Growing up I loved Saved by the Bell. There would usually be some sort of drama (Gasp, Jesse is on pills and we have an aerobics video to record). But then it always returned to happy perfection when Slater and Zach saved the day. Remove the commercials and, if you’re like me, you realize you can solve most of life’s problems in less than 22 minutes. (Even Screech occasionally found his coordination and had a few ‘special’ moments with Lisa within those 22 minutes. I’m telling you…I thought anything could happen in less than 22 minutes).
And I’m certain most of you reading this have also seen the magical home renovations on HGTV that occur in the same time frame. Well guess what my friends?! Our latest project is overdue on our own magical home reveal. Sure we did a reveal party but someone (me) was hitting the cheese platter too hard to remember to take any photos. And now that we’ve also hosted a few Christmas soiree’s, I want to do a proper BEFORE and AFTER photo share.
The actual renovation for our Pied-a-Terre (read more about it here and here) took a full 13 weeks. But today I’m giving you the pretty ‘tied with a big bow’ finished version. And in less time than our coveted 22 minute sitcoms. (Although please do let me know in the comments which project you want to hear more about). If I can add humor and helpful information to it then I promise to do a write up to share details. And when are vaulted ceilings and updated tile never not funny!?.
Just like I couldn’t wait to see Lisa Turtle find a soft spot for Screech each episode, I hope you too can see that this house was wonderful to begin with. It just felt dated and we love to find and restore some updated charm.
Oh…and because you know my family likes to keep things interesting. Our whole family fled to Mexico for a week in the middle of this 13 week project. What HGTV never shows you in those 22 minutes is the insane mental exhaustion of a renovation. Spoiler: beach cocktails help cure this ailment. We came back ready to finish. She is a beauty! Take a look!
THE BEFORE. Forget about curb appeal. You could barely see the house driving by!THE AFTER. Ahhhh! There she is! Bushes be gone and show us your bright white! (more specifically Sherwin Williams Shoji White). You actually notice the big sprawling tree now as well.THE BEFORE. Come on in and let us show you around. THE AFTER: Even the models seem cuter in their raingear! 35* and rainy on reveal day. But for a family that ‘loves a rainy night’ these 8 foot glass front doors ‘are a beautiful sight’. Thank you Eddie Rabbit for my lyrical door description. THE BEFORE. Split level with a split-second decision on which staircase to use. There were TWO staircases within 4 feet of walking in the door. If you’re indecisive like me, you’ll appreciate that we gave you one solid grand entry.THE AFTER. The largest doors I’ve seen in person with my actual eyeballs. A bright and elegant light with just a few grand easy stairs taking you into your cozy living area.THE BEFORE. A solid dark palette and turns out the fireplace brick was poorly assembled. One swing of the hammer and it all came down!!! THE AFTER. Why yes we did vault the ceilings! Installed real hardwoods, updated the fireplace that turns on with the flick of a switch (or by asking my 3 year old to do it)! And of course we gave her fresh paint – Sherwin Williams Front Porch.Speaking of paint – that painting you are all going to ask me about is by Legendary Katie Murray.THE BEFORE. The laundry room and storage was all one space. We redesigned the entire downstairs and think it’s much more user friendly. (do you spy one of the staircases that formerly led to the entryway?)THE AFTER: A sizable (and stylish) Laundry Room. Large enough to host a gathering and pretty enough that you might actually run a load of laundry too!THE BEFORE. This was the large living space off of the laundry and storage area. They gave us a great space to work with. We just knew we could make it more functional.THE AFTER. Smooth ceilings, reinforced header (au revior columns), and lots of places to stash the toys before company arrives!THE BEFORE. This half bath was showing it’s age with a few dated design aspects.THE AFTER: Downstairs bathroom. A few easy, inexpensive and simple updates! So fresh and so clean!THE BEFORE. Master Bedroom had a large layout with an area that we felt would be better used and appreciated in the Master BathroomTHE AFTER. The Master Bedroom is still spacious with a seating area (out of view from photo). We think you’ll agree on stealing space for the Master Bath…..THE BEFORE. A tiny Master bathroom considering the overall size of the house. Itsy-bitsy shower and just the one shell-shaped sink!THE AFTER. There’s room in here for two! Larger shower and a double sink vanity (because we believe in the sanctity of marriage). THE BEFORE. Previously the Master closet was accessed thru the bedroom. Our renovations allowed for a proper en suite.THE AFTER. Master Closet (En Suite) has an updated layout and is now accessed thru the bathroom. I love this because it means if you sleep in later than your partner, he can shower and get ready in one area without opening and closing doors and turning on various lights. (I might be speaking from personal experience here ‘5am Heath’).THE BEFORE. Leigh-Ann’s bedroom. I’m not sure who Leigh Ann was but she had 3 layers of wall paper and I was digging her ever-changing design ideas! As we did with all the bedrooms, we just freshened it up and made it move-in ready for anyone’s design to take shape!THE BEFORE. We replaced all 16 single panel doors. RIP Leigh-Ann’s room.THE AFTER: ‘Leigh-Ann’s Bedroom’. Now Greenley’s bedroom and she loves having her own ballet barre along with two closets. #girlsdreamTHE BEFORE. Layout was already large so we just updated with some of our favorite design ideas at the time!THE AFTER. The most commented thing on this Hall Bathroom thus far has been regarding the shiny finish on the vanity. It’s hard to see in the photo but just know it has serious luster and we love the way it pops with the gold accents and white tiled wall. THE BEFORE. Most of you have seen the backyard from the pool here. But we also wanted to update this side of the yard. THE AFTER. Again we simplified things by reducing the stairs and opening up the area to better entertain your friends and family. THE BEFORE. I will end this post with the most requested room in the house….the Kitchen! I coined the wall to the left as the ‘isolation wall’ because the cook was literally cut off from the rest of the house. The space was too small to let others into the kitchen with you, yet being fully walled off, you couldn’t even pretend to be a part of the group.THE AFTER. The kitchen now opens up to the main living area. The high ceilings make it feel more spacious and you still have easy access to the living area downstairs. You should have seen the 10 guys hauling in this massive marble island countertop. THE AFTER. Casing out the kitchen sink window instantly made it feel larger and we added the largest window we could find within our time constraints. Now this is a kitchen I can really spend some time in (I probably still won’t cook, but I will spend more time here).
Y’all this house (our Pied-a-Terre) is FOR SALE! We have moved our little family here until the next owners find it and I can whole-heartedly tell you that it’s wonderful! Will you stop by for a drink if you’re ever in Fort Worth? It’s seriously the perfect home for hosting. Tell me the details of this project you want to hear more about. You know I love to share!
Last week I finally introduced you to our ‘Pied-à-terre’. Our House in the City. She would be a Plastic Surgeon’s dream (Just in house form). She has great bones and is well-kept. She just needed a serious refresh. As I write this, most of her walls have already been torn down and she now gleams with brand new sheetrock and a layout that suits her much better.
And just as a Plastic Surgeon would do, we took tons of before photos. But because our life as home renovators allows us to have a bit more fun with our ‘patients’ than actual surgeons are probably allowed (HIPPA hasn’t reached the construction business yet), we also threw a party to show her off! Before and After photos are so important, but getting to celebrate your work and let your friends and family actually see the process is so fun for us.
Since the ‘pied-à-terre’ (home in the city) has a pool, we knew how we needed to kick off the renovation:
Pool Party!
Some of the best memories are made in swimsuits!
Seriously though, if you are doing updates or renovations to a home, I want to encourage you to throw a little shindig for friends and family. As I’ve mentioned, ‘before’ photos just don’t do a project justice (although I’m going to flood you with plenty of ‘before’ pics anyway. See a few here). It’s more fun to let people into the space. Here is how we kept it simple and stress-free (because the party shouldn’t stress you out. Home Renovation that gets to take the ‘stress’ glory)!
Impromptu ‘BEFORE’ Pool Party came timeline:
Thursday morning: Having just returned home from Thailand, we rushed to get papers signed on this home and line up our crew. We realized demo wouldn’t start until the following Monday – we literally looked at each other this morning and both had the same idea. “Let’s throw a party on Saturday“. It was 110º daily so we coined it the ‘Dog Days of Demo Preview Party‘. I quickly created an online invitation. I typically use Paperless Post, but this time I tried MINTED’s online invitations.
Too Hot to Hammer!
Friday mid-day(more importantly still nearing 110 freaking degrees outside): We decided it was seriously too hot to cook and way to hot to offer a cook-out. Heck, the heat made it barely possible to breathe. With Heath devoting his time to his renovating spreadsheets and my brainstorming the details that truly make for a good party, we decided we didn’t have time to home cook for this little shindig. We would need to ‘cater’ the dinner. We fell back on an old favorite that is always a hit. First, let me give you a quick back story – Prior to meeting Heath, I had been ordering fried chicken from a hamburger joint. He has blessed my life tremendously by introducing me to the best fried chicken on God’s green earth. Even if you aren’t a fan of that type of food, this joint has a recipe that will leave your mouth watering. And preggo mammas…just get ready to give them all your money….
Saturday afternoon:We call CHICKEN EXPRESS. Oh ya baby! Locals know this joint as Chicken E and their corn nuggets are the crown jewel to the combo of fried chicken and mac ‘n cheese. We also stocked up on various frozen desserts. As I type this and salivate, I may never allow Heath to cater with boring Ahi Tuna and those silly charcuterie boards again. (I jest. My mouth is salivating again). Regardless, fried food is always a win. And are you like me? Do you somehow put on a bikini and all of a sudden crave fried, buttery foods? What is up with that?
Saturday 4:30pm: With 30 minutes before the party started we quickly set up. We didn’t have to do the silly pre-party cleaning. Nope. Didn’t need bother dusting a darn thing. No need….who was going to judge? The only thing we did to truly prepare the home was use spray paint to outline as many of the changes as we could. We wanted to give a good visual to anyone really interested in which walls would move, where the coveted kitchen island would go and how large the master bath would be.
When your party is so on brand you can use the decor dump truck to help bring in party supplies.
PARTY TIME: The adults had a great time walking the space and we loved describing the future of this home. The kids were allowed to paint, glue and color ANYWHERE they wanted (Although Tide stain remover for their clothing would have been a nice parting gift. Next time!). We had fully functioning bathrooms so the drinks could flow easily and no one even had to dry off from swimming to relieve themselves. I accidentally put the ice cream in the refrigerator instead of the freezer, but not one single parent stressed about their kids spilling the soupy dessert. It was just good ‘ole laid back summertime fun!
Fried chicken, sweet rolls in a dump truck, silverware in a Home Depot apron and paint supplies for kids.Easy to brand a construction party when your child owns all the toy trucks.We can’t be held responsible for kids leaving this party and trying to paint their own walls at home.
Saturday 9pm: Clean up lasted all of THREE minutes. The Demo crew would be there to enhance the party mess on Monday so no need to even sweep up crumbs. We did throw the remains of the food and plates in the trash (because we aren’t total savages).
Ta-Da! Party clean up was a breeze. Grabbed the dump truck and headed on home.
While this party really had nothing to do with the actual renovation, it was so fun to share our project with others. Our desire was that we would complete the full renovation project in enough time to throw a reveal pool party as well. Unfortunately, the cold rain is now pouring down in Texas so pool season is over and I regret my complaints about the heat (it wasn’t that miserable, was it?). But this home boasts an amazing backyard, so maybe an evening of s’mores and decor is in our near future! We can’t wait to show you the final product!
Soon enough I’ll show you the reveal photos!
If you remodel, what are ways you make the process feel special? If you don’t personally like to renovate, what makes seeing others progress so exciting?
The summer travel season is winding down. And vacation memories (or possibly some nightmares), are all that remains. Of course some of us may have possible scarring from 3rd degree sunburns (not mentioning names) or something more pleasant like a new pair of slippers you snuck from your hotel room. We can debate later whether or not hotels intend for you to take them or not. I say “YES”, because ewwww….those slippers better not get reused! Have you seen the lack of hygiene of other tourists? Anyone who wants to argue differently, I will kindly ask you to think about some of the tourists you have seen wandering the streets of any city. Not everyone has the same hygiene standards as you. So, again. Ewwww. If those hotel slippers are meant to be reused, I don’t want any part of that hotel life.
Or maybe you brought home something more substantial from your hotel room? Willing to admit it? Here is a look back at an email I sent home to my friends and family during my time working as the Yacht Director on board SeaDream. Before we dive into the email unveiling the behind the scenes of yachting life, let me set the scene for you.
SeaDream is a luxury high-end yacht (think Four Seasons on water). Our typical clientele would leave behind better amenities and clothing than I have actually purchased in my lifetime.
When I sent this email, there had been a bit of an economic downturn and that lead a few of our clients to cancel their charter voyages meaning the yacht could sit empty for a few weeks. (These were either individuals who needed to reign in their frivolous 200K yachting adventures. Lame. Or the cancelations came from companies who didn’t want to be publicly blasted for letting go of employees all while executives dined on Caviar and Moet. Won’t name any names, but feel free to DM me.
Those vacant charter weeks needed to be filled quickly with guests and that lead to a few very, very, very inexpensive voyages that anyone from the masses could purchase. Although we shouldn’t pretend that what is described in the below email only occurs when discount voyages are offered. Trust me. Seriously, trust me…this could (and would) happen with guests of any financial bracket. I learned quickly that money didn’t buy class (but more typically sass or ass). Although, those living in more normal financial realms did tend to bring bigger bags to haul home free swag.
The scene has been set. Here is my email update from 2009:
Hello from the Sunny Carib!
So it’s back to work for me and while SeaDream keeps sailing full, this ‘economic crisis’ is making our guests a bit crazy. Actually, I don’t know if crazy is the word – maybe just straight up THIEFS is more fitting! When I arrived on board in San Juan, it was turn-over day to prepare for the new guests. We also make note of all things missing. I would like to just quickly inventory a few of the items guests decided were ‘included’ in the price of the voyage (or possibly part of a stimulus package?), because they just loaded up their suitcases with the following:
◦ Duvet, Duvet cover, top and bottom sheet and 4 pillow cases (I suppose they tried getting the mattress and box spring too, but their luggage didn’t allow enough room). NOTE: What kind of bad juju dreams do you think one has sleeping under contraband bedding?
◦ The Sunscreen/Self Tanner/Body Mists that we sell were removed from their luxury packaging very delicately. And then the empty boxes placed back on shelf. (I hope they are stupid enough to hide it in their Carry-On, so some mean man at airport security gets to confiscate those stolen liquids) NOTE: We kept full size items in staterooms with purchase information so guests could easily decide they wanted our $100 Clarins Self-Tanner. Sadly for this stateroom guest we could see they tried to hide their theft, and in return we are happily charging the credit card we have on file. (insert spooky ‘buahhhhaaaahhaa’ laugh).
◦ Crystal jewelry boxes that are in the staterooms. And they say SeaDream on them!!! How tacky/obvious is that going to be in someones house??! Or was this a gift for someone back home. (NOTE: I hope the recipient stumbles across this blog one day and realizes that their mother in law actually stole the item gifted to them so many years ago).
◦ All but TWO of the golf balls from our Golf Simulator – oh, thank you so much. Oh, wait. There was a reason they left those two balls – Because those two were both cracked. The fun part is we actually know who took the golf balls! How? Because that particular couple asked for the Stewardess to help them with something in their room, but didn’t close their suitcase before she arrived (isn’t there a blog about stupid criminals? It’s not exactly criminal what they did, but sure fits the description). Unfortunately we didn’t approach them about this before departure because their stewardess was too nice to tell on them until after they left. The Filipino culture is incredibly kind! All the time!
Play 65 courses around the world. Unless someone stole all the Titleist.
This voyage we might as well just offer a ‘Yard Sale’ in our Daily Program – SeaDream might make some extra money this way and I could count it as an ‘Activity’ – everybody wins!
We kept 10 Hummer Bikes on board and I now I know why we lock them up at night. (Photo from Santorini, Greece)
It’s actually great to be back…well other than the fact that I’m already sunburned, tired, and having a daily internal fight with myself to NOT walk past the pastry shop (it turns out that even when I tell myself I’ll just ‘walk by, have a sniff, and say Hello’, I somehow consume 2 brownies, banana bread, and soufflé – and that’s on a self-controlled day).
And honestly, if you would like to come on board for SeaDream’s next yard sale just let me know – they are giving me super cheap rates for my family and friends for the Caribbean, the crossing and the Mediterranean – and bring an extra piece of luggage, in case there is a TV or Bicycle on board that you may want to sneak home!
Surprised they didn’t take my keyboard too,
Meredith
I’m so thankful I saved all these emails! I hope you are too!
Oh! I also have an update regarding the Pastry shop struggle I mentioned. I gained my usual cruise weight and loved every minute of it. There are no better Pastry Chefs than those on board SeaDream. Thankfully their kitchen equipment is kept safe from our delinquent passengers in the bows of the ship!
What is the wildest thing you have come home with from your travels? Come on….admit it….there has to be something you’ve taken?!
Thanks for reading! Eat well and Travel often! Love, Meredith
The story of a Brisket, Spicy Spaghetti Sauce and Thailand Immigration control.
Swimming up to the prettiest luggage carrying the juiciest meat. Featuring the BEST LUGGAGE
To start things from the very beginning, let’s go back to the week before we departed for our two-week vacation to Thailand. I was headed to meet a friend and her kiddos for an impromptu play date (one of many outings to stave off the mom-guilt pre-departure). En route to meet our friends, Heath called and said I needed to meet him. He had just picked up the frozen, vacuumed-sealed Brisket we would take to serve as our lunch on Day 4 of the sailing portion of the Thailand trip.
So I had to call my Vegan friend and let her know that I was canceling our date….because of a ‘Meat Situation’. How’s that for furthering her beliefs in avoiding animal meat.
I rushed that 6 lb. baby brisket home and stored her in the freezer. Along with our Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage, the spicy spaghetti sauce, and Central Market jalapeño sausages. These would all make the trek to Thailand and need to be as frozen as possible before we travelled for 32 straight hours.
If you promise not to tell the other sailors, I might have double-dipped on sampling this mouth-watering spicy sausage sauce we froze for flight to Thailand.
Fast forward to the afternoon of departure and we filled a soft-sided YETI cooler with freezer packs and our frozen goods. Said a quick prayer over the bag (there is nothing too silly to say prayers over. God loves to provide!) (we use a vacuum sealer like this: Vacuum seal for better frozen transport!)
Dallas to Houston Hobby. Bags made it!
Press play to see how smooth rolling AWAY LUGGAGE is. Even filled with household supplies and scrumptious meat!
We loaded an Uber with all 5 bags. Checked in at Houston international and checked all bags onto Phuket. Houston to Taipei and the air temperature was -65* so we knew our cooler would be just fine! Taipei to Bangkok. Bangkok to Phuket.
-67* Outside Air Temperature. Perfect frozen food flying weather!
Standing at the baggage belt it is always thrilling to see your bags come thru the little window. 1, then 2 and finally all 4 checked bags appeared. Considering how many millions of people a day travel, I find it miraculous when bags arrive after an itinerary like that. I know sometimes we can get heated and frustrated when our bags don’t make it to our final destination, but isn’t it actually amazing that they can? But that is a conversation for another day.
Not wanting to celebrate too early, we walked confidently towards baggage immigration. Four bags went thru the scanner…and only three came out.
We came face to face with an Immigration officer looking at us incredibly confused. AHHHH! I looked at Heath and asked him what was in that one. Under his breath with ventriloquist lips he said, “the meat”. (Did I mention we brought knives, a waffle skillet, HORRIBLY tacky khaki pleated pants for a costume party. All things that could have been offensive to Thai Immigration).
Somehow I was the one requested to open the offending suitcase. And then to open the YETI cooler tucked inside. As we stood next to the two large banners explaining the ZERO tolerance for bringing in fruit, the immigration officer pulled out the spaghetti sauce.
Friends, insert the age-old debate determining if tomatoes are a fruit OR a vegetable. Which side did my immigration friend fall on? Does he know what spaghetti sauce is based upon?
The language barrier stopped us a bit…but Heath intervened announcing, “it’s a sauce. Made with lots of tomatoes. TOMATOES.”. I looked at him wide-eyed and whispered, “STOP. SAYING. THAT WORD.
Heath:, “huh?”.
Me: with gritted teeth, “Stop saying ‘tomatoes’.”
Then our immigration friend spotted the Brisket.
“What is this?”, he asked. We quickly pulled out an ice pack and said, ‘Oh this is just an ice pack”.
With a giggle he very obviously pointed to the brisket.
Ohhhhh that! Heath responded, “It’s cooked meat. Smoked. Brisket. You know it? It is cooked.”. (because only monsters would bring raw meat?)
The immigration officer asked us how many we had. We proclaimed, “only one sir!”. I mean, again, we aren’t monsters.
So there we stood with 6 lbs of USA meat and a bag of tomatoes.
He turned to Heath and said, “I help you.”. (WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!)
We remained confused as he walked to a desk, opened the top drawer, lifted a yellow legal notepad and grabbed a crinkled well-worn pamphlet from underneath. You know, the kind of pamphlet that looks like it’s been in your back pocket for about a week.
I knew this is where the Immigration Officer would show us line by line how we’d have to leave this all behind. All I could think of was how I wished I had eaten more of the spicy sausage spaghetti sauce now. What a waste…I started hoping that he would at least take it home to let his family try it (and you know me…I was going to beg him to let them try…tell the full story of how we made it, annoying him with my long-winded story hoping it would bless his family).
But in flash, he just placed the pamphlet in my hand and began gesturing for us to go ahead and enter Phuket. Contraband and all! What? Was this were we should have snuck him a $20? We didn’t know and didn’t want to cause more trouble so we just packed it up, bowed profusely, and thanked him a million times. Then sped to our transfer car waiting outside.
As we drove away from the airport, Heath and I high-fived each other in disbelief that we got away with it all. I pulled the ratty old pamphlet from my purse to have a look. Wait! What? He had given us a pamphlet about Quarantining your pets.
The well-worn pamphlet that somehow allowed us to bring in USA meats and fruits.
None of this applied to Brisket or spaghetti sauce. But I suppose that was the point? Thank you Thailand!
Oh my gosh!!! This Thailand trip is going to be amazing! No rules….just real good fun!
What have you ‘snuck’ into a country before? Any wild things you’ve travelled with that made you nervous? You know I love a good story…let me know!
Sorry not sorry for the puns. You gotta get playful with words when discussing boring governmental documents. There is nothing jolly about taking a 1 inch square photo resembling a mugshot and filling out paperwork ensuring (despite mugshot appearance) you are not a threat to society.
Passports are no laughing matter. The first thing a ticket agent will ask you for at airport arrival is your current documentation. And no amount of sweet-talking, candy bribing behavior will get you on a flight. Expired or forgotten passport? Kiss your camelback ride thru the dunes of the Sahara goodbye. The good news is that Gate Agent Vicki isn’t even going to let you check your bags, so at least you still have all your stuff. ‘Cause you ain’t going anywhere!
Can’t fill your passport with fancy stamps while it’s sitting in your top drawer at home. No one cares that you ‘remember right where you left it’.
Disaster aside, you can still have a good time when handling issues that may arise due to this important document. Or lack there of, as the case may be.
Read todays post and file it away
Because Passport dilemmas happen everyday.
And yes, even to you Mr. ‘Type A’.
And oh boy, if you fall into that ‘detail-oriented, organized, Type A’ personality category, a passport mishap will majorly stress you out. I don’t fall into that category so let my “skill” of navigating solutions to self-inflicted disasters help you.
Before I left for for Iceland and Ireland last month, my sister Molly came over for dinner and to get settled in to stay with my kids for the weekend. She would be joining us in Ireland the following Thursday.
Or would she?
Molly mentioned that she sent her passport off to be renewed 8 weeks prior and still hadn’t received it back. Umm, this was concerning me. To me! The girl who wings EVERYTHING and never pays to rush packages because I just want to roll the dice. But I knew the average turn-around time for passports (currently) was about 3-4 weeks. Something was up. I brushed aside my initial curiosity that they were heavily investigating for something my sister was framed for. That only happens in movies, right?
The only other explanation was that her passport was stuck or lost or something. It really didn’t matter. All that did matter was that she had a flight leaving the country in 4 days and needed to come up with Plan B. She’s cute ya’ll, but cute don’t cut it at Border Patrol. Immigration Officers only want to see your mugshot in book form.
We first made several phone calls to the Passport Helpline. There are too many safety measures for anyone on the phone to really help you. They couldn’t investigate as it would be ‘invasion of privacy’ and could only tell us to call back 72 hours prior to departure. I wanted to solve this because my empathy levels always score high. Knowing she would be back home frantic for a passport, would impede my personal travel enjoyment. Or does that just make me selfish? Do not answer that!
How did we solve this debacle? We were lucky that we lived only 1 hour from a real life Passport office. I was able to make her an appointment online for 10:30 the next morning. This was perfect. She had to wake up at 6am. With my 2 toddlers. And drop Heath and I off at the airport.
She would then have just enough time to drive the hour (with my energetic children) to make her morning appointment. The Passport office only sees people with proof of travel within the next 2 weeks. While they can do same day passports, they often ask for you to come back again the following day. It would be a 3 hour investment of her time. This was made extra fun as she kept a 2 yr old and a 4 year old entertained. (I thought of her often while sipping prosecco at 40,000 feet en route to Iceland). Thankfully she had an early morning appointment because after a lot of back and forth, they finally agreed to produce a passport for her at 3pm. Perfect because that gave her time to circle Dallas while the kids (my kids) napped. Then it was back to the Passport Office.
It was such special bonding time for an Aunt and her Niece and Nephew solving real life governmental documentation problems.
The only thing more unfortunate than spending a day with little kids at a governmental office, is that they made her retake her photo. She was totally unprepared and is probably going to kill me for sharing these photos.
The photo on the left was taken intentionally. 8 weeks before she travelled. A bit of makeup and properly blow dried hair hides the death-like stare that CAN NOT be avoided in photo on the right. But pride has to be put aside when you need to fly!
Molly made it!! Crisp new passport in hand. Only slightly more important then our fancy wedding fascinators.
In case you find yourself without your little blue book and you are 2 weeks from travel then you need to STOP READING this! Find the nearest Passport Office HERE.
Take your extra passport photo with you (if you don’t have one bring lipstick and a comb. You can pay to have one taken there).
Plan to spend the day there, or block off the following morning to return for pick up. (This may turn into your Pre-vacation. Without the booze or sunshine).
Bring proof of international travel (your flight is preferred vs. just a hotel reservation).
You must make an appointment (This can be done HERE)
And bring money as the expedited fees will be added in. (Oh look, spending extra cash…it really is like a mini-vacation).
Oh…and leave your weapons at home. Although, it seems they do allow children so that rule seems fuzzy to me.
Other tips to help you avoid last minute Passport frantics:
Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months beyond your travel dates. If you don’t travel often, check your passport when booking flights to be sure you don’t need to update anything. If you travel often, you probably have your passport memorized in the same brain bank as your home phone number. And you might run out of pages before you even need to renew. (NOTE: You can no longer add pages to a Passport)!
As I type this I could almost promise you that you’d get your USA Passport back within 3-4 weeks. But plan for 6-8 weeks to be safe. And feel free to borrow my children should you need to make a run to the passport office. They are now experienced.
Keep your packing list short! Sometimes we get so bogged down by jewelry and clothing options that we forget the most obvious. No matter where I’m going, I recite the mantra: “Passport and Credit Card. Passport and Credit Card”. As long as I have both of these things, I can take care of anything lost/forgotten/stolen.
Keep a photo of your passport on your phone. This won’t really help you fly if you don’t have it in hand (I’ve been with friends who have tried). But it will make replacing it easier and quicker when abroad. This would involve help at an Embassy. More on that another day.
Passport Offices can also be used for Life or Death emergencies. You must provide all the usual application documentation in addition to proof of the life or death emergency. Proof of an emergency includes a death certificate (translated), a statement from a mortuary, or a signed letter from a hospital or medical professional.
Want more passport stories?
Listen in as my friend Koula shares how she solved her visa situation abroad HERE and HERE.
And you have to hear how my friend Brice solved his forgotten passport story while in Puerto Rico. It’s GENIOUS and you can listen HERE.
Tell me in the comments – what problems or solutions have you encountered! I’d love to share more!
Can you imagine all the important things that are found when the snow melts at ski resorts?
Important Tip: When to splurge on a babysitter for your family vacation.
In case you’re already loading the car with 2 ankle-biters that won’t let you enjoy today’s blog, let me be blunt with the answer: Night two and Night four. For the rest of you, let me explain!
Please note that I didn’t say ‘if’ or ‘possibly’. Or for heaven’s sake, “we will think about it”. Trust me. Stop thinking and JUST! HIRE! THE! BABYSITTER! Unless you are raising perfect children a la ‘Leave It To Beaver’ (in which case this whole blog is probably obscene to you), you are going to need a break from the little ones. They depend solely on you for their survival and if you are literally keeping other humans alive, how are YOU getting a break on this so-called ‘vacation’?!
Look at me! I’m a total super mom. Reality: pool was freezing. Greenley was whining. Johnny Madison wanted a different drink. I was on my fourth drink. It was 11am!
Now I’m really laying it on thick. No seriously, I’m such a cool mom. Look how fun I am! Kids are not convinced.
You think raising kids at home is challenging? Take them on a trip, deprive them of sleep, add in extra sugar and then use that overly cheery voice to bribe smiles out of them for photos all day long. Trust me. Someone is going to lose it and you don’t want it to be you! (Otherwise your cute little San Francisco family vacation will become known as ‘that week mom threw all our cookies out of the car and stomped on them’ or some equally frightful memory they will share about you for the remainder of their life).
While a babysitter won’t prevent all meltdowns completely, it will absolutely give everyone a break from the routine and something new to look forward to. And ya ya, I know. Mommy and Daddy look forward to the break more than the kids. But let’s remember who is paying for this trip. Check all your guilt at the hotel lobby! (Easier to do with cocktail in hand).
I have gone off track…but hope you are still sold on my idea…you MUST splurge on a babysitter during your family vacation trip. And to maximize the babysitting benefits there is one rule to follow: The nights you use this luxury. (My rule applies to any adventure that is 4 days or longer).
Book your sitter for Night two and Night four. Here is why:
Night one: Everyone is excited for the time away together. You are delirious from a day of travel and your personal excitement has you confused on how much work this trip is really going to be. Hang with your family and suck every bit of fun out of tonight because reality will set in tomorrow. (Oh ya, you’re also probably super tired from the travel day. Don’t try to be a hero by partying late tonight).
Night two: Get the sitter! DO NOT get caught up in the vacation high and think you can wait. Utilize the sitter while YOU are still fresh and while YOU can fully have fun with your spouse and/or friends. Do you need to get away already on Night 2? No! But that IS! THE! POINT! It will feel like a total luxurious splurgy vacation to go out. You can have drinks, laugh a ton and engage in lively conversation before your kids have sucked the life out of you. (Don’t nay-say me! They will suck the life out of you).
Your load literally gets lighter if you treat yo ‘self to a babysitter on these family trips! Imagine biking to dinner without schlepping the entire family for once!
Night three: You just had a sitter last night. Let’s not be greedy. You aren’t your children’s surrogate. You are their actual parent so spend an evening with them. Geez. (plus, you might be hungover/rundown from the prior night of fun. Just saying…).
Still fresh! And loving time with the kids. This was Night 3 on a trip to Watercolor. These smiles won’t look as authentic on Night 5. #trustme
Night four: You’ve now traveled with the kids and have spent several days of constant contact with them (minus that super fun night where you went out!). If you are true human (not those supermoms only seen on Instagram), your energy is probably waning. Take advantage of another night of fun before stage/night 5 exhaustion sets in. I hate to slap you with a fat dose of reality, but tonight is probably the last night you’ll still feel energetic on this special family getaway. Take advantage once again and let the sitter watch your kiddos while you reward yourself with the surrounding of other adults. Cocktails! Sunsets! Ooey-Gooey desserts! You know, the things that travel brochures hook you with. Have you looked closely at a proper travel brochure? There aren’t real children actually enjoying those moments. My family vacation photos have one screaming kid, while another one is covered in spaghetti sauce coloring on the wall. But not night four. Parents own night four! It’s the night when you load up your phone with vacation photos that make everyone jealous of your relaxing getaway.
Night five: If you didn’t heed my advice and get a sitter on the previous nights mentioned above (eye roll), then go ahead and go for it….but you’re going to be tired. I promise. At this point you’ve gone 5 straight days of playing the role of ‘Super-fun, active mom and rockstar wife who doesn’t really require sleep’. And this role play comes after you spent 2 full days packing and prepping the entire family for this ‘vacation’. Night five is when us mortals feel reality setting in. If you get a babysitter you’ll spend half your evening going back and forth from being excited for the night away…to just wishing you could be the one at home in bed…to being grateful you had the chance to get away…to just deciding to call it a night and get to bed early. Night five can be neurotic. Paying for outside help at this point can only increase those feelings of neurosis. #saveyourdollars
Nights 6-10: Fancy dinner reservations at this point will just not be as enjoyable. You’ve been immensely indulgent on vacation food for nearly a week now. You’re exhausted by all the extreme entertaining of tiny humans you’ve been doing. While a fancy night out is better than nothing…I promise you it won’t be near as enjoyable as doing this same type of date night while you were still fresh in the week! When my husband and I get all ‘fancy pants’ and hire another sitter towards the end of a vacation we have a SOLID method to making it work. Sitter comes late afternoon. We just grab happy hour, a sunset and then dessert. Just because we can’t stomach another full dinner doesn’t mean my belly can’t find room for cocktails and sweets. And don’t think we are sticking it out late night. We instruct the sitter to put those kids to bed at 7:30pm and we roll in at 7:32pm. Robes on by 7:34. Snoring by 7:35.
Some of you are all-star moms and love soaking up every moment with your kids. I love to soak up many minutes with my kids too. But my kids need a break from me. Or maybe they know I need the break, so they never mind when a lively, different version of ‘mom’ shows up to love on them for a few hours.
It can absolutely be a bit odd to try out a new sitter away from home, but we live in the 21st century. Recommendations can be found easily via your virtual network online. Major destinations also offer babysitting services (read: they are more verified and background checked than the Sorority girl you use at home just based solely on the idea that she pledged the same letters as you.). And if you are staying in a hotel they usually have their own sitters that they can recommend (and typically work for the hotel, therefore are vetted heavily!).
So! Freaking! Tired! Because this was night 5. Remember Night 5 and beyond: Stay home OR do the happy hour and sunset date. (This doesn’t apply to the Justin Bieber’s and Lindsey Lohan’s of the parenting world. Some people can party like it’s their job).
Full Disclosure: I screwed up on my babysitting tips during a recent trip to Cabo San Lucas. We didn’t book all of our sitters right away (as I recommend) and by the time I remembered to call back to the front desk, the only additional time they had available was the dreaded night 5. So we took what we could get but by night 5 we were so exhausted from playing the role of ‘wildly fun mom/dad’ in the hot Mexican sunshine for hours. By the time we made it to our private dinner reservation we could barely hold an interesting conversation. We literally talked about the pretty sunset, the deliciously crafted cocktail and then decided we really didn’t need dessert. I mean I had more stimulating conversation as I negotiated with spanish-speaking trinket sellers on the beach than I did with my own husband that night. And the only thing I was negotiating at dinner with him was getting the waiter to bring the check mid-appetizer. We were so tired! Let my mistakes help make your next trip a success.
I was haggling for trinkets, not trying to arrange babysitting services here. Please – be responsible and use a trusted sitter on vacation!
It is truly my {current} life mission to help everyone enjoy travel. Children are our greatest gift and they deserve to see the world. So many parents tell me, ‘”It’s just too hard to travel with the kids”. Hired help is a great way for you to find some sanity on your next trip!
Still nervous about getting a babysitter? Here are my final tips:
In a hotel ask the concierge (call ahead of time or ask as soon as you check-in for the best options). Some resorts even have kids clubs! We loved this one at our hotel in Dingle, Ireland
If you are renting a home ask the property manager about babysitting services or use Facebook for what it is actually meant for – getting connected with someone! (Note: If your children are wild heathens and you are trying to keep your AirB&B rating at 5 stars, I wouldn’t use the homeowners niece for this service).
Some cities (Fort Worth, NYC, North Carolina for example) have drop-in play care services! It’s an ingenious method that is growing and I will continue to hunt more of these options down in cities we are scheduled to travel to and keep you updated. This is a brilliant and safe way to give yourself a break!
I have thousands of emails from my years of escorting the demanding, the wealthy, the elderly (and sometimes all three in one!) around the world. I could certainly re-tell these stories (and I will as time goes on), but I want you to really feel the passion of my experiences via actual emails I sent from the road. Today’s email brings us to the fascinating country of India. You can imagine my surprise when I met one of my unforgettable guests – Let’s call her Ms. Malhoun (Joan was her first name and she corrected my pronunciation on day 5 of this trip. I didn’t even know you could mispronounce ‘Joan’. But she figured out a way to make it sound like ‘Jean’. Also, everyone knows you correct the name problem right away or you just go by your ‘new’ name for the remainder of the relationship).
Below is the ACTUAL email I sent my family to update them on where I would be for the next two weeks of my life (parenthesis added to help fill in some gaps for you):
Hey y’all,
Upon arriving at the gate in Chicago for my 15-hour direct flight to Delhi, India, I couldn’t find any of my guests that were traveling with me. {The company I worked for liked to completely punish us and make us find our guests before the international long-haul flights. They probably thought this ‘rule’ helped keep the airport expenses down because we would hang around the gate chatting with our guests rather than paying for 3 glasses of $15 wine that tastes 1/3 of the price. O contraire my friends.}
Found in the hands of a local. I loved her for carrying this around a temple and I loved the ‘straight-to-the-point’ marketing! I was going to need a few bottles of this to get me through the next 2 weeks. #HiSpeedWhiskey
It should have been easy to spot my typical passenger seeing as how the only people I spotted were Indians crowding the gate. The large hair turbans, huge beards (unless they were covered by beard hair nets…have you ever seen such a crazy concept!!), and elderly Indian women lingering in their shadows were pushing the very few Americans that were present to the back of the pile.
Hard to find anyone more beautiful than a fully adorned traditional Indian Woman. Always impressive!
I did wonder briefly if I would actually survive the next 15 hours of my life. Thank goodness I loaded up on protein and wine at the airport bar because who knows when I’ll see those delicacies again!
A few hours into the flight (pre-Ambian) I make friends with a super cool girl going to visit her boyfriend in Qatar. How cool to have a boyfriend that lives in Qatar!!! I don’t even know where that is!!!I totally didn’t admit this to her and silently wondered if she knew where it was before she started dating the mysterious man. {I was never one for geography. Embarrassing but true. Going to visit these places did help increase my knowledge, but I can affirmatively say that I still use GOOGLE to look up the whereabouts of cities I’ve spent significant time in}.
We continued chatting and she starts telling me about this crazy lady sitting next to her. I was ‘suspect’ right away and go spy on this lady. Damn – she looked very “Intrav”. {INTRAV was the name of my former company. I will use their real name until I’m so famous and sharing every secret that they ask me not to. You are reading this blog early so you get the ‘inside scoop’. LOL! I suspect instant fame and fortune. My Chinese takeout fortune cookie last night told me so}.
FYI…in this particular case of looking ‘Intrav’ – it means old and a lot of tacky jewelry.
I decided to suck it up and ask the attendants for a list of my passengers….to which they then complain about this same lady (face palm!!!) to me just as I am noticing she is one of mine. I end up walking the aisles and meet the rest of my passengers and thank God they are all nice and normal.
But then we have our ‘suspect’. The crazy lady next to my mile-high best friend lays into me about random things and I just act like the plane might be landing soon and make a quick escape for my last few moments of enjoyable freedom. As I leave the plane, the flight-attendants allwish me luck with Ms.Malhoun….great, that’s always a positive sign! (double face palm, with a side of eye-roll and a prayer).
So here is where it really gets good! After getting off and having the most delicious smelling flowers being hung around my neck (woo hoo I did get Valentine’s Day flowers!) and meeting the rest of my “normal” group, we wait for Ms. Malhoun. She is nowhere to be found so the rest of the group and I head to the hotel while our guide waits for her. 30 full minutes later he callsme and the first thing he says is, “She has a MOTORIZED SCOOTER!” I mention that I had heard that she brought one and ask him if it seems like it will be a pain…..
Vroom Vroom! She has arrived! Blurry photo to protect the ‘innocent’
Don’t be deceived by the available elevator in the first photo. Most of these hotels are littered with stairs. Everywhere! And no way to avoid them!
At this moment I clearly did NOT understand what a motorized scooter really was. So I wait for them in the lobby and in drives Ms. Malhoun in this big yellow seated scooter. Bumper stickers included. Oh my gosh, I couldn’t look at my guide because I thought I would laugh or cry right there.
I had a total of 15 guests on this trip. This SCOOTER became guest #16. To be looked after by anyone and everyone. Even the locals finally found some amusement.
I have attached the photo that I made him run and take after she drove off to the elevator. The only thing missing from the picture are her 2 (TWO!) canes, one of which is wooden hand-carved gnome of some sort. I can’t even begin to think how we will take this scooter on trains, check this on airplanes, and maneuver it through the 5 million peoplethat are in this city each day. Help!
She would roam (scoot?) the hotel grounds with anywhere from TWO to FOUR employees by her side. Bless.
With stairs EVERYWHERE, I was often left to tend to this 98 pound scooter. Lugging it down stairs helped me earn extra helpings of Tandoori Chicken and Naan!
This should be a really “special” trip.
Another beautiful hotel. Still not handicapped accessible. Even the pools required multiple steps.
The only people I have left to meet now are the couple that:
*doesn’t eat any spices
*doesn’t eat anything green
*doesn’t eat fish
*doesn’t eat milk
*They will eat turkey (impossible in this country) and pancakes occasionally.
If you don’t hear from me again, it is because I’ve stolen Ms. Malhoun’s Motorized Scooter and driven to the nearest Ashram for some serious soul-healing.
Love,
Meredith
FOLLOW UP EMAIL:
The below email was sent to my boss. As I read it now I realize how embarrassingly inappropriate it is. The office has to be horrified that they let me loose in a far away land with guests paying well over $10,000 to be escorted by me. In my defense, when I was living life on the road I never found time for proof-reading or being professional towards those back home in their cozy offices. I had to reserve what very little professionalism I had for the constant face-to-face interactions with my high-paying guests. Here is my email to Vice President Doug:
Hi Doug, Of course I hate to interrupt your time off but I just want to keep you posted on the latest. {I totally did NOT care that I was interrupting his time off}.
So this morning was our early am departure and as I was running around doing luggage, ect., Joan was in the breakfast room ordering around other guests to get her food. I only know this because 3 of them came to me and said, ”Joan is a bitch” and then told me how they had to get toast for her then help her back in her cart so she could go to the bathroom and she didn’t even thank them. I know this is true because she doesn’t thank me when I get her food either, which is fine since I am working. I have tried to keep her away from the others and help her as much as possible but there was no way I could be sitting in breakfast with her at 5 am when the luggage needed to leave then as well. I know you don’t feel we have a reason to send her home, but I am just keeping you informed of the continued comments from passengers. oh…as I am sitting here typing this another passenger has just come to show me a ‘disabled traveller’ warning in her guide-book. Thank God for their great sense of humor!
Thanks! Meredith P.S. Woo hooo we are on the way to the best hotel in the world…these passengers will be soooo happy after all the craziness!
Do you like the quick ‘P.S.’ after that bombshell email? Like, hey boss, it’s all good no trouble at all. Never mind that I dropped a casual curse word while interrupting your family vacation. #majoreyeroll #itsokimworking
Yet another amazing Indian Hotel. FILLED with stairs EVERYWHERE!
READER – please leave a comment as to why the heck you think this company kept me employed. Would you have kept some yahoo employee writing emails like the above? And here is one more insider scoop for you – the actual email had several typo’s that I corrected for a better reading experience for you. So basically my company sent me off to care for their clients and the only feedback they were getting from me was in the form of horribly inappropriate emails with typos and a bad attitude. They had to be freaking out.
