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Weekend road trip: Fort Wayne, Indiana

School has started, but we’re not letting it cramp our style. We’re still planning weekend getaways and adventures around soccer practice and tennis matches and homework.

A few weeks ago, we squeezed in a trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana. The forecast predicted a few rain showers, but we pretended it wasn’t there and headed north. From Indy, Fort Wayne is an easy two-hour drive. I love that Indianapolis is central to so many great cities. You can spend a weekend in a different city with very little effort (we can get to Cincinnati, Ohio, or Louisville, Kentucky, in about two hours also!).

The weather ended up being perfect. We got to spend hours at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo and an afternoon at their new Promenade Park. Promenade Park just opened this month; it’s over four acres of public space, playground, water features, amphitheater, and dining along the banks of The St. Mary’s. We hung out on their large porch swings as riverboat cruises, kayaks, and bar boats floated by.

When I visited Fort Wayne in the spring, the whole area was a muddy, still-in-progress construction zone, and it was awesome to see it completed.

If you subscribe to my emails, you know we’re big fans of visiting libraries in new places. I already knew I loved the Allen County Public Library from the genealogy research I was able to do last time, but this time we got to spend a few hours in the air conditioning, resting and reading books before heading to our next stop. Their children’s section does not disappoint.

Once we were done introverting for a little bit, we were re-energized and ready for the Ft. Wayne TinCaps game. The TinCaps are a minor league baseball team with an amazing ball park; it’s often voted the number one minor league ball park in America and seeing a game there was a bucket list item for us.

The girls loved the game, the food, and Harper got a ball the first baseman threw into the stands, so it was a successful night at the stadium.

One perk about visiting minor league stadiums is the ticket prices are much more manageable than major league parks. If you’d love to watch more professional baseball games, but budget is an issue, I highly recommend taking a road trip to a nearby minor league park.

At our small group meeting recently, I made a comment about how summer was over and everyone lost their minds. SUMMER IS NOT OVER YET! It’s just the beginning of August! How DARE YOU.

I laughed because the majority of my life has been planned around a school calendar: elementary school, college, teaching, and now with our daughters in school. My understanding of seasons is based solely on school calendars and not weather or moon phases.

So what I’m saying is *technically* summer is not yet over. The weather is still wonderful and you can still answer the call of the road as long as you do all your homework first.

*DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Visit Fort Wayne, but all opinions are mine.

Visit St. Louis

Sometimes it’s nice to be told what to do, so I’m going to come right out and say it: plan a trip to St. Louis, Missouri sooner rather than later.

When the girls were still in school, we skipped town for a few days and headed to St. Louis. I love that it’s within four hours of Indianapolis; close enough to go for a weekend, but far away enough to feel like a vacation.

While we were in St. Louis, we stayed at the Drury Plaza Hotel, and we really need to talk about it. We normally travel with our camper and skip hotels. It’s more cost-effective for us to travel most places (especially within a day’s drive) with our camper. BUT. The Drury Plaza Hotel changed the game for me: a great view of the Arch, a breakfast buffet that felt like an actual restaurant, unlimited popcorn and pop in the lobby all day, and something called a 5:30 Kickback they advertise as a snack time but is an actual full meal…all included in your room rate.

When I shared my shock and awe of the Drury Plaza Hotel on social media, people weren’t as surprised as I was–PEOPLE KNOW HOW WONDERFUL THIS PLACE IS. And they never told me. If this was supposed to be a secret, I’m refusing to stay quiet. It’s a magical place (there’s a rooftop pool! look for part of Ellie’s tooth if you’re there!), and we should all have the experience at least once.

You can get to Gateway Arch National Park and the Old Courthouse in less than a five minute walk. This isn’t the Arch of your childhood either, the grounds, the entrance, and the underground museum have all been remodeled and updated. It looks amazing. When we were there in 2015, it was under construction and not very pretty to look at. But now! Now it’s amazing. Make sure you leave enough time before your tram ride up to the top of the Arch to explore the museum exhibits. It’s kid-friendly, utilizes universal design making it accessible to almost everyone, and really interesting (unfortunately, the actual Arch isn’t as accessible; the construction makes it pretty much impossible to redesign or make friendlier for more people). The museum curators also did a good job of addressing some painful parts of our history in relationship to westward expansion. The exhibits tell the story of the area from three different perspectives: the white settlers, the Native Americans, and the Mexican settlers. It’s done really well.

(The Park suggests you buy tickets online ahead of time if you want to ride the tram or do any of the boat/helicopter tours. Especially in the summer, things sell out fast and you don’t want to have to wait hours for your ride time.)

Make sure you actually visit the Old Courthouse too, don’t just walk by in your way to the Gateway Arch. The Old Courthouse is part of the National Park Service and worth a stop. Both the Dred Scott case and the Virginia Minor case were heard in this courthouse, so the American history is rich and important. You don’t have to spend all morning there, but don’t miss it.

The park, formerly known as Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, was renamed Gateway Arch National Park and became an official national park in 2018. The National Park Service has worked hard to make the whole park an experience, not just the Arch. The grounds are beautiful and spacious. As we walked around, people were biking, using electric scooters, running on their lunch breaks, and playing frisbee with their dogs. You could easily spend the day at the park between the courthouse, museum, Arch, and the surrounding areas. Behind the Old Courthouse is Kiener Plaza complete with a splash pad, fountain, and playground. (If you’re there in the morning, walk the few blocks over to Pharoah’s Donuts. When you walk in, there is powdered sugar hanging in the air so you know those are going to be good donuts. It’s nothing fancy to look at, but the donuts are so good. Grab a box and head back to the playground to eat them.)

If you’re not into a picnic lunch (but seriously, why not?), take a stroll over to Laclede’s Landing where there are food and entertainment options. We ate at Mas Tequila Cantina and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re bad at making choices and just want to be told where to go (i.e. the first paragraph) for good food.

What’s great about the Drury Plaza Hotel location is that later in the evening, you can walk the few blocks over to Ballpark Village at Busch Stadium for a Cardinals game. You don’t have to mess with traffic or parking, you just waltz on into Ballpark Village carefree and fancy free. If you don’t have a ticket, you can grab food and a seat at one of the many restaurants or bars in the Village, but if you can get a ticket, seeing a game in Busch Stadium is bucket-list worthy. We got to take the girls to their first major league baseball game in St. Louis, and it was an experience they won’t forget.

You could hit a few highlights on a long weekend in St. Louis, but if you have the time, try to stay a little longer. This was our family’s third trip to St. Louis and every single time we leave wishing we had just a few more days.

-I’ve got so many recommendations for St. Louis. If you need more (like the not-to-be-missed City Museum or all the free attractions), you can see this post from our first visit and this one for our second visit.

-There’s still time to plan a trip for the 4th of July weekend! Fair Saint Louis is happening at the Gateway Arch National Park July 4th, 5th, and 6th (2019). It’s humbly called “America’s Biggest Birthday Party” and includes musical acts, air shows, free family fun, and fireworks celebrating our nation’s independence. Any time is a good time to visit St. Louis, but this weekend will be extra special

–DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored post in partnership with the National Park Service and Explore Saint Louis. All opinions are my own.

Cemetery dirt

We live across from a cemetery.

Less than two acres with a sloping hill, it is nestled between trees and a busy road. The gravel driveway takes you on a half-circle loop before depositing you across from the boundary line that separates our house from my aunt’s.

For decades, my grandpa was the caretaker, mowing the grass in the cool of the evening, picking up silk flowers as they blew off headstones, and helping to prepare sites for graveside services.

I never knew to be concerned or weirded out by our closeness to the dead. I wore frilly dresses made by my grandma as we hunted Easter eggs in the front yard, steps away from the cemetery. We celebrated Christmas and Thanksgiving nestled in the small den–where my grandparents kept all the toys–as cars crept slowly down the rocky lane to visit their deceased loved ones.

My grandpa is now buried in the cemetery across from my house, the house he and my grandma built, the one that became too much to care for after he died, the house that we bought in 2017. My niece, the baby taken too soon, who only lived a short thirty two days, is laid next to him. My grandma’s name is already etched on a headstone, patiently waiting for her to join my grandpa.

In the summer months, the girls and I walk the dogs in the cemetery. They race their bikes down the hill as I wander through the headstones looking for the oldest one, the youngest one, the one with the kid born the same year as me but who didn’t make it through high school.

The day before a funeral, a friend from high school’s dad will show up with a backhoe to dig a new grave. He works alone and efficiently, rain or snow or shine. The next morning, the funeral home arrives, erects their tent, puts down the odd pretend grass-carpet, and sets up folding chairs. From my office window, I attend a graveside service for someone I don’t know, bowing my head when they bow their heads, and standing when someone plays taps.

Last month on my trip to Fort Wayne, I had the opportunity to spend the afternoon at The Genealogy Center in the Allen County Public Library. Their library is the second largest genealogy library in the country, only topped by Utah’s Mormon genealogy library. People travel from all parts of the country and world to research ancestors, property, and family trees there. The sheer volume of resources, family histories, and yearbooks from around the United States will take your breath away. Standing in the stacks, thinking about the miles of books just telling us about people who lived before us felt reverent to me.

I can’t begin to explain all the information accessible through this library. Those family tree websites? You can use them for free at the library. Those trained ancestry professionals you see interviewed on TV? Those are the people who work at this library. All the old newspapers, land deeds, census records, and birth certificates you might want to gather as you trace your family back multiple generations? You can get them there.

Before the trip, I was asked to submit some family information: who are my parents, when were they born, where were my grandparents married. When I arrived at the center, I met with a Genealogy Librarian who had spent a few hours completing my family tree for me. I walked away from our time together with a stack of family documents (census records from my great-great grandparents, birth certificate for my namesake relative, pictures of headstones in Illinois from five generations back, pictures of my grandparents’ grandparents…) and the name of every person on my family tree back six generations.

It’s a little unheard of to be able to fill in six generations back so quickly, the genealogy librarian told me, it’s not normally this easy.

It helped that my lines were so solidly American. The Keatons and the Ritters, the Kimerys and the Spitzners have been in the Midwest for a long time; we immigrated to America in the early 1800s, worked our way west pretty quickly, and then stayed put. We came mostly from England with a little bit of Germany and France mixed in; we became farmers and teachers and factory workers and we didn’t move around much. We liked Illinois and Indiana, the land was good for farming and the cities were just close enough for those who wanted to work in developing industries.

The researcher was able to show me where our German last names were slowly Americanized and the names of the many relatives who took up arms in the Civil War to fight against the confederacy.

I learned it’s often hard to track families back this far because our patriarchal society didn’t always keep record of women well. Maiden names weren’t important and obituaries identified women as “Mrs. Christopher Graham” instead of “Mrs. Mary (Ritter) Graham.” Often when we start digging into our ancestors, we get stopped on maternal lines. I was proud to see the women in my family often carried their maiden names around on official documents even if it wasn’t common for the time period.

You could keep going easily, the librarian told me as our time drew to a close. We didn’t stop your tree because we got stuck, we just ran out of time. But you could come back and probably go a lot farther without too much trouble.

When a grave is dug, and then later, a casket is covered, you don’t need as much dirt as you took out. It seems silly to tell you that detail, but if you live across the road from a cemetery, it’s important.

In the corner of the cemetery, near where the bumpy gravel drive drops off at our property line, is a pile of dirt. An old sign, created by my grandpa years ago, shares the “Free Dirt” proclamation. The fresh, rich earth goes fast so you have to hurry if you need some for your yard, for your garden, for your field. I’ve received text message reminders from my aunt when the good dirt arrives.

There’s good dirt over there if you need any.

In warmer weather, Chris will hook up the trailer to our riding lawnmower, the girls will jump in the back with their kid-sized shovels, and they’ll take a trip to the graveyard for dirt to fill our landscaping or to top off the garden. I don’t try to think too much about why the dirt is extra fertile or what I’m shoveling as I spread it around my newly-planted bushes. I know why it’s the good dirt, and I leave the thought at that.

I am not a farmer like my ancestors.
I don’t work in a factory like my grandpa and my great-grandpa.
I was the first person on my dad’s side of the family to earn a bachelor’s degree, the second on my mom’s.

I dreamed about leaving Indiana, the Midwest, the cornfields and the soybeans when I was growing up. This place was not meant for me.

But here I am, living in the house my grandparents built, sending me kids to the school my parents went to, passing my uncle on the road as he drives the school bus and learning how to garden–with the rich cemetery soil my grandpa cared for–from my aunt who lives next door.

I’ve decided to stay put.
I’ve decided to tell my daughters they don’t have to get rid of their names to live a happy life.
I’ve decided that small and quiet is better for me.
I’ve decided that staying put, taking walks around headstones, and growing things here, in the Midwest, is where I’m supposed to be.

*If you haven’t visited The Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, I think you should. You can check out their resources or get access to their trained professionals who want to help you find the pieces of your family tree on their website. You can also sign up for a free 30-minute consult with one of their librarians. I got a little extra help and attention, because I was there to write about my experience, but you have access to all the resources and information they have.

*Fun fact: If you ever come across old yearbooks or family histories (a lot of families have bound books about their ancestors), and you don’t know what to do with them, The Genealogy Center will gladly accept them. They’ll add them to their shelves (and electronic records) so people can have access to the information for generations to come.

DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST. I VISITED THE LIBRARY IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SPONSORED TRIP WITH VISIT FORT WAYNE.

Visit Fort Wayne, Indiana

Traveling to Fort Wayne, Indiana, wasn’t on my summer travel plans, but I’ve learned the error of my ways and now I’m here to save you from the same mistake.

I’ve lived in or around Indianapolis my whole life. Why did I need to visit other parts of the state? Indianapolis and its suburbs have everything I need.

Except, they don’t. I needed Fort Wayne, and I didn’t even know it.

I got to spend a few days in the northeastern part of Indiana and was blown away with how great it was. Confession: I took a trip without my family on spring break. The girls were off school and with family while Chris stayed home and worked.

I have no regrets about this. I pretended the trip was “research” for a summer road trip. I figured out what was fun, and what the girls would love (answer: so many things). I also “researched” all the things we shouldn’t do when we come back, you know, to save time and money later (answer: nothing, but still worth researching).

Here’s what my tireless research uncovered and what you should do when you take your trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana:

I stayed at the Hilton Fort Wayne, which is connected to the convention center. It has a Starbucks inside and was easy walking distance from a lot of the places I’m going to recommend. We normally travel in our camper; you could go that route and still enjoy Fort Wayne. Northeast Indiana is home to the RV capital of the world (Elkhart) so you know there’s quality camping nearby as well.

Where to eat in Fort Wayne? SO MANY CHOICES, SO LITTLE TIME.

Coney Island :: Get a coney with onions and mustard. I also had a cup of chili soup and do not regret it one bit. If you visit their website, the photo of the restaurant is almost identical to what you’ll see when you walk in today. Eat at the counter and watch the employees sling dogs like a well-oiled machine. And get a Coke in a glass bottle just because you can.

DeBrand Fine Chocolate :: I sampled chocolates and a mocha that was so rich I thought I was going to die at the downtown location. If you have time, go out to their factory and take the tour so you can see how they craft these extravagant chocolates.

Hoppy Gnome :: Hoppy Gnome describes itself as an upscale taco shop with lots more than just tacos. I don’t care how they describe themselves, their food is really good and that’s all that matters. Get the chips and guac (always get the guac, duh) and make sure you order the s’mores for dessert. The marshmallows are homemade, and they bring out a tiny fire pit for you to roast them on. I don’t even like marshmallows, and I could have eaten five of them.

Tolon :: This farm-to-table restaurant is run by a husband and wife team. The place is beautiful, the food is unbelievable, and the atmosphere makes you want to spend the evening around their table with friends. If you don’t do anything in Fort Wayne, go to Tolon and order their crispy Brussels sprouts. I’m serious. Do not leave without trying them.

Proximo :: You can eat any meal here, but I recommend breakfast. Especially if you’re hungry and you like breakfast to be your biggest meal of the day. I felt like I was in a New York City brunch spot. Everything on the menu is good, of course, but please do yourself a favor and order the chilaquiles. I dream about these.

Hop River Brewing Company :: Yes, it’s a brewery, but it’s also a great place to pass a rainy afternoon with board games and snacks. Their homemade chips are amazing, and they’re open for all ages to eat and play. Fort Wayne has a thriving brewery scene so if craft beer is your thing, you’ll find plenty of new things to drink there.

Bird + Cleaver :: I don’t know if you can order a charcuterie board to go, but if you can, put on your stretchy pants, stop by Bird + Cleaver, and then head back to your hotel room to watch trash TV. You can eat there and you won’t regret it, but sometimes hiding in your hotel room with really good food is okay too.

Sassie Cakes :: Please go here and get their cookie dough shots. Don’t ask questions, just do it. Don’t just get one either. You’re going to need more than one, trust me.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse :: I know this isn’t a local place, and you might even have one in your own city. I don’t care. Go anyway. Get the cheesecake. Email me your thanks afterwards.

Also, Northeast Indiana is full of Amish who make delicious food. I’m not saying that’s all they do, but they do this really well. Find a local market to buy their homemade donuts or the incredibly decadent and wonderful biscuit-egg-cheese present-in-your-mouth. (That’s not really what it’s called, but I think that is what it should be called.)

Truthfully, if you just want to go to Fort Wayne and eat delicious food the whole time, you can. There is lots of stuff to do, but eating is really important so maybe plan your trip around all the great food stops?

What to do in Fort Wayne?

-Stop by The Hedge for an art class and to see 100-year-old printing presses. They also have a small gift shop where you’re bound to find something you love. (Sassie Cakes is right next door too.)

–Botanical Conservatory :: Fort Wayne Parks runs this beautiful conservatory. Admission is inexpensive, and you could easily spend a few hours wandering around. They have a dedicated kids’ area and if photography is your jam, you’ll be in heaven.

–Promenade Park :: The amount of rivers and lakes northeastern Indiana has access to is crazy. I’m showing my ignorance, but there are SO MANY water activities. I was able to get a sneak peek of the new Promenade Park opening in June 2019 and I am so excited to go back when it’s open. They’re planning a huge weekend of events and programs for the grand opening, and if you happen to be near Fort Wayne June 21-23, it would be worth a stop just for this. ((EDIT: Because of the rainy spring we’ve had in the Midwest, the grand opening celebration has been pushed back to August 9-11. You can stay up-to-date on the schedule here.))

–Arts United :: This cultural center houses art shows, a restaurant, and Fort Wayne’s professional ballet company. You can glimpse professional ballerinas practicing, grab something to eat, and see the latest local art installation. I got to see the last day of an underwater exhibit made exclusively of plastic trash. It was unbelievable.

–Museum of Art :: Kids and adults will love this museum. It’s not huge, but there is a lot to see. Also, they have a Chihuly piece you don’t want to miss.

–Science Central :: Plan at least four hours for this amazing children’s science center. Housed in an old factory, the Science Center is full of hands-on exhibits and learning experiences kids (and adults) will love. Don’t miss the room where you can view real-time satellite images of the earth. I could have spent all day watching.

–Embassy Theatre :: Fort Wayne gets a lot of traveling Broadway acts stopping through on their way to Chicago. Even if you don’t see a show, stop in to see the beautiful architecture.

–TinCaps baseball at Parkview Field :: Fort Wayne is home to the nation’s best minor league baseball park. Catching a TinCaps game is fun for the whole family. We’re going back this summer and scheduling our trip around a TinCaps home game, because I want to experience a game at this beautiful park.

–Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo :: THIS ZOO. We travel a lot and visit a lot of zoos. Not all zoos are created equal, but the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo does it right. I’ve known about this zoo for a while, if you live in Indianapolis or surrounding areas, you’ve been told you need to visit this zoo because it’s amazing. I’m here to confirm it is, in fact, amazing. I can’t wait to take the girls back this summer.

Also, Fort Wayne’s downtown district is covered with lots of beautiful murals you’ll love. They commission local artists to create the pieces, and they’re adding more every year. Going on a mural hunt while you’re in town would be a fun adventure.

I was in Fort Wayne for three days and felt like I only scratched the surface of things to do. Everywhere I ate, everywhere I visited, someone recommended another place to see or thing to eat. It’s the Midwest so people are nice and helpful and I needed them to stop telling me about exciting things happening in the city because it made it really hard to leave.

On the positive side, I’ll be back with Chris and the girls this summer, and I can’t wait to show them Fort Wayne.

(I have one more recommendation for Fort Wayne, but it warrants its own post so come back tomorrow. I’ve got some stories to share with you.)

DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST. I TRAVELED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VISIT FORT WAYNE TO EXPLORE THE CITY.

A Fall Adventure with Year-Round Boots

This post is sponsored by Totes Cirrus but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

One of the best reasons to live in the Midwest is for the distinct range of seasons. Summers are hot and humid. Falls are cool and crisp. Winters are snowy and frigid, and springs are colorful and hopeful.

Midwest is best, guys.

What’s also great about our seasons is the range we can get with a good pair of rain boots.

Summer morning dew covering the grass as I tend to my garden? Totes Cirrus Rainboots.

Fall apple-picking? Totes Cirrus Rainboots.

Forging a path in the snow to get the mail? Totes Cirrus Rainboots.

Spring thunderstorm? Totes Cirrus Rainboots.

There’s never a time to *not* wear my Totes Cirrus Rainboots, if you haven’t noticed.

Ellie and I wore our new lightweight boots as we picked the last of the summer tomatoes from our garden beds and stomped around trees picking apples for pies and cider.

My grandparents planted apple trees along the perimeter of our land so each fall we get the sweet smell of apples in the air as the temperatures start to drop. There’s nothing better than getting cozy at a bonfire surrounded by apple trees.

I love the durable and versatile styles Totes Cirrus Rainboots come in–both tall and shorter–for kids and adults. And their Everywear™ technology makes them comfortable for all day wear, because they’re 60% lighter than other boots. (And not to call Ellie out, but she’s been wearing her boots non-stop. She has yet to find an outfit or situation where they aren’t appropriate so that’s a pretty great testament to the comfort level of these boots.) Now is a great time to get yourself a pair of these new boots, because Totes Cirrus is offering my readers 25% off with the code CIRRUSLOVE25.

After our walk foraging for fruits and veggies last week, our boots wiped down easily and looked brand new again. These new boots from Totes are perfect for year-round wear, whether it’s actually raining outside or not. No more heavy clunky boots weighing you down, Totes Cirrus Rainboots help you keep a pep in your step as you adventure outside.

Now who’s got a good apple pie recipe?

Photography by Huff Photography

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are mine.

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Summer Travel Must-Haves

I hope you’re traveling this summer.

Whether it’s across town, to the neighboring state, or across the world, I hope you have the opportunity to go somewhere new, see something different, and be someone else for a minute. There are a million reasons to travel, but those three are near the top of the list for me.

We’re on the road right now, somewhere in the hills of West Virginia with our dog and our camper. We don’t have any grand plans this summer, just short three-to-four day trips as Chris settles in at a new job. We were in New Orleans in March and in October we head to Florida, but for now, it’s just quicker drives and longer weekends.

As I was packing the car and camper last week, I realized my favorite travel items are probably things everyone should know about because they make our trips easier, keep stress to a minimum, and help us have a good time while we’re away from home. I think that’s a goal everyone has when they’re gone so I’m sharing my very-limited amount of travel wisdom here for your reading pleasure.

What I LOVE to travel with:

-Phone tripod
Listen, I don’t own a selfie stick and I never will. I have principles and standards and I just cannot handle a selfie stick. There I said it. BUT I will allow a phone tripod (like this one) to hold my phone if we need to take a family picture with all for of us. A selfie stick feels like it’s all about me, but a tripod feels like it’s about including everyone. That’s how my brain works. Deal with it.

-the book Road Food: An Eater’s Guide Across American & the Yelp app
I’ve shared this before, but our travel rule is we eat where the locals eat. I want to explore new restaurants and fall in love with food I can’t get at home. Remembering a location by a great place to eat is fun for us so we pick restaurants one of two ways: with the Road Food by Jane and Michael Stern or the Yelp app on our phone. The Sterns traveled the country writing this book well before the internet told you all the great hole-in-the-wall treasures available so there’s something nostalgic about carrying this book in our car and checking to see if we’ll be near any of the places. There are only about 3-5 places per state (if that) so more often than not, we use the Yelp app on our phone to see what’s nearby and what the people are saying. We have never had a bad dining experience as we stick to four and five star spots. People are brutally honest with their review on Yelp and I really appreciate it. I still remember the ONE time we went to a Mexican restaurant near a place we were staying in Washington, DC and didn’t check Yelp. It was disgusting. A bad food experience sticks with you. Yelp for safety, guys.

-a really comfortable maxi dress
Okay, maybe it’s a muu-muu. There I said it, I like to travel in muu-muus. But here’s the thing, all that good food? All that sitting in the car while getting to your destination? You don’t feel your best, leanest self on vacation. Enter: GIANT DRESSES. I don’t think I really need to convince you, but here goes: they’re amazing to travel in, they work as bathing suit coverups, you can sleep in them, you can wear them to dinner and look like you care about your appearance, and, once again, they’re amazing to travel in. I might even be wearing one as you read this. Go check Instagram. (This is my favorite black one I wear all summer long. I use this one as a cover up. Or you could just search muu-muu on Amazon because the options are endless.)

-Redbox movies
I know all the fancy people download movies to tablets and let their kids watch them, but we don’t do that. I’m pretty much anti-iPad if you haven’t picked that up yet. But traveling for long distances without some kind of electronic is also really hard. Yes, kids can do it, generations before us traveled across the United States without so much as a Walkman, but we do let our kids watch a few movies when we travel. We sprinkle Redbox movies (found at most gas stations or McDonald’s restaurants) in with coloring, reading, playing, and staring out the window wishing you weren’t stuck in a car. It’s all about moderation, and the $1.50 movie rental is a perfect addition to our long hours in the car.

-DJI Osmo Mobile
I take a million pictures when we travel, but rarely do I take longer videos like my parents did back in the day. I’ll share snippets to my Instagram Stories, but I’m not really taking videos that would equate to the home movies my parents made during my childhood. Am I alone in this? Do you find yourself recording longer videos when you travel? When we went to New Orleans in the spring, I got to test out the DJI Osmo Mobile compliments of Verizon, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to remember to take longer videos as we traveled and how professional they looked. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m *really* good at taking shaky videos that make viewers want to barf, but with the Osmo Mobile, it steadies your hand and your cell phone so you can take amazing videos that look like you had a camera crew with you on vacation. Plus, the app lets you edit videos to share instantly so you can make everyone at home jealous with your adventures.

-Chatbooks app for your drive home
I shared this in an email before, but I still love it so much and think you will too. Chatbooks are a great way to finally get all those pictures off your phone and in physical form. I have the app on my phone and while we’re on the road heading back to Indiana, I’ll upload the pictures I want to print onto a private Instagram account and then let the Chatbooks app put them in book form. (Side note: don’t do this on your regular Instagram account that people follow, THAT IS SUPER ANNOYING. I will unfollow you in three seconds flat if you post multiple pictures a day or use Instagram like a Facebook album. THEY’RE NOT THE SAME THING. And if you want to upload all of pictures for something fun like Chatbooks, make a new, private account that no one has to scroll through then just pick one or two favs for the public, follower account. I’m serious. We don’t want to see all your vacation pictures on Instagram. Stop it.) You can also use Chatbooks through Facebook so you don’t have to have an IG account at all. I print a 6×6 book after every trip and it becomes a scrapbook of our adventure we can grab off the shelf anytime we want to reminisce. If you use this link, you’ll get your first book free and I’ll earn $5 toward my next one which is a win-win in my book.

What about you? What’s on your must-have travel list? Anything you can’t live without that the rest of the class needs to know?

DISCLOSURE: AFFILIATE LINKS USED.

THIS IS A SPONSORED POST, BUT OPINIONS ARE MINE. AS ALWAYS, THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THE BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT THIS SPACE.

Christmas shopping for…myself.

Thank you PayPal for sponsoring this post. Shop small merchants with PayPal to make your holiday shopping a breeze.

I do not mean to brag, but I have a toilet in my master bathroom.

Please try to contain your jealousy. It doesn’t look good on you. Maybe one day when you hit the big time you can also have a toilet in your master bathroom. Just be patient, kids.

Speaking of patience, I waited months for a working toilet. And a vanity. And a mirror.

I’m still waiting on a light to see what the mirror is reflecting at night and floor trim, but those are minor details at this point. Because you know what I’m no longer waiting on?

Decorating and accessorizing.

MY FAVORITE PARTS OF REMODELING.

I am here for picture frames, cute corner shelves, and soap dishes. I am here for plush rugs, green plants, and colorful paintings. I am also here for Homestead Seattle because they’re a small business helping to make our homes cozy and welcoming. (Seriously, check out their Instagram account and then buy all their rugs.) I love supporting small businesses like Homestead Seattle who are collecting dreamy, beautiful things we can fill our homes with.

I feel like as we near Christmas, I should be telling you about something I bought for someone else, but the thing is, I bought myself some amazing stuff from a stunning small business, and I’m telling you so you can buy yourself a Christmas present too. You’re welcome.

Online shopping is one of my favorite past times so browsing the Homestead Seattle website to hunt for finishing touches for my master bathroom was right up my alley. I ended up falling in love with some luxurious Turkish towels that matched our decor perfectly. (Have you ever used a Turkish towel before?? It’s probably what they use in heaven to be honest.)

Once I selected the ones I wanted, paying was simple thanks to PayPal’s One Touch payment option. One Touch lets you pay for items in your shopping cart without having to enter credit card or billing details which is nice because who has time for that? (Answer: Not me. I’m too busy trying to find trim for my bathroom.)

I like to use PayPal as often as I can when shopping online because I can shop securely, and they also have Return Shipping on Us which covers up to $30 in return shipping costs per order (up to twelve times in a calendar year). That was nice to know in case I didn’t like the heaven towels. But good news: I’m never returning them, and I’m also never letting my kids use them. They haven’t lived enough to appreciate their magic.)

Listen, I know we can’t all have fancy things like toilets in bathrooms and Turkish towels, but we can all make an effort to shop small businesses to help support our neighbors and communities. And we can shop securely on their websites with PayPal. And then one day, if we’re really lucky, we’ll have lights in our bathroom so we can actually see all the neat stuff we’re living with.

A girl can dream.

DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND I NEVER SHARE ANYTHING I DON’T AUTHENTICALLY LOVE. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT THIS BLOG AND OUR FAMILY.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

KOA all the way

Traveling is hard. There are long hours on the road, whiny kids, and weird gas station bathrooms.

But when you arrive! When you arrive, it’s all worth it. There is NOTHING as stress-reducing as viewing that big, beautiful yellow KOA Kampground sign in the distance after hours on the road.

I’m so thrilled we had the opportunity to partner with KOA on our recent road trip out west. Having never been to many of the states we wanted to visit (and never been to any of them with a camper), it can sometimes feel like a crap shoot on where you should stay. But I know with KOA, we’re going to have clean bathrooms, sparkling pools, convenient locations, and friendly staff waiting for us when we roll in tired and ready to relax.

One thing I love about KOA Kampgrounds is they can take care of you with a variety of tent and camper sites plus they have cabins you can rent. So you don’t even have to have a tent or camper to enjoy a KOA. They have the cutest cabins and, sure, we have Betsy Ross, but I kinda want to rent a cabin too.

Don’t tell Chris Graham I said that.

So much of staying at a KOA feels like summer camp; the friendly faces (both staff and fellow guests–campers are probably one of the nicest group of people that exist), the activities, the ice cream socials (many of the KOAs we stayed at had ice cream socials or even community dinners), the smell of late night campfires, the wafting goodness of bacon when you woke up with your windows open.

Writing that last paragraph makes me want to pack up the camper and hit the road again immediately.

At almost every KOA we stayed at last month, after check-in, we were escorted to our campsite by a KOA employee on a golf cart. Nothing makes you feel more glamorous or famous than a personal escort to your home for the next few days. Of course, they actually do this so there’s no confusion and you don’t end up at the wrong site, but I like to tell myself it was because they were just so excited to have us.

And really, it felt like they were. They made us feel so welcome and cared for.

I want you to live this adventure we lived. I want you to plan an adventure, book a stay at a KOA (there are over 485 locations!), and live the good, simple life we got to experience. Got a tent? They can take care of you. Have a small camper like we do? They got it covered. Have a giant, costs-more-than-my-house trailer? They have room for you. Don’t have any of those things but want to live the relaxing, slower pace KOA has to offer? They have cabins ready for you.

There’s really no excuse to not stay at a KOA on your next vacation. There’s a pretty good chance wherever you want to go, there’s a KOA waiting for you. I’m serious. They’re waiting for you, in their golf cart, to escort you to your home away from home. Call them now. Do it. Go.

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Where we stayed:
Spearfish KOA in Spearfish, South Dakota (pictures 2 & 6)
Miles City KOA in Miles City, South Dakota (picture 4)
Hardin KOA in Hardin, Montana (pictures 1, 3, & 9)
West Yellowstone KOA in West Yellowstone, Montana (pictures 7 & 8)
West Omaha/NE Lincoln KOA in Gretna, Nebraska (pictures 5 & 10)

DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST, BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

road trippin’ to St. Louis + a giveaway for you to go too

Our final summer adventure before school starts this week (I don’t want to talk about it) was a road trip to St. Louis, Missouri. It was our first family trip to St. Louis which seems weird to say since it was only a three and a half hour drive from Indianapolis. Once we got there, I kept saying, “Why haven’t we come here before?” I felt so cheated that I had just realized how amazing St. Louis is and that it’s been so close all this time.

All the details you need so you can get to St. Louis this weekend:

We stayed at The Cheshire, a really cool boutique hotel where every room is named after a British poet, playwright, or author. We stayed in the A. A. Milne room (the author of Winnie the Pooh) and loved exploring the antiques and vintage decor throughout the hotel. It’s pet-friendly, which makes me super happy, and when you check in they have fun welcome bags for kids that the girls got a kick out of.

The Cheshire has two on-site restaurants, plus a Starbucks, so you don’t have to go far to feed your belly. We had breakfast one morning at The Restaurant and didn’t regret the choice. The girls had beignets and I absolutely loved the bacon-avocado-egg sandwich with fresh fruit, plus the place was absolutely beautiful.

Of course we visited The Gateway Arch while in town. Harper ended up freaking out just a *little* bit as we climbed in the tram to go to the top, so Ellie and I went by ourselves. It’s definitely not for people afraid of small spaces, but once we got up there, the view was worth the four minute ride.

There’s so much to do right around the Arch so from there we walked to the Ballpark Village located near Busch Stadium where the St. Louis Cardinals play. It was a few hours before game time so the atmosphere was festive and fun. There’s this great restaurant at the top of the Hilton at the Ballpark called 360 where you can see the whole city and get an amazing view of the stadium too. It’s definitely not the best place to take kids, but we stayed just long enough to get some desserts (order the Kit Kat bars if you want to forever ruin the store-bought kind because once you try 360’s melt-in-your-mouth kind, you can’t go back.), not break anything, and take in some stunning views of the city.

We spent the rest of the day at City Museum. GUYS, pay attention. City Museum is where it’s at. This was, hands down, Ellie and Harper’s favorite stop. We could have spent two full days here and probably not have done it all. I don’t even know how to put it all into words, but the best way to describe it would be a giant warehouse turned into every kind of kid playground, maze, slide, secret passage, rope swing, climbing apparatus, water thing, skate park, and a million other things that kids dream about. When you go, wear tennis shoes and play clothes because you’re going to crawl, climb, sweat, roll and slide for hours. We’ll go back to St. Louis just for the City Museum, no lie.

When we got hungry while playing at City Museum we walked a block over to HIRO Asian Kitchen for an amazing meal. The girls scarfed down their chicken fried rice while Chris and I got to be a little more adventurous with our meals. And for “dessert” the owner, Bernie, made us some from-scratch mashed potatoes and gravy with fried chicken (I know what you’re thinking, fried chicken at an Asian restaurant? But it was unbelievably good.) that they only serve on Sundays. If you’re in STL on a Sunday, go get some fried chicken from HIRO’s.

We also hit up Strange Donuts while we were there. You know all those crazy donut concoctions you see on TV that you want to try? Strange Donuts is your place. We tried maple bacon, jalepeno cream cheese, samoa, gooey butter, sprinkle donuts, grasshoppers that tasted like Andes mints, and more. We actually got nine donuts for two adults and two small kids. Let’s just say we ate a lot of donuts and loved every glorious second of it.

We couldn’t miss visiting the St. Louis Zoo–it’s free to get in, just like so many places in the city. We also visited Missouri History Museum with no admission fee. They have this great kids area call the History Clubhouse where the girls spent over an hour playing and exploring. I highly recommend taking your kids.

We finished up our trip with delicious BBQ from Salt and Smoke (get their BBQ sweet potato chips while you’re there, I’m still dreaming about them) and a little adventure through the Union Station Grand Hall. The massive train-station-turned-hotel has a breathtaking main hall with a free light show every hour on the hour (starting at 5:00 PM) and a great bar and dinner-only restaurant. We were still full from our BBQ lunch, but managed to find some room for dessert and drinks. Because there’s always room for chocolate, right?

RIGHT.

We only got to spend the weekend in St. Louis and came home wanting so much more. So here’s the thing, I need one of you to go back and explore more for me. Explore St. Louis wants to give one lucky reader a two-night stay with an attraction and entertainment package included so you can fall in love with St. Louis just like we did. Enter below using Rafflecopter.

If you can’t wait and need to start planning your own St. Louis trip now, head to Explore St. Louis to get started or earn more chances to win by entering the Explore St. Louis’ Funnest Family and Ultimate Tourist contests. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MINE.

I carried a watermelon at Boyne Mountain Resort

The minute we arrived at Boyne Mountain Resort I started looking for Johnny and Baby. I’m not saying I would have joined in a late-night dance party with the resort workers, but I did carry a watermelon around for a good hour before I gave up the search.

(If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I’m sorry, we can’t be friends.)

Okay, so I’m sorta joking except that Boyne Mountain Resort felt exactly like the summer resort portrayed in Dirty Dancing (meaning a relaxed oasis of outdoor fun, not a hidden sub-culture of bumping and grinding). There were lawn games in the yard, golfing at a nearby course, servers around the pools, and movies at dusk by the ski lift. There were endless activities and things to do on our vacation. The Grahams like to do a mix of activities and napping so Boyne Mountain was the best place to go for a week-long getaway.

Boyne Mountain Resort is located on 5,000 acres in Boyne Falls, Michigan, about seven hours north of Indianapolis. It was the perfect travel distance to feel like we were away from our normal lives, but we didn’t have to spend too much of our precious vacation time driving. The resort, which is well-known for skiing in the winter, turns into this magical place of adventure in the warmer months.

They have a huge water park, arcade, salon and spa (the biggest one in the state of Michigan–get the hot stone massage; you can thank me later), a play center if you need a few hours without the kids (!!), heated pools, zip lining, mountain biking, adventure camps for kids, hiking, and scenic rides on the ski lift (we stopped at the candy store on our way up and the girls LOVED the ride up while filling their bellies with sugar). You can take pony rides or horseback trail rides, play on segways, paintball, golf, or visit Deer Lake where you can paddleboard, kayak, and boat. There’s also a tiki bar right on the beach. I’m not saying that was my favorite spot one afternoon, but it totally was. My bartender-friend Dawn knows how to make a delicious margarita. Or margaritas.

We were at Boyne Mountain Resort for eight glorious days. We went with our friends Christine and Ed and another couple and between them they had four boys and, let me tell you, my two scrappy girls can definitely hold their own with some rough-and-tumble boys. We might even have a love connection. Stay tuned for an engagement announcement.

Every night at 7:30 there was storytime in the library with milk and cookies. I didn’t even have to read my kids bedtime stories on vacation, the resort had someone to do that for me! And then after milk and cookies, you could head out to the fire pit where they had s’more kits ready for you to roast. I’m not telling you how much weight I gained on vacation, but it rhymes with smirty smounds. Ugh. (Plus, there were many restaurants located on the property and the Trophy Room would deliver pizza to the pool while you were swimming. Oh my gosh, it was just too wonderful. Related: I’m now doing a sugar and bread detox because I had four of everything they served at the resort.)

I asked the girls what their favorite part of vacation was and Harper said “Doritos.” Which just proves she’s my daughter, unfortunately. Ellie said it was a tie: the waterpark because she was brave enough to go on all the big slides and the castle room she slept in. Did I mention the castle room? In some of the suites they have a kids’ room with two sets of bunk beds and the outside is made to look like a castle. The girls loved being able to play in their castle and then both sleep on top bunks. Our suite could easily have slept ten which is why my parents came up and joined us for few days also. They used me for my suite and I used them for free babysitting. A win-win, really.

Our week of vacation was amazing. Boyne Mountain Resort might just be my new favorite vacation destination. Just don’t tell Florida, please.