Giving Thanks

This year, I have the pleasure of hosting Thanksgiving at home, with both my family and Nick's in attendance. This will be the first Thanksgiving in three years that either of us have had at home, and the first Thanksgiving (or really, any holiday) in three years that we have gotten to spend with our families. So today, I am spending this precious time enjoying family moments and celebrations. However, I wanted to also take some time to reflect on these past six months!

A few days ago, I posted about various things that I miss about living in Europe. While there are certainly aspects of living in Europe that I miss, there are many parts about being back home that I love! In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am going to take some time to reflect on all of the things I am thankful to have been able to be a part of over these last 6 months back in the U.S.!

Historic Grainbelt sign in Minneapolis, Minnesota

This year, I am thankful to have been able to spend many weekends in my hometown of Minneapolis. Most of my family and friends still live in Minneapolis, and it is so great to be able to have a homeless in this beautiful city!

Family at the Color Run Minneapolis!

I'm thankful for all of the time that I have been spending with family this summer and fall. We've done tons of fun events, such as the Color Run, in addition to our usual family dinners and nights out!

Anniversary Celebrations with my love in Coeur D'Alene

I'm thankful for my husband and the amazing 2+ years we have had as a married couple. Thank you for being my partner in everything that this life has to offer, and for always going the extra mile with me! I'm thankful for his patience, his support, and the love he gives me.

Wedding celebrations with my best friend!

I'm thankful that being home this year means I have been physically here for my friends. I was able to attend several weddings this fall that I would not have been able to if I was in Sweden. I'm also very excited that my best friend just got engaged and I will be able to celebrate her engagement with her in just a few days over this holiday weekend!

Stillwater Harvest Fest - or Pumpkin Fest - with my family!

Each year for the last 6 or 7 years, my Dad has grown giant pumpkins and entered them in a contest in October in Minnesota. This year, I was able to attend the contest and enjoy some great family time with my family!

Lily bulldog!

I'm thankful that this year I have had plenty of time to snuggle with Lily, our adorable English bulldog. Prior to this summer, I knew that she liked any food, beer, and whiskey- it was only recently that I learned how much she wanted to try champagne! Check out the tongue on that girl!

My Mom visiting me in Des Moines!

Just a couple of weeks ago, my Mom had some extra vacation time and used it to come visit me in Des Moines. I know it wasn't quite as exciting as the last few years when she has visited in Sweden and we have traveled throughout Europe, but it is always great to see her. Mom, your unwavering support and love means more than you know, and I'm so thankful for your friendship!

Hiking while in Hermosa Beach, California

Another thing that I am thankful for this year is all of the new and different travel experiences I have had. Perhaps I may no longer be traveling and exploring Europe, but there are still plenty of terrific places to explore right here in the U.S. I visited a friend in Los Angeles this summer, toured and tasted my way through Napa Valley, and relaxed while in Coeur D'Alene, in addition to spending time in Minnesota and Wisconsin. And this is all just in the last six months, not to mention two amazing weeks in the Dominican Republic!

All in all, I certainly have a lot to be thankful for this year. It might not be where I had expected I would be, but often the unexpected parts of life turn out to be the best! Here is to wishing each and every one of you a happy and memorable Thanksgiving, wherever you will be celebrating!

What I Miss About Living in Europe

It's been almost six months to the day since Nick and I decided we were officially not going back to Europe to live (and work!) for another year. Now that I have some distance from it, I figure it is a great time to examine all of the things I miss about living in Europe!

1. Cheap travel. Oh, was travel ever cheap. Routinely I was able to find flights to anywhere in Europe for less than $100, and on my time schedule!

2. The history and culture. It seems like everywhere you turn in Europe, you are learning a new and interesting piece of history. Living in Europe was like being transported back in time and learning from my history books all over again... and the culture!

3. Friends that became family. Because I was so far from family, the friends I made while in Europe truly became family. We celebrated holidays and birthdays together, and made it through tough times together. All said and done, when you are living in another country your relationships deepen and you really learn who your friends are.

4. Visiting new and exciting destinations, constantly. Germany, Norway, Sweden, Czech Republic, Latvia...when you combine a laid-back pace of life with the amazingly cheap travel, I was constantly on the go and exploring a new cultural destination. Each one was different, and each one was amazing.

5. Learning a new language. I'm not fluent in Swedish, and chances are I never will be. However, I loved the daily interactions I would have in Swedish, and trying to deepen my understanding of the language. Back in the U.S., it just isn't as easy to continue learning- although, I am trying!

6. Kebabs. I have a love for kebabs, specifically the kycklingtallrik from Michel's in Karlskrona. This is by far one of my favorite foods in the world, and I cannot wait to get back one day and have it again!

7. Christmas markets. One of the best parts about the holidays in Europe are most certainly the Christmas markets. Personally, my favorite Christmas markets were in Germany...but from my experiences and living vicariously through other's experiences, the Christmas markets everywhere are awesome and have so much to offer!

8. Beautiful architecture. Each and every city that I explored had so many beautiful buildings and architectural details. CONTINUE WITH THIS

9. Basement pubs. I've said it before and I'll say it again, one of my favorite aspects of living in Sweden close to Stockholm was visiting the hole-in-the-wall basement pubs that have existed for hundreds and hundreds of years. To me, there was just something so cool about embracing the atmosphere and feeling the history of these pubs. It just can't be replicated here!

10. The laid-back atmosphere. In Europe, the pace of life just seemed a little bit slower and more relaxed. There was no pressure to move at a million miles an hour, and it was nice to take things a bit slower.

11. Cafes & fika. To go with the laid-back atmosphere, Europe (and Sweden specifically!) has amazing little cafes. In Sweden, we went for "fika" almost daily, and just relaxed over a nice cup of coffee or tea and chatted about life. Fika was such a great mid-day break and way to get out of the house, and I truly miss it!

Being back home in the U.S. has certainly been so wonderful, and I am loving the proximity to friends and family. It is different from my last two years though, and I'll be honest- quite an adjustment. It's part of the reason that things around here have been fairly quiet lately, and it's hard to put into words. But, now that I'm fully adjusted to life back here in the good old U.S., I promise to be around here more! For anyone else that has made the move over to Europe and then back again, what do you miss the most about your European lifestyle?

Hiking & An Afternoon Picnic in CDA

A piece of my heart is in CDA!

I never thought that visiting Idaho would be at the top of my bucket list, but I am so glad it was a trip I made and I know I'll be returning! By now, it has been a few months since Nick and I visited Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. The trip overall was so great, but my absolute favorite activity while staying in CDA was hiking Tubb's Hill. Of course, there are so many other great things to do- think kayaking, canoeing, and strolling the beautiful streets of the town. No matter the activity, hiking was my absolute favorite, and I've been so excited to share some beautiful pictures with you!

view from Tubb's Hill in Coeur D'Alene

I was able to go on several different hikes while visiting, and hiking Tubb's Hill was absolutely the best hike in Idaho! I hiked it at least once a day, each time with different routes...and each time determining that the current visit was better than the last! My first hike was just a quick solo hike for about 45 minutes while Nick got some work done- so I was just strolling looking for future opportunities. Tuesday, Nick and I went on a beautiful hike and had a picnic in the middle of the woods. Wednesday, I had around two hours by myself and barely made it halfway through the hike, there were so many great photo opportunities! Let's take a look at all of the beautiful sights hiking in CDA has...

checking out the scenery while on a solo hike

Saw some turkeys while hiking up the hill!

Nick and I had decided that the perfect afternoon for our anniversary would be hiking up Tubb's hill and stopping for a picnic along the way. Once we got tired of hiking, we paused to take a break and have some snacks! Of course, I had packed some champagne...

Because really, what anniversary is really an anniversary without some celebratory champagne? After our picnic, it was time to keep moving along the trail.

"The Kick" inspired by Fredrik Eklund

At the top of Tubb's Hill, I wanted to take a break from hiking and attempt "The Kick". For those of you who haven't seen Fredrik Eklund on Million Dollar Listing, you might not know what I'm talking about. Long story short, Fredrik Eklund is a Swedish entrepreneur who moved to the U.S., began a real estate business, and since then is one of the most successful real estate salesmen in the world. He wrote an incredible book, "The Sell", that I highly recommend to everybody and anybody! Eklund is also famous for his high kick, which I had to try duplicate.

After about a million high kick attempts and fails, I was quite warm so stripped off my sweater and was shaking my hair out when Nick snapped the above picture... #HairGoals!

playing while hiking in CDA!

Looking out over Lake Coeur D'Alene

As with many travel opportunities in life, the pictures here really don't do Coeur D'Alene justice. My best advice would be to book a trip for yourself so you can see the beauty live in person!

Multidimensional Milwaukee

After a few weeks off, I'm back and (hopefully!) better than ever! Fortunately for me, being sick waited until just after my amazing trip to Milwaukee the last weekend of September. I'd been to Milwaukee before, but only briefly to attend a Brewer's Game and Summerfest. As such, I didn't really have the opportunity to explore Milwaukee until this past trip, and gosh was I surprised! I had no idea how multidimensional Milwaukee was, and all of the terrific things to do. Let's take a quick look!

Prior to visiting Milwaukee, I was fortunate to come in contact with the Visit Milwaukee tourism board. On top of giving me tons of great ideas for different things to do, they actually helped me to plan a personalized trip and weekend in Milwaukee based off my interests!  Activities for the weekend ranged from brewery tours and wine and painting classes to visiting the Harley Davidson Museum and the Milwaukee Public Market! Without further ado, let's start from the beginning...

First stop after checking into our hotel for the weekend (full reviews coming later!) was Lakefront Brewery. Now, I'd been to brewery tours before so I thought I knew what I was getting in to. However, I definitely hadn't been anywhere like Lakefront before!

Our tour was directed by one of the owners of Lakefront himself, Russ Klisch. He was able to give us a tour of the brewing facilities and really incorporate a lot of his personal experiences in a way that just made you smile and laugh with joy. A few of my favorite quotes? "This year, Lakefront will make about 56,000 barrels of beer. That is about the same amount that Miller will spill in production." "You should use six senses to drink beer. Sound, sight, smell, touch, taste, and common sense. And hey, if you only use five of the six that ain't bad either." "At least 11 couples have met while on the Lakefront Brewery Tour, so Lakefront is really a romantic place. We don't keep track of the divorce rate though..."

After Lakefront, we hopped in an Uber downtown to visit Splash Studios for a wine and painting class. Nick and I showed up early, which was terrific because we were able to talk with several of the employees- and Nick was able to get a little help with his painting!

our completed works of art!

One of the things I quickly learned was that Splash is different from any other wine and painting class. First, there is a strict no-tipping policy: all of the employees truly care about the customer experience, so once you've registered for the class you are good to go! Second, Splash is a place where both women and men can enjoy the time. Beyond the painting, they serve food, wine, beer, cocktails- and even old-school Mario Kart!

With the real purpose of this Milwaukee visit being a friend's wedding, after Splash it was time to get some sleep before a busy day and wedding time Saturday! Saturday morning we woke up and started our day off with a quick stroll to Collectivo Coffee and an espresso. It was much needed to give us fuel for the rest of the day...

...and literally, fuel was needed! Nick and I found ourselves exploring the Harley-Davidson Museum. Now, I'm not a biker (nor is Nick), but the Harley-Davidson Museum was interesting nonetheless. We spent some time wandering around and seeing how bikes have evolved over the years. Personally, it was most interesting for me to learn about how bikes looked and were used during the WWII years.

After the Harley-Davidson Museum, we had some time to explore the Milwaukee Public Market. Farmer's Markets and Public Markets have always been one of my favorite places to visit while traveling, as I feel you really get an idea of the local culture. We were fortunate to be visiting on a Saturday, when the Milwaukee Public Market actually spills over onto the sidewalk!

It was definitely a bustling place, and we were able to really unwind and spend some time checking out local stores and boutiques. I picked up some cheese, wine, and fresh fruit, and everything was amazing once I returned home and had it! We also stopped at a local bar within the public market and had some delicious Thai food for lunch. All in all, the Milwaukee Public Market definitely exceeded my expectations and I'd say it is a must for anyone visiting Milwaukee!

After the market, it was time for us to get ready and head to the wedding! The wedding was at the Milwaukee Athletic Club, an absolutely stunning venue for any reception. We greatly enjoyed our evening connecting with old friends and dancing the night away!

Unfortunately, come Sunday morning Nick and I had to dash back to Des Moines for work obligations. We had tons of great activities planned, between lunch at Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro, The Milwaukee Art Museum, and a "Sweets and Treats" food tour. While I was quite disappointed not to be able to participate in each of these activities, all of my friends in Milwaukee have stated that each of these are fabulous things to do! In a way, I suppose it is OK I wasn't able to fit everything in in one short weekend...because now it means a return trip to Milwaukee is absolutely a must!

10 Essential Things To Include In Your Media Kit

Last week, I published about why every blogger should have a media kit. However, the creation of a media kit is certainly not the easiest thing in the world. As a blogger, your media kit needs to explain the value that you contribute to a business, and why you are worthy of their time, effort, or money. Creating a media kit can seem like an overwhelming and daunting task, which is why today I am going to break down all of the essential items to include, and how they help to establish you as a professional to the marketer or company you are pitching! Of course, this is created with a blogger in mind- but it can be applicable to any business!

Don't worry, you are off to a great start. You have decided to make a media kit. What should you include in the media kit? I've broken it down nice and easy, with the ten most essential items to include in any media kit!

1. Your business name & your name. This should be the first and foremost aspect of your media kit. Who are you, and what is your blog? What do you focus on and write about? This is different for every blogger, and this will also be known as your niche. Even within the travel blogging industry, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different niches. What differentiates you?

2. Your URL. You are a blogger- what is your site name? I know tons of bloggers who have a slightly different site name than their URL. Make sure to include your URL so that companies can easily access your site and check out your work!

3. Your value-added proposition. What specifically can you offer the company you are pitching? Companies want to know that whatever investment they make in you will be returned. Explain to the company you are pitching what value you will add to their business in order to hook them in. While you are explaining how they will benefit by working with you, make sure to explain...

4. Various ways in which you are willing to work with companies. Lay it all out for the company you are pitching- what are you willing to do for them? Whether it is a sponsored post, an advertisement on your sidebar, or social media exposure- companies want to know exactly what you will be offering them.

5. Previous companies or partnerships you have had. Companies want to see that you have a proven record of success. Who have you worked with before? If you are just starting out, this might be a terrific time to begin working with companies- even if you are working for free- if only to have the names of a few companies. Wow them, and then ask for a recommendation. These recommendations can take your media kit one step further. If you have a proven history of impressing companies that you work with, other companies will be more willing to work with you.

6. Relevant site statistics and social media information. Even if you are just starting out, include your relevant statistics! Perhaps you've only been blogging a few months, but you have a huge (and established!) social media following. Include this- it helps companies to know exactly how large of an audience they will be reaching simply by working with you.

7. The date of your media kit. Marketers want to know how recent - or ancient - your media kit is. Have you updated it within the last several months, or are you reflecting old (and likely inaccurate) information? Personally, I update my media kit every single month and include the month and year of my media kit at the bottom of each page. This communicates to the marketer that I am reflecting accurate information. On top of that, it tells the marketer how hard I will work for them- they want to know that you are continuously working to improve and update information!

8. Pictures! Of course, this depends on what you offer companies. The longer I have been blogging and taking it seriously, I have spent more and more time working on taking excellent pictures. Between my newly found skills and a great camera, one of the things that I can offer to companies is beautiful, realistic pictures of the product they are offering. As a travel and lifestyle blogger, it is essential that my media kit includes pictures. I'll be honest, I do feature more recognizable destinations in my media kit- Paris & the Eiffel Tower, Berlin & Brandenburg Gate, Big Buddha in Thailand.

9. Frequently asked questions. The longer you have a media kit, the more you will learn what companies are inquiring about. If you frequently are asked the same question by different companies, perhaps it is time to include this tidbit of information in your media kit.

10. Contact information. This is one of, if not the, most important aspect of your media kit. How can the company you are pitching get in contact with you? Your contact information should be highlighted, and ideally have several different methods of contact. I list my e-mail in addition to my twitter and Instagram handles. Because these are my main accounts, they are the methods I am most comfortable communicating with companies through. Make it as easy as possible for companies to contact you and begin working with you!

Overall, the creation of a media kit is much easier said than done. Personally, one of the things that I struggled with when creating my kit was writing about myself and acknowledging all of my accomplishments. For this part, I reached out to family and friends to receive help. It can be hard to brag about yourself- but essentially, that is exactly what a media kit is for! Who are you, what have you accomplished, and why should every company want to work with you?

One important thing to remember when creating and sending out your media kit is that just sending it out doesn't mean your job is done. Research the company you are pitching, and make sure your media kit is relevant to them. When pitching the company, custom tailor your pitch to that company and exactly why you can benefit them. Once the initial pitch is done, absolutely do not forget to follow up! Following up a few days or a week after you send out your initial pitch is absolutely essential.

For other bloggers, do you have a media kit? How have you seen it benefit you, and are there any elements of the media kit that I have missed? If you liked this post, please pin it!