{Curious}...Flight of Fancy

As you know, I have a desire to travel. In high school I went on a tour of Central Europe with my classmates. It was amazing, and I wanted to go back the minute I came home. Even though it was just for twelve days, I was ready, even itching at points to return to the States. 

Now that I'm in college, I'm strongly encouraged to study abroad. Immediately I think it sounds fantastic. Is there anything more romantic, exciting, and even dreamy about living and learning in a different country? But. It's expensive. I mean, really expensive! Is it truly worth all the money to learn the same material in a different location?

And...it seems like such a long time! Last time I traveled abroad, I was gone for less than two weeks and I was with my sister and classmates. Now I would be gone for at least a month, possibly a semester, even a year. Furthermore, I probably wouldn't be with people I know. I might be totally alone. That's scary, I think.

So I'm wondering what your opinion is. Is study abroad truly worth the sacrifices? The money, loneliness, etc? Did you study abroad, and if so to where did you go? I'd like to try Central Europe, Greece, or the UK. Anyway, let me know what you think! I'd love some sage advice on this one. :)

Photo by Steven P. Wilhite via

{Florida}...Park by Park

Six parks in six days. Yes, you read that correctly. After the beach, our family trekked to Orlando for a marathon of parks. We visited all four Disney parks and the two Universal parks. It was exhausting, but the memories from the nonstop rides, park food, and ponchos are hilarious and lovable. Right, ponchos...it rained. Hard. The first two and half days were not just overcast, it was pretty much a wash. The downpour didn't stop us, though. We pulled on our really attractive ponchos and enjoyed our days. It cleared up (yay!) midweek and we really had some fun. I never used to be a rides person, but on this trip I went crazy and did everything. Even the ones with your feet dangling! Yikes! 

RockIt Roller Coaster. Amazing!
Each person picks the music to which the listen for the duration of the ride! Sweet!

Cinderella's castle. Obviously.

The Tower of Terror. One of my favorites. 

Disney Hollywood Studios.

Honeydukes! Harry Potter Park at Universal.

Hogsmead.

Hogwarts. HP FTW.

Disney Animal Kingdom safari. We were this close to the giraffe! 

{Florida}...Beach Bums

Seaside sunset.

And, finally! The Florida pictures have arrived! Now, I understand. Florida is not necessarily the most exotic location in the world. But there are some really breathtaking sights there. It is so utterly different from Wisconsin and Minnesota that I just can't help sharing with you. We so enjoyed the beach. Can you believe I'd never been to the beach before? How did it take me this long to get there? I love it. We stayed at a beach house right on the water on New Smyrna Beach. A fantastic location and lovely house. It was spacious and light. We did have a few issues with things being a bit dirty, but we got things spick and span in no time. Next time you're yearning for the beach, go to New Smyrna. It is amazing. 

Sunrise

We were really overwhelmed by the gorgeous sunrise and sunset. I took about a million pictures of every one we saw. How can you not be amazed by this sight? And in case you were curious...yes, the water was already warm at sunrise. 

Me, Amanda. Boating, but not fishing.

We rented a pontoon for a day and went fishing and boating all day. So gorgeous. I didn't fish. It's not really my thing. However, I finished the book I had been reading. The Host by Stephanie Meyer. Surprisingly good! I highly recommend it. 

The women. Abby, Amanda, Mom, Cathy, Me, Becca. Last night on the beach.

Beach life, in general, was amazing. I swear I ate seafood everyday. Delicious and so rare for me. We relaxed, ate, swam, sunbathed, played cards every day. It was the life. 

Shrimp Off the Rock. The first beach dinner.

All photos are personal ones I took on the trip. Some are on Instagram. 

{Weekend Update}...Paradise

After a whirlwind two weeks in the sunshine state, Florida, I'm back! The whether was temperamental, but incredibly relaxing and the sky was breathtaking. Sunrise and sunset were both an essential part of our days on the beach; and what a wonderful life! We canoed, swam, boogie-borded, sunbathed, grilled & brunched. How relaxing. This is a photo of the brilliant sunrise on New Smyrna Beach. 

After a week at the beach, we migrated to Orland for a marathon of six parks in six days. It was exhausting and thrilling rolled into one. I can't wait to share some of the beautiful photos and stories from our trip! I hope you have a good one while I've been away. Although my fabulous vacation has ended, I'm so looking forward to getting back into things!

Pack Your Bags, Hit the Road

Recently I've been yearning to travel. I don't mean vacation, though. What I'm taking about is a spur of the moment adventure. A trip. I'm not looking for an ultimate destination, because sometimes that's not even the best part. In high school my choir drove from Wisconsin to Disney World in Florida. Most memorable are the hours we spent on the bus. The journey there and back changed people. We were not fascinated by fluorescent colors and princesses, but rather we were in awe of how wonderful and free simply going could be.

I'm typically a planner. I look ahead, and ahead, and ahead until there is nothing left to look at! I soon realize, I didn't see anything in the present. So I'm challenging myself to be spontaneous. If I feel like hitting the road, well I'll do it gosh darn it! Here's to experiencing the real deal; taking the journey without knowing where it ends, and hopefully experiencing some road trip tunes, greasy spoons and evening stars.

photo via weheartit

Vertical Gardening

Woah! How sweet is this? Vertical gardening in Madrid has to be the coolest thing I've seen in a long time! I'd love to know how long it takes to engineer and landscape it. The design is incredible. Think how amazing it would be to walk around a paved street lined with concrete & brick buildings to then be struck my a lush, green masterpiece! Breath-takingly beautiful. And here is a great web site if you're curious and would like to know more! Perhaps you'd like to start one, or you just want to know how it works. 

photos via

Vacation Kicks

I've probably mentioned about a million times that I'm going to Florida with my fam at the end of June. It's been a pretty long year, so you can imagine why I'm so pumped. Since we're flying, I sadly can't really bring all my shoes (as much as I'd like too!) for every outfit. Here's what I'm wondering today...When you're on vacation, what do you put on your feet? We all know I like my chucks. I want to be comfortable whether I'm on the beach, shopping or trekking through the new Harry Potter Park. Any suggestions? I'd love your input! What's your favorite vacation shoe?

Birkenstocks: everyone tells me they're amazing and that their feet haven't been happier. But I think they look so ugly (sorry if you like them!) and have always said I'd go barefoot before wearing them. Should I convert and become a Birkenstock junkie?

Sperry Top Siders: They have the reputation of being ultra cute and comfortable at the same time. I think it's great they have a wedge alternative. Do you go barefoot with these? They look like your feet would get really warm. Are they breathable? Would they be good for a variety of situations?

Soludos Espadrilles: These look super comfy to me. They look so easy to slip on, but also protect your toes from rocks and rogue stroller wheels. But, they also look a little flimsy? Have yours ever fallen apart? I always think Rachel Bilson looks so chic when she wears Espadrilles. Would your feet hurt after a day on the pavement? They look great for the beach.

Keds: they are so similar to my beloved chucks, but have a little bit more femininity to them, which I really like. As you know, I've been debating over which ones to get (help!). With socks, would your feet get super gross after a day of walking? What about water rides and the beach? Do you go sans socks? I'm cool with that as long as I don't get blisters. I like how classic these are. 

TOMS: These have been all the rage lately. Especially after the one day with out shoes. I hate to say it, but I think the classic are kind of ugly. Not so much ugly, but cumbersome and boxy. I think the ballet shoes are cute and chic. They also have wedges. I love that this company has a great cause donating one pair for children for every pair you buy. Thoughts? Do they last?