What I'm Loving This Summer

It’s official..SUMMER is here! I never really appreciated this season while living in Texas (triple digits anyone?) until I moved to Chicago. When you are buried under snow with a polar vortex hovering over you for 6 months of the year, you savor every day of those three short but sweet summer months. So as you prepare for vacation, warmer weather and longer days check out what I’m loving this summer plus some great travel, style and entertainment tips.

My Disney Experience: #NicheParent14 Recap

Last week I returned from “the most magical place on earth” Disneyworld! It was five days of fun, adventure, inspiration, networking and professional development in sunny South Florida all thanks to the Niche Parent Network. As I mentioned in my last blog  I was a speaker for the 3rd Annual Niche Parent 2014 conference, an opportunity for digital influencers and brands to come together to learn, network and grow while experiencing some family fun!

Just last year I was attending my first blogging & social media conference and now to have the opportunity to speak plus take another trip to Disney World was truly a blessing and made the trip all the more meaningful!  

I want to share some of the major takeaways from the #NicheParent14 conference and some travel tips and information for those interested in exploring the magic of DisneyWorld in the near future.

#NicheParent14 Highlights

Social Media Expert and Influencer Kim Garst kicked off the conference and shared tips on “How To Build and Award Winning Blog” :

• Know Your Unique Value   
• Know Who You Serve
• Know Your Competition
• Create awesome and useful content
• Promote Your Content
• Consistency is Key
• Build Profitable Relationships

“Our blog is how we showcase how we serve our customers” ~ Kim Garst

Our #NicheParent14 presentation went great! We had an awesome discussion on collaborating, networking, branding and engaging your community! My co panelists rocked it! It was a great opportunity to share some of the same information I share with my clients that sometimes connecting with others can help you achieve goals and “Real Women Don’t Compete, They Collaborate”

Nadia Jones and her team had a fun filled weekend planned for us in the midst of power packed sessions and keynotes. Safari ride and dinner at Animal Kingdom was perfect thanks to a visit and photo op from Mickey and Minnie!

Three Common Travel Mistakes

*This post was originally posted on Love, Label and Joneses

It’s summertime so that means one thing for most people, VACATION! You finally get a break from work or school and the first thing you want to do is get out of the comforts (and bores) of home and explore a new destination. Maybe chill on a sunny beach, go for an adventurous hike in the mountains or a spa vacation is on your travel bucket list. Ahh, the excitement! However while you are busy buying a new vacation wardrobe, booking a babysitter or requesting that time off, it’s important not to sidestep some important steps in the planning process.

Here are three common travel mistakes that we often make:

Spouse Travel: Honeymoon Edition

Guest Post by Veronica Weatherspoon-

March 23, 2013, I was fortunate to marry the most intriguing man I’ve ever met.  The next morning, we set off for our honeymoon to beautiful Puerto Rico!  The sandy beaches, blue skies and crystal clear water were something to be rivaled, and my husband and I vowed to enjoy every moment!  Remembering a few things helped us and may help you, too:

What's in my bag? My Business Travel Essentials

I’m on the road or in the air quite often for business trips. In my 9 to 5 gig as a Midwest territory sales manager, 60% – 70% of my time is spent in rental cars, airports and Hilton brand hotels. I want to share with you five of my business travel essentials that are a “MUST" when packing for a trip on my checklist: 

Tote Bag
I try to have as few items of luggage as possible when traveling for business. Moving quickly in and out of vehicles, planes and offices leaves plenty of opportunities to leave items behind.

Guest Post: Too Tight Jeans

This month's guest contributor is Shivawn of "Love, Label and Joneses" Check out her great post!

Have you ever had a pair of jeans that you had to jump into just to put them on? And you knew they were too tight before you put them on but you HAD to wear them? So all throughout the day you had to suffer through being uncomfortable. Uncomfortable when you sat down because they squeezed your legs. Uncomfortable when you ate and had to walk around all day holding your stomach in. But as soon as you got home behind closed doors you immediately struggled to get those jeans off. 

After the struggle you vowed to never wear them again...but you did 3 weeks later!

Creating travel memories in the most cost effective way

This week's post is a guest post by my friend and client Kine! Enjoy:)

We often think of vacation as an extravagant, luxury trip; maybe something we saw in a movie. Those types of vacations are great but for most people they are a once in a lifetime thing. Keep those kind of vacations in mind when you have saved enough to do it big.

In the meantime, you should small vacation ideas you can take and not really have to break the bank. 

Check out these 3 easy to find great ideas: