By Brigette Danielle

Hey y'all

Happy March! It's hard to believe that spring break is practically here with summer quick to follow. During this time, you may be dreaming of a fun filled vacation for two or a vacation for the whole family. I know I am already planning our next trip lol.

Going on vacation doesn't have to break the bank- you can actually vacation on a budget and still have a great time.

But how? How do you vacation on a budget and still have a great time?

Well it's simple tbh... you plan for it.

Taking a vacation on a budget is something you should plan for for about 5-12 months depending on how tight your budget is, how many people are going and what you expect to do. Obviously the tighter the budget and the more people, the longer it may take to plan that vacation.

Over the years, I have learned a few tips to make our family trips enjoyable and loaded with fun. So, obviously I had to share what I have learned with y'all. :)

So, just how do you plan a vacation on a budget?

#1 Pick a place- When picking a vacation spot you want to pick a place that has something for everyone. If you are wanting to go to a theme park you will want to be near a city that has exciting ones. Same with water parks or unique places you will want to visit. A lot of these cities know that and tend to charge more. So when planning your vacation, book a place a little ways out from the city and you will see that most of the rentals are cheaper.

#2. Ditch the Hotel- A lot of people tend to go straight to hotels when planning a vacation. Do yourself a favor and ditch the hotels. Find amazing rentals on sites like VRBO.com or Airbnb.com. You will more than triple your space, and save when it comes to groceries. Staying in a hotel you will eventually have to spend extra money at restaurants or try to stock a mini fridge less than ideal foods. When you book a house, you can cook full meals and cut your grocery bill significantly by having leftovers. If you are planning a one night trip I would definitely calculate the costs beforehand. If you are staying for one day and there is only 2-4 of you, a hotel might be better.

#3. Negotiate- When booking a house, owners are usually willing to negotiate prices for extended stays. My most recent trip with friends forced us to have to relocate to a new house on our 2nd day. We found an amazing house but it was a little out of our budget. So, I sent a message to the property manager and explained the situation. I kindly asked them if they were willing to take our rental down from $275 a night to right around $200 a night for so many nights. They were more than kind and offered it to us at that price. Since we were staying for 8 nights, they were willing to knock off a few bucks to lock in a solid week.

#4. Split It- If you are planning a family vacation, couples vacation.. whatever, split the overall costs by pairing up with another family or couple. Having a big space and extra people to split it with will definitely make for more fun at a budget friendly cost. You can also vacation on a budget by splitting the cost of food, gas and more when splitting the costs.

#5. Do the FREE stuff- Every city has free attractions. Another way to have a budget friendly vacation is to find out about all the free things your area has to offer and pack them in your itinerary. Vacationing on the coast? Visit a different beach every day? Heading to the Midwest? Check out historical landmarks and hidden gems around town. Visiting a big city? Check out all the hot areas around town and take a stroll to take in the sights. You can always find something free to do no matter where you vacation.

#6. Shop for discount tickets- There are a lot of travel agents and places that offer tickets sales during the year. Some theme parks have huge end of summer sales. Grab some tickets for a later trip and save. Make sure you read the fine print for blackout dates and expiration dates. You can also stop by a travel center for special rates on tickets and attractions as well.

Are you planning a trip with your family any time soon? Where is your dream vacation? Favorite vacation place? Let me know in the comments below.

*Check out these two video tours from two of our most recent trips*

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Hey y'all!
Can you believe it is 2021? We are officially out of 2020 and to be honest- I feel like 2020 barely existed lol. Don't get me wrong... the days still dragged and there were plenty of wonderful moments. But most of it was a blur.
One thing I was able to see clearly was that my role in my household had changed. I was officially transitioning from a stay at home mom to a working mom. While my husband works on a new career path it was decided that I would head back to the working world and get a full time job. Thankfully- God provided me with a job that would allow me to work from home and make a decent amount with my little work experience.
During my transition from a stay at home mom to a working mom, the first few months were HARD. And by hard I mean cry on my break, sleep in until noon on my day off hard. I was so stressed out and tired that my body literally started to break down. I was over my head and out of my league. Thankfully I had awesome friends to encourage me and my husband to stand beside me.

Through out this whole transition to working mom, I was able to reflect on a lot of things AND come to terms with things about myself that I may have not realized.
The first thing I realized was my husband is AWESOME! He has always been a hard working guy. When he was able- he always worked over time. When he was off work, he found side things to do to make money, grow spiritually and help me around the house. He truly carried our family on his back and for years. And for that I am beyond thankful.
The second thing I realized was that my kids are growing up faster than I thought. Being at a desk all day was taking me away from them and it hurt. I was missing our time together and so were they. Plus- they began to struggle in school and that was hard for everyone.
The stay at home mom to working mom transition period stinks- but it can get better.
Here is how you can transition from being a stay at home mom to a working mom.
1. Set a clear expectation- When going back into the work force you have to have a clear idea of what you will and won't be able to do. Understand that you are human and can only do so much. Talk about schedules with your husband so you both can refrain from burn out. When we talked about me going back, I didn't think about the cooking and cleaning so much (I should have). I just thought I would work and do business as usual. Boy was I wrong lol. Having a clear understanding that pretty much everything will change will make this transition much easier.
2. Pace yourself- If you are able, pace yourself back to work. Being a stay at home mom and going to work full time right away feels like a shock to the body. Try finding a part time job instead of going full time right away or find a "side job" that you can create your own schedule like driving for a rideshare company or doing freelance work.

3. Step out of the Momdrobe- Another way to transition from stay at home mom to working mom is investing into your wardrobe. As moms, we tend to stick to what we are comfortable in. Especially when we are a stay at home mom. When you get ready to enter the workforce, grad some new clothes that you will love to wear to work. New clothes will definitely help you prepare for this new chapter.
4. Find a job you love- We all know that a job is just that- a job. In most cases you are just working to ensure that you can provide for your family. And that is a wonderful thing! However, when making the transition from stay at home mom to working mom, finding a job you love will definitely make it easier. If you are like me then staying home with the kids is the DREAM job- so leaving it to work elsewhere is extremely hard.

I have now been working at my job for 6 months. When I first started this post, I was full time. I decided I needed to scale back to reduce my stress and make sure that I was more present to homeschool my children. Every family is different, so please consider this a mere guide to help make it a little easier when changing your family dynamic.
I hope these few tips help you and your transition to being a working mom a little easier.
Are you a working mom? What do you find to be the biggest challenge? Let me know in the comments below.

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Hey y'all
I don't know about y'all- but these past few months have been beyond stressful. My mental health has struggled which in turn has made sleeping seem like a thing of the past. Thankfully these 4 apps have helped me reduce my stress and regain a more peaceful sleep that is not anxiety driven.
As a mom (now a working mom), my plate is constantly full. Between work and home life there never seems to be enough time in the day to complete my to do list. So- at night when I get ready for bed, my head is constantly spinning with tasks I need to complete the next day, when I need to run to the store, what I need to do before the weekend and so on...
HELLO STRESS!
With my head spinning every night, I would eventually fall asleep- over stressed and anxious, only to wake up the next day sluggish, tense and sometimes with a headache. One night after struggling to get comfortable and relaxed, I saw an ad for one of these apps and they talked about how it helped reduce stress and improved relaxation. So I decided to give it a try!
After a few weeks of using these 4 apps, I noticed I was falling asleep faster and waking up more refreshed. Plus, when I would play them during the day, I would also feel more at peace and more focused when trying to complete a task. These 4 apps definitely helped with my day to day stress,
So... what are the 4 apps to help reduce stress you ask?

1. The Bible App- I know this app might not be for everyone but I think it is one of the best Bible apps around. Each day it provides you with a scripture of the day so you can reflect and meditate on it. I love how the verses are different each day. Plus, there are videos that go a long with scriptures to really bring God's Word to life. This app definitely helps me focus on the big picture while keeping me in the Word and encouraging me day to day.

2. Calm- This app is great for soundscapes! Sure they have other features like stories, meditation and things like that. But the one thing I love about this app is it has a variety of white noises that are calming and comforting. I personally choose the thunderstorm one at night to emerge myself into a peaceful nights rest.

3. Headspace- This app also has meditation and sleep techniques inside. However, the reason I use Headspace is for the stories. I love the soothing voices and the soundscape behind it. When I have had a really trying day and I know the next day is going to be long, I play a soothing story that is set on a rainy day and I am OUT lol. I always feel so relaxed as soon as the narrator begins speaking.

4. Spotify- Music is another way to reduce stress and add encouragement to your day. I used to use Pandora, but I recently switched to Spotify. Both are great music apps, however, Spotify does give you more control when selecting your music. I have a playlist full of my favorite uplifting songs that are encouraging and positive. Create a playlist of some of your favorite calming and uplifting songs let the music help you relax and destress.
Stress can be very overwhelming and it can definitely take a toll on your mind and body. During this wild time, having an outlet of some sort always helps. These apps are great outlets for me. I am able to relax, destress and feel encouraged with one tap. Gotta love technology huh lol.
So let me know..
How have you been doing during this pandemic? Are you over stressed and full of anxiety? How have you been dealing? Feel free to let it out or celebrate the positive notes in the comments. While I have been crazy stressed, I have to be honest.. I have had great moments that definitely made me see the positive during this year.
I truly hope you found this blog post to be helpful and that you use these 4 apps to help reduce stress ( or at least one of them ;).

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