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Gift Guide For The Person Who Has Everything

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Gift Season

Tis the season for giving! But what do you give the person who seems to have everything? This is where we would like to help you out with our gift giving guide. 

Let the Giving Begin!

  • Subscription- A subscription is the type of gift that keeps on giving. Every year, I subscribe to a children’s magazine and have it sent to my niece’s house. I used to love receiving magazines in the mail as a kid and I wanted to keep the tradition going. Now, my nieces absolutely love getting their Highlights, Zoobooks, or National Geographic magazines in the mailbox. There is beauty box subscriptions and even yoga subscriptions! There’s pretty much a subscription box out there for everyone! Allure, Sephora, Buddhibox , etc. I was gifted the Buddhibox for my birthday and it is an amazing subscription. It comes with crystals, candles and all kinds of fabulous goodies! The Allure box is only $15 a month as well! Very affordable!
  • Cheap Hotel Stay- Providing someone with a paid hotel stay gives them an excuse to get out of town and explore another city. One to two nights is plenty as a gift. Groupon and Expedia have great hotel deals and make it easy to give this as a gift without letting the receiver know how much you spent. 
  • Nail, Massage or Day Spa Gift Card– If you know someone who loves getting their nails done or loves a good spa day then this is a great gift option! We both get our nails done religiously and trust us- a nail gift card would make someone totally happy! This could go to a male or female and they would happily pamper themselves.
  • Cookbooks or Cookware– Just about every other person out there is trying some sort of new diet or exploring alternative food options. A new Paleo, Vegan or Keto cookbook could help inspire them! Amazon is great for items like this as well. Simple but useful!
  • Pet Lover Gifts– Do you know someone who is completely obsessed with their animal?! Get creative and have a handmade portrait of them and their pet made on Etsy! There are so many cute and affordable options out there. There are vendors on Etsy who make beautiful artwork that can bring a photograph to life and make it into a piece of artwork! Just snoop your friends social media ( because you know they have their animal on there somewhere ) and send that pic over to the person you pick on Etsy and they will make you a keepsake gift to give this holiday season!
    I had this made of Neecy Girl via Etsy!Happy Gift Giving!

    Happy Gift Giving !

We hope that this quick gift guide gave you some inspiration for that person in your life who is tricky to shop for! Gifts are not about the cost but the meaning and thought behind them. These gifts are something that if given to the right person- they will be so thankful! Happy Holidays!!

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Packing Tutorial so Your Bags Fly Free this Holiday Season

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Airlines Without Free Bags

Traveling is expensive as it is. The holidays are even more expensive. Knowing which airlines allow a free carry on and knowing their policy upfront can help you save money. Spirit Airlines is one airline that offers competitively cheap flights especially during the holiday season. Spirit has a bad rap, and if you don’t know how to fly with them, it can seem like a really shitty airline to take. No free water, they will charge you to print out your boarding pass, no free peanuts, and especially no free carry on luggage. I have flown with them more than a dozen times and have perfected how to play their game. They fly almost everywhere, and when you need to save some money, they are the airline to use. I used them a few years back 3 weeks before a Chirstmas trip and saved hundreds of dollars. I’m here to tell you all the tips and tricks you will need so you won’t have to pay for luggage.

The Breakdown

This list is going to break down exactly what you need to do when flying with Spirit.

  • After buying your tickets download the Spirit mobile app. If you have access to a printer, you can print out your tickets otherwise make sure you have them on your mobile app or a copy in your email. They will accept all of these versions. DO NOT go to the airport expecting them to print out your boarding pass for free. They will charge you for that. 
  • Spirit allows a free personal bag that must not exceed dimensions of 18 x 14 x 8 inches. I found a bag on Amazon that is within Spirits policy. This bag is only $12.99, and I highly recommend that you buy it. It has saved me hundreds of dollars in bag fees. My husband and I both have one. Click here to buy. It’s $30 one way for a single bag so you can do that math and see how smart of a buy this is. 
  • I have used this bag for so many trips, and it never fails to carry everything I need. Learning how to be a minimalist traveler is a smart trick to adapt to. Bring only what you need. I spent 4 days in New York and even brought back new shoes and gifts in this same bag. You can make it work. Roll those panties and jeans up as small/tightly as you can! I promise you will be impressed by how much this bag can hold!
  • Ladies: stuff your purse into this bag when boarding your plane. I stuff my purse on top and zip it all up, and I can carry this bag on my shoulder so its an obvious “personal item.”  I have never been stopped or questioned about my bag. It always fits (even if I have to smash it in) into their displayed box they have to make sure it passes as a personal item. It fits every time so there isn’t shit they can say! If it fits then it flys! FREE!

Bonus Tip!

  • Pack an empty water bottle and some snacks. You can fill up your empty water bottle once you get through security. Spirit will not provide anything free on the plane, so bring some stuff to get you through your flight. Otherwise, you can always purchase items at the airport before you board. They offer food/drinks in flight but nothing, not even water, is free. 

The Folding Bag That Will Save You Money!

I wanted to give you a visual of this bag so you could get an idea of exactly what it is. It’s a foldable duffle bag that is extremely lightweight. It folds into itself and turns into a small square that is great for storing! When unfolding this bag, it becomes large enough that you will be able to fit everything you need for your trip! We understand that if you are flying out of the country that you might need a little bit more than this bag can carry. Raynita will be doing a packing tutorial for out of the country trips. She is a pro at getting everything she needs into a roller carry on suitcase. Be on the lookout for that! 

Foldable empty duffle bag!
I took three standard size pillows and stuffed them into the duffle to give you an idea of what it can take!
Duffle packed with the three pillows! Still extra room in there! You can get an idea of the size based on the comparison with the hairbrush. LOTS of room!
The front pouch has a zipper that you can take the entire bag and fold it into itself. When empty and folded up..this is the outcome! Pretty cool right?!

I hope you found this article helpful! I am all for saving a buck, and if it takes me flying Spirit sometimes then that’s what I’m gonna do! Now that you know what to expect and how to play their game I hope you will take this advice and save yourself some money. Traveling during the holidays is supposed to be fun and not more expensive then it needs to be! Happy traveling! For more traveling tips click here!

Did you find this useful? Please let us know!

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Cabo San Lucas Trip

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Couples Vacation

Luckily, we get to take vacations with each other a couple of times a year. This year, Cabo Mexico was our summer destination. Neither couple has been to Cabo, so this was the first experience for us all. Jess and I are so blessed that our husbands get along so well. They actually look forward to seeing each other and have a relationship on their own. It’s perfect because we want to spend as much time as possible with each other, even if that means leaving them behind. Even though we’ve been to Mexico together on a cruise, meeting in Cabo was something special because we all got a new stamp on our passport! It’s the little things that make us happy and glad we make these memories together.

Stay & Play in Cabo!

We absolutely loved our ATV tour! Such an adrenaline rush with amazing views.

Getting an AirBnB was a no-brainer for this trip. We wanted our own rooms, bathrooms, and a place to cook, while also being walking distance to the beach. That is exactly what we got and more! After booking the place, the owners of the rental were in contact with me and also put us in contact with the people that will actually be helping us throughout our stay. This was extremely helpful! We were able to set up personal transportation with drivers that waited with IPads with our names on it and vans filled with refreshing water and crisp Mexican beers. The concierge that was apart of the rental was with us the moment we got off the plane to accompany all of our needs. His name was Mr. Corona (like, for reals!) and he was the most helpful by far. He accompanied us to our AirBnB and during the ride, he informed us of EVERYTHING we need to know about Mexico, the good and the bad, and what we can do to get the most out of our time. They even took us to Walmart to stock up our rental for the week! Buying our excursions through him was smart because we got them greatly discounted. We kept in contact with him through Whats App. We were even able to book a sunset cruise the day before we left at such reasonable prices through Mr. Corona. 

Beach time in Cabo!

Beach Time

The beach was literally walking distance from where we stayed and we took complete advantage of that.  We quickly noticed that one part of the beach was way more packed than the others. During the weekend, locals were there with their families as well as tons of salesmen and women walking along the beach, haggling you to buy their merchandise. That got pretty annoying. We found an area with private reserved only seating and made that our destination every day during our beach time. Playing in the ocean brought out the inner kid in all of us. We built sand castles, swam out to the buoys, played on paddle boards and body-surfed. The four us trying to get our balance to all stand up on a paddle board at the time same time was free, fun and a memory none of will forget. Evan got stung by a jellyfish, George was scared that sharks were going to get him, Jess’s got sunburned everywhere and Ray scared Evan shitless with her Jetski driving. Beach time was a success!

Food in Cabo

The food in Cabo was just okay. We all love Mexican food and were looking forward to having super authentic food here. This trip was the marking of the end of our 30-day detox and we were all ready to splurge. Ray and Jess definitely ate their weight in chips, salsa, and guac, followed by wonderful Mexican beers. That was literally our go-to. Evan and Ray were looking forward to eating the real authentic tacos with meats such as buche, tripas, Cabeza, and more, all made with homemade tortillas. That was not the case here. These meats were super hard to find and when they did find tripas, they looked old and dry. They are happy believers in that Fresno has way better tacos then Cabo. Jess is vegan and it seemed like they didn’t know exactly what that meant. Every time we put in an order, we would explain to them no animal products at all, please. After a few days of struggling to find appealing options, we found a vegan restaurant on Yelp that was within walking distance from the beach. It was so refreshing to walk into this little vegan gem and know that everything on the menu was so safe to eat. We shared a bomb ass plate of nachos and each got a dish as well. Everything was tasty and left Jess with a smile on her face. We all enjoyed this vegan spot very much!

Quality Time

We all enjoyed Mexico but really what we enjoyed most is spending quality time together. Being at the condo, eating guac and chips, having fun in the ocean, cooking breakfast together, and just being us. We talked, laughed and made amazing memories together. Us four can have a great time together pretty much anywhere. However, it was special being in another country together. We can’t wait for our next adventure together!

Have you ever taken a couples trip? Where did you go and what did you like or dislike about your trip. Feel free to suggest a destination for us to enjoy together. 

 

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Packing Tutorial

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Packing Like A Pro

I have taken a pretty good amount of trips on airplanes and quickly felt ridiculous paying and waiting for a checked bag. Having a checked bag didn’t last long on our adventures. I became determined to fit everything in a carry-on and a personal bag for all my trips here on out. Now, I want to share my packing skills with you too so that you never have to pay for a checked bag again!

First Things First…

This suitcase has been all around the world with me and has never let me down.

The first important thing about packing is having the right suitcase. The suitcase needs to have areas for packing on both sides of it. Extra pockets are always a plus too. I found my Olympia suitcase at Ross for under $50. Having wheels and a handle is also a must for easy mobility and zooming through the airport. As you can see, I am able to put clothing in both compartments on each side. This is crucial for long trips. 

Begin Packing

When I know I have a big trip coming up, I like to start a pile of things I know I want to bring. So the week of or the week before, once things start coming out of the washer, I begin setting them aside in our guest room. This can be clothing, shoes, accessories, or anything that you know you want to bring and not forget. 

These are a few things I knew I wanted to bring for my Euro trip.

 Some Things I Always Pack

  • A bathing suit is always in my suitcase. You never know when you’re going to need one and it is always nice to check out the pool and spa at the hotel your staying at. 
  • Workout clothes are also a must. My workout usually doesn’t stop just because I’m traveling. Some hotels even have loner shoes and workout clothes you can borrow for your stay.
  • Tennis shoes are important for those days exploring the city. Plus, when you want to do something adventurous like ATV riding or ziplining, tennis shoes are required.
  • A dress that I can dress up or down is always nice to have too. You might have a nice dinner one evening but if not, you can wear it with a little cover up to make it more casual.
  • A denim button-down shirt is so versatile that it’s absolutely needed. I love pairing it with a dress or tying it around my waist with other outfits. It also works great all by itself too.
  • Belts are usually a no-brainer but it does suck when you forget one. One time my husbands’ zipper broke on a bag that he got free from a cologne purchase (those are usually cheap, believe me, I tried to tell him that) and we used a belt to keep the bag closed until we got home. Talk about multipurpose.

Now The Packing

Down to the nitty-gritty, the packing. The key to packing is rolling, rolling, rolling! Roll everything. From your underwear to your jeans, rolling them lets them take up the least amount of room possible. Don’t just do a loose roll, roll those clothes tight. For my jeans, I roll them from the top to the bottom. My socks are fully tucked into each other and then stuffed into my shoes. Now as to your packing your rolled up clothes, make sure “pack and push”, meaning put one article in the suitcase and when you put the next one in, push that previous article in there as tight as possible. Again, this will eliminate any extra space that wasn’t used before. Once you have the bottom layer in, feel free to make another layer on top of that one if needed. 

This is 2 layers of rolled clothes on one side of my suitcase.

Toiletries 

This is my bag fully packed.

My toiletry bag usually stays packed. It has a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, a shower cap, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion (because you might not like the ones at the hotel). My bestie Jess got me the cutest Maid-of-honor makeup bag and its pretty big. It holds all my makeup as well as my face wash, serum, and hair supplies. I put these two bags on the opposite side of my clothes when packing. When I leaving from an American airport, I never have to take out the liquid bottles at the TSA lines. However, when traveling abroad, they have been a little more strict and I would have to put some in the see-through plastic bag. No biggie though. 

You Can Do It!

I have used this bag for a two-week trip, to travel to 4 different countries and attend a wedding, all in a carry-on. It can be done! I was even able to buy some souvenirs and some clothing that I just had to have. Just remember to use all the unused space as possible. Fold and roll everything as small as possible. Don’t worry, you will be able to iron or steam out any wrinkles and if you want to get really fancy you can use the hotel’s laundry service and get items pressed or washed. Packing shouldn’t be a hassle. Stay calm and know that you can bring a backpack as your personal item and stuff your purse in there too. Try to stay away from over packing and never bring anything you haven’t worn before because chances are that you’re not going to wear it on this trip either. 

Do you have any packing tips? What do you hate or love about packing? Share with us. 

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Adapting to New Environments

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Embrace the Unknown

When I was 18 years old, I packed everything I owned, including my cat, into my car. Sentimental keepsakes, clothes, blankets, and road trip snacks filled my car to the brim. My cat “G” sat in the front seat with me as we drove from California to Tucson, Arizona. Yes, he was my roll cat, and I’ll never forget the pit-stops that we made along the way together. Why Arizona? I wasn’t moving there to go to college. Nor was I moving there because I had a job waiting for me. I packed up and left the place that I called home because I needed a change. I didn’t know exactly what kind of change I was hoping for, but I knew that I was willing to go and look for it. Instead of fearing the unknown I embraced it.

Young and Naive but Relentless

I’m not gonna bullshit you. The first few years were hard as fuck. I had no money, no friends, and no idea what the fuck I was doing. Oh yeah, there is one part that I left out. I had a boyfriend that decided to make that move with me. What can I say? We were young, and I was a hopeless romantic. I’m still a hopeless romantic; I’m just a lot older and smarter with my decisions now. Anyway, during the first year, I bounced around between waitressing jobs, and I enrolled in a veterinary technician program at a local college. I wasn’t happy doing either of those things. I just knew that I had to be doing SOMETHING so I kept myself busy. Looking back now, I realize I did that to keep myself distracted so I wouldn’t notice how unsatisfied I was. I applied for a position at a bank when I was 19. One afternoon while I was working my shift at the restaurant I got a call. I got a job offer for the position I applied for, and 5 minutes later I quit. That was my last day working in a restaurant.

You gotta explore the world to know whats out there

Changes

Communication was different in 2007. I wasn’t on Facebook and Facetime wasn’t around yet, so I didn’t stay in touch with a lot of people. The few people I stayed in touch with are still some of my closest friends today. I’ll never forget those times when I just needed a familiar voice to talk to and those particular people who always answered my call. Over the next few years, I really focused on myself so making new friends and having a social life was not a top priority. In 2009 I was single and living on my own for the very first time. This experience took on a whole new meaning in my life. It was the first time I was truly alone with myself. Was I lonely? Sometimes, but I was content with myself, and it felt fucking amazing!

I Like You Too, but I’m Moving

In 2010 I got swept off my feet again. Two months after meeting this fantastic guy who shook up my whole world, my job approached me about transferring to the Phoenix office. I was not about to let my past repeat itself by moving to a new city with a new boyfriend, but damn I really liked him. I had about two people in Tucson that I actually considered friends and both of them encouraged me to take the job. Just when I was getting comfortable in Tucson, life decided I needed a change again. I told the guy that I was dating that I was moving in a month. I’ll never forget his reaction. He put down the McDouble he was eating and walked over to me and said.” I want to be with you, and if you allow me to come, I will pay half of all the expenses.” I know super romantic right? LMAO! He and I alone packed up my entire apartment into a U-Haul and this time, two cats, took a road trip with me to a new city.

Phoenix Transformed Me

I didn’t know a single person in Phoenix, and again I was okay with that. Adjusting in Phoenix was much easier than it was in Tucson. I moved there with intention and purpose, and I was excited about the unknown. In Phoenix, I really started to blossom and grow as an individual. I explored the city, hiked beautiful Arizona mountains, became a Yelp Elite and started eating at restaurants all over the city. I enrolled in college, got a promotion, and met some amazing people. Traveling became part of my routine, and I would go back home to California now and then and started meeting my bestie in different states for random vacations. The five years I spent in Phoenix was five of the most amazing years of my life. California might have raised me, but Arizona helped shape me into the woman I am today.

You’re Not From Here, Are You?

In 2015 another job opportunity within my company presented itself. I decided to move yet again, and this time it was to Dallas. I contemplated the pro’s and con’s of making this move but the pro’s heavily outweighed the negatives. The transition happened extremely fast, and within two months I was driving to Texas to start my next chapter. Remember that guy that came along with me to Phoenix? His name is George, and he moved, yet again, 

I graduated with my Bachelors in 2017! Such a happy day!

to Dallas with me. Neither of us had stepped foot into Dallas until the day we arrived with all of our crap, and cats, packed into our car. Moving to Dallas took our relationship, personal lives, and careers to a new level. For the first two weeks, we slept on a blow-up mattress in our living room until the moving truck arrived with all of our stuff. We didn’t have anything but each other, but we couldn’t have been happier.

Changing Locations Changed Who I Am

At our wedding surrounded by those near and far!

Every place I have lived has made an impact on my life and who I am. New surroundings, new people, and new experiences have been good for my soul. I am a stronger, better and happier person because of them. In the first two years of moving to Dallas, I graduated college, got married, started new hobbies, made new friends, and I’m in my 11th year my company. All of our closest family and friends from California, Arizona, and other states made it out to Dallas for our wedding, and it was the most beautiful day of my life. Ten years ago did I think I would end up getting married in Texas to a man that was from Arizona and be surrounded by my friends from the places I have lived? Fuck no I didn’t! But, that is the beauty of embracing the unknown. I don’t know who I would be today if I never left California but I don’t care to know. When people ask me, “You’re not from here, are you?” I get the biggest smile on my face and love saying, ” Nope, I’m not!”

No Regrets

I have no regrets about the decisions I’ve made, and I support anyone who is thinking about making a life-changing move. Some people never leave home or get to experience life in another environment. I say, if you have the opportunity to do so, then don’t think twice about it! Last year if you would have asked me if Dallas is my “forever home” I probably would have said that I didn’t know. But, a few weeks ago my husband and I just bought out first home soooo it looks like we will be staying for a little bit longer than expected! We are beyond excited for this new chapter in our lives. Never in a million years would I have thought I would have ended up here but I’m thankful for every step that has led me to this point. Life is a journey filled with unexpected miracles. You never know what is out there waiting for you until you start traveling around to find it!

July 2018 we became homeowners 🙂

Would you ever move to a place that you have never been before? Please share your stories and experiences with us!

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Traveling On A Budget

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Traveling On A Budget!

I am so passionate about traveling! But what is better than seeing the world while doing it on an affordable budget? Throughout my years of soaring the world, I have had many experiences where I wasn’t smart about managing my money. That was dumb! Since then, I have found so many ways to save money while traveling and I want to share them with you. Most of my tips can be used for any traveling: local, national, and international. So, get your notepads and maps ready and let’s travel on a budget!

• Use googleflights.com to track and find the lowest price tickets to your next destination. This site compares most of the prices for you because most flights use googles search engine. I enjoy that googleflights.com emails you when the price fluctuates and gives you dates and times when it is cheapest to fly to your destination. I always use googlflights.com for my travel needs.

• If you’re using a website to book your vacation, make sure you check out the ratings of the company on Better Business Bureau. If the company isn’t on there, that’s a BAD SIGN! Even some cheap vacations that I booked online (that seemed too good to be true) were still taken because my research panned out. And guess what? The trip was amazing!!! I would tell you the site, but they don’t pay me for that LOL.

• Don’t check a bag! I refuse to check a bag if my trip is two weeks or shorter. I have a great suitcase that has compartments inside on both sides. Depending on the time of year and where you are traveling, you should be able to fit what you need in a carry on and personal bag. Make sure to always use a backpack as your personal bag and stuff your purse in that too. Soon I will post a packing tutorial.

  •  Use Groupon! They have great deals in every city, at discounted prices. Make sure you read the small print before purchase because sometimes they have restricted dates. Groupon has deals for dining, adventure, stays, and experiences.
  • Do the bus tours (Hop On Hop Off)! The bus tours are great for seeing everything worth your time, super budget friendly, and you can find them in every big city around the world. When my husband and I did them, we took the tour one full time around and made a mental note of the places we wanted to go. As the route continues, you hop off on your next exciting destination, explore, and then wait less than 20 minutes for the next bus to continue your tour. It’s one of our favorite things to do when traveling. 

• If your planning on staying somewhere for three nights or longer, look to book a vacation home. They have many different sites (Airbnb, VRBO, etc..) and places to stay all over the world. Being in a house helps save money in the long run. You have a kitchen, many amenities, and space! Usually, these homes come out cheaper than a hotel. This is a must whenever traveling with a group or more than three people. This is my besties and my favorite way to travel together.

Vacationing should be fun and not expensive. There are so many places I can’t wait to travel to and use some budgeting tips. I hope these tips help you on your next adventure, and please share some of your own tips with us as well! Safe travels!

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