Adventures in the life of Sara!

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And...3...2...1...blast off

on July 09, 2014

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About Me

I love: traveling, ice cream, & good books

If anyone knows me at all, they know that I'm in love with Italy. From the first time I went there when I was 19 to the latest trip I had there last year at 31, Italy has a big piece of my heart. There's a reason Italy's nickname is "The Beautiful Place" — because it really is! Everything about Italy is so fun; the food is incredible, the people are friendly and fun, and the whole country is so well connected that it's fun to explore all over. This is me on the beach at Chia in Sardinia during my second summer of Italy when I was 20. Here are my favorite cities in Italy: 1. Rome This is the capital of Italy (and previous capital of several empires!) for a reason. SPQR and go here already! For the top places to see, where to eat, and the best gelato to eat in Rome, c heck out my full blog p ost: https://sarabezmay.blogspot.com/2023/03/best-of-italy-rome.html 2. Florence This is one of my favorite places in Italy and it's a true gem of Tuscany. It has...

🌺 So You're Going to Hawaii...BEST STUFF TO DO IN O'AHU! 🏝️

Let's talk about O'AHU. Home to Honolulu and some of the best parts of the Polynesia. Gorgeous place, probably the best island in the Hawaii chain. Maybe even the world. If you're going there, I'm so excited for you!! If you don't have plans yet, make 'em. Oahu is one of my favorite places. You're going to absolutely love it. I lived in Hawaii for a year total for school so I have explored quite a bit of this beloved island. I have also taken a few friends around and have been there with family for vacation a few times. For your convenience, here's a map of all the best stuff! It's color coded too 🤓 Throwback to a little meme I made in my college days in Hawaii. ✨ Best of O'ahu ✨ Yellow = To Do Blue = Beaches Red = Eats Green = Hikes (If clicking the map doesn't work, copy and paste this in your browser to see the full map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=10rA3ff6ysrAMj537kPM4MymRqj5DUnlX&usp=sharing ) You can...

Best of Italy: Rome

From its significant role in history to its beautiful arts, Rome is breathtaking. I think everyone should go at least once! There is so much to see and it's a really fun mix of old and new. I've been to Rome tons of times. The first time I saw the Eternal City was when I was 19, alone and living with an Italian family . The most recent time I went was with my husband and 3.5 kids in September of 2022. (If you want to travel with kids, I've got your back.) For your convenience, here's a map of all the best stuff! It's color coded too 🤓 ✨ Best of Rome ✨ Yellow = To Do Blue = Gelato Red = Eats Green = Museums Purple = Extra Churches & Parks (If clicking the map doesn't work, copy and paste this in your browser to see the full thing: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1DP8kWYBGIT9h-P3RMFVcocxNwQsKnyg&usp=sharing ) You can use the map to guide your trip. Or pick your favorite things from the list. For detailed explanations, keep reading....

What to Pack in a Kid's Carry On

Here's what we pack in our kids carryon backpacks for the plane rides. SNACKS (see our full snack list ) ARTSY STUFF Coloring Books Etch Books (I like this one from Amazon) Markers Stickers Doodle boards (we have these ones ) HEADPHONES/EARBUDS (sometimes the ones provided in the plane are either too big for little ears or not great quality) JACKET (even if we're going someplace warm, sometimes the planes/airports can be cold) TOYS (we try to bring things they have never seen before! Dollar Tree is a great supplier here) DIAPERS (if they're over 2 and not potty trained yet) Here's what kid-related stuff I pack in my carryon backpack (or wear) for the plane rides. WIPES DIAPERS HAND SANITIZER CARRIER

7 Ways to Get Through 20+ Hours of Labor Without An Epidural

Labor is not easy but it's difficult to describe if you haven't gone through it yet. It's a huge feat, no matter how you choose to go through it. Like many other things, a lot of the work is mental. Labor can be different for everyone, but having the right tools and resources beforehand can make a world of difference! For my fourth child, I was in labor for 20 hours before got an epidural. He finally came about 6 hours later! I did get the epidural after those 20 hours (mostly out of pure exhaustion since my labor started around midnight the night before) but the actual labor part was the easiest one so far! I attribute this largely to the tools I had at my disposal during this pregnancy compared to my previous ones. So I'm going to share them with you! Disclaimer here: I was dilated to 6 cm when I agreed to get an epidural (which came an hour later). Being at a 6 means I was just barely on the edge of active labor so I know I missed the most diffic...

✨ My Maps✨

Here is a list of all the maps I've made from places I've traveled: O'ahu Hawaii Italy Spain (with a focus on Barcelona and Madrid) Paris, France I hope they are helpful to you!

😱 Flying With a Toddler ✈️

Here are my best tips for flying with a 12-18 month old: Let them run around before. This really helped my son get the "wiggles" out before we boarded. We let him run around at the gate and explore (as long as he wasn't bothering anyone) and he loved looking out the windows. We also tried to board as late as we could so he'd have less time sitting on the plane. Have 30-minute shifts (if you're with a partner). If I had to boil it down to one big thing, this would be it. Splitting the flight into 30 min shifts for me and my husband was a lifesaver! Not to say you can't help each other during your "off-time," but it definitely helps to have one of you "in charge" at one time. And it is really nice (and necessary) to get a break. Doing the 30-min shifts made it so much easier for all of us. Have food and snacks that take a long time to eat. We fed my son things like Cheerios (one at a time!) and that was fun for him and also killed time....