21 Days: Countdown to Colorado/Wyoming/Utah/Nevada

21 DAYS!

We leave for our Colorado/Wyoming/Utah/Nevada trip, or as I've been calling it, our "CoWyUt Vegas" trip.

Our plan is to leave on Thursday the 23rd, drive to Colorado Springs, Denver, Yellowstone, Salt Lake City, and Vegas, then spend a the rest of the week in Vegas.

So far, Brian and I have created a tentative list of things we'd like to do,

and we'e been tracking the prices of several hotels in Vegas.

On Friday, we plan to sit down and make an actual itinerary. At that point, we will reserve (most of) the hotels, check pricing on some special things we want to do (like this cool tour of the Garden of the Gods, or the price of a baseball game vs a college football game).

Once we make our itinerary, we'll finalize the budget.

We do a LOT of planning for our trips. It helps us to not waste time or money while we're actually on the trip.

Keep following for more of my countdown!

xoxo, 

Jenn

PACKING LIST FOR VEGAS/PHOENIX

In 2015, Brian took me on my very first trip to Las Vegas! It was so much fun! We actually road tripped to a U2 Concert in Phoenix, Arizona as well.

As I was cleaning out my computer planning to start this blog, I found my packing list for that trip. We flew for this trip, and I used to pack a lot heavier than I do now, but maybe this will help someone out.

Vegas/Phoenix Trip

May 2015

Thursday – late flight into Vegas	Black Leggings, Black Lace Tank, Cardigan, Jacket, Sperry's
Friday – drive to Phoenix, U2	Jean Shorts, White Lace Tank, Pink Kimono, Long Gold Necklace, Big Sunglasses, Sperry's
Saturday – Firebirds, Grand Canyon, back to Vegas	Sundress, Sandals, Shape-wear Jean Capri Pants, Black Lace Tank, Red Kimono, Long Silver Necklace, Big Sunglasses, Sperry's
Sunday – Full day in Vegas Evening in Vegas	Long Khaki Capri Pants, “I Love Sunday” Shirt, Sandals or Comfy shoes Same Pants, Navy Sparkle Tank, Kimono, Navy Shoes
Monday – Mid-morning flight home	Black Leggings, Comfy T-shirt, Cardigan, Jacket, Sperry's
Carry-On: Laptop (Charger) Ipad (Charger) Cell (Charger) Kindle (Charger) Planner and Pens Wallet, ID, Ticket, Etc. Dramamine Tylenol Prescriptions (if any) Tylenol Light Blanket Snacks Gum Make-up Bag Thick Socks Sunscreen	Suitcase: Black Leggings Jean Shorts Jean Capri Pants Khaki Capri Pants Sundress White Lace Tank Black Lace Tank I Love Sunday Shirt Navy Sparkle Tank Comfy T-shirt Kimonos Gold Necklace Silver Necklace Sandals Navy Flats Shape-wear 2 Bras 4 Underwear Pajamas Shower Supplies

PACKING BASICS

SOOOOO... the biggest stress for many people when it comes to traveling is deciding what clothes to pack. You want to make sure you have stuff that is comfortable and fits well, but you also want to look nice in case you do something fancy. Brian likes to spring things on me last minute (which is super fun but can send my anxious mind into a whirl!), so I TOTALLY get it.

PACKING RULES
My packing rules are as follows:

• Re-wear pants and bras
• Always bring 1 outfit for the other season because the weather can be crazy.
• Limit the number of bags you bring

These basic rules save me so much time and hassle! I swear! 

METHOD:

Before we leave on a trip, I usually start by making a list of what days we will be gone with a basic itinerary of what we plan to do each day. For example, this trip would be:
Saturday - Drive

Sunday - Chill

Monday - Chill, Dinner at Arnold Palmer
Tuesday - Chill, Dinner at Yachtsman

Wednesday - 4th of July! 

Thursday - Chill

Friday - Chill
Saturday - Drive 

I then make a basic outfit guide. I know that on days we drive I like to wear leggings and a t-shirt, that on chill days in Florida I will want leggings or shorts, and that I need 2 nice outfits for going out to dinner. I also know that I want to stick with a basic color palette so I can mix and match. (For this trip, it's grey, black, maroon, mustard, and white.)

MY PACKING LIST BREAKDOWN:
The breakdown looks like this:

• Sundglasses - these are a must for me. I usually bring 2 or 3 pairs, but only 1 this trip
• Shirts - 1 for each day, plus 2 extra
• Shorts/Pants - 1 for each day, plus 2 extra
• Nice Outfits - 1-2 dresses, 1 white button up, 1 pair nice pants, 1 dress tank
• Socks/Undies - 1 for each day, plus extra undies
• Bras - 1 nice black, 1 nice tan, 1 bralette, 1 sports bra
• Shoes - 1 pair black flip flops, 1 pair black flats, 1 pair black tennis shoes or chucks
• Pajamas - 1 pair for every 3 days 
• Jewelry - 1 gold necklace, 1 silver necklace, ring, pearl earings
• Hair Supplies - hairbrush, hair ties, 2 headwrap/scarves, shampoo, conditioner, straightener, bobby pins
• Body Supplies - soap (I just share Brian's), lotion, razor, sunscreen, deodorant
• Face Supplies - face wash, moisturizer, make-up* (*I'll do a travel makeup post later)
• Teeth - toothpaste, toothbrush, mouthwash (I steal Brian's or use tabs from LUSH)
• Electronics - phone, iPad, chargers
• Entertainment - books (2 if going somewhere like Disney or Vegas, 6 or more if "chill" is a daily activity), bujo, Happy Planner (I bring Happy Planner supplies if "chill" is a daily activity), pen set, stamps, envelopes
• Emergency Supplies - pads, tampons, Dramamine, Pepto, Immodium, Advil, band-aids, wallet, car charger
• Comfies - our personal pillows, a travel blanket for me, a jacket for me

That's pretty much it...

SPECIFIC DAILY BREAKDOWN FOR FLORIDA TRIP:
Saturday - galaxy leggings, white Make a Wish t-shirt, black flip flops, pink sports bra, undies, grey headband

Sunday - jean shorts, Florida tourist t-shirt, black flip flops, tan bra, undies

Monday - black capri leggings, cute printed flowy tank, black flip flops, tan bra, undies
Monday Dinner - khaki capris, black dress tank with gold studs, black flats, gold necklace, ring, pearl earrings, black bra, undies

Tuesday - black capri leggings, grey u-neck tee, black flats (I've misplaced my flip flops somewhere...), black bra, undies
Tuesday Dinner - black capri leggings, olive v-neck pocket tee, silver necklace, ring, black flats, black bra, undies

Wednesday - black shorts, grey v-neck pocket tee, socks, black Nike's, tan bra, undies, grey headband

Thursday - black shorts, grey slouchy tank, socks, black Nike's tan bra, undies

Friday - jean shorts, mustard tank, white v-neck tee, black flats, tan bra, undies

Saturday - black joggers, maroon tank, black flip flops (if I find them), tan bra, undies

I'm hella minimalist with how I dress on vacation. I try to look nice, but also be comfortable. I'm working on paring down my wardrobe at home to be as easy as my travel wardrobe. I LOVE how I dress when I'm traveling. I didn't wear everything I packed, but it sure is nice to have the options! 

Also, for BRIAN:
Shirts - 1 t-shirt per day, plus 3 extras
Shorts - 1 pair per day, plus 2 extras
Undies and socks - every pair he owns
Nice Outfits - 1 pair dress pants, 1 pair dress shorts, 2 polo shirts

Shoes - 1 single pair of sneakers that he will wear until they are vapor...

BAG BREAKDOWN

We usually road trip when we travel because it's cheaper and easier for just the two of us. Plus, we both get motion sickness, but if we drive it only affects one of us. (Me, because Brian drives)

Suitcase - We pack all our clothes in 1 medium sized suitcase. I roll all our everyday shirts, shorts, and pants into tight little rolls. Then I place all our nice clothes folded on the top. Next, I shove all our undergarments in the inside pocket of the suitcase (it has two sections - 1 for him and 1 for me). Finally, I zip that shit up and put my flats in the outside pocket.

Toiletries - We are super classy. Anything that leaks get wrapped in a plastic shopping bag (#recycling), then thrown in a crappy backpack I got for $10 at Academy during back to school sales 4 years ago. Everything else gets thrown in on top. My makeup goes in here in its own Ziploc baggie.

Backpacks/Purse - We each carry a backpack with our own personal items in it (laptops, books, etc) and I carry a purse with a smaller purse, my wallet, my pens, my bujo, and my planner inside. 

Overnight Bag - We always pack an overnight bag, even if we don't plan to stop on the road. It has 1 outfit for each of us per day on the road just in case. Right now, it has the leggings I wore on the way here, a pair of shorts for Brian, a t-shirt for each of us, and appropriate underwear/socks for each of us. It's great to stop at a Motel 6 or whatever and only have to bring in our overnight bag and the backpack of toiletries. 

Well... I hope this helps someone pack! Feel free to send me any tips you have! <3

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Full body selfie! The socks say "Liberty" and I love them! 

Nothing big to post today. Here are a couple of selfies. We are taking it easy today and having a cookout with Brian's folks. Maybe we will go down to the Square later. If so, I'll make another post! <3

We did a small bit of "honey-do" items that his parents can't do themselves.

Remember - the USA is the 2 time World War Champ!

One Night in Orlando

Disclaimer: This current trip is not my first trip to the Orlando area, nor was it my “Disney” trip. I am lucky that Brian likes Disney enough to occasionally indulge in taking me on spectacular Disney trips, and I'll do a series of posts about that later on. 

Riding to Disney! <3

This trip, we spent a night in Disney to celebrate 5 years of putting up with each other (we started dating in the summer of 2013, but neither of us knows the day...)

I forgot to take pictures at the Yachtsman, but here's one of the Welcome to Disney World sign! 

YACHTSMAN STEAKHOUSE

For our night out, Brian got reservations for one of our favorite Disney restaurants, the Yachtsman Steakhouse at the Yacht and Beach Club Resort. The drive was easy in the middle of the day, so we had no issues there! 

Our reservation was set for 6:40pm, but we arrived about an hour early. They took our names and we were in before 6:00pm. Our server came in and told us about the specials, but we both ordered our favorite meal: Lobster Bisque and an 8oz Filet with Cabernet Sauce and potatoes. He got a glass of the house Cab, and we each got Coca-Cola.

With our soup, we were given a basket with 2 types of bread. The first was a basic white mini baguette. It was meh. The second was a delicious lightly flavored onion bread. The onion bread was DELICIOUS! They serve the bread with a whole large bulb of roasted garlic and a large circular pat of butter with pink sea salt. PRO TIP: BRING BREATH MINTS! The garlic is well roasted and you can quite literally spread it on your bread. The butter is great and gives the onion bread a wonderful flavor.

At this point, they also brought out our Bisque. The bisque is served with a dark crispy bread thing and some garnish seasoning (maybe parsley? Idk, I wasn't paying enough attention). The soup itself is just creamy enough to be decadent, but just brothy enough to be light. The pieces of lobster meat were decent in size and I had one piece that was absolutely perfect! The little crisper thing was delicious when broken into the soup. I loved it. Brian said he's had better, but it was really good.

Next, we had our entree. We each had the 8oz filet with Cabernet sauce. Brian had his medium rare with a baked potato. I had my steak medium well with mashed potatoes (I know, I know. I just can't handle the pools of blood on my plate... ew). We both enjoyed our steaks, but I felt the 8oz was more than what I needed (6oz would have been perfect). The Cabernet sauce is immaculate. It's just sweet enough to give a nice flavor and just savory enough to make you appreciate the plate. Brian said it went well with the house Cabernet wine. I wouldn't know, because he drank it all without sharing. In the past, the mashed potatoes were creamier than they were last night. I think maybe they changed how they prepare them. They were still good, just not what I had expected. Brian said his potato was good, but a baked potato is a baked potato. 

Took this pic outside on the little promenade. The tile work was too cute! 

ARCADE ADVENTURES

This was an excellent and filling meal, but after we ate we wanted to digest for a bit. After finding a bathroom, we found a little arcade and decided to go in because they had a HUGE Space Invaders sett up. We played that and a few other games. I kicked his butt at Skee Ball and the NFL football toss game, and we tied at the basketball game. He then played Ms. Pac-Man and got through like 12 levels with 3 lives. It was hella impressive.

BEACHES AND CREAM

After the game, we walked a little further down and found Beaches and Cream. I'd never been there, but it had been on my list. Brian had been there 20 years ago with his sister or something. To be perfectly honest, the ice cream was kinda blah, but it was a fun experience. We sat outside and watched people walk by and play in the pool. Beaches and Cream is known for their two huge desserts, the Kitchen Sink and the Mini Mickey Sink. The Kitchen sink has tons of ice cream, every topping in the ice cream parlor, and a whole can of whipped cream. The Mini Mickey Sink is a smaller version, and you get to take home a plastic Mickey themed sink. They also have fast food meals here. I'd give the place a 6/10. I wouldn't make a special trip to go there, but if you're staying in the Beach Club area, it's a great way to use up a QS on the meal plan.
We had what I refer to as a "Brian Banana Split" - vanilla ice cream, banana, whipped cream, chocolate jimmies, and cherries. Below is a picture after we started in! Damn thing was HUGE!

After ice cream, we headed back to Lady Lake.
All in all, a wonderful night with a wonderful man! Here's to 5 years and hoping the next 5 are even better! <3

Trip Planning 101 - How We Start

I figured with a blog about traveling, a series on how we plan our trips would be beneficial. So I'll post this series as we plan our July/August 2018 trip.

Right now we are in the "brainstorming" phase of the planning. Usually, we discuss a bunch of places we would like to go for our vacation. As we do this, we will look for things neither of us has done, or something only one of us has done and it's been a while. During this phase, I go Pinterest crazy. I make trip-specific boards and pin EVERYTHING. Right now, we are discussing doing something in the American Midwest states. We looked at our maps and saw that neither of us has been to Colorado or Wyoming.
In the next part, the "negotiating" phase, we check out where things are in relationship to each other, and we create a list of things that are important to us that are in each area. For this trip, here is our initial list:

• Old Faithful
• Mount Rushmore
• Devils Tower
• Yellowstone
• Denver (maybe see Mile High Stadium)
• 4 Corners
• (Brian) We're close enough we might as well go to Vegas

In this phase, we begin to discuss realistic stuff like drive time and budgets. We begin to narrow down the list. For example, Mount Rushmore is being to pushed to a future trip since it would add about 6 hours each way to the drive time. During this phase, we each will research the area we would like to visit and we discuss things we could do in each area. An example of this is: in Denver, they have kayaking in the summer. Though neither of us has gone kayaking, we think it would be fun if they have a beginners course. We also look for things in our specific areas of interest. Brian looks at tourist attractions, and stuff related to movies he likes. I look for places to take pictures and to try new foods.

This is as far as we have gotten in the Colorado/Wyoming trip, so now I'm going to switch to examples from previous trips.

Okay, the next step is the "budgeting" phase. In this phase, Brian looks at the cost of things and we discuss what (if anything) I need to contribute. The only trip I've had to contribute a significant amount thus far is our 2017 Disney World trip. Usually, he is conscientious of my budget and we are able to come up with fair ways for me to contribute non-financially to make up the difference. This phase can sometimes be rough. For example, in planning our current Florida trip (the one we are on right now), we discussed spending a day at WDW or a day at WWOHP. Being a HUGE Disney fan, the idea of being so close to Disney and not going is rough, as is the idea of being so close to Wizarding World and not getting to indulge in my Ravenclaw nerdiness. We decided not to go into either park this time around because 1) we spent 11 days at Disney last year, 2) the cost is too high for what we can budget for this trip, and 3) Brian has to work this trip so we wouldn't be able to spend a full day at the park anyway. We instead are going to go in for dinner at one of our favorite Disney related restaurants and maybe an evening at Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney). 

After the budgeting phase, comes the "planning" phase. This is quite possibly my favorite stage except for the actual trip. During the planning phase, Brian and I sit down with his calendar and my planner and we work out WHEN the trip will be. I volunteer with Make a Wish, and he works, so we have to plan around those things. For example, our current trip is sitting between several Make-A-Wish reveals I have going on for different kids going on trips in late July and August. We also had to push it late enough to accommodate for an important conference call Brian had for work. The planning phase is also where I go bullet journal crazy. 

I come up with a packing list. Above is an example of a way I plan out what clothes to bring.

We also tend to do mini trips or day trips within our larger trip, so I'll dedicate pages for that like the two below.

In this phase, we also make lists of things not to forget. This leads straight into the "packing" phase. Packing phase is rough. Brian and I can both be a little controlling, so it's hard for us to compromise about where things should go. During this phase, we also do all the laundry and clean the house so everything is clean when we arrive home. I usually will wash and change the sheets on our last night at home. We also use this time to check the car tires, make sure the sprinklers aren't going haywire, and plan what snacks we'd like to take with us. This phase lasts until we get in the car to go!

I hope this breakdown of our planning helped you plan a trip! I'll be doing posts on my basic packing lists and on my bullet journal in the future. 

Where have I been, and where am I?

Today, we are in the great state of Florida, staying with Brian's parents in a huge retirement community called The Villages. The place is gorgeous, has a huge golf course, and people get around in GOLF CARTS. Like, they literally drive them on the road like a normal car. It's amazing! 

But it got me thinking about all the cool places I've been, so here is my map and list!

I've only driven through or stayed in hotels in Alabama, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, Mississippi, and Ohio.

I've been on Mission Trips in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana both as a teen participant and as an adult youth minister.

In Arizona, we saw a U2 concert in Phoenix, and we went to the Grand Canyon. This is one of the few states besides Texas that I have driven through, since the U2 concert trip was the only one where we have rented a car.

Brian lived in California for 6 months, and during that time he flew me out to San Francisco twice! We did Fisherman's Wharf, went to a Giants baseball game, and did a cruise under both the Bay and Golden Gate bridges!

In Connecticut, we visited both the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos. We went there for the second time a few weeks ago, and I'll be doing an in-depth discussion of these in a later post.

Florida is one we've been to several times as that's where Brian's folks live. We will go to visit them (like we are now ) and we've been on Disney-specific trips in 2014 and 2017. Be on the lookout for my "how to Disney" posts!

Brian lived in Kansas for work for about 6 months, and I drove up with him a few times to hang out. We haven't really explored Kansas, but I figured spending 2 weeks with him in the apartment counts as an experience.

I was born in the great state of Maryland! I've been back a few times with my family because my great-grandmother and several of my mom's paternal cousins live there, but I've never done the touristy stuff.

Christmas of 2017, Brian took me to BOSTON, Massachusettes. I am a huge Boston nerd. I love the accent, the teams, the history, and the accent. We went in for a night, ate dinner at an Italian place in the North End, and spent the next day freezing our asses off as we visited the Paul Revere house and walked the Freedom Trail. Go Pats! 

Nevada is home to one of Brian and my favorite trip locations: VEGAS! We've been 3 or 4 times as of this post, and we love it. He enjoys gambling and seeing different casinos. I enjoy shows, food, museums, and exploring the city. I've been to every stop on the monorail, and we recently went to Freemont Street on our last trip.

I've been to New York several times. Brian's current work project has him based out of upstate NY, and I've stayed with him in his work apartment there. This last trip, he surprised me with a day trip to NYC (which is the third time I've been able to visit the city) and it was SO amazing.

Even though Oklahoma is literally a 2-hour drive from my house, I've only been to Oklahoma for a high school mission trip and to go to Winstar World Casino. It is on my list to visit OKC.

Pennsylvania is the first state I remember visiting. Though I've never done the touristy stuff, I've driven through the state several times. Most of my maternal grandmother's family lives in PA, and as a child, I went with my mom several times to visit. Brian and I have discussed the possibility of a Philly trip.

My Tennessee experience was the result of being my grandfather's favorite grandchild. (I'm the only girl and the oldest grandchild). The summer before my sophomore year of high school, we took a road trip (we being my mom, her parents, my younger brother, and I) from Texas to Maryland to attend a family reunion for my great-grandmother's 80th birthday. I am known for getting car sick, so the trip was ROUGH for me. My grandfather decided to stop in Tennessee and pay for me tour Graceland because as a teen I was a HUGE Elvis fan (my grandfather even hired an Elvis impersonator for my sweet 16th). 

Ah, Texas! The greatest state in the country! Growing up in Texas has provided me with lots of wonderful opportunities. In what other state do people brag about how wonderful their state is and how it used to be its own country? Hawaii maybe? Nah, Hawaiians are proud, but not obnoxious like we Texans. Anyway. I've been all over Texas. San Antonio, South Padre, Corpus Christie, Austin, and Houston are all places I visited with school or Girl Scouts before I was 18. I grew up in a suburb of Dallas/Fort Worth, and going to downtown Fort Worth is just part of life where I'm from. I've been on mission trips to Victoria, Houston, Hillsboro, and San Antonio (the last as a youth minister where I planned everything on the trip). I've been to many of the cities listed above as an adult, including a wonderful trip with Brian to San Antonio where he took me to see my all-time favorite whale, Takara.  10/10, would recommend this state.

Virginia is weird to me. I had thought I'd only driven through until I got home from a recent road trip and showed my grandfather the map in my planner of all the places I've been (it is labeled similarly to the one above). He said "Virginia should be green. You lived there when your parents were married"... well, okay then!

West Virginia is another state where I've never done anything touristy, but I HAVE been to visit family. I have a cousin who lives out there that I met when we were both about 10 and have never talked to or met again...

I can't wait to visit the rest of the states and to turn the blue states pink! What does your map look like? Also, shout out to https://mapchart.net/usa.html for the customizable USA map! You're the real champ! 

WELCOME

Hey Y'all! Welcome to my travel blog. 

I am very lucky to have a lifestyle right now that allows for me to travel throughout the USA. My wonderful boyfriend, Brian, is able to work remotely and thankfully makes enough to foot most of (if not all of) the bill for our travel.

We like to road trip, but occasionally we fly. It's on our to-do list to travel via sleeper train and cruise ship, so maybe that will happen someday in the future!

It's our goal to visit every single state in America.

I am always up for suggestions, ideas, and questions, so hit me up if you need something!

 - Jenn