Love this team and the darling things they put together each holiday!  Hooray for abundant creativity! If you’re hosting a holiday meal, you might find something great to keep the younger crowd happy!  Oh, and I might see how Audrey feels about this for our Christmas Eve family gathering….or we may still pull everything out of the linen closet so she can dress us for our part in our homespun Luke 2 re-enactment.

Sooooo simple…and that’s probably why I like it!

This summer on our massive 6700 mile road trip, we discovered an aromatherapy labyrinth in Carmel, CA.  Have you ever walked one before?  It was lined with all kinds of chamomile and lavender and smelled heavenly!  Then at an annual campout I do with Audrey, the retreat center added one, too…so I’m keeping an eye out for more – here are a bunch in KY.  Now, these aren’t mazes…I get lost in those and find them the very opposite of relaxing.  It’s good for me to have something other than b&w photo booths to search for in new cities.

I loooooove NYC, and travel in general…and too often, I find that someone’s way of traveling keeps them from traveling more often (insert very sad Melanie face here).  Many of these ideas are ones you’d do anyway (like walk the Highline) but it’s just prioritizing what’s important.  When I’m in NYC, I’m usually working so I’m not a big shopper because I don’t want to carry more than my photo gear around all day…but I’ll splurge on food.  NYC understandably has a reputation for being expensive – and to live there full time certainly would be – but it doesn’t have to be for amazing visits.

So many heirloom toys here you could hang onto until grandchildren are a part of your life. You don’t want more than a few things but I love stacking the blocks with my nephew that my brother and I played with.  In that same vein, these are so nice...in 3rd grade, Audrey is studying the Oregon Trail and I see how these would continue to be useful a little longer than typical blocks.