living proof of God's grace & living free to share hope, encouragement & adventures
Never turn your back on the ocean. I learned this the way no one ever wants to learn a lesson. The hard way. You’d think I’d have already known. I mean, c’mon. I live just 20 minutes from the beach. But here’s the thing. I live near the Gulf. As in, the faux ocean. (Faux-cean??) …
Sometimes, I just don’t feel like adventuring. Whaaaaaaa??? Did I really just say that? Yeah. I really did. Sometimes… some days… I’d maybe rather take a nap or just veg out than go for a nature walk or catch a sunset at the beach. And, ya know, sometimes that’s okay. I’m all about listening to …
Three years, seven months, and twenty-two days. That’s how long I lived in Florida before experiencing a hurricane. On September 10th, we were set to be hit with a Cat 3, maybe 4 hurricane along the Gulf coast of Florida, with storm surge ranging from 6 – 15 feet between Tampa and the Keys! And …
Continue reading Hurricane Irma Story: My First Hurricane Experience
Ya know how I’m always saying there’s sooooo much of Florida I’ve yet to explore? Here’s another case in point. I just visited Jacksonville and St. Augustine for the first time this past weekend – after three years and nine months of living in the Sunshine State! My friend Kelly recently moved to Jacksonville and …
Continue reading Things to Do in St. Augustine Florida on a Rainy Day
Exactly one year ago today, I took my first real solo trip. By real, I mean out of my city, out of my state, road trip style, big girl trip. Savannah, GA had long been on my bucket list – even back when I lived in Michigan. Also on my bucket list? A solo, crossing-state-lines …
Continue reading Things to Do in Savannah Georgia: My First Solo Trip
When I think of adventuring, my brain automatically goes BIG. Like, globetrotting big. Hiking through the Alps. Exploring a Scottish castle. Cliff jumping in Hawaii. Bungee jumping in Costa Rica. Speeding down the Autobahn. Skydiving over Dubai. You get the idea. While I plan to do all of the above—and more!—I also understand that adventure …
Continue reading How to Have Everyday Adventures Where You Live
Once again, Sarasota's Siesta Beach claims top billing as the #1 beach in America – so say Dr. Beach and TripAdvisor users via the Travelers' Choice Awards. Having lived just 14 miles from Siesta, I feel justified in giving my honest and humble opinion of this ranking. Is Siesta my favorite beach? Truthfully, no—but not because I don’t …
The other night, I never went to bed. Instead, I went to Blowing Rocks. The first time I saw a photo of Blowing Rocks Preserve, I added it to my bucket list. And, funny thing. Once I did, I started noticing more and more Instagram photos of this rocky, limestone beach—many taken at dawn, given …
I broke up with winter in January 2014. It was a toxic relationship that should have ended long before that—but better late than never! Moving from Michigan to someplace warm was a dream I’d had since oh, about the age of four. That’s when palm trees and beach scenes became a recurring theme of my …
Continue reading Ultimate Guide to Florida’s Gulf Coast Beaches
Smart phones and social media have made everyone a photographer. Not that I’m complaining! The endless stream of Insta photos gives me both curated and candid views of places all around the globe – some already on my bucket list, others I hadn’t considered, and even more I didn’t know existed! Honestly, though, certain spots …
adventure and the girl 