FINALLY! I think my living decor is finally at a semi-finalized state, at least for this year. I have such a good time decorating for any kind of holiday, and Christmas is easily my favorite. This year I did things a little untraditionally in my living room because I now have pops of blue that I didn’t want to pack up. I tried to stick to mostly neutrals and didn’t try to add any pops of color.
I absolutely love my little loft area, it’s small and neutral and provides the perfect opportunity to add in holiday pops of color. Which is exactly what I did for Christmas! I do my best work when I have a small area to work with and focus on one little part at a time. Luckily, the entire loft is small. Keep reading for how I made a couple small updates to turn this from a cute, girly space to a traditional, Christmas wonderland… for only $50!
Idk about you, but for me the worst part about a trip is having to book the flight. For me, it’s probably the most stressful because it’s so expensive and flights can always change due to conditions beyond my control… it’s also possible I’ve been screwed and stranded a time or two so I’m still bitter. But, using your miles to book flights makes the process so much easier and cheaper… or so I thought…
Honestly, Banff and Lake Louise are two of the most naturally beautiful places that I’ve ever been to, and the pictures speak for themselves. I didn’t expect to find such crystal blue water nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rockies but this place is such a dream! Now, I won’t lie, going to Banff is not super original. We found out about Banff from one of those screen-savers that pop up on your television. As I started Googling, I instantly fell in love and started stalking all the fashion and travel bloggers 😂 It’s the best thing I’ve ever done because this place is amazing!!! I love breathtaking views that just make you want to sit and stare for hours and this place delivers.
When I first started traveling for work, for the first couple weeks I honestly didn’t see the point in earning and utilizing hotel, credit card, and airline points. I was under the impression that these companies allowed you to accumulate points but made it nearly impossible to use said points. While this can sometimes be the case, I’ve managed to pay for 6 vacations and saved over $14,000 in the last 2 years!
The Fairmont Banff Springs is nicknamed the Castle in the Rockies. And rightfully so, the resort goes out of it’s way to bring the medieval castle to the 21st century with modern necessities, and somehow keeps all the grandeur of a castle. This hotel is spectacular and truly a once in a lifetime experience.
If you ever find yourself in the most beautiful mountains in the world, aka the Canadian Rockies, then odds are you’re within walking distance of some amazing views. The trick is just to know where to go. Boyfriend and I love being outdoors and we love to hike, luckily Alberta has some amazing walking trails that don’t require advanced equipment.
One thing you’ll quickly learn about Boyfriend and I is that we are not ‘roughing it’ people, we are spoiled brats who can’t go a single day without modern necessities and (of course) wifi. For us, Jasper National Park was the perfect place to get one with nature and experience the outdoors, while also staying at nice hotels.
Being from the flat state of Texas, I was so excited to go to Canada to see ALL the mountains. I was even stoked to make the 5 hour drive from Calgary to Jasper to see all the amazing scenery. It ended up being around 6 hours because we stopped to take pictures about 50 times (#worthit). The sights along the way did not disappoint and the pictures really speak for themselves. Below are a couple of our favorites and places we specifically sought out on the journey.
As our Canada trip gets closer and closer, I get more excited. I’m always excited to go to Canada because of it’s beauty and how peaceful it feels. However, being from the south, I’ve never look forward to the flight. But, that was before I was a self-proclaimed ‘experienced traveler’ and survived a 12 hour long flight. So I’m feeling pretty confident that I can last a 4 hour flight to Calgary. Over the last couple flights I’ve learned it has nothing to do with you as a person and how long you can remain dormant, but rather preparation. Being prepared for a long ass flight is the only way to survive and I’ve finally developed a list of my go-to tips for surviving an international flight. Keep reading to find out what I swear by.
