Review: Girls Weekend at Skamania Lodge on the Columbia River Gorge

The gorgeous rainbow from our room at Skamania Lodge that greeted us upon our arrival.

My Labor Day Weekend at Skamania Lodge was all about gratitude.

Darling Husband was anticipating a tree cone bumper crop - the largest in 15 years - and we didn't know if he was going to be able to join me on this Labor Day Weekend adventure. We learned two days before the trip that he couldn't go, but he had already called his mom Diane and she was available to accompany me.

I thought throughout my entire trip how thankful I was to have Diane's company. I certainly would have gone on my own. But, having her by my side added in hours of conversation and was great for our relationship. It was great for our family.

Here is what we enjoyed on our long weekend.

Two Bordeaux Cherry Margaritas (one is for Diane) at the Cascade Dining Room.

The drive
Skamania Lodge is about 2.5 hours from the Olympia area. Going south at 3 p.m. the Friday of Labor Day Weekend, we didn't encounter any bad traffic. We hopped on I-205 near Vancouver and headed east. The drive was really pretty once we were off I-5 south. The trees were changing into fall colors and we had peeks of the Columbia River along the way. We did hit a little congestion outside of Chehalis coming home, but Waze re-routed us and it took us just an extra 20 minutes.

The lodge
The lodge felt very much like summer camp with modern touches. Built in 1993, the lodge is newer and doesn't have the historical feel of Lake Quinault Lodge, for example, but it was still lovely. The views that greet you in the great room wrap you in trees, tall grasses and views of the Columbia River.

Every morning, Diane and I woke up, padded down to the lobby in our PJs and sipped coffee in rocking chairs enjoying the view. That was my favorite part.

We could sit here and enjoy the view all day.

Outside there was a beautiful patio, rows of Adirondack chairs, a huge swath of grass lawn for hula hooping and throwing footballs and a gas fire pit that we enjoyed.

Our room
Our room was on the second floor with a river view of the amphitheater. This was perfect for wedding watching and there were actually seven weddings throughout the weekend. Diane and I poured a glass of wine and watched the wedding ceremonies, giving each other a play-by-play.

We had a king bed and a roll away (for me). The rooms were sold out so I couldn't swap for two queen beds at the last minute, but this was fine. The room's bathroom had a nice huge counter top for all of our toiletries and makeup. I also loved the mini fridge where we stashed green juice, cheese, leftovers and wine.

Shrimp and grits in the Cascade Dining Room. It was Diane's first time trying grits and she loved them.

The art in our room was beautiful - and the whole lodge had quite the collection. The room didn't feel as luxurious and modern as the lobby, but it was OK. It was mostly quiet. We heard our upstairs neighbors stomping around and the occasional guest in the hall.

The food
We ate dinner twice in the River Rock grill and once in the Cascade Dining Room. We preferred the casual atmosphere and food of the grill. The best cocktail on the menu was the Bordeaux Cherry Margarita. We also enjoyed wood-fired pizza, salmon chowder, garlic fries and spicy chicken wings at the grill. THOSE FRIES! In the dining room, we split shrimp and grits and the pork chop with broccolini.

We also had the champagne brunch in the dining room Sunday morning. WOW! That's a lot of food. A huge buffet set out with bottomless mimosas or champagne. We enjoyed waffles, frittata, sausage, bacon and all the classics. Diane even had a piece of pie. We did suffer from sticker shock. It cost us $84 for both of us. We're light eaters, so Darling Husband would have been better suited for the buffet. We thought we could skip it and do the $18 breakfast at the River Rock grill instead next time.

Live music greeted us after dinner on Saturday night.

Yoga
I booked Diane and I into the outdoor yoga class that is held on Sundays during the summer. We met at the amphitheater at 9 a.m. It was cool, so we were bundled in sweatshirts and wore socks. The teacher was wonderful, calming and gentle.

It was just $10 per person and we enjoyed being outside experiencing the dew in the grass and the sounds of the birds. Class was as challenging as you wanted it to be - especially when it came to the balance pose. After just an hour, we padded away looser, taller and relaxed.

The spa
Before we departed for home, we booked two spa appointments at the Waterleaf Spa on site. Diane had a hot stone massage and I had a purifying facial. The spa is right at the entrance to the indoor pool and kids walking through were noisy. Not quite as zen as I had experienced elsewhere.

And some after-dinner sitting too...

Diane had great reviews of her massage. She said some of the stones were a little too hot, but the overall experience was blissful. My esthetician did well at keeping me relaxed and addressing my issues. It was 80 minutes I certainly do not regret. :)

Verdict: If you love weddings and coffee on quiet mornings with gorgeous views, the lodge is for you. While owned by the same company, Skamania was not as much of a zoo as Suncadia was. There were a couple of kiddos, but mostly wedding guests focused on wedding activities.

It was a spendier trip, and we kept the costs down on food and spent more on experiences.It felt like a wonderful weekend away at a grown-up summer camp. It made me grateful for Diane and grateful to be transitioning from an amazing summer into a glorious, quiet fall season.

I couldn't get the cutest lodge photo of Diane and I off my phone. :( Don't worry. I have many more to share in coming posts about what else we did during this fun trip!

Watershed Music Festival: What to Pack and Wear

It was my first year at the Watershed music festival in George, Washington, and I'll admit I made some rookie mistakes when it came to packing.

Here is all you need to know about what to pack and what to wear for camping Friday-Monday.

Packing List: Clothing

• 3 pairs shorts
• 3 tank tops
• 1 t-shirt
• 1 heavy sweat shirt
• 1 light hoodie
• warm PJs
• baseball-style hat
• 3 swim suits
• underwear & bras
• 2 pairs of tennis shoes
• 1 pair of flip flops
• socks
• jewelry - cheap and fun
• light scarf
• sunglasses

What I did right

I kept it to white tank tops and jean shorts - simplicity is key at Watershed. You are walking 30 minutes from camp to the venue so don't bring anything too bulky. Don't overly plan your outfits. Lovely ladies with special American Flag head wraps and hoop earrings stuck out and made us think "y'all aren't from around here." :) 

Also, I took TWO pairs of tennis shoes, which I swapped out to give my feet relief and prevent blisters. MAJOR WIN!!

What I did wrong

I threw Darling Husband's camo hat in my bag on a fun whim to protect myself from the sun. Camping three days with no showers meant I actually wore it every day. Also, I brought a couple of jewelry items I didn't wear. I pretty much kept it to a pair of cute stud earrings and that was plenty.

This gal in the tank, cutoffs and trucker hat? Nailed it! Photo courtesy of Watershed's Instagram feed.

Packing List: Camping

• grill
• spatula
• sharp knife
• water bottles - refillable
• tongs
• cutting board
• tin foil
• skillet
• paper plates
• paper towels
• plastic cutlery
• trash bags
• plastic cups
• paper coffee cups
• coffee pot
• propane
• tent
• air mattresses
• camp chairs + table
• bleacher seat or short beach chairs
• cooler
• lantern
• flashlights
• first aid kit
• car cell phone charger
• sleeping bags
• pillows
• sunscreen
• bug spray
• face wipes
• baby wipes
• vitamins, ibuprofen, pepto
• hair brush
• toiletries -- DRY SHAMPOO
• aloe vera
• hair ties
• batteries
• lighter
• EAR PLUGS
• camera
• Watershed wrist bands + camping tickets
• beach towel
• deodorant
• toilet paper
• Febreeze
• hand sanitizer
• small mirror
• glow stick
• tent lock
• scissors
• extra blankets
• books + cards
• portable speakers, music system
• Food - whatever you all want to eat and drink. Food and booze inside the venue are $$$$!

What I did right

I was the only member of our party with ear plugs. I slept the best out of everyone. Watershed is a rowdy place at nighttime. Bringing the dry shampoo was also a major win come Sunday. Lastly, Darling Husband borrowed his parents' camp coffee pot. We had plenty of coffee to share with neighbors, and neighbor Susan called us her "Coffee Angels."

There wasn't a ton of space for us in camping. We kept it simple, but remembered to pack the camp coffee pot, thank goodness!

What I did wrong

Darling Husband decided there was not enough room in the car for the pop up, 10 x 10 shade canopy. He regretted this as soon as we got to camp. It was 90 degrees with no shade in sight. The campground was an old alfalfa field. Thankfully, our neighbors brought one and Bunny and Darling Husband were happy to seek refuge from the sun. Bunny did over pack, but we were prepared for that. :) The only thing she desired was music at our camp site. She wished we had brought portable speakers or a radio.

Learn from my successes and mistakes and have a great time! We'll see you at Watershed 2017!

Review: Watershed Country Music Festival, Gorge Amphitheatre - Weekend 2

Watershed 2016 Weekend 2 - The time of our lives!

One of the best parts of summer 2016 has been our weekend at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington, camping and enjoying live country music at Watershed.

I had heard about Watershed last year when my intern Courtney attended the festival. I am newer to country music. I started listening to it when Darling Husband and I moved to Waitsburg, Washington, in 2011 and I was excited by the idea of three full days of live performances. We had seen Craig Morgan and The Band Perry before, and the lineup of Jason Aldean, Eric Church and Keith Urban clinched the deal. We had to go in 2016.

Here is the good, the bad and the ugly of Watershed 2016 Weekend 2.

Buying tickets
Buying tickets was a hassle. Darling Husband had to call one morning while at work, multiple times to even get through, to register for general admission wristbands and camping tickets. Even though he called right when sales opened, he said Weekend 1 was already sold out. But, we got into Weekend 2 and secured a spot in Family Camping, which promised to be less rowdy than General Camping.

Listening to music on Sunday. Photo courtesy of our neighbor Susan and her boyfriend Coal.

Festival prep
Our camping ticket and wristbands arrived via USPS to our house about one month before the festival. I'll detail our full, three-day packing list in another post, but I can tell you we started really prepping about two weeks before.

It was about three weeks before the festival that Bunny bought her wristband too, so she could tag along with us. Between the three of us, we coordinated who was bringing what, what to wear and made a shopping list of what we needed to purchase. We loaded up the car Thursday before the festival and hit the road Friday morning at 9. Traffic was easy and we scored a decent camping spot.

Camp site
We chose to pay a little more for Family Camping after a sleepless night in General Camping at the Jason Mraz concert in 2012. General camping is for hard core partiers. Family Camping was much smaller, with a quiet hour of 10 p.m. Our camp spot was right on the road, but far from the General Camping barrier. With earplugs, I managed 6 or 7 hours of sleep each night.

Our humble abode, right on the road and perfect for people watching.

For the three of us, we took a large tent and two air mattresses. We LOVED being on the road during the day. We sat as if on our own front porch, watching the people walk by.

Best drinking game
Within about 30 minutes, Bunny and I invented a game. Every time we saw someone walk by on the road wearing an article of clothing bearing an American flag, we drank. This was so fun and we even got our neighbors in on the action. We saw hats, tattoos, shorts, boots, bikinis - you name it - with a flag on it.

What to do
The music doesn't start until 1 p.m. each day, so what do you do until then? Many people left the amphitheatre area to boat or float on the river. We stayed at our campsite and read, sunned, chatted with the neighbors and drank water. This is prime time to hydrate as temperatures reached 85 degrees or so each day.

Sitting on our front porch, reading and watching folks walk by.

Roughing it
Even though we paid more for Family Camping, facilities were still rough. There were ample clean porta potties and concrete sinks with running water. But, no showers. Premier Camping had showers and apparently very long lines. We put our hair up and wore hats, cleaned ourselves with baby wipes and went down the giant, inflatable waterslide. When you go down the slide, they spray you down head to toe, back and front. It was marvelous in the heat and I felt so clean after. Also, dry shampoo works wonders.

The walk and food costs
The walk from camping to the amphitheatre is not short. It took us about 20-30 minutes to walk over to the actual concert venue. Keep in mind you are in the beating sun. Wear good shoes, alternate pairs, and drink plenty of water. Do not wear cowboy boots you have never worn before. We saw plenty of gals limping around with painful blisters because they had made this mistake.

We walked back for dinner each night so we didn't have to spend $$$$ on food and beverages. A water in the venue costs $5. A 24 oz. Bud Light was $11.50. If you're on a budget, eat and drink at your campsite like we did,

Carnival rides
Carnival rides are FREE! We went on the Ferris Wheel, big swings and water slide. So. Much. Fun. The lines moved fairly quickly other than the water slide.

We were so happy wildfires didn't ruin our view this year like they did in 2012.

Amphitheatre - Where to sit
We mostly sat up in the grassy area, so we could sit in the heat, rather than stand in the heat, with other sweaty concert goers by the stage. We had a bleacher seat and short beach chair. Folks had Tommy Bahama chairs they could wear to carry and recline in. Bunny went down and stood in the stage area for Jason Aldean's performance. She ended up holding up a drunk girl for most of the time. Choose wisely.

Next From Nashville
The tented Next From Nashville stage was a great place to escape the sun, but could also warm up quickly with body heat. Lesser-known artists performed here, but it was a good break from the big crowds. We attended a sparse Rae Solomon performance and it made Bunny's whole trip when Rae grabbed Bunny's phone and took a selfie with it.

Performances
On the Main Stage, the performers really fed off the enthusiasm of the crowd -- 25,000 fans can be very loud and rambunctious. Eric Church's performance was the big hit of our weekend. He did his finale song and left the stage - and no one moved. We weren't leaving. He came back on stage and said as long as he was having fun he would keep playing. We loved every minute. The confetti drop after Keith Urban's performance was very fun, too.

Some gals just walked around in bikinis and flip flops. I opted for shorts so I could sit comfortably in the grass and on the carnival rides. Closed-toe shoes are ideal for the walk - rocks!

Schedule
Watershed has an app that we downloaded before the trip, but we learned quickly that the schedule on the app didn't update when the live schedule did. Some said the website lineup was the most up to date, so we followed that and the timeline on the screens on the Main Stage. It wasn't a huge issue.

For updates before and during the festival, we loved the videos and posts by the Watershed team here.

Verdict: I'm 110 percent in for next year. Camping was rough, and we'll make some adjustments there to be a bit more comfortable. Perhaps, we'll stay at a camp site away from the concert venue that we heard has a shuttle and hot showers. Darling Husband wants to take a boat and spend the daytime hours on the river instead of reading. That's OK. Bunny and I can read on a boat, too!

Bellevue Square Shopping Trip + Watershed 2016 Outfit

The Watershed 2016 countdown is on! The annual music festival, held at the Gorge Ampitheater in George, Washington, is almost here. Darling Husband and I are going for the first time.

The lineup is fantastic for country music fans. Headliners include Keith Urban, Eric Church, Jason Aldean and Kacey Musgraves.

The weather should be HOT, the view should be beautiful and we'll spend three fun days camping and hanging out.

We have most supplies ready to go, but I was missing a few key items to wear - mostly, denim shorts.

A girlfriend and I made the trip north to Bellevue Square, yes it took us two hours to get there. This is the mall I grew up at. I worked in two of its retail stores in college and I have wonderful memories of back to school shopping with my sister and trying to talk Nana and Bompa into buying me the giant Winnie the Pooh in the Disney Store.

I had some major successes last Saturday. Here is what I took home with me from some of my favorite stores.

Nordstrom
It was the Anniversary Sale! I tried on jean shorts at Free People and American Eagle but no luck. Plus, I didn't want to spend more than $35 on them. They're shorts. I scored a pair for $26 in the BP department at Nordstrom. The fit is stretchy enough to be comfortable and long enough for this 30-year-old.

These STS jean shorts at Nordstrom were a steal! So comfy and on sale for $26. Photo courtesy of Nordstrom.com.

BCBG
BCBG has amazing quality items. And it had a great sale on accessories, buy one get one free. I was ogling a tassel necklace like the one I had seen months ago in Seattle and again on Poor Little It Girl. When I saw the scarf, I fell in love and was able to get the tassel necklace for free.

I couldn't take my eyes off this beauty in the store!

Both are definitely more of a bohemian look than I usually go for, but they will look awesome at Watershed paired with my white t-shirt and denim shorts.

This lightweight scarf is exactly what I have been craving this cool summer in the Pacific Northwest. It'll keep me warm when the sun goes down at Watershed.

Lush
I had no intention of buying anything at Lush because my budget needed to be spent on Watershed clothes, but I got sucked in by the wonderful sales ladies. Having suffered from bad skin since I was a teenager, I'm always looking for products that keep my skin as clear as possible so I can wear as little makeup as possible - especially in the melting sun at Watershed.

I bought a couple of items: a face scrub, called Herbalism, that's green and doesn't smell great but leaves skin incredibly soft, a spray toner, called Eau Roma, with lavender and other calming ingredients to curb redness (from all of the harsh chemicals I put on my skin) and a new product called Grease Lightning with tea tree oil that is supposed to help reduce shine, unclog pores and treat breakouts.

Early favorites: face scrub (after one use my face is SO SOFT) and the toner spray. The toner spray is simply refreshing after a day out on the golf course.

Verdict: I have what I need for a fun time at Watershed. A cute outfit to wear and hopefully beautiful skin. What do you think?

We're building a teardrop trailer!

Darling Husband has been crafting our own teardrop trailer by hand.

This spring, Darling Husband started a huge project. He is building us a teardrop trailer - from scratch.

Well, he did purchase the trailer base (so we wouldn't have to build one and get it certified by the government) and he's building the actual camper on top of that base.

Design
Darling Husband purchased a set of plans online. He is being quite honest that while they were great as a baseline to get started, he really has been making adjustments as he goes.

Darling Husband shaves off the styrofoam insulation so it's flush before he puts the aluminum skin on it.

I'm the designer on this project. But, my design requests are pretty simple. I wanted the teardrop to be curved as much as possible, including the doors, and I wanted it to be retro teal, inside and out. The hardware is going to be chrome to add to the retro feel. Other than that, he's in charge.

Timeline
Trailer construction started this spring, in April. We had the goal of having it road ready for a summer concert this summer at the Gorge, but last weekend the workers agreed not to rush it and push it out another month. We're anticipating that the majority of the work will be done by September.

Every moment of every weekend has been spent on the trailer and it's great to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The back has a full kitchen, with sliding drawers, electrical box and is storage (for now). It will have a camp oven when it's finished.

Cost
The trailer is expensive, but we priced it out and we save a couple thousand dollars by putting the work in ourselves. Plus, we get to choose all of the features - like my blue vintage-style camp cooler. We'll end up spending about $5,500 on it. You can purchase a similar trailer for $5,000-$14,000.

Goals
My goal right now is to get Darling Husband through this process without completely burning him out. He is extremely handy and he has been building it at my parents' lake place because my stepdad has the tools and the space.

Our ultimate goal is to build the trailer now when we're in a great place financially, to be able to open up a new world of travel and save money down the road. Hotel rooms are $100-$500 a night. Camp sites typically run around $30. This is considerable savings. There is a queen-sized mattress in our teardrop that is comfy (we slept in it Fourth of July Weekend). So, there's comfort in sleeping in our own bed each night on the road. Plus, our pup Ralphie can sleep with us in the trailer, whereas there are limited hotel rooms he can stay in.

Inside the sleeping area is room for a queen-sized mattress and storage shelf. Darling Husband is six-feet, seven-inches tall and he fits perfectly.

Our travel goals are to take the trailer on trips to Idaho and Montana. We haven't much explored these Pacific Northwest neighbors and a little camper out in the gorgeous parks will be a real treat.

Unexpected Outcomes
The greatest unexpected outcome is how this is bringing my family together. Like I said, Darling Husband is working on the trailer every weekend at my parents' house, and my stepdad has been helping tremendously. Darling Husband's dad and my Uncle Jeff have helped out as well.

For the first time, they're emailing each other throughout the week and really working together. This is priceless.

Verdict: The trailer is costing us more than we originally thought, but the new travel opportunities and how it is bringing my family together are amazing. I can't wait for it to be finished!

How a year of travel improved my marriage, myself - A guide to travel therapy

Check out this guy Darling Husband and I met on one of our first trips to the Olympic Peninsula and the Olympic Game Farm in July 2015.

My 29th year was one of turmoil.

Darling Husband and I had moved to a new city. I experienced culture shock in my new hometown, significant homesickness and Darling Husband was unemployed for about six months. Plus, my new job was rewarding and wonderful, but exhausting, emotionally and physically.

In short, we were a mess. I'm still a hot mess some days, but less so because I invested in therapy and it paid off - travel therapy.

Before age 29, I hadn't traveled much. I had been to California, Oregon, Disney World and to the Bahamas on our honeymoon. That was it.

At the gorgeous lavender farm in Sequim, Washington in July 2015.

Darling Husband and I travel really well together. We can get stressed preparing for travel, but the moment we leave, we find our groove and enjoy the adventure and each other.

My desire to see more of the Pacific Northwest and the U.S., and Darling Husband's ability to go along with my crazy ideas (most of the time), led to a life-changing year of healing, discovery and finding something in us and in myself that has made us better and stronger. Here's how we did it.

How to make travel affordable
Our first trip was right after Darling Husband got his new job. We took a trip two hours south to Portland, Oregon, with one goal - only eat out of food trucks for one weekend. It was delicious, fun, quirky, cheap and easy. I took two larger trips this last year, but really explored our corner of the U.S. in the Pacific Northwest. We were not jet setting off to New Orleans every weekend.

The first Ralphie vacation! We took him on a day trip wine and beer tasting in Woodinville, Washington, in July 2015.

We did a day trip to the famous tulip fields in Skagit Valley, or we stayed with family for a long weekend in Walla Walla. We used Groupon to get a seriously discounted hotel room in New Orleans. I always asked about a AAA discount. We learned to set budgets for ourselves on the trips so we would have some guidelines and wouldn't later argue over how much to spend. And, we used our favorite travel agent who scored us free upgrades and saved us loads of time. Time is a cost, too!

I believe, whatever your budget, travel can be available, it just may not be what you think it will be. Start with a budget and go from there.

How to know where to go
I scoured travel magazines. I have the Texture app that gives me loads of magazines for about $10 a month. I read travel publications like Travel + Leisure, Sunset and even Southern Living to earmark where I want to go in the future. I love reading local magazines like South Sound Magazine and 425 Magazine for day trip ideas. Also, Pinterest caught on that I was traveling and sends me ideas via pins for Northwest, U.S. and international travel.

Bunny and I at our favorite cruise location, Labadee, Haiti, in February 2016.

As for where to stay and where to eat, we rely on TripAdvisor and Yelp reviews, in addition to what I've read in the travel mags. I like to look up menus before we try new restaurants to make sure there will be something Darling Husband will enjoy eating. Plus, it gives me an idea of price point and if we'll need to make a reservation.

How often to travel
Until this summer, I was traveling in some capacity every weekend. No joke - I was never home. If Darling Husband was pulling a shift at the fire station, I called up a friend to go with me, or I went alone.

How I kept my job with so much travel
Some travel, like my trip to Indianapolis, Indiana, was actually for work. I had about 80 hours of PTO in my 29th year and my goal was to use all of it. I hope to never leave PTO hours on the table as I did prior to this year. I thought travel was out of reach for us financially. With PTO and regional travel, I was wrong.

Ralphie and I on the beach at Kalaloch, Washington, in November 2015.

As a type A individual who struggles with perfectionism and saying no, (do you know someone like me?) the hardest day was asking my boss for 10 days to go on a Western Caribbean cruise and to Miami Beach in February 2016. I'll never forget, she said "that's a long time." I replied, "it is..." I had the PTO, I had planned perfectly to go during a slower time of the year at work. She let me go and I left my cell phone in Portland and fully disconnected for 10 days. BLISS.

Outcomes
After one year of traveling nearly every weekend, here is how my life has changed.

Better communication with my husband. He and I have been in crazy travel situations and many long car rides together this year. I have learned more about him, what makes him happy, the little cues that show he doesn't want to talk but is upset, and we are able to communicate with each other more effectively. And, the memories we have made this year mean more to me than any gift, home or material item I have ever owned.

Enjoying my sorbellini at Salon in the French Quarter in New Orleans in April 2016.

Reconnecting with old friends. Bunny and I cheered together in college. She LOVES to travel and is an awesome travel partner. Our friendship this year is just as strong as it was in college, after not seeing each other much for about seven years. I need her positive energy in my life. And, while Darling Husband is my great caretaker, Bunny pushes me to my edge and challenges me to step outside my comfort zone and live a little more. This has changed me for the better.

Travel helped me get through challenging weeks at work. At the end of the day, I would come home and cry into my wine glass over what happened that day. Knowing that I was going to Kalaloch with Darling Husband and Ralphie that weekend gave me something to look forward to.

I have a countdown app on my phone that would tell me how many days until the cruise, until New Orleans, etc. I see now I was using travel as escapism. I needed a way to escape my new city and my job. I needed to focus on something other than my situation and it worked for me. I was able to have a hard day, remember that 67 days from now I'll be somewhere fun, and picked myself back up.

The view from Amavi in Walla Walla, Washington in January 2016.

Self discovery. I was sitting in a gorgeous dress at fancy dinner on the cruise ship with Bunny one night and I couldn't stop stressing about how to handle work when I returned home. She looked me straight in the eyes and said "You know you are leaving your job. You just don't know when. When you know what that next move will be, you'll stop stressing."

One month later, I knew where I needed to go. Two months later, I took that new job. Five months later, I feel like my true self again. The time away from the daily grind gave me the space to explore my reality and use feedback from those I trust to change for the better.

This blog and insight into my career. Two months after I started traveling, I started this blog. I'm not writing this to become famous or make money. I needed to write more for my soul. Part of my communications work at the museum was tourism related, and I learned this year through traveling and the blog that I want to dive deeper. It led me to my new job at a statewide hospitality association and I love working in beautiful restaurants and hotels. Many days, it doesn't feel like work.

Sledding at Town Square in Leavenworth, Washington, in December 2015 - our third wedding anniversary.

To be quite honest, as soon as I left my old job and got a bit more settled in our new home, my need to escape has lessened. In turn, I feel my need to travel go from every weekend to one or two weekends a month.

I find myself in a new season. Darling Husband is at my family's lake house each weekend building us a teardrop trailer and that allows me to join him or stay home and take care of our home (that was a bit neglected when we were gone every weekend). This also gives me space to do a weekend girls trip with Bunny or the Junior League gals.

Travel is not going to end for me, but I'm not obsessively planning escapes every weekend. I have a few smaller trips and a few larger trips coming up in my 30th year that I'm very excited about. We have BIG travel plans for our five-year wedding anniversary in January 2018 that we are looking forward to.

I'll be sharing the details with you here after each trip. Thanks for joining me on this crazy ride in my 29th year.

Suncadia Lodge, November 2015

What to Pack, Wear: Woodinville, Washington, Wine Tasting

Bunny and I had a girl's weekend in early June 2016 to celebrate my 30th birthday. Our Bon Vivant Wine Tour was the main event. Here is what I packed and wore for the weekend, plus wine tasting outfit suggestions for the unpredictable Pacific Northwest weather.

• 2 pairs jeans, one black, one purple
• Trench coat
• Black boots
• Leopard print flats
• 2 blouses
• 2 sweaters
• Underwear
• 1 pair socks
• Toiletries
• Umbrella
• Book
• Camera
• Cash (tasting fees, tipping)

What I wore wine tasting

I was inspired by my most-comfortable pair of purple jeans from Stitch Fix. I painted my nails to match and wore layers. Layers are key in the Pacific Northwest because the weather can go from sunny to wind and rain in about five minutes. Plus, some of the winery storage rooms were quite chilly.

On the day we went wine tasting, the weather was partly cloudy, on-and-off drizzly, and about 65 degrees. Yes, this is June in the Pacific Northwest.

My $10 leopard print flats from Macy's are really the best shoe investment I ever made. They add a touch of edge to balance out any girly outfit. Plus, most tasting rooms have you standing at the bar for an hour or more. Do not wear heels. Wear comfy flats or boots.

Nail polish color
OPI Christmas 2014 Gwen Stefani polish called Kiss Me Or Elf. It perfectly matched a malbec I was sipping at home before the trip.

Photo courtesy of  Liz Hover.

What Bunny wore

Bunny wore jeans and a cute purple top. I love this hat she put on over her curls. She always looks so much cooler than I do. She even had a cute leather jacket with her to keep warm.

And some additional spring Woodinville wine tasting outfit ideas - each with a wine-colored pop:

I hope you enjoy your Woodinville wine tasting adventures as much as we did!