Monthly Archives: December 2016

The Evolution of a Disney Fan

by Sunny

follow me on Twitter @sunnylooksleaps

Earlier this year when packing for a trip to Disneyland, MJ announced that she would no longer like to dress like a princess at the park.  “I still want to wear Disney clothes,” she added, “I just don’t want to be a princess.”  I knew that the princess dresses wouldn’t last forever, and while I loved seeing her dress up and enjoy being a princess in the park those ball gowns have their drawbacks in the suitcase and on the rides.  We still attended a princess breakfast.  She posed for pictures with them and asked for their autographs. She still loves them; still watches all their movies.  They are Disney characters after all, and we are a family that loves Disney.  But just like MJ changed her mind about being a princess, so does Disney also evolve and change to adapt to a new generation of fans while still making their seasoned veterans nostalgic. Continue reading →

Holidays at Home

by Wendy
Jack and I love our families and we love to travel, so we’re often on the move during the holidays. Every once in awhile, we swap the driving or flights to celebrate at our house. We always look forward to family traditions, but I’ve learned it’s also important to cultivate a few of our own. Regardless of where we spend the season, the month of December is more fun when we make an effort to be festive.

Since we don’t have kids, and Jack in particular works in an industry that is busy this time of year, I admit that I’ve “phoned it in” in the past. Once we didn’t bother with a Christmas tree and put up hardly any decorations. I can’t remember why exactly, but we missed it so much. Continue reading →

New to New England

By Sunny

follow me on Twitter @sunnylooksleaps

To celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary, Jimmy and I spent a weekend in Portland, Maine.

Yes, it was the other Portland that was on our 2016 travel list.

And yes, last year we went to the unforgettable Rockhouse Hotel in Jamaica to celebrate our first decade together.

So how did we end up in Maine?

Continue reading →

Always Fond of Philadelphia

by Wendy
Philadelphia is one of Jack and my favorite American cities, especially for a weekend getaway. The first time we traveled together was to Philadelphia and we’ve been back many times since, including a fun day trip with my parents several years ago.

Some streets might remind you of New York City, others of Boston, or maybe even Chicago. Philadelphia is beautiful and gritty and worn in the way old cities are – you can sense what residents and tourists of centuries past were seeing as you walk the same streets. But like any great city, Philadelphia is unique. Read on to learn why I’m so fond of Philadelphia. Continue reading →

My Favorite Reads of 2016

by Wendy
I kept a list of books I read this year and met my goal of 12 – barely. Here are a few favorites – keep in mind these were not necessarily published in 2016, but ones I read (or reread in 2016). Last year’s list is here. When you cannot travel as much as you want, reading is a great substitute.  Continue reading →