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This past weekend we took a short but sweet trip to Orlando, about a 6.5 hour drive for us, to see friends visiting from the west coast and explore the area a bit. When you talk about places with a lot to do, boy Orlando and the surrounding area is filled with parks, events, shopping and more. We could have stayed a month and still not cover it all!   We stayed at the Wyndham Orlando Resort I-Drive. We had stayed here previously as well and love all that it has to offer. Two pools, a hot tub, on site poolside dining, room service, a fitness center and a complimentary shuttle to nearby attractions plus a bar in the lobby with drinks, coffee (they brew Starbucks!), and quick breakfast options. Thank you to Wyndham Orlando Resort I-Drive for hosting us and sponsoring this blog post. As always, all opinions are my own.    Wyndham Orlando Resort I-Drive is conveniently located right in the heart of the entertainment district, a walkable neighborhood with lots to do. We stayed in two connecting rooms and my kids loved having that bit of independence. Our main room was spacious with a full living space, king sized bed, bathroom and small kitchen countertop area including a sink. Our second room had another full bathroom and a full size bed as well as a set of bunk beds! All rooms come equipped with a mini refrigerator, 40” flatscreen tv (with on-demand), free WiFi, coffee makers, and massaging showerheads. You also get access to laundry services (do it yourself, machine takes change and debit/credit cards).     We would definitely recommend it and plan on going back! Parking is free and the resort is pet friendly. The resort was clean, staff was friendly and helpful, and the location is wonderful. Wyndham Orlando Resort I-Drive
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Are you considering a trip or a move to Lynden, Washington? Then this post is for you! We will be touching on the charm and unique aspects of Lynden as well as notable events and things to do nearby. Lynden is located in northwest Washington. With British Columbia, Canada, a few minutes drive north and Seattle a 2 hour drive south. Lynden is known for it’s beautiful yards and landscaping, excellence in sports, and Dutch heritage. In 2016, Lynden’s Front Street even won Best Main Street in America. With it’s colossal hanging baskets, murals and charming storefronts it’s easy to see why. A farming community, berry, dairy and potato are currently the top agricultural industries in town. Lynden happens to be the world’s largest producer of raspberries, Events In Lynden•The Farmers Day parade takes place on Front Street and is always the first Saturday in June. You’ll see tractors, animals, decorated floats, marching bands and more! •The Northwest Raspberry Festival takes place downtown in the middle of July and is centered around the Razz Fest 3-on-3 basketball tournament, sponsored and organized by The Muljat Group North. The festival also includes a car show, tons of food vendors, dozens of kids’ activities, a car show and even a beer garden! •The Northwest Washington Fair takes place every August. The Fair brings rides, grandstand entertainment, animals, shopping, and more! Buildings at the fairgrounds are available to rent for weddings and other private events plus there are often craft shows, home shows, and other events open to the public hosted there throughout the year.   •The Christmas Parade goes down Front Street on the first Saturday in December and showcases floats decked out in Christmas lights and decorations; it’s always a hit! **Visit the Chamber of Commerce website to stay up to date on the latest happenings! ➡️ www.lynden.org Things to See & Do Nearby•Skagit Valley Tulip Festival - dates change based on the growing season that year, but typically in April!  •Short cruises are available out of The Ferry Terminal in Bellingham, WA including a whale watching cruise, a dinner cruise, a brewers cruise, a wine cruise and more! •Take the Washington State Ferry from Anacortes, WA to the San Juan Islands and stay for however long you like! The ferry runs frequently, be sure to a check their current schedule prior to departure. You can walk or drive on (though it is definitely nice to have a car with you once you get there)! •Lake Whatcom Park in Bellingham, WA offers hiking and other recreational activities. •Mt Baker Ski Area - one of Washington’s top ski resorts and a beautiful area to explore. •The Seattle Premium Outlets located in Tulalip, WA offer a fun outdoor shopping and dining experience. Have you lived in the area or visited Lynden before? Add your favorite thing to do in the comments! This post was written in partnership with The Jerry Blankers Team and is published at www.jerryblankers.com/blog. All opinions are my own. If you are in need of a realtor in Whatcom County, WA, we used them for our most recent land purchase and home sales and I highly recommend them! You can give them a call at 360-410-1297 or email jerry@jerryblankers.com or Kassi@muljatgroupnorth.com. Instagram: @blankersrealestate
Last week we spent some time in Orlando, Florida and visited ICON Park. It was our first time in Orlando; we were thrilled to finally be able to check it out a bit. Thank you to ICON Park for hosting us and sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.  It was a bit overcast during our trip (it is January after all!) so it was great that there was so much to do indoors. I can see this also being a huge perk in the hot summer months as well. We got the ICON Park Play Pass which allowed us to get into all of the ICON Park attractions while saving big when compared to purchasing attraction tickets individually. The Play Pass is valid for 30 days so you don’t need to try to cram all the fun into one if you don’t have to either. We found it to be a great value for everything that it includes.  The Wheel at ICON Park is a MUST. The observation wheel experience takes about 20 minutes and gives you the best views of Central Florida. Each capsule can hold up to 10 people, is air conditioned and you can even grab a beverage at the Sky Bar for your flight if you wish.  Madame Tussauds was a hit for our family. None of us had been to a wax museum before and it was really neat to see some of our favorite actors, singers and presidents up close. They even had Shrek and Fiona and Kung Fu Panda which my kids thought was neat! Each statue had a name plate and details as to who they are. I loved how some statues like Beyoncé had fun extras like her music playing when you walked into that exhibit. The museum is laid out in a way that it takes you on a path past each exhibit so you are sure not to miss anything which I loved.    SEA LIFE Orlando was really fun too. My girls are 5 and 8 and mesmerized by all things zoo and aquarium related. They had so many great exhibits. Large tanks with many fish and other creatures swimming around together; it was interesting to watch. We loved the Pacific Ocean touch tank area too!     ICON Park features so many great shopping and dining options. I wanted to try all of the diverse restaurants but didn’t have a chance to try very many. One that stood out to us was the Sugar Factory. We had never been to one before so decided to have lunch there and, as a family, share one of their huge, over the top, desserts. It was a hit!   You could definitely spend days exploring all of the shops and restaurants at ICON Park. Many spots are open for late-night bites and entertainment. The Play Pass also gave us entrance to the StarFlyer ride (the nation’s tallest swing ride), the 7D Motion Theater, the toddler-size Pearl Express train (adults can go too!), and the Museum of Illusions plus a $5 credit (per Play Pass) to the In The Game arcade. We would definitely recommend a trip to ICON Park and if you’re going to be enjoying the attractions other than just shopping and dining, definitely look into getting the Play Passes to save! ICON Park8375 International Drive
Orlando, FL 407-601-7907 guestservices@iconparkorlando.com Last week we had the pleasure of staying at the Wyndham Orlando Resort I-Drive. The location and amenities were perfect for our stay. Thank you to Wyndham Orlando Resort I-Drive for hosting us and sponsoring this blog post. As always, all opinions are my own.  Upon arrival we were quickly greeted by the friendly staff and offered help with our luggage. We have stayed at other Wyndham resorts in the past and found the resort layout to be similar. Multiple buildings of accommodations surround the property with two pools, two hot tubs, a fitness center and a restaurant centrally located. Parking is free and the resort is pet friendly. The restaurant, Gatorville Poolside Bar & Grill, is open for all meals and also offers snacks and fun frozen drinks. Tropical landscape and small ponds are present inside of the property. They do offer room service which we took advantage of one day; the service and food were excellent! There is also a bar in the lobby.      We had an executive suite as well as a connecting premium guest room with two double beds. Both had private patios facing the courtyard with views of the tropical landscape. All rooms come equipped with a mini refrigerator, 40” flatscreen tv (with on-demand), free WiFi, coffee makers, and massaging showerheads. You also get access to laundry services (do it yourself, machine takes change and debit/credit cards). A few washers and dryers were conveniently located right in our building.      Wyndham I-Drive is located right on International Drive making it an ideal location for those visiting ICON Park like we were as well as anyone planning to spend time at Universal Orlando Resort or Seaworld which are all just minutes away. Scheduled theme park transportation is provided on a limited basis. For more details regarding that you can visit the Universal Partner Hotel Vacation Planning Center located in the hotel lobby.  Wyndham Orlando Resort I-Drive8001 International Drive Orlando, FL 407-351-2420 wyndhamorlandoresort@wyndham.com Our stay here was very pleasant. Housekeeping came daily to make our beds, our rooms were clean and in wonderful condition and the amenities were well taken care of. If you’d like to book a stay you can use this link to take 20% off of their Best Available Rate with NO minimum nights required!
Are you traveling soon or just want to have everything to be prepared for the next time you decide to go somewhere last minute? Over the years I have found that a few key travel bags and organization tools can make such a difference. Staying organized and efficiently using as little space as possible while taking all.the.things isn’t always easy, but these items definitely help so I thought I would quick share my favorites with you!!  Luggage set, packing cubes, rose gold luggage tags, travel jewelry organizer and cosmetic travel bag all linked in photo above!  This is the luggage set I own! I have the two piece set pictured but you can also buy individually (under $100!) or a three piece set too. I found the two piece set perfect for my traveling needs and at $129 for both bags and free shipping the price was right. I love the rose gold color I chose but there are a wide variety of colors to best suit you! Mine were shipped and delivered within a few days. They also come with a 10 year warranty which I was super impressed with and helped me make the decision to choose this brand. I also thought it was neat that they have this hardside fibertech rolling luggage for kids as well in the 18” size. My girls don’t need them yet as I currently pack their items in the same suitcase as mine but that will definitely come in handy as they get older! The kids version comes in multiple cute colors too!    This cosmetic travel bag has been a game changer for me! I purchased it about 6 months ago and can’t imagine traveling without it anymore! The slots are adjustable so you can tailor them to fit your needs. It comes in black or pink and is only $20! It holds all of my makeup and skincare products as well as toothbrush, mini deodorant, glasses and contacts and more! I hope sharing these travel items is helpful for you when planning for your next trip; they sure have been a game changer in helping me stay organized while on the go! Happy Friday! -Haley Other posts you make like: ❤️My TOP 5 Amazon Beauty Favorites ❤️Top 10 Best Sellers of 2019 🛍 Shop My Favorites Hey friends! This past weekend I was able to visit a gorgeous AirBnB in the cutest small town with my friend Chelsea of Adopt Adventure Blog. I shared behind the scenes photo and video footage in my Instagram stories and received soooo many direct messages asking me where this adorable home was and more details on it! I took so many photos of it to show you all and can’t wait to hear what you think and when you’ll be booking a stay there!😉🤗I know you will love it as much as we did! Thank you to The Purple House on Front for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.  The Purple House AirBnB is located in Lynden, WA. Lynden is a small farming community with nearly 15,000 residents, nestled against the Canadian Border and about 90 minutes north of Seattle. It boasts manicured lawns, churches (and coffee shops) on just about every block and beautiful Dutch architecture in it’s downtown shopping areas. Every August it is home to the Northwest Washington Fair which draws in 200,000 guests annually and includes performances from well known musicians and comedians. Previous performers include Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks, The Beach Boys, Larry the Cable Guy, Bret Michaels, and Billy Currington. The Fair website is currently selling tickets for a performance by Nelly this August (2020). The Purple House is located within walking distance to the downtown area complete with restaurants and shopping. It is also very close to the fairgrounds.        Upon our arrival, I was immediately impressed with all of the attention to detail throughout the home in both the architecture and decor. It boasts multiple sitting areas as well as four gorgeous bedrooms (five beds) and three and a half bathrooms. The kitchen features an enormous island and built in bench seating around the table.      I love the Victorian flare this home has while still having lovely modern amenities such as air conditioning, WiFi, multiple fireplaces and even a washer and dryer on site. The master bedroom and en suite bathroom are what dreams are made of and even features a clawfoot bathtub and a cascading waterfall in the shower.      I quickly fell in love with the stunning marble bathrooms and the personality in each room. This home would be perfect to rent with a few couples or a large family. It is three levels and also includes a turret with access through the master bedroom.       I love this staircase and all of the mirrors; beautifully done!    I truly enjoyed our time at The Purple House and know you would too! The owner is so sweet and it has received 5/5 stars from previous guests, and me too! So whether you will be traveling to the Lynden, WA area or if you are local and your family needs a place to stay while visiting you, be sure to check it out! To view the AirBnB listing click here and be sure to follow The Purple House on Instagram here! Happy Thursday!!🥳🌸 Haley Check this out!⬇️I recently paid a visit to the Blackbird Farmhouse + Chalet in Bellingham, Washington with my friend Chelsea from Adopt Adventure Blog. It is located just ten minutes from the city but you wouldn't guess it with it's beautiful countryside charm that the Pacific Northwest is known for.  Thank you to The Blackbird Farmhouse + Chalet for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own. This chic, 120 year old farmhouse is freshly renovated and decorated beautifully. It is a two bedroom, one bathroom home and also includes a pullout couch in the living room. The bathroom is drool worthy with it's folk-inspired black and white floors and details like high speed internet, pour over and French press coffee, and a 4K TV with streaming wifi channels have all been thought of; the kitchen is even equipped with oils and spices for your cooking needs! Robes, jewelry trays, full length mirrors, and even a washer and dryer make it the perfect home away from home.      The Blackbird Chalet is located next to The Farmhouse and boasts it's own fun, unique features! The Chalet is a super fun studio apartment featuring an open living space with a Cali King main bed. A permanent ladder takes you up to a full sized loft, complete with fun twinkling lights, and the couch also pulls out to a full sized memory foam bed in the living room. It's industrial yet cozy features are a must see! The soaking tub was a favorite feature of mine.     I highly recommend both of these AirBnB locations for your next stay in Bellingham, WA! Whether you will be spending time in the city or heading up to ski in the mountains, the central location is wonderful. Both are priced incredibly reasonably and I know you’ll be impressed with the attention to detail. The hosts are incredibly sweet and helpful! To follow along or book a stay: Instagram: @blackbirdfarmhouse Book Farmhouse here Book Chalet here If you book a stay be sure to report back to me and tell me what you're favorite part was; I'd love to hear!
xo- Haley Looking for more Pacific Northwest Washington travel recommendations? If you'll be heading to the San Juan Islands my family loves Roche Harbor Resort; read more about it here. Come Say Hi! Instagram // Facebook // LIKEtoKNOW.it We vacationed to California for a week this winter and decided to take one day to drive over to Anaheim and spend a day at Disneyland. My girls are 2 and 5 so a trip to Disneyland has been on our minds but we were planning on going once they were a few years older (and we still plan to do a big trip then)! My husband had never been and I hadn’t been in 20 years so it was so fun to spend time there and get a better feel for what it's like to help me better plan for our big trip in the next few years! My mom and brother also came along and it was a trip I will always remember!   We enjoyed walking down Main Street and browsing the shops and restaurants/food vendors. Brooke (5) was antsy to visit Tinkerbell at Pixie Hollow so we headed there first. The girls were nervous at first but really enjoyed meeting her and it was a nice way to start our character meet and greets. Our favorite rides for the family were Jungle Cruise, It’s A Small World, Casey Jr’s Train, Dumbo, and the Storybook Land Canal Boats. My girls don’t like dark or scary so these were perfect! The only line we waited in long was It's A Small World and we will definitely be adding Fast Passes to our list of necessities next time to lower that wait time! Everyone talks about the fun and amazing food at Disneyland! There were so many different options I was sad we weren't there long enough to try more. We ate Mickey Mouse shaped pretzels and cake pops, hot dogs, giant lollipops and of course, the famous Pineapple Dole Whip. The dole whip was a family favorite but sweeter than anticipated. The four of us shared one and found it to be the perfect amount though had the weather been warmer we may have felt otherwise! We thought the February temperatures were perfect for a trip to Disneyland and are definitely considering going back the same time of year for our next visit. It was high 60s/low 70s and the girls and I wore T-shirts and jeans which kept us warm but very comfortable. I couldn't imagine waiting in long lines in the hot summer months! Another perk of going this time of year is that the park is not as busy as it normally is so lines are shorter allowing you to fit more into each day. Especially when bringing little ones I find it nice to visit places in their slower season because less wait time tends to equal a more pleasant experience for both children and parents! It was unanimous that our favorite thing we did at Disneyland was the performance we went to at the Royal Theatre. They have a handful of shows each day and we went to an afternoon performance of Beauty and the Beast which happens to be one of our favorite Disney movies; we lucked out! The actors did a phenomenal job. It was humorous for the adults and fun for the kids too; we all loved it. Next time we will definitely stop by the Royal Theatre to attend more of their shows! One thing we did not leave enough time for was Toon Town; we could have spent nearly an entire day there! It was so much fun exploring the "town", meeting characters and touring the characters homes/boats/etc. There is also a handful of cute rides in there, none of which we had time to go on but plan to next time. There are a few staple items that we purchased prior to our trip which helped us save time and money. Clicking the photos will bring you directly to the purchasing website!     I am excited to check out California Adventure and explore more of Disneyland next time we visit; I can't wait to go back! Have you been to Disneyland recently? Do you have any recommendations for my family's next trip? I would really love to hear lodging (or any) recommendations in the comments!
xo- Haley #disney #disneyprincess #princess #disneyland #disneyworld #mickeymouse #disneyvacation #disneyvacay #disneylandvacation #familyvacation #familyvacay #girlmom  We spent a majority of this past weekend out on our boat, fishing in the San Juan Islands. If you haven’t been, and especially if you are local, it’s an area that I highly recommend exploring. I have always lived close but never visited much until about six years ago and it is gorgeous. One thing about boating is it can be can be hard to plan too far in advance, especially with little ones. Even if the weather is gorgeous the water can still be rough and we don’t go out with the kids if it’s like that so that typically means in that case we don't go at all. This trip was planned super last minute but sometimes those trips are the best! During the day we fished, played games and my husband cooked hot dogs up on our little boat grill (they were a hit)! The kids spent time looking for wildlife (we saw sea otters, seals, ducks, birds), coloring, snacking, playing with toys and even got a nap in! As early evening approached we headed back to the Roche Harbor Marina to check in to our room at Roche Harbor Resort.  We had stayed at the Quarryman Hall hotel portion of the resort previously and it was just as wonderful this visit. Our room had two queen sized beds, a fireplace, balcony and a gorgeous bathroom. I was excited to see spa robes as well as bath salts and other spa products. A Keurig with Starbucks coffee pods is provided in room as well as a mini fridge and television. The girls had so much fun sharing a bed and my husband and I found the bed and bedding incredibly comfortable. I didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning because it was so cozy but we were on a limited time frame so had to head out earlier than I would have liked! Roche Harbor is ones of our favorite places to visit/stay in the San Juan’s; we visit frequently, especially in the summer months. A nice restaurant, cafe, and convenience store (where we found the wine and chocolate cake pictured above) are all within close proximity to the marina. If you do not have a boat you can easily take the ferry to Friday Harbor then drive about 15 minutes to Roche Harbor. We have also stayed at condos on the property and enjoyed that too. They are a bit further from the marina but staff members are available to drive you to/from via golf cart. Though summer is the prime season, right now is still a great time to visit and it makes for a much less expensive trip with the hotel pricing being lower in the winter months. You can find more information, including lodging details and booking, at www.rocheharbor.com. Instagram: @rocheharborresort Have you been to Roche Harbor before? Everyone that I know that has been there loves it! xo- Haley #rocheharbor #fridayharbor #sanjuan #sanjuanislands #visitseattle #seattlewa #seattlewashington #pnw #resort #islandvacation |
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