tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79825428248703201612024-03-19T04:48:28.137-04:00Life's Sweet JourneyMelanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.comBlogger392125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-54001379863879338722023-07-07T09:39:00.002-04:002023-07-07T09:39:47.561-04:00Big Announcement for First Friday Favorites with a Huge First<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Expecting our newest adventure for a HUGE First Friday Favorites!</span></h1><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We're headed out on our annual Aunt Mel and Uncle Andrew adventure with three of our nieces and nephews this year, and it will be the last semi-normal year, because we have a pretty big announcement and will have a special addition to our trip come next summer... WE'RE EXPECTING! I alluded to life being crazy in some good ways in <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2023/06/june-first-friday-favorites-link-up.html" target="_blank">last month's Favorites</a> Link Up, and well that's the big announcement and a huge first for us. After 18 years of loving Aunt and Uncle life we are pregnant with our first. </span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">FAVORITE MOMENT: Telling My Parents We're Pregnant </span></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6eRkFIGQUWY" width="420" youtube-src-id="6eRkFIGQUWY"></iframe></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I'm pretty sure my mom thought this moment would never come. To be honest we weren't sure it would either. After originally thinking I wanted 7 kids, and then making a big turn and contemplating just living the doting Aunt and Uncle journey for, she had stopped asking if we were going to have kids. Babe and I have been together for almost 20 years and married for 10, so needless to say it was quite the surprise for my parents. Their different reactions couldn't be more telling of their personalities and I love it! I also hope this sweet baby gets a good little mix of both of them; my dad's quite steadiness, and my mom's exuberance.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><h2>Favorite Amazon Find of the Month</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy91AXCr4_Slv9f5wKc3DDzlj1g4zGCa4ozh2LeRWw9gE_a1ytT4JGNTnAo3rsZPvU1h2ALmSnktrfIrc_qQOFQqx4SIHV6IlBWxznz7ceuOapMThad5sPU8KQ8Az0uCRfHLcrR8f9FeseGPSxe5bdfkkH7L5F4Ns4RWKu716SHLpKgXYkI1OHVbbmyYrv/s300/vegobears.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Favorite Organic Gummy Bears" border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="300" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy91AXCr4_Slv9f5wKc3DDzlj1g4zGCa4ozh2LeRWw9gE_a1ytT4JGNTnAo3rsZPvU1h2ALmSnktrfIrc_qQOFQqx4SIHV6IlBWxznz7ceuOapMThad5sPU8KQ8Az0uCRfHLcrR8f9FeseGPSxe5bdfkkH7L5F4Ns4RWKu716SHLpKgXYkI1OHVbbmyYrv/w640-h285/vegobears.jpg" title="Favorite Organic Gummy Bears" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3D41Ysc" target="_blank">Vegobears</a>! I have gone down the "what's in my food" rabbit hole now that I am pregnant and am doing my best to avoid red dyes and artificial flavors. One, why is there dye in literally everything?! But I had gotten a small pack of Vegobears on an airplane I think and finally opened them maybe a month ago and I LOVED them! I have tried other natural or organic gummy bears and Vegobears FAR surpass any others for me. The texture is closest to Haribo when they are slightly stale, which I know sounds crazy but that's just the way I like them. </div><div><br /></div><div>I looked EVERYWHERE for them and couldn't find them in any stores. But you can get a three pack from Amazon. They are a bit expensive in my opinion, but I like them for when we do popcorn, which is at least twice a week.</div><div><br /></div><div><h2>Favorite Finds for Pregnancy Nose</h2></div><div>My other two top purchases go to my humidifier and my <a href="https://amzn.to/44hNgKe" target="_blank">breathing strips</a>! They have been helping me survive pregnancy. I have had what feels like a wad of cotton sitting in the left side of my face for over a month (basically since starting the second trimester). It's not congestion really, more so inflammation, but it's painful and very irritating.I got a <a href="https://amzn.to/3XDbAnf" target="_blank">personal size humidifier</a> for under $20, but my mom had a larger <a href="https://amzn.to/46y1Rml" target="_blank">Vicks one</a> when I visited her that I really liked so I may grab that to keep permanently in the bedroom and then use the smaller one in the office so I don't have to keep carrying it back and forth. If anyone has any other holistic treatment options that will help with nasal inflammation and nosebleeds (yep, that's something new too) please share!! I really thought I would be one of those people that just LOVED pregnancy and so far, while I don't hate it, love is definitely not the word I would use. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know I usually share a favorite quote and a favorite read, but the kids are starting to demand help from the back of the car and honestly I haven't read anything I would really recommend this month. We've been listening to some books recommended by our midwife but it's more to get through our homework, though I have definitely heard some VERY interesting things... get ready, I guess!!</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And that's it for this month's First Friday Favorites!! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What are some of your favorites this month?! </span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Link up below with favorite finds, posts, videos, etc.</span></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></span></div>
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<!--end InLinkz code-->Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-84338450537214690042023-06-02T12:31:00.001-04:002023-06-02T12:40:48.242-04:00June First Friday Favorites Link Up<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">As I knew might be the case, First Friday Favorites has kept me (mostly) accountable to get something up once a month, but that's about all I'm managing right now. Life has been crazy, in good ways, but it has left this little space neglected. More on that, hopefully next month! For now, here's my First Friday Favorites for June: </span></p><div><h2><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Favorite Read: Changling Series by Molly Harper</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKPzt3QzULQ1KRGX4_fgM8VKAL7KcZS8S547FUGhE0PkwYTQlTTXhUrWshIGP7fIC-V3IrgGIzBA8wKyW7d259XYKXVBY9KqpODelXi8yc8tOvTERN1TBMpIPza9vNKK1I2zeGfKb5Pp8z9UT4UJFVJxcsizjNVY0uDZyoBiRBttTJKIpavB-3pfg3A/s600/Copy%20of%20Favorite%20Physical%20Read.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Favorite Read: Changling Series by Molly Harper" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKPzt3QzULQ1KRGX4_fgM8VKAL7KcZS8S547FUGhE0PkwYTQlTTXhUrWshIGP7fIC-V3IrgGIzBA8wKyW7d259XYKXVBY9KqpODelXi8yc8tOvTERN1TBMpIPza9vNKK1I2zeGfKb5Pp8z9UT4UJFVJxcsizjNVY0uDZyoBiRBttTJKIpavB-3pfg3A/w640-h426/Copy%20of%20Favorite%20Physical%20Read.png" title="Changling Series by Molly Harper Sorcery & Society" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">While I have been struggling with physical reads this month, I have been listening to a lot. I have so many audible credits built up because I tend to listen for free on Hoopla or Libby. I figured I would give a few Audible exclusives a try in order to use credits on something that I can only find there. I stumbled on the <a href="https://amzn.to/3C5rCfL" target="_blank">Changling series by Molly Harper</a>. There are three books and I am halfway through the second.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I am really loving them. They are short, easy listens, but have such a neat storyline. Think Harry Potter meets Bridgerton, with a female lead. Here's a synopsis of the first book:<span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Changling synopsis</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">If 14-year-old Cassandra Reed makes it through her first day at </span><span class="a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">Miss Castwell’s Institute for the Magical Instruction of Young Ladies</span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;"> without anyone discovering her secret, maybe, just maybe, she’ll let herself believe that she really does belong at Miss Castwell’s.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Except Cassandra Reed’s real name is Sarah Smith and up until now, she lived her whole life in the Warren, serving a magical family, the Winters, as all non-magical “Snipes” are bound by magical Guardian law to do. That is, until one day, Sarah accidentally levitates Mrs. Winter’s favorite vase in the parlor... But Snipes aren’t supposed to have magical powers…and the existence of a magical Snipe threatens the world order dictated during the Guardians’ Restoration years ago. If she wants to keep her family safe and protect her own skin, Sarah must figure out how to fit into posh Guardian society, master her newfound magical powers and discover the truth about how an ordinary girl can become magical.</span></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></i></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Amazon Find of the Month: Photo Organizer</span></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RA39dDGv8gcGNSZ4WJ1DrON8d78_IW83_PLJJ1LMZ47sNoiVrzLVy2zoZ2TJJJZJ8MlBR3eTccN52YVPooW6HBQqhXgV_Vs4hXxNqYwUOFek-SBIT2MI5WmaHqTN8JpJiM0yl8WY6cmLS5w0NhV5BLwdlJoLQ-gEiUSH8hv-GS2CVPFC0x2lDmKSvw/s4032/IMG_7521.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RA39dDGv8gcGNSZ4WJ1DrON8d78_IW83_PLJJ1LMZ47sNoiVrzLVy2zoZ2TJJJZJ8MlBR3eTccN52YVPooW6HBQqhXgV_Vs4hXxNqYwUOFek-SBIT2MI5WmaHqTN8JpJiM0yl8WY6cmLS5w0NhV5BLwdlJoLQ-gEiUSH8hv-GS2CVPFC0x2lDmKSvw/w640-h480/IMG_7521.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/45H9KFr" target="_blank">Photo Organizer</a> (I would recommend <a href="https://amzn.to/43BKZZq" target="_blank">the larger one</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We have been working, very slowly, on getting our junk room organized so that we can move our guest room into it. It has literally been holding all the overflow stuff we didn't want to sort through after we moved into the house (over a year ago). Being the disposable camera queen of the 90s and early 2000s I have thousands upon thousands of photos. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I bought <a href="https://amzn.to/45H9KFr" target="_blank">this photo organizer</a> to try to consolidate pictures into one box. It was a 3+ hour project, but I am so much happier! I didn't quite get everything to fit, so I would definitely recommend going with the slightly <a href="https://amzn.to/43BKZZq" target="_blank">bigger size organizer</a>. The one I got fits 1600 photos, the larger one 1800. I may have also stuffer extra in where possible. Between the organizer, some photo albums, and the box that the photo holder came in I was able to fit all my pictures and a couple other keepsakes. I also threw out probably another 1000+ pictures (doubles, blurry, or what they heck even was that?!). The purge felt very freeing!</span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Favorite Quotes of the Month</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I finally recorded some of my favorite quotes from the books I have read recently into my quote journal. Here are just a few of them: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>"You make a life out of what you have, not what you are missing."</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>-</i>Kate Morton, The Forgotten Garden</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>"Maybe we're all born with that. Maybe it's part of being this thing we call human. The ache for another. The desire to reach into the night and find someones hand reaching back. To wake to the sound of someone breathing in your ear. To know the warmth of another. To pour two cups of coffee." </i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- Charles Martin, The Letter Keeper </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>"You can mute it, wound it, stab it, shoot it, and shove it in the corner, but no matter what you do or how hard you try, you can't kill it. Sooner or later, some part of you is going to look at that mysterious shape in the corner and compare it to the wound oozing in your chest, and you'll think to yourself, "I wonder if that'll fill the hole." And when it fits perfectly into place, you wonder how it knew. How did that one thing fit the hole nothing could ever fill? Too jagged. And yet it did. Custom fit. That thing is hope."</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- Charles Martin, <a href="https://amzn.to/3CagkH2" target="_blank">The Letter Keeper</a></span></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">May Recap</span></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCZd_n4YGPZZtfb379NyiA5mk_6uRVgdNdAcPgJRDhdNJLtJYKtD5R06ihLHTn52ORryoT5uiBJezKty0zM_zOHewW3ngf4tnBn9HTJVN2p6RKD0eZloe0vyRWF8RnOfzbavarkbF44KMxqkVGj2RKGjgDcWCMAPv0ze9mpHem6-0bG0PL-vc3dtKQg/s3088/IMG_7061.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cute two piece on Amazon under $20" border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCZd_n4YGPZZtfb379NyiA5mk_6uRVgdNdAcPgJRDhdNJLtJYKtD5R06ihLHTn52ORryoT5uiBJezKty0zM_zOHewW3ngf4tnBn9HTJVN2p6RKD0eZloe0vyRWF8RnOfzbavarkbF44KMxqkVGj2RKGjgDcWCMAPv0ze9mpHem6-0bG0PL-vc3dtKQg/w480-h640/IMG_7061.jpg" title="Cute two piece on Amazon under $20" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3MMI49E" target="_blank">Two piece suit</a> (currently under $20)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">One, how the heck have we already made it through May. This year is flying. May was a great month though! We FINALLY made it on our 10 year <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2023/05/first-friday-favorites-were-cruising.html" target="_blank">anniversary cruise</a> (three years later). It was a wonderful weekend away, though we did discover that we are now part of "the old people on the cruise" club. We decided we probably won't get a drink package again (we just can't keep up), we are ready for dinner by 5:30 (no more my time dining for us), and we did not make it to the adults only comedy hour (zzzz, which actually happened to be one of the jokes in his family friendly comedy hour). All in all though it was still great to be back on a boat!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It was also full spectrum on the littlest loves in my life. We celebrated my youngest nephews first birthday and then the next weekend took the middle one to Adventure Island and my favorite seniors graduated!! WHAT?! My nephew, and the girl I had the absolute pleasure of watching since she was 6 months old, we're both seniors this year. And now they are graduated, semi-adults, heading off to college. My brain can't seem to wrap my head around it, but I am so proud of them and the people they are becoming! I can't wait to watch these next few years unfold for them. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjei1rrmSxQXahVbKduM4ju4V3qhccG1Ub7mZx_AiFT8O0lQbfuU-BhZyxRLxKJGuO7_YawqdGZWOFtGwBudcKPEVJbQX1Q1v0gSbCYQazU2NkiO-JCna8uxaK0uVt0iWDq3fiv-nkj2TesQ3LQF8c3CnUQ0dF5hzybXD7knuG4-m8hr1enksekSuMOwA/s1800/D922E427-1C31-43FA-A61D-C01D53F4A08A.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="First Friday Favorites Link Up" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjei1rrmSxQXahVbKduM4ju4V3qhccG1Ub7mZx_AiFT8O0lQbfuU-BhZyxRLxKJGuO7_YawqdGZWOFtGwBudcKPEVJbQX1Q1v0gSbCYQazU2NkiO-JCna8uxaK0uVt0iWDq3fiv-nkj2TesQ3LQF8c3CnUQ0dF5hzybXD7knuG4-m8hr1enksekSuMOwA/w512-h640/D922E427-1C31-43FA-A61D-C01D53F4A08A.JPG" title="First Friday Favorites Link Up" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PAx8MyFihF0Fh1nJHzKxJ7RKufiTWVSO87Ff1E5zkBqYdPkP9hSotr1H_fky8IwYTyTpv11hI6yFiE5gVNgEPDNohm_O5hrubJezMaorVhK5fEOGQi_IZ5FGg4MszZufr0ntj3RL4-QmLzE3nBQJBNmTUse6M0jp4KDvRusIOeiNnsCEzSatvIYGQA/s4032/IMG_7402.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="First Friday Favorites Link Up" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PAx8MyFihF0Fh1nJHzKxJ7RKufiTWVSO87Ff1E5zkBqYdPkP9hSotr1H_fky8IwYTyTpv11hI6yFiE5gVNgEPDNohm_O5hrubJezMaorVhK5fEOGQi_IZ5FGg4MszZufr0ntj3RL4-QmLzE3nBQJBNmTUse6M0jp4KDvRusIOeiNnsCEzSatvIYGQA/w480-h640/IMG_7402.jpg" title="First Friday Favorites Link Up" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZxLtjXnzBisgvnJAOD14BxBAiA0jDepD3n4Ln5V221MasKt0AWkFZ5Md7EhrTsb3GTDl2lBd-UVPGkGpzFXPysoXuIJ5AaUnKBkXoCUbXs7hgHDXnI6Bp7psz7nEezN3HcQYhBP0ppc6UTalJOhbOMS3QMHEdF240q1xON52YaLnYwqtDBOlj1Zscw/s4032/IMG_7325.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="First Friday Favorites Link Up" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZxLtjXnzBisgvnJAOD14BxBAiA0jDepD3n4Ln5V221MasKt0AWkFZ5Md7EhrTsb3GTDl2lBd-UVPGkGpzFXPysoXuIJ5AaUnKBkXoCUbXs7hgHDXnI6Bp7psz7nEezN3HcQYhBP0ppc6UTalJOhbOMS3QMHEdF240q1xON52YaLnYwqtDBOlj1Zscw/w480-h640/IMG_7325.jpg" title="First Friday Favorites Link Up" width="480" /></a></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Oh, and I also upgraded my ride!! I have had my car for 20 years. I LOVE my Ford Escape, but it was time for her to finally make way for a newer model. So I basically just got a grown up version of her. Enter my Ford Explorer; I will forever be a Ford girl! I tried to branch out, but it just felt like home! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGGWvgFq1jPYXUD3BMFOY5mSqQ3WWTsIs5nDtDte3WIuFrmn8pm3zy4hZXB3vU10u6aEBy0-YdRNoddqEb5jNFuWZGXxxMEC8nVZSLb3CWtXtZKdYTWwJGO469edAFcFb9qyoi5ArSH42IwUGacAF4XJvFHT4LGnM5Wqelj-G103s7Ye6XUyX8Yo78A/s4032/IMG_7507.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="First Friday Favorites Link Up" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGGWvgFq1jPYXUD3BMFOY5mSqQ3WWTsIs5nDtDte3WIuFrmn8pm3zy4hZXB3vU10u6aEBy0-YdRNoddqEb5jNFuWZGXxxMEC8nVZSLb3CWtXtZKdYTWwJGO469edAFcFb9qyoi5ArSH42IwUGacAF4XJvFHT4LGnM5Wqelj-G103s7Ye6XUyX8Yo78A/w640-h480/IMG_7507.JPEG" title="New Ford Explorer" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And that's it for this month's First Friday Favorites!! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">What are some of your favorites this month?! </span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Link up below with favorite finds, posts, videos, etc.</span></div></div></div></div>
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<!--end InLinkz code-->Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-88532760433284831132023-05-05T09:01:00.001-04:002023-05-05T09:01:27.491-04:00First Friday Favorites: We're Cruising, Baby<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Today's First Friday Favorites Link Up is going to be short and sweet because... we're headed out on a CRUISE!! For the first time in about 5 years! We booked a cruise in 2020 (knowing it might very well get canceled) for our 10 year year anniversary. Sure enough, we all know that two weeks did not stay two weeks. We are finally using our cruise credit and instead setting sail for our 13th anniversary. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We will be sailing on Royal Caribbean for just a long weekend and have absolutely ZERO plans to leave the boat. We have been to the Bahamas many times (<a href="https://youtu.be/GqNeSWodDqc" target="_blank">like this awesome day</a>) and don't feel like fighting the port crowds. We are looking forward to just relaxing by the pool, sipping drinks, and eating all the foods. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Since I've got sailing on my mind we will start things off with a look back at past cruises!</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Favorite Bahamas Excursion</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQcuEPz4JeCPhWL4xbTPQEQHWNLt5t9Uf6O4QRtO9YmqoON_St8Bsbvm6OGhns4n4MK28Mv8iNYlxON3HasY5CI7wXubY4kEsK8gFKKndlM5GE3LEdP1wazuV4CnHF0PaSCGAzifTNJW8WZ02dYltQaBKcfxXWBynM9Agj0BLjiZ2Hg6cEWkp1ZrHMQ/s1196/Screen%20Shot%202023-05-04%20at%2010.10.24%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1196" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQcuEPz4JeCPhWL4xbTPQEQHWNLt5t9Uf6O4QRtO9YmqoON_St8Bsbvm6OGhns4n4MK28Mv8iNYlxON3HasY5CI7wXubY4kEsK8gFKKndlM5GE3LEdP1wazuV4CnHF0PaSCGAzifTNJW8WZ02dYltQaBKcfxXWBynM9Agj0BLjiZ2Hg6cEWkp1ZrHMQ/w640-h356/Screen%20Shot%202023-05-04%20at%2010.10.24%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NSvM-Cx655jtOOAE7rzpVYnIKUk7-2GwZJJ8AdDQl6bQL3jSVH09PSIdKorutV71DaipURSxeu5NhMOWYIKLItM5cLGdFQjjYM8sCGn47HDhNtUJQlDLJS-aCeHoVQZ145L1d3SzIvwKjyk1vrMoemj5T5aAJT7-qt6v5p-bS4kTw9zlWyJCX2Eiew/s1522/Screen%20Shot%202023-05-04%20at%2010.12.25%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1522" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NSvM-Cx655jtOOAE7rzpVYnIKUk7-2GwZJJ8AdDQl6bQL3jSVH09PSIdKorutV71DaipURSxeu5NhMOWYIKLItM5cLGdFQjjYM8sCGn47HDhNtUJQlDLJS-aCeHoVQZ145L1d3SzIvwKjyk1vrMoemj5T5aAJT7-qt6v5p-bS4kTw9zlWyJCX2Eiew/w640-h370/Screen%20Shot%202023-05-04%20at%2010.12.25%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We had been into Nassau many times and always eyed the abandoned lighthouse that sits at the edge of the port as you sail away. Before one of our cruises we decided to look it up to see if you could get there somehow. You can hike the edge of the beach from Atlantis, but it's a long haul. The other option? See if there is someone along the water with a boat for hire who may be willing to take you across the small stretch of water from the seawall to the lighthouse. Ask one of the tour cabanas, they usually know a local that they will hook you up with. We were introduced to Baba and he took up over and back from $40 (plus we tipped $20). We paid him the first half to take us, second to pick us up. MAKE sure to build in time to walk back if you have to! By choosing to go out on your own you don't have insurance from a cruise booked excursion to ensure you cruise ship will wait for you. You can learn more about our experiences and preference for planning our own excursions <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2018/02/Nassau-Lighthouse-Excursion.html" target="_blank">in this post</a>. <span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Favorite Reads This Month </span></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYiuuPn8EiX3Ax-DBzt2SnC4qBuOf-0dCb-H6uU6RSrGdw96i2GdPevud9AOLYYy0ucR68X6XzDRivBbMMB-lSpAmSWjK-E9io70atVTk5Ovg4VNaOGmBU6XgTbxEV25SFvvlpnDDFo4I3kTzY_7dQvzJw1Mt038jpFgzdArfmlpWgZO03hsv2G4bEA/s600/Favorite%20Physical%20Read.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Favorite Reads of the Month" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYiuuPn8EiX3Ax-DBzt2SnC4qBuOf-0dCb-H6uU6RSrGdw96i2GdPevud9AOLYYy0ucR68X6XzDRivBbMMB-lSpAmSWjK-E9io70atVTk5Ovg4VNaOGmBU6XgTbxEV25SFvvlpnDDFo4I3kTzY_7dQvzJw1Mt038jpFgzdArfmlpWgZO03hsv2G4bEA/w640-h426/Favorite%20Physical%20Read.png" title="First Friday Favorites" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I just got done listening to <a href="https://amzn.to/3ntS8M7" target="_blank">Remarkably Bright Creatures</a> and I LOVED it! Think characters typical to Fredrik Backman books, but with the dog from Lessons in Chemistry too. I loved the back and forth viewpoints of the human characters and the octopus! Such a wonderful story. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I also physically read <a href="https://amzn.to/3VybtrQ" target="_blank">Carrie Soto is Back</a> and loved that too! I am pretty mixed on my Taylor Jenkins Reid books, but I really liked this one. Even though Carrie isn't really the most likable character, her unlike-ability is somewhat captivating and you find yourself rooting for her. Parts of it were heartbreaking, but overall it was so hopeful!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I also have a new book review vlog up, comparing Lucy Foley reads with a This or That book recommendation. Have you read either The Guest List or The Paris Apartment? Which did you prefer?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GtiScmDeems" width="640" youtube-src-id="GtiScmDeems"></iframe></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Favorite Amazon Find of the Month</span></h2></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I was looking for an <a href="https://amzn.to/42usCoT" target="_blank">inexpensive two piece</a> bathing suit for the cruise and decided on this one that I found in a swimsuit round up on Carolina Charm. Honestly, this was my only Amazon purchase making it automatically the winner, but for a bathing suit under $20 it really is a good find. I am between sizes at the moment and went with a medium, which fit well in the top, but I don't love the fit of the bottom. I am still working on embracing the high waisted suit and so far I just don't feel completely comfortable with how much cheek it shows. It you are good with cheeky, then you will love it! I just may wear the top and pair it with other bottoms for now. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfjeg2-7YhYLAruXt8cV9LySXuFW-b3ImCTFrCw4IPFti5rog6qQdiZa0uYSzn-7WF0u3YUOVfnHnJPSmyHbJqriq6xVMGPGKYZeNsjgFw9uaisVtzqVYccpMiatRLghZ3o9uINjIPNM-VU-D-tszF23QxkMAQ1DbGMoBwsmvUZPOOHoeG8tVJHsIag/s982/Screen%20Shot%202023-05-04%20at%2010.35.42%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="First Friday Favorites Link Up" border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="982" height="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfjeg2-7YhYLAruXt8cV9LySXuFW-b3ImCTFrCw4IPFti5rog6qQdiZa0uYSzn-7WF0u3YUOVfnHnJPSmyHbJqriq6xVMGPGKYZeNsjgFw9uaisVtzqVYccpMiatRLghZ3o9uINjIPNM-VU-D-tszF23QxkMAQ1DbGMoBwsmvUZPOOHoeG8tVJHsIag/w640-h618/Screen%20Shot%202023-05-04%20at%2010.35.42%20PM.png" title="Two Piece Swimsuit on Amazon" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/42usCoT" target="_blank">Amazon Two Piece High Waisted Suit Under $20</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Favorite Quote</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">No new quote this month. We are leaving soon so time to cut this off! Instead, here is a post with some of my <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2019/06/10-beautiful-ocean-quotes-traveltuesday.html" target="_blank">favorite ocean quotes</a>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">What are some of your favorites this month?! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Link up below with favorite finds, posts, videos, etc.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>
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<!--end InLinkz code-->Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-53642298293822444712023-04-25T11:34:00.002-04:002023-04-25T11:38:17.015-04:00 What Is the Process of Shipping an RV?<h1 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What is the process of shipping an RV?</span></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whether you’ve bought an RV online or have limited </span><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/search/label/FloRida" style="text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vacation time</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, shipping the vehicle makes a lot of sense, especially if you don’t want to drive it yourself. But what exactly does the transportation process involve?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Here's a Step-by-Step Guide to Shipping Your RV</span></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFI86sXkHvyLmMITXNb6Ui0V48A-s3f-raHB2EvgzhosJ28m0qzWwOBrzN18BvhJc1UVOQBnF_hOtXWmHTQ7SB2adL5xuoDaL-hi5q0eYIzLGHANlxjTgZZnQnwvXqNOVzcWJdDBTrQVGG0znmbUoaMVTXZucghXDBpSA5APQWkURmpmwOnFxAYAfIA/s6720/roadpass-wMpVjul7Mqw-unsplash%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What is the process of shipping an RV?" border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFI86sXkHvyLmMITXNb6Ui0V48A-s3f-raHB2EvgzhosJ28m0qzWwOBrzN18BvhJc1UVOQBnF_hOtXWmHTQ7SB2adL5xuoDaL-hi5q0eYIzLGHANlxjTgZZnQnwvXqNOVzcWJdDBTrQVGG0znmbUoaMVTXZucghXDBpSA5APQWkURmpmwOnFxAYAfIA/w640-h426/roadpass-wMpVjul7Mqw-unsplash%20(1).jpg" title="What is the process of shipping an RV?" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">photo via <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://unsplash.com/@roadpass?utm_source%3Dunsplash%26utm_medium%3Dreferral%26utm_content%3DcreditCopyText&source=gmail&ust=1682521563388000&usg=AOvVaw0mJQn6dxf35M866MhtYI8H" href="https://unsplash.com/@roadpass?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Roadpass</a><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-align: left;"> on </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://unsplash.com/s/photos/RV?utm_source%3Dunsplash%26utm_medium%3Dreferral%26utm_content%3DcreditCopyText&source=gmail&ust=1682521563388000&usg=AOvVaw2KIC9SAtNTqbECSKSMgDwk" href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/RV?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Unsplash</a></div></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0d0d0d; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Step 1 – Find Your Transporter </span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first thing you should do is reach out to a reliable RV shipper. According to </span><a href="https://www.a1autotransport.com/rv-transport/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.a1autotransport.com/rv-transport/</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, you want to ensure you work with a dependable provider to improve your experience. The best way to find your company is to contact a few organizations and ask them the following questions: <span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you licensed? The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates the RV shipping industry. It requires all companies in this industry to obtain a valid </span><a href="https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/do-i-need-usdot-number" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Department of Transportation (DOT) number</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. If the provider doesn’t want to disclose this information, look for another transporter. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">What additional services do you offer? Many organizations provide extra services. These include expedited shipping, guaranteed delivery times, and tracking. Ask your provider if they’re part of your arrangement. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">How experienced are you? Newly established organizations can be a great choice, but seasoned providers are a safer option. The longer someone works as an RV transporter, the more likely they are to secure your vehicle and take it to your destination safely. Therefore, don’t forget to ask each prospect how long they’ve been in the business. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">What’s your cancellation policy? You could be forced to cancel your transit for a number of reasons. The company’s cancelation policy should reflect their understanding of these contingencies. Look for organizations that don’t charge (or charge reasonable fees) in such circumstances. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Do you have written contracts? Verbal agreements are convenient, but they’re nowhere near as safe as written contracts. Be sure your provider offers written agreements that lay down every aspect of the service, including the cost, dates, and insurance coverage.</span></span></p></li></ul><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0d0d0d; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Step 2 – Get a Quote </span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Once you find a shipper who responds to your questions honestly and reveals key information, you can ask them for a quote. The price of transporting your RV depends on various factors: </span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Distance – The greater the distance the driver needs to cover, the higher the price of the service. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Location – You might think location and distance are the same, but that’s not the case. This factor refers to the location of your pickup and delivery points. If they’re in an urban area with well-developed roads, you shouldn’t incur additional charges. Conversely, collecting and driving your RV to and from remote places with limited access to major highways is usually more expensive. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Weather – If the company has to haul your RV in inclement weather, they may charge you extra. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Season – Spring is when most RV owners schedule RV transportation. However, the higher demand during this period typically results in a price increase. For that reason, you should consider shipping your vehicle in the winter or other low-demand seasons. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Type of transport – Open transport is more affordable, but it exposes your RV to hail, rain, snow, dust, dirt, and other threats. In contrast, enclosed shipping is on the expensive side, but it provides unmatched protection from the elements. </span></span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Once you consider all these factors, the average price of your transport is approximately four dollars per mile for the first 100 miles. The next 900-1,000 miles generally cost between one and three dollars. If you get a quote that’s dramatically higher, it could be a red flag. Ask the provider to explain their pricing policy before signing the contract. </span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0d0d0d; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Step 3 – Prepare the RV for Shipping </span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Your carrier has many responsibilities, such as picking your RV up, transporting it safely, and unloading it at your destination. However, preparing your vehicle for the service isn’t one of their duties. The onus is on you to make sure your RV is ready for shipping. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">First, you’ll need to prove you’re the owner of the RV by collecting the necessary paperwork: </span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Your passport, driver’s license, or other types of ID </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Bill of sale or any other document that proves your ownership </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Original RV title and registration information </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Proof of insurance </span></span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Second, wash your RV to reveal any scratches, dings, or other forms of damage. A clean interior and exterior allow you to compare the condition of your vehicle before and after transport. If new cracks appear, you might be able to make an insurance claim. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8I5CN4FXix9Pn2qeJiuY1Ok8ixjyxIGNJyybr-M3ZxOfDAaT4u95JMr17TqQ4ofrk4NxOGeJZubZwwNtADL8nuNsVgWXHJwrjFq2TFkvXS2pPaLug86mKumKkLpsGlCylzeX3WgocFucboYAD1iPTkWHKWEOe1prGgSIf587K3LkNmSqYkyr-UWkdNA/s600/Prepare%20RV%20for%20Shipping.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What is the process of shipping an RV?" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8I5CN4FXix9Pn2qeJiuY1Ok8ixjyxIGNJyybr-M3ZxOfDAaT4u95JMr17TqQ4ofrk4NxOGeJZubZwwNtADL8nuNsVgWXHJwrjFq2TFkvXS2pPaLug86mKumKkLpsGlCylzeX3WgocFucboYAD1iPTkWHKWEOe1prGgSIf587K3LkNmSqYkyr-UWkdNA/w640-h426/Prepare%20RV%20for%20Shipping.png" title="What is the process of shipping an RV?" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The next step is to remove unnecessary or personal possessions from the RV: </span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Chargers and cables </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">GPS devices </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Smartphones </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Dishes and utensils </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Personal paperwork </span></span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You should do the same with your RV accessories. They can easily be damaged during transit, which is why you should detach them before the transport. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Here are some of the most common items you might need to remove: </span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Bike and ski racks </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Luggage racks and boxes </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Retractable antennas </span></span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Afterward, empty your fuel tank to about a quarter full. This reduces the weight of the vehicle, which can be another consideration when calculating the price. At the same time, it ensures you have enough fuel to load, unload, and drive your RV once it arrives.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The final stage of the preparation is to check the mechanical condition of your RV: </span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Repair any fluid leaks. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Check the tow and hitch bar for correct installation. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Verify the battery has a proper voltage range. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Make sure your tires are inflated.</span></span></p></li></ul><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0d0d0d; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Step 4 – Sign Your Bill of Lading and Let the Provider Load Your Vehicle </span></span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You must be present when the company arrives to pick up your RV because you’ll need to sign the bill of lading. This legal contract serves as legal protection for the carrier and a receipt. It covers the starting and end points as well as the condition of your vehicle at the pickup. After signing the document, the provider hauls or drives your RV away, depending on your service.</span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Seamless Shipping with a Reputable Company</span></h2><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first step of shipping an RV is also the most important. If you can find a trustworthy carrier, you’ll be able to breeze through the service. Your RV is more likely to arrive unharmed, and you’ll be charged a reasonable price for your transport. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guest post: Thank you to Jason from <a href="https://www.a1autotransport.com/rvs/" target="_blank">A-1 Auto Transport</a> for sharing all this information. We hope you found this helpful in working through the process of shipping an RV. Safe travels!! </span></p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-cd4a6278-7fff-2d44-0873-7a7e72c50ca4"></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></p>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-24842603786537829292023-04-07T10:15:00.000-04:002023-04-07T10:15:12.095-04:00April Currently & First Friday Favorites Link Up <p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's the first Friday of the month, which <span>means it's time for the third edition of the First Friday Favorites link up. Yes, it should be the fourth, but last month got away from me in the midst of some life stuff, so here we are. Each month will always include a favorite read, favorite find, and favorite quote, then whatever my little heart finds happy. Join in with any favorites in your world right now (you can follow the prompts, or simply share a favorite blog post- whatever your heart desires). I am also </span><a href="https://all4boys.blogspot.com/2023/04/currently-april-edition.html" style="color: #38d4d4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">linking up with Jennifer</a><span>, who now hosts the monthly Currently roundup. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span>Starting things off with what I am <b>currently loving</b> by sharing the First Friday Favorites this month. </span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">First Friday Favorites</span></h2><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Favorite Amazon Find | Calm Magnesium Powder</span></h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgweI0tlOqF4p4apKFD4x7NoXrv1MWXETXM3X5qec-uAULwplIdlmPszqL_JGPHwZMRCXu76J9uCqc4DVSzy9aZ93YlQPmqeD2iOzD6K-YzREwhwqDXCaGXbvaKSW6u6SDnmR6qMWfWjo75E8RnXU_3OjeaHTJhGZGRb-2eSuy2pp3V7780RZEbgu_XJw/s600/Calm%20Magnesium%20Powder.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgweI0tlOqF4p4apKFD4x7NoXrv1MWXETXM3X5qec-uAULwplIdlmPszqL_JGPHwZMRCXu76J9uCqc4DVSzy9aZ93YlQPmqeD2iOzD6K-YzREwhwqDXCaGXbvaKSW6u6SDnmR6qMWfWjo75E8RnXU_3OjeaHTJhGZGRb-2eSuy2pp3V7780RZEbgu_XJw/w640-h426/Calm%20Magnesium%20Powder.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3KiVSaq" target="_blank">Calm Magnesium powder</a> has been part of my nightly routine for the past month. I have actually had this same canister for a while now, but just recently got into using it more consistently. Magnesium powder has been great for adding to a nightly mocktail and has helped me sleep better (and go better, if you catch my drift)! I currently have the raspberry lemon flavor and really like it, but plan to <a href="https://amzn.to/3ZMi8z9" target="_blank">try watermelon</a> next. The stuff lasts FOREVER though, so it'll probably be awhile before I get to try the next one. I highly recommend it for winding down at the end of the day! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Favorite Read This Month <span><a name='more'></a></span></span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TnOmhY-IENQ" width="640" youtube-src-id="TnOmhY-IENQ"></iframe></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, I actually FINALLY got a couple new videos up over on my new YouTube channel and this month I shared a favorite author spotlight. I LOVE <a href="https://amzn.to/415uC6f" target="_blank">Kristin Hannah books</a>! The video review includes the first book that got me started on her as an author- Magic Hour (sooooo good), one of my old favorites that I need to reread- True Colors, and my least favorite of hers- Fly Away (still worth a read). My absolute favorite Kristin Hannah book though (that left me sobbing) is by far The Nightingale. It recently got picked up as a Reese's Book of the Month and I am so glad, because it now means so many more people will read it. </span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/43du3sH" target="_blank">The Nightingale</a> by Kristin Hannah Synopsis</span></h4><div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>France, 1939 - In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn't believe that the Nazis will invade France … but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne's home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.</i></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Vianne's sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can … completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.</i></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>With courage, grace, and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of World War II and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women's war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France―a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.</i></span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Favorite Quote of the Month</span></span></h3></div><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj698ScmMtEs7Wi-VOBQPFUTjv_hcfxV7vSWH9N3bCcOeTldS5w6nQbx8ko5GB8uOtWe57oDrCT-v9vfiHyVcNICCWmAUhONzVnofIHnf4R_uG1eGLIW3REbXf9-5rR2TC29uuXr1HOTpqsY5iU3-LngKWG55wky9l8dfixb7wnWfU7lvwBLPGZ7Q7aAg/s1549/IMG_6791.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1549" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj698ScmMtEs7Wi-VOBQPFUTjv_hcfxV7vSWH9N3bCcOeTldS5w6nQbx8ko5GB8uOtWe57oDrCT-v9vfiHyVcNICCWmAUhONzVnofIHnf4R_uG1eGLIW3REbXf9-5rR2TC29uuXr1HOTpqsY5iU3-LngKWG55wky9l8dfixb7wnWfU7lvwBLPGZ7Q7aAg/w303-h400/IMG_6791.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://instagram.com/briannawiest" target="_blank">via IG</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I actually didn't save too many quotes this month. I have honestly been trying to stay off of IG, but this one really stuck with me. I also have a few really good ones from some of the books I am reading, but we're currently traveling and I left my quote book at home, so those will have to wait. This quote from Brianna Wiest really hit my enneagram 7 self right in the feels. I am working on being at peace with where are right now- back in a house without wheels, not traveling full-time. Reminding myself that simple is beautiful too and that there is joy in the little moments of each daily routine is something that I need to be better at and this quote helped! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">The Rest of April Currently </h2><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{Hoping}</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I am actually hoping and praying some big things for both myself and a friend this month. I can't go into any detail really, but whether you are the praying kind or the hoping kind, if you are reading this and wouldn't mind taking a minute to send the vibes for peace, strength, and positivity I would greatly appreciate it! </span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">{Needing}</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">To get our junk room cleaned out!! We have "only" been in the house for a year and one room in our house is basically a Monica closet, just chalk full of boxes that still need to be sorted through. I need to start slowly working through them so that the room can actually become a functional one! </span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">{Feeling}</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Both grateful and slightly out of sorts! We have a lot of changes coming up. Good changes; new job stuff and a few other things, but changes all the same and that always makes me feel a bit wonky. In between jobs though we have been able to steal away for two weeks in the camper and I am BEYOND grateful for some time back on the road with my Babe!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And that's it for this month's First Friday Favorites!! What are some of your April faves?! Join in on the fun and link up below! </span></div></span></div><div><br /></div>
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<!--end InLinkz code-->Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-238975236852884732023-02-03T13:33:00.001-05:002023-02-03T13:33:17.264-05:00First Friday Favorites February Currently <h1 style="text-align: left;">HAPPY First FRIDAY Favorites!!</h1><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The first Friday of February means it's time for the second First Friday Favorites link up. </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica;">Each month will always include a favorite read, favorite find, and favorite quote, then whatever my little heart finds happy. Join in with any favorites in your world right now (you can follow the prompts, or simply share a favorite blog post- whatever your heart desires). I am also <a href="https://all4boys.blogspot.com/2023/02/currently-february-2023.html" target="_blank">linking up with Jennifer</a>, who now hosts the Currently roundup. Let's kick it off with a January recap:</span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica;">January Recap</span></span></h2><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica;"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CnsZqShO_-C/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CnsZqShO_-C/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0px;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; width: 50px;"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CnsZqShO_-C/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Melanie Snavely (@lifessweetjourney)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>January came with my first trip of the year, and it was beyond wonderful. I flew (Frontier for the first time and let's just say it is NOT a favorite) to Utah with my friend to meet her mom for a girls weekend in Park City. We did one day of skiing and then lucked out on being there for the Sundance Film Festival. After the rough ending to 2022, it was exactly what my soul needed! </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica;">I came back feeling refreshed, but also so ready to get back to the snow! Thankfully I head back to Park City in less than a week. I had never skied Park City before, and it may be quickly becoming one of my new favorite ski destinations. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Currently Feeling</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Excited, motivated, and renewed. I am stoked to be heading back for a few more days of skiing. Friend trip round 2, but this time Babe gets to come! The trips are helping keep me motivated with work because I have to get everything done so that I can shut off while we are gone, so this typical procrastinator really has to be on the ball. It all just have me feeling super encouraged!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Currently Posting</span></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pkaNxM0nyrg" width="620" youtube-src-id="pkaNxM0nyrg"></iframe></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Winter videos on both YouTube and IG. I finally got a video up from this time last year, when we went <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2023/02/snowmobiling-in-yellowstone.html" target="_blank">snowmobiling in Yellowstone</a>. I am also finally getting back into the reels game over on IG. I was just feeling burnt out with short form content and not motivated at all to share on Instagram. Apparently all I needed was an adventure to help reset my soul! I shared </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cn7wuL9AaIp/" style="font-family: helvetica;" target="_blank">this reel</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> about our day exploring the Sundance Film Festival, and while I never would have thought to go to Park City just for that, it was definitely an experience I am glad I got to have.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Currently Seeing</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We are trying to work our way through all the movies we have saved on our streaming services. I keep telling myself that I can't add new ones until we make it through the ones we have, yet I just keep adding. The other night we watched Shotgun Wedding, and meh- dumb, but cute, but dumb. We were so let down by it we immediately watched another movie. The Menu redeemed us! Super crazy concept, but we really enjoyed it!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Currently Loving</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We will use currently loving to move us into my First Friday Favorites.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">First Friday Favorites</span></h2><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">{Favorite Read this Month}</span></h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFMElHlGLyay_xA47FTQafkZYZgHS8JU3BCC5Js1ZlXo5_mGuRd7cUl1U7xTKRSbHplvAe_QJDxKnHyxIvDxTz4cabV_Nopl0DZQiBDMhNrsid4jXSuFz0Amy1-6tdKNt2AbH48rU0hPgiNoDTvYJkpwIPTiSjtg5C9coiaXgRc7G3imDMtvPUpgzBg/s600/Untitled%20design%20(11).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lessons in Chemistry Favorite Read" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFMElHlGLyay_xA47FTQafkZYZgHS8JU3BCC5Js1ZlXo5_mGuRd7cUl1U7xTKRSbHplvAe_QJDxKnHyxIvDxTz4cabV_Nopl0DZQiBDMhNrsid4jXSuFz0Amy1-6tdKNt2AbH48rU0hPgiNoDTvYJkpwIPTiSjtg5C9coiaXgRc7G3imDMtvPUpgzBg/w640-h480/Untitled%20design%20(11).png" title="Lessons in Chemistry Favorite Read" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2023/01/first-friday-favorites-blog-link-up.html" target="_blank">Last month</a> I did a separate favorite read and a favorite listen, but this one wins for both. Out of my physical reads, and my audiobooks, <a href="https://amzn.to/3HW4LHd" target="_blank">Lessons in Chemistry</a> takes the overall win. I kept hearing great things about it, but it didn't seem like my typical genre, and to be honest the cover is what made me keep putting it over. The cover makes it look like it is going to be a light, cutesie read (not usually what I am drawn to), but Lessons in Chemistry is anything but. It's really tough in some parts, but also moving and hopeful. The main character is very analytical, so at first it can be a little hard to connect with her, but I ended up falling in love with the whole story, especially Six-Thirty (you'll have to read it to know)...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Lessons in Chemistry Synopsis</i></span></h4><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; text-size-adjust: auto;">Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; text-size-adjust: auto;">average</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results. <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; text-size-adjust: auto;">Supper at Six</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; text-size-adjust: auto;">. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo. <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; text-size-adjust: auto;">Lessons in Chemistry</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is as original and vibrant as its protagonist.</span></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">I loved this book so much it just may be a contender for my favorite read of the year! I also really enjoyed the narration, so whether you choose the physical read or the audio you can't go wrong. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);"><br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">{Favorite Amazon Find}</span></span></h3><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZ_yPRqsjnZmzTcPXW4VhVF_0fq9YIp-LCLutTU5Rwt2ETJ--FsG5Ia9_K2tcASb1-JQixgLi---Pt6o6AIBiUri1AAL4qisnIddz1IxgxRVLXebXYWS9DwkJ01BCk7DFLyZ-LQ7vPsDRv0RPpWPIGbxyuxtw0MfdUTa-ZxFV9qmoPMBGGxzoj5Q65Q/s972/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-26%20at%2011.05.45%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="972" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZ_yPRqsjnZmzTcPXW4VhVF_0fq9YIp-LCLutTU5Rwt2ETJ--FsG5Ia9_K2tcASb1-JQixgLi---Pt6o6AIBiUri1AAL4qisnIddz1IxgxRVLXebXYWS9DwkJ01BCk7DFLyZ-LQ7vPsDRv0RPpWPIGbxyuxtw0MfdUTa-ZxFV9qmoPMBGGxzoj5Q65Q/w640-h362/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-26%20at%2011.05.45%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">The <a href="https://amzn.to/3RtJbNo" target="_blank">100 Day Goal Planner</a> from Bright Day Calendars. I am really wanting to take my YouTube side hustle to the next level and am using this calendar to help me get there. I spend last week establishing my main goals and the steps I will take to accomplish them. I am giving myself until midFebruary (when we get back from Park City) and then the 100 day goal-crushing countdown begins! I love the prompts, and the checkin every 10 days. Super helpful for keeping me mindful and moving forward!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);"><br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">{Favorite New Ski Destination}</span></span></h3><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">In case it wasn't already apparent, I am LOVING Park City and excited to see if that holds true for round two. What I have loved about Park City so far is the convenience to the airport, the cute main street area, the snow there was incredible and made for amazing skiing, and the mountain is huge so there are tons of options for runs!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);"><br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);">{Favorite Quote}</span></span></h3><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFngM7xKeQsc1Pb19MKS8j9HZAGgbUldGbYQYWwxIIGWT7WGVYM7pV-JBqpZjFgHCuwtBLUVWGSzuTMnm4YIASyJBRUZV0aDBvBYtzuqBDSzoxxn_190KKsq1DwUWSugREnnWb6uVvm19tsOftbyzOt9H8SyfMZdlpHc4a9H8ia1hzfk8JtruInFbSrw/s1656/IMG_5451.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1656" data-original-width="1170" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFngM7xKeQsc1Pb19MKS8j9HZAGgbUldGbYQYWwxIIGWT7WGVYM7pV-JBqpZjFgHCuwtBLUVWGSzuTMnm4YIASyJBRUZV0aDBvBYtzuqBDSzoxxn_190KKsq1DwUWSugREnnWb6uVvm19tsOftbyzOt9H8SyfMZdlpHc4a9H8ia1hzfk8JtruInFbSrw/w452-h640/IMG_5451.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CkjCvpXOp8H/" target="_blank">via IG</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I really loved this quote because I feel like it really aligns with where I am at lately. Settling back into stationary life after living on the road for the last four years has been a struggle for me. Understanding the version of myself I am now has been an interesting road, and it makes me so grateful to be married to a man who understands that and helps me navigate it all.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And that's it for this month. I started this link up just as a way to mostly brain dump, remember the year, and keep myself accountable on the blog. I expected them to be short, sweet little blurbs, but here we are. Another post that just seemed to get longer and longer. So if you made it this far, way to go!! Now what favorite things are going on in your world? Link up and share them below!</span></div></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);"><br /></span></span></div><!--start InLinkz code-->
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<!--end InLinkz code-->Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-17523813149620544852023-02-02T13:04:00.010-05:002023-02-27T15:02:46.765-05:00Is Snowmobiling in Yellowstone Worth the Cost? <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-38159a66-7fff-b0ee-3fa1-e57fdae5e1a8"></span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you looking to snowmobile in Yellowstone? Here are a few things to consider.</span></h1><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKKmeFF1NUu5ZWUBA1WnIfkD1x3Y9D-_FIF4qbWPRmFvkEXqwsf1gl1UaLYc2ewT4_E52ivySciCh620Q0mXVMY1QzQbgFHNMbORwwCpuIYH8GFXdNMqXPy_L-DGwfgMhTL22mO_3pFdM5_bXfFCx-Q0z8VE-Xa3KYdv1LKR2c1mAS6kN14xqKOXOBA/s4032/IMG_7220%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Snowmobiling in Yellowstone" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKKmeFF1NUu5ZWUBA1WnIfkD1x3Y9D-_FIF4qbWPRmFvkEXqwsf1gl1UaLYc2ewT4_E52ivySciCh620Q0mXVMY1QzQbgFHNMbORwwCpuIYH8GFXdNMqXPy_L-DGwfgMhTL22mO_3pFdM5_bXfFCx-Q0z8VE-Xa3KYdv1LKR2c1mAS6kN14xqKOXOBA/w640-h480/IMG_7220%202.jpg" title="Snowmobiling in Yellowstone" width="640" /></a></div></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we were in Big Sky Montana for a ski trip, we took one day for an excursion and did a snowmobiling tour in Yellowstone National Park with Two Top Vacations. To be honest, after visiting <a href="https://youtu.be/5bYMpdMtIgw" target="_blank">Yellowstone in the summer</a>, I wasn't sure a winter snowmobile tour of Yellowstone would be worth the cost. If you are looking for things to do in Montana this winter, this post breaks down what you need to know if you are thinking of snowmobiling in Yellowstone, as well as if it is worth the cost or not.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b8e0fe2a-7fff-278b-fee3-d5f9fb322e34"><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yellowstone National Park in Winter</span></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4t1LzLbEFHScNjXeXQ3fwwKTsIqsiVOCsT6Vn9cAuQp2fuAYxYlH-IleQwVJ1mNRCEMCdJvaD34GdEeXhq99OVtBeZmpEZB8bqI8AyNVD82ImBcX7mtfftNDzz6e9KqUW1mwSJlKsM50rxg6Y-tLgfXzWSOYuRIargOY-sSe58ac3VVOb9PZ3gJFRAg/s1089/IMG_5446.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Winter in Yellowstone" border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="1089" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4t1LzLbEFHScNjXeXQ3fwwKTsIqsiVOCsT6Vn9cAuQp2fuAYxYlH-IleQwVJ1mNRCEMCdJvaD34GdEeXhq99OVtBeZmpEZB8bqI8AyNVD82ImBcX7mtfftNDzz6e9KqUW1mwSJlKsM50rxg6Y-tLgfXzWSOYuRIargOY-sSe58ac3VVOb9PZ3gJFRAg/w640-h368/IMG_5446.jpg" title="Winter in Yellowstone" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYN-456KLYRB6CHWKBbP8aaCiktg3B65Kca6dwxyfnAcz4A_7egL_uIdrLR6hMPcWMZPpQKoJ1XTLdlkfbFFNxlohv5L6RwTtP8f-JZciBoS_ly_pLSq684giFf9y3IYSll6E2RO6VYYiFkZiBTX-nSSywqxXDW1Oy38f9R7ol5XUbM3BOm5Geju-EXQ/s1067/IMG_5447.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Winter in Yellowstone" border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="1067" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYN-456KLYRB6CHWKBbP8aaCiktg3B65Kca6dwxyfnAcz4A_7egL_uIdrLR6hMPcWMZPpQKoJ1XTLdlkfbFFNxlohv5L6RwTtP8f-JZciBoS_ly_pLSq684giFf9y3IYSll6E2RO6VYYiFkZiBTX-nSSywqxXDW1Oy38f9R7ol5XUbM3BOm5Geju-EXQ/w640-h390/IMG_5447.jpg" title="Winter in Yellowstone" width="640" /></a></div></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yellowstone is a completely different world in the winter, so even if you have been in the <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2021/04/tips-tricks-for-yellowstone-national-park-june.html?showComment=1619584202116" target="_blank">park in the summer</a> your experience will be entirely new. The park is open to the public, but unlike the summer it is not as easy to get in - though you won’t be fighting crowds like other times of the year, there are some things you need to know if you are going to visit Yellowstone National Park in winter.</span><span><a name='more'></a></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Can you take your own snowmobile into Yellowstone?</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, you can take your own snowmobile into the park. However, if you are not very familiar with the park it will be hard to navigate. Certain parts of the park are closed, and while the roads are well groomed everything looks the same in the snow. For this reason paying for a guided tour is helpful. </span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also, only over the snow vehicles are allowed in Yellowstone in the winter. You can not just expect to drive in by car like you can in the summer. You can hike into the park, but you will need to find a place to park if you don’t have a snowmobile.</span></p><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When is snowmobiling season in Yellowstone?</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The winter snowmobiling season typically runs from mid-December to mid-March, just depending on when there is enough snow. You can roughly count on 3 months of snowmobiling fun throughout the park.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAchNwD07UJbkf7nJt3VLH6Vfl9DZxDWWw8eHtJj6Pdlo7Etn_5NAGfl_TfLbbCW-tEuKm3MbRFYgf6j_l6j_N5eQo3pbzUvc2kcMT9H-23RyPibls8tLi1tjp-1HSTjqR8aseIw9XIGIrcMnokOkO4vzaKL04a2UOraUH5ozaa8ZqITwCu86rTV0fQ/s4032/IMG_7331.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Snowmobiling in Yellowstone" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAchNwD07UJbkf7nJt3VLH6Vfl9DZxDWWw8eHtJj6Pdlo7Etn_5NAGfl_TfLbbCW-tEuKm3MbRFYgf6j_l6j_N5eQo3pbzUvc2kcMT9H-23RyPibls8tLi1tjp-1HSTjqR8aseIw9XIGIrcMnokOkO4vzaKL04a2UOraUH5ozaa8ZqITwCu86rTV0fQ/w640-h480/IMG_7331.jpg" title="Snowmobiling in Yellowstone" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWksjp8yKWTQ-9FWhKFN3cJbat4iIdsjI6muyEiQodntDNWoD7kJjQDPMSBLPucj-_xljsLR-90ZoEVUFTA-C5KcBB0qeS5qH31wo8NKXwDg6Pd3f4H0IEL6cCOs4ZE6dmPGYj7yMYs19wJbstdPNiwrNYn6EAC9VAS9LVedg-ffjZespl4fHxhr4jQ/s884/IMG_5445.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Snowmobiling in Yellowstone" border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="884" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWksjp8yKWTQ-9FWhKFN3cJbat4iIdsjI6muyEiQodntDNWoD7kJjQDPMSBLPucj-_xljsLR-90ZoEVUFTA-C5KcBB0qeS5qH31wo8NKXwDg6Pd3f4H0IEL6cCOs4ZE6dmPGYj7yMYs19wJbstdPNiwrNYn6EAC9VAS9LVedg-ffjZespl4fHxhr4jQ/w640-h462/IMG_5445.jpg" title="Snowmobiling in Yellowstone" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAP6e4w4oOjZ1x8IA-XS6Zm6HzGjc7negnme8B8MHYoeW-LIlAozOntp8F4mxJqxqgZrnF8_imWpUPaVQEZ8qhcqGTaZ7aWmd3lpp1IG2jiB-_LISF0p3Nk5yqm4B4eT2-YDFtdqR8h0iaY8w1Lrt1zZNG0DFq_RqdTLEGBrOxTkIrnUxE8sFyl6rMog/s3390/IMG_7296.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Snowmobiling in Yellowstone" border="0" data-original-height="2552" data-original-width="3390" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAP6e4w4oOjZ1x8IA-XS6Zm6HzGjc7negnme8B8MHYoeW-LIlAozOntp8F4mxJqxqgZrnF8_imWpUPaVQEZ8qhcqGTaZ7aWmd3lpp1IG2jiB-_LISF0p3Nk5yqm4B4eT2-YDFtdqR8h0iaY8w1Lrt1zZNG0DFq_RqdTLEGBrOxTkIrnUxE8sFyl6rMog/w640-h482/IMG_7296.jpg" title="Snowmobiling in Yellowstone" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How much does it cost?</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While each tour group will vary slightly with their rates, most costs range between $200 and $400+ per person depending on if you are doing single or double riders on the snowmobiles. If you can double up with someone it will save you significantly. We booked with <a href="https://www.yellowstonevacations.com/guided-tours/two-top-snowmobile-tours" target="_blank">Two Top Yellowstone Vacations</a> and their cost breakdown was:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">$322.40 for a single rider (cost per snowmobile)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">$343.40 for a double rider (roughly $175 per person)</span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*This cost includes a lunch, but does not include tax, tip, or park entry. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*If you want to rent a snowmobile and tackle the park on your own the cost of snowmobile rentals ranges from $167-218.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Additional Costs for Your Snowmobile Tour</span></h3><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Park Entry: If you have a <a href="https://store.usgs.gov/recreational-passes" target="_blank">national park pass</a> your fee is covered (make sure to bring it with you). However, if you don’t have a pass there will be an additional $20 per person fee that is paid at the park entrance.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tip: Tour guiding is considered a service and much of your guides earnings comes from the tip. Tipping is customary and is not included in your tour rate. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Extras: There is a chance to stop at a warming hut and grab a snack and coffee or hot chocolate. While your lunch is part of the tour cost, this is not. Make sure to bring cash or a credit card on the tour with you if you would like to grab a snack or beverage.</span></p></li></ul><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is it worth it to snowmobile in Yellowstone?</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While it is expensive, at the end of the day it is 100% worth it to snowmobile Yellowstone National Park at least once. For what you get to see and experience, plus having the park almost all to yourself, it might even be considered priceless. If you break it down into the amount of time you are on the tour (8-9 hours) the cost doesn’t seem so bad. It’s an excursion for a reason and you will leave with countless memories.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pkaNxM0nyrg" width="620" youtube-src-id="pkaNxM0nyrg"></iframe></div></div><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More Things to Know</span></h2><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is NOT a Normal Snowmobile Experience</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have been snowmobiling before and are used to getting a bit of an adrenaline fix, do NOT expect that when snowmobiling in Yellowstone. This is a tour that happens on a snowmobile. You will not be doing circles at top speeds or gunning the snowmobile as fast as you can. There is a strict speed limit in Yellowstone. I think the fastest we got was maybe 30-35 miles per hour. Is it still fun? Absolutely! Just know that if you are looking for a true, adrenaline-seeking snowmobile experience you will want to try that elsewhere.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What to Wear on Your Yellowstone Snowmobile Tour</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dress warm!! That should probably come as a given, but dress even warmer than you think you will want to dress. We wore our ski gear and we’re fine, but if you don’t have ski clothing you can also rent a snowmobile suit from your tour outfitter. You will wear your regular clothes under the suit. The snowmobile does have hand warmers and heated seats but that’s not enough when you are facing the wind and elements. If you don’t have heavy ski clothes, RENT THE SUIT!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwa7DBxHNxAU4I1ZFrVVJ27ZZr5EajQALTvwwf2DdFDdtLRO_vifr3TnZ2-zUTuxyfYJfZ8k42K0KW1N3ki6V4qg5xUxiRb3AETISlXPnjmklNpKMZCO5870_z38Ep1VnpDqwdPhUgxU5zfT5IMUOKFwaDZLPFfPKEZcYqAnaUlfJokLtIxHlqzNTl6g/s4032/IMG_7322.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Snowmobiling in Yellowstone" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwa7DBxHNxAU4I1ZFrVVJ27ZZr5EajQALTvwwf2DdFDdtLRO_vifr3TnZ2-zUTuxyfYJfZ8k42K0KW1N3ki6V4qg5xUxiRb3AETISlXPnjmklNpKMZCO5870_z38Ep1VnpDqwdPhUgxU5zfT5IMUOKFwaDZLPFfPKEZcYqAnaUlfJokLtIxHlqzNTl6g/w640-h480/IMG_7322.jpg" title="Snowmobiling in Yellowstone" width="640" /></a></div><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #434343; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 400; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yellowstone Kind of Stinks</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are sensitive to smells, just know that Yellowstone is a little stinky. The majority of the geological features you will be seeing smell like sulfur. Be prepared for ensuing fart jokes- haha! </span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you love winter travel I would definitely consider adding a Yellowstone snowmobile tour to your bucket list. </span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We were there in February and enjoyed seeing the bison frolicking in the snow. Other options for winter in Yellowstone include staying in the park at one of the few open accommodations or riding a snowcoach, which is an enclosed snow vehicle. No matter how you plan to enjoy the park this season, I promise you will be awed by the experience.</span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you found this helpful you may also like: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2021/04/tips-tricks-for-yellowstone-national-park-june.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Visiting Yellowstone in the Summer</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2020/09/grand-canyon-rving-tips-booking-trailer-village.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Booking Grand Canyon RV Sites Last Minute</span></a><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0d0d0d; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.comYellowstone National Park, United States44.427963 -110.58845516.117729163821153 -145.744705 72.738196836178844 -75.432205tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-52350790243917885462023-01-06T14:46:00.009-05:002023-01-09T12:52:05.272-05:00First Friday Favorites: New Blog Link Up Party<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Cheers to a New Year and a New Link Up Party! </span></h1><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Well, another year has come and gone and it's been another year of mostly neglecting this space. I always start the year off with a plan to be more active on the blog and every year seems to send the same. But, here's to trying again!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">To help me stay more motivated I am starting a new link up to at least give me something specific to post once a month... so, I am starting a First Friday Favorites link up party. It's mix of concepts from two of my favorite bloggers, Christina at <a href="https://www.northcarolinacharm.com/five-on-friday-188/" target="_blank">Carolina Charm's Five on Friday</a>, and a Currently link up that used to be hosted by <a href="http://www.anneinresidence.com" target="_blank">Anne in Residence</a> (she no longer hosts, but I think someone else may). Basically, I plan to share a monthly recap (even just for my own reflections to look back on), and then a few favorite prompted things each month.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Each month will always include a favorite read, favorite find, and favorite quote (since the initial reason I started this blog 10 years ago- wow, 10 years!- was to share my love for quotes). Then, I may include a few other "favorite" prompts. You can join in the prompts each month or just share any favorites in the link up (favorite blog post you wrote that week, your Friday favorites, whatever your little heart desires).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, here's my first First Friday Favorites edition:<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">December Recap</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm2Os-iuzO-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background-color: white; background: #FFF; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm2Os-iuzO-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background-color: white; background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-bottom-left-radius: 50%; border-bottom-right-radius: 50%; border-radius: 50%; border-top-left-radius: 50%; border-top-right-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; 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font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-bottom-left-radius: 50%; border-bottom-right-radius: 50%; border-radius: 50%; border-top-left-radius: 50%; border-top-right-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-bottom-left-radius: 50%; border-bottom-right-radius: 50%; border-radius: 50%; border-top-left-radius: 50%; border-top-right-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-bottom-left-radius: 50%; border-bottom-right-radius: 50%; border-radius: 50%; border-top-left-radius: 50%; border-top-right-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 6px; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-top-color: transparent; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right-color: transparent; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 8px; border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 8px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left-color: transparent; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 8px; border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top-color: rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 8px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm2Os-iuzO-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Melanie Snavely (@lifessweetjourney)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>December is always a crazy month. It's also usually a hard month for me and that trend held true for 2022. The older I get the harder the holiday season seems to become. I want so badly to feel the joy of Christmas, that it makes not feeling it sting that much more. This from the girl who started sobbing while trying to get through reading the end of The Polar Express to her nephew. I want to hear that bell, but it's getting harder and harder every year. Is it the same for anyone else? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Thankfully we did have some beautiful moments thrown in that made the joy feel that much brighter! We had time with all of our family and friends, celebrated birthdays, new babies, ate way more than we should have, and drank probably even more than that. We had our first Christmas in our new home and got to ring in the New Year in our pajamas, playing games with my best friend and her new hubby. I'll give a toast to that!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Moving into 2023 I really want to try to open myself up more and look to the things I have to be grateful for. I always used to be a glass half full person and I think it was also because I was less cynical. Being grateful plays a huge part in that for me. So here's to a GRATEFUL 2023!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">First Friday Favorites</span></h2><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{Favorite Read}</span></h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI4w1143t6CibexJIDMpAlBEiU0s6I4_Vf1fRxLUIkZh4PAxUVd31SDA1gYOzHmdkq5dKji6_CZNf6_THnnVEOEmpUpPwuzSifRnrX_HnZz0jOkQXhD8ByRuLX9mL_5l0xPf8xR2F8SM53m3pbwDAxwft00GMaT69rjoBjhljnmr6M0QvMWRoAhT_ww/s958/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-06%20at%202.23.41%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Favorite Read of the Month" border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="958" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI4w1143t6CibexJIDMpAlBEiU0s6I4_Vf1fRxLUIkZh4PAxUVd31SDA1gYOzHmdkq5dKji6_CZNf6_THnnVEOEmpUpPwuzSifRnrX_HnZz0jOkQXhD8ByRuLX9mL_5l0xPf8xR2F8SM53m3pbwDAxwft00GMaT69rjoBjhljnmr6M0QvMWRoAhT_ww/w640-h622/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-06%20at%202.23.41%20PM.png" title="Favorite Read of the Month The Paris Apartment" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I just finished <a href="https://amzn.to/3Qn7z2p" target="_blank">The Paris Apartment</a> by Lucy Foley and flew through it! This one kept my guessing for a good portion of the book, though I did have it figured out by the end. I really loved the main character. She's edgy and not your typical likable character and it gave her an edge I enjoyed.</span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Synopsis: </span></h4><div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there.</i></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.</i></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge</i></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Everyone's a neighbor. Everyone's a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.</i></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I don't do star ratings (more on that later), but I would definitely recommend reading this one!</span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">{Favorite Listen}</span></span></h3></div><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3XgCzUl" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Favorite Read of the Month" border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="291" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8Ci2HS95TW2C3MujRl5l0PuYtm0VfRAAPZ9-Hg5kVJwxukNz9AKkkuY_EmOPrxhufGepN4zk_PmSiTE7BdC4tj1V82_tBYaK08bUXaoFcXw7y_ctUQjjtfe6SgC5mYNSTK09AEO8Tr58lsFTNIGmYj1D9Znlo04ZVD8vbRFHCMpKrl_8pvcuez3ZXA/w428-h640/811uWETSK1L._AC_UY436_QL65_.jpg" title="Favorite Read of the Month" width="428" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I am always reading one book and listening to another. Sometimes only one makes my favorites list, but my listen this month was noteworthy as well if you want something lighthearted and sweet, but with a small bit of mystery and magic. <a href="https://amzn.to/3QnAe7u" target="_blank">The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches</a> by Sangu Mandanna had been on my OverDrive holds since October. Of course it was finally ready to borrow just in time for Christmas, but I can understand why it was so popular...</span></span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Synopsis:</span></span></h4><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;"> </span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;"> </span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when peril comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for...</span></i></span></span></div><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></i></span></span></div><div><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;">This is a great read for anyone who like Practical Magic and Roald Dahls' The Witches.</span></span></div><div><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;">{Favorite Amazon Find}</span></span></h3><div><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;">I actually have two favorite finds this month. One that was a gift for Babe that has quickly become one of MY FAVORITE gifts I've ever gotten him.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);"><a href="https://amzn.to/3jVXP38" target="_blank">Smoked Cocktail Kit</a>: </b>We have definitely stepped up our cocktail game with this great little gadget. I have considered getting it for him for quit a few Christmases now but wondered if it was worth $50. We only do stockings for each other and try to keep gifts smaller, but this was well worth the price. I got the smoked cocktail kit on sale during Black Friday so was able to snag it for about $35, but it's worth $50 in my opinion. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;">The smoker kit is easy to use and makes the perfect smoked old fashioned in under 5 minutes. The kit I got came with ice molds, the torch, the smoker top, and four wood chip flavors. We've been trying out the different wood chip flavors. I like the regular and the pecan, he prefers the cherry chips.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BYhSSSkhSUGCTc7-isa43ORaP2s_8WnzxFgyOf-2AWnwoNP3TaJh59NHvQDwkoYX2vLmCl4Vv0y1LTsdEfp1J8j0rOFsZiYxh4OypGxQXYUOyUBDhAB1EZq0-9rwnNKjGDJvh2-ebYvir05Kcn2vglBD7pPUytZwotmsiO-YWV_WycC7TePSDcaYRg/s4032/IMG_4991.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BYhSSSkhSUGCTc7-isa43ORaP2s_8WnzxFgyOf-2AWnwoNP3TaJh59NHvQDwkoYX2vLmCl4Vv0y1LTsdEfp1J8j0rOFsZiYxh4OypGxQXYUOyUBDhAB1EZq0-9rwnNKjGDJvh2-ebYvir05Kcn2vglBD7pPUytZwotmsiO-YWV_WycC7TePSDcaYRg/w640-h480/IMG_4991.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3jVXP38" target="_blank">Cocktail Smoking Kit</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3X7LV4A" target="_blank">Bullet Glasses</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3GmX8Ym" target="_blank">Plant Mister</a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17);"><a href="https://amzn.to/3GmX8Ym" target="_blank">Glass Plant Mister</a>: </b>I have recently started developing a semi-green thumb. Semi-green in that I go with plants that are really hard to kill. However, I have a small pine tree that has been clinging to life since we used it as a Christmas tree in the camper two years ago. It was recommended that it may need misting since it prefers tropical climates. Not only is my new glass plant mister functional, but I love the old world feel it adds and it's a fun little statement piece when people get curious about what it is! It also makes watering my plants feel a little more classy.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">{Favorite Quote}</span></span></h3><div><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6USu6VH-PUyQG_eVV6mV3FVoVVSJE0V8Qc5OwaTMMqfUHo8EpPtvqt5vsU30i-y32CGzrkNokOQqc7s01Ujok5rouPKn4XMERVFDU_VkzW1xSMq2hh6ypFwxEXCH4xXKKgVXBwBn3VlvQCEAayqP1UaDeeM_8NquRTxWOPgAgCKQdyHPZUZkGpQT0mQ/s1612/IMG_4992.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="First Friday Favorites Blog Link Up Party" border="0" data-original-height="1612" data-original-width="1170" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6USu6VH-PUyQG_eVV6mV3FVoVVSJE0V8Qc5OwaTMMqfUHo8EpPtvqt5vsU30i-y32CGzrkNokOQqc7s01Ujok5rouPKn4XMERVFDU_VkzW1xSMq2hh6ypFwxEXCH4xXKKgVXBwBn3VlvQCEAayqP1UaDeeM_8NquRTxWOPgAgCKQdyHPZUZkGpQT0mQ/w464-h640/IMG_4992.jpg" width="464" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/victoriaericksonwriter/" target="_blank">via IG</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I love quotes, and <a href="https://amzn.to/3GoxZwa" target="_blank">Victoria Erickson</a> is a favorite of mine! I have a lot of quotes I have been saving to my IG folder. I have someone who shared her favorite reels every Monday and I think I may start sharing my favorite quotes every Wednesday over on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifessweetjourney/" target="_blank">my Instagram stories</a>. I guess a new way to bring back <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2015/01/words-for-wednesday-first.html" target="_blank">Words for Wednesday</a>, which I used to share here when I first started this blog.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I think I am going to leave it there for the first month of First Friday Favorite since this post has gotten pretty lengthy. Feel free to join in the link up with any of our own favorites!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">If you liked this post you might also like:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2022/01/january-currently-2021-rewind-and-2022.html" target="_blank">January 2021 Recap and 2022 Goals</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2022/10/best-fall-books-to-read-in-october.html" target="_blank">Favorite Fall Books</a></span></div></span></div><div><br /></div>
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<!--end InLinkz code-->Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-53892445817901334172022-11-25T14:25:00.003-05:002022-11-25T14:25:27.860-05:00Black Friday Finds on Amazon for 2022<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Amazon Black Friday 2022 has commenced and the deals are WILD!</span></span></h1><div><span style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqj75w8cEK9bkJyayZxao5-QiSfU2v49KXNbusMVJQ7Z73O_1O2U4GkTcrUkiuXclKaVpt7Sc9Af0fHGmdTJ0OecG8ISvwIUe6MVeIThNnW6Bi8tUOKRNW9B25C63S2kSSiutgnU8r1GBj5U2sJC7M-vdz8h8Ntu8O8-iU4SXIQQ-Dc30UTl3gGLiWlA/s600/Black%20and%20White%20Black%20Friday%20Beauty%20Business%20Sales%20Instagram%20Post%20(600%20%C3%97%20450%20px)%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Black Friday finds on Amazon for 2022" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqj75w8cEK9bkJyayZxao5-QiSfU2v49KXNbusMVJQ7Z73O_1O2U4GkTcrUkiuXclKaVpt7Sc9Af0fHGmdTJ0OecG8ISvwIUe6MVeIThNnW6Bi8tUOKRNW9B25C63S2kSSiutgnU8r1GBj5U2sJC7M-vdz8h8Ntu8O8-iU4SXIQQ-Dc30UTl3gGLiWlA/w640-h480/Black%20and%20White%20Black%20Friday%20Beauty%20Business%20Sales%20Instagram%20Post%20(600%20%C3%97%20450%20px)%20(1).png" title="Black Friday finds on Amazon for 2022" width="640" /></a></div></span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I try to collect experiences over things, but there are always some needed items that are better to buy when on sale. Plus, I have my trusted favorites for making life a little easier. These tend to be big sale items and might help make your life a little easier too. Here are some of my favorite Black Friday finds on Amazon for 2022. </span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Favorite Black Friday Sale Items</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">These are some of my regularly used, favorite Amazon items that are currently on sale for Black Friday. Most of these items are used daily.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3Oz6yUj" target="_blank">Shark Robot Vacuum with empty base</a>- currently 46% off </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I absolutely love my Shark robot vac (he goes by Steve!); we were skeptical about how good he would be, so we just bought the regular, but I would love to upgrade to one with an emptying base.</span></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3guqxXK" target="_blank">Beckham Hotel Collection Pillows</a>- absolute heaven (with support)!! They will go on sale at some point for a lightning deal, so keep an eye out. Currently you can tap the clickable coupon to save 40%. It's a two set of pillows and we have them in every room of the house, plus in the camper too! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6NImgH_M1O8" width="630" youtube-src-id="6NImgH_M1O8"></iframe></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3u0JRPm" target="_blank">Novilla Mattress</a>- Will add it to my favorite RV finds too as we originally discovered this mattress for the camper, but also now have one in each room of our home. It's on sale on Amazon or you can get one direct from the website. They are having a <a href="https://www.novilla.net/?rfsn=5823633.0ff24e&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=5823633.0ff24e" target="_blank">sale today on their main site</a>, plus you can save an additional 10% with the code LSJ. Novella reached out to extend that to our viewers after I shared a review <a href="https://youtu.be/6NImgH_M1O8" target="_blank">on YouTube</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3Vt0HSM" target="_blank">Puzzle Board</a>- I am a puzzle fanatic. I took it back up when we were living in the camper so I needed something that I could work on but also tuck away easily. It slid under the RV couch easily and now that we're back in the house it does the same and Babe likes that it's out of the way when I am not working on it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Black Friday Stocking Stuffer Finds</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Babe and I actually don't do gifts for each other for Christmas, but stockings are a must! To me they are a way to really personalize each small item to truly make the stocking opening an experience. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSc1LV__ryDXaO610rKv0Zd_8ANhCfByHUfOwoTpmXOmoiRkv0eSNpykdAqHNfH7LII-8yIcidtHkg6nsOI_fsbvx1of0PkAAGa40QNXiAgRBjFpCzMY-FxDKwgwpQ4iXxYVUm8LzwFepllMQifDntT1STvcyPMQ1TuEUnYJQJ9SIBp6YZJ6HU-IZB4w/s4032/IMG_3676.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Black Friday Amazon 2023" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSc1LV__ryDXaO610rKv0Zd_8ANhCfByHUfOwoTpmXOmoiRkv0eSNpykdAqHNfH7LII-8yIcidtHkg6nsOI_fsbvx1of0PkAAGa40QNXiAgRBjFpCzMY-FxDKwgwpQ4iXxYVUm8LzwFepllMQifDntT1STvcyPMQ1TuEUnYJQJ9SIBp6YZJ6HU-IZB4w/w640-h480/IMG_3676.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2UWenIL" target="_blank">Exploding Kittens</a>- currently $9.99 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This is a great game for all ages! The 8 year old taught his Surf Daddy how to play at Thanksgiving yesterday and then proceeded to coax him into 5 hands! Think a strange version of Uno (the goal is not to lose your cards, instead the goal is not to explode) *The expansion packs also add a lot of fun, but not currently on sale</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3u6ijrD" target="_blank">Bright Day Planner Items</a>- I love my Bright Day planners. Not only are they affordable even when not on sale, but the layouts are perfect for someone who needs something easy to use while still having a little something extra for habit tracking and goal setting. The <a href="https://youtu.be/7csxysvaRD0">La Lune non-dated collection</a> has so many great options and I use their <a href="https://amzn.to/3i97J0u" target="_blank">daily to-do planners</a> for those days where I need extra motivation. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>You can use the code 10LSJOURNEY on Amazon to save an additional 10% off at checkout.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3nMoSKS" target="_blank">Portable Bluetooth Speaker</a>- This is a great speaker for the price! We link it to our phones or the computer and use it in the dually to listen to audiobooks on long road days or in the RV to watch movies (the computer speaker isn't loud enough to be heard over the ac) *don't forget to clip the additional $2 off coupon</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3V9Vorm" target="_blank">Electric Toothbrush</a>- currently under $20 (keep an eye on this one, as the sets have been changing as to which ones have the deal. I had grabbed one of these for myself when it was an Amazon Deal of the Day and Babe has been super jealous of it)</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWCIKRNhim5TLSJeZ_hz2ATgMzIGIeQIl4aBFPCph0JuPj3h6Z_MmUR1CSELxbnHwTCVi17SWYTm9xViGYbJUH9hV8PzlFKSnUlpLkto9Xz5paJVLJXczH8nxUWxDWiZpZ0xTBwEDb59LMFNWCNmf_LHb0icLW5Bo7ZfnrUiGAjZfPrCYOvV3lEARXQ/s874/61y+b4M0RZL._AC_UY436_QL65_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Black Friday Amazon 2023" border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="874" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWCIKRNhim5TLSJeZ_hz2ATgMzIGIeQIl4aBFPCph0JuPj3h6Z_MmUR1CSELxbnHwTCVi17SWYTm9xViGYbJUH9hV8PzlFKSnUlpLkto9Xz5paJVLJXczH8nxUWxDWiZpZ0xTBwEDb59LMFNWCNmf_LHb0icLW5Bo7ZfnrUiGAjZfPrCYOvV3lEARXQ/w640-h320/61y+b4M0RZL._AC_UY436_QL65_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUICPjgwSDccVmSja3cxhXJxXyq2LSFc9kC32dLqryvVJWIeWxDPYZECUmJEh18ECJpSZbEyt3Vmhk0EhOxcx6K6jv7HUiIO4OgTtM8GQ_pYfG1uKb2gp2gkvbK4wmJJJwr5jsa6Lni9eggop6XJ7dWbGcteyUZqPeK4KnLvi6R2QsNyWP5svt0Jan2w/s630/710D3AP+ipL._AC_UY436_QL65_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Black Friday Amazon 2023" border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="630" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUICPjgwSDccVmSja3cxhXJxXyq2LSFc9kC32dLqryvVJWIeWxDPYZECUmJEh18ECJpSZbEyt3Vmhk0EhOxcx6K6jv7HUiIO4OgTtM8GQ_pYfG1uKb2gp2gkvbK4wmJJJwr5jsa6Lni9eggop6XJ7dWbGcteyUZqPeK4KnLvi6R2QsNyWP5svt0Jan2w/w640-h442/710D3AP+ipL._AC_UY436_QL65_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Black Friday Finds For the RV</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We may not be full-time RVers anymore (for now), but we're always on lookouts for camper deals for our weekends away! Here are some of the items we use for camper life.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3AIuvm8" target="_blank">Inline Water Filters</a>- This is the lowest I have seen them!! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3fzDfiW" target="_blank">Camco Heated Hose</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3AMnNeZ" target="_blank">Sewer Hose Kit</a>- Currently 54% off!! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3XyahW7" target="_blank">Novilla Mattress</a>- We <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2021/07/creative-ways-to-upgrade-renovate-rv.html" target="_blank">upgraded our RV</a> mattress and it was so good that when we bought the house we got two more. One for our bedroom and another for the guest room.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I will continue to update Black Friday <a href="https://amzn.to/3VuG8W6" target="_blank">Amazon finds in my storefront</a> as I find deals I plan to take advantage of throughout the day!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Related Posts: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2022/11/non-chocolate-advent-calendars-on-amazon.html" target="_blank">Non-Chocolate Advent Calendar Finds on Amazon</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2020/12/five-friday-best-planners-2021.html" target="_blank">December 2021 Five on Friday</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-6589147384668892682022-11-15T12:16:00.008-05:002022-11-15T12:24:22.181-05:00Non-Chocolate Advent Calendars on Amazon for All Ages<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">These non-chocolate advent calendars from Amazon are a great way to create some holiday cheer!</span></h1><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The holiday season is upon us! Even as an adult with no kids, I LOVE ADVENT CALENDARS! Advent calendars are a fun way to stay festive and savor the season, even amid the rush. Candy advent calendars are easy to find, but not everyone wants chocolate every day. Here are some awesome non-chocolate advent calendars from Amazon for 2022!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Harry Potter Advent Calendars</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANVp7CnYEYQlia2rom_PMMTcmgKQqmSJ3dhwNV2iBDtKDurh4QEikaxjf2IuAMGFFtXsS2l863InC6yWV52YXM38UNs6ojsGE8UO68zKSKs5WUJOTx5s4DmbBNPUqzobO9c-ohb-ROl_GayggEEGMvqnddeSNo36SrJclSLP55T4s-7pitgofNkgGRQ/s1092/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-14%20at%202.49.19%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img alt="Non-Chocolate Advent Calendars on Amazon" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1092" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANVp7CnYEYQlia2rom_PMMTcmgKQqmSJ3dhwNV2iBDtKDurh4QEikaxjf2IuAMGFFtXsS2l863InC6yWV52YXM38UNs6ojsGE8UO68zKSKs5WUJOTx5s4DmbBNPUqzobO9c-ohb-ROl_GayggEEGMvqnddeSNo36SrJclSLP55T4s-7pitgofNkgGRQ/w640-h598/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-14%20at%202.49.19%20PM.png" title="Harry Potter Advent Calendars on Amazon" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Make the holidays just a little more magical with exciting treasures for those of us who love the Wizarding World! There are quite a few options for wizards looking to count down to Christmas. This <a href="https://amzn.to/3Gga6IY" target="_blank">24-day countdown</a> comes with fun Harry Potter themed trinkets. There is also a <a href="https://amzn.to/3Tvono9" target="_blank">12-day countdown</a> Harry Potter charm bracelet set and a <a href="https://amzn.to/3Gga6IY" target="_blank">sock surprise box</a> for those looking to free the house elves! </span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Advent Calendars for Puzzle Lovers</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://capitaloneshopping.com/s/amazon.com/coupon" target="_blank">Amazon</a> has puzzle advent calendars to help keep our brains sharp, focused, AND festive! There are sets with a <a href="https://amzn.to/3O6XBkD" target="_blank">different small puzzle</a> to complete each day or ones where you finish <a href="https://amzn.to/3Aehb96" target="_blank">one big puzzle</a> just in time for Christmas by adding a portion of the puzzle on the coordinating countdown day.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For the Foodie</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRsewHiRCpuy6tcFEHD3R0spsdSLJsKEq8l-ZhujTqybMN0zc7EwnVAVDpjrsJx9YiP7_UyThgscRCjgoDkQ9vtSx_0-XXVyIp95_W4jerAz7iQQ86s5rdvjppjsK6HPL5q75bYXz-u97WZJuBJKS8spmZtAm2VIark8ieSR0F761YSzHPB-Y6QCX3g/s776/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-14%20at%203.15.44%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img alt="Non-Chocolate Advent Calendars on Amazon" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="776" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRsewHiRCpuy6tcFEHD3R0spsdSLJsKEq8l-ZhujTqybMN0zc7EwnVAVDpjrsJx9YiP7_UyThgscRCjgoDkQ9vtSx_0-XXVyIp95_W4jerAz7iQQ86s5rdvjppjsK6HPL5q75bYXz-u97WZJuBJKS8spmZtAm2VIark8ieSR0F761YSzHPB-Y6QCX3g/w640-h492/Screen%20Shot%202022-11-14%20at%203.15.44%20PM.png" title="Non-Chocolate Advent Calendars on Amazon" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Just because you are skipping the chocolate doesn't mean you need to skip the food altogether. There are fun food and drink options for those looking for alternative adventure calendars, including:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- <a href="https://amzn.to/3O80XUB" target="_blank">Bonne Maman 12 Days of Christmas Spreads</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- Tea Lovers <a href="https://amzn.to/3E4FTK1" target="_blank">Holiday Teas Countdown</a> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- <a href="https://amzn.to/3UDa4iG" target="_blank">Popcorn Advent Calendars </a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- K-Cup <a href="https://amzn.to/3UDauWi" target="_blank">Coffee Sippers Set</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- Beefy Christmas with a <a href="https://amzn.to/3ts6Y5d" target="_blank">Jerky Sampler</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Amazon Advent Calendars for Kids</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Candy-fueled kids are going to be part of the holidays, but you can limit the amount of sugar intake with these non-chocolate advent calendars for kids.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- <a href="https://amzn.to/3E4JwQ9" target="_blank">Fidget Toys</a> 24 Day Holiday Countdown</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- <a href="https://amzn.to/3TwjE5n">Science Set</a> for STEM fun </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- <a href="https://amzn.to/3Exkbjk" target="_blank">Christmas Charm Bracelet</a> under $15</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- <a href="https://amzn.to/3GcXnXh" target="_blank">Decorate Your Own Christmas Tree Kit</a> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><script type="text/javascript">
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<script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script></span></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Other Alternative Advent Calendar Ideas</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgNNgDEyOHxFRnGugQdTitN238-H-aMrcIoo0_L0e6VQUFo4xU0yqNF2RSMTArSe-09ShmPKjdtewUl_5MyPCter0pkP5eitFKQ_zRQiYEKzKUucaXu-HkQWIthMOEIDEs9WmIIIYSmCy-1YRDBIviOCs9f4qP_dNMgSxUrHrJf3Yin3V2ryqJMInJg/s600/Untitled%20design%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img alt="Non-Chocolate Advent Calendars" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgNNgDEyOHxFRnGugQdTitN238-H-aMrcIoo0_L0e6VQUFo4xU0yqNF2RSMTArSe-09ShmPKjdtewUl_5MyPCter0pkP5eitFKQ_zRQiYEKzKUucaXu-HkQWIthMOEIDEs9WmIIIYSmCy-1YRDBIviOCs9f4qP_dNMgSxUrHrJf3Yin3V2ryqJMInJg/w640-h426/Untitled%20design%20(2).png" title="Non-Chocolate Advent Calendars" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">If you are looking to shop off of Amazon, there are other alternative advent calendar ideas that can make the Christmas countdown more festive.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Free-for-All DIY Advent Calendar</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Mark small bags or envelopes with the coordinating countdown numbers and string along the wall at home. Fill each night with a fun treat, family/date night idea, or ornaments for the tree. You can divide the filling of each night between family members and take alternating turns opening the different nights. This way you don't have to stick to just one theme and everyone can participate in being surprised by what's inside.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">12 Beers or Wines of Christmas</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Places like Aldi, Costco, and ABC have great "adults only" advent calendar options so that you can sip your way through the season. You can also customize your own 12-pack by buying and individually wrapping beer and wine. Talk about a fun present each day leading up to Christmas! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Holiday Books Countdown</span></h3><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">If your family loves reading Christmas stories, individually wrap 24 (or 12) holiday books. Then you can open and read a different book each night leading up to Christmas. Buy new books or use ones that have been put away since last year. Even if you've already read it, the surprise will be in seeing which classic story you get to enjoy on different nights. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">These are just some of the many great non-chocolate advent calendar options you can enjoy this holiday season! Which ones are your favorites?</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">More holiday posts:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2017/12/the-biltmore-at-christmas.html" target="_blank">The Biltmore at Christmas</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Stocking Stuffer <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2017/12/december-currently-and-stocking-stuffer.html" target="_blank">Gift Ideas for the Adventurer</a></span></div><div><br /></div>
Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-85018753237669605342022-10-02T17:31:00.006-04:002022-10-17T17:07:33.216-04:00Best Fall Books to Read in October <h1 style="text-align: left;">It's my favorite season and I love breaking out of all the spooky, fall feel books to read in October!</h1><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I absolutely LOVE Halloween and fall and all things October! It also happens to be one of my favorite reading seasons. A few years ago I shared a post about <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2018/10/books-to-read-October.html" target="_blank">Spooktacular books to read in October</a>. I thought I would do a bit of a refresh with some of the books I am reading this fall. Here are some of my favorite fall books to read in October!</span></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Fall Books to Read in October</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/At-Z10YMIqQ" width="640" youtube-src-id="At-Z10YMIqQ"></iframe></div><br /><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The video shares a bit more in-depth thoughts (and a few small side tangents- lol) about the books I would recommend for October, but it includes: </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mary Downing Hahn for Spooky Ghost Stories</span></h2><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Mary Downing Hahn writes middle grade fiction and her ghost stories are so spooky they even slightly scare me as an adult. I have loved scary things since I was a kid and her book Wait Till Helen Comes was the only book that actually kept me from falling asleep because it scared me so much I had to finish it before I could sleep. I love rereading these as an adult if I am looking for something I can read in one or two sittings. There's an <a href="https://amzn.to/3y5AJv1" target="_blank">awesome boxed set</a> that just happens to include my three favorites of hers! <span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkE30_nta0sJ_ye5lW9aOh_ql0Zie0wph9hi9Kz3q1IIukD7zvUV5_Ql-nhijlD7VHT9PV_Dyiw3stIf4tZ9b0Lfjhv6yybSoGNagmqJwmAFzv5xJ1t72vIB7vmAI1ro3YDWPSVQYiftxlXQ_qB3jprKJWZ-pPDg1JtRkiBCa2_0cPo4UzDq0h1gLihg/s500/Here%20on%20Earth%20Read%20in%20October.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img alt="Fall Books to Read in October" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkE30_nta0sJ_ye5lW9aOh_ql0Zie0wph9hi9Kz3q1IIukD7zvUV5_Ql-nhijlD7VHT9PV_Dyiw3stIf4tZ9b0Lfjhv6yybSoGNagmqJwmAFzv5xJ1t72vIB7vmAI1ro3YDWPSVQYiftxlXQ_qB3jprKJWZ-pPDg1JtRkiBCa2_0cPo4UzDq0h1gLihg/w400-h400/Here%20on%20Earth%20Read%20in%20October.jpg" title="Here on Earth Alice Hoffman" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">NOT Here on Earth from Alice Hoffman for Fall Book Vibes</span></h3></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3y4XXBJ" target="_blank">Here on Earth</a> is from Practical Magic author Alice Hoffman. This one started off strong for me, but I am finding myself having to take it in small chunks. I'm pretty sure it's going to end up being more of a tragic romance and I can already see characters making huge mistakes, but I love the New England setting, cozy fall vibes, and bits of magic. If you have never read any of the Practical Magic books I would recommend those before this, but this is a great option if you have already read those.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">**I am amending this original recommendation. READ WITH CAUTION! I finally finished it (in the small increments I had worked myself into) and was mostly appalled at myself for actually continuing knowing the ending was probably going to be horrible and ultimately not liking most of the rest of the book after the beginning. It's all kinds of toxic love and I found myself not really liking most characters, except maybe the brother who I didn't like at all in the beginning and who is a sad, lonely alcoholic the remainder of the book. I do still recommend Alice Hoffman for fall feel vibes, but stick with the Practical Magic stories.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Premise: <span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">After nineteen years in California, March Murray returns to the small Massachusetts town where she grew up. For all this time, March has been avoiding her own troubled history, but when she encounters Hollis—the boy she loved so desperately, the man who has never forgotten her—the past collides with the present as their reckless love is reignited. This dark romantic tale asks whether it is possible to survive a love that consumes you completely. The answers March Murray discovers are both heartbreaking and wise, as complex as they are devastating—for in heaven and in our dreams, love is simple and glorious. But it is something altogether different here on earth...</span></span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3rmlFFR" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img alt="Spooky Books to Read in October" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCVXuGBarfM1RAmHbEDn2ktTk5ObisUD7yx-Wj5muz1KiTWkWL0-FsLbtChXz--6BdGPe0jX233RMo66PH_6t1f6TxRDFzXk07K0kw_kaXX6PDnWBMODN9XNM2ZixOdQ25DuxWXSXrVOq6XYAXZXCIMu_EcyBz7sPtba37LYu_vxFIxo760tDoJ0IGRQ/w400-h400/61C0boOIICL.jpg" title="Spooky Books to Read in October" width="400" /></span></a></div></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-size: large;">In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware</span></h3><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;">I love Ruth Ware as an author and my favorite read of hers is <a href="https://amzn.to/3rmlFFR" target="_blank">In a Dark, Dark Wood</a>. With a spooky house, set deep in the woods it offers the perfect setting for a fall book to read in October. The three I would specifically recommend for fall season reads are this one, followed by The Turn of the Key, and then The Death of Mrs. Westaway.</span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">Premise: </span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">What should be a cozy and fun-filled weekend deep in the English countryside takes a sinister turn in Ruth Ware's suspenseful, compulsive, and darkly twisted psychological thriller.</span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;"> </span></span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">Leonora, known to some as Lee and others as Nora, is a reclusive crime writer, unwilling to leave her nest of an apartment unless it is absolutely necessary. When a friend she hasn't seen or spoken to in years unexpectedly invites Nora (</span><span class="a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-style: italic;">Lee</span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">) to a weekend away in an eerie glass house deep in the English countryside, she reluctantly agrees to make the trip. Forty-eight hours later, she wakes up in a hospital bed injured but alive, with the knowledge that someone is dead. Wondering not "what happened?" but "what have I done?", Nora (</span><span class="a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-style: italic;">Lee</span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">) tries to piece together the events of the past weekend. Working to uncover secrets, reveal motives, and find answers, Nora (</span><span class="a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-style: italic;">Lee</span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111;">) must revisit parts of herself that she would much rather leave buried where they belong: in the past.</span></span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3SSevoe" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="436" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1pQljudFCZKlhg41LF5-T_NDKMZIJ6-EpEUd2doA6V5pl30pBjLxa_57I-9vN2TnxnBoUKiZhiAUeg7yZd2HmiksYTAN2G5baUljCTTiFBpzoxlr04W8UiA9Msye7uRjqKr3wPyuFmep1859fqEMV59M_mk4sGwTY6o-i5qrbTD0KBOLM-Pdolye9w/w400-h400/91FLPme3Z4L._AC_UY436_QL65_.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-size: large;">The Children on the Hill - Monster Vibes from Jennifer McMahon</span></h3><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;">Jennifer McMahon's books often intertwine monsters or local folklore of some kind. I listened to two different books of hers back to back and really enjoyed <a href="https://amzn.to/3SSevoe" target="_blank">The Children on the Hill</a>. With mentions to Frankenstein, a strange asylum, and monster hunting this is the perfect read leading up to Halloween.</span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #0f1111;">Premise via Amazon: </span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-weight: 700;">From the </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">New York Times</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-weight: 700;"> best-selling author of </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">The Drowning Kind </span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-weight: 700;">comes a genre-defying new novel, inspired by Mary Shelley’s masterpiece </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">Frankenstein</span><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-weight: 700;">, that brilliantly explores the eerie mysteries of childhood and the evils perpetrated by the monsters among us. </span></span></div><div><span class="a-text-bold" face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The year 1978: At her renowned treatment center in picturesque Vermont, the brilliant psychiatrist Dr. Helen Hildreth is acclaimed for her compassionate work with the mentally ill. But when’s she home with her cherished grandchildren, Vi and Eric, she’s just Gran—teaching them how to take care of their pets, preparing them home-cooked meals, providing them with care and attention and love.</span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then one day Gran brings home a child to stay with the family. Iris—silent, hollow-eyed, skittish, and feral—does not behave like a normal girl.</span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Still, Violet is thrilled to have a new playmate. She and Eric invite Iris to join their Monster Club, where they catalogue all kinds of monsters and dream up ways to defeat them. Before long, Iris begins to come out of her shell. She and Vi and Eric do everything together: ride their bicycles, go to the drive-in, meet at their clubhouse in secret to hunt monsters. Because, as Vi explains, monsters are everywhere.</span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">The year 2019: Lizzy Shelley, the host of the popular podcast </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">Monsters Among Us</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, is traveling to Vermont, where a young girl has been abducted, and a monster sighting has the town in an uproar. She’s determined to hunt it down, because Lizzy knows better than anyone that monsters are real—and one of them is her very own sister.</span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">A haunting, vividly suspenseful thriller from the “literary descendant of Shirley Jackson” (Chris Bohjalian, author of </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">The Flight Attendant</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">), </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">The Children on the Hill</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> takes us on a breathless journey to face the primal fears that lurk within us all.</span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9qPck3gopeRy-m5E1J7vabmhTbIafqL01Hf-1uTDvHFDTIW3SuoFaMz5Oz34E_oERE7Kt-eRyCXV0XOls_6zaRdg8Om-LhlaO62gAy-Y4SEqG7CCQ1lQFQBi_-Ddj9rmKSGDaCM9fzo4gJVtltCRN8tDmrzKX5J31BqK5u_qRQXgZcV1uXT5A3_qVQ/s500/61R2lU89r7L.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img alt="Fall Books to Read in October" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9qPck3gopeRy-m5E1J7vabmhTbIafqL01Hf-1uTDvHFDTIW3SuoFaMz5Oz34E_oERE7Kt-eRyCXV0XOls_6zaRdg8Om-LhlaO62gAy-Y4SEqG7CCQ1lQFQBi_-Ddj9rmKSGDaCM9fzo4gJVtltCRN8tDmrzKX5J31BqK5u_qRQXgZcV1uXT5A3_qVQ/w400-h400/61R2lU89r7L.jpg" title="The Sugar Queen Sarah Addison Allen" width="400" /></span></a></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sarah Addison Allen for Cute, Fall Reads with Magical Realism</span></span></h3><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Since most of the books I shared edge on the spooky or thriller side, I figured I would share one more find for those that prefer cozy, sweet, fall reads! Sarah Addison Allen books offer just the perfect bit of those New England vibes that leave you feeling like you are in a fall postcard. While there is no actual, "witchy" magic in her stories there are bits of magical realism woven throughout. From treats that somehow seem to work little charms in <a href="https://amzn.to/3RAbjMZ" target="_blank">Garden Spells</a> to books that appear to the main character in <a href="https://amzn.to/3SxgnD9" target="_blank">The Sugar Queen</a> when they are most needed these fall, feel-good books are the perfect addition to an October reading list!</span></span></div><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">These are just some of my favorite books to read in October!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>What are you favorite reads for fall?!</i></span></div><div><br /></div>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-7743632391758145152022-07-25T22:35:00.001-04:002022-07-26T10:17:22.346-04:00Ways to Live More Simply<span id="docs-internal-guid-5bd1b7b4-7fff-d572-d631-eafdb9c19ff3"><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Living a simple life sounds refreshing, easy, and welcoming to most people, but it can often feel really hard to get there. In this day and age, is living a simple life even possible? Sometimes it doesn't feel like it, but I think it can be with a little work! Here are a few ways to live life more simply.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Ways to Live More Simply</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlDM_8R9dCM71VVR_a00UgQ-74Fm8avOQ-rvUFAd_KHDRd4YTmHgDv47Lf3GZu4d6dqRMY6sldTkyYaSXOWZdy2aWyQmKXkOV68h1qei_4bYIdmfdKEltuAdXgTueOJLZ4pGSNYfhr1HbcEa1fkiA7o_Bw8XGD1ezmeke0qSzFOun9jlwCWiUMxmg9g/s1500/Simplify.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ways to Live More Simply" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlDM_8R9dCM71VVR_a00UgQ-74Fm8avOQ-rvUFAd_KHDRd4YTmHgDv47Lf3GZu4d6dqRMY6sldTkyYaSXOWZdy2aWyQmKXkOV68h1qei_4bYIdmfdKEltuAdXgTueOJLZ4pGSNYfhr1HbcEa1fkiA7o_Bw8XGD1ezmeke0qSzFOun9jlwCWiUMxmg9g/w426-h640/Simplify.png" title="Ways to Live More Simply" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Invest in Self-Care</h2><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's impossible to give your people attention, love, and care if you are not first giving it to yourself. Take time to do things that excite you, fill your heart, and renew you. At the end of the day, find a way to unwind and forget about it all- even if it is just for a little while. I know that it can be hard to just forget about the stressors in your life, but it's important to do something you truly love, the required no obligations elsewhere in order to pour back into yourself. </span></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I firmly believe that you can not pour from an empty cup, so before you can truly help someone else, you first must have something to pour from. <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2019/10/great-reads-of-month-october-link-up.html#more" target="_blank">Read a book</a>, listen to an audiobook, write in a journal, drink that glass of wine, have that bowl of ice cream, and take that bubble bath. Whatever helps you relax is what you should focus on, which looks different for each individual. The key is to not make this a one-time occasion but to incorporate taking time for yourself into your everyday life. </span></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Put Down Your Social Media</h2><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We are SO focused on social media. It's hard not to be when we've become so accustomed to turning on the screen and scrolling. I am trying hard to put be more mindful of my social habits. To be honest, the longer I spend away from social media, the more present I feel. It doesn't have to be all or nothing, but finding ways to simplify social can make a huge difference. Take some time to declutter your social feeds. Unfollow anyone that does not bring you joy, encouragement, or healthy knowledge. You'll be glad that you did!</span></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6EBgtK6Auc8RS0J3q-kIWEckPgAKVGKC95eb4_NH_MIfFXzWG86O6Frqu5Rd3Wp7UlA0d9ZNPFSpKU5Dcd8mXqekzljGjMqU45OTDSSk2H3sVHlGcw2-z7V5_IVo8YHOQTn-XmxfIggWcbfa2YgfkVEa5z9yB-JDcSWWZkW0VHqg07Bq9fqmULWcig/s600/Untitled%20design%20(49).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ways to Live More Simply" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6EBgtK6Auc8RS0J3q-kIWEckPgAKVGKC95eb4_NH_MIfFXzWG86O6Frqu5Rd3Wp7UlA0d9ZNPFSpKU5Dcd8mXqekzljGjMqU45OTDSSk2H3sVHlGcw2-z7V5_IVo8YHOQTn-XmxfIggWcbfa2YgfkVEa5z9yB-JDcSWWZkW0VHqg07Bq9fqmULWcig/w640-h426/Untitled%20design%20(49).png" title="Ways to Live More Simply" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Find a Screen-Free Hobby</h2><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Technology makes life easier in a lot of ways, but it has also seemed to encroach on every aspect of our lives. Where we once painted a picture, now we do "paint by numbers" on a screen. Blocking out part of the day for screen-free activities takes us back to a simpler time. Take up gardening and grow your own vegetables. Maybe get back into a favorite hobby from childhood, like puzzling, knitting, or getting outside for a bike ride. These are great ways to essentially turn back the clock and make life feel a bit more simple.</span></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Clear the Clutter</h2><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Clear the clutter in your home by only keeping the best and most necessary clothing, home decor, and entertainment. Create a simple, comforting space that allows you to focus on connecting and spending time with the ones you love instead of having to devote all of your time to cleaning and moving around the clutter non-stop. </span></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IKDd6g4hWqtP72gjJ5FivJLueragixEFMF0LtjPomowS7lHm-i1swCjuDnOSWhapYruWZ5SSGB6kCZJM__saoYe7AqAP3l5LvNyB5dvfDws-docee1K-XnD-oXN4K3nmvUAvuUlnEXMw8ZANlInyZpM80tl24eKQg534spdysXzrYMR3jlFXegyj6g/s2272/Tampa%20Moving%20Company%20.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="2272" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IKDd6g4hWqtP72gjJ5FivJLueragixEFMF0LtjPomowS7lHm-i1swCjuDnOSWhapYruWZ5SSGB6kCZJM__saoYe7AqAP3l5LvNyB5dvfDws-docee1K-XnD-oXN4K3nmvUAvuUlnEXMw8ZANlInyZpM80tl24eKQg534spdysXzrYMR3jlFXegyj6g/w640-h340/Tampa%20Moving%20Company%20.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">What do you do with all the clutter that you cleared? Sell, donate, trash, or put it in storage. If you need help moving large items or storage solutions, </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://mtzionmoving.com/" style="color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">MT. Zion Moving & Storage</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> can help you. In fact, they can help with any moving-related need, especially residential moving services and </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://mtzionmoving.com/long-distance/" style="color: #4a6ee0; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;" target="_blank"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Tampa long-distance moving</span></a><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> services, too. They are fully licensed and bonded, have moved thousands of homes, and if you need something complicated done, try them - they've done it all with ease!</span></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Make Sunday Prep Day</h2><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Eliminate the stress of a busy week by setting yourself up for more success. Plan meals for the week ahead, tidy up the house for a clean slate, write the week's tasks, and fill your tank up. Give yourself time to rest so that you are ready to go for a busy week.</span></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Focus on Life's Priorities</h2><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Instead of worrying about every little thing, shift your thinking and focus on the priorities in your life instead. What is most important to you? For most people, it will be 1) happiness, 2) family, and 3) work. Find ways to prioritize AND balance your priorities so that you can make the most out of each day while living simply. Having too many priorities will just stress you out, and that becomes FAR from simple.</span></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">These are all simple way to, well, make life a bit more simple. And doesn't that just sound </span></span></span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 16, 26);">simply wonderful? I know it does for me! </span></span></p></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-50304154199601920482022-07-12T10:59:00.007-04:002022-07-20T12:13:11.383-04:00Prime Day Finds 2022 Great Harry Potter Deals on Amazon<h1 style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"> Happy PRIME DAY! </span></h1><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Here are some of my favorite finds this year! </span></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">RV Living Prime Day Finds </span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZQ1AM3unmgzaF8cuhkYc-mrg1YiO93rLo6kgJpzSzV7XDkbY2jcmBNxm2jJuTsltYp3UGsoD1aApbCxR3ENXF_ULbcxXLsjm6anT03sauuYGLq8zGQ8Zuy-dnDha0KgDQ0M2V6fgmHUs/s1004/Screen+Shot+2020-10-13+at+10.12.31+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img alt="Prime Day Finds 2022" border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="932" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZQ1AM3unmgzaF8cuhkYc-mrg1YiO93rLo6kgJpzSzV7XDkbY2jcmBNxm2jJuTsltYp3UGsoD1aApbCxR3ENXF_ULbcxXLsjm6anT03sauuYGLq8zGQ8Zuy-dnDha0KgDQ0M2V6fgmHUs/w594-h640/Screen+Shot+2020-10-13+at+10.12.31+AM.png" title="Prime Day Finds for RVers" width="594" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3uGzDV6" target="_blank">Dehumidifier</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2GWCSSD" target="_blank">Water Filter</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/370pPKt" target="_blank">Hose Support</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/311Isdi" target="_blank">Kindle</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2SS0bza" target="_blank">Hammock</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3uGzDV6" target="_blank">Dehumidifier</a>- We currently live off of Damp-Rid in the camper, but have been considering switching it up to a dehumidifier. This one has great reviews and a good size capacity for small spaces. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2GWCSSD" target="_blank">RV Water Filter</a>- We always have one of these attached to the hose. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/370pPKt" target="_blank">Hose Support</a>- We went without one for way too long! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/311Isdi" target="_blank">Kindle</a>- As much as I hate reading books on any kind of device, I had to start reading from my phone while we were on the road because it was easier than finding a bookstore, plus I can do the library ebooks. Think getting an actual e-reader may make it feel more realistic than reading from my phone. Trying to decide between regular or <a href="https://amzn.to/3dzhsa8" target="_blank">Kindle Paperwhite</a>... does anyone use either and have advice? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/34Zqc5A" target="_blank">Double Hammock</a>- nothing better! Grabbing a second one so Babe will have his own when he doesn't want to cuddle me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">General Prime Day Finds 2022 </span></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKjVHIG6JmwZ7JbAtPlHR4u9CIBGVqVty-nMvBRjygDQXy8ZCk7vHGXxgLY_0bQUFspQ-7Jod3hMCqtOqbiK7_CWsnF1MFNa6l2LqRNzVvvLzH6qp8BxUa_rLRq3kgKD6erPOnzbQPySsRrSEI9I9rFlwj1rBVtiOZkut1Spb8Do21p3NAgA18i8zYA/s1160/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-12%20at%2010.32.32%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Prime Day Finds 2022" border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="938" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKjVHIG6JmwZ7JbAtPlHR4u9CIBGVqVty-nMvBRjygDQXy8ZCk7vHGXxgLY_0bQUFspQ-7Jod3hMCqtOqbiK7_CWsnF1MFNa6l2LqRNzVvvLzH6qp8BxUa_rLRq3kgKD6erPOnzbQPySsRrSEI9I9rFlwj1rBVtiOZkut1Spb8Do21p3NAgA18i8zYA/w514-h640/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-12%20at%2010.32.32%20AM.png" title="Prime Day Finds 2022" width="514" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2GWQPzP" target="_blank">Roomba</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3v4MvEP" target="_blank">LifeStraw</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3lHxhOS" target="_blank">Revlon Dryer Brush</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3Pn7iuI" target="_blank">Echo Dot</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2GTI8X5" target="_blank">23 & Me DNA Kit</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3yBKlNA" target="_blank">Nugget Ice Maker (Crunchy Ice Dreams)</a>- Ice Maker with side tank, no bluetooth </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2GWQPzP" target="_blank">Roomba</a>- Because I have always wanted to NOT vacuum! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3yWSFsS" target="_blank">Shark Mop Vac</a>- If you want more than just a robot vacuum, the Shark model can also mop. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Off-Brand <a href="https://amzn.to/3v4MvEP" target="_blank">LifeStraw</a>- Mostly because the hiking geek in me has always wanted to suck water straight from a stream. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3lHxhOS" target="_blank">Revlon Dryer Brush</a>- this thing will CHANGE your life! Not actually part of Prime Day, but 50% off the black with the pink trim only. <br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3Pn7iuI" target="_blank">Echo Dot</a>- I am still debating this one, but the deal is too good to pass up. Probably because the want to hear everything we say, but hey, it they will turn my lights off for me so I don't have to get out of bed well why not?! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3lIyS6V" target="_blank">23 & Me DNA Test Kit</a>- Always wanted to try one! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3nYolYk" target="_blank">Exploding Kittens</a>- This is one of our favorite games and it doesn't go on sale often! Snag it while you can. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I will be looking for other great snags over the next few days! All items found will be added to my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/shop/lifessweetjourney">Amazon Affiliate Storefront</a> under Prime Day Finds 2022! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HP8udks5h2I" width="620" youtube-src-id="HP8udks5h2I"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What are you finding for Prime Day this year?!</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></div>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-68850280186964825652022-01-08T10:57:00.009-05:002022-01-15T14:34:40.364-05:00January Currently 2021 Rewind and 2022 Goals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ1ZqYhO_lSJDlTIpbq2x7Q5rtQIG9BkmIYWALu3Y5-_3uGZ2ce1AA0BIYNX7qEI0s4FQAYaE-1Ihf-xDWUcKfBUkkUGaDbJD8RqvIFk_pnGmQN0EyQeeKhGzn7RAPQQtkPTLZslyFeDKtynh_j0oL9Cxx6D7VUC0PpVzAb0V3u-187iDrLfkH3Tr5jg=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ1ZqYhO_lSJDlTIpbq2x7Q5rtQIG9BkmIYWALu3Y5-_3uGZ2ce1AA0BIYNX7qEI0s4FQAYaE-1Ihf-xDWUcKfBUkkUGaDbJD8RqvIFk_pnGmQN0EyQeeKhGzn7RAPQQtkPTLZslyFeDKtynh_j0oL9Cxx6D7VUC0PpVzAb0V3u-187iDrLfkH3Tr5jg=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><p>I completely fell off of blogging in the last quarter of 2021. We've had a lot of changes going on, and I know I say this every year but, I am determined to be more consistent and present in this space. <a href="http://www.anneinresidence.com/2022/01/currently.html" target="_blank">Anne's Currently linkup</a> is always a super helpful motivation for me. So starting off 2022 by wrapping up 2021 and sharing some goals for the new year.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>2021 Highlights</b></h3><div>- Welcomed a new little nephew</div><div>- Went back on the road</div><div>- Explored the Northeast US</div><div>- Made it all the way to Maine (loved it so much we stayed two extra weeks)</div><div>- Saw Niagara Falls</div><div>- Got Monetized on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/lifessweetjourney" target="_blank">YouTube</a></div><div>- Skied Breckenridge on my first big sister trip in many years (repeat in Feb!)</div><div>- Went snowmobiling for the first time and LOVED IT!</div><div>- Saw a lot of sunsets</div><div>- Enjoyed our annual aunt and uncle Georgia adventure</div><div>- Did a bestie road trip and taught her to enjoy a car ride!</div><div>- Came back to Florida because Babe was SUPPOSED to go back into the office</div><div>- Spend more time with the people was love</div><div>- Bought a house!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqzYlzB1rI-_5j-1l-C_ZpSHvEb4zIkXgqXPa-FCpEPtSkfjR24H4c8tJksUvrB4Dukf96KIZmkg2gXZ9u4s89i-uJZPnOQrxqdG7UZFBe_h6TP8hyHfOdXal2A0bWlfWkS2Ncv8XWrdYkcZ3mSPiIMyCeFY0X1Yy2SNme64vyCnfw1LZ6-5pUnsJ4Kw=s1440" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqzYlzB1rI-_5j-1l-C_ZpSHvEb4zIkXgqXPa-FCpEPtSkfjR24H4c8tJksUvrB4Dukf96KIZmkg2gXZ9u4s89i-uJZPnOQrxqdG7UZFBe_h6TP8hyHfOdXal2A0bWlfWkS2Ncv8XWrdYkcZ3mSPiIMyCeFY0X1Yy2SNme64vyCnfw1LZ6-5pUnsJ4Kw=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2Ffht4-8AFmiK7RpOcAMZMtw4iR4xT6n-LFtaMONwK0YcP_OqSddNbss8GPsLBgO8XELVKJA_iMScl3ygdV30UsChO1O8gnIsP55KcYkLvRKi-HiOCSgqZIPQS0qNOjXor2Auk_oGL5V_0j9ZhPO9qExrX3Cc-lqnpNel1OQdzs3v1yd-Wz2z6KSvyQ=s584" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="584" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2Ffht4-8AFmiK7RpOcAMZMtw4iR4xT6n-LFtaMONwK0YcP_OqSddNbss8GPsLBgO8XELVKJA_iMScl3ygdV30UsChO1O8gnIsP55KcYkLvRKi-HiOCSgqZIPQS0qNOjXor2Auk_oGL5V_0j9ZhPO9qExrX3Cc-lqnpNel1OQdzs3v1yd-Wz2z6KSvyQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkCrs4H6OgaryoGOBXN_G4gEHOCCPPaehbasH_r-HPNLxTOUrKJOCjdUodYWn5szKxhg76SUSLwVYRB5vbdyThQ1NKll9xo3K2c2RDE5dlYXElVXf_uTqSRQt-2rRYT9XQKi5ifbct12pNkRz-lxv5vXamssX9cgkliuHoYKDFauKVql8UxzE8PunRTw=s1440" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkCrs4H6OgaryoGOBXN_G4gEHOCCPPaehbasH_r-HPNLxTOUrKJOCjdUodYWn5szKxhg76SUSLwVYRB5vbdyThQ1NKll9xo3K2c2RDE5dlYXElVXf_uTqSRQt-2rRYT9XQKi5ifbct12pNkRz-lxv5vXamssX9cgkliuHoYKDFauKVql8UxzE8PunRTw=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Yep, we're staying put again! I am NOT sure how I feel about it, but its the right move for the moment. Even though they again postponed Babe having to go back into the office he will be asked to go back in a few days a week at some point in the near future. We have been wanting to open ourselves up to the possibility of foster car and growing our family and that isn't an option in an RV (at least not the fostering).</div><div><br /></div><div>It means saying goodbye to our Orlando house (our first home together), which has been rented out the last 4 year. It's bittersweet; I love the layout and the charm of that home. I wish we could take it with us, but it will make another family very happy.</div><div><br /></div><div>We made the decision to move to NSB. It's funny how life works out. We would never have come here for any prolonged period of time if we hadn't help open the Crimson House, but the time we spent here (plus our time on the road), showed us how much we love the quieter, slower life of a small town. We bought a new build construction in a DR Horton planned community (more on that later). </div><div><br /></div><div>So life is taking a super tight left turn for us for a while, but if there's anything I have learned the last few years its to never say never and things are never permanent.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpcluBUyEjIHFbXa26Jr_DCd9F9P7SmPXv8PoyKo5p_FMK9ek3vQXBZGtcMAFBpTrKRNXEY2OTD6EUdYaByHeBO4nPm86TZ7caFmb1tLWiWOnNDXN3jYaiooyWAyOq17Hq6WuiwMrX1lg9OzVrBtegsIOi1j1QSm5BQ33Zbjg-DrqISG0CtQV9FIjPDw=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpcluBUyEjIHFbXa26Jr_DCd9F9P7SmPXv8PoyKo5p_FMK9ek3vQXBZGtcMAFBpTrKRNXEY2OTD6EUdYaByHeBO4nPm86TZ7caFmb1tLWiWOnNDXN3jYaiooyWAyOq17Hq6WuiwMrX1lg9OzVrBtegsIOi1j1QSm5BQ33Zbjg-DrqISG0CtQV9FIjPDw=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><p><b>{A</b><b style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: #252525; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;">nticipating} </b><span face="Lato, sans-serif" style="color: #252525;"><span style="font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;">Whether its excited anticipation or trepidation I am not sure, but anticipating what's to come with all these changes. I am finally feeling more at peace with everything now that we've officially closed on the house. We are still in the camper and going to take the month to slowly transition. The bigger space just seems so intimidating right now. </span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: #252525; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;"><b>{Organizing} ALL. THE. THINGS! </b>We have the camper which will have to be organized while we decide what's staying in the camper (we are keeping it and planning alllll the road trips) and what's going into the new house. We also had tons of stuff in storage at our Orlando house (our renters were amazing) and spend two full weekends downsizing that and fixing up the house for sale. Honestly, it's amazing how easy it is to get rid of stuff you swore you would "need" when you haven't seen it in 4 years.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: #252525; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;"><b>{Reading} </b>Very slowly at the moment. I listened to 5 books while we were fixing up the house and it was amazing! Made me want to flip houses so I can just paint, scrape, and listen to books all day. Since then however, I have been trying to make it through The Maidens (audio) and The Dark Lure (physical read).</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: #252525; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;">These are the books I listened to while I was painting and I would recommend all of them!!</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: #252525; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;"><script type="text/javascript">
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<script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: #252525; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3qXvYiL" target="_blank">The One:</a> Such a unique perspective on dating apps. It matches you with "The One" by blood type.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: #252525; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3JK6i1Q" target="_blank">Mother May I:</a> If you love Joshilyn Jackson like I do give this one a try. Her last two books are a shift from her typical style and I did NOT like the previous book, but I did enjoy this.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: #252525; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;">The 6th (and final) <a href="https://amzn.to/3qRZcj7">School for Good and Evil Story:</a> Middle grade fiction that's great for adults who like fairytale adaptations. Centers around children of famous fairytale characters, plus "readers" from the real world. A tale of friendship and sisterhood. Currently free on Hoopla.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: #252525; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3qYapi2" target="_blank">The Moonlight Child:</a> Currently free on Hoopla and a good, easy yet suspenseful listen.</p><p style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: #252525; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;"><b>{Resolving} </b>I don't really do resolutions, because I am horribly inconsistent. However, I do have some goals for 2022. Even if I don't meet them having a goal really helps keep me focused and moving forward.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Goals for 2022</h3><div>- Start a new YouTube channel</div><div>- Spend less time on my phone and more time engaged in what's around me</div><div>- Walk regularly/ Be more active</div><div>- Spend more time with the people I love</div><div>- Be at peace with staying put</div><div>- Start foster care classes</div><p style="caret-color: rgb(37, 37, 37); color: #252525; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;"><b>{Scheduling} </b>Deliveries for the new house. We need so many things and I have no desire to actually buy anything. Maybe we'll just sit on the cardboard boxes after they bring the fridge.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">And that's it for now. </div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>What were 2021 highlights? </i></div></i><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><i>What are your goals for 2022?</i></div><div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Currently: <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2021/02/2020-amazon-favorites-roundup.html" target="_blank">Feb 2021</a> |<i style="font-style: italic;"> </i><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2021/08/August-Currently-Favorite-Reads.html" target="_blank">August 2021 & Favorite Reads</a></div><p></p>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-27045792444551985942021-12-22T16:24:00.003-05:002021-12-22T16:24:52.713-05:00Packing Hacks For a 4 Bedroom House<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Packing hacks can help make big moves less stressful!</span></span></h1><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">We hope that we can do it all but when it comes to moving, the reality is that we can’t. At least not </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; white-space: pre-wrap;">efficiently</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and while maintaining the slim bit of sanity we try to hold </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; white-space: pre-wrap;">onto</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when the moving process gets hectic. While it might be extremely easy to think of all the things that could go wrong or already begin to daydream about what your new life in a new city will look like, you first need to figure out how you are going to get everyone and your belongings there in one peace. When it comes to moving, there are few packing hacks that can make it easier for you! </span></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Packing Hacks For a 4 Bedroom House</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh4-6_bgcDWlq-RKPkSjxRkiu7GrMpc_BLVv2ukm4fwbvGif2S9OlZsrTjM2VyC28fII2zW0RXot0K9sGVLpeFFZMEw1D9gp5LFHc8rdhXTKEsMEPhIuz5t-Iv5NiwRgaq0Zcvr1ts9xhNsSu8cVXR4qIprohgFg9iR0i_jkwpHRubumGyv9DINs3-hw=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Packing Hacks" border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh4-6_bgcDWlq-RKPkSjxRkiu7GrMpc_BLVv2ukm4fwbvGif2S9OlZsrTjM2VyC28fII2zW0RXot0K9sGVLpeFFZMEw1D9gp5LFHc8rdhXTKEsMEPhIuz5t-Iv5NiwRgaq0Zcvr1ts9xhNsSu8cVXR4qIprohgFg9iR0i_jkwpHRubumGyv9DINs3-hw=w360-h640" title="Packing Hacks for a 4 Bedroom House" width="360" /></a><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-26f7ba52-7fff-a0f2-f91a-271b6bc5545b"><br /><ol style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><h3><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Declutter It All</span></h3><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A simple way to help you stay on task, organized and ready to move is by decluttering what you won’t need for your move. Go through each room with a trash bag and put items in that you haven’t used, touched or seen in at least 6 months. Once that is done, donate your items to a local charity, church, neighbor or put it up on Facebook Market to see who you can help in need. This will also help the hassle of trying to pack everything and really just the items you want or need for your next move. </span></p></li></ol><br /><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><h3><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Color Coding</span></h3><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To stay organized with so many items, color coding is one of the best things you can do to look at things from a glance instead of writing on boxes. Pick a color that you want to use. For example, you could pick the color pink and designate all boxes that are pink to be the kitchen. Have a diagram to give the movers that has each room color coding so they know what color box to put in each room. An easy way to do this is with post it notes! Then when you get to the new house, tape that color post it note on each door to let the movers know what goes where! </span></p></li></ol><br /><ol start="3" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><h3><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Protect Glassware with clothes or dishtowels </span></h3><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have ever traveled with breakable items, you want to make sure they are well protected. One way to do so and by not having to spend a lot of money ( or waste a lot of newspapers ) is by using clothes to help you pack your glass valuables. Wrap your glassware in a sweatshirt or long t-shirts and place them gently in the box to protect them. If you don’t want to use your clothes, you can also use your dish towels as well! Especially when wrapping kitchenware, then it's two products in one room! </span></p></li></ol><br /><br /><ol start="4" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><h3><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use A Toilet Paper Roll For Cords</span></h3><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have multiple cords for your computers, laptops, phone chargers and iPads, the worst thing you can do is try and throw them all together in a box and attempt to untangle them later. One way to help with this problem is by wrapping your cords up but then placing them in a toilet paper roll for safekeeping and for keeping your cords bending the correct way too. </span></p></li></ol><br /><br /><ol start="5" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><h3><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Save Boxes From Past Online Orders</span></h3><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One way to help yourself save money on boxes and packing materials is saving any that you’ve received from any online orders. If you aren’t one to shop online, check any restaurants or liquor stores that have any free ones for you to use in the box. They usually just cut them down when they are done but several are wanting to get rid of them or put them to good use! </span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 424px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img alt="Packing Hacks" height="435" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/MRS_lhLX50E3YaO_ux7uC_yceAWckynd59yW35jMTBsmlzHZeqc1EXifOB-OT41liMh_qkEWDnkkrc_YdxI9l0IE-HXf2ivCUZ8IM6Eys1ssJCQ7MofCnMCJqBLXrDa5OgJcsUqD=w640-h435" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" title="Packing Hacks" width="640" /></span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Image: Weston Moving and Storage</span></p><br /><ol start="6" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><h3><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Call In The Professionals for the Ultimate Packing Hack</span></h3><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once the boxes, bags, and items are all packed away, color-coded and ready to go, call a professional to help you move them all into a truck. One company that can assist you with this is called </span><a href="https://www.westonmoving.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weston Moving and Storage</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The friendly staff can handle all of your belongings with ease. While many moving companies may charge high rates for sub-par services, they go above and beyond providing exceptional service and affordable rates for your move. Hiring this popular </span><a href="https://www.westonmoving.com/safe-moving/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">safe movers in Broward County</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is there to make it easier for you and your family. If you don’t want to do all the packing and unpacking yourself, they also offer not only a truck but boxes, tape, label and organize them within your home and then deliver them to your new location safely. </span></p></li></ol><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some other packing hacks include putting important documents in a safe space such as your purse or file cabinet that can be locked. To help you get rid of some items quickly, you can host a garage sale in your neighborhood which also can give you some extra cash to use. If possible, try not to move during peak times ( aka the summer ) for cost reasons as it can be extremely expensive to do so and many moving companies are in high demand. Whatever your choice of packing or hiring someone or family to help, the move will go as smooth as possible. Focus on the experience and your new journey together.</span></p></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-2658522798167548402021-10-20T11:42:00.006-04:002021-10-21T11:25:46.150-04:00The Ultimate Gift Guide for Wine Lovers<h1 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Ultimate Gift Guide for Wine Lovers<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></span></h1><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjy9ti-8RlBwSjb8c5olg55HlTPdrMg9QW88VAqJb6yTIT71ssLWka9Oz-tNRNWyYFJKkIbIeU6UY3IfuzEuNSoRQS5xu8RuZ52j9rmeJbOmfDBaLAZCCxXFeHhXkZhWJNNSpcx8MZgl_/s1102/Gift+Guide-2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img alt="The Ultimate Gift Guide for Wine Lovers" border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjy9ti-8RlBwSjb8c5olg55HlTPdrMg9QW88VAqJb6yTIT71ssLWka9Oz-tNRNWyYFJKkIbIeU6UY3IfuzEuNSoRQS5xu8RuZ52j9rmeJbOmfDBaLAZCCxXFeHhXkZhWJNNSpcx8MZgl_/w426-h640/Gift+Guide-2.png" title="The Ultimate Gift Guide for Wine Lovers" width="426" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">October may not be over yet, but holiday shopping has already started. Especially with the delays in shipping right now it's better to start the gift getting sooner than later. This is the ultimate gift guide for wine lovers.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A few years ago I created a <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2018/11/gift-guide-wine-lover.html" target="_blank">post of gift ideas</a> for the wine lover that were under $25. This year I'm expanding it because if there was ever a time to stock your wine lover's stocking with all the vino magic it's now. Here are my favorite gift ideas for the wine lover in your life!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZvPMNqOnnwubI15EhBoFvnnlOTfS5pOYj7w2lKLrCbLFTnY64Fq9WON42AruEoW3J055Qh1fTbkLnOWFzSImSzR5KglGzICsu9OgNrP9nNky6TyrGQR0_U0LrQ5ozGjDo8Jqeov6gAAl/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-11-27+at+12.47.06+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Ultimate Gift Guide for Wine Lovers" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="628" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZvPMNqOnnwubI15EhBoFvnnlOTfS5pOYj7w2lKLrCbLFTnY64Fq9WON42AruEoW3J055Qh1fTbkLnOWFzSImSzR5KglGzICsu9OgNrP9nNky6TyrGQR0_U0LrQ5ozGjDo8Jqeov6gAAl/w392-h640/Screen+Shot+2018-11-27+at+12.47.06+PM.png" title="Wine Lover's Gift Guide Under $25" width="392" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div></span></h3><h2><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Wine Gifts Under $25 Perfect for Stocking Stuffers</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">{1} <a href="https://amzn.to/3hyv1bv" target="_blank">Reusable BPA Free Ice Cubes</a>- Who else loves their wine chilled?! Red, White, doesn't matter; I'm a Florida girl and I prefer my wine cold, so I always have a stock of reusable ice cubes on hand. </span><br /><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">{2} <a href="https://amzn.to/3u8e2DC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wine Tumbler</a>- It's like a sippy cup for adults! We tried so hard to keep our wine glasses safe while we were on the road, but sadly, glass just didn't stand up to road life. These stainless steel wine glasses are not only safe from falls, but also keep your wine at the temperature you enjoy. </span><br /><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">{3} </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2r7TwDh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Insulated Wine Tote</a><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">- Every good wino needs an insulated wine tote with all the essentials; to-go glasses, corkscrew, napkins. You can either tuck two bottles of wine inside or safe one half for a little bit to nibble! </span><br /><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">{4} </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2SdZZrJ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wine Glass Holder (for the shower</a><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">)- True story: I eat breakfast in the shower; no, not the tub, the shower! It's actually pretty easy- you simply sit on the floor of the shower, while the water cascades down around you. You tuck your breakfast behind the shower curtain, so that water does not reach your food and then every so often you stick your head behind there to take a bit. However, wine should be more optimally reachable, especially if you don't have time to sit. I actually don't have one of these amazing inventions yet and am hopeful that one finds its way into my stocking this year! It will also make bath time more enjoyable too; it's a pain in the butt to constantly feel like I will spill my wine any time I have to reach over the edge of the tub. </span><br /><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">{5} </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2QsxOby" target="_blank">Wine Stoppers</a><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">- One of the easiest gifts for a stocking stuffer! I really love these floral, silicon wine stoppers, because they lay flat which allows the bottle of wine to fit more easily in the shelf in our fridge door. Our other wine stoppers make the bottle too tall. </span><br /><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>{6} <a href="https://amzn.to/2TOcQCx" target="_blank">Wine Markers</a><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">- Hosting any fun holiday get togethers? Book club coming up?! Not only super sensible, but also a super fun way to add personal flair to wine glasses for a party!</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{7} <a href="https://amzn.to/2z4RN90" target="_blank">Portable Wine Bags</a>- These are my fave! I use them all the time! Movies? Wine bag in my purse! Leaving for a cruise? Wine bag discreetly hidden in my tatas by wearing a romper with a hanging ruffle (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BSrW8MGga_f/" target="_blank">pictured here</a>, the romper- for example; not the tatas)! Most cruise lines allow one bottle of wine per person, but it never hurts to have an extra one... do you know how much drinks cost onboard?! Seriously, portable wine bags come in super handy! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{8} <a href="https://amzn.to/2Sjbcrf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">3-in-1 Wine Chiller</a>- It not only chills your wine, but also aerates your wine while you pour! A little wine magician!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcA8rlnYbD5b2eZFDVqmePiE61JLFeSwAJXPmOaXJ1IfE7litulVaQbARBtp1Jp6W2LX_1mONCaWkVZujyp5UBckaiMx0qgdNN5iIBH4wCCGgJ23jm8fS6mbPqrzqF_Soq-hkJEWFepxY/s1920/Gift+Guide-4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img alt="The Ultimate Gift Guide for Wine Lovers" border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcA8rlnYbD5b2eZFDVqmePiE61JLFeSwAJXPmOaXJ1IfE7litulVaQbARBtp1Jp6W2LX_1mONCaWkVZujyp5UBckaiMx0qgdNN5iIBH4wCCGgJ23jm8fS6mbPqrzqF_Soq-hkJEWFepxY/w360-h640/Gift+Guide-4.png" title="The Ultimate Gift Guide for Wine Lovers" width="360" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Wine Gifts Between $25-100</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{1} <a href="https://amzn.to/3BPfwFH" target="_blank">Wine Picnic Table</a>- With glass and bottle holders, plus room for nibbles this is perfect for a date night or girl's backyard brunch.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{2} <a href="https://amzn.to/3lSBXUZ" target="_blank">Electric Wine Aerator</a>- It attaches right to the wine bottle for easy access.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{3} <a href="https://amzn.to/3vmyXDk" target="_blank">Stainless Steel Stemless Wine Set</a>- With tons of color options to choose from this set is perfect for the ultimate backyard host or hostess!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{4} <a href="https://amzn.to/3vr4u6Z" target="_blank">Wine Cork Holder</a>- Customize the gift to the getter with a personalized initial wine cork holder. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{5}<a href="https://amzn.to/3lUMaAo" target="_blank"> Counter Top Wine Rack</a>- Easy access to bottles, or a display for favorites, a wine rack (with glass holders) makes a great gift.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{6} <a href="https://amzn.to/2Z6tuF4" target="_blank">Insulated Wine Picnic Backpack</a>- Storage for food and drinks, with detachable plastic lined bag. Also has plates, cutlery, and wine glasses for 4 people.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{7} <a href="https://amzn.to/3pkZlwr" target="_blank">Huski Wine Cooler</a>- Keeps a bottle of wine cold for up to 6 hours. No ice needed!</span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Wine Gifts Over $100</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{1} <a href="https://amzn.to/3lWK6aQ" target="_blank">Wine Fridge</a>- 24 bottle wine fridge with removable shelves. 4.5 stars with almost 3K reviews! Perfect for the at home wine collector.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{2} <a href="https://amzn.to/3G6XVLS" target="_blank">Coravin Wine Saver</a>- When we worked at the wine bar we got first hand experience with the Coravin wine tasting system. This is perfect for those expensive bottles of wine that you want to let guests try or that you want to be able to enjoy for yourself without having to open the bottle. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A pressurized needle gets inserted through the cork to release the wine. You pour a tasting or a glass, then when ready you take the needle out. The Coravin allows you to preserve the wine for over a month or more from the first time you opened it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{3} <a href="https://amzn.to/3pkHOEL" target="_blank">Wine Bar Table</a>- This is the perfect gift for the true wine lover. Display your favorite wines and have the table available for setting up your next tasting.</span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Other Gift Ideas for Wine Lovers</span></h2><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Plan a wine outing!</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Do you live near a winery? Are there any nearby restaurants offering wine pairing dinners? Give the gift of experience with a day or night out doing a wine tasting.</span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sign up for a wine club.</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There are many different wine club options. Cooper's Hawk restaurants are in a lot of major cities and offer a wonderful wine club. There are wine club subscriptions that will ship wine directly to you on a quarterly basis.</span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Get personal with it.</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There are great ways to personalize wine gifts. Partner with a local winery to create a custom wine label. Get personalized wine glasses.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">No matter what you decide to grab there are so many great gift options for the winer lover. Happy sipping!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">More Gift Guides: </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2017/12/december-currently-and-stocking-stuffer.html" target="_blank">Stocking Stuffer Ideas for the Adventurer</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2017/01/great-gift-ideas-for-book-loving.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ideas for a Book Loving Adventurer</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div>
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</script>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-17794707045449672082021-10-06T09:49:00.001-04:002021-10-06T09:49:16.145-04:00October Currently and September Reads<p><span face="Lato, sans-serif" style="color: #252525;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IgWT5akO2H3ibXjp_aOuaoKGK-mXlcAWnEkfmdVKzQhA619klAH3u-n4ofJUQdhcnE81LG8igNxo2C66R982d32xJsJHZ9FpO0UIG0oEGpltIxGmaGd4yUzSQVLvGEngmb5FzxB_UoqO/s1920/Brown+Hello+October+Desktop+Wallpaper.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IgWT5akO2H3ibXjp_aOuaoKGK-mXlcAWnEkfmdVKzQhA619klAH3u-n4ofJUQdhcnE81LG8igNxo2C66R982d32xJsJHZ9FpO0UIG0oEGpltIxGmaGd4yUzSQVLvGEngmb5FzxB_UoqO/w640-h360/Brown+Hello+October+Desktop+Wallpaper.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><p><span face="Lato, sans-serif" style="color: #252525;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;">So much for setting myself up for "success" to not miss another <a href="http://www.anneinresidence.com/2021/10/currently.html" target="_blank">Currently link up with Anne</a>. I definitely didn't have my 'ish together enough to participate last month. Here's to trying again with a little peek at like lately.<span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face="Lato, sans-serif" style="color: #252525; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;">August/September Rewind</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face="Lato, sans-serif" style="color: #252525; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;">We've been back in Florida over two months now and made a lot of big decisions- more on that soon, because right now I am on the fence about whether we are sticking to them or not! Let's just say staying in one place for so long is just not my cup of tea any more. But we have dreams to possibly foster one day soon and if we are ever going to do that we are going to have to get used to the idea of staying put for a while! So August and September have found us hopping around Florida in our home on wheels and trying to soak up as much tiny living life as possible. We made it back to </span><a href="https://youtu.be/dkCxLOAlfv0" style="letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;" target="_blank">Moss Park</a><span face="Lato, sans-serif" style="color: #252525; letter-spacing: 0.4000000059604645px;"> for the first time in a while. We really like it there a lot, minus the poor cell signal.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">{Borrowing}</h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Library books now that we are finally somewhere long enough to be able to do so! I love road life but that is definitely something I have missed being able to do. I got a little overzealous and checked out way more than I could read before they had to go back, but even just having the options there if I made it through them all was a happy treat for my soul.</span></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">{Buying}</h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Throwback Halloween tees. I got a <a href="https://amzn.to/3abtOnI" target="_blank">Hocus Pocus shirt</a> that I have basically been living in. I told myself I would wait until at least October to rock it but I put it on as soon as I got it and plan to wear it year round. I feel like Hocus Pocus aptly applies to all life these days anyways!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PYO9o4szV4YERPUWVGDxS9LTxhYRB3ORwrqF8A2rfRJ3SAd4p-9_uOYKCjrXD9Vof-yEFomFn3pVmE0d_E1_efWzbUFXUNafjFm8fVUmmAHnr9XKExPK58YAAfzQZBlyl_AHmmD8smPA/s1008/Screen+Shot+2021-10-05+at+7.29.21+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img alt="Hocus Pocus Vintage TShirt" border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1008" height="523" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PYO9o4szV4YERPUWVGDxS9LTxhYRB3ORwrqF8A2rfRJ3SAd4p-9_uOYKCjrXD9Vof-yEFomFn3pVmE0d_E1_efWzbUFXUNafjFm8fVUmmAHnr9XKExPK58YAAfzQZBlyl_AHmmD8smPA/w640-h523/Screen+Shot+2021-10-05+at+7.29.21+PM.png" title="Hocus Pocus Vintage Shirt" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3oF0kXU" target="_blank">Shirt ordered in light gray for vintage wash look</a> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Other recently bought <a href="https://www.amazon.com/shop/lifessweetjourney?listId=2UZTFO1CGF8M5" target="_blank">favorites can be found here</a> and include blue light glasses and facial serum refills!</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{Planning}</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What the future holds! We have been super go-with-the-flow the last 3 years. Trying to make decisions for the future has me stressing but I know that it's time make a choice on what's next.</span></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">{Prepping}</h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My list off all things October! I have started watching spooky movies with a vengeance and am beyond excited for the new Halloween movie. I am stocking up on pumpkins with plans for carving and painting. Just like every year, I plan to keep them well into January so that I can roast pumpkin seeds long after my favorite season is over. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My Favorite <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2015/11/sweet-and-salty-honey-roasted-pumpkin.html" target="_blank">Sweet and Salty Pumpkin Seed Recipe</a>! </span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2015/11/sweet-and-salty-honey-roasted-pumpkin.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjWxfUTSpVE0WTxC6kxd2c0mx3ai88_MApxRfyTJT-jT_gKo7eJnOfozxE8OjdKZpFbwiOtwqRq7OPFt8tlmp3cIkbA6AVzbYbqXS3hC4ipeKkg9cNHsKdauGvmQYI9CqkRRWCLCgmvUpm/w640-h640/IMG_3559.1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">{Reading}</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I have managed to read a lot lately! Here are my September reads:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CUc-D2pAsTA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background-color: white; background: #FFF; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.14902) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CUc-D2pAsTA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background-color: white; background: #FFFFFF;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></a><div style="align-items: center; background-color: white; display: flex; flex-direction: row; line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CUc-D2pAsTA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background-color: white; background: #FFFFFF;" target="_blank"> </a><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-bottom-left-radius: 50%; border-bottom-right-radius: 50%; border-radius: 50%; border-top-left-radius: 50%; border-top-right-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; 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line-height: 0; padding: 8px 0px 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CUc-D2pAsTA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background-color: white; background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">View this post on Instagram</span></a></div></div><div style="background-color: white; line-height: 0; padding: 12.5% 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div></div></blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><script type="text/javascript">
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<script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Midnight Sun and The Cursed Child were comfort reads! I had read Harry Potter and The Cursed Child but this was my first time reading Midnight Sun. It was all the angsty vampire glory my stressed out heart needed. Does anyone else read certain books for comfort?</span></p><h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Related Post: <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2018/10/books-to-read-October.html" target="_blank">Spooktacular Books to Read in October</a></span></h4><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That's it for me this month (and last- haha)! Did this feel disjointed to anyone else? Because it sure did for me. I am all over the place lately mentally and this post seems to only support that fact. Maybe I'll have it more together for the next catchup, but I'm going to go with chances being slim for that from now until the end of the year!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>What does life look like for you currently?</i></span></div><div><br /></div> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-48406508847968782021-09-28T12:03:00.003-04:002021-09-28T12:08:23.491-04:00Tips To Move From The City To A Small Town<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Moving from the City to a Small Town</span></h1><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When people decide to move from the city to the suburbs it usually is because they are looking for a great school district to raise kids, or wanting to enjoy the charming suburbs and have more space to raise their family. Of course, adding in the coronavirus pandemic to the equation and suddenly there are all sorts of people moving from the city to the suburbs. Many families start with the same wish list that they are looking for such as low taxes, a short commute to where they need to go, and a great school district but there is also another way to approach your home hunt. Below are some key things that first-time suburban families should take into consideration. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDyE4Xr_mfn4GALh868wGH0XG2uYluodr18YuK1Piv5I_-DCmg333FGr70FHrhIRkz0f0zHhtAW5L5dIvXRMW3SZK3wt5h20YVthf7ou9cx0_hBeF62b8-MVpHRPFCeP82uKqWbqPiwTe/s1920/Tips+for+Moving+from+a+Big+City+to+a+Small+Town.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDyE4Xr_mfn4GALh868wGH0XG2uYluodr18YuK1Piv5I_-DCmg333FGr70FHrhIRkz0f0zHhtAW5L5dIvXRMW3SZK3wt5h20YVthf7ou9cx0_hBeF62b8-MVpHRPFCeP82uKqWbqPiwTe/w360-h640/Tips+for+Moving+from+a+Big+City+to+a+Small+Town.png" width="360" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">*This is a sponsored post.<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Look At The Neighborhood As Well as The House</span></span></h2><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0e101a;">Sometimes, people look at the entire neighborhood instead of just looking at the house itself. When you are searching for that perfect dream home, most people, and understandably so, focus on the property itself. This includes how many bedrooms the house has, how big the lot is, and how many bathrooms it offers. After all, you want to look at the overall floor plan and the sun-flooded kitchen filled with everything you want. However, the house is also part of a community, and you want the right fit for your family. To make sure that it's a good fit for you, walk the neighborhood and try to imagine it being yours. Don't just look at the most popular towns- you should take time to look at different neighborhoods to find the right fit for you. Look at the downtown area, the parks, the restaurants, and perhaps even try it yourself and see what the people and atmosphere feel like to you and your spouse. </span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f162dcf6-7fff-949c-d52d-f2b2d7311157"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 16, 26);"><br /></span></span></span></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Looking At A District That Is Right For Your Kids</span></span></h2><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;">If you have children, education can be a top motivator for moving from the city to the suburbs. Everyone wants a great school district (not that the city doesn't offer this either), but you need to look into all that specific district offers. A school that ranks well on a test might be a pressure cooker that your child might not thrive in, or they may not have programs geared towards your child's interests. Look at the total school enrollment. Is your child going to do well in that school that has almost a thousand kids per grade level? Is the class size acceptable? Again does the community reflect the lifestyle that you are looking for? </span></span><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thinking About Your Commute Time Before Quality</span></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 16, 26); color: #0e101a; font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A big mistake families make when moving to the suburbs from the city is that their commute has changed, especially if they are still working in the city. Do a trial run. Attempt the drive one time during rush hour and see if you can stand the commute. For many people, it is extremely worth the trade-off, but others find the longer commute frustrating. Look into ride-shares or other transportation options. Scope out the parking situation too. Call the town office to look into details while you prepare. Again, many smaller towns are hidden jewels that still offer all the charm and feel you are looking for but half the taxes, the stress of people, and an easier commute.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(14, 16, 26);"><br /></span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 535px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; overflow: hidden; width: 413px;"><img height="535" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/B7GaJ83peuWtcw3ky6Am3qIcVFaFwzniUZAF9_FXVuCE1kTrr22Pjfzj7TqebTy7abMcxQ3CC-eI53sR94z7qQML18fL6xRMtJ4ApR0LFd8r1TqTeLLors8AMTDIuw=s0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="413" /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Image: Infinite Moving</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hire Movers to Assist You</span></span></span></span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7ce2850e-7fff-7d34-1782-3d960155821e" style="font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It might seem simple to move yourself from the city to the suburbs, and you might think it's saving you money, but this could be more difficult than you realize. Hiring a moving company to help you move your possessions allows you to focus on other essential items and gives you peace of mind to get everything done. </span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A popular company in Florida called </span><a href="https://infinitemoving.com/" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Infinite Moving</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> offers services in the Georgia area. Not only do they help you move from one location to the next but also assist </span><a href="https://infinitemoving.com/local-moves/" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Polk County local movers</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to wherever you are going. This professional company can work hard for you and is key to keeping you calm during such a big transition in your life.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hopefully these mistakes can help you look into what you don’t want to do when you moving from the city to the suburbs. Take your time finding the home you want, the neighborhood you are picturing and what everyone wants for the next upcoming years. </span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0e101a; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></div></div>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-52401344380871786652021-09-23T11:41:00.002-04:002021-10-04T12:07:48.081-04:005 Ideas and Tips To Save You Time and Stress When Moving<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moving soon? Here are 5 ideas to save you time and stress when moving!</span></h1><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting over in a new place can be exciting, but the moving part is almost universally despised. Between actually finding a new place, packing up stuff and actually moving it, the process can be overwhelming. But it doesn't have to be! I've had at least 6 personal moves in my adult life (plus packing up to consolidate and store a 4 bedroom house when we moved into the RV), so I've learned a lot about turning a move from painful to promising. Here are five moving ideas and tips to make your next move less stressful.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfOT59UxZtPy7MbbUTO048fON8km_cQTKqiJOw4Pbu94GS2kcbsfw1NI6XSkptC62bMUNtI86dwA6ckDe_8uL0eJuaiLYpn8u9mpikFNp1SC-MtfAdOCOw-mMWh7ens4TQJKcjXJVNJxu/s1920/www.lifessweetwords.com.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img alt="Moving Ideas Tips" border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfOT59UxZtPy7MbbUTO048fON8km_cQTKqiJOw4Pbu94GS2kcbsfw1NI6XSkptC62bMUNtI86dwA6ckDe_8uL0eJuaiLYpn8u9mpikFNp1SC-MtfAdOCOw-mMWh7ens4TQJKcjXJVNJxu/w360-h640/www.lifessweetwords.com.png" title="5 Ideas To Save You Time and Stress When Moving" width="360" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">(Sponsored post: all thoughts are my own.) </span></div><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1fa046d9-7fff-c295-2d58-b1efff4b79e2"><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1.Have A Plan For Your Move</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Think of moving as a big project. The more prepared you are, the smoother the project will go.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secure your new place before moving. I know I sound like Captain Obvious, but even if you are moving in with friends or family, make sure you have had the necessary conversations about doing so.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Get clarity on the timeframe. Be sure to discuss how much time you have to move out of the old place and into the new one. If you're buying, you should talk about this during the purchase process. If you're renting, discuss this with your landlord.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Create a timeline. Start with a high-level timeline that includes tasks like packing, the actual move, cleaning your old space, etc. Then, break those larger tasks into more specific goals and assign them to your timeline. For example, you might put a broad action item in your planner to start packing one month before your drop dead move-out date. You might then break packing down by rooms or functions, working backward through the things you will and won't be using.</span></p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Let Stuff Go Before Moving Day</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you take out the trash, do you just haul it from one can to the next indefinitely? No? Then why do that with your stuff?! We should all ideally be editing our belongings periodically anyway, but if that isn't the case (*raises hand*), moving is a great opportunity to do so. Take it a room at a time or even a drawer at a time, and be honest with yourself about whether or not the items are serving you. Try categorizing items. For example, you can make initial piles for things that are to keep, donate, and trash. Then, take a good hard look at your "keep" pile. I personally favor Marie Kondo's method of letting go of things that no longer "spark joy." Everything you let go of is one less item to pack and potentially one less box to move!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica; height: 447px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img alt="Moving Ideas and Tips to Save Time and Stress" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/SopCiAem9348FbAQQLjtZdF_GYiaqXCAF4wQpqdJY-t7m3hSeNYxvxmHce7ag5gZXedNeAosLGSYK8NMUfZOJArG3ecpVAFFVl_fjNrQxnS8xOG0-58EvbeUNs-z3nlubzR6CuLB=s16000" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" title="24/7 Logistic Services" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Image courtesy of 24/7 Logisitic Services / Moving ideas and tips.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Give yourself ample time</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A good way to burn yourself out is to move in a hurry. I understand that moves often happen in a short window, but where possible, I recommend at least a week for the actual moving and cleaning. If possible, I recommend starting to pack at least two weeks in advance. This way, you can stage your move over the course of several days, and allow yourself the grace to prepare and manage the unexpected. You will also have the wiggle room to clean your old place while it is empty - and not on the same day you move.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have the luxury of taking a day off after your move, DO IT. You and your back can thank me later.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Hire Help For Moving Day</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There comes a point in life when there isn't enough pizza in the world to convince your friends to help you move that couch up and down three flights of stairs. That's where the big guns come in! Hiring reputable relocation professionals can save your time - and your friendships - by doing the heavy lifting. Companies with licensed, bonded, and insured drivers (like </span><a href="https://247logisticservices.com/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">24/7 Logistic Services </span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in the Florida area) can give you the peace of mind that everything (and everyone) will arrive at the new destination in one piece. Be sure to check into this </span><a href="https://247logisticservices.com/moving-services/long-distance-moving-company/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hollywood, Florida long distance movers</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica; height: 574px; overflow: hidden; width: 580px;"><img alt="Moving Ideas and Tips to Save Time and Stress" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/LWRgXHWSQInWdNMSZ_4nRP9HTso_ECT5eiQXvD55PFc_qb1vnntjfcrC614quAVJVI5DYliuOB0rm7y8S9dQ-yeJsHAuqzv46k_wRLMryx-Ph0TbviWDWyA1tYQVn7QRHyoLF_JK=s16000" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" title="24/7 Logistic Services" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Image courtesy of 24/7 Logistic Services</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your plan will come in handy when you call for a moving estimate. Professional movers often charge by the hour or by the pound. In a previous move where I was pressed for cash, I hired movers to handle my furniture, appliances, and large boxes, and moved all my smaller items myself over the course of several days, according to my staging plan. This shaved time, and subsequently money, of my final charge.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Regardless of whether or not you pull in friends to help, some items should really be left to the professions. Hire a professional like these to take care of the items for you! </span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. Measure twice, move once</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A solid space plan can save you a world of trouble come moving day. Before you move anything into the new place, take the time to draw a map.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm extremely detail-oriented, so in addition to walls, I recommend marking outlets, vents, communication ports, and any other idiosyncrasies you may need to work around.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Measure, measure, measure. Sure, you could just draw the layout, but none of that matters if you show up and your items don't fit. Measure your furniture and anything you know will have a footprint in your floor plan. If you have the time, go for the gusto and mark up your map. Measure the walls, windows, doors and your new space.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica; height: 351px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img alt="Moving Ideas and Tips" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/kd8PFy4uRK8o-xKmB8jOkEsQ9DIpNQCMgoURkB2Y250e941FUbFIufiHKq6vorZtj2Yy9lhBPsnD8WzkWpmX64eKL_2Lq-66MsUqDycUavCyYeih1WRi5eMrwS-zy8Hw-3opPPGJ=s16000" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" title="furniture labels" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Moving ideas and tips: labels make it very clear to your helpers where things should go.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mark furniture placements. This may be the best thing I've done in my past two moves. Get some index cards and label them with the names and dimensions of your furniture pieces. Tape those cards to the walls or floors where they belong. This step is indispensable when you have help, because it makes your move self-explanatory. My movers were able to make quick work in the new place without having to stop and ask for directions, because everything had been labeled for them.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All in all, moving is a big undertaking, but it does not have to be stressful. Hire movers, invite organized <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2017/10/october-currently-and-look-at-our.html" target="_blank">friends to help</a>, and give yourself grace. Take it one manageable step at a time, and you'll be enjoying your new digs in no time.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><h3 style="text-align: left;"></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>Do you have moving ideas or tips for a smooth move?</span><span> </span></span></i></div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Drop them in the comments below!</span></i></div></span></h3></div><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></p></span>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-817407785639592572021-08-09T12:16:00.006-04:002021-09-29T17:11:55.829-04:00August Currently and Favorite Reads for Book Lover's Day<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> Hello August!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I missed last month's link up entirely and am a week late for this one, but life has been a bit of a whirlwind lately. Better late than never to <a href="http://www.anneinresidence.com/2021/08/currently.html" target="_blank">link up with Anne</a> for a Currently checkin.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>June Rewind</b>- We ended up spending the entire month in Maine and LOVED every minute of it. Posts with all the best thing coming soon. We were originally planning to only stay for a two weeks, but we loved it so much and a friend decided to come visit so we opted to close of the month enjoying more of Main'e magic. We hiked. We ate lobster (we didn't think the lobster rolls lived up to the hype, but grilling a 4 lb beast of a lobster on the grill sure did). We took in all the coastal New England town feels. It was simply wonderful!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTXkuR8rVyOdanUj1OZci_vp34a-dgcjQr7WRhyphenhyphenePivcfW5x_M-Fd3mu6hAgqH9feYMGm5nXtj3hcQpyuMOvPNm1kgNEQvXgXI4knLFRBv6HOvqGfuBLNdOXuDeGrNb70ZHjJL8Hyike1/s4032/IMG_2242.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img alt="August Currently and Favorite Reads for Book Lover's Day" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTXkuR8rVyOdanUj1OZci_vp34a-dgcjQr7WRhyphenhyphenePivcfW5x_M-Fd3mu6hAgqH9feYMGm5nXtj3hcQpyuMOvPNm1kgNEQvXgXI4knLFRBv6HOvqGfuBLNdOXuDeGrNb70ZHjJL8Hyike1/w640-h480/IMG_2242.jpg" title="August Currently and Favorite Reads for Book Lover's Day" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JSk_EA4XLNU5LO9cpYut9LDWZiihKXdOiBQAwJCCigZY_Uw2T8b6o7mFbuVpV6aFfL15bhIjfP_4EsaN8MWdQM5P4r2p4UsfmstXw_gDsMuAmo0V2H1AcQjw4BJd4iT4ryfUClsyNpmq/s4032/IMG_2857.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img alt="August Currently and Favorite Reads for Book Lover's Day" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JSk_EA4XLNU5LO9cpYut9LDWZiihKXdOiBQAwJCCigZY_Uw2T8b6o7mFbuVpV6aFfL15bhIjfP_4EsaN8MWdQM5P4r2p4UsfmstXw_gDsMuAmo0V2H1AcQjw4BJd4iT4ryfUClsyNpmq/w640-h480/IMG_2857.jpg" title="Stone Mountain Georgia" width="640" /></span><span><a name='more'></a></span></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60VPc8h6PT5D6z8qvIA64g7JUuK6y6UkRBW1Y92aA33aZm7ArgjDGvdDHSC0sC1Hs7tCSzLN6ap5IK9EsfD9CMgbRDF64zIcxIzfvilIm4qS-NfYQ-T4J3y4r6_0zy3zVqahyphenhyphenSmIbchSl/s792/Screen+Shot+2021-08-09+at+11.56.12+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="792" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60VPc8h6PT5D6z8qvIA64g7JUuK6y6UkRBW1Y92aA33aZm7ArgjDGvdDHSC0sC1Hs7tCSzLN6ap5IK9EsfD9CMgbRDF64zIcxIzfvilIm4qS-NfYQ-T4J3y4r6_0zy3zVqahyphenhyphenSmIbchSl/w640-h428/Screen+Shot+2021-08-09+at+11.56.12+AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></div></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>July Rewind</b>- We slowly started making our way back towards Florida after Babe got the notification from work that they would be returning to the office at least a few days a week come the first of August. We were sad to be closing out this stint of full-time travel, but also grateful that something answered our "do you think it's time to start settling down" questions for us. We did a week in Virginia, finally visiting historic Williamsburg. We stopped in TN for the 4th of July and one more week with family, then made it back to Florida in time to load a car back up (this time with 4 kids in tow) and head to Georgia for our summer blowout! Having two tweens and two littles made this trip pretty interesting. Some of the amenities we enjoy where we stayed were closed for a bit too. We filled up the week with new adventures, maybe a few trying moments too, but loved another fun Aunt Mel/Uncle Andrew adventure. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Moving into August here's what I'm...</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>{Admiring}</b> All the amazing books on sale and all the amazing books I still have on my TBR list. It's not a bad problem to have so many good options out that it's hard to choose. Today is National Book Lover's Day! Here are a few of my favorite reads that are currently on sale on Amazon...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DdPyqZaZpkDzYkYi10_MaFAyQW4hixj1Z8pDk-J8fA8EPDvro38BTjzKiPR0w-MGXNRgxlla5VbC_KfsBJhpBrkrekXAq40RLMEgB-NX2Uu-MlSS1_UD8fvsSMUSLBOOHoOJaPooUX5l/s842/Screen+Shot+2021-08-09+at+10.55.15+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img alt="Book Lover's Day Favorite Reads" border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="842" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DdPyqZaZpkDzYkYi10_MaFAyQW4hixj1Z8pDk-J8fA8EPDvro38BTjzKiPR0w-MGXNRgxlla5VbC_KfsBJhpBrkrekXAq40RLMEgB-NX2Uu-MlSS1_UD8fvsSMUSLBOOHoOJaPooUX5l/w640-h488/Screen+Shot+2021-08-09+at+10.55.15+AM.png" title="Book Lover's Day Favorite Reads" width="640" /></span></a></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="📘" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t3f/2/16/1f4d8.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span><a href="https://amzn.to/3xxTYuq" target="_blank"></a></span><a href="https://amzn.to/3fJVfIs" target="_blank">The Nightingale</a> by <a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl q66pz984 gpro0wi8 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristinHannah?__cft__[0]=AZUz_GbELT86qeMEDgj9fMJvj1wQXc3GztDQoJAR8h9K1daEvmFLypGtcRTfb2TpDsjRrdVmxIISsD-VA6ZKnIO7kh2ko2usziZlHTR2m0B9oOzyvOa0wWEZR9zMDG-LU4VXsbC7PM2uR05M-niJXrst&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--accent); cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="0"><span class="nc684nl6" style="display: inline;">Kristin Hannah</span></a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Paperback currently $8.18</span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="📘" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t3f/2/16/1f4d8.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span><a href="https://amzn.to/3xxTYuq" target="_blank">Woven in Moonligh</a>t by <a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl q66pz984 gpro0wi8 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/IsabelIbanezDavis/?__cft__[0]=AZUz_GbELT86qeMEDgj9fMJvj1wQXc3GztDQoJAR8h9K1daEvmFLypGtcRTfb2TpDsjRrdVmxIISsD-VA6ZKnIO7kh2ko2usziZlHTR2m0B9oOzyvOa0wWEZR9zMDG-LU4VXsbC7PM2uR05M-niJXrst&__tn__=kK-R" role="link" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--accent); cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="0"><span class="nc684nl6" style="display: inline;">Isabel Ibanez</span></a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">30% OFF hardcover/ Amazing, immersive YA Bolivian inspired fantasy</span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="📘" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t3f/2/16/1f4d8.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span><a href="https://amzn.to/3lMWg6o" target="_blank">Sing, Unburied, Sing</a> by Jesmyn Ward</span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Paperback under $12/ Haunting story of a family journey</span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="📘" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t3f/2/16/1f4d8.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span><a href="https://amzn.to/3Czi3V9" target="_blank">The Lying Game</a> by <a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl q66pz984 gpro0wi8 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/ruthwarewriter?__cft__[0]=AZUz_GbELT86qeMEDgj9fMJvj1wQXc3GztDQoJAR8h9K1daEvmFLypGtcRTfb2TpDsjRrdVmxIISsD-VA6ZKnIO7kh2ko2usziZlHTR2m0B9oOzyvOa0wWEZR9zMDG-LU4VXsbC7PM2uR05M-niJXrst&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--accent); cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="0"><span class="nc684nl6" style="display: inline;">Ruth Ware</span></a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Paperback $9 OFF/ I love most anything Ruth Ware, but this is one of my top faves</span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="📘" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t3f/2/16/1f4d8.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span><a href="https://amzn.to/3s5Hglb" target="_blank">The Night Circus</a> by <a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl q66pz984 gpro0wi8 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/erinmorgensternbooks?__cft__[0]=AZUz_GbELT86qeMEDgj9fMJvj1wQXc3GztDQoJAR8h9K1daEvmFLypGtcRTfb2TpDsjRrdVmxIISsD-VA6ZKnIO7kh2ko2usziZlHTR2m0B9oOzyvOa0wWEZR9zMDG-LU4VXsbC7PM2uR05M-niJXrst&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--accent); cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="0"><span class="nc684nl6" style="display: inline;">Erin Morgenstern</span></a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Paperback $5 OFF/ One of my top 3 always recommended books, also if you prefer audio it's read by Jim Dale. I read it, but plan to listen ASAP!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="📘" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t3f/2/16/1f4d8.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span><a href="https://amzn.to/3CwbouR" target="_blank">The Silent Patient</a> by <a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl q66pz984 gpro0wi8 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/AlexMichaelidesOfficial/?__cft__[0]=AZUz_GbELT86qeMEDgj9fMJvj1wQXc3GztDQoJAR8h9K1daEvmFLypGtcRTfb2TpDsjRrdVmxIISsD-VA6ZKnIO7kh2ko2usziZlHTR2m0B9oOzyvOa0wWEZR9zMDG-LU4VXsbC7PM2uR05M-niJXrst&__tn__=kK-R" role="link" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--accent); cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="0"><span class="nc684nl6" style="display: inline;">Alex Michaelides</span></a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hardcover 49% OFF/ My favorite psychological thriller of recent</span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="📘" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t3f/2/16/1f4d8.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span><a href="https://amzn.to/2XfKFCZ" target="_blank">Where the Crawdads Sing</a> by <a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl q66pz984 gpro0wi8 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/authordeliaowens/?__cft__[0]=AZUz_GbELT86qeMEDgj9fMJvj1wQXc3GztDQoJAR8h9K1daEvmFLypGtcRTfb2TpDsjRrdVmxIISsD-VA6ZKnIO7kh2ko2usziZlHTR2m0B9oOzyvOa0wWEZR9zMDG-LU4VXsbC7PM2uR05M-niJXrst&__tn__=kK-R" role="link" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--accent); cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="0"><span class="nc684nl6" style="display: inline;">Delia Owens</span></a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hardcover ONLY $11/ Another of my top 3 recommended reads, LOVE her storytelling</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>{Anticipating} </b>New big things and life changes headed our way... stay tuned!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>{Enjoying} </b>Some time in the sun now that we're back at the beach for a while. I also love being close to Orlando, but still in get the small town vibes that beach life provides. My bestie was just a short drive away and came up from Orlando. We spent Saturday doing a Sip & Stroll, then lazed around all Sunday after slightly enjoying the stroll too much- haha. We set up a cover and didn't leave the beach for hours. Having shade makes beaching sooooo much more enjoyable! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>{Spending} </b>$$ on new clothing for myself- finally! I HATE shopping, with a passion. But I also haven't added anything new to my wardrobe since last year. I mostly seem to shop around bathing suit season and get a couple things along with a new suit. I have actually loved everything I have found recently, including <a href="https://amzn.to/3jU8wjh" target="_blank">this new suit</a> (if between sizes I would size down, mines just a little big in the boobs). My other new purchases are in the top finds on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/shop/lifessweetjourney?listId=2UZTFO1CGF8M5" target="_blank">my Amazon page</a> (the drawstring shorts are soooo COMFY). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3lNEyju" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpkjcB2sbS8XniF4GTSPOZtgvIC8fybsaSm4sRYBZpT5YHvsJkKrqjhAieO4mYu20sldeGlGOwRHBHvIyhExr3P9cWkB4p7KLxzfkIETmV8IfTBbWTR95w-mrwXuh5j7UhClw1rBX_LAR/w640-h480/IMG_3052.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>{Saving} </b>Am I allowed to say my sanity?! New things are coming and trying to give myself space to process them so I don't end up freaking out. Change, even good, has a way of putting me in a tailspin for a bit. I am also taking on new clients at work, which is great, but just working to find some balance with all the newness going on. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">That's it for me this month!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">What does life look like for you currently?</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>Past Currently Posts with Amazon Finds</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2021/02/2020-amazon-favorites-roundup.html" target="_blank">February Currently & 2020 Favorites</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2020/08/Amazon-Finds-Elimate-Single-Use-Plastic.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">August of 2020 / Single Use Plastic Savers</span></a></div><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6785959148693974"
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</script>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-7512561388655225032021-07-13T10:40:00.000-04:002021-07-13T10:40:50.254-04:00Travel Tuesday Travel Blogger Link Up <p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's the second Tuesday of the month, which means it's time for another Travel Tuesday travel blogger link up. Share any fun travel or RV-related blogs, videos, or IG posts using the blue button at the bottom of this post.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Small Town Find of the Month- <a href="https://www.cafekaribo.com" target="_blank">Cafe Karibo</a> </span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGgF1aM5at5iFf6RCuTe7v_KpzYxKbc_-F-UHjLE40RTVR6ASTURHg2KoC698If33il297YQHW_kWlTkPXU2PD25ZTWnPMUyc_Rysm-BLUSfxQ3eJ0CwCou44OjlNnzpeJzFKidyb4yRG/s4032/IMG_2600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img alt="Travel Tuesday Travel Blogger Link Up" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGgF1aM5at5iFf6RCuTe7v_KpzYxKbc_-F-UHjLE40RTVR6ASTURHg2KoC698If33il297YQHW_kWlTkPXU2PD25ZTWnPMUyc_Rysm-BLUSfxQ3eJ0CwCou44OjlNnzpeJzFKidyb4yRG/w640-h480/IMG_2600.jpg" title="Cafe Karibo" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span><a name='more'></a></span>A friend's mom, who visits Fernandina Beach every year, recommended Cafe Karibo as a great lunch option. Her advice was spot on! Cafe Karibo not only has a wonderful atmosphere both inside and out, but the food was stellar and the drinks amazing. We loved how fresh everything was! I ordered the Mediterranean Couscous Salad with a crab cake add-on. While the crab cake was good, the salad would have been plenty on its own! Cafe Karibo definitely doesn't skimp on portions. Babe got the Baby Spinach and Kale Salad with added mahi-mahi. We were both very satisfied customers. We went on a Sunday and there was a 20 minute wait. Sunday is their brunch day, so it was a pretty popular spot. We put our names in and went to get a drink while we waited when two bar stools opened up. The bar is first-come-first-serve, so be sure to check if you would prefer not to wait! His and her drinks: Her- White Sangria (ask for a guava puree floater!); Him- Bloody Mary; Both- All the heart eyes!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">RV Blogger Highlight of the Month</span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://adventureswithtucknae.com/boondocking-for-beginners/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img alt="Travel Tuesday Travel Blogger Link Up" border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg285DukX8ENMw1px8ZL6IDVUdoRMNC0lKb5JqbnB0cWJbm17eXq5jMvwuefnMXXt8P2x1W3hDrNngGmnn60LDPFDuO9MwvDM_6E3iZjpQa9YoCpC2SleM55ttDgY_Cgbl7j-Zg9yA_-dz9/w640-h360/Blogger+Highlight+Feature-2.png" title="Boondocking Guide" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Adventures with Tucknae shared what has to be the MOST EXTENSIVE <a href="https://adventureswithtucknae.com/boondocking-for-beginners/" target="_blank">BOONDOCKING GUIDE</a> EVER! Janae's post covers everything a beginner needs to know about boondocking- RVing without electric or water hookups. Even seasoned boondockers could learn a thing or two with all the information covered. From how to prepare, where to find spots, what to do with pets, safety concerns, and more, it is a practical guide for any RVer.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Travel Envy Highlight of the Month</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Babe and I have really been wanting to visit Texas, so <a href="https://emptynestfulltank.com/2021/06/01/feelin-groovy" target="_blank">this post</a> from Empty Nest, Full Tank, had me dreaming and planning. They went all over the state and hit some awesome spots. Apparently, Texas has drive-thru daiquiris, which we've only ever seen in Louisiana. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">YouTube Adventure of the Month</span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PCON7lwF-Kk" width="660" youtube-src-id="PCON7lwF-Kk"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This time three years ago, we had recently left the <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2020/09/grand-canyon-rving-tips-booking-trailer-village.html" target="_blank">Grand Canyon</a> ourselves. We stayed at Trailer Village RV Park, however we would love to go back one day and stay at Mather. My friend Kim, from <a href="https://couchpotatocamping.com">Couch Potato Camping</a>, is sharing all the ins-and-outs of staying at this great spot in the heart of Grand Canyon National Park. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now it's time to share your own adventures!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_70eegt1MaI-IIZwiarLjFkBaFyPeyFCpDKjrRj3qPa7TOrZRqYX7A7wzNof4hQYIGKoqqs1lczUPe1u5OkXf-VDBck6S5vjLj_h6eWwx5c2qdQ_DOtI2RFY2dhhrQRe-OiZrJPNypHBk/s1500/Simple+Beige+Travel+Pinterest+Pin.png" style="color: #38d4d4; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img alt="Travel Tuesday Travel Blogger Link Up" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_70eegt1MaI-IIZwiarLjFkBaFyPeyFCpDKjrRj3qPa7TOrZRqYX7A7wzNof4hQYIGKoqqs1lczUPe1u5OkXf-VDBck6S5vjLj_h6eWwx5c2qdQ_DOtI2RFY2dhhrQRe-OiZrJPNypHBk/w266-h400/Simple+Beige+Travel+Pinterest+Pin.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; background-image: none; border: none; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" title="Travel Tuesday Link Up" width="266" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38d4d4; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 20.02px; text-align: center;"><div><h2 style="margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Travel Tuesday Link Up Rules</span></h2></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~Any linked posts will be pinned under Travel Tuesday on my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/LifesSweetWords/" style="color: #38d4d4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> account. </span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~Feel free to add blog posts, as well as IG posts and YouTube Videos </span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 20.02px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~Please leave a little love on the post directly before yours and then anywhere else you like! That way we can all grow this community together :) </span></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 20.02px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif">~Not many other rules, as I am not a huge fan of those sorts of things! Just add any travel related link and I </span>encourage you to peek around and see where everyone else has been. </span></span></div></div><div style="line-height: 20.02px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">~Feel free to share the link up with other travelers.</span></div></div><div><br /></div><!--start InLinkz code-->
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<!--end InLinkz code-->Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-74901870388988349352021-07-05T11:57:00.004-04:002021-07-05T12:39:07.048-04:005 Creative Ways to Upgrade (or Renovate) Your RV<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maybe you’ve been on the road for a while and your trusty RV is beginning to show its age. Or maybe you invested in a used RV from the start and need to do some work on it (smart move!). Either way, if you’re dealing with an RV that has more than a few miles under its belt, it might be time to make some upgrades. Updating your RV can be a daunting project, but it can also be a whole lot of fun. After all, depending on how far you take it and how much work you’re willing to put in, you can basically create your very own custom RV from scratch. But even if you’re not ready to strip your rig down to its bare bones, it’s surprising how much small touches can add to your RV’s ease of use and coziness. Here are a few creative ways to update (or renovate) your RV:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVbpu_lzfB-ZYSF6sykBLBp1Uf9KJPQMLh0Jqess3p0dkUJal7yHhvi31ktla24gaV9xNcDJGNbTohgEypID6QA3wXucsXjM75gLGgCTv6sMy1fWUCu1vIaswi-iP47DxACIIulJVA8OM/s1500/5+Creative+Ways+to+UpdateYour+RV.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="5 Creative Ways to Update (or Renovate) Your RV" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVbpu_lzfB-ZYSF6sykBLBp1Uf9KJPQMLh0Jqess3p0dkUJal7yHhvi31ktla24gaV9xNcDJGNbTohgEypID6QA3wXucsXjM75gLGgCTv6sMy1fWUCu1vIaswi-iP47DxACIIulJVA8OM/w426-h640/5+Creative+Ways+to+UpdateYour+RV.png" title="5 Creative Ways to Update (or Renovate) Your RV" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">*Sponsored Post</span></div><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-20cd4494-7fff-c012-091b-5c0bd1e8c940"><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Start with the layout</span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This project is only for t</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">he people who truly want a full RV remodel. It’s for the families that need more space, different bed layouts, or a larger kitc</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hen or bathroom area. If this sounds like you, then start working on the layout. Keep in mind: this will take a lot of time and you have to strip the RV clean (at least pretty much), so it is a BIG undertaking and not for the person who is not handy.<span></span></span></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Move to the flooring</span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like anything in life, a great RV remodel starts from the ground up - quite literally - at least after you figure out your new layout (if applicable). If your floors are a mess, nothing else in your RV will truly shine, no matter how much time, effort, and cash you pour into it. Whether it’s ripping up your living room carpet to put in hardwood-style laminate or upgrading the tile in your kitchen and bathroom, laying new flooring is the perfect base to create the coolest RV on the road! Replacing your flooring is a pretty intricate job, so if you’re not super handy, you may want to hire a professional. However, if you’re looking to save money and also learn a useful new skill, it is possible to teach yourself some basics with RV remodel videos. A creative way to update the flooring, without having to spend too much money? Consider stick-on flooring! There are plenty of stick on “tile” options out there, which will update your floors, without having to spend the time or money on it!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Change out the wallpaper</span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you change out the flooring, you might as well change out the wallpaper, too. Don’t worry - after this one, we will switch to smaller updates, just in case you are not wanting to fully renovate, but this creative way to update your RV is not only easy, but affordable, too. In movie sets, you will find brick...that actually isn’t brick. It’s called Faux Brickwork, but luckily, thanks to a local Florida-based company, </span><a href="http://www.fauxbrickwork.com/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Faux Brickwork</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it is now available to the residential and commercial world, too! They provide </span><a href="http://www.fauxbrickwork.com/products/panels" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">faux brick wall panels</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that are easy to install, light weight (perfect for RV’s!), and affordable. Plus, they look really authentic, too, since they are made with a flexible plaster. They also have a design team that can assist you and offer advice to your design. No matter what specifications or ideas you might have, they will be able to find your perfect match. Even with their extensive range of faux brickwork if you don't find exactly what you're looking for, they offer a comprehensive design service for more custom made ideas. They say, “Now it’s quick and easy to transform a dull wall or even a whole room into a feature point. Using high quality imitation wall coverings that are simple to install, lightweight and cost effective, now everyone can achieve the look and feel they desire at a fraction of the cost.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfds-SEq7jGDBx7hVbGWrbE2rR8o7MJqETKKM3RQCMzAhKi3yBKtWkGrejWjDFIKD06495rGib75Sl5VSc1K5_zvldDYM4xnbWcoteECM1C5cI6L7qU7t4ei5sm-NQmm0hDsiO4RRjlNM/s960/Faux+Brickwork.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="5 Creative Ways to Update (or Renovate) Your RV" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfds-SEq7jGDBx7hVbGWrbE2rR8o7MJqETKKM3RQCMzAhKi3yBKtWkGrejWjDFIKD06495rGib75Sl5VSc1K5_zvldDYM4xnbWcoteECM1C5cI6L7qU7t4ei5sm-NQmm0hDsiO4RRjlNM/w640-h426/Faux+Brickwork.jpeg" title="Faux Brickwork" width="640" /></a></div></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQxG-MPRatuA6LRXZZ-KMAtm7BtkimRXUiqFLX5SDnEWr4d4lclt6_DR7OIfuvAt1Ssnu_T9w0GmxruY8_eUMiKCB0BtKIb41oZPXFPePawtXxyNymPnL3-HpS4FvJ_xNfNn3ffXXiljy/s960/Untitled+design-6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="5 Creative Ways to Update (or Renovate) Your RV" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQxG-MPRatuA6LRXZZ-KMAtm7BtkimRXUiqFLX5SDnEWr4d4lclt6_DR7OIfuvAt1Ssnu_T9w0GmxruY8_eUMiKCB0BtKIb41oZPXFPePawtXxyNymPnL3-HpS4FvJ_xNfNn3ffXXiljy/w640-h426/Untitled+design-6.png" title="5 Creative Ways to Update (or Renovate) Your RV" width="640" /></a></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="-webkit-standard" id="docs-internal-guid-de598a8a-7fff-1957-8244-ee827f6f9f93" style="font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;"><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fix your window coverings</span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a traditional home, you might have really beautiful window coverings to enhance the look of your room/house, while also giving the benefit of blocking out the sun. In an RV, you more than likely do not have these installed. So, fix that and add in some window coverings! You can even get creative and sew your own curtains to make it more personal/less expensive.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p></span></span></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add in souvenirs as decoration</span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last but not least, make it your OWN. One way to do this is by decorating with your souvenirs. You probably have an RV because you want to explore, live a life that you love, and be consumed with amazing experiences, right? Well, remember those forever by decorating your RV (stylishly, of course) with the things you pick up along your journeys.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">These are just a few great ways to update or revote your RV!</span></div><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 11pt;">What are fun ways your have found to update your RV or home?</i></div></i></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Recent Posts: </b></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2021/06/best-beach-towns-across-floridas-east.html" target="_blank">Best Beach Towns Across Florida's East Coast</a></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2021/04/tips-tricks-for-yellowstone-national-park-june.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">RV Adventure: Yellowstone National Park in June</span></a></p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-9965712010250656772021-06-29T11:01:00.000-04:002021-06-29T11:01:17.131-04:00July 4th Amazon Finds Under $30<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Hello July!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">With the 4th of July less than a week away I am revamping an <a href="https://www.lifessweetwords.com/2020/07/july-currently-amazon-finds-month.html" target="_blank">old list</a> of July Amazon finds under $30. Not only are some of the finds still under $30, but many items are also on sale from the last time the list was posted! Let the 4th of July festivities begin... </span></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">4th of July Amazon Finds Under $30</span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9rbrCc2tOafOuFBz77zeBtMh2aF9EUpZcZ_LN6Nx9MaPtcZqkAYZmazeRcgHkQ0zUkjKCj0w8QqKaoUfhriYnEyVzty_0-C-TamgR2h7jvYy0CoXlooPjur_sxaz9V00SIkHBbDSA964/s1500/4th-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img alt="4th of July Amazon Finds Under $30" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9rbrCc2tOafOuFBz77zeBtMh2aF9EUpZcZ_LN6Nx9MaPtcZqkAYZmazeRcgHkQ0zUkjKCj0w8QqKaoUfhriYnEyVzty_0-C-TamgR2h7jvYy0CoXlooPjur_sxaz9V00SIkHBbDSA964/w426-h640/4th-2.png" title="4th of July Amazon Finds Under $30" width="426" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2NM9XQT" style="color: #38d4d4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">4th of July Tank</a> {UNDER $12 with 5% coupon}- Just a little sassy fun for the 4th!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2BYP6qQ" style="color: #38d4d4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sandproof Beach Blanket</a> {UNDER $10 with 9% Coupon}- Great for a firework watching on the beach!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2Ud7Vjq" style="color: #38d4d4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sun Bum Sunscreen</a> {$12.99}- I love Sun Bum sunscreen! It's hypoallergenic, cruelty free, doesn't harm reefs and is paraben free with the same feel of typical sunscreen. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3xadEoE" target="_blank">American Flag Suit</a> {$29.99}- and worth every penny! I have this suit in black (two actually in case they stop making them). It is so flattering, fits true to size (though size up if you're in-between sizes), had tummy control and is perfect for playing all day in the waves!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3iiaA2K" style="color: #38d4d4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Where the Crawdads Sing</a> {cost $11; currently on sale}- this is by far one of my favorite reads of the last few years and an overall favorite read ever; one I always recommend for someone looking for something new. A beautifully, haunting novel set in the bayou; currently being made into a movie!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3dsjl9D" target="_blank">Peek-Thru Back 4th of July tank</a> {$11.99-12.99}- so stinking cute!! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3hgvmAf" target="_blank">Swim Trunks for Guys</a> {$18.99}- bold colors </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2TcdcaS" target="_blank">Faded Swim Trunks</a> {$20.90}- shorter, hit right above the knee</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">See all <a href="https://www.amazon.com/shop/lifessweetjourney?listId=2SPMZJQOVS89" target="_blank">4th of July favorite finds</a> on my Amazon Storefront!</span></div>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-60889207444723636572021-06-23T09:31:00.002-04:002021-06-23T09:38:50.030-04:00Best Beach Towns Across Florida's East Coast<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love beach towns because of their laid-back vibe, amazing weather, and easy access to both adventure and relaxation. Beach towns can come in all shapes and sizes, and Florida, specifically, has so many beautiful beaches and towns all over it. Because we cannot cover all of them in just one day, today, we are talking about some of the best beach towns across Florida’s East Coast. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ac38302e-7fff-df53-e152-4a6e47b23c08"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMxYjvqCx7KYhgC9kksNTIPOENncr1jLmU4Chped7oDHaRHxBNWBuTfpeJulxH7GWkRk7AXDje_XuBVnYlzklse5us6XunUbXa8yIXjWAAI5xTeFR5o0BQ5Vnzi-nEpecwkvr_9-U5LDK/s1304/Screen+Shot+2021-06-17+at+2.53.30+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Best Beach Towns Across Florida's East Coast" border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1304" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMxYjvqCx7KYhgC9kksNTIPOENncr1jLmU4Chped7oDHaRHxBNWBuTfpeJulxH7GWkRk7AXDje_XuBVnYlzklse5us6XunUbXa8yIXjWAAI5xTeFR5o0BQ5Vnzi-nEpecwkvr_9-U5LDK/w640-h424/Screen+Shot+2021-06-17+at+2.53.30+PM.png" title="St. Augustine" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5Bd3hn_M2lzvMLaf0D9-Xoh3eon8Hi3mlpYWPZqxTRrqO1bDVjpzcLJ9LDoiISNGRjNur-7c6wbmSklTt-OuPMNFUhgRHpax99US678qzVJk2DnfwWplQwmqZtmNlY45V07cxweAxvY5/s2016/fullsizeoutput_77b.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Best Beach Towns Across Florida's East Coast" border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5Bd3hn_M2lzvMLaf0D9-Xoh3eon8Hi3mlpYWPZqxTRrqO1bDVjpzcLJ9LDoiISNGRjNur-7c6wbmSklTt-OuPMNFUhgRHpax99US678qzVJk2DnfwWplQwmqZtmNlY45V07cxweAxvY5/w640-h480/fullsizeoutput_77b.jpeg" title="St. Augustine" width="640" /></a></div><h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><a name='more'></a></span>*</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a sponsored post</span></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">St. Augustine</span></h4></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you looking for a historic spot to visit or purchase a home in? If so, St. Augustine is the ticket! I absolutely love visiting the area and seeing all of the sights. I’ll admit it, though: it’s pretty touristy, so buckle up for that if you do choose to visit. The beaches are relatively secluded, though, and one thing that I love is that you will not see hotels up and down the beach, like you do in most beach cities.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><h4><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miami Beach </span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miami beach is the perfect spot to live or visit if you love an upbeat environment. Packed with music, great food, and an endless list of things to do, you cannot go wrong either moving to the area, or visiting it. From the glitz and glamor of South Beach - with its world-famous nightlife, upscale shopping meccas, and second-to-none dining - to relaxed North Beach - with its unique family-owned restaurants and wide, tranquil stretches of sugar-white sand - Miami Beach truly has something for everyone, no matter who you are or what you like to do. Looking for somewhere without needing a car? Definitely check out SoBe (South Beach) or Mid-Beach. Many locals even choose not to own a car, preferring to get around their neighborhood on foot or bike. Part of the attraction of living here or visiting is being able to walk or cycle to shopping, dining, and entertainment, and it takes no time at all to get where you want to go. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGClEOGHD05NdoscjKGd3-uzeDAe58l2IghmSTJrkZUrdfPOpMehCrBAu4uvkc8Nx2kSRT_BWyl5458izM4xmpCGqwwF23dAR0XAFq_I1LPRxZ5aM6TjoPQeOvsJlQoUSfR0KSH6db08gV/s1298/Screen+Shot+2021-06-17+at+3.16.42+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Best Beach Towns on Florida's East Coast" border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1298" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGClEOGHD05NdoscjKGd3-uzeDAe58l2IghmSTJrkZUrdfPOpMehCrBAu4uvkc8Nx2kSRT_BWyl5458izM4xmpCGqwwF23dAR0XAFq_I1LPRxZ5aM6TjoPQeOvsJlQoUSfR0KSH6db08gV/w640-h424/Screen+Shot+2021-06-17+at+3.16.42+PM.png" title="Boca Raton" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boca Raton</span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boca Raton is a BEAUTIFUL spot to visit or live in. In fact, if you are considering moving to the area, it is one of the best places to live in FL. There are so many restaurants, coffee shops, and great parks around. The beaches are incredibly nice, too. Boca Raton truly has it all. High-end hotels, drool-worthy restaurants, golf courses, beautiful beaches, and non-stop sights like art museums, jazz clubs, and more.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3KhPq04AILE_un_KPV_fZwXk3g8U2pIup6V2fTEtL7u4OmBJlEndfymj0wj3NteIgNgjxSd9dH0KLoT62-CA7FTeZu-QREBCMHDrjuS27gyTKGlHvIZNOl6WKagiO_2Pyn_j7JbItCTka/s1304/Screen+Shot+2021-06-17+at+2.54.41+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1304" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3KhPq04AILE_un_KPV_fZwXk3g8U2pIup6V2fTEtL7u4OmBJlEndfymj0wj3NteIgNgjxSd9dH0KLoT62-CA7FTeZu-QREBCMHDrjuS27gyTKGlHvIZNOl6WKagiO_2Pyn_j7JbItCTka/w640-h422/Screen+Shot+2021-06-17+at+2.54.41+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div></span><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jacksonville</span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jacksonville, and the surrounding areas are definitely a great spot to visit or move to. It is 840 square miles in size, making it the largest city by area in the US and by population, it’s the 12th largest city and the most populous city in Florida. Wild right? I don’t blame so many people for wanting to live there, though. Jacksonville is 10% below the national average when it comes to cost of living. That is huge. So, let’s talk about the things to do. Jacksonville has so many amazing beaches (even Amelia Island is technically considered the Greater Jacksonville area) and that beach is phenomenal. It has amazing food. And it is family-friendly! Overall, Jacksonville is just a great place to visit or move to. It’s only 5.5 hours (or so) from Atlanta, too, so you have a major city (even though Jacksonville is a major city) that would be fun to visit, at your fingertips, as well. A perk of living in Jacksonville? The job market is bustling. There are so many opportunities for everyone - no matter who you are. Plus, the homes are affordable (comparatively) and they have beautiful historic homes like the </span><a href="https://www.jaxhistoricrealty.com/san-marco/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">San Marco homes for sale</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When traveling to Jacksonville, if you decide to purchase one of those beautiful historic homes for your full-time residence, vacation home, or even a vacation rental, I would consider reaching out to </span><a href="https://www.jaxhistoricrealty.com/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty, Erin E. King MBA</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Erin is committed to helping you find the home of your dreams in Jacksonville and making the process as simple as possible for you. He is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a Best of Zillow® REALTOR® who focuses on Jacksonville’s historic district and he is also a wealth of knowledge. In addition, he is Ramsey endorsed, which is a huge accomplishment for him! His reviews are amazing and as you can tell by his website (it provides so much information!), you can see that he really goes above and beyond for his clients.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 85px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="85" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/0htJ0OJe6XR-HG9x1QFwNjBz6FUVXHfnJ2P0NPvjI1M92nwSDto3PdAG_JpruTfdOpanZTxNx4xwrPU5IupkeZp4EuOmF89uutCR06v4urf8btNj9yFZlaEIAae4_gdcHEXY8oYx" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-0f5c0343-7fff-cf76-a41e-a09d692eff2d" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Florida is home to so many beautiful beaches and beach towns, and these are just some of the best beach towns across Florida’s east coast. Do you have any other beach towns that you love? Maybe we will talk about the best ones on the west coast next!</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What are some of your favorite Florida beach towns?</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>PIN IT for Later</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELIhqW8RFtzFP66RdUYrsG3WuszLu7AV2CNJZVHonDuoun6z02IQYy4vKbCnikP3ZvXh7O6HYlUIkz6hKmfNJsRwIBMmBF_jm7xiMovsx_B8chMR-N6xna4C9rMBXKs8GbJpSSchR21hN/s1102/Cream+Beach+Photo+Pinterest+Graphic.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Best Beach Towns on Florida's East Coast" border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELIhqW8RFtzFP66RdUYrsG3WuszLu7AV2CNJZVHonDuoun6z02IQYy4vKbCnikP3ZvXh7O6HYlUIkz6hKmfNJsRwIBMmBF_jm7xiMovsx_B8chMR-N6xna4C9rMBXKs8GbJpSSchR21hN/w266-h400/Cream+Beach+Photo+Pinterest+Graphic.png" title="Best Beach Towns on Florida's East Coast" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></i></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com11Florida, USA27.6648274 -81.5157535-0.64540643617884541 -116.6720035 55.975061236178846 -46.3595035tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982542824870320161.post-19638820343128756582021-06-21T12:08:00.003-04:002021-06-21T12:09:27.745-04:00Prime Day Finds 2021<p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Happy PRIME DAY 2021!</span></h3><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Sharing my favorite Prime Day finds. I will be adding new finds to my Prime Day Finds 2021 on my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/shop/lifessweetjourney?listId=5OSPHAJ09DVA" target="_blank">Amazon storefront</a> throughout the next two days. Happy shopping! </span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDAwz0FQv_kT8ea4PwZemTEWOXV_OwqzRQ4MTs_Zzve64eUpRJbXTHCxplEFXdpITcwuceYkIJ4NzADbeZQ5X5tUiGjDWpjOuTMXycrF_INnl_yLvUqYAiUjclnDB5wvMkGNVb8uKJn-l/s2048/Screen+Shot+2021-06-21+at+11.53.55+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Prime Day Finds 2021" border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="2048" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDAwz0FQv_kT8ea4PwZemTEWOXV_OwqzRQ4MTs_Zzve64eUpRJbXTHCxplEFXdpITcwuceYkIJ4NzADbeZQ5X5tUiGjDWpjOuTMXycrF_INnl_yLvUqYAiUjclnDB5wvMkGNVb8uKJn-l/w640-h332/Screen+Shot+2021-06-21+at+11.53.55+AM.png" title="Prime Day Finds 2021" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/35FDGUD" target="_blank">InstaPot</a> ($65 OFF)<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3zLzaSc" target="_blank">Exploding Kittens</a> (our new favorite game!!!)- $12.99 down from $20 <br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3gTYdtV" target="_blank">The Exploding Kittens Party Pack</a> (if you are playing with more than 5 people)<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/35DRU8w" target="_blank">Crunchy Ice Maker Dreams</a>- <b>$100 OFF</b> <br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3zLjoXN" target="_blank">Robot Mop</a>- <b>$200 OFF</b> <br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3iY09UN">Robot Vacuum with Dirt Disposal</a>- <b>$300 OFF </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>What are you finding for Prime Day 2021?</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Melanie @ Life's Sweet Wordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489717653446197401noreply@blogger.com0