Product Review: November

November has somehow crept up on us and it is time to start thinking about what gifts to give the people we love.  Over the past few months, I’ve had the chance to review some fun products that I’d love to share with you.  Enjoy!

National Geographic Books

WHY TRAVELERS WILL LOVE THEM:  My younger daughter is not a fan of reading, but she loves National Geographic books, and will bring them with her on long car rides.  These books are jam-packed with facts, jokes, and stunning pictures.  It has features about animals, science, nature, technology, conservation, and more.

The Coolest Stuff on Earth &

Space Encyclopedia

WHAT ELSE I LOVE ABOUT THEM:

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Ultimate Gift Guide for Women 2020

Christmas is the time for giving, so let me help you cross some items off your list!  The holiday season can be hectic, so I’ve come to love the ease of online shopping!  Now, more than ever before, you won’t catch me browsing in any stores. From home, I can put on my favorite PJ’s, pour a glass of wine, sit by the fire, and avoid the mobs of people at the mall. This year is a very different year, so the list will feature gifts travelers can use at home.  So, what do you get for that woman on your list that loves travel? Enjoy this Ultimate Gift Guide for Women:

Vintage Camera Bag

Vintage Camera Bag: When traveling, my camera case often takes the pace of my purse, so I like it to be roomy and stylish.  I love the vintage look of this bag and the strap looks so comfortable.  It has deep compartments for your camera and lens. The bag can be used as a crossbody, which is the safest way to wear your purse when traveling.  I chose this bag because you can also use it as a purse when you’re not traveling.

World Map

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Review of Cooper and Kid…a Dad and Kid Craft Box

I love watching my husband making things with our daughters. It is such a special time and they have so much fun making memories with him.  It’s a great time to teach them life skills while bonding with them.  Since we have been practicing social isolation for the past few months, there has been plenty of daddy-daughter time.  We were so grateful that Cooper and Kid sent us two amazing kits to try out!  And it’s not just made for dads…I plan on getting in on some of the fun as well because these kits can be used by any adult and kid.

What do I love about Cooper and Kid?

Cooper and Kid is a monthly subscription box, but since most of the world is in social isolation, they have decided to do Coronavirus School Closing Relief Packages.  This special limited-time offer features discounted kits that are available immediately.  They arrive at your door about 3 days later and there is no further obligation to buy anything else.  I love that these kits help build creativity, character development, and promote problem solving.  However, mostly I love that it builds relationships and creates lasting memories.

GET YOUR KIDDOS OFF THOSE ELECTRONICS, GET SOME FAMILY-TIME IN, AND HAVE A BLAST!

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20 Books that Make the Ultimate Christmas Gift

Christmas is the perfect time to share your favorite stories with friends and family.  Maybe it’s the former language arts teacher in me talking, but I think there’s nothing better than getting lost in a good book.   Looking for a good book for someone this Christmas?  These books are full of characters you wish you could meet, lives you’re thankful you didn’t live, and endings that you wish would never come.  Pick some up as gifts or as a treat for yourself that you can enjoy after the craziness of this holiday season.

Enjoy!  Happy shopping!!

20 Books that Make the Ultimate Christmas Gift

The Silent Patient

By: Alex Michaelides

The Silent Patient: Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations―a search for the truth that threatens to consume him….

The Henna Artist

By: Alka Joshi

The Henna Artist:  Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own…

Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a high-spirited young girl in tow—a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened. Still she perseveres, applying her talents and lifting up those that surround her as she does.

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Smolak Farm

Smolak Farm

North Andover, MA

Smolak Farms is a working farm that combines agriculture, education, and entertainment in a unique way!

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Pineland Farm

Another beautiful farm I visited was Pineland Farm, in New Gloucester, Maine.  I visited this farm when I was staying in Freeport for the night.

Pineland Farm

New Gloucester, Maine

Pineland Farm is a 5,000-acre working farm that welcomes visitors to enjoy its beautiful rural landscape.

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How to Cope with the Not-On-Vacation Blues

How to Cope with the Not-On-Vacation Blues

We’ve been home for 7 months, and with no travel plans for the time being I’m starting to get a little stir crazy.  My planning notebook is starting to collect dust and It’s time to do something about it.  I am starting to get vacation fever and am daydreaming about sunshine, sandy toes,  and sand castles.  So, what do you do when you’ve got the not-on-vacation-blues?  Here are some ways I cope:

Have a quickie.

Ok…get your mind out of the gutter…I mean a quickie vacation! Plan a weekend getaway and stay in a hotel for a night or two.  Pretend you are somewhere far away and swim, order room service, or do absolutely nothing.  A change of environment can make all the difference. Choose a hotel you feel comfortable staying at and bring any items that will make you feel safer like your own pillow, towel, or blanket. Don’t forget to bring hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes.  

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Wolfe Neck Center (Fall Visit)

Wolfe Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment

Wolfe Neck is a nonprofit farm with 626 oceanfront acres and 4 miles of Casco Bay shoreline that is open to the public every day. A few years back I was given a tour of the farm.  Take a peek at my post about it.

This fall, I decided to bring my bike to the farm and spend a relaxing morning riding along its gorgeous views of the coast, visiting the animals, and breathing in that coastal air!

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Snug Harbor Farm

In autumn, I love stopping in to different farms to enjoy the gifts of living in New England.  Apple picking, pumpkins, hay rides, corn mazes, farm stand… I can’t get enough! Lately I’ve been spending one day a week visiting a farm nearby.  It’s the perfect way to get outside for some fresh air, walk around in nature, and ok, ok…it doesn’t hurt that lots of farms have cider donuts.

This week I’ll be showcasing some of my favorite farms I’ve been to lately.  Enjoy!

Snug Harbor Farm

Kennebunkport, Maine

Snug Harbor Farm features five greenhouses, nurseries,

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20 Years of Travel Memories

Today is my 20th wedding anniversary!  What?  That can’t be right…we must have been babies when we got married. It’s been amazing sharing these 20 years with my best friend and I can’t think of anyone better to grow old with. Throughout the years he’s given me the most unforgettable gifts of travel and we’ve created so many memories as a family.  Here’s a peek at some of our travel memories throughout the last 2 decades!!

Mexico: 2000

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