Write Me Away From Here

Can I always remember how it felt to just let go and jump? As I was leaning over the edge of the plane looking down on land thousands of feet away, I remember thinking to myself, "well, if your parachute doesn't open, you'll be a pancake before you know it and won't feel a thing." And then I let go.     The initial sense of fear, followed by accomplishment I felt when I bought my own house, started supporting myself and was officially classified as an adult. The nights we used to stand in the kitchen, sipping wine, listening to music, talking and playing with our puppies... for hours. The bond little Zoey and I developed when we were room mates (more to come on her later).     Summer 2010. This was the last summer I lived at home and, since Derek was away at boot camp, Curtis and I spent lots of time together.     How important girl time is. Here are four of the most important ladies in my life celebrating my 18th birthday almost a d

According to Trip Advisor, St. Maarten is a "spicy marriage of Caribbean, French and Dutch cultures" ... which I hear is correct. This was the first destination on our cruise and, since we were only able to visit for a day, our experience was mostly Caribbean. If visiting the beach is your MO on a cruise you can either book an "excursion" which will set up your travel to a particular location or do a little research, pick a spot and find a taxi to take you there (they are plentiful at the ports). I recommend the taxi route so you don't have to be anywhere at a certain time... being on vacation and all. Since we were so excited about our cruise and had never been on one in our adult lives, naturally we asked around for ideas. Here's what we found...   A beach with an airport directly behind which made for some amazing views. Arriving planes were so close it felt like you could jump up and touch them. Departing planes were so close that people held ont

Cruise vs Resort... Resort vs Cruise Any chance to be in the Caribbean I wouldn't want to pass up regardless of whether I'm on a boat or on land but, for us, we have decided resorts are our favorite and let me tell you why. We had so much fun on the cruise we took in December but even a massive ship feels small after a week. At each destination, we had to plan an excursion or we would be stuck wandering around the same diamond/watch/junk stores. Excursions are great but it's also nice to be able to walk from your room to a beach and relax without worrying about planning and being punctual.  Pools are smaller, food (especially fruit) is not fresh, and you don't get to really enjoy/learn about the culture of the island because you are only able to stay for about 10 hours. Some people love cruises... there was even a lady on board our ship that had been on 100+... but for us, the flexibility and amenities at a resort are superior.  Despite preferring a re

So many people having babies lately and I have developed a serious case of baby fever... not one that we're ready to act on quite yet... but a disorder none the less. There is an extra special little bundle of joy on the way and we recently celebrated her pending arrival. First, let me tell you about her mom. She is one of the most lovely people I have had the pleasure of knowing... my entire life. Amanda is my big cousin and someone I have always tried to emulate since before I knew my behind from my elbow. Growing up she was always someone I looked up to... from playing dolls to teaching me how to apply too much makeup. It's hard to believe she's about to have a real life little princess of her own. Now back to this little one on the way... she is going to be the best dressed, baby-Keurig-drinking (this is a real thing... except of course it makes formula instead of coffee) princess in town and I can't wait to meet her! And she'll be proud to know one

The New England cold weather starts to get really old between February and April... every once in a while we even get a surprise snowstorm after the daffodils bloom... so a trip to Punta Cana in April was impeccable timing I've been to multiple Caribbean resorts and all have put their own flair on the same things... all inclusive food and drinks, pool bars, beaches and entertainment at night. I never even thought to do more research before booking a resort besides perusing pictures and reading a few ratings until I booked our stay at Zoetry Agua.   This place was picture perfect. Beautiful rooms that looked like your own personal spa. Beaches that belong on post cards. Yummy drinks out of coconuts we watched being cut down from palm trees. Staff who bent over backwards for their guests. Perfection... that stopped after you ate dinner and the place became far too quiet for us. If you know me and my family, you know we like to dance and have a good time and we were slightly

Welcome :) Once upon a time I started blogging as a way to preserve memories and share things I loved with whoever felt like reading... then multiple years passed. I changed and grew up more than I ever thought possible at my ripe old age of 27 and currently am in love with this thing called life. So I decided blog number 2 was due to be born. My boyfriend Ben and I live in Massachusetts (not quite as close to the beach as we'd like but it'll do for now) with our three "puppies" who fit right into our chaos... or more accurately are the major cause of it. Ben is the perfect complement to my wicked type-A personality as he is the most grounded person you'll ever meet with more patience than I've ever known anyone to have. Together we try to take advantage of any free time we have to spend with family and friends, get our asses handed to us at crossfit, finish never-ending home projects and travel everywhere and anywhere we can. I'm a firm believer