Photo Credit: Oyster Bay Beach Resort
There’s nothing crazier than the weeks leading up to the holidays, so there’s no better time to get away for a long weekend before the hectic season starts. I actually had a credit to the Oyster Bay Beach Resort, which they allowed me to apply to our stay, so my friend and I packed our bags, hopped on a flight from Boston, left New England behind, and headed to the Caribbean.
Resolutions are often hard to keep, but travel resolutions help me brainstorm ideas for ways to create family memories. Push yourself to have new adventures, remember old memories, and daydream about future trips. You can also use these to create Travel Bucket lists. Take a peek at mine. Here are some ideas for 50 New Year’s Travel Resolutions.
Whatever you decide to do this year, I hope you have a wonderful year making lifelong memories! Cheers!
Take a solo trip, whether it’s for an overnight or a week.
Do a weekend girls trip/ guys weekend.
Try something that brings you out of your comfort zone.
Stay in a hotel close to home.
Recreate a cocktail from a great night out.
Go on a food tour/ pub crawl/ brew bus.
Head to a winery to sample new wine.
Visiting vineyards in Napa
Sample an exotic new food.
Go camping…or glamping!
After a few health scares this past year, I discovered the importance of self-care. Sometimes we try so hard to take care of others that we neglect making time for ourselves. Self-care allows you time to relax, recharge, and be present in the moment. It’s important to focus on both physical and emotional areas in your life.
I love to practice self-care while traveling and it often becomes some of the best parts of my trip. I love to head to a spa for a signature treatment, enjoy sipping coffee in a courtyard while people watching, breathing in the salty air at a beach, and taking time to put down my camera and be present in the moment. This year I plan on recreating these moments from the comfort of my home.
 I’ve come up with 52 weeks of self-care that I plan on completing this year. I will do one each week.
Follow along on my Instagram Stories each Sunday.
Don’t miss out…give a CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM. I’ll provide plenty of DIY options, share products I use, and give you links I find.
(These are not in any order. I’ll bounce around the list with whatever feels right.)
Make time for stretching
Enjoy a facial
Sip on a warm cup of tea
Using Essential Oils (more…)
Being raised in a Portuguese home meant I was surrounded by the most amazing meals. There were no canned spaghetti and meatballs, and no frozen dinners. (There was also no peanut butter and fluff sandwiches…but I guess I forgive them for that.) Food was prepared with fresh ingredients and with recipes handed down from generation to generation. A while back I created a cookbook filled with family recipes for my girls to use when they have their own families. I’m hoping to instill the joy of cooking together, sitting down to share a meal, and laughing over great conversations at the dinner table. This Portuguese Paella is perfect for Christmas Eve, Christmas day or New Years Eve. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
Portuguese Paella
Ingredients:
¼ cup good olive oil (never buy the cheap stuff)
Every December, I start to look at my life and evaluate what I could do to make it even better for the upcoming year. I think of things I like to do that brings me joy. For example, this year I want to entertain more. I love to cook and try new cocktails, so cookbooks are definitely on my Christmas list. I love unique cookbooks…check out a few amazing ones I’ve found. It is also a time to make some new habits like journaling, traveling, and becoming the best you possible. Here are a few books to help with your new years resolutions!
By: Nevyana Dimitrova & Trey Guillory
The Unofficial Witcher Cookbook: Andrzej Sapkowski’s epic fantasy saga of the witcher Geralt has captivated pop culture for nearly 30 years. Through books, graphic novels, TV shows, and video games, the witcher’s adventures have brought audiences face-to-face with monsters, sorceresses, kings, and destiny. Now, you can have your very own taste of the legendary adventures of a witcher.
The Unofficial Witcher Cookbook is filled with 50 recipes ranging from humble meals and tavern stews to bountiful feasts fit for a king, including:
Prized Potato Soup
Blacksmith Dumplings
Feast of Ham and Nightshade
House Specialty Soup
Honey Cakes for a Coin
And more!
This cookbook is perfect for die-hard fans of The Witcher, as well as those who just can’t get enough epic fantasy in their life.
By: Susan Marque
Looking for a unique gift for everyone on your list? Here are some amazing companies that offer great products! Show them you truly know them by giving them a gift that compliments their personality. Check out our 2022 Christmas Gift Guide:
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THEM
I don’t know about you, but I can’t get through my day without my planner. I use it to make lists, plan projects, and strategize everything I need to get done. Organization is my way to prevent stress and make plans for my future. It is a wonderful way to track your goals and help you increase your performance.
I love the high quality of all their products. There is so much thought that went into all the details of the books. The covers are beautiful and look wonderful on my desk.
WHAT PRODUCTS DID WE GET?
Food and beverages have a magical way of transporting you to new destinations. It’s a great way to learn about other cultures and encourages you to be a bit adventurous with your meals. Other times, it is a way to encourage you to relax, recharge, and reset your day. I stop what I’m doing every afternoon to have a cup of tea, take some deep breaths, and get ready for my second half of my day and give myself a little self-care. So what would be a great gift for those foodies in your life? Look no further. Here is our 2022 Food and Beverage Christmas Gift Guide!
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THEM
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pinned a recipe on Pinterest then never getting around to it because I don’t have the spices in my pantry or the spices are too hard to find at my local grocery store. Raw Spice Bar does all the work for you by not only giving you amazing recipes, but also by providing all the spice blends you’ll need. Food has the power of transporting you to new places and the recipes they give you are from across the globe. It’s a wonderful way of exploring new cultures and getting your family to be more adventurous with your meals. I love that you can play around with the recipes and add ingredients or omit the ones your picky eaters won’t try. I also love their website because you can get so much information about the countries these spices/recipes came from. For example, there are articles such as: The Etiquette of Ethiopian Meals and Adobo’s Reign in the Spanish Empire.
WHAT SPICES DID WE GET?
Self-care is one of the most meaningful gifts you can give someone. Taking a few minutes every day to do a face mask, nourish your skin, apply a body butter, or take a deep breath of an essential oil can add up to a stress-free day. I am very conscious of what my daughters and I use on our bodies and these companies share the same values. Enjoy our 2022 Beauty Christmas Gift Guide
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THEM
Self-care should be learned early on in a girl’s life. SPArty Girl encourages girls to give themselves some pampering, relaxation, and fun. Their boxes can contain beauty products, accessories, candy, and many more fun treats. I know every girl would love to open one of these boxes!
SPArty Girl has great gift boxes that would make wonderful gifts for any occasion. They include fun themes such as: Slime Kit, Manicure Kit, Tie-Dye Kit, Bath Bomb Kit, Lip Gloss Kit and more. I love that they have a wide range of gift boxes so there’s something for every girl on your list.
No matter how crazy our day goes, I always try to light a candle to set a calm mood in our house. The flickering of the flame and the relaxing scent sets the tone and a calmness wash over us. Candles are the perfect Christmas gift for someone special…family, teachers, coaches, bus drivers, holiday housewarming hosts, etc. They are also wonderful ways to pamper yourself and we all need some of that! Enjoy our 2022 Candle Gift Guide.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THEM
I’m not sure if you know this, but I am a former middle school language arts/reading teacher and I am obsessed with books. I’ve been in book clubs for over a decade and there’s nothing I like better than roaming through a book store. Frostbeard Studio has a unique candle concept…all their scents are inspired by characters, stories, and the love of reading.  I was so excited to discover this candle company for book lovers!