9 Staycation Ideas

If you are like me, I’m sure you are anxious to go on vacation. Between the shutdown causing trip cancellations and no options to go anywhere else for months, I have been counting down until I can take a vacation again.

Now that things are starting to open up again, why not plan a little staycation? If you’re not comfortable traveling far yet or want to simply help out your local community, a staycation is a great option. Here are some of my favorite options for a local staycation.

1. Take a Day Trip

Taking a day trip is one of the best staycation ideas out there. Find a nearby city that is within driving distance and make a day of it. Come up with places you want to visit there and then spend the day there exploring. One of my favorite staycations was a day trip we took to Raleigh, NC, which was about a two-and-a-half-hour car drive from our home.

2. Book a Local Hotel

Want to get away but can’t afford a long stay or don’t want to be gone long? Book a local hotel, Bed & Breakfast, or Airbnb for a night. It will give you a taste of a little vacay. We got a hotel room about 20 minutes from our house when we went to a convention, and it was fun staying there even for one night. We have been talking about doing it again because we live near the beach and would love to get a hotel room on the beach just for one night for a staycation.

3. Spa Day

Is there a local spa near you? Make some reservations and go. Spend the day relaxing, sit in a sauna, enjoy a massage, etc. If you don’t have a spa nearby, try getting your hair done, treat yourself to a mani/pedi, or find a hot tub to soak in. Take a day and pamper yourself any way you can with what you have nearby.

4. Camp Out

Do you have a nature lover in your family or want to explore the outdoors some more? Find a nearby campground or camp outside in your own backyard. You can spend the day in nature exploring, hiking, etc.

5. Create Themed Rooms in Your House

I have seen so many creative ideas to turn your home into a new location. Pick a country or city you want to visit and decorate a room in your house to reflect that place. A friend of mine also suggested decorating each room in your house as a different country and having a Passport party where you go around “traveling” to each country, going from room to room. I am so excited to try this one out!

6. Find a Newly Opened Business

Is there a new business, shop, or attraction in your town? Try it out. Is there a new aquarium, trampoline park, museum, etc? Look around online and see what is new around you, and then check it out. There are always new places opening up; you just have to look around.

7. Try a New Restaurant

Along the lines of trying new places, try a new restaurant. It doesn’t have to be a brand new restaurant, but just somewhere new to you. We often stick to what we know and love (which is fine), but by doing that, you could miss out on finding a new favorite place. Pick a restaurant you haven’t been to before and give it a try.

8. Go for a Drive

Want to just get out of the house but don’t know where to go? Throw the planning out and go for a drive. One of our family’s favorite staycation ideas is to go for a drive. We love driving around and just exploring new places near us. It has been such a fun way for us to discover new places, restaurants, and get to know our new cities whenever we move.

9. Visit Local Attractions

Do you have a local aquarium, putt-putt place, arcade, theme park, etc.? Take a trip there for the day. These are many fun activities that you often take advantage of during vacation but don’t think to do during times at home. We personally love going to the beach and aquarium that are local to us. Take advantage of any local attractions you have for a fun staycation.

With a little creativity and exploration, you can create a fun staycation wherever you are. You don’t have to go far or spend a fortune to have a great vacation. What is your favorite type of staycation? Share in the comments below.

Summer Bucket List Activities

I have been making seasonal bucket lists since the fall and am now rounding it out with a summer one. Summer is my absolute favorite season. I love the longer daylight, warm weather, and sunshine. There are so many fun things to do outside during the summertime.

Are you looking for some summer activity ideas for your family? I have compiled this list of fun summer activities to add to your Summer Bucket List!

Go to the Beach

The best summer activity I can think of is visiting the beach. I love the beach anytime, but summer is always the best time to go. You can lie down and tan, play in the sand, and/or swim in the ocean. So many options and something for everyone to enjoy.

Build a Sandcastle

There is nothing like building a sandcastle while at the beach. The castle type options are endless. You could use sand toys to build one or design your own. I love walking along the beach to see all the different kinds of castles people build, and a castle-making contest is so much fun too.

Collect Seashells

One of my favorite beach activities is collecting seashells. I love finding seashells at every beach I go to and bringing some home for a little taste of each individual beach I visit. I also love making crafts using those seashells that I use as decor in my home.

Go to the Pool

Don’t live near the beach or want calmer water to play in? The pool is a great option. There is nothing like a cool dip in a pool on a hot summer day. I have so many great memories of summer days at the pool.

Make a Summer Craft

Arts and crafts are huge in my house and great for any season. You could paint, color, or make any DIY craft with a summer theme. Some of my favorite summer crafts have been a door wreath with flip-flops and an ocean-in-a-bottle craft I made with sand and shells. The craft options are endless.

Watch Fireworks

Another of my summer favorites is watching fireworks. July 4th is right in the middle of summer, and what better way to celebrate than by watching the fireworks? Baseball games and other special events also hold more fireworks shows during the summer months.

Go on a Vacation

Nothing says summer like a family vacation. As a kid, I always looked forward to vacation time during the summer. It’s the perfect time to get away, enjoy the warm weather while kids are out of school, and make fun memories to last a lifetime.

Go Camping

Taking advantage of the warm weather by getting outdoors is a must during summertime. While I’m not personally a huge fan of camping, my husband is. Summer is the perfect time to take up some camping either at a campsite or in your own backyard.

Go on a Hike

A great outdoor option during summer is hiking. There are so many great trails all around to explore. You don’t have to do anything too strenuous. Just getting outside and enjoying the warm weather is great during summertime. Just remember to be prepared with sunscreen and water for hikes, especially on hot days.

Make a Bonfire

Who doesn’t love a good bonfire on a summer evening? When the sun goes down and it gets a little cooler, cozying up by the fire is a great way to spend the evening. You can make s’mores and sing campfire songs.

Have a BBQ

Soak up the sun and enjoy some family and/or friend time by having a barbecue. Grill and hang out while the kids play in a sprinkler. Fun for everyone involved.

Eat Ice Cream

There is no better treat than ice cream on a hot day. I’m a huge ice cream fan any day, but especially during the hot summer months. I have a little ice cream maker and personally love making my own homemade ice cream. Store-bought works great too.

Make Popsicles

Just like ice cream, popsicles are a staple during summer days. A great way to get the whole family involved is to make your own at home. There are so many great recipes online for easy, simple, and even healthy popsicle options. Get your children involved and let them pick out their favorite flavors.

Go to a Swim Meet

Swimming and summer go hand in hand. I always loved watching swimming during the Olympics and then going to my own siblings' swim meets. It’s a fun environment, especially for outside meets during summertime.

Go to a Baseball Game

This activity was on my spring bucket list too, but it is a great one to continue during the summer. I am a huge baseball fan and practically lived at a baseball stadium during the spring and summer growing up. I just love it! They have so many cool giveaways, special events, and activities during the games too. You can’t go wrong spending a night at the ballpark.

Go on a Boat Ride

There is nothing like days by or on the water during the summer months. A great way to enjoy the water is by going on a boat ride. It could be on the ocean, a lake, a river, etc. Here in North Carolina, we love taking fiery rides over to the coastal islands near us during the summer. It’s great fun for the whole family.

I just love summer. Beach and baseball days are some of my favorites. What are your favorite summer activities? Let me know in the comments below. Happy Summer, you guys!

DIY Rainbow Dash Birthday Party

I had always planned to do a Little Mermaid theme for my daughter’s first birthday. However, when the time came, I decided to go with a My Little Pony (specifically Rainbow Dash) theme instead because that was my daughter’s favorite thing at the time. She was obsessed with Rainbow Dash, and I wanted to do something I knew she would love. I began looking up ideas for the theme, and this is what we ultimately came up with and used.

Photo Backdrop

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Rainbow-colored tablecloths
• White balloons
• My Little Pony Happy Birthday sign
• String/Tape

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Hang rainbow-colored tablecloths on a string (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple). I bought a pack of cheap plastic tablecloths that were multicolored.
2. Blow up some white balloons and tape them to the top of the rainbow string.
3. Hang up the Happy Birthday banner across the rainbow.

Highchair Decoration

Supplies You’ll Need:

• String
• Rainbow colored tulle
• Scissors
• Tape (optional)

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Measure how much string you need to go around the highchair. Take into account extra string if you plan to tie it versus taping it, and cut it.
2. Cut pieces of rainbow-colored tulle (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) and tie them around the string. **Take into account that when you tie the tulle, it will make it half the size, so make sure to cut a piece twice as long as you want it to be. (i.e., if you want the tulle to hang 6 inches from the string, then cut it at 12 inches total in length.)
3. Tie the string around the highchair. Or tape it if you prefer.

Birthday Outfit

Supplies You’ll Need:

• White onesie
• My Little Pony Fabric
• White thread
• Cutting tools
• Sewing machine
• Stretchy baby headband/elastic
• Rainbow colored tulle

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Cut the My Little Pony fabric into letters for the age (you can also just do the number). I personally used a heart shape for the O in “ONE” for my daughter.
2. Sew the letters/numbers onto the white onesie.
3. Cut rainbow colored tulle for the skirt. You can make it whatever length you want. Make sure to take into account that you will fold the tulle over, so make it twice the length of what you want for the skirt (just like with the highchair decoration).
4. Tie the rainbow-colored tulle onto the child’s stretchy headband to create the skirt. I bought a cheap $1 baby headband from the craft section in Walmart. These are a favorite of mine to use when making baby tulle skirts. You can also use some elastic if you prefer.

Cake

Supplies You’ll Need:

• Cake mix
• Blue icing
• Rainbow-colored icing/food coloring
• Fondant
• Candle

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Mix and bake a little cake.
2. Spread blue icing all over the cake. You can also use white icing with blue food coloring if you don’t have blue icing.
3. Use rainbow colored fondant to twist and make the hair.
4. Use black and white fondant for the eyes.
5. Add a birthday candle on top.

Balloons

If you’re like me, you love balloons for birthdays. You can use extra white “cloud” balloons or rainbow-colored ones. And don’t forget the shiny numbered balloon(s) for the age.

Plates & Cups

My Little Pony is pretty popular right now, so we were able to find party paper plates and cups that we got to use for the party.

Wrapping Paper

Another way I tied in the birthday theme was by using My Little Pony wrapping paper to wrap the presents.

My Little Pony Accessories

To tie in the theme (and her love of the ponies), my daughter also got some My Little Pony toys and accessories for her presents. Pony Little People toys and Rainbow Dash sunglasses.

I hope these ideas help to inspire you to throw your own My Little Pony party and have just as much fun as we did. Happy celebrating and creating!

11 Physical & Mental Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is one of my favorite ways to practice self-care. I started yoga about 4 years ago. It was the only workout routine I was able to stick to during both of my pregnancies. It’s so relaxing and peaceful. I definitely notice a difference in my body both physically and mentally when I’m doing yoga regularly vs. when I’m not.

If there is only one workout routine I can get done in a day, yoga will always be the one I choose. There are so many wonderful benefits to it. Before I started yoga, I had many preconceived notions about it (which were false), so I wanted to share with you my own personal experience and proven ways that yoga benefits you both mentally and physically.

1. Increased Flexibility

This is probably one of the most obvious benefits of yoga. Yoga flows are a lot of stretching postures that, when done regularly, help to increase flexibility. One of the things I love so much about yoga is that you don’t have to be super flexible starting off. There are many options for poses so that you can find what works for where you are at. The more you do it, the more your flexibility will grow.

I was always pretty flexible growing up, having danced for 10 years. However, it’s now been about 13 years since I have danced, and I have lost quite a bit of my natural flexibility. Since I started doing yoga regularly, I have been gaining that flexibility back.

2. Increased Circulation & Mobility

Yoga flows are not only gentle and good on the body, but they also increase your circulation and mobility. The different stretches and postures for yoga really help to assist with blood flow, which improves circulation. Many yoga poses involve joint rotation and lengthening of often-ignored muscles, which in turn helps with mobility.

One of my favorite things about yoga is that it targets so many areas at once and often forgotten areas too. If I am sore, I do a yoga flow that targets that specific sore area. I have noticed a difference in my joints and overall mobility thanks to yoga.

3. Increased Energy

It is a proven fact that working out regularly increases energy, and yoga is no exception. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. By getting your blood flowing and heart rate up, these endorphins also raise your energy levels.

Have you ever found yourself with more energy after a workout than you had before it? You have those endorphins to thank. I always find that no matter how exhausted I am, if I just manage to get my yoga in, I always feel better and more energized after.

4. Increased Happiness

Not only do endorphins from exercising boost energy levels, but did you know that those endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in your body that is similar to morphine? That positive feeling creates happiness.

I have noticed this over and over for myself. Since I have started doing yoga, I am more relaxed, less stressed, and overall happier. I am a very positive and happy-go-lucky person, to begin with, but I have noticed that when I do yoga regularly, I am in a better mood and don’t get as overwhelmed or upset as easily.

5. Decreased Stress

Along with increased happiness comes decreased stress. Stress comes in all forms and can negatively affect your body physically, mentally, and emotionally. It can affect your sleep and weight. Yoga flows help to calm you down and keep you centered, which in turn decreases stress.

Whenever I’m stressed or my mind is running a mile a minute, I always crave some yoga time. Getting a yoga routine in (even if short) instantly calms me down and helps me to unwind.

6. Relaxation Habits

Yoga has some great breathing techniques. Controlled breathing is a great tool to help with relaxation. Yoga breathing helps to increase lung capacity, which leads to better breathing. Yoga also helps improve your sleep. If you need some help sleeping better or just getting into better relaxation habits, give yoga a try!

If I am feeling stressed or anxious, I just hop on my mat and do some yoga. After I finish a yoga routine, I feel so relaxed and peaceful. The breathing I learned in yoga has really helped me to relax more easily. When I get mad or worked up about something, I just take some deep breaths and try to focus so I can calm down instead of blowing up.

7. Meditation Habits

Yoga is great for mental health simply for its meditation traits. Meditation is a huge part of yoga. It helps you to slow down and unwind. It puts life troubles behind you so that you can focus on the here and now. It teaches you to quiet your mind and just be.

Meditation is not something I’ve done regularly. Thanks to yoga, I have a better understanding and appreciation for meditation. It is hard to really quiet your mind and stop it from running a mile a minute. I have learned how to slow down and let my mind and to-do list wait while I do yoga.

8. Increased Focus & Awareness

Breathing, balancing postures, and being more involved with yoga bring increased focus and awareness. The breath control and meditation aspects of yoga teach you how to stay present. It also brings awareness to yourself and how you feel both physically and mentally.

Patience and focus during the slow moments of yoga have helped teach me how to stay present. The balancing and postures have helped to bring me more body and mind awareness. You know where you are at, good or bad, for both. Being able to recognize that and address it is so helpful.

9. Better Posture

Yoga poses are great in aiding better posture. While practicing yoga regularly helps to strengthen muscles, it also helps you become more aware of when your posture is off and teaches you how to correct it. This is great for those of us who slouch mindlessly. Some poses help to strengthen and relieve neck and back pain, which could be a cause of bad posture.

I grew up as a dancer, where posture was very important. After becoming an adult and having many desk jobs, my posture habits went out the window. Yoga really helped to improve my posture again.

10. Better Metabolism

Along with many other health benefits of yoga, a big one is a better metabolism. When you practice yoga every day, you increase your metabolism, which helps you burn fat. This, in turn, can help to aid in weight loss.

Prior to starting yoga, I thought that yoga wouldn’t aid in weight loss at all. That is simply not true. When I started my fitness journey, I started with a HIIT workout and started gaining muscle weight. It wasn’t until I started doing yoga that I actually started losing weight again. I truly believe yoga was a huge help for me in staying in shape and maintaining a healthy weight gain during my pregnancies. By helping boost your metabolism, yoga can help aid in weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight.

11. Builds Strength

Another myth I believed about yoga before trying it myself was that the workouts really weren’t “real” workouts that would tone you. Boy, was I wrong! Yoga may seem simple, but it really is a good workout. The routines can target specific areas of the body just like other workout routines. And they do it healthily. There is stretching, flow workouts, and cooling-down periods during a typical yoga routine. There are also different kinds of intensity flows that you can do.

Doing yoga regularly helps you build strength and gain muscle in all the major areas of the body (arms, abs, back). I have personally found my arms and legs to be sore after practices. I have noticed a big difference in my strength since doing yoga regularly, specifically in my arms. My upper body has always been the weakest area for me, and yoga has greatly increased my arm strength.

In case you couldn’t tell from this list, I have absolutely fallen in love with yoga. There are so many benefits to it, and I love the positive changes I have seen in my body both physically and mentally since I started on my yoga journey.

I am not an expert. I am still learning and growing in my own yoga journey, but I am so glad to be on it. I would encourage each of you to give yoga a try. Go into it with an open mind, and you will be surprised at what you discover about yourself and yoga along the way. Namaste.

Trip Planning: What to Do Before Booking

Since we aren’t able to travel right now, I have been daydreaming and planning future trips I want to take. Even if you can’t pick a travel date, you can still be planning your next adventure and learning all about your dream destination(s). I want to share with you some ways you can use this time at home to your advantage and how you can still get ahead in your travel planning before booking a ticket.

Research the Destination

First things first, when planning a trip, you need to research the destination you have in mind. What makes it special? Why do you want to visit it? Is it safe to travel there? Is there a language barrier? Where are the good and safe places to stay? When is the best time of year to visit?

Research as much as you can about the destination that you have in mind to get an idea of the place you will be visiting. Find insider info on the destination by reading blogs and articles from locals who live there or people who have traveled there. Ask around in travel groups for advice and recommendations.

Pick Trip Activities

Find out what activities there are and which ones you want to add to your itinerary at the destination you have in mind. Are there any restaurants, landmarks, or other places that you want to make sure to visit while there? Any bucket list adventures you want to accomplish while there? Include these on your activity to-do list for your trip.

Make a Trip Budget

After you have your to-do list for your trip, start figuring out the pricing for everything. Make sure to take note of any exchange rates between your local currency and the currency of the country you are visiting. Take into account hotels, transportation, and any activities you are planning to do that cost money. You may not know the exact amount for all meals or souvenir shopping, but creating a general budget will help you to save up for the trip and have an idea of what to expect to pay while traveling.

Check Your Passport

If traveling internationally, make sure to have your passport ready. If this is the first time you are traveling internationally, allow yourself plenty of time to get your passport before your trip. Passports can take quite a while to get. I believe when I applied for mine, it took me about 6-8 weeks to receive it. You can pay to have it expedited, but it is not cheap, so I would just give yourself plenty of time before your travel dates to get it done.

For current passport holders, double-check the expiration date on it before traveling internationally. I have heard that some places won’t allow you to enter their country if your passport expires within 6 months of when you arrive. If your passport is up to expire within 6 months of your travel dates, it would probably be worth it to just renew ahead of time. Also, some countries require a certain number of blank pages in your passport for stamps, so double-check that too.

Research Visas

Make sure to research the visa laws wherever you are traveling. Some countries require a visa (not just a passport) to travel there. If the place you want to travel requires a visa, make sure to apply and get your approval before purchasing your ticket. Some visa applications can take a while to get approved, and you don’t want to risk having to cancel your flight if you don’t have the visa yet.

Check Vaccine Requirements

Make sure to double-check if the place you are traveling to requires any medical exams or vaccines prior to entry. Some countries require you to be up to date on certain vaccines or get secondary ones if you travel there. It doesn’t hurt to get a quick physical/exam before traveling to make sure everything is up to date. Some places may require the vaccines to be in your system a certain amount of time before you enter their country, so check this before booking.

Shop Around for Flights

Do your flight research and take your time shopping around before booking a ticket. Traveling in the off-season for your destination and using major airports can help you save. Take a look at layover times and locations. You want everything to run smoothly and be able to navigate airports as best as possible when traveling.

Shop Around for Living Arrangements

Do some research and shop around on living arrangements while on your travels. Is a hotel, resort, rental home, or hostel the best fit for your price and space preferences? Your choice may be different if you are a solo traveler vs. traveling with your whole family. I personally love Airbnb because it is a great alternative that can provide more space and better pricing oftentimes. Look around and see what works best for you.

Once I have these most time-consuming items taken care of and the best prices figured out, then I start the actual booking process. If you’re unable to travel for any reason, use that time to get ahead by getting some of the prep work done early. That way, when you’re able to travel again, you’ll have less to do. What is the #1 thing you do before booking a trip? Let me know in the comments below. Happy planning!

To the Daughter Who Made Me a Mother

I started a tradition after my daughter was born of writing a letter to her each month of her first year and then one for her birthday each year after that. It’s a way I use my love of writing as a way to preserve our memories, her favorite things, things she dislikes, and all of her milestones as she grows. It’s a way for me to be honest about my struggles and good times, as well as share my hopes and dreams for her life.

As a mom, the days can blur together, and it’s easy to forget exact moments and dates. Time flies so fast, and I want to remember everything. I have continued this letter-writing tradition with my son and plan to do so for any future kids I have as well. It is a great way to have a little keepsake that my kids can always go back to and read.

With Mother’s Day coming up and today being my daughter’s 3rd birthday, I have been reminiscing on those letters from her first year and all our wonderful memories together. We have learned and grown together through my first-time motherhood journey. There is no one else I would have wanted to experience this with than my sweet little girl.

To the daughter who made me a mother, I have loved you since the moment I found out about you. The first time I felt your flutter and kick inside of me was pure magic. I dreamed you’d be a girl but was still shocked when I found out you actually were. I giggled over your little personality and the way you made sure we knew your gender with legs wide open.

I stressed over finding the perfect name for you and argued with Daddy, trying to agree on one. I worried over you through extra ultrasounds and cardiologist meetings. I held onto hope and stayed optimistic despite Daddy stressing. I prayed many prayers over your health.

I taught myself to sew and made you many blankets and accessories. I kept myself busy with DIY projects, counting down the days until we would meet in person. At every appointment I had, I was so anxious to hear your little heartbeat and know you were growing well.

To the daughter who made me a mother, I will never forget the day you were born. It was the happiest day of my life and also felt like the longest. I was a little nervous but so very excited to meet you. I will never forget the laughter of the doctor as you tried to screwball your way out. The moment they placed you on my chest was the most perfect moment of my life. Holding you, I was instantly in love, wrapped around your finger, and my heart felt complete.

To the daughter who made me a mother, the first year of your life seems like a blur. There were so many sleepless days and nights. But just as many snuggles and hugs. Watching you learn and grow is the best moment. Seeing your passions and little personality develop is so much fun to witness. Seeing you be kind, generous, and loving is the proudest moment of my life. I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.

To the daughter who made me a mother, we have learned and grown so much together. I feel like I have learned more from you than you have from me. You have taught me true unconditional love. You have shown me how good it is to have a short memory for the bad and how a simple smile heals anything. You have pushed me to chase my dreams again.

You have taught me the importance of saying you’re sorry and knowing someone is watching even when you don’t think anyone is. You have inspired me to do better, be kinder, and lead by example. You have shown me how impossible it is to stay mad for long whenever you are around. You have pushed me to be braver by watching your fearlessness with any animal. You inspire me to experience new things and go on new adventures. You help me to be the best that I can be in all areas of life.

To the daughter who made me a mother, just when I think you can’t surprise me anymore, you do. I’m amazed by your imagination and childlike wonder. You can lift my spirits with just a hug or kiss. Snuggling with you is my favorite. I hope you never grow too old to talk with me about your day or hold my hand.

To the daughter who made me a mother, I couldn’t ask for a better daughter. You truly are my answered prayer and dream come true. I am so thankful that God chose me to be your mommy. You are one of my absolute favorite people. I love going on adventures with you. I can’t wait to see all the places you’ll go and the things you’ll do in life. You are a blessing I never take for granted. I’m so very thankful for the gift of being your mommy every single day.