• Palm trees blowing in the wind against a blue sky

    How a Little Tempest Can Impact Your Day

    We’re back from the hiatus we took to prepare for the Boston Marathon…where one of us ran the race and the other spectated. Needless to say, I think running it probably a bit easier. After all the runner’s path is marked, while us spectators had to find our own way to the finish! But I digress. This week we continue our odyssey in the desert, where we explore how a little tempest can impact your day. Jumping out of a perfectly good airplane To celebrate Connor’s big day, we loaded up the Behemoth and drove 45 minutes out to Go Jump in Jean, Nevada. Connor and Savanna wanted to go…

  • Woman touching the foot of the statue of John Harvard.

    How Smart are You – going to Harvard for Free?

    With the Boston Marathon right around the corner, we had to share with you an ABSOLUTE gem we uncovered on a recent trip. In Cambridge, which is a 20 minute ride from downtown Boston, visit the Fogg Museum at Harvard. It has priceless works of art and it costs NOTHING to go there. I mean, how smart are you – going to Harvard for free? How we found it For the first time since 2015, we went to Boston FOR FUN. That’s right, NO RUNNING. (Like at all!) But here’s the thing, we were going to Boston in mid-March. The odds of the weather being warm enough to walk the…

  • Backyard at night. Kidney shaped pool, lit up with a blue light. There are landscape lights along the path by the arborvitaes.

    The Odyssey in the Desert – Part 1

    I’ve always heard that the desert is a place to go to get clarity. It’s a place that is quiet, beautiful, and lends itself to introspection. After all, didn’t Jesus go to the desert to pray for 40 days? And the Israelites wandered the Sinai desert for 40 years, looking for the promised land, right? Well, this trip, wasn’t ANYTHING like all that. Join us for a winter’s odyssey in the desert where we take 6 young 20 somethings for their first trip to the land of holy rollers, I mean, HIGH rollers in Las Vegas. So…why Vegas? I’m sure some folks are wondering why we would take our youngest…

  • Image of a woman's hand holding a golden ticket

    How Would You Like to Cut the Line?

    If you’re anything like us, you may be experiencing JUST a bit of spring fever. In fact, travel for 2024 is the first year expected to beat 2019. The TSA expects the highest number of passengers they have EVER seen at the airport this March. Does any of this information discourage you at all? We hope not! And we have an offer just for subscribers. How would YOU like to cut the line at security? The Airport Fast Pass Have you ever stood in really long line at an amusement park and watch a group of people come up through some secret door and walk right up to the front?…

  • Walking in the Footsteps of the Rich and Famous

    This was our third and final day in SOCAL. And after getting to pet the jellyfish and ending the day with a gondola ride, we felt it was time we got our “Hollywood On”! If you’ve never been, you’re in for a TREAT. Grab a cozy cup of something you like and join us as we go walking in the footsteps of the rich and famous! But first, food! As excited as we were to be heading to Hollywood, we first needed a little sustenance to get us going. We parked the car in a neighborhood and walked over to the Clark Street Diner. On the way, we got to…

  • Gondolier piloting a boat with palm trees in the background

    Petting a Jellyfish and Riding in a Gondola

    Ah, Detroit in January. There’s nothing like it. Well, except for maybe…Cleveland in January. It’s cold and dreary and everything begins to feel a bit stale. As you may remember, last week we began our adventure to Southern California in search of some sunshine to beat the “drearies”. Our second day there, absolutely abolished that “stale” feeling. We started the day by petting a jellyfish and ended the day riding in a gondola! Join us as we unpack our second day in the sun along the California coast! The Morning Stroll through Shoreline Park Besides the sunshine, one of the BEST benefits of heading west is taking advantage of the…

  • Woman looking grumpy, standing next to a car in a snow storm.

    When Winter Gets You Down

    January in Detroit can feel about 6 months long. It’s dark when you’re driving into work and it’s dark again at about 1pm. (Okay, well that MIGHT be a bit of an exaggeration.) But regardless, about two weeks after the Christmas decorations are put up we start to REALLY feel it – the longing for spring, the longing for the sun. Join us this week for the perfect remedy we found for when winter gets you down. (And as you may suspect, the solution involves plane tickets.) The Surprise Apparently Delta sent an irresistible offer to Stephen that included hotel, car rental and flights for less than the cost of…

  • Buddhist temple with red pillars and a tall gray, tiled roof surrounded by a lane of red buildings on either side

    What You Won’t Want to Miss in Tokyo

    In 2023, we undertook an amazing adventure through the Land of the Rising Sun. We stayed for almost 3 weeks and shared with you the highlights of each out our days. Since there are just SO many GREAT places to see, we thought we’d make a City Guide for you so you’ll know what you won’t want to miss in Tokyo. If you want to do a deeper dive in Japan – check out our Japan collection. And if you’re a person who loves headlines, this article is for you! First, let’s talk food…Where to Eat? Oh my gosh! There hasn’t been a place I’ve visited where I’ve liked the…

  • Sphere lit in purples and pinks. On it is displayed "Achtung Baby Live at Sphere Las Vegas"

    Having a Ball in the Sphere

    Ah December…in our family, there’s nothing like it. There is Christmas, of course, but we also have both our birthdays and the birthdays of many of our friends and relatives. This means…in December, we eat and celebrate. (Which makes our clothes a bit tighter through February…at least!) But this December we decided to do something REALLY special, we saw one of our favorite bands, U2, at a newly opened concert venue in Las Vegas. Are you ready for ONE CRAZY weekend with us in Vegas?? If you are, buckle in and let me tell you about having a BALL in the Sphere! The Back Story Since the Sphere’s opening on…

  • Group of people in winter clothes, smiling and hugging on an ice skating rink. Behind them are trees lit in white lights and a row of flags

    Skating Under the Stars and Other Shenanigans

    For those of you have been following along, you’ll recall our last article ended with a delicious breakfast after braving the elements and the crowds to watch The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. After the short walk back to our VRBO, we were happy to see the kids had survived the night before and were up and watching the parade on TV. Feast #1 We had a pretty relaxing afternoon planned and continued to watch the parade as Jill began to prepare our Thanksgiving feast. She did an excellent job with the limited cookware that we had on hand. Everything from the honey baked ham to the stuffing and mashed potatoes were…