Sometimes we are limited on time and energy and of course money so going on long vacations during the summer is just a bit too tricky. That's why I am a huge fan of day trips. You don't need to find a pet sitter, you can be home to sleep in your own bed, and you don't spend nearly as much money. So here are some summer day trip ideas. 

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Simplify Packing for Travel

Packing for a trip can be stressful but it doesn't have to be.  With a few simple steps, you can master the art of travel so that it's less of a burden.

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Travelling To The West End Of London: Why Staying In A Serviced Apartment Makes Sense

London is, of course, an incredible city and one that is steeped in history. If you are planning a short stay in the West End, accommodation should be considered. You could stay at a hotel on the outskirt of the city and drive into the West End (parking is a nightmare); you could book a hotel suite in one of the exclusive London hotels, which puts a huge dent in your finances, or you could stay in a serviced apartment located in the West End. The latter is the preferred option and here are a few compelling reasons.

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Our Mini-Moon at the Cabin

I am such a homebody that travelling doesn't really relax me and instead it makes me homesick.  I've always been this way.  So for that reason and because we wanted to put money into our house this past year (we did with our patio, basement and garage floors, and screened in porch), which we decided to just take a mini honeymoon near our 1 year wedding anniversary.

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BloggyCon 2018 Recap [Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio]

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.


So this past weekend I attended BloggyCon 2018 at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio. This was my 3rd Blog Conference - the first being LuckyFABB in New York and the second was iRetreat in 2014 in Hershey, PA right by me. 

Now let me preface this post by letting you know I'm a MAJOR homebody. I always have been. As a kid I hated sleepovers and always wanted to be at my own home in my own bed.   When friends wanted me to ask my mom if I could sleep over I'd make a face at her as I asked in front of them so she knew I didn't want to, lol! 
 

 So it was a 6 hour drive and I left Friday morning.  I was nervous as all hell and I honestly knew that I would be a minority there. I'm not a parenting blogger as I have no kids.  I am basically a lifestyle blogger and I knew that most attendees would be either mommy bloggers, home school bloggers, travel bloggers, and food bloggers.   I also knew that most everyone was bringing their family along to have fun at Cedar Point Amusement Park. Still, I sucked it up.  

When I arrived my room was gorgeous...except for the view.  Of course I was facing the parking lot...well, I would have been but there was a tiny top level maintenance area OF COURSE right outside my window.  So yea, this was my view...

 But it could always be worse I guess.  So the first few hours were very awkward. I went to my room and did some blog work and waited for 5 pm when it was time to pick up the registration badges and swag bag. 

 I arrived early hoping to get some sun on the beach since all week the weather said it would be sunny.  But when I got there it was very muggy, foggy, and overcast.  Oh well. 

 I wandered around the hotel looking at the Halloween themed decor since it's the beginning of Halloweekends at the park. 

 It actually did get a little sunny in the evening.

 At 6 I went to TGIFriday's at the resort and got a burger.  Then I walked around the park.

 I was in such a funk. I was so bored and so down on myself since I was there all alone. So I sat at the bar in the evening and posted to the conference Facebook group asking if anyone else was there alone.  And bam - 2 ladies (Robin from Junk Journal and Leslie from Mainstream Momma) responded and came down and me at the hotel bar for drinks!

We had a blast chatting for a couple of hours and then went back to our rooms for bed. 

 The next morning was the official first day of the conference and at 8 am we had to meet for breakfast and opening remarks.  I ran into 2 ladies (Angela from Extra Grace Required and Adeina from Creative Lifestyles with Adeina) and ended up sitting at the table with one of them and my friends from the bar. 

 I learned a lot but interestingly enough, each speaker had opposite advice on different topics.  That brought me to the conclusion of something I always thought...blogging is not black and white. What works for some won't work for others. I loved getting all the new info and tips!

Then I enjoyed an hour of sun on the beach FINALLY and headed to dinner with some of the other solo ladies at the conference. We had hibachi and it was delicious! Then a couple of us went outside to enjoy the beach and get drinks.

I actually left Sunday morning and skipped the last 2 sessions of the conference because I just wanted to be back home with my pups and my hubby and honestly I was exhausted.  I really did have a fun time and was glad I took the first step to meet up with some people and show myself I wasn't the only one in my situation. 


Do you like traveling solo to conferences or are you a homebody like me?

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Travel Tips for the Holidays & A Giveaway from Hotels.com

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.

The holidays can be a really hectic time especially if you have to travel. There are however a few simple tips you can follow to make everything go much more smooth for you and your family.

Plan Ahead
Make sure you check Hotels.com for deals that you can take advantage of to save some money.  You can check out their Deal of the Day, their Holiday Sales, and even their Last Minute New Year's Deals. 


Stay Connected
When you are rushing around getting packed and trying to make your flight or arrive to your hotel at a decent time, make sure you stay connected.  The Hotels.com app lets you book on the go.  You can easily sort and filter the results and even take advantage of Secret Prices on the app. 
The Hotels.com Secret Prices aren't shared with any other sites.  They are specifically negotiated for customers that have subscribed to emails or downloaded the app.  You can also join Hotels.com Rewards and collect 10 nights and get 1 free! There are plenty of great rewards and you are also eligible for Secret Prices!


Be Prepared  
Make sure you have a schedule of when you need to leave, what items you need to pack, who you need to notify (if anyone is checking on your pets or your house), and a basic itinerary of your travel.   Being organized and prepared is a great way to ensure you can enjoy yourself and not feel stressed the whole time!


Speaking of traveling, if you have people on your gift list that love to travel and you still need a gift idea for them, why not choose a $50 Hotels.com gift card!

Today, Hotels.com has teamed up with Ask Away to give one lucky winner a $50 gift card for Hotels.com!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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10 Tips for Efficiently Packing for a Trip

Vacations are fun but the one thing we all dread is packing for a trip.   It can be overwhelming and difficult so I put together 10 tips to help you pack more efficiently.

1. Make a list of your daily routine.
In order to ensure you don't forget to pack anything, spend 2 days writing down every product or item you use.  This helps to ensure you will cover everything you need to go about your life as if you were still at home.

2. Plan your outfits.
When making a list, it's often confusing how many pairs of pants or socks to bring along.  So instead of just winging it, plan your outfits. That way you know EXACTLY what to pack.

3.  Reuse certain items.
Instead of packing 4 pairs of jeans for a 5 day trip, try packing just 2.  Jeans can be worn again.  

4. Pack strategically.
In order to make everything fit into your travel bags, make sure you get creative and utilize space like the inside of shoes for rolling up and inserting your jewelry.  You can roll jewelry inside of t shirts and pack them carefully.   And speaking of rolling...rolling is a great way to fit more into your travel bag.  I even store my tshirts in my dresser by rolling them up.

5. If you have any doubts, bag it.
If there's any product you worry may leak, put it in a ziplock bag!  From all the heat and movement, you never know what beauty products might explode, so you want to contain messes by keeping them in a bag.

6. Wear the bulkiest items instead of packing them.
Instead of packing sneakers, pack your sandals and WEAR your sneakers.  This eliminates any snaffus like when you go to pack up to head home and your sneakers make it so half of your tshirts won't fit.

7. Keep a minimalist mind set.
If you have to question if you will actually use or wear something...you probably DON'T need to bring it.

8. Emergency Items are a must.
Emergency items are things you don't wanna go without.  Extra underwear, socks, bandaids, medicines, etc.

9. Don't be afraid to throw it out.
If you are going on a long vacation and you are very concerned with everything you have to pack, why not pack some of the older items you have like socks and underwear that you can throw away for good after wearing them once more?  This makes it even easier to pack on your way home since there will be less items.

10. Pack for unusual circumstances.
Don't forget to pack an umbrella incase it rains where you are or even a pair of slippers in case there's a fire alarm incident at your hotel.

Are there any other tips you have?

Staying Organized At Home and On the Go

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Everyone knows that I just LOVE organizing so it's no surprise that I even keep my medications and vitamins organized and ready to go.  However, when traveling it can be stressful to remember to bring the right pills for the right days without ruining your organization at home.  

Because of this, you will need a practical and versatile solution just like what I use...  pill boxes and solutions from the Sabi THRIVE line. They have practical solutions for everyday life.


I use the Day Box, Holster Grande, and Chop from the Sabi THRIVE Line.  

The Chop comes in handy because I have some daily medications that I need to cut in half and I've literally hurt my fingers trying to do it myself.

  It's so simple to use the Chop.  Just insert the pill, press down with your palm, and CHOP!

The Holster Grande is wonderful for someone who is on the go for a day and needs something to fit into a pocket or a purse compartment. 

 It's sleek, secure, and has a selection of compartments for you to store your pills.

The Day Box is my favorite BY FAR! It holds 3 sets of pills for each day of the week and each day can twist apart if you are on the go and need to only take a few days worth of pills with you.  

The rubber lid is easy to peel back, but you won't have to worry about jarring it and making all the other pills fly out of their designated compartments!

 I absolutely love the stylish modern look of this pill box.  It's also really easy to wash and keep clean!!  

Check out Sabi on Facebook and Twitter and also take a look at their blog!


Are you as organized as I am?








I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

10 Things to Love About the 2014 Acura MDX

The vehicle in this review was loaned by Acura through DriveSTI in exchange for my honest opinion. Read my Disclosure Policy.

As if an the look of a 2014 Acura MDX isn't enough, here are 10 more reasons you should love it!



1. It keeps you in check with a Lane Keeping Assist System.

Whether you're tired, distracted, or having a difficult time on a windy road, the 2014 Acura MDX keeps you in check when you start to cross the line into the other lane, or onto the shoulder. The subtle yet attention-getting "beep beep beep" is a gentle and necessary reminder. And you have to admit, a lot of people out there are constantly swerving back and forth when they are driving, so regardless of what you are distracted with, this is a HUGE safety feature that can keep you out of accident and out of trouble.

2. Touch it, Turn it, Talk to it - Your choice!

The On-Demand Multi-Use Display/Touch Screen not only has different options when it comes to the way you use it, but it also offers a central location to adjust some of the settings in your vehicle. Whether you want to engage the driver side seat memory, or turn off an alert, you can easily navigate through the menu by touching the screen OR by turning the dial.

3. It's Pet/Kid/Passenger/Luggage Friendly.

Not only does it come with the option to keep the 3rd row of seats up, but the 2nd row actually has heated seats so your passengers will be happy. If you have a dog (a large one at that), fold the 3rd row down and there's plenty of room for a dog or two as well as plenty of viewing space for the driver, plus you have an alert in case you try to switch lanes and can't see your blind spot!! For kids, It has a LATCH system for child seats and the DVD player in the back to keep everyone quiet and entertained. And there's plenty of storage space for shopping bags and suitcases, whether you want them in the trunk or just in the second row on the floor if you're driving alone.

4. VTEC, duh.

Like I said the other day, I love the power behind this vehicle. I never feel like I'm flooring it, it's easier to drive the speed limit because it's easy to manage the speed of the 2014 MDX since it accelerates when you ask it too and it slows down when you want it too. I know, that's very basic... but trust me, from a Honda girl whose driven lots of other vehicles, this SUV makes me proud to drive anything with a Honda or Acura badge!!!

5. It's easy to park, even for a city gal!

I live in the suburbs but work in the city so there are plenty of times already that I've had to parallel park it or fit into narrow little parking spots. The parking sensors tell you if your too close to something in front, or in back as well as making it convenient with a backup camera and multi-angle rearview camera with dynamic guidelines. Even backing out of a parking spot is less stressful because of the backup camera. And surprisingly, this SUV fits in spots that I've seen other SUVs sloppily stick out of!

6. You are the pilot!

Not only can you set your driver side seat memory settings up so it's always ready for you, but you can actually activate the Acura Navigation System with your voice. Incredible, huh? Beyond that, You have 10 way power seating and bluetooth capabilities for safety. Plus, you can even set up an SMS Text Message Function for handsfree. And you can always rest assured that your auto dimming heated power door mirrors will cater to your needs especially early in the morning when everything's covered in frost.

7. Travel around for Shopping/Food/Fun/Business with Ease.

If you're like me, I have to travel for events and to go shopping for important pieces to my wardrobe, so it's nice to have the Real-Time Traffic with street and Freeway Conditions at my fingertips. Plus travel will be more enjoyable when you listen to your favorite tunes on the 12 speaker Audio System. I love love love music and it's the only reason I don't complain about a long commute, a traffic jam, etc. It sounds great to me even when I don't have the volume up very loud so I'm a very happy camper. I feel like I'm sitting in a living room when I sit in a traffic jam!

8. It Gives You A Heads Up

The Collision Mitigation Braking System in the 2014 Acura MDX gives you a heads up warning to reduce the possibility of a frontal collision. Didn't realize traffic is coming to a complete halt? We've ALL been there, and now you'll have peace of mind knowing that you have an extra set of eyes in the rare occassions that YOU aren't alert... it can beep an alert you, then can apply braking if you still aren't paying attention and it'll tighten your seatbelt. And if an impact is inevitable, it helps reduce the severity of it by applying firmer braking and retract the front seatbelts to mitigate the forces of a collision.

9. It's Gorgeous!!

Seriously, the sleek exterior, the rugged driving capabilities  the luxurious interior.... you can easily be on your high horse when you arrive anywhere. I can't even go to the grocery store without feeling like I'm some big shot! Step in and out in style even on a bad hair day. Plus, you'll be in such a good mood from driving such an amazing vehicle, it'll radiate off of you anyways!!

10. Yep, good gas mileage (you knew it was coming).

It may be an SUV but it's still a Honda under the hood and while it will never get the gas mileage of my Civic, it certainly saves my bank account.



And come back next week when I give you the dirty details of how well this beauty drives!!!!