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05.02.2022 • 1 Comment

Visiting Mount Etna on Your Own with Kids

If you’re heading to Sicily, Italy, with your family, one of your must-visit spots has to be Mount Etna: the iconic and massive active volcano. This post will help you figure out how to visit Mount Etna on your own, without a tour or a guide. When I started researching how to visit Mount Etna on our own I was overwhelmed, confused, and stressed. There were so many tour groups and options available. And here’s the thing: they all… Read More…

04.03.2022 • Leave a Comment

Let’s Cruise Together in 2023!

I am SO excited to invite you on a family-friendly cruise Mediterranean vacay with me and my crew. No family? No problem. Whether you’re single, traveling with friends, or going as a couple, this trip is for you. All the details for this trip have been expertly planned with Jessica and Jennifer, a European travel expert, fellow military spouse, and owner of Endless Routes Travel. She takes care of everything and makes it easy for you to sit back… Read More…

a family holiday in sicily at high tide

03.25.2022 • Leave a Comment

Ultimate Guide for 4 Days in Sicily with Kids

I’m excited to share exactly how we spent our recent family holiday in Sicily, Italy. Visiting Sicily with kids is totally doable, and I’ll walk you through our trip so you can plan one for you and your family. Can’t read this now? Pin it for later! When we discovered the kids had an entire week off of school in February, I couldn’t resist booking a trip somewhere far, far away, preferably with lots of warm sunshine (because if… Read More…

02.23.2022 • 1 Comment

#DutyStationSpotlight on PCSing to RAF Lakenheath

If your family just got word that you’re PCSing to RAF Lakenheath in England, you’ve come to the right place. But this isn’t your run-of-the-mill guide. You won’t discover what schools are the best, where you should live, or the best doctor; instead, you’ll find things in this Duty Station Spotlight that you want to know about like favorite day trips, radio stations, and all the yummy places to eat when you’re moving to Lakenheath, England. Meet Emily! Emily’s an Air… Read More…

02.14.2022 • Leave a Comment

Explore Burg Satzvey in Germany

Burg Satzvey was one of the cutest little castles that we’ve seen in Germany, and it’s less than an hour from two popular cities, Bonn and Cologne, making it a great day-trip from either spot. We visited Burg Satzvey on a random day during the lockdown in 2021 and had the place to ourselves. Since everything was closed we didn’t experience the castle to its fullest extent, but we vowed to go back again…and we will. Especially because you… Read More…

02.10.2022 • Leave a Comment

Visiting the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam

When my mom came out to visit us in the fall of 2021 there were three things she wanted to do: experience the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, see Corrie ten Boom’s house in Haarlem, Netherlands, and see the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie. So one rainy day in November, she and I caught a train to Amsterdam to see check two of the boxes off her list. (This post will be skimpy on photos—no pictures are allowed in… Read More…

02.04.2022 • Leave a Comment

7 Helpful Passport Tips You’ve Gotta Know About

Whether you’re daydreaming about jetting off around the world or you’re ready to bite the bullet and book some tickets, the first thing you need is a passport. Before you send in that application, make sure to check out these passport tips to make the process as smooth as possible. How to Apply for a Passport If this is your first time applying for a passport, or you need to renew your current little blue book, head to this… Read More…

01.31.2022 • 1 Comment

Our Favorite Easy Chili Recipe

First I need to apologize, because this meal—this super easy chili recipe—is one of our favorites, and I’ve never officially posted it on here before now. When I say it’s one of our favorites I mean that if there’s even a hint of cool weather outside, you’ll find this chili on our menu at least twice a month. And when I say that it’s easy, I’m not kidding. It comes together in a jiffy minutes, but tastes like its… Read More…

01.27.2022 • 1 Comment

#DutyStationSpotlight: Moving to Anchorage, Alaska

If your family just got word that you’re moving to Anchorage, Alaska, and getting stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, you’ve come to the right place. But this isn’t your run-of-the-mill guide. You won’t discover what schools are the best, where you should live, or the best doctor; instead, you’ll find things in this Duty Station Spotlight that you want to know about like favorite day trips, radio stations, and all the yummy places to eat when you’re moving to… Read More…

01.21.2022 • Leave a Comment

Ultimate Guide for Finding Family-Friendly Hotels in Europe

Kinderhotels in Europe are like a magical unicorn for traveling families and unlike anything else. But finding and narrowing down family-friendly hotels in Europe can feel harder than spotting an actual unicorn. If you’ve traveled as a parent then you know there’s a big difference between going on a trip and going on a vacation. I can say with certainty that the majority of our “vacations” as a family are more like trips with lots of planning, bouts of… Read More…

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hey, I'm Jess!
I'm an Air Force wife and mom with three kids currently living in Germany. I'm always planning our next trip and feeding my hungry family with easy meals. If I'm not doing one of those two things, you'll probably find me drinking a second cup of coffee, reading a book, or taking a nap.

I'm so happy you're here!
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Lisbon had this vibe to it. This trendy, cool, lai Lisbon had this vibe to it. This trendy, cool, laid-back, beautiful, enchanting, vibe...and I couldn't get enough of it.⁠⁠Maybe it enticed me so much because it's the first place I've been in 2+ years where it truly felt like 2019 again (you know, "BP"...before the pandoozy). ⁠⁠People everywhere were enjoying life: eating, drinking, singing, dancing, commuting, strolling. Just living it up. ⁠⁠...or maybe I was captivated simply because Lisbon is just freaking awesome 👏. ⁠⁠Either way, it fascinated me so much that I found myself taking it all in and saying, "wow," instead of trying to capture it on film. ("On film"...kids don't say that these days, do they?)⁠⁠The vibrant, tiled façades; the street artists playing their guitars at sunset; locals and tourists mingling together on the streets; hearing the dings of the iconic trams in the background no matter where you were. ⁠⁠The food. The pastéis. The energy surrounding you. ⁠⁠Yeah...I loved everything about Lisbon; it made me very happy, even if these are practically all the pictures I have to show from it. ⁠⁠⁠📍 Lisbon⁠, Portugal ---------⤹⤹---------⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠follow @jesstagirl for more fun around Europe. Link in bio for blog posts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠#jesstagirlinPortugal #VisitLisboa #visitlisbon #wonderlustlisbon #visitportugal #turismodeportugal #lisboncityguide #lisboncity #portugaltourism #portugaltravel ⁠
Friends! Friends, friends, friends. Let me introdu Friends! Friends, friends, friends. Let me introduce you to one of the best things about Portugal:⁠⁠The pastel de nata 😍⁠⁠Now, before we get started: this particular one ws actually my least favorite of allllllll the pastéis I had, but I couldn't resist sharing it with the Peña Palace in the background 🤷🏻‍♀️⁠⁠Also, this will not be a "Best Place to Find a Pastel de Nata" post...because I had so many that I lost track of where my favorites were, and I also didn't really take pictures of them because I scarfed them down so quickly 🙈🙊⁠⁠AND (before someone calls me out): these are 100% better with cinnamon sprinkled on top. I know this. I LOVE the cinnamon. I would put it on literally seconds before I ate them, don't worry. ⁠⁠So what is a pastel de nata? It's basically an egg-custard pastry...but I don't think that gives it any justice. ⁠⁠(Fun fact: I was prepared to hate them 🙅🏻‍♀️...custard desserts aren't really my jam. I'm VERY happy these proved me wrong.) ⁠⁠The pastry is a super buttery and flakey, melt-in-your-mouth crust filled with a not-too sweet egg-yolk custard with a caramelized crust. Top it off with a dusting of cinnamon and OH EM GEE. They're sooooo good 😋. ⁠⁠My kids didn't care for them 🙄, which is why we didn't do a pastel de nata cooking class while in Lisbon 😭, but that just means I most definitely need to return some day. ⁠⁠...y'all..i'm practically drooling just thinking about these again! ⁠⁠(📍If you have any recommendations on the best places to get them in Lisbon or Porto, PLEASE share them below!)⁠⁠⫸⫸ Have you tried these little pastries? If you haven't...do you think you'd like them? ⁠⁠⁠📍 Sintra, Lisbon⁠---------⤹⤹---------⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠follow @jesstagirl for more fun around Europe. Link in bio for blog posts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠#jesstagirlinPortugal #VisitLisboa #visitlisbon #wonderlustlisbon #visitportugal #turismodeportugal #lisboncityguide #lisboncity #portugaltourism #portugaltravel #pasteldenata
🎉 We're less than ONE MONTH away from our Balti 🎉 We're less than ONE MONTH away from our Baltic cruise, and I can't wait!Don't let this little lady in the picture fool you—we're not sailing with Mickey and friends this time. Instead we're hoping aboard the Norwegian cruise line for the first time. 🛳We're sailing out of 🇳🇱 Amsterdam to:🇩🇪 Hamburg, Germany🇵🇱 Gdynia/Gdańsk, Poland🇱🇹 Klaipeda, Lithuania🇱🇻 Riga, Latvia,🇪🇪 Tallinn, Estonia,🇸🇪 Stockholm, Sweden. (5️⃣ new countries for us!)Even though we'll be in each country for only a day (with the exception of Sweden since we're staying there for a couple extra days), I'm still excited.These are countries that I always thought would be neat to visit, but never thought I'd have the opportunity. 🛳 That's one reason I love cruising in Europe; it'll give us a taste of some new places and cultures...plus we only have to unpack once 🙌. (Okay, twice since we booked a hotel in Stockholm). Not to mention, I have a travel agent helping me with this one. 📣 Shout out to Jennifer with @endlessroutestravel for taking endless amounts of stress off my shoulders with planning this trip.⫸⫸ Is a Baltic cruise on your radar or have you done one of these itineraries before? If you've been to any of these cities, tell me what we've gotta see/do/eat, or if you know of a blogger who's been there, tag me so I can check out their posts!....#jesstagirlonacruise
🖼 One of my favorite souvenirs to bring home ar 🖼 One of my favorite souvenirs to bring home are (small) pieces of artwork, especially street art if the artist is creating it in front of us. ⁠⁠If I see a little stand popped up somewhere I'm like a bee and make a straight line to see their work.⁠⁠I love that these types of souvenirs hardly take up any space 🧳, that it'll remind us of where we were 🗺, that my kids can see an artist's hard work 🎨, and that we're supporting their craft 🤗. ⁠⁠🖌 Supporting local artists is also a good learning opportunity for kids to explain the difference between something that's one of a kind and handmade vs. something that's mass produced*. ⁠⁠My middle kid could easily spend a million dollars in a heartbeat on small, over-priced generic trinkets and toys, so I'm hoping she'll soon start seeing the difference in how things are valued. (It'll come in time and with age; I'm not too worried.)⁠⁠So whether it's a hand-painted bookmark from France, hand-strung earrings from a Native American tribe, a painted sign in Italy, or a picture in Portugal, I love seeing the little pieces from our travels around our home. ⁠⁠🛍 We don't get something like this from every stop, but when we do it makes it extra special. ⁠⁠(*We also collect very mass-produced magnets from *every* new place we visit 🤷🏻‍♀️, but that's different topic for another day!)⁠⁠⫸⫸ What's something you like to bring home from your travels? ⁠⁠⁠🖼 by: @annelaidam 📍 Jardim de São Pedro de Alcântara | Lisbon, Portugal⁠---------⤹⤹---------⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠follow @jesstagirl for more fun around Europe. Link in bio for blog posts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠#jesstagirlinPortugal #VisitLisboa #visitlisbon #wonderlustlisbon #visitportugal #turismodeportugal #lisboncityguide #lisboncity #portugaltourism #portugaltravel #portugalwithkids #europewithkids
WHEN IN LISBON...take a 🛺 tuk-tuk tour! ⁠ ⁠ WHEN IN LISBON...take a 🛺 tuk-tuk tour! ⁠⁠This was a definitely highlight of our entire trip, so much so that it makes me giddy just thinking about it again. ⁠⁠Why did we love it so much? ⁠⁠🛺 First of all: Lisbon is FULL of hills (think San Francisco-type hills), and as active as my kids are, they wouldn't have lasted 30 minutes. Shoot...*I* wouldn't have lasted 30 minutes. This little tuk tuk is like the Little Engine That Could, and it chugs up those hills like a freaking boss.⁠⁠🛺 Second: you know we love our hop on/off buses, but streets in Lisboa are narrow and the fun part is cruising along those streets and being right were the action is. A tuk tuk is basically a mini hop on/off tour!⁠⁠🛺 Third: You'll get to see all the top sights with a guide to explain it all to you, so it's an excellent overview of the city. ⁠⁠🛺 Fourth: It was the perfect taste of Lisbon that left me longing to see and experience even more. Seriously, I'm dying to get back there now. ⁠⁠I could truly go on and on. My only complaint is that I wish we had it for longer. We did a 2.5/3 hour tour and I 100% wished we had it for at least half or a full day (I don't even know if that's possible). It was exhilerating. ⁠⁠Also, as I was trying to find a picture from Lisbon tuk-tuk adventure to share, I realized that most of them look like this. Slightly off center, someone is cut out of the frame, and it's definitely not set up the way I would've done it. I spent my time marveling at the city instead of trying to get perfect pictures (even when we stopped and got out). Sorry, instagram. ⁠⁠That's what travel is all about anyway—actually *experiencing* a place, right? So just trust me on this and book yourself a tuk-tuk tour the next time you're in Lisbon!⁠⁠⁠📍 Jardim Botto Machado, Lisbon ⁠---------⤹⤹---------⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠follow @jesstagirl for more fun around Europe. Link in bio for blog posts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠#jesstagirlinPortugal #VisitLisboa #visitlisbon #wonderlustlisbon #visitportugal #turismodeportugal #lisboncityguide #lisboncity #portugaltourism #portugaltravel
🗺 Sometimes detours make the absolute BEST stop 🗺 Sometimes detours make the absolute BEST stops. (KEEP reading for a cool story)⁠⁠So there we were, in Segovia, Spain, looking at our route to Lisbon, Portugal, for the next day, when I noticed something on the map that stopped me in my tracks: ALBURQUERQUE.⁠⁠If you don't know us, (👋 HI!) we're originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and we're quite proud of our hometown. 🤗 ⁠⁠So to see that we were mere miles (kilometers) from its sister-city and namesake...well...🤩 let's just say that we were a little bit excited about this sudden detour.⁠⁠Albuquerque, USA, was founded by the Duke of Alburquerque, Spain, (notice the spelling change) back in the day, and y'all...we got to actually walk around his castle ruins and the city of Alburquerque, Spain!!!!⁠⁠*Insert giddy happy dance here* To say that this was a highlight of our trip is an understatement. ⁠⁠We were there on Palm Sunday, so nothing was open (besides the castle..thank goodness), and the church. But a couple of the locals we talked to were so nice and welcoming. ⁠⁠[swipe for pictures around the castle and the town]⁠⁠🥰 It was a very cool experience, all thanks to looking at a map instead of blindly following the route picked out for us. ⁠⁠☟⁠Moral of this post? Make the detours...you never know what you may stumble upon! ⁠⁠⁠📍 Alburquerque, Spain ⁠---------⤹⤹---------⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠follow @jesstagirl for more fun around Europe. Link in bio for blog posts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠.⁠⁠#jesstagirlinSpain #alburquerque #visitspain #spaintrip #spaintravels #spaintourism #turismoespaña #jesstagirlinNewMexico #NewMexicoTrue #trueABQ #visitABQ #abqigers #nmtrue #newmexicolife #visitnewmexico #albuquerquenewmexico #travelnm #travelnewmexico
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