At the end of September, we took a twelve-day trip to Hawaii to see three islands. Our first stop was the Big Island, Waikoloa Beach. Our trip was booked through the timeshare we own, Hilton Grand Vacations. More about that later, but first, let me talk about our flight. We took Hawaiian Airlines out of JFK. JFK was doing some major renovations, so there was a lot of traffic. They had to bus us to the airplane when it was time to board.

The flight was better than I had anticipated, and it was a ten-hour flight. We booked our seats for business comfort. The food was excellent, and the crew was polite. My husband slept on and off throughout the flight; I watched movies. Overall, the flight was good. Of course, I would have loved first class, but I can't justify those prices now. We left at 10:00 am and landed in Hawaii at 3:00 pm. We then had to take another Hawaiian airline flight to The Big Island. People call them puddle jumpers, so I imagined them to be small, but no. Again, the flight was alright. We book our transportation through the Big Island Transportation. They picked us up at the airport, and it took us about 45 minutes to get to the Hilton.

Once there, we had to take a monorail to get to the hotel we were staying at, which was the Grand Islander. We finally got into our room at 6:45. When we stayed at the Hilton Grand Vacation Resorts, we generally had a full kitchen, washer, dryer, living room, and bathroom, but we had a hotel this time. They are renovating, so we have got an older but more colossal hotel room. We immediately went to the balcony, taking our breath away to the most awe-inspiring ocean view. The winds were mild, the air was warm, the sun had just set down, and the night sky was incredible. 

The bed faced the ocean view, and we could leave the door open, feel the breeze, and listen to the ocean. We were hungry when we got in, so we ordered pizza from room service. It was $75.00 for a medium pizza with two iced teas. Over the next few days, we both were sticker-shocked as we learned the food prices within the resort were a bit high, but the food was very good.

We did not rent a car because we were only there for four days, and one of those days, we had a portfolio review. A review is when we meet with staff to discuss what we own, if we have any questions, and if we want to upgrade. We have had at least six meetings with HGV staff to learn what we own and all the benefits. We knew our third experience with a woman representative told us things that weren't true, but our latest representative set things straight and was terrific. He upgraded our room to the side that was renovated recently, and the room was incredible. This one had a living room, small kitchen, beautiful bathroom, and bedroom (open concept style - see the photos below.)

The Grand Islander is significant; there is much to see without a vehicle. Plus, you have all the restaurants you need right there, which is why we like to stay at resorts. It wasn't overcrowded, and there weren't many kids, making the pool experience pleasant. We were able to talk with other couples and share our experiences. We are not people who make crazy plans and try to do all the touristy things. We are the opposite. We like to talk to the locals and learn more about the island.

Overall, The Big Island was our favorite. Below are the photos from that experience.

Our second island was Maui. It took twenty minutes with Hawaiian Airlines. Once we landed, we called an Uber, and it took about 30 minutes to get to the Hilton on Kaanapali Beach. The drive-in was less pretty than The Big Island. The homeless community and the aftermath of the fires were a bit depressing. Once we got to our hotel, we were given the most beautiful view on the 12th floor (I think it was my husband's birthday.)  This hotel is enormous, with thirty-seven floors. This time, we had a typical suite (minus the washer and dryer), but there were units on every floor.
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The balcony extended from the living room area all around to the bedroom. We had two sliding glass doors, and the breeze would pick up when it got around 1:00 pm. It was terrific sleeping with both doors open, the breeze, and the sound of the ocean. From the view, you could look right down into the sea. We got to seals, turtles, sting rays, and fish. And again, because we didn't rent a car, we stayed and enjoyed the view and food. There was a restaurant in the hotel where the food was good, and another restaurant a quick walk down at another hotel called the Beach Club was even better. We walked to a surrounding shopping center to shop, get shaved ice, and have breakfast at Slappy Cakes. My husband didn't like it because it was more like a restaurant chain than unique, but I enjoyed the food. We couldn't get over the views and spent hours watching the sea life. We ventured down to the beach and enjoyed the ocean. The waves kicked our ass and tossed us like a salad. It was so much fun. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. The wind whipped sand everywhere, and it took me two days to get it out of my hair. This resort was a lot busier and had a lot of kids. Our server told us that many of the rooms were being rented by people displaced by the fire, which is so sad. The views were incredible, along with the food, but we agree that The Big Island is our favorite.

Our last island was Honolulu, and this was the most populated of all the islands. We grabbed an Uber, and it took about 40 minutes to get to the Hilton. We learned the Hilton staff was on strike, which concerned me a bit. We arrived before our check-in time, so we checked our bags and went to find something to eat at the resort. Once we got into our hotel room, it was beautiful. The hotel room included a kitchen, bath, washer and dryer, living room, and bedroom. This time, to save a bit of money, we went to the local grocery store called ABC store to purchase eggs, bacon, snacks, etc. Unfortunately, I couldn't keep the slider open because of the strikers below yelling. 

The resort was beautiful. There are a lot of stores, restaurants, and access to the beach. You could even venture out to the city and explore, which we did a bit. My husband purchased me a Louis Vuitton wallet to add to my small LV collection. Yes, I am spoiled and extremely grateful. We spent much more time relaxing and enjoying the space in the hotel room. Every time you ventured out, the people on strike wanted to talk and tell you why they were striking. Even though I truly understand their situation, I don't particularly appreciate experiencing it. But overall, the staff there was friendly. 

In closing, overall it was a great experience. Our favorite is The Big Island which we plan on visiting again perhaps as early as next year! 

Ninety days of consistent walking, drinking a protein shake, and taking my vitamins. I am incredibly proud of myself. I started this journey for several reasons, but one of them was not to lose weight. That statement may be odd. Well, all my life, any time I tried to make a shift in my body change, it was always directed around what I weighed and my measurements. I would then find myself measuring my success around those numbers, and when I didn't get to them fast enough, I would quit. Can anyone relate?

This time, I decided to make a life change and get into a consistent practice of walking. A few factors helped me make this decision: I am about to turn sixty years old, and I was diagnosed with a leaky heart (which explains so much of my childhood) and family hereditary diseases. I decided that I would start by working on helping my heart pump blood better through walking.

All my life, I have had a hard time walking up hills, climbing stairs, doing aerobics, and hiking, and now I know why. I live on a mountain, and driving to locations to work out or walk is not appealing to me. I live in a small house and do not have a room for a treadmill.

A walking pad was my solution. I looked into a walking pad that you can put away after you are done by sliding it under the furniture. The first time I purchased it, I would forget about it once it was put away, so I decided to put it in my kitchen, where it now stays permanently.
Yep, in the way, but my husband doesn't mind, and my grandkids beg to walk on it.

I walk between five and eight a.m.; if I do it later, it throws off my day. I prefer to do it early so I can get some creative time or write before my day officially starts.

Have there been days when I didn't feel like walking? Oh, yes!! Many have been, but I get up and do it anyway. At first, I checked the clock every minute and couldn't wait until it was over, but I quickly shifted to watch my art classes or YouTube. It helps the time go by faster.

As for speed, I keep it between 2.5 and 3.0 and do minute jogs here and there, depending on how I feel. My doctor has advised me to keep my heart rate to 100 to 125 and nothing below or over. I push it some days, but this is about steady, consistent walking. I am not trying to impress anyone.

I haven't weighed or measured myself at all. My body is shifting, but I can tell you I don't feel like I have lost twenty pounds, either. I did not put this weight on overnight; it will only come off fast if I make significant changes, which I am working on slowly. It's not a race; it is about healthy creating habits. 

I plan on continuing, and my goal is to do another 90 days but add another fifteen minutes to walking daily. I also plan on including stretching, somatic yoga, and weights.

This is what I learned during this whole experience. I can do anything I put my mind to; I need to create boundaries and set up the perimeters according to my lifestyle. Once I took the focus off of trying to lose weight and instead put the emphasis on trying to live longer, doing it one day at a time, I was able to create a healthy habit.

Onto the next 90 days! Wish me luck!

​Well, I did a thing.

After letting go of my Women Empowering Women business almost a year ago, I knew someday I would replace it with another company. But I wasn’t sure what that business would be.

I have done a lot of soul-searching and allowed myself the space needed to let things evolve independently. The universe can surprise you if you take the time to listen.

I have thought about selling my artwork in many ways, but as soon as I started thinking of it as a business, I did not enjoy doing the actual art. It wasn’t enjoyable anymore, which was a significant tap on the shoulder for me.

I considered doing real estate and helping grow my daughter’s property management business. I thought it would also be good for our investment property business. I even took the real estate class. I learned so much and loved it but I started thinking about how much time I would need to put into it. Once you pass the state test, you must work with a realtor to get your license. I didn’t want to take more time away from what I was doing now. The thought of late-night showings or trying to fit in training was starting to stress me out.

Plus, my husband and I have been doing a lot more traveling, more than your typical two-week yearly vacation. Between short, extended local weekend getaways and flying around the globe, we aim to enjoy more time together every couple of months.

We both can be homebodies and enjoy the comfort and coziness of being home. For someone who has had high anxiety about traveling and being in unknown places, I needed to incorporate those cozy comforts. When you travel a lot, you learn how to create those simple pleasures. One way that helps me is to seek out those small charming shops. Whether that be a coffee shop, book store, or a small local business, now I can’t wait to travel.

Then, I found myself sharing tips and helping others with their travel itinerary, and it hit me. I know what I want my new business to be.

I want to share my experiences. I want to share my tips and suggestions on traveling. I want to help others create that coziness and find those charming spots that add to the uniqueness of traveling. I want to generate content around travel. I want to be a travel advisor.

Hello, The Cozy & Charming Traveler.

​Here in Connecticut, the shift from summer turns to fall as soon as the kids return to school. The nights get cooler while the day still holds onto that summer warmth. I love opening my windows at night and feeling the cool breeze. I can also get back into my daily self-care routine.

It’s when I return to Putz in the morning and get into my cozy fall routine. That’s why I like New England because it provides us with four glorious seasons and provides me the opportunity to celebrate its arrival. It is the perfect way to freshen up my décor and change things.

It starts with me changing up my kitchen mantel. Yes, I call it a mantel. It’s the one area I add seasonal decorations to in my house. A place where my grandkids don’t need to be around or even my husband. A space dedicated to honoring the things I adore about the season I am in.

I am one of those people who put out Halloween decorations early. I love all things spooky and paranormal, so of course, I need to celebrate it early. I even have my nails painted for Halloween.

An Autumn vibe is all about mindset and how to bask deeper into it. Here is what I do:

Decorate. I arrange my Halloween decorations on my mantel. I have my favorite Halloween decorations that I bring out every year, like my movie monster figurines, but I am always adding to my collection. Not every decoration I own comes out; I usually stick to my kitchen and she-shed.

I pull out my fall pillows and warm, fuzzy throw blankets. I love pillows and blankets, and we go through them a lot. Between my grandkids and my animals, I have had to throw away a few items I could not salvage. But it is an excellent opportunity to replace them with new ones!

I change my bedding, and add pops of color like orange and yellow. I never sleep in bed. I sleep on top of my bedding with a comforter. Why, you may ask? I have animals that sleep with me. My dog eats an occasional chew or treats on my bed. For me, it is easier to clean up, or I would have to wash my sheets daily. This way, I can remove my bed covering and throw it in the wash. Easy peasy. My husband does the same thing. He has his favorite comforter that he wraps himself in.

I center my warm sweaters to the middle of my closet for easy grab for those mornings that are cold and crisp. I do not move my seasonal clothing in and out of my closet. I keep my wardrobe to fit into my closet, but I center my go-to items seasonally.

I started cooking soups at least three times a week. My husband and I love soups, and even though we can eat soup all year round, fall season is when we enjoy it the most. Our favorites are Chicken, lasagna, and Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana Soup.

I start to bake muffins and cinnamon rolls. Nothing is like warm Apple Cinnamon muffins or rolls on a cold, damp day. I don’t make them from scratch, but I do alter the recipes from time to time.

I am already moon-obsessed, but it grabs my attention deeply during the Fall. I need to study and admire her more. I am currently using The Moon Deck Oracle cards by Aarona Lea, which I love. Not only are the illustrations beautiful, but the messages are the confirmations and taps on my shoulder that I need.

I order my witchy books and settle in for daily reading. I ordered The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel by Alyssa Palombo, Awakening Anne by Kalynn Applewhite, and A Witch in Time by Constance Sayers this year. I also listen to books on Audible and listen to other books while driving or traveling. I will add my overall thoughts about these books on my YouTube channel.

I rewatch my favorite Halloween movies. Ghostbusters (all of them), The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, Arsenic and Old Lace, Hocus Pocus, Haunted Mansion, especially the newly released one. It comes out on Disney Plus in October. Fright Night, The Curse of Bridge Hollow, Casper, We Have A Ghost, Practical Magic, and Sleepy Hallow. As you can tell from my list, I like humor in my ghostly shows.

Lastly, I like to decorate my Wonderland 222 journal and planner with fall and Halloween stickers. It is my time to get back into myshe-shed consistently, do a fall junk journal, and do a few mixed-media art pieces. If you want inspiration, check out my Fall Cozy prompt list for October and November.

These are the things I love about Fall and all things cozy.

If you like my style and want more inspiration, check out my YouTube Channel or Instagram page.

Have a spooky, spectacular fall season.

Bailey is my two-year-old Golden Retriever who came into my life unexpectedly. She has some growth/health obstacles, but she is my perfect little girl. It could very well be my age or even the journey I am on now, but I am more present today, and it has much to do with her. I observe her closely. I love watching her sleep. I am aware of her moods and know what she feels by just being present.

I have always been a dog lover. When I walk into a new space, I will greet the dog before I greet the humans. If I am ever at a party and they have dogs, you will find me sitting on the ground at their level, playing with them. I take care of other people’s dogs too. I don’t do it for the money but because I enjoy it.

I even carry a box of Milk Bones in my car because I am constantly meeting dogs. Milk Bones are my number one treat because I haven’t met a dog who doesn’t eat Milk Bones! Of course, I always ask their human before offering them one. I probably spend over $100 monthly just on dog products, so I like to shop for deals. If you know me, you know that I am a bargain shopper. I added a link below for these Milk-Bone box medium size bones. My go-to box.

I have noticed today that the more I am busier (living life on purpose), the more I crave my creative outlets. I have a wide variety of them, such as:

• Writing a blog post
• Writing a chapter for my next book
• Personal Journaling
• Memory Keeping
• Moon Journaling
• Junk Journaling
• Mixed Media Art
• Organizing
• Doodling
• Illustrating my children’s book
• Making candles
• Making charms or clips for my junk journals

Right now, as I write this, it is Sunday (my favorite day of the week), and yes, I have laundry to do, a kitchen to clean, and I need to get ready to watch my grandkids for a couple of hours while my daughter goes to a summer concert. I have a list of things I need to finish, but I have a short free time.

I am sitting on my bed with craft supplies spread out all over from a monthly junk journal I wanted to finish up. I look around and need to clean up, but the call for being creative is a strong feeling mixed with the perfect timing of a few free hours. I cannot pass it up. Instead, I allow what must be and do what is necessary for me now.

I take moments where I stop, close my eyes, and breathe deeply. I listen to the birds, I hear the cars passing by, and I hear my dog Bailey sleeping. I notice my plants have grown and a slight breeze in the trees outside. I then return to my junk journal, playing with pictures and tearing up papers to make this beautiful booklet that reflects me and what I love.

Life is about choices, and staying in your head too much can be overwhelming and lead to laziness. I have learned that I don’t need hours to work on a creative craft. All I need is 10 to 20 minutes. If I can schedule it, then great, but most times, it is when an opportunity is calling. Choose what makes my soul happy.

I hope you create joy and do things that make your soul happy!