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THE BLOG |
Some of Mason and I’s best friends live in Chicago, and we’ve been talking about a trip there for forever. I hopped on the internet on a Wednesday and found tickets to Chicago for $60 a person ROUND TRIP! I called Mase, and we booked tickets on the spot to go to Chicago that Friday and fly home Monday night. Full disclaimer, if you find tickets online for $60 round trip, don’t expect the first class luxury suite seats. We flew Frontier and American, which were both nice airplanes, but when they say they’ll be cutting the corners on a few things, they really mean they are chopping some corners off. It’s totally bearable on a five hour flight if you prepare.
We left Friday at midnight and got into Chicago at five am Saturday. Luckily, we have the nicest friends pretty much ever, and they picked us up and gave us a place to stay. They live in the suburbs, so we bought weekend train passes and rode the train in and Uber-ed around, which is way cheaper than attempting the drive and trying to find and pay for city parking. We were worried that two days in the city wouldn’t be enough, but our friends are totally Chicago savvy and knew all the overrated places to avoid and the good, free places to hit up on a quick trip. Everything was so perfect, gorgeous for Christmas time, we kept it budget friendly, and still had a good time. Chicago deep dish is the best and I could probably eat only that for the rest of my life, the city has everything you could think of, there’s a lot of legit, fun, free things, and Christmas was a great time to be a tourist. But, I gotta keep it real here, it’s freezing. Not just cold or a little bit of winter weather, it’s like a crazy cold phenomenon you’ll only experience in the Midwest. Budget traveling is totally do-able, especially just for two, and it’s definetly worth the airline compromises of small seats and personal items only. There’s too much of the world to see to skip out on red-eyes and quick trips!😘
I've been flying internationally quite a bit in the last couple of weeks, and those red-eyes will get you good, let me tell you. I hate waking up in a plane with dry skin and big, black circles under my eyes, so I've come up with a few must-have beauty supplies I use on those over-nighters. When the lights go off for the night on a flight, I like to go wash my face, take off my makeup, and use a YesTo, two-step charcoal mask to clear out my skin. I've tried a million different pore strips, and this is the only one I feel like really clears my pores out, which is a must before bed on plane rides. After I cleanse it all up, I like to moisturize and apply face oil. Mario Badescu has great facial products loaded with vitamins that don't leave your face greasy and oily. Fab girl slim is a moisturizing product that contains caffeine, so I like to apply it under my eyes to help make my dark circles disappear. Generally when I wake up on a flight, the jet-lag is just starting to set in the claustrophobia kicks into high gear back in my seat in the economy section, so I relax with a gel mask. When the tray tables go up and the plane is heading down to land, I love using NYX HD concealer to clean up my face and go for the "fresh-face, no makeup traveler" look. It's one of the best concealers on a budget, and it will last you forever.
Keep your international flights rested and happy and your faces fresh ✈
I'm back in my favorite place in the whole world, prepping for a week of ministry in Iraq. If there's one thing that's evident about Egypt, it's the overwhelming feeling of how much God loves the people here. I love this part of the world because in a way, it's almost "the beating heart" of Christianity. It makes Jesus more real when you visibly see places people in the Bible might have seen, with your own eyes, and you can see the footsteps of how the church started and grew. For me, the Bible becomes easier to understand when I get more of a taste of Middle Eastern culture. In America, we live in a guilt vs. innocence culture. The Middle East has an honor vs. shame culture, which is also something we see in the Bible. Also, I feel like heaven should be filled with camel rides and Egyptian bread if that's not already on the eternal schedule. Basically, Egypt has made all of my childhood dreams came true. After our conference, we had a day or two to spend touring the city, and we went to Memphis, the step pyramids, Old Cairo, Giza, the Cairo Museum, and the highlight of my life, I went into a tomb [I wrote that in normal letters but I'm screaming with excitement in real life]. The Pacific Northwest is GORGEOUS. Summer in the PNW is where the party's at. My boyfriend and I started out in sunny Cedar City, Utah, drove to Boise, Idaho, headed through the Columbia River Gorge to Packwood, Washington, where my boyfriend's beautiful sister got married. The ceremony was the prettiest, hipster-chill, outdoorsy, nature wedding you've ever seen. After we sent the bride and groom off to the tropics in Seattle, we drove down through Astoria to Portland, down the Oregon coastside to the Redwood Forest, with his parents. I would fly back to Oregon in a heartbeat for some malt fries and a Dutch Brothers latte. PNW, thanks for the best summer road trip ever. Down in sunny Carlsbad California, for eight weeks out of the year, fifty acres of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus are in bloom and, let me tell you, they are GORGEOUS. It's like a big happy scene from a musical Disney Princess movie. There are rows and rows of color-coordinated giant blooms, overlooking the ocean. Seriously. Pack up the car and drive down there before they're gone!
Giza, Egypt is the most unreal place you might ever visit in your life. When you see the pyramids, it takes about five minutes for it to set in that these are the actual Pyramids of Giza. They were built 2,550 years before Jesus was born. They're rocks that are older than Jesus. And the crazy, crazy part is that the were all put there by people who hand-made them with their own tools.
Upper Egypt is actually south of Cairo, but it's considered "upper" Egypt because the elevation is higher. Around 1353 B.C. King Akhenaten, and his wife, Nefertiti, lived in Upper Egypt. King Akhenaten dramatically changed the common religious beliefs when he changed the theology of many gods to one god. He moved the then capitol of Egypt to Amarna. There are statues of Nefertiti everywhere. Upper Egypt is more rural, so the climate is chilly and some of the land around the Nile is very lush and green. It's so beautiful and surreal!
Lake Arrowhead is a beautiful town set in the mountains around the San Bernardino Forest in Southern California. It's the perfect vacation spot, any time of the year. If the mountains and trees on freshwater lakes are your vacation scene, then here's a Weekend Getaway Guide for Lake Arrowhead, to help you plan your next trip. These are my family and I's favorites, along with the best rated eats and stays around Lake Arrowhead, for any budget. Entertainment:$$$Boat Rentals Lake Arrowhead is a gorgeous, freshwater lake with clear, blue waters. The Lake Arrowhead Queen gives boat tours all year round, and is rentable for private charter tours. If touring isn't your thing, you can rent a boat, kayak, canoe, or paddle boards from Captain John's Fawn Harbor Marina. $$Events and Festivals If you're heading to Arrowhead for a trip, be sure to check the calendar before you go to make sure you don't miss any of the events. There's always something going on. In the summer, at the Lake Arrowhead Village, there's a concert series, farmers' markets, Gold Rush Days, Memorial Day weekend events, and a water ski school for kids. In the fall, my family always tries to make it for Oktoberfest. There's live music, food and beverages, booths and vendors, and a pumpkin patch. Around Christmas, you can check the calendar for the many holiday events like their craft fairs and Santa meet and greets. The Blue Jay Village, which is not far away from the Lake Arrowhead Village, has an annual Quilt Walk, Spirit of the Bluejay Wine Event, the Lake Arrowhead Brewfest, and according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world's smallest Christmas parade. $The events at the Village are so fun, but if you're looking for entertainment that's more budget friendly, just walk the Lake Arrowhead Village. It's the cutest town. It sits right on the edge of the lake, and there's so much to do. You can walk the shops, visit the art galleries, feed the ducks [almost every store will sell you bird food], and sit by the lake. If you have kids, you can take them over to the merry-go-round, bumper cars, and arcade. My fam's favorite: Heart’s Desire Christian book store [Suite C-140]. Hotels:$$$Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa The Lake Arrowhead Resort and spa offers very high quality services and activities like their bar and lounge, downhill skiing, the fitness center, the business center, room service, the pool, their restaurant, and of course, the spa. 250 North 9th Street, Colton, CA $$Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, San Bernardino,CA The Country Inn has very high guest ratings, a heated pool, wifi, complimentary breakfast, and suites, but it books quickly, so make reservations well in advance to your trip. 1650 Industrial Park Avenue, Redlands, CA $Dogwood Campground The Dogwood campground is a small but beautiful campground, very close to Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Forest area. The campground has electrical hook-ups, fire rings, water, indoor facilities and showers, trailer pads, and an amphitheater. Dogwood Campground, Rimforest, CA 92378 Dining:$$$The Lakefront Taproom, Bar, and Kitchen The Lakefront is a tasteful restaurant with a classy meny that can please any foodie. Check their websites for their special events and promotions. 28200 State Hwy 189 Suite E-200, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 $$Papagayos Mexican Restaurant & Cantina Papagayos has classic Mexican favorites, the best fried ice cream, and a fun outdoor bar area, overlooking the lake. 28200 Highway 189 Building P-100 Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 $Tea & Coffee Exchange
The Tea and Coffee Exchange is a great place to grab a latte, buy some loose tea or coffee beans, and get a light-bite. 28200 Highway 189 Suite S-250 Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 When I'm traveling and away from my home sweet home, I'm all about finding easy outfits. This little cut-out shoulder dress is perfect outfit inspo for when you hit the road and travel to catch some sunshine, but you need more than your travel t-shirt and leggings. Perfect for my warm and humid day in Orlando.
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