Please enjoy these photo taken by me at Skokie Lagoons near Chicago. These adorable goslings and their mom swam toward us as we had our picnic and I was able to capture their cuteness. CONNECT WITH ME:INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | PINTEREST | ETSY | TIKTOK ... Read more
Family Picnics at Skokie Lagoons
Our family is still practicing social distancing despite the state of Illinois reopening gradually. To get out of the house, though, we've been enjoying family picnics at Skokie Lagoons. We've done this several times lately and it's been a welcome change of pace. The world is so heavy right now, so it's so nice sit in the sunshine, feel the breeze and watch the birds and other wildlife as we eat a ... Read more
Shedd Aquarium With a Toddler
Our family Sunday Funday tradition continued with a day at Shedd Aquarium on Sunday. It was a wet and foggy day that called for yet another indoor activity, so we booked last-minute tickets to the Shedd for a lively day. One of my goals as a parent is to teach Victoria to love and respect animals and nature, so while I have mixed feelings about aquatic shows, I wanted her to see the ... Read more
Birthday at the Field Museum Chicago | Free-Admission Days
A perk of living in Chicago is that many of the museums are free on certain dates/months. Luckily for us, the Field Museum is offering free general admission to Illinois residents during the month of February. I awoke on my birthday thinking it'd be nice to spend the day wandering around the museum. As I've said before, you would have to spend days, even weeks, at the Field Museum to see and ... Read more
Travel Wish List | 5 Places to Go
** This post contains affiliate links. Canva I was inspired by the New York Times' 52 places to go in 2017 article to share five places I have on my travel bucket list. Some are half a world away and some are right next door, as you will see below. What's on your travel list? Five places to consider: 1. Thailand is at the top of my list. If I could go anywhere in the world right this ... Read more
The Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida
When I researched things to do in the Florida Keys, I came across the Turtle Hospital, a facility that rescues, rehabilitates and releases sea turtles. I was thrilled about the chance to see my favorite animal up close, so I made reservations for a tour of the hospital in Marathon, Florida, during our stay on Islamorada in the Keys. (Islamorada is about an hour and forty minutes from Key West, in ... Read more
Visiting Clearwater Marine Aquarium With a Toddler
** This post contains affiliate links. Victoria and I spent a windy day in Clearwater at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which is known for being a filming location for the movie "Dolphin Tale." You'll learn much about the movie and Winter, the dolphin who played herself in it, when you visit. We arrived at Clearwater Marine Aquarium about 10:30 a.m., just after it opened. A nearby church ... Read more
Phoenix Hike: White Tank Mountains
When you have time in Phoenix, you'd be crazy to not spend some of it hiking. One beautiful area to consider visiting is the White Tank Mountains Regional Park. It's about a 35-minute drive from central Phoenix in Waddell, but it's worth the trek. It's an expansive park with opportunities for horseback riding, hiking, picnics, mountain biking and exploring. Last time I visited the park was when I ... Read more
A Phoenix Hike in Fabletics
** This post about our hike contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise! Dreamy Draw Recreation Area The No. 1 activity I had planned during our weekend in Phoenix was a hike, even if it wasn't too challenging or long. I longed for the Phoenix sunshine, especially as we made ... Read more
Camping in Michigan | Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness
Graham and I love to camp. We camped together at Fossil Creek in Arizona for the first time after just a few weeks of dating and we've been doing it ever since. When we lived in Phoenix we would often camp once a month or so, but we had yet to camp in the Midwest since moving to Chicago in March 2015. We finally got a chance to remedy that when Graham had three consecutive days off work for the ... Read more