Tag: vacation

Labor Day Weekend In Cleveland, OH

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Labor Day weekend is always one of my favorites! I look forward to three days off to spend time with family and friends. As always, Brett wanted to go to another air show so we packed up the car and headed to Cleveland, Ohio for the weekend.

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Cleveland is about 4.5 hours away from where we live and is one of my favorite cities to visit! I grew up listening to Green Day, Tom Petty, AC/DC, and many more iconic bands and musicians so the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is one of my favorite travel destinations. I have been four times now, twice with my family and twice with Brett and it doesn’t get old!

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Most of the exhibits were new to me this time! Brett and I agreed that our favorite was The Garage where there was a live band playing and TV screens with instruments where you could learn to play a verse on the guitar, bass, drums, or keyboard. It was super cool and I was able to impress Brett with my ability to play Smoke on the Water from my guitar days in high school. It made me want to re-learn guitar!

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We spent most of Saturday at the Hall of Fame but wandered out around dinner time. I was starving! Brett let me choose where we would eat so I picked Shake Shack. This is one of my favorite burger places but we don’t have one near us so I always look for one when we are traveling. The cheese fries are my favorite!

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For dessert we went to Cathy’s Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches. I found Cathy’s by doing a Google search for ice cream in the area and I was SO impressed! You pick your cookie flavor, ice cream flavor, and a topping and they make your sandwich right in front of you! I chose M&M cookies with chocolate ice cream and chocolate chips. I wasn’t able to eat all of mine but it was so good and I highly recommend!

We walked around downtown before heading back to our hotel. We stayed at the Westin which was walking distance from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and every other place we wanted to go including the air show. We ended our Saturday night by watching Ten Things I Hate About You and Sweet Home Alabama on tv.

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Sunday was air show day so we grabbed Starbucks and walked to the airport for the Cleveland National Air Show. The weather wasn’t great so we ended up leaving a couple of hours early to drive home.

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However, we can’t go to Cleveland without eating at The Melt! Our friends introduced us to this restaurant a couple of years ago and we have been hooked ever since! They make the best and most unique grilled cheese sandwiches. I usually get Wake and Bacon but this time I tried The Dude Abides and it was delicious!

We got home around 8 pm on Sunday and pretty much went straight to bed. We both had Monday off of work so we headed out to the lake for a day with family! Overall, it was a great weekend and much needed.

How was your Labor Day weekend?

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How We Can Afford to Travel

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How We Can Afford to Travel

Why does traveling have to be so expensive? And why do I love it so much?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s just something about traveling that brings out the best in me! I feel alive, happy, and ready to take on the world! That’s why Brett and I make a point to save up for our next adventures.

How can we afford to travel as often as we do?

  1. We have a travel fund. I work in finance and I’m a big advocate for having a budget and saving for items you want to purchase or trips you want to take. For that reason, Brett and I always have a travel fund and are saving for our next trip. We put a percentage of our paychecks into this account and save it up until we are ready to go on our next adventure. Even if we aren’t currently planning a trip we are still putting money away for travel.
  2. We make travel a priority. It’s super easy to get caught up in all of the other things life throws your way. Brett and I make traveling a priority. In 2019 we weren’t able to plan a big Europe trip like we had hoped but we still set aside time to travel to places in the United States instead. This way we saved money but were still able to visit some new places and make memories together.
  3. We travel on a budget. When we go on a trip we aren’t staying in the fanciest hotels or splurging on new clothes and accessories for our travels. During our planning process we are mapping out all possibilities of places to stay, eat, visit, etc. We set a budget and stick to it. I do like to splurge for once in a lifetime opportunities but we always plan for those ahead of time and make room in the budget.
  4. We compromise. Planning a trip with another person can be difficult. Brett and I take turns picking the places we want to go. I planned our Europe trip in 2018 so he’s planning our 2020 trip. We can’t go everywhere at once so we compromise and take turns. Luckily, we both want to go to many of the same places so this has been pretty easy!
  5. Brett’s Job. We have been incredibly blessed by Brett’s current job for an airline. This allows us to travel at a very discounted rate but we haven’t always had this perk and have traveled many times without it. Brett’s job has allowed us to go on a few trips that we wouldn’t have normally been able to go on without spending more time saving our money. We are super grateful and don’t take this blessing lightly. We know that we won’t have these opportunities for long so we always try to make the most of it! I do want to stress that it is possible to travel without breaking the bank even without these flight benefits!

It’s not always easy, but we are determined to travel as much as possible before we have children. Traveling is one of our top priorities right now and I can only imagine how much that will change in the next few years. For now, I’m constantly on Pinterest planning our next adventure.

Do you have any budgeting tips for traveling?

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I Just Want to Travel

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I love to travel. There’s just something so amazing about exploring a new place, culture, way of life, that really makes me feel alive. I love wandering around new cities and getting lost. I love listening to people speak different languages and wondering what they are saying.

Every year my vacation days refresh and I begin to plan all of the things I want to do and see. My work is pretty good about vacation time but it never seems to be enough for me. There’s a whole world out there that I want to explore!

Brett also loves to travel so we talk constantly about the next places on our bucketlist. In 2020 we really want to visit Amsterdam and Prague but I’d love to sneak in a few days in London. We didn’t plan a big trip in 2019 because we traveled to Florida, Arizona, Oregon, and Florida again. I think we will visit Massachusetts or New Hampshire in the fall though!

Travel is something that is always on my heart and mind. I visited Europe for the first time in 2011 and became addicted to exploring new places. There are so many places that I haven’t been and I’m looking forward to visiting all of them!

Do you love to travel?

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Photo by Karly Santiago on Unsplash

 

 

June According to my iPhone

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June 2019

June was a good month! We slowed down a bit at work so I was able to enjoy my time more and get projects done. I enjoyed time with friends and family and finished a lot of projects around the house. We were also finally able to take a vacation! All in all, it was a really productive month!

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One of the first things Brett and I were able to get done in June was getting a couples massage! Brett got me a gift certificate for Valentine’s Day to a local castle bed and breakfast. We’ve been there a couple of times for dinner but this was our first massage there. It was a great way to start the month!

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Next up is this adorable picture of our cat, Lucy. She loves the bench in our sun-room and is so happy to sit out there whenever the sun is shining.

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We spent a lot of time at my grandparent’s house on the lake this month! On this particular trip, we took a 1.5 hour tour around the lake and stopped for ice cream. While Brett ran inside to get ice cream I snapped this picture of Oscar “driving” the boat. He loves being out on the water!

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Is there anything better than a lake sunset? This was the view when we got off the boat that night.

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My parents went to Hawaii to visit my sister so Brett and I watched their two dogs. They have a dachshund named Bruno and a puggle named Megan. The three dogs love eachother!

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I threw my sister in law’s baby shower on June 15th! It was supposed to rain all day so we moved the party inside. I was really busy setting up and playing hostess so I didn’t take any pictures but everything turned out super cute! We got these cupcakes at a local bakery and everyone loved them!

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Vacation time! Brett and I traveled to Oregon to meetup with my friend from Germany and her boyfriend. I hadn’t seen Anna Sophie in four years and it was SO nice to catch up with her! I’ll post more about our trip later.

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My sister in law ended up in the hospital on bed rest at 32 weeks pregnant with twin girls. I picked up all the baby laundry and washed, folded, and sorted it for her. Dreft smells so good!! Brett had to talk me down from my baby fever moment after the baby smells and cute little clothing!

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Speaking of my sister in law, we are also watching her dog, Carolina, while she’s in the hospital. Carolina is a 13+ lab mix who loves cuddles and sleeping. Oscar and Carolina love spending time together!

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Last but not least, our hydrangeas are starting to bloom and I love them! We have two big hydrangea bushes by our front door.

How was your June?

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Five on Friday #11

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Hooray! We made it to Friday! This was my first week back to work after vacation and I’m exhausted.

  1. Fourth of July is next weeks which means that it’s our biggest airshow week of the season. I’m exhausted just thinking about it! The fourth was always my favorite growing up because both sides of my family would get together to celebrate America and my sister’s birthdays. I loved having everyone together at the lake.
  2. We went to Oregon last week on vacation with my friend, Anna Sophie, and her boyfriend. You might remember her from my study abroad posts. We hadn’t seen each other since leaving London in 2015 so it was so nice to catch up! I’m hoping to write a whole post about our trip soon.
  3. Before vacation I was really motivated on my health and fitness journey. My goal is to not only lose weight but to accept my body at every stage along the way. I’ve spent the past couple of years being really terrible to myself with the way I talk about and treat my body and I know that needs to stop. Body image is a huge issue in our current culture and I’ve really had to step back from social media in order to get my head back in a good place.
  4. Going on vacation has really made me realize that I need to spend more time away from work. My work-life balance has gotten much better since last year but I still worry and think about work way too much. I need to step back every once in a while and just worry about me.
  5. I had a neurologist appointment on Monday afternoon and I’m thinking about doing a Migraine update post to share what’s been going on. I haven’t done an update post in awhile because there hasn’t been any updates.

Do you have any plans for this weekend?

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Vacation Mode

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Vacation Mode

I love to travel but now that I’m a full-time working adult I don’t get to travel quite as much as I want to. Brett and I still make it a priority to travel at least a few times each yet even if they are just small trips.

This week we are going on an extra special trip and I am so excited! We have been planning this trip for a couple of months now and I’ve been counting down the days until we finally get to leave.

Vacation time is really important to me in order to avoid burnout at work. When I work for too many months without a vacation I start to get frustrated and grumpy. Taking some time off allows me to reset my focus and come back relaxed and ready to tackle whatever challenge is thrown my way next.

Do you have any summer vacations planned this year?

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Five on Friday #5

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Five on Friday

It’s been a hot second since my last Five on Friday post! Today I am finally back with another five things that I am looking forward to or thinking about on this dreary Friday morning.

  1. We leave for Arizona tomorrow morning to visit my grandparents! My mom, sister, Brett, and I are going down for a few days of relaxation and family time before my sister moves to Hawaii next month. I can’t wait to be back with the fam and have a few days off of work!
  2. I have five books packed in my suitcase ready to go for some serious pool time reading. I’m flying through books again so please send me your recommendations! I’m trying to read a variety of different genres this year.
  3. I’m in the process of redecorating my house for spring and it’s making all of this snow and ice much more bearable. Michigan went from -37 degrees Fahrenheit to 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the matter of a week. My body is confused about what season we are in.
  4. I’m working on changing my mindset towards weight loss. I’ve been really struggling since early 2018 with my weight after taking a medication that made me blow up like a balloon. I’ve had issues with food in the past so I know that I need to be careful with myself and try to keep this experience as positive as possible.
  5. Brett and I are trying to plan out our summer! Summertime in Michigan is my absolute favorite but I always feel so stressed to squeeze everything in my the time it rolls around because I didn’t plan ahead. This year I just want to spend as much time at my grandparent’s house on the lake as possible.

What are your plans for this weekend?

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Travel Playlist – A Week In Italy

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Travel Playlist - Italy

Hello from Italy (hopefully)!

I am scheduling this post a week in advance but *fingers crossed* Brett and I are currently in Rome!

The most popular blog post that I have ever written was my Study Abroad Playlist in 2015. I am still blown away by the number of views that I receive each week on this post! Music is so important to me and I love having a playlist for each trip that I take. This trip to Rome has been one that I have been dreaming about since I was in Elementary school. I’m so grateful to get the chance to visit!

I should also mention during this trip I will be living out my Lizzie McGuire movie dreams so of course there will be songs from the movie soundtrack. 🙂 I hope you enjoy this little taste of Rome.

Volare – Vitamin C

Pompeii – Bastille

Walking On Sunshine – Katrina & The Waves

Daydream Believer – The Monkees

Learning to Fly – Tom Petty

Go Big Or Go Home – American Authors

Send Me On My Way – Rusted Root

New Soul – Yael Naim

What Dreams Are Made Of – Hilary Duff

Here I Go Again – Whitesnake

Where The Streets Have No Name – U2

The Nights – Avicci

Have Love Will Travel – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

I Love This Life – LOCASH

What are your favorite songs for traveling?

Thanks for reading!

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Hello From Somewhere!

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travel blog

Hi friends!

It’s the beginning of a new week and I have no idea where I am. I’m writing this post ahead of time because Brett and I are traveling this week. The goal is to make it to Europe, preferably Rome, but we will take a what we can get!

My husband, Brett, works for an airline which means that we get flight benefits to fly standby. We aren’t guaranteed a seat on the flight and a lot of times we get stuck places. But I guess that’s part of the adventure!

This week we are trying to make it to Rome and hopefully by the time you are reading this we have made it. If you want to know where we ended up make sure to follow me on Instagram (@lifeofhayleyblog). I’ll be posting to my stories as often as I can.

I am so excited for this new adventure with Brett and can’t wait to share my travels with you when I return.

Thanks so much for reading!

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Five On Friday #4

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Five Things on Friday

Happy Friday, friends!

Once again, I thought I’d share five things that have been on my mind this week. It has been an exhausting week between an aggressive headache and lots of responsibilities at work. Let’s just say that I am very excited for this weekend and my vacation next weekend. This is my first real vacation this year besides air shows and weddings so I’m super excited to relax a bit!

  1. October 2nd marked one year since Tom Petty passed away. Tom Petty was one of my absolute favorite artists and his death devastated the entire music industry. I celebrated his life all week long by listening to a Tom Petty playlist on repeat.
  2. This weekend we will be attending my cousin’s wedding! I have never been more excited for someone to get married (besides me, of course). They have been dating for 11 years and I’m looking forward to celebrating with them!
  3. Brett and I are getting ready for our long awaited European adventure next week! We are flying stand-by so I’m not exactly sure where we will end up but hopefully it will be Rome! If you want to see more about our trip make sure to follow me on Instagram (@lifeofhayleyblog). I am hoping to post there pretty regularly!
  4. My headaches seem to be immune to any sort of pain medication now. I am on day 10 of constant pain and all I want to do is sleep for the next one hundred years.
  5. I despise jeans but have been loving Old Navy’s jeans lately. I bought three pairs in the last couple of weeks and have been living in them. I prefer jeans that are super stretchy and comfortable and they have a lot of variety.

Also, a huge thank you to my friend Hunida for featuring me in her blog post yesterday! I always love reading her monthly favorite blog posts and was super surprised to see my blog featured! Thanks again!

Well, that’s all of this week! What’s on your mind today?

Thanks for reading!

Lifestyle Blog, Life of Hayley