It was almost 10 p.m. In less than eight hours, my family and I would be on a plane to Florida, where we’d board a cruise ship that would whisk us off to the Caribbean for seven glorious nights. I didn’t start packing until the last minute, which was typical for me. I’d mentally planned…
Although May (for Military Appreciation Month) and November (for Veterans Day) are full of advertising about military discounts and freebies, lots of such deals are available 365 days a year. As a veteran, my best advice when it comes to navigating military discounts is always to ask. While some businesses tout military and veteran discounts as…
According to Tourism Economics, Chattanooga and Hamilton County, Tennessee, saw over $1.5M in visitor spending in 2021, which ranked fifth out of the state’s 95 counties. This uptick in tourism revenue marked a 40% year-over-year increase, making Hamilton one of only 10 Tennessee counties to see that level of growth. Whether your summer vacation plans…
The San Antonio Botanical Garden is a 38-acre urban oasis that combines a feeling of zen with a community space where kids can play and learn about plants and everyone else can just soak up the beauty of the South Texas scenery. The varied terrain inside the garden includes formal gardens, native Texas vegetation, walking…
It takes me about five hours to drive from my home in San Antonio to Alpine, a small West Texas town near Big Bend National Park. I wasn’t in a major rush on my most recent trip to the popular adventure-travel destination, so I left my car at home and bought a $47 ticket for…
On my quest to visit all 50 states, I always expected Kansas to be sort of an afterthought or a straggler state I’d have to check off when I was getting close to 50. As it turns out, Kansas was state number 39, and it wasn’t the uninspiring expanse of prairie and Wizard of Oz lore I expected….
Any time is a great time to visit Sugar Land, Texas. Sugar Land is 20 miles southwest of Houston, and the area enjoys nearly year-round warm temperatures, which make outdoor activities an option just about any day of the year. The suburb’s name comes from the product it was once best known for producing: sugar….
“I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your ex-husband is dead.” I stared at my monitor, willing my brain to process the words in the email. I had been divorced for 13 years and hadn’t seen my ex in nearly 15. To say our marriage ended badly was an understatement. He was abusive,…
The Oklahoma winter wind made my eyes water as I steered my grocery cart toward the store entrance. I patted my coat pocket to reassure myself my WIC vouchers were in place and dipped my hand inside my purse until my fingers brushed the envelope with my grocery money. Vouchers, check. Grocery money, check. Knot…
“Why are you walking like that?” As my 12-year-old son crept across our living room, he turned his toes outward and walked on his heels. He stepped gingerly, though I don’t know if there’s another way to step when one avoids using their toes. I was perplexed and wanted to know the deal. My eyes…