About Me

When I’m not on vacation, I’m dreaming about the next one. I can’t recall a time where I didn’t travel – as a kid who grew up in Hawaii, we flew to Minnesota at least once a year. I recall with fond memories our first family road trip from Minnesota to California in a VW pop-up van, camping and exploring national parks along the way. In high school, I was forever changed by snow-covered mountains when I skied in Idaho, Colorado and Wyoming. And as a college student, the travel bug bit me hard when I spent a semester studying in England and traveled Europe for a month with a couple of my closest friends.

My Husband:

Hands down, he’s my #1 favorite partner – in travel – and in life. We are a good match, travel-wise: we prefer active excursions, adventurous dining and live music. We visit museums, hike up mountains and swim in oceans.

Over the years, we have become a well-oiled trip-planning machine, plotting out ideas and/or timelines of trips we want to take 3 years into the future. We travel with each other, with our friends, and with our extended families.

He proposed in San Francisco and we honeymooned in Hawaii. We celebrated our one-year anniversary in Carmel, CA and went on an epic trip to Belize with some friends.

The Kids:

Most of our current journeys involve our kids, who range in age from little to teen. They love to travel and have been doing so since they were babies – whether they liked it or not. They now pack (and carry) their own bags – and entertain themselves on long flights. Our trips are no longer hindered by nap-times or early-risers.

We have a budding photographer, an aspiring writer, and a talented artist (maybe they should create their own blog) who hold hands (in my dreams) and experience these adventures together. We still hear are we there yet? and how much longer? Just not as often as we used to. Our favorite family trips include outdoor excursions with hiking, nature and ice cream.

Our Travels:

We don’t often venture oversees or go to exotic locales. We are not backpackers or campers who have given up our jobs to trek across the globe. We are middle-aged midwesterners who go on (mostly) average trips in the United States. Our travels include big cities, national parks and local adventures. We go by car or by plane – or both. Our adventures don’t always include a new location; sometimes an old location with new eyes – or new friends – does the trick.

 

The Spire, from the ground.