Trying to figure it out

Anyone still out there? A huge apology to you if you are. I promised I was back in action and then I immediately went MIA again. I tried, I really did, but I'm such a perfectionist that it takes me hundreds of hours to get one post 'right' enough to publish, and then there is all the PR I have to do to so that I have some content to post in the first place.

I was working on this one post for three months, whenever I got a chance, and it just wouln't come together. I got really frustrated when I was taking so long to post that I pushed it out of my mind and back into hibernation I went for a couple more months.

I really do LOVE this blog and I really do want it to work. I've been thinking about getting some guest bloggers. But I don't have time to search them out and beg. I also thought about setting a somewhat achievable goal - like one post a month. But would that be enough (it's more than none right??). Humm... any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Until I figure it out please enjoy these links to a few other traveling sites:
Everything Everywhere
Traveocafe
Bart's Travel Blog
Jet Set Girls

Awaking from hibernation - or the sand!

I have no idea why but when I thought about the phrase, awaking from hibernation, I didn't think of a bear coming out of a cave but rather I thought of a monster jumping out of a mound of sand...

So to celebrate my wake from a very long winters nap I want to share an amazing list of sand sculptures from around the world. Hold on tight, cover your eyes and view the mindblowing creations!!


More travels are coming soon, if you want your place to be one of them simply submit it. And remember comment, comment, comment!!!!

Settling Down for a Long Winter's Nap

Photo Credit

It's really been a whole month since I posted?!!! So sorry guys. Love me anyways please? I'll be back and better than ever come the new year. Till then enjoy your travels and be sure to post about them so I can feature you.

Road Trip - North Devon

Rebecca of La Belle Mere wants to share her vacation to North Devon with us. Rebecca lives in Bristol, England which, fortunately for her, is a little over an hour away from the gorgeous coastal region of North Devon.

North Devon is an area of outstanding natural beauty, famous for Cream Teas, Surf and Exmoor's wild ponies and she visits there often. The scenery is stunning, the beaches are spotless and the Cream Teas are to die for!!! "We're so lucky to live so close to this gorgeous region" Rebecca explains.

Saunton beach is one of North Devon's premier Surf Spots, one bay along the coast from the famous Croyde Bay area.

The camp site she stayed at recently is in the Doone Valley on beautiful Exmoor. This is where the famous book Lorna Doone was set. I think I could be pretty happy here too in this gorgeous place how about you?

Destination - Maidstone, Kent

Mesina wants to share her home of Maidstone, Kent with us. Mesina moved to Kent, England 10 years ago and fell in love the minute she arrived at Heathrow. The Kent country side is one of England's most beautiful, green, lush and very serene.

It's not as untouched as the West Country (which is so stunning!) but its the perfect place to be if you want to be outside London itself for something a little quieter.

About the British Mesina says, "The British are...well the British! The glass is sometimes always half empty here, but seeing as I'm a little nuts they tend to call me mad and laugh along with me."

She loves Europe and loves being close to places like France, Germany and Holland. In fact her other half is Dutch and from Rotterdam (Also, very cool city) and they live in Kent together in foreign bliss. How sweet and romantic is that?!

Go visit Mesina and read all about her love story life. She blogs about all kinds of things I'm sure you'll find something you'll enjoy reading. And don't forget to comment!!

Destination - Faroe Islands

Ershinta is taking us to the Faroe Islands today. Faroe Islands is the autonomous province of Denmark but when in the Faroes never ever say you are in Denmark!

Faroese is the national language, although everyone does understand Danish and English. The Faroese people are the descendants of vikings, but contrary to the popular belief that vikings are mean and gruesome, these people are extremely polite, soft-spoken and friendly.

One thing that makes this country unique is that there is no tree in the country! Food, therefore, is limited to imported greens and fruits...and of course, stuff that they do have here - lamb, and fish.

Since this destination is so unique, peaceful and beautiful I think it best explained by the following video. I've also included some posts from Ershinta for your all to read and comment on (one post talks about chocolate bread - how cool is that!).







All things Faroese

Misconceptions about the Faroe Islands..and the truth!

Norðoyastevna - Summer Festival!!

Faroe Islands in 360 degrees

Destination - Heidelberg, Germany

Sandra at Head over Heals is teaching us about Germany!! She was born in Heidelberg but never really lived there. She moved back to go to school and Heidelberg stole her heart, like it does to so many others. Heidelberg is definitely a MUST SEE!


Heidelberg is unique for it's castle above the old town and it's river rhine tour.

Here you'll find a mix of many different nations (a lot of Americans there for a visit, to study or the military) and the charm of a very old German town surrounded by a beautiful area of hills and trees.




Isn't it just beautiful. Can you see all those aspiring dreams and bright minds a working in the picture above? How about all the romance and tradition floating around in the air?

We would totally love it in here in the winter time too! Just check out the Christmas Market Sandra went to. She awed at all the beautiful brightly painted stars while sipping hot honey wine - YUMMY!!!

Destination - Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

One of the advantages of Traveling the Blogosphere is that we can go wherever we want to go no matter the weather. Fall and winter are quickly moving in but what the heck lets go to the beach!!

Remember when we went to Martha's Vineyard? It was lots of warm summery fun so let's go back to the island, this time with Bethany!!

It's beautiful, breezy, and full of historical sights such as gas for 49 cents, Humphrey's Tree, and a school house turned police station.

I just love the birds flying around. Look over there - not sure I've seen that type of bird before. What's that you say? It's a person in the sky? Yeah I knew that.


Aren't all Windsurfers / Paragliders the bravest people on the water? I know I wouldn't join them.

Bethany and I are in awe of the houses here. They have the most amazing views, awesome colors and cool architecture. We've even heard that a lot of celebrities have houses here. Who do you think this one belongs too? Go visit Bethany and tell her your guess!!

Destination - Northern Ireland

This week janmary is taking us to Northern Ireland!!

She spend many holiday's as a child there and now has a holiday cottage where her and her family spend as much time as possible together.

Ireland is know for it's stunning scenery, dramatic cliff and ancient castles. You can see why; it's breathtaking. Take this coastal walk for example. Natures beauty at it's finest in my opinion. Wide golden sands you can drive on, sheltered small rocky coves perfect for paddling, dramatic rough seas crashing on rocky shores.

It's a very relaxing place with friendly people, old pubs where time has stood still, great wee craft shops, lots of parks and places to choose from. To give you an idea, here is a janmary's list of the top 10 places to visit.



And how about summer lessons? Northern Ireland is full of them. Here are some fun ones that janmary has learned.

1. Never a good idea to NOT take off a 4 year old's socks and shoes when walking on the beach, the inevitable will happen!

2. The annual medieval summer fair at Dunluce Castle was as enjoyable as ever, and the views of the coast from it's walls as stunning as ever. The Castle has a fascinating history, including the night of a great storm in the 1600's, when part of the kitchen (and servants) fell into the sea!

3. Some of the best things in life are (almost) free. A £6 ($10) kite, and a windswept beach keeps my husband and kids entertained for a significant period of time.

Destination - One Sassy Girl

Hi all! A quick shout-out "thank you" to everyone who has stuck around and a warm "hello" for those of you just joining us. TTB is my attempt at combining my love of traveling with my love of blogging.

Once a week I feature a special blogger and a place near and dear to their heart. If you want to be featured simply fill out this form. I'll post the info you give me so that we can all virtually travel to and enjoy your favorite places. And of course keep those comments coming - here and at our featured destination.

Today's feature One Sassy Girl sees her blog as a destination all it's own. She explains "My life walks the border between perfectly rosy and utterly ridiculous, but it's fun nonetheless. Along with total honesty comes a tall order of sass with a cheeky twist."

If Crotch Couture or Intoxicated Insights are your thing then you are going to love how this girl posts. As a bonus, if you read this post you will even learn how some boys are like soup!!

Destination - London

Today we are visiting a place I've always wanted to visit - London. Thanks to Lisa of A Day in the Life who moved from San Francisco to London in April.

In her own words, "I didn’t think it was possible for me to find a place better than where I lived before in San Francisco, but after moving to London, I realized that I was completely wrong. I have grown so much since moving out here-- learned so much about myself and those around me.

Living abroad is an amazing experience! I have only called London home for a few short months, but I can tell you that it is such a unique and special place-- one that will forever be embedded in my memory. I absolutely adore London...and so will you!"

As you can see, in these photos Lisa took herself, London is a gorgeous!! It's so rich in history, culture, and diversity. It is home to some of the most fascinating landmarks in the world. Such as Big Ben, Parliament, London Eye, and Tower of London. Among Lisa's favorite places are Trafalgar Square, Kensington Palace, and Tower Bridge.

London is full of breathtaking architecture, stunning scenery, and some of the most famous and recognizable places in the world. There is truly something here for everyone, regardless of your tastes or interests so go check out London with Lisa and tell us what you think!!!

Destination - Korea

Telli, the author of Intelligence is a Curse (a phrase my husband often uses), is taking us to Korea!!! She has lived in Asia for a total of six years, and even though she is not Asian, Korea is one of the many places she calls home. Korea was the last of the Asian countries she have lived in, and the country in which she graduated high school. And thus, it will always hold a special place in her heart.

In her own words, "Living in a place that is still at war as opened up my eyes to the world. I look at everything in a whole new light and it really made me grateful to be an American. I really loved a lot of things about Korea. I loved roaming the streets of Seoul (a city larger than New York), eating the food, and just exploring many of the cultural attractions. I also loved meeting new people, making friends, and just being a teenager in big city."

Here are a few more posts from Telli for your reading and learning enjoyment:

Americans are Stupid and I'm Suppose to be Proud

Did I ever tell you about that time I went to North Korea?

Destination - Austin, TX

Today we are going to visit Austin Texas with Rebecca (who just converted her blog to blogger so don't get confused) from The Texas Darlings. Austin is the laid back, cool town of Texas- no snobs and over-developed places around here. Just look at the beautiful rolling hills and gorgeous green trees. Who wouldn't be happy. Take those locals coming towards us to talk for example. Everyone takes the time to get to know you and really enjoy life here.

First we have to visit the "cool" spots around town even if they are way cooler that we ever will be! Down town is very eclectic with the University, the State Capitol, hippie Congress Ave., and party town 6th street all within walking distance. There is so much to do here!!

What is that in the sky over there?? Check this video out!

What goes better with bats than the Natural Bridge Caverns, one of the most beautiful caverns in the country located about an hour south of Austin. The tour is taking us through several large “rooms” that have these huge natural rock structures. Isn't it amazing and beautiful? Listen to the kids, they just love it!

Now I'm starving how about you? Lets go get some BBQ! Just a short peaceful drive 30 mins south of Austin into the Texas Hill Country there is possibly the best BBQ on Earth. The Salt Lick opened in 1967 on a ranch in Driftwood, TX.

They came up with this original name by the deer who were attracted to the large rocks found on the ranch. They would gather around and “lick” salt and minerals found in the rocks. Thus the name, “Salt Lick”. Today it is a well-know BBQ joint that is busy for both lunch and dinner...and we can see why! Just take a look at how much charm it oozes, and this is just the outside. Yum!

Hungry for more Austin charm, you're in luck because Rebecca has put together an awesome "Getting to Know Austin" list. Go check it out and say hi for me!

Pit Stop - Blog Awards!!

I am so thrilled to announce we have won our first awards!! La Belle Mere has given us not 1 but 2 blog awards. She even did a nice little write-up on me.

"Katie Lane – Travelling the Blogosphere - Not only is she a talented blog page designer type lady but she has also come up with this ingenious new site for blog recognition. Rather than just randomly selecting featured blogs she uses "locations" as the theme so we not only get introduced to new blogs, but also new parts of the world to. Fantastic idea."

Here they are in all their glory.

I'd like to pass them on to all our past features. Enjoy them ladies, and thanks again for letting me feature you!!

Melissa from Smitten by Britain
Kim from The Misadventures of Mub.
Kelly from DesignTies
Kasey from All That is Good
Becky from Farmgirl Paints.
Shelly from That Girl Blogs
Rebecca from My Crazy Life with 4 Kids
Lori from Peterson St. Louis
Kimi from So many Kids, So Little Time
Rachel from A Little Bit Of Kooky
Cynthia from A Shimmy in My Spirit
Juls from Every Day is a Crazee Day
Jen from Tatertots and Jello

Destination - Great Britain

Melissa from Smitten by Britain became fascinated with Britain when she was young. She later moved there, married a British man and had a son with him. Even though they are divorced now, Melissa have continued to expose her son to the British culture so he will always appreciate his heritage.

Great Britain it is such an interesting place with a long and colorful history. There are hundreds of beautiful and historical landmarks to see and an interesting culture to experience.

When asked why she loves it so Melissa tells us, "I love the beauty of its landscape and the its many historical landmarks. I love Britons and the way they look at life as well as their sense of humor. I admire the sense of community which comes from their belief of - all for one, and one for all"

How neat is it that recently, family research confirmed what she had always suspected - strong family ties to Britain!! Of course these only serve to increase her admiration for this green and pleasant land. Click on the lovely photos to the left to read some of Melissa's favorite posts and learn more about this amazing place :)

Remember you can be featured too,sign up today!! And click here for a few new buttons!!

Destination - The Netherlands

Today we are featuring Kim from The Misadventures of Mub. She married a Dutchman and moved to the Netherlands a few years ago. (Even thought it's no where near the same thing, I feel like I can connect with her since I married a Cuban and moved to Florida)

About her new home she says, "One of the things that I absolutely love about living here is that most things are pretty accessible by bike (which is good since I don't have a Dutch drivers license). I do all of my groceries and errands on my bicycle. You'd be amazed at the amount of crap you can carry home on a bike!



I also love the markets here. We have a huge fabric market in the city center every Tuesday and there's a food market somewhere pretty much everyday of the week in different places throughout the city. The biggest market where you can get anything your heart desires is on Saturday."


The first picture up there to the right is the Genneper Watermill (De Genneper Watermolen). The earliest writings referring to the mill date to 1249. Originally it had two wheels, one for grain and the other for oil. The mill is also featured in three paintings by Vincent van Gogh. Currently the mill houses a feed shop on one side and a great place to buy flour on the other side.

And those pretty flowers up on the left are from one of the "must sees" if you visit The Netherlands in the spring - the Keukenhof. Around 7 million bulbs are planted annually. That's a lot of flowers, I bet it smell absolutely divine.

If you need a bit more excitement you could go to The Efteling. There is a bit of something for everyone in this theme park. From the horrifying terror of upside down loops to this awesome bank (read Kim's post to get the scope)!! Or perhaps this luchtalarm will wake you up.

Lastly a little exploring in the nice weather to lift your spirits.

Destination - Belgium

Close your eyes and imagine with me. Smell the sweet bitter unmistakable aromas in the air. Notice your tongue beginning to salivate and your mood beginning to lift. Today we have a very special treat in store for you. A true delight for the senses.

Open your eyes and let's go to Belgium!! We are going to self indulge the decadent way with Kelly from DesignTies.

While here there were two foods we have to try—Belgian fries and Belgian chocolate. The fries are good. The chocolate… BEYOND good!!!!

We'll try dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate… pralines, solid chocolates, striped chocolates, and chocolates filled with more chocolate…chocolates shaped like shells and swans and horses and cats…


When we've eaten the whole city gotten enough we'll switch it up with a different type of treat. It's macarons of all different colors. Absolutely beautiful. The prefect end to our chocolate comas.

Be sure to click on over to Kelly's blog, today she is also taking you on a trip to Italy!!

***Update: In the comment section Little Nut Tree wrote, "Yes Belgian chocolate is yummy, and there's even more to the country than that." We totally agree with you Little Nut Tree, if you or anyone else has any more information about Belgium I would be happy to write another post!! Just fill out this form and send the info my way :)

Road Trip - with Kasey

To start off the Road Trips we are going to catch up with Kasey who is still on the road and blogging about it!!

In her own words, "My plan is to post everyday with the events of that day and some fun pictures. We will be on the road for 35 days so I think it will be fun to see how things pan out!

Here is one of their stops.
Go find out which day it was from and get a prize!
(prize not really included)

Tonight we will be staying in Kansas and tomorrow we will be making our way into Colorado. 12 states in one month can you believe it?!!! I'm really excited but at the same time really nervous. We will be camping a few nigths, staying in some hotels, and staying with some family out in California. Mountains, the ocean, the flat plains...we might just see it all along the way!"


They are already on day 15 (I think) and let me tell you I wish I was with them. Days 10&11 almost make me cry. They remind me of me of Arizona where I lived my first 20 years of life. I love dirt and family and camping.

They have seen way to many awesome places and things to possible tell you about. So I will advise you to go go go visit Kasey and read through all her recent posts. Here is day 1 to get you started. Now off you go :)

Destination - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Let's travel to Minnesota today! In the southwest suburb of Minneapolis there is a town that was rated "8th Best Small Town in America" last year. It has great schools, trails, parks...people. It's the home of Becky from Farmgirl Paints.

Our stops are Ikea, Stillwater, Excelsior and The General Store in Minnetonka. Don't you just love those carts at Ikea, they should make those mandatory for everywhere else. And that quaint little town of Stillwater. Becky's favorite part was the chicken in rice soup at Leo's...yummy:) What would be yours?




You are going to love the bright refreshing guest room Becky has for us to stay in. It's a cozy haven... our own little retreat. I am totally loving that shelf with the welcoming HOME sign.



And see that gorgeous bench? It's actually a church pew Becky got at a garage sale for $60.00. It was plain white and chipped up, so she sanded, primed, painted and then distressed it a little. It fits this this long hallway perfectly!

Sweet dreams. Wake up tomorrow for another fabulous destination :)

Destination - Clayton, California

To celebrate the summer lets go to Cali; Clayton to be exact. It's the home of Shelly from That Girl Blogs. We'll do the normal California summer stuff.


Like chillaxing, bike riding, water balloon fighting and Bean Bag Tossing. Then we'll go to a parade and get flashed by Flashy The Clown and take tons of pictures with the "historical figures". There are so many things to do here in the sun.



We could also go to the Farmers Market and smell the flowers. Then we could create our own Tinker Toys and have a blast playing with them.



Let's leave the kids home to play while we go out and eat some free Tiramisu!!! So yummy.... come back tomorrow for another yummy adventure.

And REMEMBER remember remember to dish out those comments and sign up to get featured.