May 20 2014

Healthcare Failure

I am an RN, and I work for a temp agency so I go a lot of places and see a lot of things. On my last shift I saw one of the most horrendous things I’ve ever seen. Here’s a hint: it wasn’t anything gory. Continue reading

May 15 2014

Financial Leap of Faith

exchange rate

Do you believe in fate? I went to a birthday party for a friend’s child over the weekend and I think I met the people who are going to buy our house next year.

Our house is right where she wants to be. She already knows two of our neighbors Continue reading

May 11 2014

Mother’s Day In an Airport

Last year on Mother’s Day I was varying thousands of miles away. It was hell day on my South America trip, and we spent the day going from airport to airport for about 20 hours straight. I didn’t even see the Mother’s Day gift my kids sent me until the next day.

We started out in Puno at Lake Titicaca and got up about 6am Continue reading

May 10 2014

Bringing Healthy Travel Habits Home

Mexico

When I travel I walk everywhere, I snorkel for hours, I bicycle and climb and spend every minute of the day exploring. I eat lots of ceviche and fresh fruit, and I drink tons of water. I always lose weight, and I feel stronger.

Then I come home and fall back into the same sedentary habits Continue reading

May 5 2014

A Glimpse of Lima, Peru

Last year at this time I was starting a study abroad trip. Would you like to take Ethics 101 in a classroom or go on a trip to South America? Hmmm, let me think. I was the oldest student on the trip at 36, and it was the first time I had traveled without my husband. I don’t know if it taught me anything new regarding ethics, but I did learn a lot. Continue reading

May 2 2014

Making Summer Family Travel Plans

Our first day in Cozumel with the kids last year.
Our first day in Cozumel with the kids last year.

I’m trying to nail down what we can and can’t do this summer while the kids are out of school. Road trips around the Midwest are pretty easy and cheap because we can usually stay with someone. Jason and I want to try sailing lessons at a local lake, and there will be lots of camping and canoeing. What we all really want, though, is the ocean. Continue reading

April 27 2014

Coming and Going: Moving with Kids

Lake Titicaca is really cold!
Lake Titicaca is really cold!

On my study abroad trip to South America last year I didn’t know anyone, so I was really lucky to end up with Lindsay as my roommate. We’re both students in our 30’s in the sea of 20-yr olds. We both missed our kids horribly. As independent adults we had a few meltdowns about Continue reading

April 21 2014

An Easter Miracle for a Chicken

Friday I went out to see the new baby goats and ended up with a box of cheeping baby chicks in my car. Then it just got stranger from there, and yes, I am a little crazy. But in a good way. Continue reading

April 16 2014

Welcoming New Kids: Watching Goats be Born

“Bella had her babies today!”

What did your kids learn today? When my 7-year old got to daycare she got to watch a baby goat being born. One was already out by the time they realized what was happening, but the second twin was witnessed coming into the world by June and her friend Zach (Nina’s son and owner of the goat.) Continue reading

April 15 2014

Why We Don’t Do All Inclusive Resorts

Part 1

When we took our first trip overseas in 2008 it was a destination wedding on a big resort.  I looked at the resort accommodations where the wedding party and basically everyone else was staying and figured it would cost us about $500 a night to stay there ($345 plus an extra $145 per night to have the kids with us.) Even with meals and entertainment thrown in, this seemed ridiculous Continue reading