Blogroll
Why fans of “The Music Man” need to visit Mason City, Iowa
If you're a fan of "The Music Man" like I am, you are beside-yourself-excited at the thought of seeing Hugh Jackman bring Harold Hill back to life on Broadway in 2020. But before you head to the Big Apple to see the show, you should first visit Mason City, Iowa, where...
Eating our way through Kansas City, Kansas
We've been working hard at losing weight, but we'll be slowing down a bit this week. At least for 43 hours. We're headed out for a Foodie FAM called "A Taste of Kansas City, Kansas." Over the next couple of days, we'll be hosted by Visit Kansas City, Kansas, on a FAM...
Amenities that will impress your Airbnb (or house) guests
As frequent travelers, we are constantly taking mental notes of amenities that impress us in hotels and Airbnbs. So when we opened up our home in Pawhuska, Okla., called Postcard Place through Airbnb, we wanted to include amenities that would impress our guests....
Our pick for the best vehicle for travel and road trips
Earlier this summer, we decided it was probably time to trade in our 2015 Chevy Colorado for a new vehicle for travel. I have loved having a mid-sized pick up truck. However, besides an occasional trip to the dump with recycling and helping friends move furniture, we...
Bars on the Celebrity Edge – A well researched guide
There are at least 10 bars on the Celebrity Edge - the cruise line's newest ship. In an effort to provide you with everything you need to know about the watering holes on board before your cruise, we immersed ourselves in extensive research on your behalf. And, we...
Our Airbnb in Pawhuska – Yes, we let strangers sleep in our bed
We opened our home and Airbnb in Pawhuska called Postcard Place in 2019 and have been welcoming guests from all over the country. And no, we're not too freaked out that total strangers are regularly sleeping in our bed. Honestly, we have really enjoyed having people...
12 tips for good elevator etiquette on a cruise
Elevators on cruise ships are constantly in use. Every single hour, elevators carry folks up to the buffet, and down to the theater. They are filled with kids heading up to the pool and adults going down to the bars, shops and casino. And we're here to attest, not...
Our daughter, Meghan, is done with nursing school and we’re celebrating!
It has been a big week for our family. Our only daughter, Meghan, finished a 14-month accelerated nursing program at The University of Oklahoma and is now a nurse. Meghan earned her bachelor's degree in Foreign Language and Literature - Spanish at the University of...
12 touches that make The Pioneer Woman’s Boarding House one of the best boutique hotels in America
The Pioneer Woman's Boarding House in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, is booked solid and with good reason. It’s full of extra touches that make the eight-room boutique hotel one of the best in America. 1. Friendly staff Let’s face it, the open, welcoming, charming folks of...
Travel tip: What you’ll need to do laundry while traveling
If you're planning to be away from home more than a few days, and you don't want to bring every item in your wardrobe, you have to plan for laundry while traveling. We used to leave home knowing that somewhere down the line we'd find a laundromat and figure it out....
Swim with whale sharks and other tips for your visit to the Georgia Aquarium
Founder of Home Depot Bernie Marcus and his wife Billi added depth to the phrase, “improving home improvement” when they gave $250 million to help create the Georgia Aquarium in 2005. Now, animals that would have perished in the wild live alongside others born in...
How we’re losing weight while traveling
To answer your question, yes, we’re losing weight while traveling. And no worries, we still consider ourselves foodies who eat out regularly when we travel. Many of you have noticed and mentioned our weight loss recently. We haven’t said a lot about it because … well,...
Surprise yourself with a vacation to legendary North Dakota
When we told people we were going on a 14-day road trip to “legendary” North Dakota, we got one of two responses: a blank stare, or a polite, "Why?" In all honesty, there was only one reason: We’d agreed to speak at a conference and that conference was in North...
Cooking paella with The Pioneer Woman’s friend, Hyacinth, and The Chef & The Dish
This post contains references to our experience with The Chef & The Dish. We may receive compensation when you click on links to its products. How I ended up cooking with The Pioneer Woman's friend, Hyacinth, is an interesting story. When we bought a home where...
We’re headed to Medora, North Dakota, for the musical and so much more
We’re turning our course northward to speak about building engagement with blog readers at the Midwest Travel Network conference in Medora, North Dakota. Ann and I have long loved the fact that we often hear from blog readers and that y'all feel comfortable reaching...
So much to celebrate including weddings, graduations, and Ann’s 50th birthday
Like many of you, I'm sure, we've spent much of this spring celebrating graduations, birthdays, grand openings, engagements, and weddings. Our schedules have been fast paced and we've felt so blessed to have so many things to celebrate with friends and family. Thought...
Ree Drummond’s ice cream shop: An inside scoop
Here's the inside scoop on The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond's ice cream shop in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Since we now have a home just blocks from The Pioneer Woman Mercantile, we've been anxiously awaiting the opening of Ree's latest venture -- Charlie's Sweet Shop. We were...
Tillamook Creamery, because ice cream and cheese
I love ice cream. And I love cheese. When Ann and I realized our trip along the Oregon coast would take us through a town named Tillamook, we wondered if God loved us so much that he put the factory of our favorite cheese right in our path. It turns out, He did! Of...
How to make a salty dog and a cucumber martini
This week, we are showing you how to make a salty dog cocktail and a cucumber martini. Just for fun, we took our Friday cocktail hour on the road again and set up the bar at Salt Creek Marketplace in downtown Pawhuska, Oklahoma. We just love this new boutique that is...
Travel tip: 5 uses for empty pill bottles when you travel
Looking for a use for those empty pill bottles you just can't bear to throw away? Well, we've got a prescription (ha!) for you. If you're like us, you keep empty pill bottles around because you know there must be a good use for these small, lightweight, secure and...
An update on our Pawhuska house and a question for you
If you follow Postcard Jar on social media, you've heard us mention our Pawhuska house quite a bit lately. In between trips for our blog, appointments and our other responsibilities, we've been fixing up a house in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. We bought the house last summer,...
How to make a Manhattan and Classic Daiquiri
Do you enjoy indulging yourself every now and again? We do. One of our favorite ways to treat ourselves is with a well-crafted cocktail. We love using fresh juices and herbs along with good spirits to make a memorable beverage. There’s something exciting about mixing...
Our picks for best April Fool’s Day posts 2019
Do you love April Fool's Day as much as we do? Each year, we look forward to playing harmless pranks on each other and we've even written a few April Fool's Day blog posts like the one about Ann's first visit to a nude beach. This year, we noticed more and more...
Yes, we ate a jellied beef ring on our trip through the South
We’ve featured a lot of unique restaurants on our blog. But none compares to the culinary experience we had earlier this year while road tripping across the south. Flabbergasted (yes, that’s the name of the place) is known across the South for its vintage jellied beef...
Seven tips for your visit to the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon, Florida
The Dolphin Research Center in Marathon, Florida, is one of my all-time, favorite travel destinations. It has been since I was a kid. As you may or may not know, my family has had a home in the Florida Keys for as long as I can remember. My grandparents built it long...
20 Things to do in Kearney, Nebraska while you wait on the cranes
Sitting in the blind you're amazed at the noise coming from the river. The cranes get louder and more frenzied, reaching a crescendo you simply weren't expecting. Suddenly, tens of thousands of huge birds take to the air, wings flapping, the squeaking even louder now....
It’s Postcard Jar’s fifth blogiversary!
Five years ago today, we sat in a lounge at the Doubletree Hotel in Rochester, Minnesota, and published our first-ever blog post on postcardjar.com. It was the day before I would undergo a procedure at the Mayo Clinic that would eventually diagnose me with a chronic...
How to help Nebraska flood victims
As many of you already know, we are from Nebraska. Over the past week, our state has been devastated by historic floods and blizzards. At least 74 cities, including the one where we live, have issued emergency declarations. The photo below is on a bridge in our town...
The Flora-Bama Polar Bear Dip: A heart stopping start to the New Year
When Ann heard about an event in Orange Beach, Alabama, called the Flora-Bama Polar Bear Dip, she thought it sounded like a great idea. Knowing full well which one of us would get to run headlong into the Gulf of Mexico on New Year's Day, (and who would stay dry to...
Why every foodie needs to have the original Doe’s Eat Place on their bucket list
There's nothing like the original Doe's Eat Place in Greenville, Mississippi. Nothing. The entrance through the kitchen, two-pound steaks on a fiery open broiler, grease-stained floor boards, and lemon and oil soaked salad set it apart from any other restaurant in...
My return to Greenville, Mississippi, where I became a teacher
I called Greenville, Mississippi, home for six years, spending the formative years of my adult life in that historic city on the banks of the Mississippi River. My path there was simple. I had just graduated college with degrees in Spanish and anthropology and had no...
See what we learned (and drank) at Rock Town Distillery in Little Rock
Truth be told, I hadn't planned to do any day drinking when we rolled into Little Rock, Arkansas. But the federal government shutdown had shuttered the Clinton Library that we'd intended to visit so what's a boy to do? We needed a backup plan fast and happily...
Exploring Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas
When my mom told us we needed to visit the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, I have to admit, Steve and I both felt a little skeptical. It was a museum we didn't know much about, nestled in a wooded area in a smaller city in northwest...
8 tips for your visit to The Walmart Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas
There are a few things you should know before you visit The Walmart Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas. When we road tripped across the South recently, Bentonville was the first stop on our 5,000-mile journey. We'd never been there, but knew that it was the birthplace of...
Yes, our marriage survived a 5,000 mile road trip
When we returned from our 5,000 mile road trip through the Southeast, we told you that we'd be locking ourselves into our house in Nebraska so we could write all about it. And, with the exception of a seven course whole-hog Valentine's Day dinner at The Pioneer Woman...
The Pioneer Woman Mercantile’s first-ever whole hog dinner
We were so thrilled (and honored) to be invited to The Pioneer Woman Mercantile's First Ever Whole Hog Dinner. If you just let the name of that meal sink in for a second, you'll realize the potential for an overload of pure deliciousness. A whole hog, prepared by Chef...
How we got a seat at The Pioneer Woman Mercantile’s first ever whole hog dinner
Now empty nesters, the last several years we’ve spent Valentine’s Day at home and enjoyed cooking a nice meal together. The menu has stayed pretty much the same: a wedge salad, some kind of potato and a juicy Nebraska beef ribeye steak for Steve and a piece of fresh...
Five ideas for finding unforgettable pizza
Americans eat 3 BILLION pizzas every year! That means that every single day we eat enough pizza to cover 100 acres of land. In order to do this, we consume it at a rate of 350 slices per second! I have done my part to support this national love affair with pizza, and...
It’s National Plan for Vacation Day!
For more than 20 years, I didn't have any choice on when I'd take a vacation. The school board granted my days when they approved the yearly calendar every February. And even though I did have some time off in summers, there were always more meetings, more planning...
Celebrating New Year’s Eve at Coast in Gulf Shores
We celebrated a lovely New Year's Eve at Coast Restaurant in Gulf Shores, Alabama this year. It was a great place to stop and spend the holiday while traveling from our home in Oklahoma to Florida for a cruise. The nice folks at The Beach Club Resort & Spa offered...
After two years of waiting, we’re finally going to board the Celebrity Edge!
If you've spent any time with me, you know that if you say the word "cruise," I'm likely to pull out my laptop and start helping you find one to book. I am crazy addicted to cruising, because cruises are, well, the best vacations ever conceived by humankind. To me,...
Postcard Jar’s Top 10 travel experiences of 2018
For us, travel is all about the experiences. Here’s a look back at our some of our most memorable travel-related experiences of 2018 (in no particular order). 1. Touring Italy Our tour of Italy was simply unforgettable! Deb from Italy Unfiltered and her husband,...
Meet the first person to stay in all eight rooms at The Pioneer Woman Boarding House
Angelia McDaniel recently became the first person to stay in all eight rooms at sold out The Pioneer Woman Boarding House in Pawhuska, Okla. That’s right. She’s slept in all eight Tempurpedic beds, walked through every two-door shower and bathed in every claw foot...
15 photo-worthy stops in Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell, Iowa, is an active and artsy college town. It's also one of the most picturesque places we discovered on our weeklong road trip through the Hawkeye state. Whether you're returning for a class reunion, enjoying a weekend getaway, or simply passing through, be...
Pivo Brewery and Blepta Studios: Hand crafted beer and beer crafted art
When we sat down at Pivo Brewery, in tiny Calmar, Iowa, I was excited to taste a few craft beers at this new tap room. Then, owner Craig Neuzil came over to my table with eight (!) beers in sampling glasses. I was sure I'd told him it would just be me doing the...
Cartizze Hill: Tip 5 for your visit to Prosecco Road
At over $1 million per hectare (2.47 acres), Cartizze Hill in Valdobbiadene is some of Europe's most expensive agricultural land. It offers the perfect combination of soil, acidity, sunlight, and water for Prosecco's Glera grape to thrive. Plots of land on this hill...
Hotel Grinnell: Former junior high school earns an A+
Once a junior high school, Hotel Grinnell is a chic and modern luxury hotel that has earned an A+ in our grade book. Located just an hour's drive east of Des Moines, Iowa, Hotel Grinnell melds its literal old school history with innovative designs and amenities for...
5 things I’ve learned about Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
When I left my career as a middle school principal, I gained some immediate benefits. I traded in my neckties for t-shirts and long meetings for behind-the-scenes tours. Recently, though, I learned of another great switcheroo that came when I left my job in public...
We learned how to make risotto with The Chef & The Dish
This post contains references to our experience learning how to make risotto with The Chef & The Dish. We may receive compensation when you click on links to its products. We've always wanted to learn how to make risotto. So, when The Chef & The Dish reached...
The Chef & The Dish Skypes a chef right into your kitchen
This post contains references to our experience with The Chef & The Dish. We may receive compensation when you click on links to its products. The Chef & The Dish brings world-class chefs right into your kitchen and it couldn't make me happier. Lasting...
An inside look at the world famous Buckin’ Flamingo
With a name like the world famous Buckin' Flamingo and a mooing yellow truck with Conestoga wagon cover pulling a saddled flamingo out front, there is only one way to satisfy your curiosity about this unique store. You simply must step inside. Our first visit to the...
Pinter’s Gardens & Pumpkins near Decorah, Iowa
I remember as a kid the excitement I felt at the start of fall. I loved jumping in huge piles of freshly raked leaves and taking in every moment of outside play I could before the snow of winter blew in. Every year I hunted for the ideal pumpkin to carve. I liked one...
Woo-hoo! Our updated travel blog is here!
After weeks of editing, cropping, categorizing and designing, our updated travel blog is here! So, what do you think? If you’ve been a reader of our blog, you'll notice it looks a little different. If you're new here - welcome to Postcard Jar. Why the change? Over...
Eight trips to The Pioneer Woman Mercantile and we finally met the star of Pawhuska
Pawhuska, Oklahoma, has been home to several famous people. An Academy Award-winning actor, world-renowned bronze sculptors, and The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond, herself, have all called Pawhuska home. Still, none of these people may be as big a star as local legend...
Tips for your visit to Prosecco Road: #4 Savor the food
When we were in Italy this summer tasting the bubbly wines along Prosecco Road, it was easy to be laser focused on the next wine tasting. However, to go to the Prosecco region and only concentrate on the wine would be a shame. That's because Valdobbiadene had some of...
Tips for your visit to Prosecco Road #3 – Get to know your wine
A slow journey along the Prosecco Road allows you really get to know the wine you are drinking in a way not found in other parts of Italy. Because it doesn't have the masses of tourists found elsewhere in the country, visitors to the Prosecco region can really immerse...
Happy Birthday, Meghan!
Today is our daughter Meghan's birthday. She is 24 which makes me feel so old. I know it's cliché, but it really does seem like yesterday that I was in my twenties, living in South Carolina and working as sports writer covering the first high school football game of...
Tips for your visit to Prosecco Road – #2 Stay at an Italian agriturismo
If you're wondering what an Italian agriturismo is, don't worry. You're in good company. I had no idea they even existed before our trip to Italy this summer. In fact, it wasn't until I stayed in one that I gained a good understanding of what they are and how they can...
Tips for your visit to Prosecco Road – #1 Hire a driver and local guide
If you like Prosecco wine, you'll love a trip down the Prosecco Road near Valdobbiadene, Italy. I promise you will. Our visit there this summer was one of our favorite and most memorable stops on our tour through Italy. We've wrestled for weeks about how to write...
Celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary with a traditional gift
Earlier this week, we celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. Yes, seven years ago, we were up before the sun getting ready for our 10:30 a.m. wedding ceremony at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, Nebraska. We wanted a short engagement (about two months),...
A glimpse inside our new house (and life) in Pawhuska, Oklahoma
It was two weeks ago yesterday that we moved into our new house in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, and we are so excited to be here! We spent much of the first week unpacking, getting utilities hooked up, and just finding our way around town. We brought a U-Haul full of stuff...
A year after our first visit, we’re going home to Pawhuska, Oklahoma
Just more than a year after I quit my job as a middle school principal, we've made another big life choice. We bought a house in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. (No, we're not having a mid-life crisis, thanks for asking.) Regular readers of this blog know that we have absolutely...
A unique wine tasting in the woods and our stay near Montepulciano, Italy
When we went wine tasting in Tuscany (can I just interject that I've dreamt about saying those words for quite some time) I had no idea what to expect from our visit to the town of Montepulciano, other than we would likely be tasting Vino Nobile, the typical wine of...
Five tips for wine tasting in Tuscany
I’ve done wine tastings before. You pull into a winery, hear all about their wonderful product while sampling a flight of four to five wines poured out in small, two-sip portions 10 seconds apart, decide whether to buy, and then head out the door. So, when we set out...
Steve and Ann’s guide to the ultimate Caribbean cruise
While informative and true, we want you to know that this post was written as an entry for Celebrity Cruises Ultimate Caribbean Cruise Itinerary contest. Winners of the contest receive a cash prize, social media recognition, and a guest post on the Celebrity Cruises...
Our incredible private tour and cooking class in Chianti with Italy Unfiltered
After spending a day on our own exploring beautiful Siena, Italy, our hosts Deb of Italy Unfiltered and her husband Massi the Driver picked us up at our hotel and we began our complimentary tour of Italian food, wine, and culture in the Chianti Region. As we got in...
How I fell into a Tuscan food coma – Part 2
This is Part 2 about our complimentary delicious Tuscan food tour with American, Deb, of Italy Unfiltered, and her Italian husband, Massi the Driver. To read Part 1, click HERE. Time to walk off some of that delicious Tuscan food We left the bakery, simultaneously...
How I fell into a Tuscan food coma – Part 1
I intended to write this post about our incredible first day with hosts Deb and Massi yesterday, but I accidentally slipped into a Tuscan food coma. In all fairness, it isn't my fault. I mean, they took us on a foodie tour of Siena, and it was a grueling delicious...
Our first day in Rome, Italy, was quite an adventure. But who cares? We had wine.
Caio from Rome, Italy! We made it and Rome and intentionally did not pre-plan much of our first day in Italy. We tried that a couple of years ago but a mechanical issue caused our flight out of Omaha to be canceled and we lost money on pre-purchased tickets for a...
8 things for men to do while their wives shop at The Pioneer Woman Mercantile, including a suggestion from Ladd Drummond, himself
Men, we've all been there, sitting in the man seat, holding bags and baskets of merchandise while our wives gleefully continue their shopping sprees. And I know that many of us, when faced with our wives' desire to go to the Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska,...
How we ended up eating kolaces with readers of our blog
A few months ago, we got a sweet comment on our blog from a man who had read our post about 70+ Things to do in Crete, Nebraska (our hometown). He wrote, "My newly discovered half-sister and I have planned a trip to Crete in June to explore our family roots. Your...
Ann’s visit with The Weary Teacher
A couple weeks ago, while helping our daughter, Meghan, get settled at her new place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I met another blogger who is just inspiring! Her name is Haley Curfman and she is a second grade teacher in Blackwell, Oklahoma. You might remember her (or at...
Places to stay in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, home of The Pioneer Woman
Yes, we've slept around Pawhuska, Oklahoma. All around. When Ann and I were married, we took vows to forsake all others and be faithful to one another. But we're not too shy to admit we enjoyed sleeping around Pawhuska. Now don't get too excited. It was just the two...
Claude and Kathy’s unexpected night at The Pioneer Woman’s Boarding House
If you like The Pioneer Woman, or have ever dreamed of spending a night at her new Boarding House in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, you have got to see this video. https://youtu.be/4eDP8EhPVBA Now, here's how we met this adorable couple. Earlier this week, we made an impromptu...
We’ve been invited to tour Italy with Deb and Massi the Driver and we can’t wait!
Yes, we've been invited to tour Italy with Deb and Massi. She's from upstate New York, backpacked through Australia and New Zealand, and worked in Silicon Valley and in Texas. He's small town boy who grew up on a Tuscan hunting estate and winery and took a job in a...
We’re sharing postcards from our readers!
As the busy travel season gets underway, we thought we take the opportunity to share a whole bunch of the postcards y'all have sent us. In this electronic age, we love going to our post office box and seeing hand written postcards from readers like you who have...
How (and why) we served 250 meals in a week and what we’ve been up to lately
So, we've been just a little bit busy the past week. Let's catch up. Having arrived home from a trip to Oklahoma the Friday before, we spent the weekend cleaning the house and getting things organized for house guests. Last Tuesday night (well, actually early...
10 things we love about Kinkaider Brewing Company in Broken Bow, Nebraska
Central Nebraska’s Kinkaider Brewing Company is quickly becoming one of the most popular destination craft breweries in the Midwest. Located at the edge of the rolling Sandhills in Broken Bow, Nebraska, Kinkaider was founded by four small-town Nebraskans, three of...
This Clear Lake, Iowa deli ranks #1 despite only being open 17 1/2 (ish) hours a week
Trip Advisor’s #1-ranked restaurant in Clear Lake, Iowa, is only open 17 and a half(ish) hours a week. Might not seem like the best business model, but the sisters who own and manage Starboard Market have made it work quite well in this quaint Midwest town – for 19...
A guest post from Ann’s brother about his unplanned stop Sequoia National Park
[well]This is a guest post, written by Ann's younger brother, Robert Shrewsbury. Robb and his family live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[/well] By Robert Shrewsbury On a recent business trip to Fresno, California, I had a meeting canceled and found myself with some extra...
A very filling agritourism progressive meal from the Plains Safaris conference
I went on my first agritourism progressive meal today. Let me just say, I'm now a big fan. Ann and I are attending the Plains Safaris: A conference on tourism and conservation in the Great Plains in Kearney, Nebraska, this week. When I saw that one of the...
Our Route 66 stop at The Blue Whale of Catoosa near Tulsa, Oklahoma
Sometimes when I travel, something catches my eye and an obsession is born. It usually doesn't take long to convince Ann to go along when I explain what we'll be doing. For instance, one of these obsessive desires took us to Tabacon Hot Springs in Costa Rica where we...
Our crazy flight from Miami to Houston blog post: How we did it!
Last week, we shared THIS POST about a horrible flight Ann and I had from Miami to Houston. If you have not read it, click on the link and check it out. I'll wait. . . . OK, now that you're back, you realize that the whole thing was a hoax! But if you're like a lot of...
The Pioneer Woman Boarding House hotel in Pawhuska, OK, is stunning!
We were at the right place at the right time this week when we rolled across the windy plains of Oklahoma into the small town of Pawhuska for the seventh time in nine months, excited to see if there was any progress on the Pioneer Woman Boarding House. As you know by...
Fellow travel bloggers publish book about one of our favorite cities — Omaha
This week, we are helping fellow travel bloggers and friends, Tim and Lisa Trudell of The Walking Tourists celebrate the launch of their new book, 100 Things To Do In Omaha Before You Die. The book is a compilation of 100 vignettes covering a wide variety of things to...
See what landed in my wine on our first-class flight from Miami last week
Here's the story. After one month; two countries; three flights; four days in a hospital; five time changes; six states; and 5,000+ miles, we were beyond ready to board our final flight and begin our journey home last week. We were finishing up a wonderful month-long...
At least for us, blogging is more about relationships and not just the numbers
This week marks the fourth year of our travel blog, Postcard Jar, and we can't thank you enough for following along on our journeys. Since we wrote that very first blog post from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, we've been collecting all kids of data and...
Join us in Kearney, Nebraska, for the Plains Safaris conference April 18-20
We are excited to announce that we've been asked to speak at what is sure to be an incredible ecotourism symposium in April called Plains Safaris. That's right Plains Safaris. If you've followed our blog for any time at all, you know that we live in a small, rural...
Wichita, Pawhuska, Tulsa, and Pittsburg: Our road trip through Kansas & Oklahoma
We are on the road again through Kansas and Oklahoma for a variety of reasons. Earlier this week, we headed back to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to look for apartments for our daughter, Meghan. She was recently accepted into the accelerated nursing program at Oklahoma University...
Our swim in Cenote Ik Kil in Mexico
I had no idea what a cenote was before our cruise to Mexico. In fact, I don't even think I'd ever even heard the word. But I signed up to swim in one, anyway, because travel is about adventure, right? After leaving Chichén Itzá, we made a short drive over to Cenote Ik...
Our first wonder of the world: Chichén Itzá
It may surprise you that despite spending most of my career as a public school administrator, I was actually an anthropology major in college. Yes, that's right, I majored in anthropology and am not ashamed to admit that I'm an archaeology geek. I loved the semesters...
How we spent our Valentine’s Day
We love being home together on Valentine's Day. Typically, we spend the evening cooking together while listening 80's love songs and then enjoy a nice dinner by candlelight. This year, our Valentine's Day celebration started a bit earlier in the day, as we were...
What I love most about The Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska, OK
It's Valentine's Day and that gets me thinking about all the things I love. My incredible family. Our fantastic church. The privilege of blogging about midlife travel. My electric mattress pad warmer. And yes, Edna Mae's pancakes at The Pioneer Woman Mercantile. I...
Why we went back to school this week!
For the first time in about nine months, I went back to the front of the classroom. No, I didn't revert to my old middle school principal self, but Ann and I did spend a day working with all of the ninth grade Language Arts students at our town's high school. It was...
Five things that made our first-ever Carnival Cruise so much fun
When you quit your job after 21 years, the first thing you want to do is get away and have fun. That's why the morning after my last day as a middle school principal, we were in the car headed south to the Port of Galveston for our first-ever Carnival Cruise. While we...
Did you know that statistics show planning a vacation makes us happier?
Get this. In 2016, Americans left more than 662 million vacation days unused. Let that sink for in a minute. Six hundred, sixty-two, million PAID VACATION DAYS were left on the table. Does that not just sound absolutely ridiculous? Like many career-minded people, I...
5 things to do in Omaha when it’s freezing
We planned an overnight trip to Omaha recently on what turned out to be one of those bone-chilling cold days we have here in the Midwest. The forecast called for snow showers, 30-mile-an-hour winds, and temperatures dropping to below zero that night. Instead of...
Where we’re headed in 2018
Some people make resolutions on New Year's Day. Not us. We make reservations. It has become a bit of a tradition for us to sit in bed on New Year's morning, sip mimosas and finalize vacation plans for the year. The best part of the day is when I get to click the,...
![Best of 2017 [part 2]: Our pics for best food, museums, views, and experiences](https://postcardjar.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017-part-2-e1514753302821.jpg)
Best of 2017 [part 2]: Our pics for best food, museums, views, and experiences
In Best of 2017 [part 1] we posted our picks for best attraction, show, new place, and people. Today, we're back to share some of the best food, museums, views, and experiences from our year in travel. Best food - Chicken fried steak at The Pioneer Woman Mercantile...
Inspiring the next step on your journey