Jessica Lynn Writes

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A Balloon Fiesta Scavenger Hunt

If you’re headed to Albuquerque at the beginning of October, then you’ve gotta make sure you have this handy dandy Balloon Fiesta scavenger hunt for some extra fun—especially if you have kids. The Balloon Fiesta is an annual 10-day event where hundreds—literally, hundreds—of hot air balloons lift off from Albuquerque’s Rio Grande Valley, dotting the sky for several hours each morning. Long story short: it’s magical. And I don’t use that term loosely. If you’re heading down to balloon… Read More…

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Visiting Small Costa Rica in the Netherlands

We had a completely free Saturday over the weekend, and with my husband out of town for a bit I knew I wanted to go on a little adventure and get the kids out of the house. This time we headed to Costa Rica…in the Netherlands. Trust me, you didn’t read that wrong. I can’t wait to tell you about this place—finding these little gems brings me so much joy, and I hope, if you’re reading this, you’ll get… Read More…

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The Ultimate Guide for Your First Hot Air Balloon Ride

There’s a certain array of wonder when you see a hot air balloon floating in the sky—it’s something out of the norm, even if you live in a place where they frequently lift off. But to actually be in one, lift off, and see the ground below you shrink as you float away in your very own hot air balloon ride? Well, that’s even more enchanting. I worked in partnership with Simply Social Media to share a look at visiting Albuquerque…. Read More…

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Visiting a Dino Zoo in Germany

Visiting a Dino Zoo in Germany was a definite highlight during our mini trip to Münster. The park itself is about thirty-ish minutes away from the city, and perfect for an afternoon outing. Dinosaur parks weren’t really been on our radar since the kids haven’t been that into them. But as it turns out, we had just finished binging the Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous series on Netflix (highly recommend!). Not only was it a really good show, but dinos… Read More…

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A Weekend in Münster, Germany

My husband was away for work back in May, 2021, and with Covid restrictions lifted a little bit and a nice weekend (finally) ahead of us, I decided that the kids and I needed to get the heck out of dodge. So the four of us packed up our things and spent a weekend wandering around Münster, Germany. Münster is about two hours away from us, which is pretty much my limit for driving solo with kids. And since… Read More…

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9 Tips for Visiting D-Day Sites in Normandy with Kids

I’m not going to lie: I was really nervous about visiting the D-Day sites in Normandy with kids. I knew we’d be visiting a lot of somber, meaningful places where we’d want them to be respectful. Thankfully, my kids are typically pretty well behaved, but at 4, 6, and 8 years old…they’re still kids, which means they’re still unpredictable and moody. This post will cover some practical tips that helped us during our trip to Normandy with kids, plus… Read More…

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Awesome Family-Friendly Place to Stay in Normandy

As a family of five, we usually stay in an AirBnb when we travel since we get the most bang for our buck with space and amenities. But I wanted to switch things up during our latest trip to France since we were staying a little longer, and the outcome was amazing. We found the perfect family-friendly place to stay in Normandy at the Yelloh Village Camping La Capricieuse. We loved our trip to Normandy, and I think it’s… Read More…

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Thoughts on Visiting Normandy, France

Normandy, France, was never on my list of places to visit. I knew it was fundamental to our history (not just as Americans, but as citizens in this world), but with so much to see in Europe, I figured we’d get around to visiting at some point.  When it turned out that we could squeeze in a week-long trip to “somewhere” in Europe this summer, I asked Kenny what his top choice would be since I couldn’t make up… Read More…

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The Time I Almost Got Stuck on Top of a Mountain

Here’s a tale about how this 37-year-old mom of three almost stayed at the top of a 10,000 foot mountain, because she was too scared of going back down. But first, let’s back up. The year was somewhere around the days of crimping your hair, New Kids on the Block, and using one of those bedazzled shirt clips to “tie” your shirt on the side. In other words, I was probably around seven years old, circa 1991(ish). My mom,… Read More…

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Things to do in Albuquerque: the Ultimate Travel Guide

When I mention Albuquerque, New Mexico, to most people they usually say one of three things: they stopped over for one night as they drove through to a destination on either side of the state; they’ve heard about the Balloon Fiesta (and hope they can see it some day), or they flew in to the Albuquerque Sunport on their way to Santa Fe or Taos. As a born and raised Albuquerquean, I’m pretty passionate about sharing my love for… Read More…

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