For me, a huge part of the pleasure of travel is having new subjects to capture with my camera. Family trips are filled with wonderful memories, everyone lets loose and gets a little bit silly. With everyone feeling more relaxed and happy the smiles come more naturally, the poses are less posed, and the moments are ones I want to remember forever. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted the most appropriate camera gear for our trip to Disney....
When you spend an entire week at the beach for a family vacation, it is nice to break things up with little local adventures. We always scout out the local State parks and historical landmarks to add a little more depth to the trip. During our visit to Amelia Island, my husband discovered there was a Civil War Era army fort in a beautiful state park not far from where we were staying....
When I registered for my high school photography class, my dad built me a makeshift dark room in a far corner of our basement. He stocked me with photo paper, an enlarger, and all the bottles of chemicals I needed to develop my own pictures. While my kids hear that story and assume I grew up in the age of dinosaurs, the real point of the tale is that my dad encouraged my interest and helped me to experience all the bits and pieces of photography for myself....
To give your vacation album a little texture, try capturing photos of the special treats your family consumed. When we are on the road, I’m always actively on the hunt for unique food items unavailable to us at home. Experiencing new foods is part of the joy of traveling for me and I’m trying to instill that sense of culinary adventure in my girls. During the research I did before our trip to Disney, I stumbled on a blog dedicated to the unique treats that can be found in the Disney World parks....
We spent a quick 2 days at Wrightsville Beach in Wilmington, NC and it was such a different experience than Hilton Head last year. Everyone around here seems to have their one specific beach they return to time and again, but we’re still exploring our options. Wrightsville Beach was a great size and simply LOADED with shells. The waves were enormous this weekend and I’m so glad I’ve had both girls in swim classes for months....
I’ve always thought that moms of bigger families have the very best tips and tricks for saving money and family travel. I’m thrilled to be able to introduce you to one of the savviest moms I know, Michelle, an awesome mom of four adorable kiddos. She recently traveled to Universal Orlando Resort and is sharing her amazing tricks for visiting Harry Potter on a budget. When you’re done with this post, don’t miss our tips for how to visit Universal’s Harry Potter in one day!...
Back in January I took a solo trip to Atlanta, GA, a place I’d never been to before. All it took was one look at the awesome city center and I knew I wanted to bring the family back for a weekend trip this summer. It’s been on the top of our Must-See list. We finally got our chance during the holiday weekend for Independence Day. Unfortunately, a lot of other people had the exact same thought and all the attractions were overrun with crowds!...
Photography isn’t a vacation chore to me, it’s one of my favorite parts. Photography is how I “play” and I know going into a fun vacation adventure that I’ll be coming out the other end with gorgeous pictures that I use to decorate our home all year long. I debated long and hard whether or not to drag my full DSLR into the parks with us. In the end, it really just wasn’t an option not to....
When I planned out our London itinerary, I added one big experience to every day of the trip. I took the time to book our tickets in advance and it was so nice to have one less thing to worry about when we arrived for our London adventure. If you don’t want to take the time to plan an itinerary and prefer to be flexible, you might still be able to see these things....
I have always been an enormous Jim Henson fan. I love all things Muppets and Sesame Street but Jim Henson’s Labyrinth is one of my very favorite childhood movie memories. Last summer, my sister and I introduced the movie to my little girls during a “Girls’ Movie Night” and they have become equally obsessed with Sarah, Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus and crew. When I heard that the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta was hosting a special exhibit of the Labyrinth creatures, I had to schedule a girls’ getaway for the kids and me to go and visit....
This week we headed down to the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC. We’ve been going here several times a year since our move, you can read why I love it so much right here. Riverbanks has undergone some construction and expansion over the last year and we were thrilled to discover that the Bear and Otter habitats are now open for viewing. The river otters were by far our favorite moment from the day and I’m still kicking myself for missing video of one of the otters putting it’s paw up to the window to say hi to the Peanut....
The choices for dining out on your vacation are practically endless but the best places to eat in Pigeon Forge with kids include several convenient options. We were able to walk from our hotel to several of these and the other Pigeon Forge restaurants were an easy drive away. Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse Cafe What’s your pleasure, funfetti pancakes or chicken & waffles? Everything we had at this hysterical place was fantastic....
4 sparkly tutus + 6.2 miles = $6,586 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital!!! We did it! Team Hot Pink Tutu took EPCOT by storm and rocked the runDisney Enchanted 10k! I am so proud of Handyman Tim and our dear friends Paul & Erica and what we all accomplished over the last few months. I have so many things to share with you, I’m going to break it down into a couple posts....
Even when we’re not buying anything, my girls and I had so much fun popping in and out of the shops to look at all the pretty things. When it came time to buy our own souvenirs and bring home some small gifts for the girls’ friends at school, it took a little bit of creative thinking. As a family of four on a budget, those kinds of lists are anything but helpful....
Disney vacations are just as much about reliving precious memories from your own childhood as they are making new ones with your own children. One of the things that has taken up permanent residence in my memory bank is Disney’s Electrical Parade. It nearly killed me to have to skip seeing it during our first visit as a family in 2012 but the girls were just too young. When we made our second trip as a family, it quickly elevated to one of the top positions on my Must-See list....
With so many dining experiences to choose from during a Disneyland vacation, how do you know where the best place for a birthday dinner would be? Real all the guide books and blog posts you want, the best way to get Disney advice is from a family who has recently experienced the Disney magic themselves. I love interviewing people after they travel to Disney to hear the kind of real world, hands-on advice you can only get from a parent who has just been to Disney!...
Taking better pictures doesn’t require a better camera. If you want to take breathtaking photos of your next vacation or family adventure, the real key is finding good light and using better composition. You’ll find quicker success using just whatever camera you have with just a little help. I believe that basic rules of photography are important for everyone in the family to learn. Moms are usually the Head Photographers of All The Things but when dads and the kids have stronger photography skills, everyone can take turns capturing their unique perspective of your trip and your memories will be far richer....
This summer my oldest daughter and I are hitting the road to visit college campuses throughout the south east. While we live in Charlotte, NC, we are considering schools both in and out of state. Our first trip of the summer was a day trip to visit Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA–an easy 3 hour drive from Charlotte. I’m sharing all my tips and tricks and a peek inside the tour to help you and your student navigate a college tour of your own....
Disney trips can be so expensive and then you add in souvenirs and matching shirts and more! If you’re planning a big family Disney vacation later this year, take advantage of all the gift giving holidays like birthdays, Christmas, and Easter to give your family little Disney gifts that will make the trip even more fun! From simple and budget friendly to bigger ticket items like matching outfits, here are some magical Disney gifts that will get your family excited for your vacation....
When we were planning our family trip to London, my first thought was to find a hotel for our stay. At the time, I knew very little about the city so I checked in for recommendations on the best location with my friend Maggy who lives just outside London. Her advice was to take a peek at the local AirBNB listings because we might be more comfortable with the extra space since we’d be traveling with two teen girls....
