No more blog neglect

Sorry it's been nearly a week since my last post! The past few days have been a whirlwind. It took 2 days for Alex and I to drive home, and I spent the entire weekend away from technology. This week so far has been full of reconnecting with friends, sending off resumes, scheduling interviews, and laundry. Oh, the laundry. I have three massive piles of clothes blocking the path from my door to my bed and the suitcase is still calling to be unpacked. I'll get it all finished just in time to repack for Seattle next week, I'm sure.

Seattle!!!

Brandon and I are headed to the mountains next week for sailing, unimog off-roading, wine, music, and time with an old friend of Brandon's from his touring days, Charlie. A couple of friends have asked recently how we afford to travel. The secret? Know where to find the best deals and be FLEXIBLE. The key is to have an open mind. So you want to take a trip to San Diego? Look for deals every day. Check airline websites (They're all broke and giving incredible discounts on flights. Beware taxes, though. Figure an extra $50 per person in addition to the flight cost for taxes and fees), online booking sites (For vacation packages, I've found that bookit.com has some of the best deals around for flight+hotel. Plus, they don't charge nickel and dime fees), and check your rewards options (You may be collecting points you don't even know about with credit cards, bank reward programs, etc. that you can redeem for a free hotel stay or other discounts). Flexibility means being willing to change your plans. Maybe you discover you can go to San Diego for half the price a week later than you'd planned. Or if your dates are concrete, you might find a better deal somewhere else. Are you willing to put San Diego on the back burner for a week in Chicago that will cost half the price? Popular destinations are going to be on sale for a long time with things the way they are now, so you'll hit the places you want eventually if you're willing to move them around as you find the best deals. B and I go where the deals are. We go to places where we can stay with friends and save on hotel costs, and we only go when the flights are on sale. I put a little money away each time I get paid and only go on a trip when I can pay for it without putting it on credit. I learned that the hard way. There are few trips worth months of paying off that credit card. Some might be, but those are rare. Save your money. It's all about being smart and knowing what you want. If you want to travel badly enough, you'll figure out what you can cut out and save up to make it happen. Be scrappy. Be happy.

Tonight, I'm headed to church to attend youth for the first time in 6 years. Stephanie and I have been talking about it for several months, and I'm going tonight to check it out as a leader now rather than a student. I'm thrilled. This church has become home for me in so many ways, and I'm so ready to invest more time and energy in the people who have become my extended family. I'm excited about the kids. I'm excited to learn from them and love on them. :)

Out for now. Headed to the pool to swim my self back into shape.

Till next time,
D