Early on in our full time RV journey, we traveled from our first stop in Amana Colonies to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We chose to stay at Jellystone Campground, a family friend choice that brought back fond memories of camping for my husband. This campground […]

We left our campsite at Woodhaven Lakes in Sublette, Illinois, after just purchasing our Class A Motorhome a few weeks prior.  With very little driving experience of this 40 foot beast, we set out for the very first time to the Amana Colonies in Iowa.  […]

For our first time apple picking with the boys this autumn, we found a fun place called All Seasons Orchard in Woodstock, Illinois. Admission included a bag for apples and a hay ride to the orchards, where we were met by guides who explained which […]

I’ve lived in the Chicago suburbs my whole life. Until last week, I was unaware of this great little Money Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Located on LaSalle and Jackson, the museum is next to the Chicago Board of Trade. The Museum […]

We spent 16 glorious days in Europe several years ago, visiting France, Switzerland and Italy.  That was my first trip overseas, and one of the best times of my life.  We flew into Paris, spent 3 days touring the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre, […]

On a weekend trip to Wisconsin Dells, we made a slight detour back to Chicago via Spring Green, Wisconsin. There we visited The House on the Rock.  About an hour southwest from Wisconsin Dells, this impressive home was designed by Alex Jordan. It’s fascinating and […]

Day 17 – Final Day in RomeIt is no surprise to hear that Italy is a wonderful country to visit.  The language barrier was a small issue, but you can usually get by speaking Spanish.  They also seem more willing to speak Spanish than English. […]

Day 16 – Naples & Pompei, Italy We were up at 6 today, picked up by a Trolley, which brought us literally around the block to the tour station. Had we known, we could have easily walked. What’s one block when you’ve spent more than […]

Day 15 – Pantheon, Trevi Fountain We found ourselves with a free day in Rome, as we decided to book a day trip to Pompei for the following day. Strolling to the Pantheon, we marveled at the oldest building in Rome that has been continuously […]

Day 14 – Rome, Italy We got up early today, anxious to catch the Pope at his Papal blessing. We arrived with no problem at 9:45, and found seats on the aisle, easier to sneak out if necessary. It was nice and sunny when we sat […]

Day 12– Rome, Italy We finally arrived in Rome after spending 2 hours circling one-way streets, desperately trying to figure out where to return our rental car. We eventually found this tiny parking garage on a one-way street, about 5 blocks from the railway station. […]

Day 11 – Tivoli, Italy We had some fun on the way to Tivoli, laughing at the road signs. I had to draw pictures of the road signs that we saw so we could remember them. There were hilarious signs in the tunnels, showing a […]

Day 13 – Rome, Italy The man at the front desk greeted us in English, but when I replied “ciao,” he responded, “In Italy, you speak Italian! Bravo!”  I learned to say a few more things in Italian and he was very happy to hear […]

Day 10 – Caramanico, Sant’ Eufemia, Italy After my husband tore me away from the beautiful La Ghiandia (meaning: The Garden), we took off for the Abruzzo region of Italy. This was the most remote area we experienced on the entire trip, but well worth […]

SAERTANO, TUSCANY, ITALY :  La Ghiandaia Located in the rolling hills of Saertano, Tuscany, at the foot of Mount Cetona lies La Ghiandaia. The 1,700 year old converted Church now boasts several unique guest rooms in classic Tuscan design. Each morning the owners supplied a […]