For 5+ years in the early 2000s, we made our annual girls’ ski trip a priority and typically visited both Vail and Breckinridge. Ski towns are so full of life, begging you to let loose.

I’ll never forget the first time riding up a Colorado gondola feeling like it would never end and getting nervous that I had to somehow safely get back down on my own 2 skis. To put it in perspective, I had only dabbled in the hills in Northern VA and NC where snow was blown in to supplement the icy stuff barely covering the ground & the ride to the top maxed out at 5 mins.

One year I decided to try snowboarding (very similar to growing up on skateboards and wakeboarding) and I never looked back. Being able to carve in this fluffy snow was so exhilarating and we closed down the lifts every night. Recovery was always hitting the hot tub and indulging in cheese fondue.

We started out in simple hotel rooms but eventually we upgraded to cute, ski chalets with loads of amenities and never looked back.

My most memorable experience was night snowmobiling on the ski slopes after they closed to the public…..Full throttle into the darkness and stopping high above the city lights, without light pollution, to expose the night sky and billions of stars. The first time seeing the massive Milky Way took my breath away. A moment captured in time that is a highlight in my life to this day. I also remember sitting down on a frozen swing set with a temperature gauge reading -10 degrees and only staying for maybe 5 mins before heading back to the warm lodge for an extra large hot chocolate.

If you have never planned a ski trip, do yourself a favor and make time. Reach for the stars! ⭐️

Legacy is a culmination of everything we do or desire, all that we are, dream about, talk about or share with others.

Creating that intangible legacy for your life that transcends self is one of the highest callings we can set out to attain.

Innovation.

Resilience.

Joy.

Grit.

Self determination.

Triumph.

Transformation.

Did you walk the walk? Did you actually take action and channel all that energy into something positive? Through all the highs and lows on this wave called life, be a spark for good.

What will you be remembered for?

I had a transformative experience visiting Haiti a year after the devastating earthquake ravaged the island. After hosting the Haiti women’s national soccer team at Disney Sports through the massive efforts of the Heaberlin family, we formed a beautiful bond with these players over a week of competitive games, learning Haitian sayings, seeing the theme parks for the first time through their eyes and learning their hopes/dreams.

We made a promise to see each other again.

Thanks to Delta and our generous community, four of us packed 650 lbs of supplies (socks, toothbrushes, books, pencils, soaps, etc) to take with us on a mission trip to help in a small way.

We arrived to a small outside hangar and were greeted with the most amazing bouquet of flowers I have ever seen, along with the smiling faces of the most of the team. Local media was also present as we made our way to an undisclosed house that had been changed last minute due to security concerns. We ended up at a mansion and we’re whisked away to the top floor with 4 individual cots & the most amazing terrace to watch immaculate sunsets over a severely damaged country. We had armored guards with us everywhere, but nonetheless, we focused on the well being of the team members.

We also toured the outside of the governors former mansion that had literally looked like it had been sliced in half from the quake. The tent cities were as far as the eye could see and absolutely heartbreaking. Then we had the opportunity to walk inside some of the downtown ruins – up close it was a whole new appreciation of complete devastation in a community. The roads had gaping holes in them the size of soccer goals that you had to navigate. You could walk faster down the road than the cars trying to swerve this crazy maze.

The girls were over the top elated that we had kept our promise to visit and try to help them towards a better life. We all learned Haitian words to communicate and had fun laughing at each other over meals made especially for us. We had piles of clothes & essentials delivered to each girl individually and spent time with them 1-on-1 to fill out their resumes and learn their aspirations.

Goodbyes were extremely emotional but inevitable. Over the years I did keep in touch with a couple of the players, then just one and now I have lost track all together but I’m always hopeful that the girls are thriving and beating all the odds.

My parting thought…. every child deserves the chance to be whatever they desire & the opportunity to achieve their wildest dreams.

I got an extra early start, with an uncomfortably early 5am wake up call. BUT that helped me reach the east coast of the island of Maui with 10 mins to spare before the sun’s rays broke over the ocean waves on the horizon. That solitary moment will be etched in my brain forever.

Right up the road was my first stop at the arboretum and scoping out the elusive rainbow eucalyptus trees along the lush 1 mile trail into the rainforest.

Numerous waterfalls delighted drivers around every bend of this narrow, winding stretch of road en route to put my toes in the sand of one of the few black beaches in the world. After snagging the last morning reservation online for Waianapanapa State Park, I trekked down the short stairwell to this deserted coastal haven. The pitch black lava tube was a fascinating distraction requiring travelers to crawl on all fours into an eery cave being pounding by the ocean’s furry.

I thoroughly enjoyed taking both the northern and southern coastal trails to explore the plethora of natural arches and caves hidden throughout the area. Nature is breathtaking!

The road to Hana is 52 miles

2.5 hours

620 curves

59 bridges dating back to 1910

Hana was a quaint, little beach town with local food trucks ready to feed any taste. It was also home to a very rare red sand beach via a narrow cliff side trail. Besides almost losing my car keys down the slippery embankment and spotting some local nudists enjoying this remote spot, it was truly majestic.

More waterfalls lined the highway en route to the second entrance to Haleakala National Park at the remote Kipahulu District. The trails to Seven Sacred Pools of Oheo Gulch dotting the coast led right into the beautifully diverse 4 mile Pipiwai Trail (including a stunning bamboo forest) culminating at the massive Waimoku Falls.

Since I still had some daylight left, I made the decision to take my chances in continuing my big loop of the island by heading west into the baron nothingness of the backside of the volcano. Besides the obvious recent rockfalls littering the roadside and the ridiculously narrow one lane unpaved trails barely hanging on without plunging into the ocean below, the road finally levels out amongst the greenest rolling hills you could ever imagine (actually as I had envisioned Ireland to be – mental note – add it to the wish list ASAP).

As daylight starts to fade, I finally regain cell reception and unlace my boots as another amazing day unfolded much better than I ever could have imagined.

Do I splurge for one night to end-cap my 17 month dream trip? I just might.

Standard vs. deluxe ocean view for a measly $50 more? That was the easy decision.

After exploring four of the Hawaiian islands extensively, I opted to “go for it” instead of visiting the additional, quiet paradise of Molokai. I know not everyone would have agreed but it was just one of those things I HAD to do.

I never thought I would have the opportunity to come back to the aloha state, so I was exceedingly thankful and grateful for 21 days to get lost. So my 24 hour countdown in Mickeyland had me bouncing around the oceanside resort trying to soak it all in for this once in a lifetime visit.

Pre-booking the shuttle from the airport was a breeze, and landed me in the front lobby for an early checkin at 12:45pm. I was granted a 10th floor room overlooking the luau and I was overwhelmed with joy. I shedded my bags and took off to find some characters dressed in their Hawaiian garb, float along in the lazy river, people watch poolside, soak in the infinity pool giving way to spectacular beach views, weaved my way around the lush grounds, hit the gift shops for exclusive merch and get in my last visit to the ABC store (seriously, it is just a convenience store).

I even had my own magical moment waiting for me in in my room mid afternoon….. a friend had the executive chef make me a tray of Mickey chocolate treats! Omg!!

After a quick shower, I knew I had to view my last sunset on the islands from the man-made beach lagoons and just take it all in. The sky lit up once again and I dug my feet into the sand for a final memory.

Then I raced up to enjoy my own balcony picnic overlooking the hula dancers and authentic Hawaiian storytelling. Meanwhile, twilight magic was in full effect along the horizon and it was a setting straight out of a fairytale. Truly an unforgettable moment.

I naturally couldn’t sleep, so I made a slow loop around the Ko Olina lagoons, soaked my tired feet in the bright blue Disney pool water and spent a better part of the evening reminiscing on my balcony.

With a long travel day ahead, I was pleasantly surprised that I popped up easily to partake in my last sunrise from the beach lagoons prior to making the inevitable trek back to the airport midday.

So….. Disney’s Aulani was the icing on the cake on this adventure of a lifetime and a memory that will forever bring a BIG smile to my face!

Utah is without question my favorite state to visit. It is so uniquely diverse and an adventurer’s playground. Around every corner is a new trail, hidden cave, expansive vista, rugged backcountry, winding slot canyon, towering cliff side, explosive sunset and all around nature’s beauty at it’s best.

With only 6 days to get my yearly fix, I ventured out to all new terrain in and around the hidden gem city of Kanab. I jammed packed every hour of winter daylight and wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Below are my fav pics from my 2022 journey, with a little extra motivation added in to spur on my never ending and forever growing case of wanderlust!

It has been so fun to work on these quotes during my downtime while lounging around during recent airport layovers. The memories are so vivid in my mind and I can’t help but crack a smile and be so proud!

Which do you like best and why?!?

For a measly $30 one way, I hopped onto the ferry to the island of Lanai for a day of R&R and no expectations but to just chill. After spotting a few whales putting on a show while continuing on their migration to warmer waters, I knew it was going to be a memorable day ahead.

I opted to take the .9 mile cliff side hike first to catch a glimpse of Sweetheart Rock. After hugging the rocky beach line, the lava rocks gave way to a dramatic cove and I instantly knew this was where I was going to spend my afternoon….. every last bit of it.

The Mars-like tide pools were mesmerizing, especially with the ebbs and flows of the waves crashing ashore. I jumped around like a little kid and noticed every small detail…. the little fish popping out of the sparkling cobalt blue ocean, sound of the water pounding the multi-colored rocks, smell of the fresh salt, the crunch of the critters beneath your feet, sting of the blazing sun’s rays, and so on.

After climbing to the cliff peak overlooking the heart-shaped island and gawking at the remote beach paradise tucked into the secluded bay below, I finally found a safe path to one of my new top 10 destinations in the world. OMG.

I happily ate my sandwich and chips, basking in the ocean breeze for the next four hours of perfection. One of the moments in my life where I was at complete peace and never wanted that quiet afternoon to pass.

I bought my first car my sophomore year in college…. a used white VW rabbit. It lasted a couple years until it died on me in the middle of the rural Virginia mountains on my way back home for Christmas break.

I went on to buy my dads next 2 cars, both Ford Escorts. Reliable and safe.

Finally I had enough saved to buy my first brand new car a black Ford Explorer and then a beautiful blue Hyundai Santa Fe. While I would love to own a new car, I enjoy having no car payment anymore. I fully intended to keep my “blue baby” for as long as she would have me, but it wasn’t meant to be.

I’ll never forget it. It was a Monday early morning and I had planned to open the YMCA at 5am (which is very unusual for me) since we were jump starting a massive new event to get our members motivated and moving. Suffering with only 3-4 hours of sleep, I had a Mountain Dew in one hand and a hot chocolate in the other but ready to attack the day and week ahead.

About 45 minutes in, my high energy trainer arrives and asks if I was drunk and why I was parked sideways? She is a nut (in a nice way), so I brushed it off. Then after another half hour, my boss comes in and says I needed to follow him to the parking lot. Hmmmm. Well, my car had been hit by a big semi and pushed 2 full parking spots over so I was actually perpendicular to my colleagues’ cars. OMG.

Well the story gets better….. a member stops by our main desk and said she saw it go down AND that she had it on video (she was talking to a friend via FaceTime and flipped the camera when she heard a huge crash). We were able to make out the logo on the side of the truck and went into full CSI mode. The police wouldn’t come out to even do a report as it was a hit and run. WTF. So we researched the company and got a hold of their corporate offices in GA, and were able to identify the exact truck due to extra lights the driver had decked it out in. Simultaneously, my boss was out for lunch and saw a similar truck with blue paint all over it’s backside…. so we now had a license plate and through more websites we got the drivers name.

The driver gave me this massive sob story and how he didn’t want his insurance to take a hit. I just wanted to be whole again and get it fixed. We arranged to meet and he was a no show. So, no more Mrs. Nice gal. I called corporate again and they ended up suspending the driver until he got ahold of me to make things right.

After an estimate, it wasn’t worth it to get it fixed so I went on the hunt for a new wheels. I fell in love with my hunter green Jeep Cherokee and the rest is history. And the pay off check…… I used it for another vacation!