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We are on the East Coast for a wedding this weekend in Virginia, but we decided to fly in a couple of days early and randomly selected Annapolis, MD as our destination.

We stayed at a hotel slightly outside of Annapolis with plans to do some exploring downtown. It ended up being rainy + I wasn’t feeling well for the first 24 hours. I decided to stay in and see if my lethargic feeling went away and thankfully I woke up the next day and was feeling so much better. I think my body had just been exhausted after the last few weeks and was craving rest.

Iron Rooster

We went into Historic Downtown Annapolis Thursday night for dinner. After walking around the Harbor a bit we decided on the Iron Rooster for dinner. The deciding factor was their all-day breakfast menu, which I will rarely turn down.

They had both breakfast and dinner options available. They offered outdoor seating and since the rain had subsided we decided to take advantage of the cooler weather and eat outdoors.

I’m being truthful when I say that this was probably one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time! I ordered the Farmer’s Benny which was a southern-take on the traditional Eggs Benedict. An English muffin piled high with Boursin, fried green tomato, Poblano sauce, poached egg, and Hollandaise sauce. It was incredible end served with an side of hash-browns.

We had planned on getting dessert afterward, but we were both so full from dinner that we passed.

Sofi’s Crepes

The next morning we headed back to the same area and worked from a Starbucks until lunch time. After doing so research on Annapolis I knew exactly what I wanted to try for lunch.

Sofi’s Crepes is a small unassuming building serving both sweet and savory crepes all day long. There is no indoor seating, so I highly recommend finding a seat near the Harbor as you enjoy your crepe.

One thing I appreciate about this place is that they are working hard to reduce waste and so they serve the crepes wrapped in foil and it’s a handheld meal.

Their menu has a great selection that I’m sure will speak to anyone no matter your taste. I went with the Huevo from the Breakfast All Day menu.

It was a savory crepe with egg, cheese, black bean salsa, and sour cream. I could probably eat this every day and never get tired of it!

Question of the Day:

What’s is the best thing you’ve eaten this week?

Aaron and I just went on our annual Ohio trip to both Cedar Point and King’s Island and we’ve complied our best tips to maximize the experience!

1. Look into Season Pass options.

Cedar Fair, the company operating both of these parks, has a few different season pass options. We highly recommend seeing if one is right for you or your family. We often find that season passes pay for themselves after two or three visits and are well worth it if we plan on going multiple times or days. We personally chose their Platinum Pass as it gets us into Cedar Fair’s parks and water parks across the US and Canada. The pass has paid for itself with everywhere we have been able to visit over the last year, and we will be using it one last time this weekend in Virginia!

2. Do your research and download the App.

What excites you about amusement parks? Is it thrill rides? Shows? Kid-friendly experiences? Do some research before going to the park to ensure that it has what you’re looking for. You can also download the Apps for each of the parks to view an interactive map and see wait times for the rides. This has been a big help in planning our visits. We even get pretty strategic about mapping our path to get to certain rides the fastest.

3. Find out about ERT

ERT = Early Ride Time. It is a must if you are trying to get in as many rides as possible during your visit. It is usually available for Resort guests or Season Pass Holders. It varies from an additional 30 minutes to an hour, but it makes a huge difference at the start of your day. We usually get an extra 2-3 rides in before the park opens to general admission!

4. Start at the back of the park.

This is a little trick that we find has helped us beat the crowds. Most people with start at the front of the park, but we make a beeline for the back. Also, most major thrill rides are usually located towards the back so hit them up before the lines get to long!

5. Thrill Rides First

This leads me into my next tip, ride the thrill rides first. Those are most likely to get the longest lines and I recommend getting them checked off your list first thing. Use the middle, most crowded part of the day to ride the mediocre rides, and you can always go for a repeat on the thrill rides later in the evening or at night (night rides for the win!)

6. Plan your meals.

We always pre-plan our meals before the day. There are times we may eat inside the park, but we try to avoid this when we can. I will say that Cedar Point and King’s Island have great dining options, but they are expensive! Consider taking a break in the afternoon to eat off property and take a rest before returning for more fun!

7. Free Water

Cedar Fair provides free cups of ice water at all of their parks. Take advantage of this! We usually have a goal to get a cup of water after every few rides just to make sure that we are staying hydrated since we usually visit the parks during the hottest months of the year. You’re always walking a lot so drinking enough water is important!

8. Don’t be afraid to take a break.

If we eat off-site in the afternoons we will usually return to our hotel to rest for an hour or two before returning to the park. This helps us stay up when the park is offering late hours, and ensures we have energy for the next day’s adventures too! This is another reason why we like the flexibility that a season pass offers. We can go take a rest without feeling like we’re wasting money.

9. Wear clothes you can get wet in.

Both parks have rides that you can use to cool down, whether it’s a rapid river or log ride, they will get you soaked! Take my word for it. Wear clothes that will dry easily once yet (no denim!) and won’t be uncomfortable once wet.

10. Consider the bags you bring in and renting a locker.

Most rides at Cedar Point and King’s Island have bins at each rate to place your bags in, however there are a few that won’t allow you in the queue line with a bag and you must rent a locker if not leaving with a non-rider. We always ensure that we only bring in one fanny pack that fits our car keys, hand sanitizer and both of our phones. This allows us to rent the smallest, cheapest locker when we run into these situations.

Question of the Day:

Which tip do you see yourself implementing on your next (or first) visit?

Obviously this Foodie Friday is a few days late making it a Foodie Monday. But it’s here and it honestly took me longer than I thought it was going to. I won’t spend too much time explaining this recipe because I want you to have plenty of time to make it! Here is a simple recipe for a New York Cheesecake that I have personally tested out, and may or may not have had a slice for lunch today (with a salad on the side). Check it out!

This post is a couple of weeks late, but I explained why in my last post. I still wanted to get it up here and show some fun things in OKC. Tomorrow we will be back up to date with my latest travels.

I had a work trip planned and decided to drive since OKC is only a few hours from Dallas. I left first thing in the morning to allow plenty of time to do a little exploring, but also enough time to take care of some work responsibilities before the day was over.

I had to stop for a visit with my favorite beaver on my way out of Texas. If you haven’t been to a Buc-ee’s I highly recommend doing so next time you’re passing through the Lone Star State. And don’t forget to pick up a cup of coffee and one of their delicious breakfast tacos.

I arrived in OKC a little after noon and made my way to the Myriad Botanical Gardens. They have an indoor conservatory, but it is currently closed for renovation. So I took a walk around the free outdoor portion of the gardens.

Going through these pictures were a bit emotional. I had my last phone conversation with my dad while walking around the gardens, and it was just a reminder of that.

Who knows what he and I talked about as I walked around, hoping the rain would hold off, and taking pictures of all the ducks.

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It was not long until it started to pour and I took cover wherever possible while making my way back to the car.

This is a great area to walk around as a family in OKC. They have a carousel, playground, and a splash area that was not very useful for a rainy day like this.

I made it back to the car, and of course, the rain stopped within 30 seconds of me driving away. I was wet, hungry, and needing to get some work done so I stopped by a popular coffee shop downtown.

Coffee Slingers is a trendy coffee shop in Downtown OKC located at the base of an office building. I was able to set up and get some work done while enjoying a cup of pour-over coffee.

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At this point I had consumed only one breakfast taco in combination with 2 cups of coffee and a Celsius, so I didn’t hang out here long as I needed to eat something real.

I did a little grocery shopping, took care of some work responsibilities and completed some meetings.

The best part of a work trip to OKC was getting to spend some time with my sister-in-law, who is local to the area. We met up for dinner at her recommendation, Bellini’s.

I went with her recommendation of the spicy chicken fettuccine and it did not disappoint! We are sister-in-laws by marriage, meaning our husbands are brothers, and we enjoyed some great time swapping stories and laughed for more time than we realized had passed by.

I ended the day by teaching some online English classes, and got ready for the next work day. I had some other things planned for this trip, but that next day was when my dad was admitted into the hospital. I was fortunate enough to have a colleague with me that took over so that I could go home and tend to family matters.

I am just now getting back into the groove of everything following the loss of my dad. While this has been a heartbreaking time, and I have had days of living in a mental fog, I know there is a lot more in store for mine and Aaron’s life moving forward. My dad would want me to live it to the fullest and I fully intend to do so in his honor. Here’s to more adventures!

It’s been a couple of weeks. Every time I’ve sat down to write I’ve been overcome by feelings of just not being ready. So much has happened over the last few days weeks and it’s just taken time for me to process.

On August 13th, my dad was diagnosed with COVID-19 and on August 20th he was admitted to the hospital. After 10 days of ups and downs, he passed away Monday, August 30th.

I couldn’t resume writing without honoring his life. Allow me to tell you who my father was.

He was a husband, father, son, brother, and friend. He was the best dad. Please enjoy some major throwback pictures.

He was our adventure buddy. Me made sacrifices so we could have the best family vacations.

He LOVED the 4th of July! My dad was like a kid in a candy shop when it came to shooting off fireworks!

He was there for every school function, dance, and every important milestone. Even when my date stood my up for my Sophomore year Homecoming. He showed up as my Knight in Shining Armor to come get me.

He made the absolute best pancakes and homemade syrup. I would give anything to sit in the kitchen with him while he flips pancakes again.

He was a proud college dad and repped my OBU gear often. And later repped the Air Force as my younger siblings chose that path.

He always made sure we had everything we needed. He was the most generous person I’ve ever known. He never let me get back on the road to school until he checked my car out. And he’s the only reason I ever passed a math class.

He was a faithful follower of Christ and a spiritual leader for our family. He baptized me back in 2017 and I’m so thankful for this moment we shared together.

He was the rock of our family. And while new normals are created, life will never really be the same without him.

I love you forever, daddy 🤟🏼

Normal travel posts will resume Monday, September 6th.

Wow, it feels like it’s been awhile! The days definitely got away from me this past week. Between my birthday, some very busy work days, and a family member being diagnosed with COVID, I just haven’t had the time to sit down and produce any meaningful content. Quality over quantity, right?

I celebrated my 26th birthday on Friday, and the day was a mix of emotions. It had been a really challenging day at work, a few surprises were thrown my way, and a family member was heavily struggling with the virus. I cam home after a long day to my husband having dinner ready, flowers in a vase, Jurassic Park (one of my favorites!) cued up on the Apple TV, and my favorite ice cream in the freezer. He really turned the day around and we enjoyed a quiet evening at home, knowing we were waking up early to take a day trip the next morning.

We woke up at 6AM Saturday morning to hit the road for New Braunfels, TX where we planned to spend the day at the giant waterpark, Schlitterbahn. We have just a few more months left on our Cedar Fair season passes and we are trying to get as much use out of them as possible (September is going to be a great time for this)!

It took us a little over three hours to get there, and we stopped at Chick-fil-A for a quick breakfast before getting to the park. We love Schlitterbahn, but man oh man, was it crowded that day! It was basically the last weekend of summer for most and people were clearly taking advantage of that. We typically get to parks so early that we’re some of the first ones there, but that was not the case this day. Thankfully, the admission line moved quickly and we spent the first little bit in their torrent river. It’s like a lazy river but with massive waves that push you through. Think lazy river + wave pool.

We spent a good 2.5 hours standing in lines to rode both of the parks water coasters on the newer side of the park. It was hot from standing in the sun that long, so we cooled off in the actual lazy river afterward. By this time it was already mid-afternoon se we took our lunch break. We picked up Jimmy John’s sandwiches the night before to bring along with us. It definitely saves a few bucks to do this instead of buying the overpriced food at the waterpark. I always get the Veggie on their sliced wheat, sans mayo. Its filling and healthy!

We decided to head to the older side of Schlitterbahn after lunch. For those who don’t know, the park is split into an older side and a newer side. They have a tram service to take you between parks, and to out the codes in perspective the lines for at least an hour long to transfer to the other side. We decided to drive over there, but realized after searching through every parking option that we were out of luck. We could have found alternatives to this, I’m sure, but we could also seen the extremely long lines within the older side of the park and decided it simply wasn’t worth it.

We started to head back to Dallas and before getting too far away, we stopped at the one place I specifically requested for my birthday — P. Terry’s. It’s a burger joint local to the Austin area and you can really only get it when in Central Texas. It’s a must for any trip that takes us through Austin.

We celebrated my birthday with cheeseburgers and fries, and I couldn’t have picked a better birthday dinner. If you like In-n-out then you’ll LOVE P. Terry’s.

We made one final stop in Waco at Andy’s Custard before finishing our drive home. I got a kid’s sundae with sprinkles, which is my absolute favorite ice cream topping.

Sunday was a busy day as we caught up on a lot of tasks and spent time together before heading into a busy week. I’ll be getting back on the road this week, so stay tuned!

Question of the Day: Have you been to Schlitterbahn?

Hello friends! I know it has been long since our July Giveaway, but I wanted to get this one out here before I’m on the road the rest of the month and have other really great content to share!

During the summertime, there is nothing I love more than lounging by the pool with a good back – whether I’m home or on the road! And since I have posted quite a bit of book content lately, I wanted to pass along some of my favorites AND give you an opportunity to find some of your favorites, as well!

So this month, I will be sending ONE (1) lucky winner not one, not two, but THREE of my favorite books that I have read this year, so far. PLUS I will also be gifting that winner a 3-month subscription to Book of the Month Club! A book subscription where you get two book one book a month from a variety of genres and authors! That is SIX free books you get in the end! This GIVEAWAY is $90 Value! Here’s what you need to do to enter: (Must complete all – except Bonus entry – to qualify):

1. Sign-up for my Email List on my About Page! Simply enter your email and you’ll be notified of future blog posts (& future GIVEAWAYS)!
2. Follow me on Instagram.
3. Like my Instagram Post
4. Tag a Friend on the GIVEAWAY post

BONUS: Share the Giveaway to your Instagram Story! (This earns to an additional entry to the GIVEAWAY!)

GIVEAWAY ends Sunday, August 15th at 11:59PM CST. Winner will be announced and contacted Monday, August 16th at 9:00AM CST! (Must respond within 24 hours to receive prize!

Hey all! This is another great week at home! I’m off work the first half of the week and am excited to work with a client that is local for the back half off the week. This works out great because Friday is my birthday, which means I get to spend it at home with family and friends instead of being on the road alone! Since it’s a normal week at home I thought I’d share my summer morning routine for the days that I’m off work!

My mornings have been starting out a little differently for the past few weeks. I recently began teaching online again. I did this years ago and it was great source of additional income! I am teaching with Magic Ears. This is an online company that contracts teachers to teach English to young students in China. It pays well and is honestly so much fun! Even if it means super early mornings! You can actually follow this link and apply for a teaching position with them if you’re looking for a simple side-gig! You don’t even need that much experience — just passion and a smile!

As soon as I wrapped up my mornings classes I’m usually pretty hungry for breakfast. This week I’m on a bit of a toast kick. I’m topping a couple of slices with avocado, crumbled feta, and pomegranate arils. It’s such a good combo and I highly recommend it! And you can’t forget the morning cup of coffee!

While I ate my breakfast I had my morning quiet time. I’m going through the book of Genesis right now. The Old Testament has always been hard for me to read, but I’m enjoying this in depth study of the Beginning!

Before I begin my workouts, I’ve been working hard to remain consistent with my daily vitamins. Care Of has really helped with this as they are proportioned into daily packets customized just for you! I take a daily mix of cranberry, B-complex, iron, and magnesium.

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This breakfast has been great one to fuel my morning workouts. I decided to take a break from running this morning and did a show Barre + Yoga workout. I love the Down Dog apps. I have a monthly subscription to their HITT, Barre, Yoga, and Meditation apps and I use them often. They are great for when I’m traveling and need a little inspiration!

This morning was a little different as we had a doctors appointment on the books for Aaron. Those who don’t know — Aaron was diagnosed with leukemia back in January and it subsequently has led to some heart issues, as well. We had another follow-up appointment with his cardiologist to see how things are going. We got a pretty good report from the doctor and pray things continue in a positive direction. It is so humbling to see other’s waiting for their appointments with their loved ones. Cancer is a hard road to walk.

When we got home I remembered to drink my ACV with hot water. This is one that I usually have to chase down with a snack or early lunch after, because it’s not the best. But the health benefits outweigh the bitter taste. I use 1 TBS. in 8 oz. of hot water with a slice of lemon. It’s tolerable.

I spent the rest of the morning prepping this week’s lunches in my air fryer, and making some chocolate chip banana bread with some way over-ripe bananas.

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That was my morning routine for you all. And I’m happy to say there is way more excitement coming to the blog tomorrow! It’s August give-away time! Stay tuned!

Hello everyone! How was your weekend? Ours was a relaxing as it gets! We didn’t have much on the agenda for this weekend, but managed to still work some fun and outings into Saturday. This will be a short recap with an important question at the end, so read on!

I flew home Friday night. My plane was delayed several hours, so I got in a lot later than expected. This resulted in us sleeping on way later than we normally do on a weekend. We took the morning easy, drank coffee, did some grocery shopping, and Aaron went to the eye doctor. Guess who got glasses for the first time?

We spent some time at the pool cooling off and reading. We usually try to hit the pool before the afternoon crowd comes in. It gets a little crazy on the weekends, so we take advantage of the time that it is quiet.

We spent the afternoon watching movies. Aaron wanted to watch The Outsiders, an old movie based on a novel. He only wanted to watch it because it starred Ralph Macchio and Emilio Estevez. Let me tell you, it was terrible! Such a sad and depressing movie. After this, Aaron wasn’t allowed to pick out any of the movies the rest of the weekend. Are you a fan of sad movies?

We cleaned up for Saturday evening church, and planned to go out for dinner afterward. My birthday is this Friday, so I have all the free birthday coupons rolling in from different places. I had a coupon for a free meal at Texadelphia. We enjoyed our cheesesteaks before walking them off at a local mall.

Being the bargain shoppers that we are, it also applies to eating out. We both had 1/2 off Sonic shake coupons that we figured would be a great way to round out our Saturday. We picked those up on the way home and enjoyed them while watching a few episodes of Friends on the couch. I got a mini Peanut Butter Oreo Shake. It was the perfect size and really satisfied the sweet tooth.

Sunday was a whole lot of nothing! We watched more movies, did some meal prepping, and lounged around. Not much to recap there. But before you go, I have a question!

I love blogging. Writing has always been a source of stress relief for me, bit I’m looking for other ways to push myself out of my comfort zone. I am highly considering taking Traveling by Nature to Youtube! I would continue with the written blog, but there would be live vlog content to coordinate with it?

What are your thoughts? Would you watch a Youtube channel featuring some of this content and more? Answer below in the comment section!

That’s all for the weekend, and be on lookout for more posts coming this week!

This is one of my favorite Foodie Fridays because not only did I eat some great food, but I also dipped my toes in the ocean! Check it out!

Diners

I asked the locals where I needed to grab dinner while I was visiting Jacksonville. I was very surprised when they didn’t suggest something that screamed seafood, but rather a local diner.

Metro Diner is an unassuming restaurant that was actually featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives! So given that it was everyone’s recommendation and it’s was Guy Fieri approved, I had to go.

My first impression was that it reminded my of a Denny’s and everything was sticky. However, sometimes those are the best places! The general consensus was that I had to get the Chicken and Waffles, so I went for it.

It was your classic chicken and waffles, and it came with a ton of chicken! I knew right away that I would be leaving some of this behind. This is half a fried chicken with a Belgian waffle, topped with powdered sugar. It came with a side of whipped butter and strawberry butter, and their signature sweet & spicy sauce.

I though the strawberry butter could be an interesting combination with the fried chicken, and it was. But I actually really enjoyed the mix of the sweet and savory flavors.

I ended up finishing off the waffle and ate a good portion of the chicken.

Beaches

In all my travels I’ve never actually been to the ocean. I was about half an hour away from one and I was determined to go, rain or shine! Of course it started pouring as soon as I left the diner, but with any rainstorm in Florida, I only had to wait a little bit for there to be a break in the rain. I had the perfect window to walk along the beach and dip my toes in the ocean.

I thought it was beautiful and there is nothing better than listening to the waves. It was overcast and more storm clouds were rolling in, but that didn’t stop other beach goers.

I could have spent hours walking along the beach, but the rain arrived again, and this time it was more intense than the last shower. I ran back to the car, and planned to make one more stop before going back to my hotel.

Gelati

I decided my dinner didn’t satisfy my sweet tooth, so I headed out for some gelati. This is a dessert consisting of layers of Italian ice and custard. I’ve talked about this before when we have gone to Rita’s Italian ice.

I heard I needed to try Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, an Orlando based franchise. Their dining room wasn’t open, and the drive-thru was backed up but I was committed. I was disappointed to see that they didn’t have my favorite flavor, blue raspberry, so I gave the blueberry limeade flavor a try mixed with vanilla custard.

I still prefer my blue raspberry, and I have to say that Rita’s is still the winner in my book.

The food was good, but the beach was better!

Question of the Day: Have you tried gelati before? If so. what’s your favorite Italian ice/custard combination?