When visiting Alton, Illinois — or even if you’re just traveling through between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. — do yourself a BIG FAVOR and get lunch at My Just Desserts! Just remember, order dessert first, because once the Mrs. Ledbetter’s Chocolate Pie is gone for the day — it’s gone! Ann Badasch, the owner […]
Cruise Essentials — important extras to include when packing for a Caribbean cruise
We took our first cruise long before Pinterest — or blogging — was a thing, so I didn’t have a handy list of cruise essentials to help me pack for a Caribbean cruise. There were no convenient cruise packing lists to make planning easy! Our travel agent provided a general list of things to pack, […]
Family Vacation Ideas with Teenagers: The Wharf at Orange Beach!
Spring break family vacation ideas with teenagers can be a challenge. Where can a family go to make everyone happy? You know, where do go so teens get time to sleep in, plenty to do, and lots of food options? How do you balance a teen’s need for independence with family time? When considering family […]
Historic Occoquan: Great Washington, DC Day Trip!
Whether you’re planning day trips from DC, passing through the area on I-95 or planning a visit to a quaint, historic town, the Town of Occoquan, Virginia should make the list! Vacationing in Washington, D.C. is amazing. There’s so much to do. But, the hustle and bustle of the big city can be exhausting. Day […]
Spring Break with teens: 10 reasons to visit Alabama’s beaches!
When you consider where to go for spring break, especially spring break with teens, my top pick is Alabama’s beaches! Alabama sits on the Gulf of Mexico, offering calm waters, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets and wide, white sandy beaches that rival those of neighboring Florida. But, for this mom of teens, Alabama’s family friendly policies […]
The Ultimate Cruise Packing List: An essential cruise wardrobe guide
Knowing how to pack for a cruise vacation can be overwhelming, especially for first time cruisers. A cruise packing list makes it much easier so you don’t forget important items and can focus on all the fun you’ll have whether traveling to the western Caribbean, the eastern Caribbean or even Bermuda~ With a complete cruise packing […]
Visiting the National Museum of the Marine Corps: A DC Must See!
Y’all, I finally got to visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps — something I have long wanted to do. The Marine Corps Museum, Quantico, Virginia sits right next to I-95, just south of Washington, D.C. If you’ve ever driven I-95 through the area, you’ve seen the building with its steel beam jutting out […]
Prince William Forest Park: Spies, FDR and so much more!
Prince William Park in Northern Virginia might be one of the best kept secrets in the Washington, DC area. I drive through that area often and had no idea the park is right there, just a stone’s throw from I-95 at Exit 152B. This happens to be the same exit you take for the National […]
Golfing: File under “Cool Skills to Learn”
Here I am at 53 years old, realizing that I’ve still got lots of cool skills to learn in life! Sure…. I’ve done some awesome things like indoor skydiving, snow tubing and overcoming a fear of heights by parasailing in Illinois! But, I wasn’t always adventurous. For a very long time, I kept my feet […]
Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa in Short Pump: A review
I don’t often post hotel reviews on my site. To be honest, if you want to know hotel amenities, there are lots of sites out there that have all that information, so why clutter the internet by repeating the same old thing? But, sometimes, a hotel is more than the sum of its parts. And […]