As promised, here is your list of almost 100 staycation destinations!

Mid Atlantic

NW (or all), Connecticut :: Parenting Miracles
Boston (or all), Massachusetts :: Maven of Savin
Central, New Jersey :: Our Good LIfe
Adirondak Mountains and Central, New York :: For This Season
Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York :: Ann’s Entitled Life
Syracuse, New York :: I am THAT lady
Erie, Pennsylvania :: Growing Kids Ministry
Greater Harrisburg, Pennsylvania :: Family Balance Sheet
Hershey, Pennsylvania :: Good Deal Mama
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania :: Beyond the Cover
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania :: The Coupon “High”
Poconos, Pennsylvania :: Bucktown Bargains
Scranton, Pennsylvania :: Bucktown Bargains

Midwest

Des Moines, Iowa :: Make the best of everything
Aurora, Illinois :: A Savings WOW!
Central, Illinois :: The Homeschool Scientist
Chicago, Illinois :: Chicagoland Homeschool Network
Naperville, Illinois :: The Sensible Mom
Schaumburg, Illinois :: Ravings By Rae
Fort Wayne, Indiana :: Simplified Saving
Indianapolis, Indiana (Metro Area) :: In Good Cents
Muncie, Indiana (Central IN) :: the daisyhead
Northern Indiana :: So Dough Savvy
Kansas City Area :: Kansas City Mamas
Metro Detroit, Michigan :: Saving Dollars and Sense
Grand Rapids, Michigan :: Give Me Neither
Oakland County, Michigan :: Bargain Shopper Mom
Minneapolis, Minnesota :: Creative Couponing
Rural Minnesota (either Southern our Lake Country) :: Mommysavers.com
St. Cloud, Minnesota :: Frugal Finders
Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas :: Kosher on a Budget
Springfield, Missouri :: Getting Freedom
Cincinnati, Ohio :: Family Friendly Cincinnati
Columbus, Ohio :: Cleverly Simple
Dayton, Ohio :: Savings Lifestyle: Dayton
Mansfield, Ohio :: The Traveling Praters
NE Ohio :: Raising Lifelong Learners
Northeast Ohio (Canton, Akron, Cleveland) :: Sisters Shopping on a Shoestring
Black Hills, South Dakota :: Little House Living
South Dakota :: Moms Mustard Seeds
Oshkosh, Wisconsin :: Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom

Mountain

Phoenix, Arizona :: Mom Endeavors
Scottsdale, Arizona :: Saving For Someday
Tucson, Arizona :: Desert Chica Ramblings
Colorado Springs, Colorado :: The Greenbacks Gal
Denver, Colorado :: Bargain Blessings
Helena, Montana :: The WiC Project
Omaha, Nebraska :: Mom Endeavors
Reno, Nevada – Lake Tahoe (Northern Nevada) :: Saving in Nevada

Pacific

Fresno, California (Central Valley) :: NerdFamily Blog
Los Angeles, California :: Savings.com
San Diego, California :: Good Cheap Eats
San Diego, California :: Life as MOM
Portland, Oregon :: Frugal Living NW
Seattle, Washington :: Thrifty NW Mom

South Atlantic

Arkansas :: Discovering Arkansas
Washington, DC :: Kidventurous
Clearwater Beach, Florida :: Bargain Briana
Jacksonville, Florida :: Saving The Family Money
Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss
St. Augustine, Florida :: Simply St. Augustine
Tallahassee, Florida :: SwagGrabber
Atlanta, Georgia (metro area) :: Hodgepodge
Atlanta, Georgia (metro area) :: The Couponing Couple
Annapolis, Maryland :: The Happy Housewife
Hagerstown, Maryland :: Cheryl Pitt
Asheville, North Carolina :: Paradise Praises
Charlotte, North Carolina :: from our front porch lookin’ in…
Raleigh/Southeastern, North Carolina :: Upside Down Homeschooling
Upstate South Carolina :: The Tween & Me
Charlottesville, Virginia :: How to Have it All
Richmond, Virginia :: Teachers of Good Things
Smithfield, Virginia :: Walking in High Cotton
Virginia Beach, Virginia :: The Coupon Challenge

South Central

Coastal Alabama :: Meet Penny
Huntsville, Alabama :: The Traveling Praters
Northern Kentucky :: Simply Sherryl
Chattanooga, Tennessee :: Living Chic on the Cheap
East Tennessee (Smoky Mountains, Knoxville) :: Finding Joy on the Journey
Nashville, Tennessee :: Montessori Tidbits
Arlington, Texas :: Grocery Shop For FREE
Austin, Texas (Hill Country) :: Ponder the Path
College Station, Texas :: How to Homeschool My Child
Dallas, Texas :: Surviving The Stores
East Dallas, Texas :: Funky Faith Girl
Fort Worth, Texas :: Coupons & Freebies Mom
Houston, Texas :: MomsToolbox
Houston, Texas :: MyLitter
Katy, Texas :: Moms Confession
McAllen, Texas (Rio Grande Valley) :: iLoveMy5Kids
San Antonio, Texas :: Melissa’s Bargains

If you don’t live near Austin, no problem…come back tomorrow and I will be posting a list with staycation ideas for almost 100 different cities!

After having been away from Texas for almost 20 years, returning for good has become a staycation for our family. We are very blessed to live smack dab in the middle of Austin and Houston, which provides up with a variety of activities within driving distance.

I wanted to share some of our favorite places to visit near Austin, as well as many more that are on our bucket list. Both of my brothers live in Austin, so they have been a great help in pointing us to some really cool destinations!

Exploring the Hill Country

Zilker Park

Zilker Park is one of the first places my brother took us when we stayed in Texas 2 years ago. It is also where we chose to spend Mother’s Day this year. Zilker Park is located in the heart of Austin. Within this 350 acre park, you will find a large playground with giant musical instruments, the Zilker Zephyr train that tours the park, Bartons Springs Pool, open fields, and a beautiful river meandering through the land. In the summer time, there are musicals and plays at the outdoor Zilker Theater.

We have flown kites here, went wading in the spring, had a picnic, hiked through the woods, and generally just relaxed and enjoyed our time at Zilker Park.  Next time we visit, we hope to explore Zilker Botanical Gardens located within the park.

Barton Springs

Barton Springs, the fourth largest natural spring in Texas, is located within Zilker Park, but is worth it’s own day trip. Barton Springs Pool is a 3 acre, natural, spring fed swimming pool with an average year round temperature of 68 degrees. Right outside the swimming pool, you can access the creek and wade in the beautiful crystal waters.

If you are looking for a little more adventure, there are canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats that can be rented from Zilker Park Boat Rentals for a day out on the water.

Austin Children’s Museum

Our visit to the Austin Children’s Museum may have been on accident, but it was one place the younger children thoroughly enjoyed! The children’s museum is a hands on learning adventure geared towards younger children. There is an area to make craft projects using recycled materials. My son loved the tool bench with all the nuts and bolts used to attach panels together.

The museum offers several discount days, including a free Sunday afternoon admission. We were able to get in free for military appreciation month. Check with the website to see what discounts are available.

Inner Space Caverns

When I was a kid, I remember touring Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and just being amazed at the beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. I was excited to find out that there are several limestone caverns near Austin. We are hoping to visit Inner Space Caverns this summer and make a life long memory for our children. Inner Space Caverns offers several discounts including a military discount.

Enchanted Rock State Park

If you enjoy hiking and nature, I am told that Enchanted Rock is an awesome place to enjoy both. The pink granite rock formation offers many trails and places to climb. There are vernal pools to explore and rocks to climb. Make sure and bring plenty of water for a day out on the rock.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is number 1 on my places to visit this summer. I am an herbalist and enjoy learning to identify new species of plants. But even if I wasn’t, the beauty of the wildflowers themselves still captures my heart! The center offers several hiking trails with different plants featured on each trail. There are also many different types of gardens showcasing the beautiful wildflowers native to the Texas Hill Country. If you love the flowers as much as I do and want to bring them back with you, the center offers wildflowers for sale twice a year. I will be there next October!

Jourdan-Bachmann Pioneer Farms

Step back in time and experience life in the 1800′s on this 90 acre historical farm, Jourdan-Bachmann Pioneer Farms. There are 5 different areas that cover: an 1841 Tonkawa Encampment, an 1868 German Immigrant Farm, an 1873 Texian Farm, an 1887 Cotton Planter’s Farm and an 1899 Sprinkle Corner rural village. Costumed guides illustrate life on each of the themed farms. Children learn how daily chores were done, such as milking a cow, making candles, woodworking and much more. They can pick vegetables from the garden or taste a home cooked meal made on the farm. There are animals to pet and horses to ride. Lots of fun while learning about history at the same time!

Bat Viewing at the Congress Avenue Bridge

Over 1.5 million bats fly out from under the Congress Avenue Bridge every night from March to November. We had a bat in our house several years ago and seeing 1.5 million of them sounds a little creepy, but I am sure this is something the kids would absolutely love. If you are a photography enthusiast, this is also a great location to catch some beautiful shots of the capital.

Kiddie Acres

“Old school” meets “Preschool”…an amusement park geared towards families with younger children! Kiddie Acres is the classic amusement park offering carousel rides and pony rides. After playing at the amusement park, the family can spend time playing miniature golf or eating pizza, hot dogs, or cotton candy.

Austin Zoo

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Typical animal fun never loses it’s appeal to both young and old. We love to just walk around and marvel at God’s creation and the Austin Zoo is the perfect place to do just that!

Texas Capital

A guide to visiting Austin just wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the state capital. I remember the first time I visited the capital when I was in junior high, looking up inside the dome. It takes my breath away just remembering it’s grandeur. Free guided tours are offered daily, including an overview of the Capitol’s art and architecture, Texas history, and the Texas legislature.

Cool Websites to Find More To Do

Free Fun in Austin – information on finding free activities, free food, and free services

Austin Bored Kids – activities going on in Austin

Austin Texas – event calendar for Austin area

Remember a couple of weeks ago I let you in on an upcoming book release, well the release date is finally here!

iBlog Release: May 1st

iBlog: everything you need to know about blogging from 30 top bloggers is filled to the brim with excellent information for both new bloggers and seasoned bloggers alike. The over 400 pages cover everything from getting started to building your blog to social media to balancing it all.

I sat down and started reading last week and was just amazed at the wisdom that these ladies shared. Thankfully it is not too late to start implementing some of the information on my own blog. Other than the first chapter (which was written by yours truly) I learned something new from every chapter I read. Pretty impressive considering I have been blogging off and on for many years!

This book encompasses all aspects of blogging. I would definitely call this book a “complete blogging manual”. And what is so great about this book is that each contributor shared her area of expertise. These ladies really are TOP bloggers and each of them is gifted in different areas. They have poured out their hearts and minds, sharing all they know about their given topics!

Need help getting started? It’s in here!

Want to know how to increase traffic? Yep, it’s in here!

What about making money from blogging? You guessed it, it’s in here!!!

How to Get iBlog

A 400 page blogging manual is easily worth $30 or more, but we wanted to make sure that iBlog was affordable for everyone. We feel like you are getting a steal of a deal for $7.99!

But to make the release a little bit sweeter, I will be giving away 3 copies of iBlog in 3 days!

On Saturday morning I will chooses 3 lovely winners and each will receive a copy of this excellent blogging reference guide.

If you can’t wait until Saturday and would like to start reading today, go ahead a purchase a copy today! (If you are the winner on Saturday, I will gladly refund your money for the copy you bought.)

iBlog Giveaway

Winners will receive one free copy of iBlog: everything you need to know about blogging from 30 top bloggers. Giveaway will end Saturday morning and I will randomly choose a winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Has it really been 2 months since I last posted? Life seems to have taken me by storm, but is sure is nice to sit down and take a breather. I have always marveled at the women who can blog while giving birth. When things get intense in my life, I usually turn on autopilot and hyper-focus. And maybe because of my introverted nature, I hunker down a bit.

Back to Texas

I have finally pulled out of the cave and am so thankful for God’s goodness. Our family has officially moved once again. My husband has retired from the Air Force after 20 years and we have come full circle back to where it all started…right here in Texas. We had been married for almost a year when he joined up and boy has it been a ride.

We started off in Albuquerque, NM where we had our first 2 children. We were there for 5 years before we headed to Germany for the next 4 years. Next was a loooong 7 years in California, 2 short years in Spain, 1 1/2 years in Kansas, and our final destination here in bluebonnet country.

Last week we were hit by an ice storm in Kansas and I truly felt that winter was never going to end. However, when we arrived here in Texas we were greeted by the most beautiful blanket of wildflowers I have ever seen. Bluebonnets, Indian Paintbrush, Evening Primrose, Winecups and so many more. What a blessed welcome home!

Lil’ Firecracker quilt

I have also been busy with a few other projects in the works. Cooper turned 2 on April 1st. I wanted to make a larger quilt for him as he had long outgrew his baby quilt. I designed a quilt called Lil’ Firecracker that reminds me so much exploding fireworks. It also reminds me of Cooper’s blast of energy!

I am sharing the tutorial for the quilt at the Cutting Corners College and I would love to have you check it out. The Riley Blake Designs website always has tons of cute projects to inspire and it was so much fun to work with them on this project.

New E-book Collaboration

I have wanted to write a book for a very long time now, but it seems like such a daunting task. So I am starting out with baby steps. In January, I was so blessed to be included with a great group of ladies in writing an e-book entitled “iBlog: everything you need to know about blogging from 30 top bloggers”. I really think it should read “29 top blogger and 1 wannabe”, but they were gracious in including me with them.

The book will be released at the end of the month. I am so excited to read it in it’s entirety. I have only read the chapter I wrote, so it will be fun to see what everyone else wrote. The book is almost 400 pages long, so I am certain it is full of great information!

Christian Herbal Website

For many years now I have hoped to create a Christian Herbal website. As anyone who has studied herbal medicine knows, it is so very hard to avoid the pagan culture that has it’s grip on herbal medicine.

I truly believe that herbal medicine was God’s gift to mankind and as Christians we should be at the forefront of herbal knowledge. This should be another tool that we can use to minister to a hurt and dying world. Instead we are having to tread lightly in an area that has been take over by those who wish to worship the created rather than the Creator.

There are so many families out there that are trying to learn how to care for their own, but it is sometimes difficult. I don’t know how many times I have read through herbal texts and just have to skip large portions because of the pagan ideas presented.

Another problem is finding other Christian herbalists to serve as mentors. It is one thing reading from a text, but it is another to work with someone who has practiced herbalism for many years and understands the practical aspects of it.

I want to create a website that presents herbal information from a Christian worldview and creates a community of Christian herbalists that are willing to share freely their knowledge of herbal medicine. I am currently in the process of creating the site and looking forward to launching it in the fall.

In the meantime, I several herbal medicine making posts that have been in my draft for some time. I will try to get those finished up and posted.

On a final note, I think it was Shakespeare who said, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” I certainly missed blogging and all my readers. It is good to be back!

In my life this week…

Join me at The Homeschool Mother’s Journal to find out what I have been up to this week.

Each month, my friend Keri Mae and I choose a topic that we can both write about {make sure to head over and read her post} from our own perspectives and share with each other. When she suggested we write about unfinished projects, I knew I had plenty of them to write about!

There is the unfinished egg basket sitting on the top shelf in the pantry — I am hoping to actually use it once we have laying hens again. Then there is the quilt I started over 7 years ago, a beautiful Tennessee Waltz that was just a bit too difficult for the beginning quilter I was when I started it. My bookshelves are filled with great curriculum that I just haven’t gotten around to doing with the kids. And then there is the stack of herbal books waiting to be read so that I can finish my herbal studies.

So many great ideas and not enough time in the days to get them done.

Sometimes I get discouraged. I cry out to the Lord, “Why can’t I just get some things done?” It makes me feel undiligent, if that’s even a word. Like I have no “stick-to-it-ness”, no perseverance.

Then I am reminded of Hebrews 12: 1-2,

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The race we are set to run is our life in Christ. For many of us, being a wife and mother is the track where we run our race. If we are to finish the race, we have to stay on the track. Sometimes the track gets bumpy and the terrain is rough. Sometimes there are storms and the track is filled with muck and mud. We are going to have to have patience to keep at it.

Along the track, there are many wonderful blessings for us to enjoy. These projects that I busy myself with are beautiful gifts that the Lord has allowed me to enjoy as I am running my race. There are even pit stops along the way, when I can stop and refresh myself and enjoy these projects more fully.

let us lay aside the weight

But if I try to start to race again, I need to set these things aside for the moment. If I try to bring them with me as I run, I will be weighted down and tire out easily. It is always better to run strongly, then take breaks to enjoy the sidelines. This way when we are running, we are more focused on the run, and can do our best at it. Once we take a break, we enjoy the break even more when we know we have ran well.

and the sin which doth so easily beset us

Another thing I must watch out for is the sinful trap of leaving the race to frolic along the edges. When I make the sidelines of more importance than the race, the projects become idols that demand more of my time and energy than the Lord has allowed me to give to them.

When I feel like I “deserve” more of a break than I am given, and feel angered at being pulled back to the race, I have taken my heart out of the race. In order to finish the race, my heart has to to be set on the goal set before me. My eye must be set on the one who created the race and put me in it.

and let us run with patience the race that is set before us

So, I have to remind myself that I am not being “undiligent” by setting my projects aside for another day. I am simply running the race and will come back to them when I am too winded to run!

Melissa & Doug toys and puzzles are staples around our house. Just this summer at our local homeschool conference, the kids were aloud to pick out something “educational” to buy. Isaac chose some chunky Melissa and Doug trucks and Cooper chose a little box with four board puzzles inside. I love the fact that these toys are simple (not alot of bells and whistles) and can be played with by all the kids.

Starting November 6th, Melissa & Doug are celebrating “20 Days of Giveaways” on their Facebook page. Each day, readers have a chance to win a toy from their Terrific Twenty List. Check out the Melissa & Doug Facebook page to enter the daily contest!

Bonus Giveaway

As an added bonus, Melissa and Doug have graciously offered to giveaway one toy to my readers!

This adorable “Trunki” has room inside to pack clothes for a trip or toys for an outing. The best part is that it is sturdy enough for little guys to ride on. I was personally thinking about how great this would be at the airport when you are sitting and waiting for flights. It would certainly give the littles something to do while they wait!

Traveling with Terrance will make family vacations and neighborhood sleepovers more of an adventure! The perfect size, this suitcase is packed with features and has room for lots of travel-friendly activities. Terrance will become your child’s favorite ride-on travel companion.

Retail Value: $39.99

To enter, leave a comment below. I will choose a winner on Monday, November 19th!

Congratulations to Tracy D.! You are the winner of the Melissa and Doug Trunki!