living proof of God's grace & living free to share hope, encouragement & adventures
Can you believe it took me 3 ½ years of living in Florida to finally experience the Florida Keys?? And I call myself an adventurer. That’s messed up, right?! Messed up, but true. It took a visit from my sister (Danae) and brother-in-law (Jacob) to motivate me to cross the Keys off my bucket list. …
YOLO or FOMO? I randomly asked myself this question the other day. Not even sure why. But random thoughts pop into my head so often that it doesn’t even phase me now. So anyway, YOLO vs FOMO. This prompted me to ponder the deeper idea behind each one—beyond following a trend or using culturally cool …
Photography is my go-to creative outlet. It’s a hobby that enhances my life on a daily basis. But, I must confess that I’ve almost exclusively used a smart phone camera for years. This coming from a girl who took photography in college for my art degree. I even own a basic DSLR and a regular …
Continue reading 5 Best Tips for Taking Better Travel Photos with your Phone
International travel on a budget is easier than you might think! Prior to 2017, I’d reluctantly dismissed all thoughts of solo travel abroad—convinced it was too dang expensive. And yet, I took 7 international solo trips from January 2017 to November 2019. For Paris, I spent just under $1,000 on ALL trip expenses, and Barcelona …
Continue reading 7 Best Tips for International Travel on a Budget
On September 27, 2005, I fell in love. It was that madly, deeply, head over heels, at first sight kinda love. And today, nearly twelve years later, I’m more madly, deeply, fallen in love than I was that first day. That day. That fateful fall day marked the first time I laid eyes on Ireland. …
On Memorial Day weekend 2016, I went skydiving—and it changed my life! If you read that post (and this one… and this one) you know how much I looooove being in the air. So, in 2017, rather than jump out of a plane, I decided to cross another sky-related item off my bucket list: flying …
Continue reading My Discovery Flight Experience With Tampa Bay Aviation
I just realized I haven’t been on a roller coaster in 3 ½ years. Three and a half years. Guys. This is completely unacceptable! As one who will take on the tallest, fastest anything, I’m having major thrill ride withdrawals. Funny, though, I hated roller coasters from the age of eight to eighteen. Funnier still …
Continue reading Best Roller Coasters in the World on My Bucket List
No one likes packing for a trip. (Right??) It has to be the least enjoyable part of traveling. And packing procrastination? That’s a very real problem. But waiting till the last minute also increases the risk that you’ll forget something. I am actually NOT a procrastinator when it comes to packing, but that doesn’t mean …
Before I ever flew in a plane, I rode in a helicopter. It was September, sophomore year of college. My roommate, Jen, and I were wandering through a local festival when I spotted the sign. Helicopter Rides. With only $25 in my pocket and no idea how much a ride even cost, I hurried toward …
It’s inevitable. You spend weeks—sometimes months—anticipating a trip. Planning, dreaming, wishing for time to move faster. And then, it’s here. Departure day. Bags packed, you embark on your adventure by plane, train, or automobile. But then, time during the trip just. will. not. slow. down. Far too prematurely, the journey ends and it’s back to …
adventure and the girl 