The Journal

Disney

Strollers at Disney: To Rent, or To Bring?

September 8, 2026

Did you know that at Disney World they offer stroller rentals? No? Tbh, I didn’t either, until some good friends of ours were planning a trip to Disney. I was (of course) asking for all the details of their planning as we were planning a Disney trip right after, and we started talking about strollers. […]

Disney

DIY Pixie Dust Guide

September 7, 2026

How I Managed to Buy 0 Souvenirs at Disney World, AND Kept My Kid Entertained in Lines (TLDR: If you just want to skip ahead to the list, here’s the Amazon List with all the Pixie Dust options.) Taking your kids to Walt Disney World is an unforgettable, magical experience. It’s also, let’s be completely […]

Featured

The Art of Travel Entertainment (Hotel Edition)

September 6, 2026

TLDR: Kristin, you talk too much. Link please. Here’s my two cents: sharing a single hotel room with kids is a sport for which there was no training nor handbook. If you ever hope to get dressed, unpack without a toddler raiding the minibar or climbing into the shower with it on (of course, I […]

Featured

The Art of Travel Entertainment (Restaurant Edition)

September 5, 2026

TLDR: Give me the Amazon list, and no yapping. Real talk: I REALLY struggle sometimes when eating out with our kids. You just want to enjoy your meal and maybe a glass of wine in peace (also if you haven’t read the post where I dumped wine on myself not once, but twice in the […]

Featured

The Art of Travel Entertainment (Airplane Edition)

September 4, 2026

Let’s just get this out of the way: we are not screen-free purists. If you can manage an eight-hour transatlantic flight with nothing but wooden blocks and wholesome conversation, you are a stronger soul than I. With that being said, we do not use screens for the whole flight, and for shorter flights/trains, we encourage […]

Featured

Packing Part 2: Team Carry-on or Team Checked?

August 29, 2026

If you spend any time scrolling through travel blogs or social media, you’ll encounter a very vocal, almost cult-like group of travelers: the Carry-On Only Purists. They will look you dead in the eye and tell you that if you check a bag, you are doing travel wrong. They boast about living out of a […]

Featured

Packing the Kids for 2 Weeks in Europe (And the JFK Escalator Incident)

August 28, 2026

Let’s talk about packing for these adventures. You’ve got options, right? Pack 1 outfit per day, per person. OR pack less outfits than what you need for the whole vacation, and then do laundry. So which do you choose?  I will admit that my choice here has been biased by my own parents. When we […]

Featured

How we did a museum-heavy day with kids in Paris (and why we tell you NOT to do this)

August 21, 2026

Hot take: The main attractions in Paris are not necessarily kid-friendly. Hear me out. The Eiffel Tower is INCREDIBLE. I LOVE seeing it sparkle. And, that requires my children being up until 10pm in order to see it sparkle. The Louvre hosts incredible works of art. And to be honest, my kids don’t give a […]

Kid Tips + Tricks

Our family’s obsession with playgrounds when traveling

August 20, 2026

I’ll be honest with you. Pre-kids, I didn’t get the obsession with playgrounds. Pre-kids, I’m not even sure what I thought when I saw a playground. I think probably nothing at all? And now, when we are traveling somewhere, “playground” in the native language is my first word I look up in Google Translate. In […]

Packing Tips + Tricks

The Sudoku Packing Method: Does it work?

August 19, 2026

By now, we’ve all seen (or if you haven’t, go look it up) the viral “Sudoku Packing Method.” It is a minimalist packing strategy that involves 3 tops, 3 bottoms, and 3 layers.  So, as we were packing for this recent trip, I decided to try it out, and ALSO put my own spin on […]