Travel Woes 2020
Well guys, I went pretty MIA during the pandemic… I didn’t know what all I could say about travel, restaurants, and attractions when MANY of them were closed. I had several trips cancelled this year (which sucked pretty bad) and now our COVID-19 numbers (in my area) are on the rise again, which I am […]
Cancun – Family Style
Villa del Palmar Cancun is our favorite resort in Cancun AND our favorite Villa Group resort (so far). For our 3rd trip to Cancun, we decided to take the kids along. It was our first time travelling internationally and I wasn’t sure how it would go. But they did AMAZING! The kids loved the resort: […]
Chicago for a weekend with the kids? Yes, please!
We have been to Chicago twice (as a family) and both happened to be in 2018: once in the Spring for the debut and finale of my acting career (I was an extra on Chicago Fire one time) then a few weeks before Christmas. They were entirely different experiences and we are already planning a […]
Sea Lions, Pirates, and Tequila – Oh my!
We come from the Midwest and are always looking to escape the bitter cold winters to somewhere affordable. Our family took our first trip to Puerto Vallarta in April 2019. The weather was impeccable (only one day of rain), the ocean was gorgeous, the location was perfect for exploring the city, and the kids had […]
Travel Hacks – Road Trip!
You guys, we took the longest road trip of my life this past summer (not including the move halfway across the country when I was 19): Eastern Iowa to Deadwood, South Dakota… with 2 kids (13 and 6 year old boys). We were planning to stay in a large cabin with a huge group of […]
Mystery Shopping is no longer a mystery…
What is mystery shopping? How do you do it? How much do you make? Is it a scam? These are all questions that I have heard when I tell people about my mystery shopping assignments. So I’ll start with saying: it’s legit and I like doing it. If you are interested, here are some of […]
Can you Visit Orlando and not Spend a Fortune?
Why yes, yes you can… Our final family adventure of the Summer was taking our first trip to Orlando! No one in our family has been to Florida before and I got some pretty decent rates on airfare flying from Des Moines to Sanford (which is about 45 minutes Northeast of Orlando). FYI – it […]
Looking for souvenirs? Where should you go?
FYI – the answer is NOT the airport or the souvenir shop at the theme park. Finding the local Goodwill, Salvation Army, and other local thrift stores (no matter where you are) will save you a significant chunk of money on your family travel. Especially if you are trying to buy travel gifts for kids […]
Timeshares: Deal or No Deal?
I am not sure that everyone has had experience with timeshare companies or “vacation memberships”, so it is worth mentioning in my blog about family travel on a budget. Especially since you can get some pretty awesome deals if you are willing to sit through a timeshare presentation. I am about to unfold the secret […]
Top Places for Restaurant Deals: Going out to eat? I always check 3 places…
Whether I am at home base or travelling with the family, there are a couple of apps that I check consistently before we go out to eat: Groupon: I check for local Groupon restaurant offers. They are listed under Local Food & Drink. Sometimes you get national chains and other times there are some awesome, […]