Epic Moms Travel

06/22/2024

We have a 17-year-old in the house! 🎉

Happiest of birthdays to my ride-or-die, travel bestie & all-around amazing daughter, Amber Nicolette 💖

I’m a day late posting this (Amber’s b-day was actually yesterday), but I have a good excuse…

We had a long travel day, as I flew to New Mexico to pick Amber up from her beloved summer camp (same camp I went to as a kid & I loved it too).

So we got to spend all day flying back together & catching up on all the camp details - always so much to tell!

As a little birthday surprise, I upgraded us to First Class, so we got to travel home in style. Our wonderful flight attendants even brought Amber a handwritten birthday note and some wings - so sweet! ✈️

I know everyone says it, but I really mean it when I say - I truly couldn’t ask for a better daughter. She’s kind, intelligent, multi-talented - but most of all, she’s just a good-hearted, sweet person.

I don’t think I can take credit for that, but she makes me proud to be her mom every day.

One of our favorite things to do together is travel to new places - so in honor of Amber’s 17th birthday, here are a few photos from our travels over the years:

1. Birthday party in the sky! Flying home in United 1st class yesterday
2. Punta Cana, 2022
3. Great Wall of China, 2019
4. California Adventure, 2024
5. Disney Cruise, Castaway Cay, 2017
6. Los Angeles, 2024
7. New York City, 2023
8. Yangshuo, China, 2019
9. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Disney World, 2018
10. Tower of London, 2018

Love you so much & wishing you the best year so far! ~ Xoxox Mom ❤️

05/15/2024

Today May 15 is my birthday (aka the most perfect day of the year...and really, it is usually good weather practically everywhere) 🥳

Fun fact: Exactly 10 years ago today in 2014, I spent my birthday in Paris 🐩🎂🥖

Then 4 years later in 2018, I returned with Amber, to celebrate HER birthday in Paris (check out her giant macaron cake with sparklers on slide 3).

So I thought it only fitting that today I would (finally) kick off my series on our most recent trip to France - which happened last spring break 🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷

Amber has grown up a LOT since these photos!

Last March, her high school marching band was invited on a whirlwind tour to play at different locations across France, including the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, Caen, Rouen, and even the D-Day beaches 🎵

(Um, my high school marching band only went to Branson - just sayin’ ....)

Of course, like any good parent, I could not let this event go undocumented. So Adrian & I tagged along on our self-created “Ultimate Parent Shadow Trip” 📸

Come along with us over the next few weeks to explore Normandy and the City of Lights! I have so many fun adventures & tips to share ....get ready 💡

01/15/2024

New Orleans will always be our happy place ❤️

Here are a few photos from our destination wedding in the French Quarter, back in January 2020 ⚜️
Photo credit: Ibay Photography

01/11/2024

01/02/2024

HAPPY 2024! Time to reintroduce myself!

If we haven’t met, I’m Kelly (& even if we have, I’m still Kelly😂)

I started this little hobby (posting on social media about travel tips & inspo) during the pandemic.

And that little hobby turned into Epic Moms Travel.

A LITTLE BACK STORY: Back in 2016 I got divorced unexpectedly after 20 years of marriage. I didn’t have much money during that time, but I still wanted to be able to take my daughter on vacations - so I started teaching myself how to earn points & miles to redeem for free travel ...and that’s how I got started posting travel tips & inspo....just to share what I’ve learned.

Fast forward ....and just a few months ago, I decided to QUIT my corporate gig (after 20 years!) to work on EMT full-time. One of the best days of my life, truly!

So.....You’re going to be seeing a lot more of me in 2024! (which is a little scary, ngl - but also awesome)

⁠A FEW RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME:
✨I was born & raised in Texas & my family is still there...but for the past 12 years, I’ve lived in Cleveland, Ohio - and I also spent about 4 years in Boston.

✨I’m mom to a 16-year-old daughter Amber - she just got her driver’s license & took her first solo drive YESTERDAY, so that’s a whole new level for us 🫣

✨My husband Adrian & I got married 4 years ago in the gorgeous historic city of New Orleans - in fact, we are headed there this week to celebrate our anniversary!

✨We have 2 dogs - Azzie is a golden retriever & Nala is a German shepherd mix - both sweeties & trouble-makers 😂

✨Sometimes I also work as a choreographer/dancer for community theatre. My next show coming up is Jesus Christ Superstar this spring.

✨Some of my guilty pleasures:

*The Golden Bachelor (& the Golden Bachelorettes! omg they are my new heroes)
*Diet Coke
*Cosmos
*Tex-Mex food
*White Lotus (eagerly anticipating the upcoming Thailand season)
*The Circle

✨Next trips coming up: New Orleans this week & then a bunch of college tours with my daughter + California/Disneyland for spring break. And probably some more, so lots to plan!

How about you? What is the first trip you have planned for 2024?

11/28/2023

Here is something I’ve been doing on our own vacations & it’s been working well so far…

Would you call yourself a borderline over-scheduler or do you hate doing too many things on vacation?