Until a month ago, Brooke and I have never even heard of Le Meridien Hotels. Yes, we apparently live in some sort of abyssmal cave. Well, let the sunshine in because we have seen Le Meridien Light!
Author: pedisnpassports
We are a mother-daughter travel blogging team based in Naperville, Illinois, an affluent suburb of Chicago. We have created a mother-daughter bond that is filled with memories that we will treasure for a lifetime. Come along on our travel journeys. We hope you are inspired to travel the world too!
Gemtye-Beautiful Bracelets That Double as Hair Ties–A Girl’s Dream Come True
As a mom, teacher and traveler, my hair is probably tied back in a pony tail 23 hours a day. At school–sprinting from desk to desk assisting students; at home–chores galore, cooking, and endless errand running; on vacations–hiking, biking, exploring cities in the sweltering heat–unless you have a short hairstyle, your wrists have most likely been permanently imprinted by the notorious ugly black hair band we all know and wear too well.
But one has to ask: with so many beautiful bracelets and watches that we all love to sport, why do we ruin the look with nasty rubber bands?
An Amazing Wilderness Getaway At Grizzly Jack’s Grand Bear Resort near Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois
If you’re visiting Chicago or live in the Chicagoland area, and are yearning for a magical woodland getaway, Pedis N Passports hit the jackpot this past Easter weekend. Brooke and I just returned from an amazing experience, beginning with a convenient one hour drive from our home in Naperville, Illinois. We had the pleasure of staying at Grizzly Jack’s Grand Bear Resort, the ideal oasis when visiting Starved Rock.
Starved Rock State Park was like nothing we’ve ever experienced in Illinois! Even before entering the park, you are transported back in time. The town of Utica is so quaint– population a whopping 1,400!
A Mother and Daughter in Paris for 48 Hours–Is a Weekend Trip Doable?–and on a Budget?
As Audrey Hepburn’s infamous quote states, “Paris is always a good idea”..we cannot agree more…especially traveling as a mom and daughter–and her amazing Godmother.
If you think you need a lot of money and a lot of time in Paris, it’s not necessarily true. While a longer stay and a bottomless wallet would have been a tad more desirable, two nights in Paris was totally doable for this then 12-year-old, 28 year-old and myself. Yup, we’re leaving it at that.
God, Guns, Gravy, Grits and Country Music–What a 14-Year-Old-Teen Learned on a Road Trip Heading South
When we decided to journey South for Spring Break, Brooke had no idea what she was in for. She has been to Florida many times–Disney, Ft. Lauderdale, Naples, Miami, all by air. Traveling by car, however, was a life-changing experience for this fourteen year old. You certainly see a lot more than drifting clouds from an airplane window seat. Talk about teachable moments! Yes, the teacher in me came out during this so called care-free Mother-Daughter road trip.
Just Breathe
Besides healthy eating and exercise, our amazing nutritionist, Diane Bubeck, recommended that Brooke and I focus more on mindful breathing. Since we already practice yoga and meditation, we honestly thought we had the breathing thing knocked. Little did we know, we are superficial breathers. (Not sure if we should take that as an insult or not) Anyway, to learn how to become deep breathers, we just finished this incredible book– Jumpstart Your Metabolism by author, Pam Grout.
Where do a Teen and a Full Time Teacher, Find the Time to Travel and Blog as Mother-Daughter Travel Bloggers?
Hands down, the number one question my Mom and I are constantly asked is “How do you guys have the time to run a successful travel blogging business? With me being a full-time student, a gymnast, a musician, having two crazy puppies, a hamster and a fish, along with the necessary social life of your typical fourteen-year-old, and my Mom, a full time elementary school teacher, running a private tutoring business and being a mother of three awesome kids:)) How can we possibly manage and grow Pedis N Passports???
A Dreamy Week at Emerald Grande Harbor Walk Village in Destin, Florida-So Worth the Drive
Brooke’s video–very proud of her!
A Dreamy Week at Emerald Grande
Over the past six years, we have flown to Destin, Florida, several times to visit my son, Ryan, who was stationed at Eglin Air Force Base. Staying on base or wherever Ryan was currently residing, we never had to consider booking a condo or hotel. Nevertheless, I cannot tell you how many times we would gaze starry-eyed at the Emerald Grande–a majestic castle nestled on the edge of the sparkling harbor in dreamy Destin.
Nature is the Best Medicine
Resting under a vibrant maple with a good book on a crisp October afternoon…
Listening to seagulls cry as waves crash upon my sunburnt toes…
Waking up to the sparkling sun giving its morning hug to the snow-covered mountain tops…
These are some of my favorite adult memories that I am so grateful my children get to experience, because in my opinion, nothing heals us more than being one with nature–it is an essential part of being alive.
Travel–An Addiction or a Passion?
Can a person honestly be addicted to travel, like alcohol, cigarettes or gambling? Is wanderlust the needle of the nomadic junkie? Well, Brooke and I are not sure if neuroscientists and psychiatrists would concur, but there is definitely a euphoria that occurs as we hear the rhythmic clicks of the airplane seatbelts, and dopamine levels certainly elevate as a fresh stamp is pressed into our passports.
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