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crater lake travel guide

Crater Lake & Mount Hood Travel Diary

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So we’re traveling for 4 months… Now what!?

That was the question we asked ourselves once we decided we were going to travel for the summer. The thought of traveling long term has always been a dream of mine but the execution with a 6 year old & an (almost) 3 year old was going to take a lot of planning. I was up for the challenge though & immediately started brainstorming places we wanted to travel to.

One of the first ideas that popped into my head was a road trip through Oregon, Washington & Canada. I had done it once before but Kannon was a toddler & Adam wasn’t able to join us because of a work project so it would be a new adventure for them. One thing led to another & next thing we knew, we had a 3 week trip in an RV planned! Keep reading for the first part of our summer road trip adventure!

crater lake travel guide crater lake pet friendly

Day 1: Salt Lake City, Utah to Winnemucca, Nevada

Our first day consisted of driving from the Salt Lake City, Utah area to a small city named Winnemucca in Nevada. We didn’t want to drive the entire way to Crater Lake in one day so we decided to drive halfway & stop to sleep to break up the trip. I’m not going to lie, we slept in a Walmart parking lot that night & while it might sound very odd, it wasn’t bad at all, it was free & actually convenient because we could run into the store for water or any necessities we needed! Apparently, this is a thing for RV life & some Walmarts allow it but some don’t so if you’re looking to stay in a Walmart parking lot, make sure to check with the manager or they might come knocking on your door & make you leave in the middle of the night 🙂

Day 2: Winnemucca, Nevada to Crater Lake, Oregon

We woke up early (thanks to our sweet boys :)) & decided to get on the road since we still had about a 6-hour drive to Crater Lake. The drive was beautiful & we made plenty of pit stops along the way to let our boys get out, stretch their legs & throw some rocks on the side of the road (which is their favorite activity on road trips). This was our first time to Crater Lake & it was absolutely breathtaking! Photos don’t do it justice because you can’t quite capture the expansiveness of the lake & its surroundings but it truly is a sight to see. If you’re traveling through Oregon, I highly recommend making a stop, even if it’s a quick one, because it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

After exploring for a bit we jumped back in the RV & headed to our campsite. We stayed at Diamond Lake Campground ($24/night) & it was such a beautiful campground! The view of the lake from our RV window was lovely & besides the crazy amounts of mosquitos, it was incredible! We had a couple of major mishaps occur the next day but if you haven’t already, you can watch our vlog from this portion of the trip HERE. Those experiences made for a funny story & a crazy day but honestly, it made the trip that much more memorable & we were just thankful that we were safe.

trillium lake campground review mount hood travel guide

Day 3: Crater Lake, Oregon to Mount Hood, Oregon

What should have been about a 4 1/2 hour drive turned into a full day because of the crazy tire blowout I was talking about above (video of the day is HERE) BUT those moments are what make the adventure a true adventure & it’s a story that we’ll talk about for years to come. To be honest, I felt really proud of us for figuring the situation out considering we had never changed a flat tire on an RV, we didn’t have any cell service & we were blocking half of the lane of traffic. So all in all, I will take the experience as a win!

Once we finally made it to our campground near Mount Hood, we started a campfire, roasted marshmallows & watched the most beautiful sunset overlooking Trillium Lake & Mount Hood. The woman standing next to us said the sky was the most pink she’s ever seen it & she wasn’t lying, the sky was absolutely breathtaking!

Have you been to Crater Lake &/or Mount Hood before? What’s the most beautiful lake you’ve ever seen?

summer vacation idea 2019

Our First Summer Vacation 2019

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If you guys don’t follow along with my YouTube videos, you may have missed our big announcement! I’ll post it here for you guys in case you want to catch up with our big summer plans 🙂

For those of you who did watch it, you know that we have a wild ride ahead for this summer. 4 months of traveling is no joke & the prep that went into getting everything ready & packed up was slightly absurd BUT I would also do it over again because I’m so excited for our adventures ahead. It’s been a dream of mine to travel more long-term for years now & this is our practice run to see how much we (aka the boys) can handle.

summer family trip idea

Jeans | Denim Jacket (medium wash version) | Red Sneakers 

Our first adventure was a 3-week road trip in a motor home & I’m excited to put together a couple of posts for you guys with all of the places we stayed, the route we took, our must-haves for RV life, etc. This trip was one that put me slightly out of my comfort zone but this summer I’m really trying to broaden my horizons & do things that make me feel uncomfortable because I think it’s a great way to grow as an individual. Traveling in an RV might not sound like a big deal to most but I don’t personally love camping & the whole process makes me slightly anxious. I’m happy to say that I survived the trip though & actually really enjoyed the RV life!

I filmed a video with all of our must-have items that made being in an RV comfortable with 2 adults, 2 children & a dog that I’ll be sharing with you all in a few days. I discovered quite a few new products that made that “glamping” life so much easier & I can’t recommend them enough for road trips & traveling with kids. Let me know if you guys are interested in a post or video dedicated to what I brought in my makeup bag &/or the skincare products I can’t travel without!

What are your summer plans!?

 

copenhagen travel guide 2018

Copenhagen Travel Guide

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This post has been a long time coming BUT it’s never too late to write about a city that quickly became one of my all-time favorites. So for all of you interested, let’s dive into my Copenhagen travel diary. Copenhagen completely stole my heart from day one! Seriously though, the second we landed at the airport & got into a taxi, I was obsessed. I have never in my life seen an airport so organized! The men dealing with the taxi line had us all through that line so quickly & efficiently, it was insane! If you’ve been before, you know what I’m talking about & if you haven’t, I strongly suggest adding it to your bucket list. Yes, it’s that lovely!

copenhagen girls trip copenhagen must do copenhagen travel diary

From the people. to the food & onto the architecture & scenery, it is absolutely wonderful. I don’t say things like that lightly either so don’t stop reading because you think I’m just saying this to be nice! Honesty is the best policy & that’s what I’m here to give you ladies & gents! Seriously though, while I was there, I was already mentally planning my next trip back with my husband & kids (for all of you parents, Copenhagen is SO family friendly!) because I know they will be just as obsessed as I am. Now onto the details of our trip!

copenhagen cherry blossoms copenhagen things to do

Where We Stayed

The Square – We loved this hotel! The staff & location was perfect for wandering around the city. I would definitely recommend!

copenhagen nyhavn

Things To See/Do

Stroget – We walked down this shopping street almost daily depending on where we were walking & I loved it every time. So many different shops & is the longest pedestrian shopping area in Europe. We loved to grab a little sweet treat & stroll back to our hotels in the evenings.

Rosenborg Castle – A beautiful renaissance castle that is surrounded by amazing gardens. Definitely worth a stroll around! If you’re there in the spring, the beautiful trees are blossoming!

Kastellet – One of the best-preserved star fortresses in Northern Europe. I didn’t really know what to expect but it was really cool to walk around here. It honestly was like nothing I had ever seen before!

Amelianborg Palace – Home to the royal family & a must see! Make sure to go at 12 so you can see the changing of the guards. I think this will be one of my favorite memories from our trip because it started hailing on us during the changing of the guards & it was so unexpected that we couldn’t help laughing & ran to a church nearby to wait for the hail to stop!

The Round Tower (Rundetaarn) – The oldest functioning observatory in Europe & another must do/see! The spiral walk to the top was easy enough for almost anyone to accomplish & there is a beautiful view from the top.

Nyhavn – My absolute favorite part of Copenhagen! This is my #1 must do/see & I’m sure you can see why. The buildings lining the canal are colorful & beautiful! Plus, it’s the perfect place to sit & have a meal or drink & just relax.

Freetown Christiania – Freetown Christiania is a green and car-free neighborhood in Copenhagen established in 1971 by a group of hippies who occupied some abandoned military barracks on the site and developed their own set of society rules, completely independent of the Danish government. We were so intrigued by this little community that we just had to go check it out. It was definitely interesting & a fun little experience.

Christiansborg Palace – Located on the tiny island of Slotsholmen, contains the Danish Parliament Folketinget, the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of State. We stopped off quickly to see this palace after our stroll through Christiana. We didn’t explore inside due to time constraints but it was still fun to see!

Torvehallerne – A market full of everything you could ever want. There were so many different types of food, pastries, wine, cheese & flowers to peruse. I honestly wanted to buy so many things & next time I go to Copenhagen I will definitely be purchasing little bits for a picnic in the park!

Frederiksborg Castle – Located north of Copenhagen in Hillerød & houses The Museum of National History. We took a short train ride & the journey in itself didn’t disappoint! If you have enough time, I highly suggest visiting & exploring the gardens, they are absolutely beautiful!

Church of Our Lady – This was our last stop before we jumped in a taxi back to the airport & I’m SO glad we stopped in. This cathedral houses Bertel Thorvaldsen’s original statue of the Christ & it is absolutely breathtaking! If you’re a member of the LDS church, I think you would love to see the original statue & the original statues of the 12 apostles that are being recreated for the Rome temple! Even if you’re not religious, this cathedral is stunning & you will be amazed by how beautiful the architecture is.

Tivoli Gardens – Our hotel was right around the corner & we spent an afternoon/evening at Tivoli. It’s the second oldest amusement park & it’s definitely something to check out! There were many different food options, live music & a fun water/light show. Make sure to get some churros while you’re there because they were delicious!

copenhagen guide copenhagen Kastellet copenhagen rosenborg castle

What to Eat

Lagkagehuset – The most delicious danish bakery with quite a few locations around the city. We stopped in here multiple times & everything we tried was delicious. The mini pizzas & cinnamon swirls (I don’t know the correct names but you’ll know them when you see them :)) were my favorites!

Cafe Oscar – We stopped in Cafe Oscar before we headed to see the changing of the guards since it was relatively close. They had options for both meat eaters & vegetarians alike which was very nice & I loved the Vegetarian Burger.

Next Door Cafe – You MUST go here! The whole vibe of the place is amazing & the food was tasty as well. You will not be disappointed!

Riz Raz – We ate here after coming back from a day trip to Malmo, Sweden (more on that below!) & we were all pretty hungry. I loved that they had a vegetarian buffet that had a lot of great options. I believe there are two locations in the city as well which makes it a nice option!

Social – A perfect spot for breakfast or lunch along the riverside & it has great food. Everything is gluten-free (still delicious though!) & their portion for the breakfast is large enough to fuel you for most of the day. Loved this spot!

Bæst – I saved THE BEST FOR LAST! Yes, I’m that excited about this restaurant! If you are in Copenhagen, do not leave until you eat here! Honestly, this was the best meal I have ever eaten in my entire life. Not exaggerating! Their pizza is made in a wood fire oven built in Naples. Their burrata is to die for & the roasted cauliflower & ricotta with dried olives were INCREDIBLE. I dream about this meal regularly & am dying to go back again!

Torvehallerne copenhagen stroget

Day Trip

We took a day trip to Malmo, Sweden without doing much research on it beforehand. Since I’m being very honest here, I wouldn’t recommend this trip. Apparently, it’s not a very safe city (found this out after the fact & there was a drive-by shooting 2 days ago (from the day that I’m writing this

0). I don’t like to be negative but it just wasn’t really worth the trip. If you do decide to take the train over though, the thing I loved most was the Slottsträdgården! It is a beautiful park with beautiful gardens & a cafe where we stopped, took a break on a bench & just enjoyed the scenery.

copenhagen train station malmo sweden day trip girls trip locations frederiksborg castle

That’s it for my first trip to Copenhagen! If you couldn’t tell, I absolutely adore this city & 100% recommend that you add it to your travel bucket list! If you’ve been before, comment below with your favorites!

Cabo Travel Diary

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Mexico – One of my favorite places to vacation since 1990. I grew up going traveling all over Mexico every opportunity I had & those adventures are some of my most favorite to this day. It wasn’t until after I was married to Adam though that I took a trip to Cabo & I fell in LOVE with the Esperanza Resort! So, when I was asked to go on a girl’s trip with ShopStyleEsperanza Resort, Chileno Bay Resort & Alaska Airlines, my answer was an immediate YES!

[This top was actually a dress but I made it into a top 🙂 – Zip Up Skirt (On Sale!) – Straw Crossbody BagWedge Espadrilles]

I stayed at the Chileno Bay Resort this time around & it was just as incredible as my stay at the Esperanza Resort 6 years ago! Honestly, I could go on & on about how beautiful & wonderful both resorts are because they are the most stunning resorts I’ve ever stayed at but just take my word for it when I say that you should all add them to your hotel bucket list. Just look at the views & accommodations in these photos!
We had multiple meals at both resorts & every meal was delicious but I highly recommend eating at COMAL & Cocina del Mar! Although room service is always a great idea as well though 🙂

[JumpsuitGeo Chain ChokerDesert Charm NecklaceRing NecklaceBeach Crossbody Bag]

[ Tee Shirt Dress – Circle Earrings]

Pool & beach days are a must while in Cabo & I love that you have easy access to both from either resort. Rent a cabana & enjoy some poolside food & drinks. I couldn’t get enough of the chips, salsa & guacamole! Give me alllll the Mexican food, please & thank you!
Last but definitely not least, I had an incredible head to toe spa treatment (Pamela was my massage therapist & she was amazing). I have never felt so relaxed & honestly didn’t want to leave the spa.

[Star Tee ShirtZip Up SkirtGold Star Sneakers]

[Orange DressEspadrilles]

My absolute favorite thing is that both resorts are wonderful for a romantic getaway, a girl’s trip & they’re even family friendly for those of us with kids. I can’t wait to go back one day & take our boys with us because they would have the time of their lives! Plus, it was such a quick flight on Alaska Airlines from LAX -> SJD that it makes it so easy & convenient! I always forget how quick of a flight it is to Mexico & I loved how easy Alaska Airlines made the trip between checking in, boarding and the entire flight experience. We can’t wait to fly back to Mexico again with Alaska Airlines (or even to another destination) soon! 🙂
Special thanks to ShopStyle, Chileno Bay Resort, Esperanza Resort & Alaska Airlines for sponsoring this & for an incredible getaway!

Kauai Outfit Roundup

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Since I get asked so often where I get certain pieces of clothing, I figured it would be easier for everyone to just put together a full post for my Kauai outfit roundup. All of the pieces I wore are linked below 🙂

kauai outfit

I am completely obsessed with this bikini! The floral print mixed with the ruffle straps makes me feel so feminine & I just absolutely love it. I also have the one shoulder top & love that version as well! Would it be too much to get the one piece version as well!? Probably, but it’s the cutest print!

I wear these denim shorts far too often but they are the best jean shorts I have ever found. They are a bit high waist so they cover up that part of my stomach I’m still a little self conscious of (hello, stretch marks!) & they’re not too short that I feel uncomfortable wearing them. Yes, they’re obviously short shorts, just not too cheeky, if you know what I mean 🙂


urban outfitters jumpsuit

I have an obsession with jumpsuits lately & I love that this one is under $80 & comes in 3 colors!

 
lspace one piece
Ever since having 2 kids, one piece swimsuits & high waist denim shorts have become my best friends. It’s not that I’m ashamed of my body, it’s just what I feel comfortable in! This striped one piece is my current favorite. I love the thick straps & this is the perfect suit to play around with my boys & not have to worry about anything slipping out. If you’re a mom, you know that is a major plus!
 


forever 21 overall shorts

While I always feel like I’m back in the 5th grade when I wear overalls, I secretly love them. I love the denim shorts take on the classics & these were a total steal!

This is another bikini that I’m loving! I love the off the shoulder top & love that this one has the wrap around detail. Yes, I say love too much but hey, it is what it is!

 


urban outfitters white jumpsuit

This jumpsuit was one of those purchases where I thought, “this looks cute online but will probably look so awkward on me”. But when I first tried it on, I knew I wanted to bring it to Hawaii! Such a different piece for me but like I said above, I’m loving jumpsuits lately.

 
asos gingham dress
I feel like this dress speaks for itself. The classic print in a feminine color, the bold sleeves, & the slight ruffle at the hem sold me on this one!
 

makeup bag

What’s In My Makeup Bag – Kauai

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I am notorious for being an “over packer”. I’ve never been one of those people who can just bring a carry-on (& I don’t think I ever will be!) BUT I have gotten much better at packing less & I feel so much better on trips!

The one thing I’m SO bad at overpacking is makeup. I don’t know why but i always feel like i need to pack more just in case something breaks. Just typing that out makes me feel absurd. I rarely have makeup break on me so it’s quite possibly one of my more irrational worries haha. But since I’ve been trying to pack less in general, I have to include my makeup bag. So I figured I would share what’s in my makeup bag for our trip to Kauai!
I kept my makeup pretty minimal & only brought holy grail products in my makeup bag because let’s face it, those are my most reached for products anyways 🙂
Are you an over packer or a light packer? Comment below!

Jouer Anti-Aging Moisture Primer

Becca Anti-Fatigue Under Eye Primer

IT Cosmetics CC Cream in Light

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla

Benefit Ka-Brow in Shade 2

Pixi Beauty MultiBalm in Sheer Sculpt

Becca Sunlit Bronzer in Capri Coast

Jouer Adore Blush Duo

Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Indiscretion

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

Maybelline Colossal Big Shot Mascara

Jouer High Pigment Gloss in Champs Elysees

 

 

What is in my Makeup Bag
best tacos in los angeles

Best Tacos in Los Angeles

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Guys, this is not click bait… I found THE BEST tacos in Los Angeles & I need to share them with you guys in case you’re in the area or coming to visit at some point! I am kind of a Mexican food snob & I am 100% obsessed with Chicas Tacos in Downtown Los Angeles. Not only do they have the best tacos in Los Angeles, but they also have THE best sauces & nachos. Their green sauce is so incredible that next time I go back, I’m bringing home a few jars!

 top tacos los angeles

We stumbled upon this place at random one day while wandering around downtown & since then, I daydream about it daily. I also want to just talk about how incredible the exterior & interior is (which was what brought us to this spot in the first place)! Plus, we met one of the guys who own it & he was such a nice guy. He was making sure everyone was happy & it sold me on this place even more!

chicas tacos los angeles chicas tacos dtla best tacos DTLA

I know this might seem a bit over the top but I just couldn’t wait to share this place with you guys! It is seriously a must try! So if you live near Los Angeles or are planning a visit, don’t miss out on Chicas Tacos. I promise you won’t regret it!

 

Outfit Details:

Keep It Rad Tee

Distressed Denim Jacket

Distressed Black Denim (similar)

Gold Star Sneakers

 

Rome Vlog Day 1

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I fell in love with Rome all over again this trip.

I’m so excited to share this adventure with you all! Make sure & subscribe to see the rest of our trip & all of my videos in the future!

traveling overseas with young kids

Traveling Overseas with Young Kids

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We made it to Rome all in one piece & with 2 babes in tow! Seriously though, I was so nervous to take the boys to Europe for the first time & I pictured all of the things that could possibly go wrong in my head for over a month. Dramatic? Maybe! But if you’re a parent, you know that the idea of traveling with young kids can cause all sorts of stress. I’m here to tell you that we survived though & that I’m so happy we decided to take our boys along on this adventure 🙂
Traveling Young Kids travel babies
I know that at 17 months old, Hendrix is far too young to remember this trip BUT I do feel like this trip was a great starter trip to get him more used to traveling in the future. Kannon, on the other hand, was beyond excited for our trip to Rome & couldn’t stop talking about it for weeks leading up to our actual trip.
overseas flight baby traveling europe baby
Now for how we survived the flight with the boys! I’m not going to lie, Kannon was a breeze. He’s almost 5 so he’s at an easier age where he can walk through the airport on his own, carry his own backpack & curl up in a ball & sleep 10 hours on the plane. We gave him a little gummy melatonin to help him sleep well & everything was as smooth as can be with him! We did buy him a toddler pillow & this amazing invention to make it easier for him to sleep on the plane though!

 

Hendrix on the other hand.. Well, he’s never been the greatest sleeper. We decided that because of this, we would purchase him his own seat instead of having him fly as a lap infant. He’s nearly 18 months old & after flying to New York a couple of months ago with him on our lap, we knew it would save us the headache of trying to wrestle him the whole flight. We brought along our favorite travel car seat (it’s seriously SO light & we carry it in this travel backpack with Kannon’s travel booster seat, which makes it so much easier to carry around!) & it definitely made a difference. He watched a movie (don’t judge us for letting him watch tv before 2 ;)) & fell asleep for a couple of hours in his seat. Then the person in front of him reclined their seat & his toes hit the touchscreen on the seat back & woke him up. Not the greatest luck with that because for the next 7 hours he refused to sleep & only wanted me to hold him haha. I came prepared with lots of snacks, his favorite movies on the iPad, his carrier to bounce him in the back of the plane & a couple new hot wheels cars to hold onto. I may have also brought half of a caffeine pill for myself so that I could stay awake & keep him from crying so that he didn’t disturb everyone else trying to sleep on the plane haha. Sometimes you gotta do what you’ve gotta do, right?! I’m not going to lie & say that it was a piece of cake traveling with a 17-month-old on a 12-hour flight BUT I will say that it was completely manageable & so worth the experience & memories made. If I can do it, I know you can too!
europe young kids long flight with baby
 Traveling isn’t always easy with young kids BUT in my honest opinion, it is worth the one million things you have to tote across the world & the lack of sleep because there is nothing like teaching your kids about the world & actually letting them experience those cultures on their own.
If you’ve traveled overseas with your babes, what are your tips for traveling overseas with young kids??

 

Travel with kids

Change of Plans

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If you guys follow my Instagram Stories, you would have seen that we were in the process of planning a trip to Italy for the end of September. We hadn’t booked our tickets though because we needed to figure out exactly how long we wanted to go for & exactly which cities we wanted to visit this time around.

Well, we’ve had a slight change of plans & are so excited about it because one of my best friends is now getting married the end of September in New York! While they’ve been engaged for a little while, they hadn’t set a date yet because of their work schedules. I’m so happy that we didn’t book our tickets to Italy (we would have obviously canceled them for the wedding) & I’m beyond excited to see two of the best people I know get married!! If you saw my Instagram Stories, you know that I’m going to be a bridesmaid & our boys are going to be ring bearers & I got all teary eyed when I opened the package asking us! I’m such a sap when it comes to things these days (having 2 kids & crazy hormone changes will do that to you haha) 🙂

With that said, we will now be in NYC the end of September & will plan for Italy at a later date. If you are from Italy or are very familiar with the weather, when would the next best time be to go to Rome & the Amalfi Coast? Should we wait until the end of Spring/beginning of Summer 2018?

ALSO, since we won’t be going to Italy, we’re planning another trip somewhere tropical & warm for October or November. What are your guys’ favorite tropical destinations?!

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Sheridan Gregory