I am a huge advocate for the Happy Planner! Not surprisingly, I have an embarrassing number of sticker books, and I've even cabbed from one Michael's to the next looking for a new release. 👀 I use the Happy Planner for everything! Here, I want to share with you how I use the Happy Planner and accessories to help me pack for vacation. First and Foremost If you're unfamiliar with the Happy Planner, have no fear! It's a planner system held together with discs, making it easy to add and remove pages. There are tons of expansion packs and sticker books that help guide your planning process. They have planner systems specifically designed for teens, moms, teachers, crafters – the list goes on! I chose my base planner based on 1. My preference of the vertical daily format (some of their planners also come in a horizontal format) 2. I like the size of the classic [...]

In November, two of our amazing friends got married in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – and we were lucky enough to attend. I have been to Mexico only once before, for our honeymoon. And let me tell you, Cancun is very different from Puerto Vallarta! Cancun seems to be much more focused on resorts, and I don't think we saw a single local the entire time (aside from those working at the resorts). Puerto Vallarta also has really nice resorts, but additionally, there's an exciting downtown that you absolutely need to explore! What to Eat: Seafood and tacos! What to Drink: There are a few tequila companies in Puerto Vallarta, so you can drink local. (We were also on a huge Mezcal train when we were here). Where to Stay: We stayed at Garza Blanca Resort (all inclusive). I highly recommend staying here! You'll see more about Garza Blanca a little later. What to Know About [...]

Each year, my Christmas Spirit tends to rely heavily on the presence of snow. These past few years, Chicago has been snowless for most of December (my husband even golfed the day after Christmas a few years ago). I don't get fully in the Christmas mindset in December, then it blizzards in January and I'm like "alright - let's do Christmas!". I'm really working on changing this, because it doesn't look like it will be snowing again this year. One thing I am doing to help me feel Christmasy is watching all the Christmas Movies. There are so many movies on Netflix, Hallmark, Freeform, etc. I've also become an AMC Stubs A-List Member! If you don't know: AMC Stubs A-List Members can see up to THREE movies a WEEK, for the monthly price of $19.99. Other perks of being an AMC A-List Member include: A fast-lane for A-Listers-only at the concessions A free upgrade from [...]

This is my guide to the perfect Hallmark Christmas Movie experience in Frankenmuth! (Sidenote: after posting this, it was announced there will actually be a Christmas movie filmed in Frankenmuth! I've added the link to the story at the bottom of this post.) About Frankenmuth: Frankenmuth is a small Bavarian Town (3 miles2) located in Michigan, about 1.5 hours northwest of Detroit. Nicknamed "Little Bavaria", Frankenmuth's original settlers were from Franken, Bavaria. Adding the term "muth" (German for courage), the settlers named Frankenmuth after the term "courage of the Franconians." Frankenmuth is home to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland (they say it's the World's Largest Christmas Store!). You'll also find many fudge and cheese shops, a cuckoo clock store, and boutiques. You can read more about their history on the Frankenmuth, MI Wiki page here. What to Eat: Cheese, fudge, fudge cheese, taffy. They also have many restaurants that are known for their chicken dinners and classic [...]

Why Alsace is famous: Alsace and the Black Forest Region were the inspiration for the infamous Grimm Brothers' Fairytales, as well as the setting for Beauty and the Beast. The houses look like they're straight out of a fairytale. Alsace also has a large stork population, and the story of storks bringing babies to parents originated here. If a stork makes a nest on your house, you have to protect it by placing a metal ring around it, so when the storks return from their migration, they can come home to the same nest. During WWII (and before), Alsace changed hands between the French and German many times, and it's easy to see the influence of both countries. Even the language spoken in the area has both French and German dialects. Although Alsace seems quaint, Strasbourg (the largest city in Alsace) is one of the de facto capitals of the European Union. It's an extremely [...]