Gathered thoughts, washington Dc

Happy International Women’s Day

On our recent visit to Washington DC we took a picture of this memorial of those women that served in the Vietnam War. Today seems to be the perfect day to celebrate them . May we always remember❤️

I am so thankful for the Women who have left a legacy of honor . Those that have sacrificed their safety and taken jobs to protect our country. Those that have been the anchor beside their husband. Those that are daily doing their best to be the very best they can be.

Here’s to you sweet sister whoever and wherever you are. You are unique and there is no one else like you. Happy International Women’s Day❤️

Gathered thoughts

Gathered Thoughts

I have found this so true in my daily life. I often rush through moments or appointments just trying to get a moment of rest but as I have started to pause more and take in those around me , I have seen such a great opportunity to share kind words and a smile.
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I found myself stepping into 2023 (on an adventure) but also contemplating my word of the year for my @cultivatewhatmatters planner. I chose Mary .
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I am naturally geared at being a Martha , task oriented ,get the job done then we can relax . Mary’s have always intrigued me. How do you sit and chat when there’s work to do? And yet, I have found myself wanting and desiring to do this exact thing. This is the area where God is leading me and I am so wanting to grow in.
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I want to let the dishes stay in the sink, stay up later to have a conversation with my little one or a friend ,engage in conversation with those around me .. on the plane, at the Dr office , at a museum and even the gym.
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This quote reminds me of all of that and to treasure every moment with others that come my way ❤️

family adventures, Review, travel

Family Tour of the USS MIDWAY

One of our first places on our must see list in SanDiego,Ca was the Uss Midway . The Naval Aircraft carrier is bigger then life and is located in downtown San Diego at the Navy pier.

Finding parking was not the easiest . The parking in the Uss Midway parking lot is small but very affordable ( around 10$ a day) but hard to find. Thankfully we were able to drive around the block and find an open lot to park. The cost was around 30$ for the day .

Once parked, we looked for a Starbucks to grab coffee since it was almost Tea Time . Thankfully, right on our walking path to the pier there was a Starbucks . Yay!

The walk on the waterfront is beautiful! Just walking to the Uss Midway was a treat. It felt like a warm summer day at Christmas 🎄

The cost of the Uss Midway for our family of 5 was around 115$. More then we would normally pay for a Museum but now that we have done it .. we would do it again. It was well worth the money. Just to note ..active Military and law enforcement/ firefighters are free admission ….love this!

Upon boarding the ship, you are offered an audio device to wear around your neck or to use your own device. This allows you to hear more hands on experiences as well as sounds to bring the displays alive .

Once you walk into the ship , it is a visual overload. There is so much to see! Not quite sure where to start, we did the typical right to left plan.

One of the displays that we really enjoyed upon entering was being able to hear the biography of different heroes of the Midway.

One of our favorite finds was the used bookstore hidden behind a display. There were so many unique books in here! There were used and new books and some that can only be found there so it was so hard to choose!

We then climbed stairs to explore ( you will climb LOTS of stairs) . There was something to see everywhere we went. Amazing! Even our littles were so engaged in all the displays . Something about walking through a living history museum like the Uss Midway that is so exciting . Just being there makes it all come to life!

There were so many interactive displays that our whole family was able to try . So cool!!

We then headed to pick up our Uss Midway junior pilot activity sheet for the littles to earn their pilot wings. Kelly was great in helping us get started! Tip: This should be your first stop when you enter ship.

Another thing we loved about the Midway was most of the crew were volunteers! There were so many that had served in the Navy on other ships or in some way that just taking the time to thank them for the service and hear little tidbits of what they experienced was so much more then any history book could offer. Priceless❤️

We then headed to the flight deck to do the island tour and oh my was it amazing! Definitely want to experience this if you are going to visit.

The boss and mini chairs were fun to get pics in❤️

There is so much history here as you tour. You can’t help but learn a little while having fun.

On the flight deck there were so many helicopters and planes that we were able to walk in or sit in. The littles enjoyed being able to look at their own pace and explore.

Embracing Peace ~The Kissing Statue

This was a replica of the famous Life magazine photograph in 1945 . It is quite stunning to see in person❤️

It was fun to see the NCIS room on the Uss Midway. It’s one of our favorite shows to watch the reruns of so that was pretty cool.

Our time on the Midway was Amazing! If you are in San Diego then it’s a must on your adventure plans .

family adventures, Review, travel, Universal

Toothsome Chocolate Emporium


The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen @universalcitywalk is such a fun experience. There are so many fun details and a bit of steampunk whimsy adds to the charm.


So many options of treats that everyone is bound to find a fav. One of my favorites was the assortment of macarons they offered. Definitely a place to spend some time taking it all in.

Family activity, family adventures, homeschooling, pnw, Review

Schilter Family Farm


We took a day off from school to enjoy a new pumpkin patch , Schilter Family Farm 🎃
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It was so much fun! It is a beautiful location and well laid out. We were able to do the corn maze , which was Top Gun themed and the maze was cut into jets .. so cool! I really appreciated that they had a Q code of the maze so you could find your way out of there within a reasonable time . There are some mazes that I feel like we are in forever so this was a great option.
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We also enjoyed riding the tractor . It dropped us right in front of the pumpkin patch and we were able to pick a pumpkin.


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Another fun treat we enjoyed were some Apple cider doughnuts and a cup of yummy apple cider. Delicious! It was the perfect treat to end our time at the pumpkin patch .

You can visit them online ⬇️ https://schilterfamilyfarm.com

family adventures, pnw

Mt. Rainier Family Adventure

The Mountains were calling and so we headed out to explore Mt. Rainier and do some snowshoeing .

We headed up to Paradise first, since it closes earlier. It was so beautiful and the perfect spot to start our adventure.

We were able to snowshoe around the Paradise Inn and get some terrific views from behind it. Absolutely beautiful ❤️


We had such a fun time exploring and playing in the snow at Mt. Rainier National Park .Its definitely one of our family’s favorite activity’s.

Disney Good Neighbor Hotel, Disneyland, Hotel, Review, travel

Best Western Plus Park Place Inn~Disneyland Good Neighbor Hotel


We recently stayed at the @bestwestern in Anaheim called the Best Western Plus Park Place Inn.It is one of Disneyland’s “Good Neighbor” Hotels.
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One of the first things we loved was the sticker on the door certifying it was clean and ready .
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Upon entering , we were pleasantly surprised. Since our last stay a few years ago the rooms had been remodeled and had a nice clean, crisp feel.
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The rooms come with a good size fridge and with a coffee maker and supplies .
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Some of the things we really loved were the door between our two rooms that we could open to go back and forth. The beds and couch were comfortable and we all woke up feeling refreshed .
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Oh and this hotel is directly across from @disneyland!!!That is an amazing perk of staying at this property.
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There is also a bagged breakfast to go that included a pastry, orange and bottled water you can pick up as you walk to the park.
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The price point was great as well! We paid less then a 100$ a night off season but with the parks opened now the prices can range. We would stay here again if the price was under $200.It’s a great value for the location and room and it easily fits a family of 5 or larger with the connecting door between the rooms✨