a couple of appointments on the Monday of break, so we left Lexington around 4:00 and drove about 3.5 hours to Dandridge, TN. We’ve stopped there before, and know it’s a good pitstop. We checked into the hotel, grabbed a quick dinner, and then the kids splashed in the pool for a bit. What is it about kids and an indoor hotel pool? Hard to resist, apparently!

We slept in a bit on Tuesday, grabbed breakfast at the hotel, and then left for Asheville around 10:00.

We arrived in Asheville around 11:30. We didn’t really have any plans, so headed downtown, parked and walked around for a bit.

We’d never been to Rocket Fizz, but we couldn’t resist after seeing all the candy.

I saw this and showed it to the kids…I said, “This is how we used to pass the time on a road trip.” No phones, no movies. Only our imagination, a book, or Road Trip BINGO.

We walked a bit more, and ended up the Mast General Store. It’s not a trip to Asheville unless we stop there. It’s always fun to look around. Often times, we pick up a souvenir or a snack, but we didn’t make any purchases this time.

We walked around a bit more and ended up at Wicked Weed. This is one of Trav’s favorite places, and I don’t think we’ve ever visited Asheville and not eaten there.

Trav got chili, I had a salad, and both kids ordered the pretzels. Hayden had fun with is pretzel!

Technically, our hotel check in wasn’t until 4:00, but we arrived at Grove Park Inn around 2:00, and our room was ready. We’ve stopped at GPI to meet friends once before, but this was our first time staying on the property.

It’s a beaut!

Welcome!

Right when we walked in, we saw this view! While Travis got us checked in, Hadley and I headed outside.

Once we came back in, Hayden was reading about all the history and about all the famous people who’ve stayed at GPI. They have photos all throughout the hotel, and I don’t think Hayden missed the opportunity to look at the photos.

We stayed in the Biltmore Wing. Our room was quite nice with a pretty view and enough space for the four of us.

We unpacked a bit before walking around and exploring the property.

Next stop! The pool. Hayden and Hadley had it all to themselves.

There’s this indoor pool in the Sports Complex along with some other activities. After they jumped in, they both emerged and said, “It’s salt water!” haha

There’s an outdoor pool and then a pool at the spa as well.

FYI: GPI apparently has an amazing spa, but you have to book way in advance. The website suggests 6 months in advance. I’d love to try it some time, but we rarely know what we are doing that far out!

Some of our Lexington friends were stopping in Asheville for the night on the way to their Spring Break destination. We met up with them at Catawba Brewery and enjoyed a beer. The girls hung out and played Racko, and outnumbered Hayden stuck with us!

Then, we walked to Pie.Zaa Pizza to grab a quick dinner. We’d never been to this pizza place before, and the slices of pizza were huge! We took our food to go, and ate at the picnic tables at Burial Beer.

The sun was setting and there was a chill in the air, but the kids had fun playing…

..while the adults enjoyed a beverage.

We ended up staying for a bit and the adults played Racko while the kids hung out.

After that, we went back to GPI. Our friends joined us for a drink while the kids got ice cream. (It was nice that right off the lobby there were a few restaurant choices as well as the market that had snacks, coffee and ice cream.)

I swear I think it was the fact that we were staying in the Biltmore Wing that Hayden got to thinking about our 2018 trip to Asheville and the Biltmore tour that we took. He was adamant about visiting again. I finally relented (who could say no to a boy who wants to take an educational tour?!) and booked two tickets for the 3:30 tour on Wednesday. We went to bed around 10:00 that night after a great first day.

Honestly, I had the worst night sleep ever for a variety of reasons….(not the hotel’s fault!) We still had a slow start to the morning. We hung out in the room for a bit as everyone got ready, and I drank some coffee.

We’ve been to Biscuit Head one other time and wanted to go again. We visited a different location, but the food was amazing just the same.

We were little limited on time due to the 3:30 tour, but wanted to take a little hike. Trav and the kids had previously been to the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor’s Center for a trail run, and it was nearby. It was a nice two mile hike…In the past, we’ve always hiked where there are more views or even waterfalls, but at least we got out in the fresh air and got some exercise.

When we got back to GPI, Trav and the kids went to the Sports Complex and played ping pong and basketball. While they did that, I sat on the patio and read for almost an hour. It was glorious.

Then, it was time to head to the Biltmore. Travis and Hadley dropped us off.

Hayden obliged for a photo…

…reminiscent of this one from 2018…minus a sister!

The Biltmore is just so magestic!

We had the audio tour where they give you a handheld device. When you get to each room, you press the room number and hear about the details and history of the room.

The entryway:

The dining room:

The tapestry gallery:

My favorite room: the library

Amazing!

Some of the bedrooms:

The pool and kitchen were in the basement. Hayden thinks the pool is so neat! I loved the view from the kitchen.

Once the tour was over, we stopped in the shops to get a fridge magnet. Then, Hayden got a root bear float, and I got a diet coke before Travis and Hadley picked us up. We were there for about an hour and a half.

We went back to the hotel, changed our clothes and headed to one of our favorite places: White Duck Taco. There are two locations, but we always go to the one by the river.

We came back to hotel and that was about it. I was seriously so tired from the lack of sleep the night before. While the kids got ice cream and hung with Travis in the lobby, I showered, read, and watched a bit of tv.

I slept MUCH better on Wednesday night. We all slept in a bit on Thursday. Then, the kids and Trav went for a run while I got us packed up.

Once they got back, we picked up quick breakfast at the market.

The kids waited by the fire while Travis checked us out of the hotel.

We got a quick family photo. I love it 🙂

It was nice not to rush. Usually, when we are out of town, we get up and leave ASAP, but we enjoyed the property a bit on Thursday morning. Around 11:00, we said goodbye to the Grove Park Inn and headed for the outlet mall.

I’d mentioned to the kids if we had time that we could stop there before heading home. Hadley, especially, needed some running shorts. Her legs just keep getting longer!

After the outlet malls, we stopped by Hillman Beer for lunch. Travis and Hadley actually ate a few appetizers there the day before while Hayden and I were at the Biltmore.

The atmosphere was great, and the food was delish! I ordered the rice bowl with chicken, and it was amazing. The perfect way to end our trip.

We left around 2:00 and were home around 6:30. Homer is always happy to see us 🙂

You know I love coming home, but we really could have used one more day in Asheville. I think I felt this way because we were staying on such an amazing property. We still wanted to do so many of our “regular” things that it would have been nice to spend one day just staying at GPI and relaxing a bit more. It’s a resort in the sense of having multiple pools, restaurants, shopping, a trail, a golf course, and more.

I’m always so glad we take the kids to a variety of places throughout the year. We tend to go on a bigger beach vacation in the summer, Asheville in the fall, and then somewhere nearby in the spring. Past Spring Breaks have included trips to Indianapolis, Knoxville, Hilton Head, Asheville, KC, and Nashville. While it’s always nice to experience a new place, it’s also comforting going somewhere we all know and enjoy.

Have you ever been to Asheville?

Here are some of my previous Asheville posts:

Asheville 1

Glamping

Asheville 2

It really is a great place, and I love that it’s less than five hours from Lex. Asheville has so much to offer.

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Favorites {#107}

Posted on April 1, 2022March 31, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Hello!…and Happy April 1st.

Well, you know I love a Friday…but dang, today means we only have a few days left of break.

We’ve had a great week of downtime, productivity and activities.

As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites...

…Spring break edition…

Since Spring Break is always a favorite, I’m recapping Spring Break and sharing the favorites from each day.

Last Friday:

Last Friday, Spring Break officially started at 3:30. I picked up Hayden from school, came home and on my pjs. It was a cold and overcast day, so we didn’t make any evening plans. I picked up Hadley at 5:00 from a school event and texted to say, “Don’t make me come inside. I’m in my pjs!” 😂She promptly came out to the car.

I read, we watched basketball games and had takeout for dinner. Truly, this was a favorite way to start break.

Saturday & Sunday:

Saturday and Sunday looked much the same. We were able to sleep in, we watched basketball games, I read my book and did some things around the house. The kids had no sports, and, again, it was just nice to have time at home.

I did run a few errands on Saturday, and Hadley and I went to our favorite nail salon. I got a pedicure while Hadley got a manicure. After I saw her color choice, I did same for my toes!

I seriously don’t think I left the house on Sunday. We tidied up, did laundry, and watched basketball games. For dinner, we had a family favorite…brinner!

Then we watched our March movie: Cheaper by the Dozen. It was cute and very modern day. We all enjoyed it, but I think we all prefer the 2003 version.

Monday:

Monday was busy, busy, busy. We had some errands, had a Target pick up, a stop at the library, and an ortho appointment for Hayden. Then, we came home and packed and left for our Spring Break trip. We drove to near Knoxville to stay for the night.

Tuesday :

On Tuesday, we drove the hour and a half to Asheville. We arrived mid-morning, and got started on our trip. I plan on recapping the trip next week. We stayed at Grove Park Inn, and had a great time.

The kids had fun checking out the property when we arrived.

Wednesday:

On Wednesday, we had an action packed day that included a hike…

and Hayden and I visited the Biltmore. This wasn’t necessarily on our “to do” list since we did that a few years ago, but Hayden was insistent! I couldn’t say no, so he and I went on the tour.

Thursday:

On Thursday, we eased into the day and enjoyed one more day in Asheville.

obligatory family photo before checking out of GPI

We got home around 7:00, unpacked, hung out with Homer (he missed us!), and caught up on American Idol.

The last few days of break will be spent with a little bit more downtime, errands, and getting ready for a busy upcoming week. Next week, of course we have school, but baseball games and track meets begin, and I have a couple of longer school days with the after school tutoring program.

Favorite Food:

We always eat a lot of great food in Asheville (& go to some great breweries), but White Duck Taco Shop is a fave. We eat there every time we visit Asheville.

Favorite Kid Quote:

Travis and Hayden were talking about some of the activities at GPI. Travis looked at Hadley and told her about a cycling class. She said, “You do you, dad.” 🤣 She takes after me and likes to relax on vacay.

Favorite Mom Meme(s):

These memes feels accurate:

Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday

For memory sake, here are the kids at the Biltmore for Spring Break 2018.

Weekly Recap:

I had a couple of posts this week…memes to make you laugh and a recap of the two books I read in March. Here they are:

Monday Memes

March Books

I know some are finishing up Spring Break while others are just getting started! I hope you have a great weekend.

Thanks so much for reading,

Thursday Thoughts, Travel

Thursday Thoughts

Posted on March 17, 2022March 16, 2022 by jgalvinwhite

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Did you see my post on Tuesday? It’s not too late to get your corned beef and cabbage in the slow cooker!

Well, after St. Patrick’s Day, all I can think about is Spring Break. After Spring Break, all I can think about is summer 😉

With the weather feeling warmer and the sun shining most days, I’m really thinking about vacations.

Today, I’m sharing my Top 3 vacations. I’ve written more detailed posts on two of them, but today I’m also sharing some of the places on my TT (to travel) list.

Top 3 Vacays

1. Lake Tahoe

We went to Lake Tahoe for our tenth wedding anniversary in 2015. Our anniversary is in June, but we waited until my Fall Break in October to go.

The views were amazing, there was lots to do, and the weather was perfection. I would definitely go back there for sure!

2. Grand Canyon to Cali

A few years ago, Hayden mentioned wanting to visit the Grand Canyon. We thought that was a great idea because neither Travis nor I had been to the Grand Canyon as well. We also figured if the kids were wanting to go, we should. (rather than drag them there one day when they might not be as pumped to go.)

We spent a few days in Arizona before then driving to…

California. Travis knows I love Cali, and San Diego was an 8 hour drive. That seemed doable and a way for us to also hang out at another favorite place…the beach.

This trip meant driving from Lexington to Cincinnati, flying to Las Vegas, driving to Arizona (stayed three days), driving to San Diego (stayed four days), driving to LA (stayed two days), driving back to Las Vegas (for one night) before flying back to Cincinnati and driving home to Lex.

Shew! It was a great trip, and we were gone around 10 days, but we had such a wonderful time.

3. Napa

I’ve never blogged about this trip and could only find a few photos from our trip to Napa in 2008. This was pre-kids when we had lots of time on our hands. We were in California for about eight days. We were in Napa for most of it and then in San Francisco for a couple of days at the end of the trip.

We went to Napa with another couple and had so much fun. I will say that a week in Napa is enough. I love wine, but I swear we went to probably fifteen wineries.

One of our favorite wineries that we stumbled upon was Anomaly. It was quaint, the people were lovely and the scenery was perfection. We brought home three bottles of the wine from there from that trip. One we drank in 2009 when Hadley came home from the NICU, another we shared about six months later when we celebrated our five year wedding anniversary. Then, we took the last bottle with us to Tahoe to drink to celebrate our ten year anniversary. We’ve purchased a few more and been gifted one or two as well which we appreciate.

I couldn’t find the photo, but the next year for our anniversary Travis had one of his friends paint the Anomaly Vineyard from the photo I took. This painting still hangs above our fireplace.

I’ll cherish it always.

Fave Vacay Spots

We kind of have a rhythm with trips. For Fall break, we often head to Asheville.

Here are some posts I’ve shared:

Asheville 1

Glamping

Asheville 2

Asheville is close to us and perfect for a quick getaway.

We’ve glamped…

We’ve hiked…

…and we’ve seen all the sights.

We went to Asheville for Spring break in 2018 (I think) with Hayden’s main requirement being we visit the Biltmore. It was a great trip as well.

For Spring break, we usually go somewhere pretty close. Last year, we went to Nashville to visit the Gaylord Opryland hotel.

We’ve also gone to South Carolina, Indianapolis, and Knoxville for Spring break.

The summer is our bigger vacation of the year. I always wish we could go somewhere warm in the winter, but it’s too hectic with the holidays and often going out of town to see family.

For summer vacation we often go to South Carolina or Siesta Key, Florida.

We’ve been to SC for Fall Break once, Spring Break once, and then summer vacay many times. Hands down the best time to visit SC is in the fall…as long as there isn’t a hurricane happening 😉

Siesta Key is another favorite vacation spot. We are lucky because Trav’s aunt and uncle own a house there. They are generous enough to share it with the family.

As my kids have gotten older and their schedules are busier, it’s hard to plan a vacation too far in advance. So, it’s great to have this option as our “go to” whenever the schedule allows.

Bucket List:

We definitely have a list of places we’d like to travel either as a couple or with the kids.

New York: We actually had our 2020 Spring Break trip planned to take the kids to NYC, but had to cancel it once the reality of the pandemic was setting in. I’d still like to take them there.
DC: This is definitely on our short list for Fall or Spring Break.
Hawaii: Of course, that will be a trip we need to plan for…but I also just can’t get over how long it will take us to actually get there…which means I’ll feel like we definitely need to stay for a good stretch of time.
Nantucket: I don’t know if any of my family is interested in visiting Nantucket, but I sure am.
Pacific NW: This would be another great family vacation.
London, Paris, Ireland: In high school, I went on a ten day (I think) tour of Europe, but I’d love to go back. Hadley would love to go to Paris.
Virgin Islands: I’ve heard such great things about BVI, and I’d love to go.
Mexico…

The last time we were in Mexico was 2005 on our honeymoon.

We look like babies!

I like that we’ve taken our kids to both familiar and new places through the years. While we aren’t world travelers, they’ve certainly seen many parts of the U.S., and maybe we’ll get abroad one day. That being said, when we go to Asheville, Isle of Palms, and especially Siesta Key, they are very familiar with those places and have some favorite restaurants and activities that “we have to do” when visiting.

What places should I add to our “to travel” list?

If only we had more time, energy, and, oh yeah — money (haha!), we’d be able to cross some of these places off our list a little sooner.

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Travel

California Recap

Posted on August 16, 2021August 15, 2021 by jgalvinwhite

Hello! How was your weekend? We had a good one! On Friday, Travis had knee surgery, so he took it easy all weekend while we took turns getting him whatever he needed 😉 Hayden had baseball on Saturday, but then it was rained out on Sunday. While I love watching his team play, Sunday at home, was much needed with Travis, groceries, laundry, and just taking it easy. We were all pretty tired after our first week of school.

Today, I’m recapping our recent trip to Del Mar, California.

I have been there quite a few times, and it’s definitely one of my favorite places! Travis goes there a few times a year for work, and he often invites me to join him when he goes for work in August. I always say, “no” because it’s the weekend before school starts which is hectic within itself, but this year I decided to tag along.

I certainly have no regrets, and it was nice to get away for a few days, but it really did make the days leading up to the trip hectic to prep for back to school, and then I started school the day after we returned home.

We had a great time. Here are the details!

Wednesday:

An Uber picked us up at 4:30 AM for our 6:00 flight.

We flew to Dallas, and I will spare you the details of delays, deplaning, and changed gates, but the two hour layover turned into eight hours at DFW.

We finally landed in San Diego around 4:30, and after getting our luggage and a rental car, we drove the 25 minutes to our hotel in Del Mar. We rinsed off, got dressed, and I wanted to see the beach for a minute…

After travelling for 12+ hours and wearing a mask the entire time, I wanted some fresh air before we met some friends for dinner at…

Pamplemousse. I got the halibut, and it was delish. We were back to the hotel by 9:30. With the time change and long day of travel, we fell right asleep!

Thursday

On Thursday, I slept until 7:00, which was later than Travis did. I met him at the hotel bar for coffee and breakfast.

After breakfast, we enjoyed our coffee on the deck with an ocean view and planned out our day.

We went for a walk …

before heading to lunch at Brigantine.

This dress was one of the best things I packed! Comfy and cute!

This is a restaurant that overlooks the Del Mar racetrack, and Travis typically runs into people he knows. We both got the fish tacos and a beer!

After lunch, we headed to the beach for a couple of hours, and it was glorious.

I took a walk while Travis dozed off. By the end of this trip, I had 50+ photos of the beach and ocean on my phone…I can never get enough of the view.

Also, while beach trips with my kids have gotten easier as the years have gone by, it’s been a while since just Travis and I were at the beach. It felt so weird to grab my sunglasses, my book, and my towel and have that be all I need.

After the beach, we relaxed a bit, and then went to dinner at Market.

We actually sat at the bar, so we could watch the USA women win gold in beach volleyball!

The sushi was amazing!

Again, we were home by 9:30 and fell fast asleep!

Friday

On Friday, Travis was up very early to meet friends and clients on the back side of the track to look at horses. I slept in a bit, and then headed to the hotel bar again for breakfast.

I took my book and read while enjoying only about 1/3 of these pancakes with my coffee.

When Travis got back, we decided to drive to La Jolla which is only about 20 minutes away. We walked around and there’s an area where you can see the sea lions on the rocks, and we always go there to take in the views and see the sea lions.

We walked around a bit before going to Puesto for lunch. We split some chips and guac, and I got the shrimp tacos and cilantro rice.

On our drive home, I spotted a trail by the hotel, so while Travis napped, I went for a walk. The views were breathtaking, and I wondered what it would take to have a house on the side of a cliff with ocean views.

Ahh…

After I got back from my walk, Travis was at the pool. After a few minutes there, he was going to to the track to catch a couple of races. I went to the beach for about an hour. It’s not that the horse track isn’t my thing, but the beach in 75 degree weather is!

I hung out and …

started a new book…

before getting ready for dinner. Right before the trip, I was at Target with Hayden, and picked up this dress on a whim. It was perfect for dinner…

…with a view. A racing group from Trav’s farm hosted clients at Pacific Coast Grill. The views and the food were amazing.

We could hear the waves while enjoying champagne and seafood!

Saturday

Saturday morning, Travis was up early and at the track. When he returned, we had one more hotel breakfast before going to the beach for a couple hours.

Then it was time to pack up, and get ready for the track. Again, they were hosting clients for the races that afternoon. We arrived around 1:30 before the races started at 2:00.

Trav’s co-workers really knocked it out of the park with the attention to detail, gift baskets, food, hospitality, and more!

We were able to see other clients and friends who I usually just get to see when they come to Lex for the sales or racing. The track is so pretty and right off the ocean.

Once the races were over, we snapped a couple of selfies before leaving.

We had about an hour and a half before we needed to be at the airport, so we weren’t sure we’d have time for a nice sit down dinner. Well, we drove right past an In-N-Out Burger, and our dinner decision was made 😉 Travis has dined there a few times, but I never have! The burger was really good!

When planning our return flight, we weighed the pros and cons of taking the Saturday red eye or early Sunday morning. With school starting back on Monday for me and since air travel is so unpredictable right now, we decided on the red eye. We arrived at the airport around 9 PM for our 11:00 flight. We returned our car, changed our clothes, checked in and had plenty of time before boarding. Once in the air, it was about 3.5 hours to Chicago, and we slept hard! We landed in Chicago at 5:30 and had a two hour layover before taking the quick flight to Lex. We were home by 10 am! I took two naps that day and went to bed early, but was glad with the decision to go ahead and get home.

It was a really great trip, nice to have time with just the two of us, and I’m glad I said, “yes,” to join him.

Hotel:

While in Del Mar, we stayed at Hotel Indigo.

It was super cute and felt very much like a California hotel.

Have you ever been to Southern California? I always say if I win the lottery, I’d moved to Charleston, SC or So Cal! I just need to cash that winning ticket!

I hope you have a great week! We are continuing to ease back into school with a four day week this week! See you back here tomorrow for Tuesday Talk.

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