Tag Archives: vaca

Oct26

NC OOTD

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NC OOTD

Hi everyone and TGIF! While on vacation in North Carolina, my family did a lot of hiking so styling outfits that slay wasn’t high on my priority list. But, on our last day of the trip, we bummed around downtown Hendersonville for the afternoon, no muddy trails required. So, trust and believe that I took this opportunity very seriously and created an edgy look that was a far cry from Southern Charm! Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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Who? What? Wear?

Upon ordering my Fervour jumpsuit from ModCloth earlier this month, I have been chomping at the bit to wear it. I thought that breaking it out on vaca would be the perfect time to do so, because it traveled well in my suitcase, it’s insanely comfortable, and it’s an easy outfit because you don’t have to pair it with anything. I have been on the prowl for a cool jumpsuit for years now, and it doesn’t get much better for me than this one. It fits well (Unlike every single one that I’ve ever tried on) and it’s goth with just the perfect amount of sweetness to it thanks to the embroidered heart. In other words, it’s basically me in a nutshell.

Because the jumpsuit is a built in outfit, all that’s left to do is accessorize when wearing one. Since I was away, I didn’t have all of my options handy so I did the best that I could with what I did have. A moto jacket was a must with the jumpsuit, though, because my Nasty Gal one is tighter fitting, which complimented the bagginess of the suit well. I also went with heeled boots that would fit over the leggings to create length, which is important when something is oversized. To finish things off, I toted along my It Brit purse, white sunnies, and my signature red lip for a head turning OOTD in the streets of NC.

I love this look and I felt insanely confident in it, but I’m excited to style another OOTD now that I’m back and my wardrobe is accessible. I can picture this jumpsuit in a really sporty sense, so I’m thinking of wearing a loose fitting crop top over it, a flannel tied at the waist to cinch things in, and some cute little Nike’s for a look that Sporty Spice would be proud of!

Where do you shop for the best jumpsuits? How would you style my skeleton chic suit? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct25

Vacation Shopping… At TJMaxx ;)

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Vacation Shopping… At TJMaxx ;)

Lol, I know. I’m eyerolling at myself for this post, too. BUT, there was a TJMaxx sitting pretty on our way into town from our cabin in North Carolina and I couldn’t not stop in! But don’t worry, I only got two beauty products and one was a total steal so I just couldn’t help myself! Take a look:

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  • The Body Shop Satsuma scrub: $6
  • Garnier Micellar Water + face wash: $4

For ten bucks, I got two of my necessities that would have originally costed me around twenty-five dollars had I bought them in store. How could I possibly pass that up?! At Target, my micellar water comes close to eight dollars with tax for just the bottle. But, this find at TJ’s included a mini face wash, too. Granted, I’ve used it before and it wasn’t the best, but a face wash is a face wash and using the freebie saves me money and prolongs my preferred cleansers. I will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled at my local TJMaxx for more of the Garnier micellar water, because that was close to four dollars in savings, which is about one and a half gallons of gas in my tank.

I was also happy to find a Satsuma scrub from The Body Shop because, sadly, the TJMaxx that I live by has not had a lot of TBS goodies as of late. The scrubs are my favorite to use before shaving and it worked just right while tackling the Woolly Mammoth legs this week! 😉

Besides for my beauty steals, I was pretty unimpressed with the TJMaxx that I shopped at in Hendersonville. It was cramped, the aisle ways were small (Which made browsing through the racks difficult.), and the selection there was average at best. Of course, TJ’s giveth and TJ’s taketh away, so I could have just been there on an off week. It was fun to be at a TJMaxx in a different state, but I’ll be happy to shop at my local one again really soon!

What is your favorite thing to do on vacation? Where did you go on your last trip? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct24

Carl Sandburg Home

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Carl Sandburg Home

Hi! During my family vacation, we visited the incomparable Carl Sandburg Home. Although we didn’t go inside the house itself, exploring the gorgeous property and playing with goats (Yes, goats!) was more than good enough for us! During our time at the Carl Sandburg estate, we learned a lot about the great American poet and, even though I wasn’t familiar with his work before, this might have been my favorite part of our trip. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

 

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So, how did I get up close and personal enough with a field full of goats to be able to take a selfie with one of them, you might ask? Well, these goats are direct descendants from the ones that Carl’s wife, Lilian, raised until her passing. All of the goats are handled by humans as soon as they’re born, so they’re incredibly friendly and love having visitors. Each goat has his or her own name, which you can see on their collars, and they are all so tame that you can approach and handle them without any fuss. It. Was. AMAZING!

And, of course, the property was spectacular, too. The foliage was beautiful, the walking trail was pleasant to stroll through, and all of the homes on the estate for Sandburg’s family looked so quaint and charming. We spent a good few hours at the Carl Sandburg Home and I honestly would have been happy spending an entire day there! The scenery and especially the goats stole the show and I would love to go back. 12/10 Would recommend visiting if you are in the area.

What is your favorite animal? Who is your favorite poet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct23

Sky Top Apple Orchard

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Sky Top Apple Orchard

Howdy! When my family vacations in North Carolina, we always go apple picking. This time around, we visited Sky Top orchard. And an appropriate name it is, indeed, because it’s at the very top of a mountain! Unfortunately, we came at a bad time, because a huge school field trip was just finishing up, so the trees were pretty much picked clean. But, we still managed to get a basket full of delicious Pink Lady, Cameo, Honey Crisp, and Fuji apples. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

 

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Although I had a lot of fun at the orchard with my family and the caterpillar friend I made along the way, I preferred other orchards that we visited over Sky Top. Because of the mountainous terrain, exploring the massive property was anything but pleasant. The hills were incredibly steep and the orchard didn’t seem to be very well maintained. Along every row of apple trees, the ground was completely littered with rotten fruit and flies, bees, and ants were swarming all over. I absolutely understand that an orchard isn’t going to be totally pristine, but you literally couldn’t step anywhere without a rotten apple squishing beneath your feet and bugs flying on and around you. Gross.

Having said all of that, their market area was really cute and clean. And, an entire bucket of apples to pick was only twenty dollars, which was a great value. It was nice to visit a different orchard in North Carolina but, next time that we go, I hope that we stick to Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard, which was scenic (without being mountainous) and well maintained outdoors and in their market.

Who else loves going apple picking in the fall? What is your favorite type of apple? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct22

Triple Falls Hike

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Triple Falls Hike

Hello! During my family vacation to Hendersonville, North Carolina we enjoyed several of the amazing hiking trails in the vicinity. In fact, one of the trails that we went to was so amazing that some of The Hunger Games was filmed there! Walking the trail to get to the Triple Falls was intense, as there were a lot of hills to go up and down. But, seeing the majestic waterfalls once we reached our final destination made the infinite inclines well worth it (And, my gloots are thanking me!). Take a look at some of the pics that I snapped and let’s discuss:

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I’m not gonna lie, I was definitely pretending to be Katniss during the entire hike and it was exhilarating to unleash my inner badass. We only hiked the Triple Falls trail, but throughout the walk, there were places where you could break away that would take you to other waterfalls. In my opinion, nothing could compare to the three spectacular falls flowing into each other. Hearing the rushing water, being enveloped by the mist, and feeling the gentle spray of the water was such a delight to all of the senses. And, although we were all sore by the time we got back to the car, I think that we would all do the hike again in a heartbeat!

What is your favorite adventure movie? What is your favorite trail to hike in the fall? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct21

Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards

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Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards

Hello! During my North Carolina vacation, my brother and sister in law, Peter and Megan, and I went to Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards for a wine tasting. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to explore the vineyards, because it was a rainy day. But, we did get to hide out in their charming bar area, where we got to taste eleven of their wines for ten bucks each. It was quite the bargain and we even got to keep our tasting glass when we were done! Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

 

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Peter, Megan, and I spent an hour or so at Saint Paul’s testing the wines and just hanging out. Although the space appeared big with the beautiful high vaulted ceilings, the gentle glow of the soft lighting created a feeling of cozy intimacy. The rain pelting down outside increased this sensation tenfold and hunkering down with a glass of wine in hand was just right.

Taste testing all of the wines was an informative and delicious process. We got to sample five white wines, three reds, and three dessert wines in that order. Of course, I was partial to the sweet whites and the dessert wines weren’t so bad, either! My favorites were the sweet white Laurel Hill with hints of lychee and guava and the sweet tart blackberry dessert wine, Chestnut Gap Cottage. Peter and Megan enjoyed trying the reds and their favorite was a bold and peppery Cabernet Sauvignon called Chestnut Gap.

It was definitely fun trying all of the wines and deciding which ones we liked best. But, at the end of our tasting, we were unanimous in our opinion that despite enjoying some of the wines, we wouldn’t want to drink an entire glass of any of them. The tasting was absolutely worthwhile and it was an excellent value. It also offered us just enough of each wine to know that a glass full of any would be a less than pleasant experience.

This was just our conclusion and it’s interesting to see how different people pick up on different hints of the ingredients in each wine. So, one that we all didn’t care for could be another person’s favorite from across the bar. I loved spending time with my brother and sister in law and Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards provided us with the perfect space to cozy up for an hour and enjoy each others company. Definitely would recommend!

What is your favorite vineyard in your neck of the woods? Do you prefer white or red wine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep22

Sweet Surprises

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Sweet Surprises

Hello! I was so touched this past week because, upon one of my coworker’s return home from a trip to Arizona, she surprised me with a lovely souvenir. I was absolutely tickled that she thought of me during her travels, and it was such a wonderful reminder of how thankful I am for her friendship. Check it out:

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This beautiful teal lounger will make the perfect, breezy option for a variety of occasions. A lazy day at home, a pretty cover up at the pool, or belted with heels for a chic boho look. The color of my new dress makes me so happy, because it reminds me of my college color, Tri-C Teal! And, it makes me even happier to know that a beloved friend cares about me enough to pick me up a little something something while she’s away.

Surprises are an amazing way to show the ones that you love how much they mean to you. From a pop in visit to a homemade treat or a new dress, never pass up on the opportunity to show some love to your friends and family! ❤

How do you like to surprise your loved ones? What is the best surprise that you have ever received? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep6

4 Tips For Buying A Lake House

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4 Tips For Buying A Lake House

Maybe you’ve always wanted a place to take the kids during the summer. Maybe you’re just trying to get away from it all. Whatever your reasons for considering the purchase of a lake house, here are four tips for making a smart decision about lakeside real estate:

1. Make a List

How big does it need to be? What features are you hoping to find? What amenities would get you excited? This doesn’t have to be a hard-and-fast list that you can’t deviate from; it can be a flexible collection of ideas that will get you thinking about what you desire in your future lake house.

2. Consider the Location

Location is one of the most important aspects of buying a lake house, especially if you’ll be responsible for maintaining the land around it. You might wind up needing something like weed control for lakes to keep nature from taking over. You’ll also want to think about climate, soil, shade, and the view from your windows.

Don’t be afraid to shop around for the location that is “just right” for you. Whether it be close to where you lived previously or in an entirely different state, you want your lake house property to be relaxing, safe, and family friendly. If waterfront property in your area is lacking, there are 55+ communities in Tennessee that boast lakeside views as well as communities along the different Great Lakes. Road trip, anyone?

3. Look Into the Owner

Once you’ve found a potential lake house, make sure that you do your research about its owner. They should have a clean, non-criminal record, and the house shouldn’t have any weird leasing issues or documentation mishaps. If you ever suspect that your lake house deal isn’t legitimate, don’t be afraid to cut your losses and walk away. A little firmness now can save you a world of trouble tomorrow.

4. Think About Year-Round Upkeep

If you’ll only be vacationing in the lake house once or twice a year, what will happen to it when you’re not there? Will you rent it out? Will you hire someone to maintain it? How much will it cost? Think about these things before committing to a particular land or cabin purchase. The little details could end up being a big deal.

These are just a few tips for finding, selecting, and evaluating a potential lake house. They can be a great investment for the future, but you’ll need to know what you’re doing before you sign on the dotted line. Good luck!

Jun6

Creative Ways To Save For Travel

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Creative Ways To Save For Travel

You can travel with debt, but taking steps to reduce your debt before traveling is advisable. Loan consolidation makes a lot of sense, and could save you enough capital for a trip over time. Generally, when you’ve got any debt, your best strategy to liberate yourself will be to live beneath your means until the cost has been overcome.

For example: say you make $2,000 a month. $800 goes to rent and utilities, $200 goes to gasoline, $500 goes to food. What do you do with that additional $500? Do you spend it, or save it? Well, if you’re living beneath your means, you save it. That, or you put it toward paying off any debt you owe.

Something you additionally want to do is find ways to cut down on regular bills. For example, if you’re paying $200 a month in gas, but you only live two miles from where you work, and this is your primary reason for driving, see if you can cut that number in half. A 250-mile tank can make 125 two-mile trips or 62.5 consecutive work-days.

If you’re only working 20 days a month, then you can make it to and from work and still have 80+ miles left over for whatever you like. If you’ve got a conventional car, a tank is only around $50. So, if you can cut down your time spent driving, you can preserve the lifespan of your vehicle while reducing your monthly expenses, allowing you to either save money or pay off debt with greater expedience.

Practical Considerations:

Certainly, this is easier said than done. Once you’ve established the non-negotiables of your budget, it’s time to see what you’ve got leftover and what you can do with it. Even if you have relatively little, proper planning can help you attain necessary capital for a vacation. Funds for your trip could come from smart, short term budgeting for a weekend getaway. Or, perhaps you would like to explore luxury holidays to Iceland. A big trip means planning to the letter, budgeting until you have the means and then some, and making long term changes to your lifestyle.

If after you streamline your budget, you can only add an extra $200 to your expendable income, that is still $2,400 in a year; or enough for a pretty decent vacation. You might also find that budgeting paid off during your travel itself. If you travel abroad and have extra money left over, you could convert old currency to cash to put towards your next adventure.

Transportation:

Another important thing to consider in your budget is your car itself. If you feel like you are constantly shelling out for repairs and a full tank isn’t getting you far, you might be due for an upgrade. A great first step is researching “preapproval car loan” to find dealerships near you where you know you can purchase from. You can also look into how much money you will get towards a better vehicle if you trade your car in. Newer models of cars are safer and more economic and can end up saving you money in the long run. Not to mention you will want a safe car when you are driving to your vacation destination!

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Budget wisely!

Avoiding Creature Comforts:

Still, this is a fairly ideal circumstance, and cutting down your monthly expenditures in terms of food and gas can be difficult. So, you must find ways that you can eliminate discretionary spending. You may be surprised at how many unnecessary things you buy. Don’t think about creature comforts, think about living at a bare minimum.

For $100, you can eat well for a month as an individual, should you be careful enough in purchasing and preparing your own meals. You can combine such a budget with EBT or food bank sustenance to increase the amount of food you have access to. You can additionally seek options beyond your income to help you acquire what you need.

You may be surprised to find what you actually qualify for, especially if you’re a low-income family, there may be support solutions out there for you. Here’s the AUS Benefits website; it can help you to see if you’re eligible for financial assistance in certain areas of life. Sometimes, this can come in the form of direct support or tax breaks.

Something else that can help you save money is where you choose to travel. You don’t have to stay in the highest dollar accommodations available. You may look for friends, relatives, or look for special offers such as these. There are also after-market type hotel situations which, though perhaps not ideal, can save you a few hundred dollars.

Although travel is a luxury, it can be more attainable with the above tips!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Feb27

The Best Gifts For The Traveler In Your Life

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The Best Gifts For The Traveler In Your Life

The best gifts are always those that show how much you know a person. That’s an ironclad rule across the board. A lot of us know a person to whom travel is more than just a yearly vacation, it’s part of their lifestyle. An itch they absolutely have to scratch. If you know someone bit by the travel bug, then a gift that fits that lifestyle can be the most valuable of all:

Their Memories:

Travelers like to do more than roam the world, many of them like to document it in some way. Gifts that can help them do that encourage them not only to do what they love but to keep sharing it. If they’re a photographer, then lenses, cases, tripods, and so on can help them take better pictures. A handmade, leather-bound notebook can encourage them to start keeping travel diaries. Even photo frames containing some of their best snaps can help them look back on their journeys with pride and appreciation. It could even be something as basic as finding Japanese greeting cards, or something from a place they visited that they absolutely loved to help keep it close to them always. Sometimes the simple things are the best, right?

Something To Display:

Often, finding something special from one of the countries that they’ve been to can bring some of their best travel memories flooding back. Souvenirs like collectible coins featured on this website, postcards, or even ordering some food that they tried abroad can help them relive the journey all over. What’s more, it might give them something to display in honor of those past trips.

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 A beautiful globe to display is also a great idea!

The World They Love So Much:

A globe or a world map is always a great gift for a traveler if they don’t have one. It gives them the chance to look back on just how much of the world that they have seen. If it’s an interactive map, like the scratch maps shown at this site, then that’s all the better. It acts as another way for them to record their journey, to fuel a sense of accomplishment, and encourage them to scratch more locations off that map.

Somewhere To Go:

If they love seeing the world so much, why not help them see even more of it? Serious travelers know you don’t always have to fly hundreds of miles away to have a great time. You can find closer travel opportunities by suggesting a road trip, finding a national park near you, or even visiting a museum if they’re also an art or history buff. More than simply giving them something, it shows you’re willing to try that new experience with them.

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 Pixabay Image

A Helping Hand:

Finally, there are all kinds of gifts that can help them better enjoy traveling. Translation earbuds, neck pillows, portable chargers, eBook or audiobook subscriptions for those long travels are all good places to start. You could also consider transportation tickets to further assist during travels. A boarding pass for a train ride, subway card, or even a ticket for a Ferry to France the next time they are abroad will be so appreciated. They might be used to traveling around the world in discomfort but that doesn’t mean that they necessarily want to do it that way. Making their life a little easier is the most one could ask for from a good gift.

Hopefully, the examples above give you some idea of how you can treat the traveler in your life. A little acknowledgement and appreciation of that hobby are sure to make any gift all the better.

Featured Image By: Pexels