Durango...I Can't Quit You.

I am such a lucky gal. This summer, my family (parents, my brother and his wife, and my little family) took a summer vacation like never before. It was not quite a page out of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but it sure did have its comedic moments. We flew from Dallas to Albuquerque, then drove to Durango where our final destination was a cabin in the woods near the Kennebec Pass.

The entire drive through New Mexico, Luke, the 5 year old (going on 18) was huffing and puffing about New Mexico and how he didn't particularly care for the state. How could he not care? Breaking Bad was filmed in this glorious place. It has heart, it has passion, it has...CASINO's! I digress. About every 15 minutes, Luke asked us if we were in Colorado yet. And to my surprise, when we crossed state lines- the sweet kid basically jumped out of his car seat!

Meanwhile, the baby looked like this.

Upon our arrival, there were vast views of mountains, trees, and even a little snow. I am telling you people, Durango is one of the best places to vacation during the summer months. Not only was the little town square quaint, but it wasn't nearly as crowded as I had originally thought. There are places to rent Jeeps, go water rafting, zip lining, and wall climbing. You can even drive a mere thirty minutes East and visit the base of Purgatory where they have a great little burger joint and tons of activities for kids!

Needless to say, this was truly a most fantastic trip!


London, Baby!

If you follow me on Twitter (@BTSCO) or Instagram (betweenthesheetsco), you know that I recently went to London to visit my brother and his lovely British wife. And I am here to tell you sweet reader, it was a much needed trip. I boarded the plane ALONE, that's right, folks. No husband, no kids. It was a trip just for me. When I visit places, I like to see how they use paper and other substrates in everyday life. How do they advertise or make a statement? It didn't take long to spot some super cool stuff.

In fact, this sweet car was just down the street from their home near Notting Hill. A SmartCar, covered in greenery (faux), but still. AMAZING!

Next up, my sis-in-law took me to get a pedi and then onto lunch at a quaint little place in SoHo. I like to describe the eatery as a "down home cookin'" type place, but it was oh-so much more than that. And the menus? Printed on a nice, thick, speckle-toned stock. Just perfect for the atmosphere.

Walking through Portabello Market, you should see all the crazy stuff they sell! I absolutely loved stopping in to fabulous furniture stores, browsing the many outdoor vendors booths and checking out the sweet treats. One of my favorite stops: a veggie stand. The veggies were lush, ripe, and smelled so fresh. In the US, you go to a farmer's market and you see an array of veggie's, but packaged like this? I think not.

If you haven't been to London, I am telling you to run, no sprint to the nearest airport and hop a plane. It's a beautiful city, lots of culture, and so many sites to see. Until next London, Toodles!

Free Downloadable Packing List

Happy day, pals! I am getting my family ready for a fun summer vacation to Durango! It's been a while since I've had to pack for cooler climates and boy am I excited! When I started my list of all the items I needed to remember to pack for the boys, I realized that this would be MUCH easier if I had a simple, pre-printed list to fill in and check off. (If you know me, my lists are made on various pieces of paper, then combined...not ideal.) I found I was scribbling down items and "don't forgets" all over the place. So, I decided this would be a wonderful time to make a free downloadable packing list for all your summer vacationers out there.

You can download the PDF here. Happy Trails!