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The Wonder Luster

For Those Of Us Whose Dreams Won't Die Between 17 and 65.

Life is wondrous! Feed your lust for life with the tools & inspiration to help make it a great one.

Travel Hacking: How I Travel For Free & Cheap

Sandals Resort Ochi Jamaica

Our Flight to Jamaica – Free With Travel Rewards Points

I’ve written before on how I’ve used credit cards with awesome point bonuses to fund my travel.  Over the years I’ve gotten the following trips and stays paid for simply because I spent normally, paid off my credit cards on time and strategically signed up for credit cards that had great incentives or sign up bonuses.

Free Flights, Paid For On Points:

Flight For One to Boston, Massachusetts- June 2015
Flight For Two to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico-  October 2015
Flight For One from Dublin to London- December 2015
Flight For One to Orange County, California- March 2016
Flight For Two to Cancun, Mexico- November 2016
Flight For Two to Montego Bay, Jamaica- August 2017

 

Marriott Rewards Card

Free Hotel Stays, Paid For On Points:

Six Nights at Generator Hostel London (Private Room) – December 2016
Two Nights at the Hotel Chicago Downtown, Autograph Collection – September 2017
Two Nights at the Ace Hotel New Orleans – January 2018
Two Nights at Disneyland Paris-  February 2018
Three Nights in Downtown Paris- February 2018

The Guiness Experience Dublin

The Guinness Experience – Dublin, Ireland

Free Activities, Paid For On Points:

Roundtrip Travel & Exhibit Passes for the Harry Potter Experience, London – December 2016 ($100)
Three Day London Pass-  December 2016, Value ($190+)
Dinner Cruise on the River Thames- December 2016 ($45)
Guinness Connoisseur Experience in Dublin – December 2016 ($65)
Dublin Pub Crawl- December 2016 ($20)

Yup- all of this was snagged, for free, by using travel reward credit cards.

 

Total estimated value of travel redeemed on points:  $6,485 

There is one catch though- well technically two:  this only works if you pay off your balance in full (it’s not free travel if you’re paying 16-18% interest on shoes you bought to get a travel bonus!), and you are sure you’re keeping an eye on your spending and your credit.

 

Secondly, some travel rewards cards do charge yearly fees.  For some of the best cards I’ve had, I pay anywhere from $75-$450 a year- so you need to either know when to cancel the cards, or, if the yearly fee is worth the perks to keep it.

For me, paying $75-$150 a year for a few cards to be able to fly to weddings for free and still take a vacation is worth it- but I keep my spending in check and balance opening new cards with my travel goals.

 

 

 

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Life’s moments are made better with our pets. ❤️

Joey had been with us for nearly 4 years, made possible by the kind folks of South Texas Boston Terrier Rescue. I picked him up, intending on fostering him for a few weeks and ended up falling in love with his sweet spirit, exuberance for anything food related and his lovable derpiness.

Previously, he was kept in a small cage with two other terriers, all day every day and used as a stud. When he was no longer profitable, he, like plenty of others, was surrendered to rescue.  He was blind in one eye, needed teeth extracted and had skin lesions from life in a cage. 

Life hadn’t been easy for him, but I’m glad a rescue was there to give him a second chance, and they trusted me to give in his second chapter.  He was a well travelled dog and he was the Best Pup on our wedding day in Marfa.  Last night we said goodbye. Hubs and I will miss him dearly, but savor the moments and adventures with our little tank. 

Adopt, don’t shop.  Support your local rescues and give your fur kids an extra squeeze for Joey tonight.
“Is this enough for you?” My husband has asked “Is this enough for you?” My husband has asked me this before. To which, I answer- life is full, wonderful, and I am grateful. 

I believe he asks because before kids, I had a very different lifestyle. I traveled to Europe by myself, started businesses, donated a kidney, ran half marathons, got my master’s degree.  I lived a full life, then too. I was fiercely independent because I had to be.

I’m still that person, but fortunately I have more people to share it with. I also have to be more vulnerable than ever.

I had years to find myself and don’t plan on losing that woman I forged. Being a mom has also helped me heal some of the hard parts of the experience I had with my own mom. (I didn’t see that last part coming.)

Being a mom can make you lose yourself.  For me, it’s helped me discover myself once more. Grateful for this day and so many days - I’m just happy to be here. 

Happy Mother’s Day everyone. I hope you discover yourself, heal what you need and feel the love today and everyday.
Just took my Strengthfinder test and got Empathy | Just took my Strengthfinder test and got Empathy | Responsibility | Harmony | Relator | Positivity. Which is not the same at all as when I took it 10 years ago. 🙃 

I think a few things have changed, but I’m a heck of a lot happier now. Anyone else geek out for personality tests and have you taken this one? Also- drop your enneagram!
I would like to say that the day we tied the knot I would like to say that the day we tied the knot was the happiest day of my life, but I’m lucky to say that every day since has been the happiest day.

Even in the blurry busy days after the youngest arrived, the nights we had challenging conversations, the terse moments and the moments of vulnerability- these were happy, deep, beautiful days together. 

I look back on this moment, and the many that followed and and am grateful still we chose to do this dance together.

Thank you, husband, for giving me a year of the happiest days and the promise of all our tomorrows. Love your face. ❤️
I spent a lot of my 20’s chasing, sorting and fi I spent a lot of my 20’s chasing, sorting and figuring out. I hustled, usually working two jobs and a passion project on the side.  By my 30’s I was burned out. I had spent plenty of holidays alone, weekends with no idea how to slow down and low grade anxiety about ever being enough.

I’m in a new chapter in my life and am so grateful for the weekends I have with the people I have.  Being a small slice of my stepson’s life, watching him grow and challenge himself has been so healing for me.  Slowing down to take time to watch a game, watch cartoons and do kid stuff, now with fresh eyes, has been so healing for me.  Have you played with a Nerf gun lately without looking at the clock or opened a fresh can of Play-Doh to make a make-believe pizza? It’s magic. 

As adults we spend a lot of time with Netflix, wine and chores in our downtime. Becoming a mom gave me an excuse to slow down and play- essentially what I would have considered “wasting time” before.  Grab a coloring book or head to the park, it may just save your sanity. 

Weekends look so different now, but I have three of the best guys in my life to grow with.

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