• Fun and Free in NYC

    If you know anything about traveling to Manhattan, you KNOW it’s expensive. It’s like $35 just to walk in and look at a menu. But did you know that there are some amazing, fun and free things to do on NYC? Sure, a coffee may cost you $8 but you’ll enjoy drinking it in one of these fantastic places! 1. The NY Public Library This library feels more like a museum than a place to check out books but you’ll still have to keep your voice down! 2. The Staten Island Ferry If you want some great views of Lady Liberty, Liberty Island ISN’T the way to do it. Instead…

  • Adventure at the Famous Eloise Asylum

    One lonely, boring evening about 20 years ago, I convinced a friend to go on a ghost hunt. I had never done a ghost hunt before, mind you, but I had a solid plan. Step 1: Go somewhere people claim is haunted. Step 2: Look around. On our way back home from William Ganong Cemetery, the most haunted cemetery in Michigan, I got a little lost. I was heading back toward the freeway when I came across a complex of buildings surrounding a tall, brick smoke stack. My Spidey senses made me turn into the driveway for my first Adventure at the Famous Eloise Asylum. The History Below is a…

  • Adventure to the Most Haunted Cemetery in Michigan

    If you’re anything like me, you go on “kicks” from time to time. Maybe it’s making your own pizza dough or teaching yourself to play the piano. In my case, it was collecting and reading every book about haunted places in Michigan. Some of it was “meh”, like ANOTHER story about a haunted lighthouse. Some of it was FRIGHTENING, like account of the little girl who liked to watch television. (Also known as “Ah HELL NAH!” Some little ghost girl in my living room with my family??? We’re moving!!) And some of the stories made we want to go and see for myself. Join me for an adventure to the…

  • The Mystery of The Winchester Mystery House

    Don’t you just LOVE a good mystery? If you’re anything like me, mysteries and unusual things are especially memorable. For instance, when someone says “Hey we’re going to X”, my brain digs up an extremely fringe fact about that place. Key West? Ernest Hemmingway had a house there. Rome? I read about this thing called the Alchemist’s Gate. Prague? I think there is a church made of bones near there. And San Jose? Well, that’s where the Winchester House is. Since it’s purported to be extremely haunted, I naturally remembered it! Doors that don’t open. Stairs that lead to nowhere. Sound fun? Join us as we unpack the mystery of…

  • Cascade Express Marathon Part Two: The Rest of the Story

    Before we start off, please be sure to check out Part One of the Cascade Express Marathon. You’ll hear how the training went and the obstacles I had to overcome to get to the start line. For those who already in the know, buckle in! All aboard the Cascade Express Marathon Part Two: The Rest of the Story. The Wee Hours Being up at 2 am for a race that doesn’t start until 8 am is not the ideal start to the day. On the upside, it did give me a few hours to contemplate the task ahead. I spent some time reviewing the last eight weeks of training. It…

  • Cascade Express Marathon Part Two: The Rest of the Story

    Cascade Express Marathon Part One: The Build Up

    Let me start by saying, Covid sucks. I know you already knew that but I especially feel that down deep. In 2021, we got both vaccine shots and a booster. Mask were worn. Distance was kept. We coated ourselves in hand sanitizer and STILL we managed to get sick. Although the illness itself wasn’t that bad for me, I realized something was really wrong as I tried to qualifying for the 2023 Boston Marathon. Let me share what I learned from the build up to the Cascade Express Marathon – Part 1. Running Sucked From January thru May I did nothing but slow miles. None of these runs were easy…

  • Medal for the NYC Marathon in the foreground with the Statue of Liberty in the background

    Make Your First NYC Marathon a Smashing Success

    Just before the world hit the “pause” button, Stephen ran his first New York City Marathon. Though we had been to the Big Apple many times previously, this was his first time there for the running of the race. If you’ve never been to Manhattan OR if this is your first NYC marathon, let us share some things we’ve learned along the way to make your first NYC Marathon a smashing success. Don’t even THINK about driving a car there Unless you’re a big fan of stress, near misses, horn honking and altercations just forget the idea that driving a car there would be “better” in any way. Instead, get…

  • Have you ever wanted to soak in a vat of beer?

    Let me ask you, have you ever wanted to just soak in a vat of beer? Or how about drink a beer in the same bar Mozart used to frequent? Or here’s a fun one, have you seen Spider-Man: Far From Home? Regardless of your answers, you’re in luck because today we are going to do a little TBT and share with you our amazing 12 hour adventure in Prague! After the Berlin Marathon in 2018, we rented a car drove down toward Munich for Oktoberfest. (Which doesn’t actually mean “Okay to Beer Fest”, in case you were wondering if the Sam Adams ad was correct.) Since we had a…

  • Small beagle and a black labradoodle sitting on a porch

    Dog Sitting in the Biggest, Small Town in America

    ICYMI – we love to travel and not JUST for the sake of the adventure. Sometimes we leave our home base to provide home and pet sitting for others. Join us this week as we share of very first away from home gig in “Adventures in Dog Sitting – Louisville Edition.” (Someone, please cue a giant movie title). The Prologue July ended up being sort of a crazy month for us. We were already planning to be in Atlanta over the 4th of July weekend so Stephen could run the Peach Tree Road Race. (If you’d like to hear a funny story from that race, check out this post.) Also,…

  • Moments you remember the most - trying Amaro in Italy

    The moments you remember the most might surprise you

    We took our youngest daughter and her best friend on a trip to celebrate their graduating high school with honors. The ladies decided they wanted to experience London, Paris and Rome. As we built our itinerary, we made sure to hit all of the famous tourist spots. When we look back on our trip now, the things we saw aren’t really the things we reminisce about. This taught us a valuable lesson – when it comes to travel, the moments you remember the most might surprise you! Join us as we share the highlights of our European World tour and the lessons this trip taught us. London – 2 days…