Apparently, we took not a single pic from our stop in Oceanside, a sign of a good time and that we were all a little tired as we were heading out for our various summer adventures! The campground itself was so nice, clean and orderly. We loved it despite the less than easy entrance, that required me to stand in the middle of the 1 and stop traffic, so Doug could swing wide! Our highlight was that Haley, Zeina and Frankie joined us for dinner. We found a great fast food restau

I'm not a Johnny on the spot, never was. So when we canceled our trip to Montana and beyond, just two days before departing....that meant that I would be planning a trip, just two days before departing! First I called around and canceled all of our reservations that we had made 4-8 months prior. Then, I began booking online and when necessary making the dreaded calls. 'Oh boy, we are in the peak of summer, you really should have called sooner' the well intentioned employee wo

Since our daughter who is as scrappy with her real estate commodity as we are, she decided to house swap while we were away. That led us to get out a day or two early to give her space to get it prepped - sans a dog. I remember my Grandparents raving about Santee Lakes and I thought it was so lame, coming from the broad world viewpoint of a teenager. Little did I know.... it truly is a hidden treasure. Now, I'm wondering what their favorite campsites were. I know what ours is

Disclaimer: Not for the faint of heart, this one is a bit more graphic than my usual posts. We were systematically filing into our favorite corner of Campland for our annual family staycation and OTL tourney.... our RV was already tucked away in our usual spot. I was now approaching in our golf cart with Doug not far behind me in his truck. There was the usual flurry of kids on all kinds of wheel based transport along with some strolling with a skim board or fishing rod. Out

I can't express how thrilled I am to be writing this blog. Firstly, it's been a while since my last post because we've been joyfully busy welcoming our second grandchild, Frankie, into the world! Both she and her mom are healthy and doing well. We are so grateful. The second piece of news is that we will be hosting five events at our original home on Law Street in May! I'm eager to invite you over, not only to share my passion for plant-based products but also to show you our

When it comes to supporting overall health, finding the right vitamin supplement can make a significant difference. VMG Plus from doTERRA is designed to provide essential nutrients that support energy, immune function, and cellular health. Let's explore the benefits of VMG Plus through a personal testimonial, highlighting how this supplement can fit into a wellness routine. VMG+ allows you to get your daily nutrients in an easy to enjoy powder form! What is VMG Plus and Why I

and why does it matter? We're going to do a deep dive into Metabolic Health and specifically how MetaPWR from doTERRA has something for you. Let's start at the beginning, when it first came out in the fall of 2022. Honestly, I wasn't fired up about it. I was raised with a lot of fat phobia and have tried countless diets, even as far back as when I was a skinny teenager. Those seeds of negative body image and self loathing ran deep. That stayed with me well into my adult yea

... the sound of you flushing money down the toilet - if you are taking synthetic vitamins. If you are already taking vitamins, let's begin with acknowledging that you are on the right track. Vitamins and supplements are a significant way to lay a solid foundation for good health. However, are you taking the best vitamins for both your health and your budget? If you have been intending to start, this is your sign! Together, we can sort out the truth about vitamins and why whi

"We have an oil for that" has consistently been a reliable expression throughout my eight-year journey with essential oils. One of my favorite collections is our Emotional Oil Kit, which corresponds to six of the seven chakras. I hope they will eventually update this kit to include the seventh chakra. In the meantime, I can recommend some oils to complete the set. Whenever I open my oil case to use Helichrysum for vertigo prevention, I consider which Chakra I want to support

I strive to bring light into the world and align myself with the monks and Aloka, who are dedicated to walking for peace, in peace, and embodying peace. Recently, i've been struggling with Vertigo. One morning I flipped over with fervor as I always wake up with a gusto - to wish Doug a good morning and suddenly I found wads of blankets grasped tightly in the palms of my hands as I braced myself for what I thought was going to be a hard landing in the doorway of our bedroom. I

We recently relocated to my daughter's home to embark on a memorable chapter together. As we all get ready for her new baby's arrival, I'm reminded of the importance of staying connected. Our naturopath - Dr. Moira Fitzpatrick was sharing her perspective about this last winter as I visited her clinic weekly for a few months of therapy - or what I like to call 'a check up from the neck up'. Dr. Moira says that we benefit from having various layers of connections and that it's

With the holidays now over and the remainder of winter unfolding—sometimes intensely and other times gently, depending on your location—it's a perfect opportunity to turn inward. This is an ideal time to settle into your favorite chair or sofa with a cup of tea and contemplate. What about the last year did you treasure most? How do you foster more of that in this coming year? How did the holidays go for you? Are there moments and events that you would like to lean in on and b

In 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse acts as a powerful catalyst for embracing the process of letting go of what no longer serves yo u , moving beyond the shedding phase of 2025 into a period of dynamic, forward-moving action and personal transformation. With that in mind, it seems like an opportune moment to discuss the art of moving on and forging ahead. My first personal experience comes from shaking down our stuff, literally 16 garage sales, to move aboard a sailboat when

This summer, I was invited to teach yoga to what I assumed would be a small group of baseball players at Mission Bay High School, which is conveniently close to our home and, more significantly, Doug's alma mater. I became a certified yoga teacher in 2019 when I completed a 200 hour program with our dear Karina as our guide. Even though I mostly took the course for my own knowledge and quite frankly so that I wouldn't injure myself as I continued to do yoga in my later years,

In 1989, during my first year of sobriety, my husband at the time, Monte, was very driven to succeed. On the other hand, I was simply grateful to be clean and sober at 22. He started reading motivational books and during this journey, he encountered the concept of setting goals. Ok, let's do it. More to get this topic to pass, because quite frankly it overwhelmed me. So we sat down, jotted down a list of goals and tucked it away in our filing cabinet, back when we had those.

Each year, as we come together to celebrate Thanksgiving, my life presents a variety of settings, unfolding in both expected and unexpected ways. When I was a child, our cousins, aunt, and uncle would visit us from LA, and I cherish the memories of being together and gaining a broader perspective of my roots. I enjoyed spending time with the Nesses. Uncle Paul shared my dad's calm and easygoing demeanor, and both were intelligent, understated, and witty men. Fast forward to m

Brene Brown is one of my most cherished philosophers. Her words resonate deeply with me and inspire undeniable personal growth. Here is one of her many insightful quotes: “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.” ―Brene Brown Well, if that's true then our lives are brimming over with innovation, creativity and change - because it has been the summer of vulnerability. When I reflect back to summer of 2025, I will smile and remember all of the feel

Have you really lived until you've been to a Savannah Banana Baseball game? I had no idea what was in store for us when Haley invited us along with a dozen of her baseball loving friends and family to the game. Think Harlem Globetrotters meet the Padres. Our initial task was to dash to the local thrift store to find some banana yellow outfits. Upon arriving at Petco Park, we merged into a crowd of yellow. It was my first experience of total neutrality at Petco Park. The usual

The days of leisurely schedules filled with ample strolling are behind us, and we've accelerated our pace to start our daily drive home. We both undeniably feel a strong pull towards home. We paused in Kansas for a night but didn't explore. We're currently in the marathon phase of our journey. We extended the slide for comfort, took a walk around the campground to stretch our legs, and then went to bed to prepare for another day of driving. Our next stop was one of our favori

Isn't it often when you're not overly excited about a place or event that it can unexpectedly surprise you and leave you amazed? This is how we felt as we neared Lincoln, Nebraska. No offense intended to anyone from there or who knows it well. It could have been partly because it was our final stop in week five of a six-week road trip or simply because we didn't know much about the town beforehand. The initial shoosh, shoosh, shoosh of sweeping was at the campsite itself. We'