travel Archives - Inspired & Strong | Making the Best of Every Day with Stacy

Vicariously

March 26, 2024 No Comments

As you all know My Prince and I travel A LOT! It seems we are Never Home, and if we are home, we have company. Some people think it’s amazing while others are exhausted just looking at our pictures and reading my posts. Other people don’t understand why we can’t stay in one place for any length of time. Sometimes we feel like we are being pulled in so many different directions. It seems that everything seems to happen on the same day. Having the FOMO (fear of missing out) that I have, I wish there was a way to be in about three places at one time!

We have had several people say they live vicariously through us. They love seeing our pictures and our adventures. They are always looking forward to see where we are going next. Some say they don’t have to travel because we do it for them. Many are excited that they get to see different places without going anywhere.

My Rock and I love traveling. We love our experiences, the people we meet, and the sites we get to see. We travel at least once a month if not more. Sometimes to Virginia to visit family and sometimes to different destinations to go skiing. Even though my hubby flies for work he still enjoys the personal adventure of the places we get to go. We are blessed to have flight benefits through his work, therefore, we can travel for less money. The problem is sometimes we have to run from one gate to another to try to catch that flight home. Or we have to stay an extra day because the flights are full. These are the frustrating things people don’t see. And sometimes it can make for a very long day. I just try to see it as an added adventure. It’s always fun to see where we will end up 🙂

Over the Christmas holiday, My Valentine and I were talking with his brother. We were talking about the new virtual reality glasses and how real they make everything look and feel. I am not sure how I feel about this new phenomenon. Yes, you can travel vicariously to the Eiffel Tower without ever leaving your couch, but is it the same as actually climbing those steps to the top? I guess I like the idea of the glasses for those who are limited by physical or mental impairments and cannot travel. To see them would probably be very cool. But I am nervous about the impact it will have on our society. Will people quit traveling? Will people quit interacting with others? Will people lose their desire to see the world? If you wear these glasses you don’t have to go anywhere, walk anywhere, or do anything. You just feel like you are wherever you want to be. I would rather see things with my own eyes, be there in my own spirit, and feel the real world around me, but maybe I am different.

My husband and I just spent 18 days in Europe. We went skiing in Chamonix, France, Zermatt, and Lenzerheide, Switzerland, and then ended with three days in Zurich, Switzerland. We were amazed by the wondrous mountains and the amazing views. We skied for 10 days with beautiful scenic drives in between ski towns. What a beautiful countryside. Once in Zurich, we walked thousands of steps, trying different shops, and going to different restaurants. I couldn’t imagine doing this vicariously through some virtual reality glasses and not being there in person.

I know living vicariously through other people or glasses can be fun. I love seeing pictures from other people’s travels. But I grew up with a desire to see the world. I want to BE in as many places as I can and EXPERIENCE as many different worlds and cultures as possible. I hope if you have a place you would like to go to you find a way to take that trip. Don’t wait for the right time or wait to have the right amount of money. Where there is a will there is a way. Make it happen and turn the vicarious into reality!

In Pilot's Wife

Eating in the Airport

March 12, 2024 No Comments

As you know My Rock and I travel A LOT. And many people wonder how we stay in shape while we are almost always on the go. We can’t always work out so we need to make a conscious effort to eat healthy while we are running around.

Depending on how you travel there are many options. If you drive, you can pack a cooler and stop at different restaurants along the way. We love looking up local restaurants and sitting down for a nice meal when we drive. If you fly, which airport you are flying into and how much time you have can make a difference in what you choose to eat. Many people go for the fast food chains they know and love in the airport. I believe this is for several reasons. One, they think it’s cheaper than any other option. Two, they know what is available and how it will taste. Three, many people are afraid of trying different foods.

If you have a little bit of time, look for different restaurants. There are some very cool and different restaurants in the airport terminal. There are several options from Asian, Belgian, English, Irish, and American. If you are adventurous, try something new! Many times the lines here are shorter as you see here at Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh (in the Denver airport, which was packed).

Fast food restaurants in airports can often be tempting, but it’s important to make better nutritional choices to maintain a healthy diet. Jersey Mike’s has healthier options than fried foods. Chipotle is a healthier option. Some of them even have cauliflower rice. Most airports have some type of Asian restaurant where you can get a poke bowl or sushi. Most airports have a Tropical Smoothie where you can get a smoothie and add protein to it. They even have some good sandwiches you can try. You can even make good choices at Starbucks by getting a black coffee or putting honey or almond milk in it for a sweetener. The egg bites are the best choice there or an egg sandwich with no bread. Again, eating is all about making choices. As you can see the line at Chick-fil-A is super long!

Here are some tips for making healthier choices at restaurants in airports (or on the Road) in the United States:

Look for healthier options: Many fast food restaurants now offer healthier menu items. Look for options that are lower in calories, saturated fat, and sodium. Choose grilled or baked options instead of fried, and opt for salads or vegetable-based dishes instead of fries or onion rings.
Avoid sugary drinks: Instead of reaching for a soda or sugary beverage, choose water, unsweetened tea, or a low-calorie drink option. Sugary drinks can add unnecessary calories and contribute to weight gain.
Control portion sizes: Fast food restaurants often serve large portions, which can lead to overeating. Try to choose smaller portion sizes or share a meal with a travel companion to avoid consuming excess calories. Or eat half and save the other half for later. You can take it on the plane or put it in your cooler.
Add more vegetables: If possible, ask for extra vegetables or a side salad with your meal. Adding more vegetables to your meal can increase the nutritional value and help you feel more satisfied.
Limit condiments and dressings: Condiments and dressings can be high in calories, fat, and sodium. Opt for lighter options such as mustard, salsa, or vinegar-based dressings, and use them sparingly. If possible stick with olive oil based dressings.
Plan: If you know you’ll be traveling through an airport with limited healthy options, consider packing your own snacks or meals. This way, you can ensure you have nutritious options available. It’s easy to pack protein powder and a water bottle. Apples, nuts, and protein bars are easy snacks to take along.

If you don’t travel often you may not know what you can bring a water bottle through security. You can empty it before going through TSA. After you are through you can fill it back up at the water fountain. Most airports have water bottle refilling stations now. Something else you can do is bring food and snacks. Most food is security friendly. Just be careful with hummus, yogurt, or liquidy-type foods if over the three-ounce limit.

Again, traveling can be tricky but making a conscious effort can help you keep your calories down. Here is a list of some of our favorite snacks when we travel:

Quest or Barbella protein bars
Homemade chicken or turkey apple sausage
Hard-boiled eggs
Rotisserie chicken
Salt and vinegar pistachios or mixed nuts
Carrots and cucumbers
Protein powder you can add to water
Apples

Remember, making healthier choices at any restaurant is all about balance. It’s okay to indulge occasionally but try to make the majority of your choices focused on nutritious options.

Photo by Ivan Shimko on Unsplash

In Pilot's Wife

Fourth Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2024 No Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day to my Love and all my friends and family!

On New Year’s Eve, My Love and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. As tradition goes, we held an NYE celebration after a romantic lunch at Cooper’s Hawk Winery. This year was small as a few people were sick but we ended up having a blast just the same. We learned more about our friends at the table by playing a card game of getting-to-know-you questions. We rang in the new year with champagne and then the singing began! There were only four of us left by then but it was so much fun! After our guests left, my Valentine and I decided to stay up talking until 4 am! What is wrong with us? Sometimes I think we need adult supervision and a bedtime.

It’s hard to believe that this will be our fourth Valentine’s Day as a married couple. We had the best of both worlds by getting married at 8:30 am and having a brunch reception. Some people stayed to hang out at the pool but others left and came back for a New Year’s Eve party/reception. It was so much fun! Of course, looking back there are some things I wish we would have done differently but life is meant to be lived with no regrets, and I don’t want to take away from our perfect day.

If you are married or have been married, you know that marriage is hard. It’s not a fairy tale, it’s not a romance novel and it’s not like it is in the movies. It takes communication, effort, forgiveness, and compromise. Marriage is not perfect. Marriage is complicated.

Somehow, I got lucky. The timing was right when my Prince and I met. Had it been earlier or later when our paths crossed, maybe it wouldn’t have worked out. But for some reason, Sweet Gram broke her hip and led us to Fort Myers that February seven years ago. The stars aligned and for some reason, Fate thought the two of us would make a perfect pair!

Through the ups and downs, we have learned the importance of communication, compromise, and unwavering support for one another. Our journey has taught us that true love is not just about the grand gestures, but also about the small acts of kindness, the sweet moments shared, and the simplicity of being in each other’s presence.

I think that I always wanted the male version of me to be my partner in crime. Is he exactly me? Well, no but we are close. Sometimes that is good and sometimes not so good. He is way more forgiving than I am and like most men (I believe) he says what’s on his mind, we talk about it, and he forgets about it. I, on the other hand, and most women (I believe) tend to hold onto their frustration, wait for ourselves to explode, and then talk about it again and again. Why are we so complicated??

We are fortunate because we don’t have small children. We don’t argue over bedtime or consequences or how much television to let them watch. We both have been very responsible with money so our bills are paid and we have savings for vacation and travel. We don’t have addictions, although we may have a “too much traveling problem”, which is to say we have too many friends and too many social events which leads to too much fun and too many adult beverages. But every marriage has its difficulties. We just have different stressors than those of young adult marriages.

Maybe because we both have been married before we realize life isn’t about keeping score. It’s not about how many times I have done the dishes or cooked the meal. It’s about being a team. Food needs cooked, dishes need to be washed, and counters need to be wiped. Let’s help each other out and get it done. Then we can relax together and do something else we might enjoy. It’s about realizing someone has thrown in the laundry and then the other person putting it in the dryer and folding it. It’s about saying thank you when one partner makes coffee for you in the morning or holds a door open for you. It’s about appreciating what you have. Because we need to remember tomorrow is not guaranteed. Say “I love you”, say “thank you”, and tell your partner they mean the world to you. And say it often.

To celebrate our Fourth Anniversary, we talked about the Highs and Lows of our four years of marriage. My red-headed sister from another mister (aka, my brother-in-law’s significant other) plays this game with the kids at the dinner table. It’s a great way to have my nieces and nephews think and talk about the events of their day. What went well? What was negative? Then discuss it as a family. We decided to review our highs and lows for our four years of marriage. We also looked at our Year in Review and decided what we liked and didn’t like about the past year.

Today is Valentine’s Day. So to my incredible partner, thank you for being my rock, my confidant, and my best friend. Your love has brought so much happiness and fulfillment into my life, and I am forever grateful to have you by my side. Here’s to many more years of love, laughter, adventures, and cherished moments together!

On this February Day of love, I want to express my gratitude and love to all our friends and family who have stood by our side. Your presence in our lives has been a constant source of strength and inspiration, and we are thankful for the love and support you have shown us throughout these four (seven) amazing years. And to those who have drifted out of our lives whether by chance or by choice, I hope you have found peace and happiness in your lives. We miss you and want you to know there is always space in our hearts for more. Happy Valentine’s Day!

In What We Eat

What We Do at Home

January 16, 2024 No Comments

A friend asked me how My Rock and I stay in shape when we are Never Home. I have written about our substitutions before but I thought I would share a little bit more of what we do when we are home.

I learned from the best trainer, Bill Lawrence, about how to fuel your body with food. What he preaches works for me and my husband. You can try it and tweak it and make it work for you. If you click on my What We Eat link you will find plenty of recipes of food that we eat and love! A nutritious lifestyle is NOT sustainable IF you don’t like the food you are eating. For us, this is what we do and how we eat. We don’t feel like it’s a diet or that it is hard. It’s just about making choices, and we make the best ones we can wherever we are.

Yes, it may take some time for your body to adjust to not eating as much sugar or seasoning with as much salt, but honestly, after you make a conscious effort to eat better, you will find most of your meals taste better!

When we are home, this is what we do. We like to cook together and eat at home. If we do eat out, we try to make the best choices with the options we have. We rarely order deep-fried food, pasta, wings, or pizza. We usually order salmon and a veggie. Or a salad with protein. (I will write more about what we do when we are on the road this month.) But when we are home, we get up in the morning, have a cup of coffee, and head to the gym. We use MCT oil and Premier or Quest liquid protein as our “creamer”. After we workout, we drink our post-workout protein shake immediately which contains collagen, dextrose, protein, and turmeric. My husband also adds creatine, glutamine, and BCAA’s. It is very important to get protein and carbs into your body after a good workout. During workouts, your muscles are broken down. You need the correct foods to build them back up.

We come home and about an hour later we make breakfast. Usually, we have Ezekiel toast with either a little bit of homemade jelly or nut butter and an egg and egg whites. Sometimes I will make a scramble filled with veggies. Sometimes instead of toast, we have sweet potatoes. Sometimes I will make an egg sandwich on a wrap and use a bit of feta cheese. Other times I will make chicken/turkey apple sausage. As Bill told us this meal should contain a high-energy carb and a good protein to replenish your body within two hours after your workout.

We should eat another high-energy carb and protein meal again another hour later but most of the time we start doing projects, and we don’t eat until lunchtime. Here we usually make a salad. I don’t love lettuce so I use the least amount possible of romaine and spinach. Then we add as many veggies as possible…red onion, tomato, carrots, cucumber, and a healthy fat of avocado, flaxseed, and a touch of dressing made from olive oil. We also add protein to it. Most likely leftover fish or chicken from the night before or we will use canned chicken breast or tuna. Many times we will get a rotisserie chicken from Costco. We take the skin off and peel it. Then we have the meat for the week to snack on, make wraps out of, or use on salads. This is also a great snack to pack along for travel.

In the afternoon, many times my Prince will make a fruit smoothie. We use frozen fruit, a cup of water or almond milk, and a scoop of vanilla protein powder. You could also add a handful of spinach here, chia seeds, or a drizzle of honey.

For dinner, we have a protein and a veggie. Our fish is very basic. We love salmon, sea bass, and tuna steak. We spray or rub with olive oil then sprinkle with Nature Seasons. Sometimes we will add a tiny bit of plant-based butter and a little scoop of minced garlic. If we have it in the house we may sprinkle it with parmesan cheese. The same goes for chicken breast or pork chops. A few times a month we will make steaks on the grill with some grilled asparagus. My Valentine has his special recipe for this marinade with olive oil, Worcestershire, and steak seasoning. You will have to bug him for that recipe. Our veggies are very simple as well. Mostly broccoli and cauliflower with olive oil or avocado oil and sprinkled with Nature Seasons. Spread on a baking sheet and back at 400 for 30 minutes. Simple! And they taste amazing!! I love eating the leftovers cold.

If we are hungry at night we will have a cup of nonfat Greek yogurt with a scoop of Podium Peanut Butter Crunch protein powder. Other snacks we keep in the house around include cottage cheese, carrots, cucumbers, and hummus as well as the flavored pistachios. We also have dark chocolate bark thins in case I get a sweet tooth. If you keep chocolate in the house just make sure you don’t overindulge.

So that is our home routine. If you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it. Be conscious when you go to the grocery store and fill your cart with fresh meat and veggies. Stay away from packaged food items. If your weeks are busy then take a day to food prep so you are ready for your week.

Remember, there is always room for improvement. We have been living this lifestyle for over six years. We are constantly trying to tweak it to meet our needs and to make better choices. Fresh fish and meat are better than canned. Fresh fruit is better than frozen. Email me with any questions. I’d love to help you on your health journey!

If you start buying fresh food you will realize you may go to the store more than once a week. And that is ok. Here is what our grocery list looks like each week:

salmon
sea bass
chicken breast
ground turkey or chicken
green apple
red onion
sweet onions
mushroom caps
sliced mushrooms
broccoli
cauliflower
asparagus
sometimes brussel sprouts
organic cage-free eggs
egg whites
sweet potatoes
Ezekiel bread
romaine lettuce
spinach
butter lettuce
plant-based butter if we need it

This is what we do at home. There are several recipes out there and books about eating better in this new year! Check out our list of Favorites! Good luck with making better choices in this new year!

In Pilot's Wife

My Heart

November 21, 2023 No Comments

The saying goes “opposites attract” but my Heart and I are anything but the opposite! Sometimes I think we are so much the same that we don’t know how to balance each other out. Therefore, we just go, go, go!

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”

— John Lubbock

The problem is we don’t know how to rest. We just go from one event to another. We always have something to do or someone to see. We always talk about how we should stay in one place for a longer period of time but then somehow it never happens. We both seem to be Yes People so it’s hard for us to say no.

The past month has been a perfect example of how we are nonstop. As you know we had such a great time in Park City that we purchased a townhouse that we are now renting on Airbnb. After several weeks of discussion, we decided to drive our Jeep out to our new home. We thought it would be the perfect vehicle as it’s four-wheel drive for the winter, and we can take the roof off in the summer. Our new house has a huge garage so even when renters come they will have room to park.

After a very long drive, my Heart and I worked very hard to get the house painted and cleaned. We had help from some amazing friends who let us borrow ladders and picked up a paintbrush to help us out. We did the walls by ourselves and then had someone come in and do the ceilings. After a week of painting, I have decided it’s probably more beneficial to pay someone to do the whole thing! We had no furniture as it was still on order. We did buy a TV so that we could watch sports as we worked. We slept on an air mattress with a borrowed blanket and some old sheets. But we fell in love with our new house even more.

The new house is in the perfect location. We are minutes from the Jordanelle Express Gondola at the world-renowned Deer Valley Ski Resort and minutes from the Jordanelle Reservoir Marina where you can boat, fish, ski, or paddleboard. Many people don’t think of Park City as a summer retreat but the summer is actually why we fell in love with it. The weather is amazing. The sun is always out. The hiking is unbelievable and the trails are never-ending. It’s also an amazing place to ride your motorcycle if you have one.

We flew to Florida after that week for an amazing Halloween Party and scavenger hunt. We met some new fun friends. Then we took off Sunday and flew to Pennsylvania to pick up our truck, motorcycle, and trailer. We spent one Sunday Fun day then got on the road to head back to Florida. We stopped in Virginia for a quick dinner and softball game with the family. My niece hit a home run her first time up to bat! I am so proud of the amazing player she has become. Then my Heart and I continued on for a few more hours.

We spent the night in North Carolina then pushed on to St. Augustine where we stayed with lifelong friends. We had too much fun and then left the next day. We made it home in time to have dinner with our oldest son. The next day we worked on unpacking and reorganizing our Florida home. We needed to get it opened up for the winter. We worked long and hard powerwashing the pool deck and the dock. We washed cars and cleaned out the garage. We were motivated to get the house back in order because….. we were leaving in two days for a 60^th birthday party in Michigan.

Our friend, Jodie, was turning 60 and invited us up for a Swanky Sixtieth. I found a beautiful black dress and some high, high heels. I was excited to dress up and my cute Heart was ready to put his wedding suit back on. We flew in and saw friends we don’t usually see until ski season. We really enjoyed our weekend and had so much fun with Jodie, her friends, and family.

We flew back to Florida and continued working on the house. We wanted to get the yard beautiful and landscaped as the next weekend we were hosting a 60^th birthday party for our friend, Tom, and we wanted it to look nice. It’s always good to have a reason to get things done. The party was a little bit of a surprise as he didn’t know who was coming into town or what we really had planned for him. He had friends coming in from all over Florida and one even flew in from Washington state. Some of these guys hadn’t seen each other in over 25 years.

Tom was super surprised and all of his friends were extremely grateful for the gathering. It was a wonderful weekend and even though it was a lot of work it was well worth it. I think my Heart had just as much fun as Tom and it wasn’t even his birthday. We had a great venue at Rusty’s in Cape Coral for happy hour on Friday night, a party at our house on Saturday, and then we went boating on Sunday. A perfect weekend in Florida.

But the journey continues. Why stay in Florida when we have another house to get ready for ski season? Therefore, Monday morning we got on a flight out to Salt Lake City. Most of our furniture was delivered and we were so excited to go to our house and see it. We couldn’t wait to sleep in a real bed in our new home!

We spent another week in Park City getting our new house decorated and ready to rent. We were hoping to get a last-minute Thanksgiving rental, but that hasn’t happened yet. We still have a few things to put together but we are very proud of the way it turned out. After another long week of endless days and social nights, we flew back to Florida. We had a great workout in the morning then went to a beautiful wedding at Sanibel Harbor Yacht Club. On Sunday we had brunch with our son and continued working on our Florida home.

My Heart had a few weeks off but yesterday he left to go back to work. Even though I am sad he is gone for the holiday, I am looking forward to a week of writing, working on Christmas projects, and laying in the sun. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Be safe, have fun, and eat lots of turkey!

In Pilot's Wife

Summer in Park City

August 29, 2023 No Comments

It’s hard to believe summer is almost over and our time out West is about to end. We have spent July and August in Park City, Utah, and it has been amazing! Three years ago, right before Sweet Gram passed away, my hubby and I decided that every summer when we wanted to get out of the heat of Florida we would try a new and different location. In 2021, we spent six weeks in Richmond, Virginia to be close to my mom and the kids. In the summer of 2022, we spent a month in Wilmington, North Carolina to be close to my best friend and her family. And this year we rented an Airbnb out in Park City for two months because my love has always wanted to check it out in the summer.

As you know, we rarely stay in one place for very long and are never home. We packed up our truck and motorcycle trailer the last week in June. We left Pennsylvania and stopped overnight in Chicago to see an amazing friend and her family. Then we spent the July 4th weekend in Green Bay Wisconsin with my hubby’s friends. That was a beautiful place to be. We spent one night in Lincoln, Nebraska which was a really cool city. One more night in Rocks Springs, Wyoming, and then made it to Park City on July 5th.

The weather was absolutely amazing! People said that all of the snow PC got this past winter plus all of the rain they got in the spring made the area greener than ever. The hikes have been amazing and even though July was hot, as it was around the whole country, it wasn’t humid. So to us, it felt pretty good! It barely rained, and the sun was out every day! It was the perfect getaway from the Florida heat. The condo we rented didn’t have air conditioning so we were very thankful for cool mornings and evenings. During the day we tried to be out of the house doing some type of activity.

My Prince was able to get a month’s vacation and use some other days to drop his trips so he could enjoy most of our time in PC. He flew a few days in July and had two days of training in August but that was it! We got to be on vacation the whole time we were out west! Our plan for each day was to sleep in, have coffee, do a little workout, and have some computer time then we were off to hike, ride the Harley, golf, or ride bicycles. We stuck to our plan almost every day and sometimes even completed two activities in one day!

We have literally been nonstop since we arrived. One of my very good girlfriends and her son came to visit me while my Prince worked that first week in PC. We had a great time exploring the few things I knew about Utah. I was so glad to have a friend with whom to explore this beautiful land.

A few weeks later my mom came to visit. We did a long four-mile hike to show her around Park City. We golfed with a new friend we met out at the Wasatch Mountain Course. I also found a golf tournament for ladies at the Park City Golf Course where the proceeds went to Breast Cancer Awareness. We had a great time golfing together. I think she is excited I actually like playing golf now 🙂 My goal is to get good enough to beat her at least a time or two!

We had a few weeks in Park City together with no company. We golfed, hiked, and rode the Harley. Every motorcycle ride we take is absolutely stunning. The mountain lakes are just beautiful and every mountain range is different. Some have pine trees, some have aspen, and some are bare rock. Because it has been so hot we have not seen a lot of wildlife except for deer but maybe a moose will be in our sights before we go. I am a little sad that we will miss the fall here because I believe the colors will be truly spectacular.

We left for about nine days in August and rode the bike over 600 miles in one day. We went from Park City to Sturgis, South Dakota for the annual motorcycle rally. It was absolutely one of our favorite trips. Sturgis was busy and there were so many bikes! But it was the cleanest place I have ever been and one of the most tame. No one was upset or in a bad mood. We did some beautiful rides around the area including the Needles Highway, which was awesome. We were not in a hurry so we spent three days coming back to Park City seeing sites through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. It was unbelievable. We put over 2400 miles on the bike in nine days! I thought my butt would be more sore but I loved it!

Just last week, my sister-in-law and her husband came to visit us as well. We enjoyed several beautiful hikes. We went to Sundance Mountain and hiked up to Stewart Falls. It was stunning. The next day we did the Clyde Lake Loop. That became our favorite out here so far. Every corner we turned there was another mountain lake and another beautiful view. It’s hard to believe so much beauty is within 30 minutes of Park City. I feel like we did a lot in our two months here, but I know we have so much more to explore. It seems with every hike we do we think it’s the most beautiful until we do the next one!

The summer weather in Utah was fantastic. There is so much to do and to see. We didn’t even get to South Utah which I hear is stunning. We made some new friends and had some great times with those we have known for a while. Park City seems to be a popular place for many of our friends we met through the ski weeks. It’s funny to see them here in summer clothes and not all bundled up for winter.

Overall, Park City was an amazing place to be and we will definitely be back!

In Family

Three Years

August 17, 2023 No Comments

Last week I wrote a post wishing my sister a Happy Heavenly Birthday which also was Why I Launched on August 8 three years ago. Therefore, my blog is now three years old! Happy Birthday to me! We have made some changes over the years as I started with Daily Inspirations five times a week, Weekly Wednesday Workouts, and Friday Fixins. Those posts are still there and there are plenty of workouts to get you started on your fitness journey as well as recipes to help you eat better and feel better!

After about a year of blogging and after Gram passed away, our lives got a little busier. I wasn’t home taking care of her, and I was going on more adventures with my Prince. I continued to try to get posts out every week. I started doing posts on Tuesdays about Family, my Adventures with Gram, our Travels, and being a Pilot’s Wife. I also started doing Weekly Wednesday Words just once a week instead of daily.

This third year has been filled with even more adventures and the blog has been less consistent. I know I should be capturing our adventures but sometimes it’s so hard to find the time to write! Thank you for continuing to follow me.

As you know I had a meeting with the Medium. He told me I needed to start writing and working on a book. I hate to not do my blog because I love writing these posts for you. But I also would like to write a book, too. Therefore, the posts may be even more inconsistent. Thank you to those who already have but, I suggest subscribing to the blog by going to the main page here and scrolling down about halfway. Look at the right side and you will see where you can put in your name and email and Subscribe! That way you won’t miss the posts whenever they come out!

I wish you the best of the rest of your summer and those who have started school already, I wish you a happy, healthy school year!

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

In Travel Junkie

Independence Day

July 4, 2023 No Comments

Happy Birthday, America! Today, we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. Our forefathers fought for our freedoms and today we recognize our lucky we are to live in the United States of America.

Most of us will celebrate by having the day off of work. We will eat hamburgers and hot dogs because that’s the American way. We will probably have a beer or two to celebrate the day off and the freedom we have to have a beer anytime we want to.

For the past two years, my Prince and I celebrated July 4th with friends on Lake Anna in Virginia. They have a wonderful fireworks display every year, and we were blessed enough to be out on a boat looking up at these amazing lights.

This year we also spent the holiday weekend on the water. Our friends took us out on their boat Saturday and out on jet skies on Sunday. This time we were in the great state of Wisconsin. We got to experience the water of Green Bay and saw the vastness of Lake Michigan. It is amazing how big the Great Lakes are.

The shoreline around Green Bay was amazing. It was full of rocks, limestone, cliffs and beautiful houses. My Rock and I had a great time on the water. I had not been on water skies in over 30 years, but I was able to pop right up! It makes me appreciate our lifestyle. We try to eat well and stay in shape (make sure you check out my recipes and workouts) so that we can do these activities even if we only get the opportunity once every few years!

Overall, our time in Green Bay was pretty amazing. We saw some great sunsets, had some good laughs, and spent some quality time with friends. We saw Egg Harbor, Door County, Fish Creek, as well as other stops along the way. Thank you friends for the wonderful weekend!

If you haven’t heard, last Thursday we started our trek out west where we will spend some time in Park City, Utah. We spent Thursday night in Chicago and then the weekend in Green Bay. Yesterday, we drove to Lincoln, Nebraska where we saw fireworks going off all along the water. The displays went on forever. Today, we will continue our drive and celebrate our independence somewhere in Wyoming. Hopefully we can find a wonderful fireworks display tonight.

I wish you all a safe and happy holiday! Celebrate and appreciate the independence that we have.

In Travel Junkie

Hawaii

May 2, 2023 No Comments

I just enjoyed my second trip to Hawaii! The first time I spent two days in Maui-one with friends and one with my hubby- and three days in Honolulu with my Prince. This time My Rock and I spent three days in Maui and two in Honolulu.

On our first trip together we did many touristy activities. He took me to Pearl Harbor and a Luau. We went to Waikiki Beach and the Royal Hawaiin Hotel. We hiked 13 Crossings as well as another trail. We saw sea turtles, beautiful beaches, and amazing sunsets.

Jeff is getting more senior in his job so he is able to hold some amazing trips. The Hawaii trips are some of the best. They stay oceanside at a great hotel called the Andaz in Maui. Although it’s a long day of flying for me for just a few days, it’s totally worth it!

This is only the fourth time I’ve been able to meet him on a layover in the six years we have been together. Many times the layovers are too short or too far away. Even though we had to cancel some plans which I feel terrible about, we decided to have a mini belated Birthday adventure together in Hawaii. I flew on Delta from Fort Myers to Atlanta to Los Angeles to Kahului. I arrived in Maui around 9 pm. I was exhausted after a long travel day but was able to check in and get some sleep.

We woke up the next day and decided to take a walk along the beach. It’s so beautiful there. We had a little bite to eat and decided to make Friday a day of rest and lounging by the pool. That afternoon we went to Maui Brewing Company for a few beers. What a great brewery that is! I highly recommend it. We came home early and went to bed.

The next day we worked out and decided to borrow a truck from our friends who live in Hawaii. We started driving on the Road to Hana. I was nervous at first but we didn’t go all the way to Hana and although the road was windy and single lane at some points, it was fine. We stopped a few times and hiked. We did the Waikamoi Ridge Trail, Twin Falls, and one other in Ko’olau-West Makaiwa. The bamboo in the forests was awesome and the waterfalls are beautiful. What a wonderful place.

On our way back we stopped at Mama’s Fish House. Jeff’s aunt recommended it, and we read that it can take 6 months to get a reservation. Someone told us to ask to sit at the bar. We pulled in and even though the sign said “Bar Full”, the valet said there are some spaces, come on in. We were so excited. The restaurant is right on the water. It has amazing woodwork throughout and is welcoming and quaint. The food was absolutely delicious. I had Kanpachi and Jeff had toothfish. Sooooo good!

Then we stopped in a little town called Paia. Ululani’s was another recommended spot for Hawaiian shave ice. It was good but not sure shave ice is my thing. I think I like soft-serve custard like Hank’s Frozen Custard in Northwest Pennsylvania much better. We came back to the hotel and had planned to sit out by the pool but we were so exhausted we fell asleep right away.

Sunday we had a lazy morning of coffee on our patio. We did a CrossFit workout full of pull-ups, push-ups, and squats. Then we went for a walk into Kihei and had Thai food for breakfast. Then we walked back. We headed for the pool and had some delicious Polomas. We then went out for another delicious dinner at Monkeypod Kitchen. It was another early night because my love had to get up for work early that next morning.

I also was getting up early and getting on a Southwest flight from Maui to Honolulu. The flight was quick and easy. Jeff ended up getting delayed and didn’t make it to Honolulu until the early afternoon. The great thing was that two ski club friends were also on a layover so I had some people to hang out with. I did a quick workout and met up with them at the Cream Pot. We had a great breakfast and could bring our own champagne for mimosas. We then walked around a bit and went to the Harbor Pub. Eventually, we made it back to the hotel and met up with my hubby.

We went back to Waikiki Beach and enjoyed the warm weather. After a few hours, we headed back to the hotel so we could get ready and be on time for the amazing happy hour upstairs on the 36th floor of Ala Moana Hotel. There was already a line when we got back but we could go from our rooms and that we did. Our friends got a table, and we enjoyed some great steaks and meals.

Our friends had to go to bed early but Jeff and I managed to get two seats at the piano. We chatted with the piano player and listened to some great music. It was the perfect ending to our trip. Jeff had to leave the next morning but we had some Starbucks together. I enjoyed a few more hours by the pool, had a quick cold shower, and walked around the Ala Moana Center for some last-minute shopping.

All in all, my two trips to Hawaii have been pretty amazing. Even though we live in Florida and it’s like going from one paradise to another, it’s a different kind of paradise. The water is a beautiful blue, the scenery is breathtaking, and the food is delicious.

In Pilot's Wife

Spirit of NAASF

April 11, 2023 No Comments

As you have read, My Rock and I go skiing once a month from December through April. On these ski weeks, most of the airlines compete by racing down the mountain on skis or a snowboard. Although our team does not race, we enjoy the spirit of friendship and fun that occurs throughout the week. We like to ski together and relax on the mountain.

Each week NAASF gives awards to the racers in different levels and events. At the end of every season, they give the most important and prestigious award called the “Spirit of NAASF Award”. This award goes to someone who exemplifies the passion for skiing as well as the spirit of friendship and camaraderie. The winner gets a plague as well as a HUGE trophy to display for the year. My Valentine received over 13 nominations for the award and was given the award at Palisades in March 2022. Here are just a few excerpts from those nominations.

In 2013, Jeff, our team president, took over the reins of this club and made it his personal goal to expand the club’s presence at the NAASF events. Although we may not take the racing events too seriously, we all love the snow, camaraderie, happy hour, and costume parties at these events. It takes an extreme amount of his personal time to coordinate events, members, lodging, dues, etc. He has grown the group from 1 participant to a huge mailing list, and many active participants (142 on the mailing list!!!). We even now have a logo, team flag, team uniforms, and patches.
I nominate Jeff for having grown his club from one person in 2013 to now 120 members on the email roster and usually 20 to 30 showing up at each event. They are now rocking their second club gear and look awesome all thanks to Jeff. Jeff promotes friendship across the airline clubs like no other. Always invites, never excludes. Jeff has shown time and again how to act like a gentleman and sets a great example for all of us to follow.
I would like to nominate Jeff, President of the Ski and Snowboard Team, for the Spirit of NAASF Award. Jeff has put an incredible amount of time into building the team and is always trying to increase our presence at NAASF events. He also has put out quite a lot of his personal cash to put together a team uniform recently, and now we finally have a team “look”. For our newer members, Jeff puts a lot of time into increasing awareness of all the NAASF events and is always working increase participation. He also shows a lot of energy and team spirit toward trying to be very creative and involved in the costume parties, which I believe is one of the best events at NAASF events. He truly embodies the Spirit of NAASF with his dedication to the team, love of snow, and the joy he takes in our events, friendship, and memories.
I would like to Nominate Jeff for the Spirit Award. Jeff has been an amazing leader and friend to the ski club. He has made our club a family. He works tirelessly to plan the logistics of our wonderful experiences. Please accept my highest recommendation for Captain Jeff for this award.
I’d like to take a minute to nominate Jeff for the Spirit of NAASF award. This is my first year with the Ski/Ride Team, however, I spent several years riding with another airline. In the short time I’ve known Jeff, I’ve been beyond impressed with the time and energy he puts into his position as the President of the team. From coordinating our new gear, coordinating lodging, promoting the theme parties, supporting us newcomers in our first races, etc. The list goes on and on. Starting out basically by himself to growing our club to where it is now is very admirable. He loves NAASF, his teammates, and all of our other airline colleagues. I couldn’t think of somebody more deserving of this award.
Jeff is always looking for ways to bring people together, planning enthusiastically with United and Delta club captains for coaching and team-building at Copper before the season begins, and bringing his club with full force and high style once NAASF starts (remember the Dallas Cowboys and the Jamaican bobsledders?) Jeff’s love of camaraderie and fellowship at the apres-ski is legendary – he’s quick to include a newcomer in a circle of seasoned friends at a table, or bridge the gap of years away by recounting a great story about a returning member. A true sportsman, Jeff often roots for the underdog, and under his leadership, the racing squad is starting to grow, in turn enriching the racing experience for everyone. His work to develop new uniforms has raised our club’s visibility on the mountain and fostered team spirit. Maybe the easiest way to see how Jeff exemplifies the Spirit of NAASF is to ask who’s ever had a terrific time skiing, sharing some laughs, or hitting a dance floor with him, and watch the whole room’s hands shoot up.

As you can see, this guy is one of a kind. If you don’t know him well, I hope that you would open your hearts to his spirit of fun and friendship. He will support you in everything you do. This award means so much to him. Last year was the first time he was nominated, and he won! He has taken such pride in growing his ski and snowboard club from one member to over 142 on the email list. Each month there are new members as well as members who decide to come who haven’t been in years as well as the regulars who come every season. It is such a great mix of people.

I have only been a member of the ski club for five years, but I have met some amazing people and made some lasting friendships. I also look to see who my flight crew is when we travel, hoping to see one of them in the air instead of on the mountain, but that hasn’t happened yet.

This group of people is amazing. Yes, they all talk a lot and you have to interrupt to get your turn, but they are some of the most fun, laid-back, and generous people I know. Everyone gets along and there is no judgment on how you ski or board. Everyone just wants to enjoy the beauty around them and appreciate that they have the skill and physical ability to make it down the mountain.

This week my sweet love will have to give up his trophy to the next Spirit of NAASF award winner. Although we won’t be able to make the ski week, we wish the best of luck to all nominees, and we hope everyone has so much fun!

travel

Vicariously

Eating in the Airport

Fourth Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day to my Love and all my friends and family!

What We Do at Home

My Heart

Summer in Park City

Three Years

Independence Day

Hawaii

Spirit of NAASF

Missing Gram

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Letter to Gram

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