Girl’s Weekend in Austin

A deferred race entry, cancelled flight, unusually rainy weather, and a big loss for the Brewers… this trip was a perfect example of how you have a choice to make when things go wrong. You can either complain about it and focus on the negative or make the most of your situation. Despite all the […]

SoCal Travel Guide

I am writing this while sipping on an almond milk flat white at the Aussie-owned cafe, The Aussie Bean. I will unashamedly admit that this is my second time here in three days. Even though the coffee is great, Santa Barbara and Anaheim have a lot more to offer than just great coffee! I flew […]

You Had Me at Aloha

Mo and I may be back from our five day getaway to Maui, but let me just say that I am still on that “island time.” It was our first trip to Hawaii and it won’t be our last! Living on the west coast makes the flight just a short 4-5 hours away. Before we […]

The Road to Hana

Luckily, it wasn’t until after we did the Road to Hana that I found out this drive is also termed “The Divorce Highway…” I can see why! The Road to Hana is a long, winding road that takes gives you the full Maui experience as you drive all the way across to east side of the […]

My Parent’s First Blog: California Adventures

I was all set to write a blog on my parent’s visit to California, but when I got the email with their “notes”… it ended up being a full travel journal from the trip! It was so much fun reading about the trip from their perspective and so I decided to share that perspective with […]

My Career Journey + 6 Life Lessons

Don’t you just love when you graduate from college, know exactly what you want to do, and get accepted into your dream job right away?? Oh wait, that didn’t happen to you either? When I graduated college 5 years ago, I would never have guessed I’d be where I am today. Sound familiar? I am […]

Spring Clean Your House… and Your Life

The sun is shining, the trees are getting greener, and let’s be honest, it’s already been hot enough in California to sit by the pool. Usually the transition from winter to spring is a lot more drastic coming from Chicago, but I’m ok with this smooth, less drastic transition. Wherever you may be, the beginning […]

Besties in the Westies: Hil and Jill Visit California

The last time Hil, Jill and I were all together, we ran Grandma’s Marathon. This time I am happy to say that no marathons were involved, HOWEVER, with all of the hiking, dancing, running, kayaking and Soul-Cycling we did… I’d say we still got our fair share of activities! That is one thing I love […]

Love is the Greatest Adventure

Carmel-by-the-Sea Anniversary If I had to sum up the past four years of marriage in one word, it would be adventure. Seven different apartments in three different states/two different countries, job transitions, becoming dog-parents, road trips, serving in kid’s ministry together at church… it has been the adventure of a lifetime. We celebrated our first […]

Friendsgiving in Tahoe

Thanksgiving? But isn’t it March…? Yes, it is definitely March, but I wasn’t willing to let this fun November weekend with friends and good food go undocumented! While Mo and I weren’t able to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family this year, we had the opportunity to celebrate with our friends in a beautiful house in […]