I’m spending my Saturday morning doing some really exciting blog maintenance. (That was sarcasm.) Adjusting tags and categories, removing dead or outdated links and other thrilling stuff…
If you subscribe to this blog via email, you shouldn’t be affected. However, if you are reading this blog through an RSS feed like Google Reader, you might see old posts popping up as new. Let’s just think of it as a nice walk down memory lane.
Thanks for reading Wandering Off!
Every blogger has a different opinion when it comes to post frequency. I’ve always tried to write 3-4 times per week, but lately it’s been more like 1-2. The good news is that I’ve been spending my time working on other writing projects and exploring!
First, I’ve become the blogger/writer for a non-profit organization that seeks to prevent child abuse and bullying. The blog isn’t up and running yet, but I’ve been reading, researching, and writing in preparation. (I’ll link to it once everything is ready. I promise!) I’m thrilled to put my writing skills to good use for a cause I believe in.
I’ve also been doing some freelance writing lately. You can check out the March issue of Desert Companion to read all about outdoor activities in Southern Nevada. I was pleased to contribute to the article about area parks.
Thirdly, I have a guest post coming up on another travel blog. I’m always honored when another blogger opens up their virtual home to me. I’ll be discussing how military life and travel go hand-in-hand.
So, that’s what I’ve been up to lately on the writing front.
When it comes to exploring, I can’t wait to share our adventures with you! As I mentioned, we visited Death Valley a couple weeks ago and frolicked in the sand. Also, we went down to Mesa, Arizona this past weekend to see a Cubs spring training game. Stop by later this week (or next week if I can’t get my act together) to read about our baseball road trip.
Thanks for reading Wandering Off!
Those of you who have lived in Las Vegas for years will probably roll your eyes at me, but I can’t help it. I am so fascinated by the landscape here: the desert, the mountains, and the colorful rocks that make the perfect subjects for my amateur photography.
So, in honor of my obsession with our western scenery, I decided the blog needed a make-over. I wanted a theme that captures that desert vibe. Hence, the new look of Wandering Off! I hope you like it. This is a WordPress theme called Liquorice by Nudge Design.
I also wanted to share this photo from the weekend. We took a walk at Calico Basin, along the little boardwalk loop that you can find near the picnic pavilions. It’s a short stroll, but a pleasant one, and it’s a very manageable length for young kids.
Thank you for reading Wandering Off!
This winter, I’ll turn 32 years old. That doesn’t seem possible, since I’m pretty sure it was just yesterday that I was a blonde 20-something college student galavanting around Europe. Now, as a natural brownish-blonde who rarely wears make-up and almost never galavants (I travel, but I don’t galavant), I’ve been inspired to decide what it is I really want to do.
A couple years ago, I wrote a post here on Wandering Off called Before I Turn 35… At the time, 35 still seemed far off, and I thought I had plenty of time to achieve my goals. I decided to look back at the list today and see how I was doing. With only 3 years to go, I figured I needed to reassess the list.
Sure enough, I can proudly check off one item from the list. I’ve visited a national park with my daughter (twice), but the other items on the list remain undone.
It’s interesting to see how my goals and interests have changed in a little over two years. I have no interest in planting a garden (besides, I live in the desert!), and observing the political craziness that we’ve all had to endure has made me lose any interest in volunteering for a political campaign. (My time would be better spent elsewhere.)
Am I allowed to change my list? And by “change,” I mean completely revamp it. It isn’t a matter of failing to attain most of the goals on the list. Rather, I no longer have much interest in them at all.
I still want to take my daughter to a game at Wrigley Field, and I still want to take a photography class someday. But I have several new goals that weren’t even on my radar in 2009:
–Continue my quest to visit all 50 states. Last time I counted, I’m halfway there. My daughter is doing pretty well too, having visited 20 states before the age of 5.
–Visit British Columbia. This has been on my travel wishlist for quite awhile, and it’s time to make this dream a reality!
–Pursue travel writing at venues other than this blog.
–Learn to play golf.
–Fly in a helicopter.
A few years from now, when I look back at this blog post, will this be a list of things I’ve accomplished or a list of things I used to want to do?
What does it mean that my “bucket list” has changed? I think it means that, in some ways, I’ve changed. I’d like to think I’ve changed for the better, with a clearer vision of the life I want to live.
Last week, we visited Sweet Berry Farm in Marble Falls, Texas. We bought a pumpkin, completed the corn maze, ate homemade ice cream, and fed some feisty goats.
That was how I was going to start my post on our outing to a pumpkin patch. But to be honest, I’m not feeling it right now. This is probably one of those things I’m not supposed to admit.
I’m sure if I do a google search for “blogging tips,” I’m not going to find, “Admit to your readers that you’re tired and are so bogged down in the logistics of moving that you just don’t have the motivation to write about your perfectly lovely day-trip to Marble Falls.”
But it’s true. I’m so fixated on organzing, packing, and finding kid-friendly/pet-friendly hotels along our route to Las Vegas that I’ve been staying up way too late and drinking way too much coffee the next morning.
So, you’ll just have to trust me that we had an outstanding time at Sweet Berry Farm. Don’t believe me? Go check it out for yourself! Sweet Berry Farm is located in Marble Falls, which is about 90 minutes away from San Antonio. Bring cash, sunscreen, and an empty backseat so that you have room to haul your pumpkins home.
p.s. Never fear! I’ll be back on my game later this week. I’ve got a great post coming up…a round-up of my favorite Texas adventures, two years in the making. Stay tuned.
I was thrilled to be invited to Westin La Cantera’s mom blogger getaway. Over the course of three days, we ate amazing food, learned about Texas wines, had breakfast with Tweetie Bird, splashed in the pool, enjoyed some mom-time at the spa, and met exotic creatures. I could start a new blog and have months worth of posts covering this getaway!
Instead, I’ll boil it down for you. I’m giving you the insider tips that can help make your stay at the Westin La Cantera extra-special!
Wine Tasting for Resort Guests and the General Public
We were fortunate to have the opportunity to sit down for a wine tasting with sommelier Stephen Krueger. He selected four Texas wines for us to try, and I was pleasantly surprised. The Inwood Estates “Cornelious” tempranillo, made from grapes grown near the Texas/New Mexico border, was my personal favorite.
Believe it or not, the Texas wine tasting is open to the general public and costs only $10! Tastings are held everyday from 5-6 in Steinheimer’s Lounge.
Cool Off in the Hill Country
They don’t call it the Hill Country for nothing! Due to the increased elevation, guests will find a nice breeze and cooler temperatures, 3-4 degrees cooler than downtown San Antonio. We ate lunch outside in July, and it was actually comfortable. You certainly don’t find that in other parts of the city.
Know What You Eat
The food at the resort is so good. It’s hard to know where to begin: BBQ Pork Nachos, Chef Armstrong’s chili-rubbed beef, the breakfast buffet at Brannon’s Cafe…everything I ate was delicious. The coolest part? The resort is all about the farm-to-table philosophy. In fact, we got to try grilled peaches with micro-arugula, topped with a flower. And guess where that flower came from? Right outside, from a plant on the La Cantera property.
Fantastic Kids Club
You may be asking yourself how you’re supposed to enjoy all of the wine tastings, fancy flower-covered food, and tranquil awesomeness if you’ve got the kids in tow. That’s where the Westin Kids Club comes to the rescue. Kids can do either a half-day or full-day program, which includes all sorts of fun activities like arts and crafts, movies, swimming, and jumping in the bounce house. And the kids club isn’t limited to the busy travel season. It’s open everyday, whether there are lots of kids staying on the property or only a few. My daughter loved the kids club when we stayed at the resort over Easter weekend, and she loved it again this time.
Special Rates for Residents of Texas and Oklahoma
Residents of Texas and Oklahoma qualify for special rates. Just book online or call and use the code RESFLOAT. Special rates are valid for those arriving Thursday through Saturday, and guests must show a valid ID to prove their state of residence. Also, families can consider booking the Legendary Summer Getaway package, which includes discounted tickets to Six Flags. Specials are subject to change. Call the resort if you have questions regarding special packages or discounts.
Hopefully, these tips will help make your stay at the Westin La Cantera even better. Click here to get a peek at our Westin getaway!
Note: I received a complimentary two-night stay, spa services, food, and a few other perks. However, all opinions are my own. I was not asked by the Westin to write this post.
A community-building excercise was started by Tripbase to help travel bloggers connect and rediscover previous blog posts. Basically, we’re supposed to pick one of our own posts for each of the seven categories, and then nominate five other bloggers who we would like to see participate. (For rules and a more thorough explanation, click here.)
Thank you to Livin on the Road for nominating me!
Here are my seven links:
Beautiful:
Photo Friday: Franklin Park Conservatory
This is probably the most visually-striking post I’ve ever published. I love the bright colors of the Dale Chihuly glass next to the green leaves. Add to that some flowers, butterflies, and a two-year-old girl, and you’ve got all kinds of beauty!
Popular:
My Favorite San Antonio Playgrounds
This post has gotten more hits than any other, and I love that it helped me to discover some new parks through the suggestions made in the comments section and on Twitter.
Controversial:
Why the Idea of Full Body Scanners Makes This Mom Uncomfortable
I’m certainly not the most controversial blogger, but this post seemed to get some strong reactions, not so much in the comments section, but on Twitter. In the post, I said I’d be hesitant to fly if it meant that these new regulations would be applied to children. In fact, our next two trips after I wrote this post were road trips. However, we did go back to flying, and my husband was selected to go through the full body scanner. I think my feelings on the topic have changed somewhat, but I still stand by the fact that we need to be cautious about new regulations until we know exactly how they will effect children.
Helpful:
Air Sickness: A Survival Guide for Parents
We were really taken off-guard when our daughter got air sick on a flight. She’d never had a problem before, so my husband and I just sat there in shock. Writing this post was helpful for me because it put my mind at ease to think about the things we could do differently next time. I hope others find it helpful as well.
Success That Surprised Me:
Your Someday Might Be Today
I wrote this post in a fit of frustration and clicked publish without second-guessing myself. I was suprised that other people seemed to have similar frustrations and agreed with me that it’s more important to get out of the house and find a little adventure than it is to have a perfectly clean home or have dinner waiting on the table. If there’s one post on this list that you read, I hope it’s this one.
Needs Attention:
Outings with Your Future Architect
A post that didn’t get the attention I thought it deserved was this one on teaching your child to appreciate architecture. Sometimes I don’t think we give kids enough credit…they’re capable of appreciating art, history, and architecture if they have a little guidance. And San Antonio has some amazing buildings to explore.
A Post I’m Proud Of:
Photo Essay: West Texas
I’m proud of this post for two reasons: first, I’m pleased with the way the pictures came out. But more importantly, I’m proud of myself, my daughter, and our friends for embarking on this trip. We didn’t know what to expect. We travelled through remote areas and hiked in a national park where bears and mountain lions are common. Girl power!
I’d like to nominate the following five bloggers to take part in the My 7 Links challenge:
Midwest Guest
Flutie*McD
Arrows Sent Forth
Two Kids and a Map
The Q Family Adventures
It’s been a week since I’ve posted, and those of you who read this blog regularly know that I usually post more often. However, I’ve been taking a good old-fashioned summer vacation!
As you can see, I’m back now and ready to return to real life (and blogging).
I hope you’ll join me next week when I share everything we’ve been up to lately: spending lazy days on the water in Central Missouri, gazing out at the Mississippi River from the top of the Gateway Arch, and exploring the excellent Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
And I’m anxious to catch up with my own blog reading and find out what my travelling friends have been up to lately. If you’ve got a particularly awesome blog post you’d like to share, please feel free to leave a link in the comments section. Or, you can just tell me about your recent summer adventures.
Although I didn’t know this blog’s purpose at the beginning, I’m sure about it now. I try to encourage parents to get out of the house with their kids. Whether you travel down the road or across the country, I hope my readers will go exploring and help their children to see as much of the world as possible.
Thank you so much for reading Wandering Off!
