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Rome – Where We Stayed, What We Did, What We Ate, & What We Wore

Candace — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 02:40:09 +0000

We had a short and fun time in Rome over our trip in Europe! We only spent two nights here, but we tried to pack in as much of the sites as we could! I am sharing where we stayed, what we did, what we ate, and what we wore!

Where We Stayed

We ended up flying AirFrance from Paris to Rome for our quick 2-nights in Rome! One thing to note – AirFrance now has a weight limit on your CARRY-ON bag!! I have never experienced that until this trip. Apparently, their limit just changed in March. You now can only have a TOTAL of 12 kg (or about 26 pounds) for all of your carry-on bags (both luggage and personal item). We ended up all having to check our luggage and paying the fee. Once we landed at the airport in Rome, we took the train to our VRBO.

We loved this VRBO in Rome!!!! We each had our own bedroom with one bedroom to spare. This awesome place can sleep TWELVE guests comfortably. There were AC units in each bedroom as well as the common area. While there was no dryer, there was a washer, and since it was summer, the clothing dried very quickly on the provided drying rack. The kitchen had everything we needed for mornings. Breakfasts and dinners could even be provided by a personal chef if desired. The bathrooms were large, and one even had a tub! HIGHLY recommend!

What We Did & What We Ate

Day 1

We started off our trip by visiting the Pantheon! Grab tickets here. Tickets used to be free, but now they are around $6 per person. Very interesting and probably only takes about 20-30 minutes. Women must wear appropriate clothing – bottoms that are not too short and shoulders covered. I brought this shawl. Men are not allowed to wear baseball caps inside.

This is my second time visiting Rome, and this is my second time eating at Life Ristorante! It is SO delicious! I was able to make reservations ahead of time on Google which was another great bonus! The food and atmosphere are great!

We visited the Spanish Steps.

While it used to be completely free to visit the Trevi Fountain, now it is only free to view it from farther back. If you want to get closer to see the fountain and throw your good luck coin in with the promise to someday return, you must purchase a ticket ahead of time. Tickets can be purchased here are are around $5 per person.

Not going to lie – we had gelato AT LEAST once a day every day we were in Italy, and I have no regrets!!! I think the best place we had gelato was from Venchi!! There were several locations throughout Italy!

Day 2

Our only full day was packed with different visits of historical places! Up first. was our visit to the Colosseum and Forum. You can purchase tickets here. We actually watched the movie, Gladiator, with the kids before coming so they could really picture how it was used.

We ate lunch at Alle Carratte, and the pizza was fabulous! We followed up with gelato – obviously!

That afternoon, we visited the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. Purchase tickets here. Such a beautiful experience. So much history. For this Sistine Chapel portion, women must wear appropriate clothing – bottoms that are not too short and shoulders covered. I brought this shawl. Men are not allowed to wear baseball caps inside. No photos or videos may be taken in the Sistine Chapel.

Once again, we were repeat offenders!! We at at this restaurant four years ago when I visited my brother and SIL in Rome, and we had to do it again with the rest of my family! SO delicious! Osteria da Fortunata is an amazing taste of Italy! You can actually watch ladies make the noodles right there in the restaurant! This was another great place where you need make reservations ahead of time.

Shocking, I know!! But we ended the night with more gelato! Tonight’s dessert was found at Gelateria La Romana – another great place for gelato! My SIL says the best gelato can be found at places with lids on top of the gelato in the freezer display – not the ones with pretty gelato piled high like decoration.

Before we left, we all downloaded the Rick Steves’ Audio Europe app. You can navigate between all the different countries and download the audio tour for the site you are visiting! Rick does a great job! Highly recommend this app and downloading all of the tours ahead of time!

What We Wore

Shop here

Ciao, Roma! It was a fast and furious (and crazy hot!!) trip, but we had a great time visiting historical sites and eating some great food!

Check out my guide to Paris here!

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Paris – Where We Stayed, What We Did, What We Ate, & What I Wore

Candace — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 01:39:28 +0000

We had four nights in Paris, and they were lovely – even though Paris (and all of Europe) had a crazy heat wave! The temperatures hit almost 100 degrees every day, but we still had such a nice time together! Today on the blog, I am sharing all the details!

Where We Stayed

We chose to stay at a VRBO in Paris! We opted for this this over a hotel because it ended up being less money than two hotel rooms since my brother and SIL joined us! Was also nice because we were able to spend time together each morning and evening! I chose this VRBO for several reasons! First of all, it has AIR CONDITIONED!!!!!!!!! This is not the case for many places – even hotels. I can sleep 8 and has three bedrooms which was perfect for us! Briton and I were in one room, my brother and SIL were in one room, and Henry and Lucy were in the room with two twin beds. This place also also has two full bathrooms which was great. It also has a washer AND dryer which was wonderful since we all brought carry-on luggage and got pretty sweaty every day! It was also across the street from a Metro station! I am not sure I would be comfortable taking the trains without my brother and SIL, but they were super convenient and much faster than any other mode of transportation! Our host was incredibly kind and responded quickly to messages! Highly recommend this place! The second photo is the view at night from our place!

The only bad thing about doing a VRBO or AirBNB is that you do not have anywhere to store your luggage while you explore like you would if you had a hotel. If you can afford to do so, I highly recommend paying for an extra night just so you can check into your place the moment you get there. Many renters will also give you a discounted rate for an extra night since you are technically not staying the night. Unfortunately, we were unable to do this because our place was already rented. So when we arrived, we checked our luggage into the basement of a cafe (I know… sounds sketchy!!) and explored for the day. I booked through Get Your Guide and paid around $60 to store our luggage all day while we explored before could check into the VRBO.

What We Did & What We Ate

Day 1

We left on a Tuesday afternoon and arrived in Paris early Wednesday morning! None of us slept much on the plane Tuesday evening, but we pushed ahead and made ourselves stay awake until bedtime in Paris. We used this company for our transfer from the Paris airport (CDG) to the Louvre area of Paris to store our luggage. Honestly, if you can figure out the train system, it would have been less money and much faster.

We walked around the city for a bit, grabbed some coffee and lunch at a café, and then we toured the Louvre. Highly recommend booking ALLLLL of your tickets before you leave for your trip. This helps things be so much less stressful when you get there. Before we even left for the trip, I downloaded the all of the tickets and took screenshots on my phone to make it less stressful when we arrived. I even printed a paper copy – just in case! Ticket pricing can vary and prices change day to day…. I ended up getting most of our event tickets directly from the source if I could. Some tickets for days I wanted were not available, and I had to order through a third party. I got Louvre ticket here.

We were so tired that night, that we really did not want to go out! I ended up having Uber Eats (yep, they have it in Paris!) deliver pizza from Italian Kitchen! Was good!

Day 2

We started the morning as everyone should on their first morning in Paris – with croissants and cappuccinos from the café across the street!

Day 2 was my brother’s birthday, and we had a really special lunch on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower at Madame Brasserie! This lunch was a little bit of a splurge, but it was a really cool experience! I ended up getting the vegetarian lunch and absolutely loved it! Lucy said the mashed potatoes were some of the best she has ever had! Overall, I would say the food was good, but the experience was better! Dining at the restaurant also included lift tickets for the Eiffel Tower!

While it is free to visit the gardens and walk underneath the Eiffel Tower, you must have a ticket to go to the upper levels. You can buy these tickets ahead of time here. If you exit the tower the opposite way you entered, you will see this cute little side street to take a picture (Coordinates 48.85992° N, 2.29641° E).

We had dinner that night at Au Rocher de Cancale, and it was delicious! We all agreed that it was the best crème brûlée we had ever eaten! I am STILL dreaming about it!

Day 3

In my opinion, the best macarons in all of Paris are at Ladurée! We made reservations and had brunch there, and it was delicious!

Four of us did a macaron making class, and we all agreed it was our favorite activity we did in Paris! This baking school was a private class, and also had other classes like crescent making!! We were so impressed not only with our chef that helped us but also with the way the macarons actually tasted – so good!

If you have a younger child, you have probably heard and seen the craze around Jellycats! Lucy was determined to see the cute setup they had in Paris! Was very cute!

We also toured Notre Dame tonight which was beautiful! Tickets are free to enter, but there are large crowds. You can reserve a specific time slot here. To enter the cathedral, women must have longer dresses/pants and shoulders covered. Lucy and I each wore a shawl. Men cannot enter with tank tops, shorter shorts, or hats.

We had a lovely dinner at Sorza where I was able to make reservations on Google ahead of time! My in-law’s recommended this place, and it was delicious!

Day 4

We loved touring Versailles! We got tickets ahead of time here. We took the train from Paris to Versailles, and it was definitely the easiest and fastest way to get there. This was an all day affair! You can tour the castle, the gardens, and even Marie Antoinette’s “cottage” area. You can also rent e-bikes or golf carts to tour the various outdoor areas. We froze two water bottles and packed a light lunch of cheeses, crackers, the best strawberries I have ever tasted, and vegetables with hummus. Once we toured the castle, we sat outside and ate our lunch before touring the gardens! There are also quite a few places to use the restroom which was nice! There is one spot before touring the castle that is pretty busy. And there are several spots in the gardens. One thing to also note is that the fountains are not on all the time. They are typically only on during the weekends and during certain hours. We were lucky to see them turned on before we left the gardens.

That night we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Chez LouLou! Briton was adventurous and tried the duck – he said it was the best he had ever had! They even have live music many nights which was fun!

What We Wore

Shop here – the luggage covers came in CLUTCH

Shop here

We had a lovely time in Paris and enjoyed the time we were able to spend together as a family – even though it was INCREDIBLY hot!! My biggest advice would be to book things ahead so that things are not sold out on days you want to go and so that you can skip the crazy long lines!

À la prochaine – until next time!

Check out my guide to Rome here!

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What I am Packing for Two Weeks in a Carry-On

Candace — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 07:14:40 +0000

I can hardly believe I am even typing this because it truly is a dream of mine coming true! Four years ago, I was so lucky to visit my brother and his wife while they lived in Rome! I loved it so much that I wanted to bring the rest of my family with me! Lucy made a bucket list of all the places she wants to visit before she graduates! So we are checking three things off her list by visiting Paris, Italy, and Switzerland! I have spent MONTHS planning outfits and fine-tuned everything to be able to fit everything for the 14 days in one carry-on and one personal item!

Clothing Pieces // Shoes & Accessories

Shop my travel outfit

I will wear this look straight from the plane to site see in Paris!

Shop here

Shop all my travel bags and accessories here

No matter where you are traveling this summer, or truly, even if you are just staying at home – these versatile pieces are great staples!

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Red, White, & Blue Looks that Arrive before Memorial Day

Candace — Tue, 19 May 2026 21:42:00 +0000

Memorial Day is this weekend, and I have rounded up some looks that arrive before the weekend! These are perfect for Memorial Day and the 4th of July!

Grab a link to shop all of these looks here!

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Relax & ReCHARGE Free Printable Tag

Candace — Tue, 05 May 2026 23:50:16 +0000

This year for Teacher Appreciation Week, Lucy and I made these to give to her teachers at the middle school!

We ordered these “cup holders” from Amazon (more choices here)! They came with the cute “Best Teacher Ever” pencil tag and the ruler ribbon! You can download the free “Relax & ReCHARGE” printable tag! I printed 6 to a page on cardstock.

Relax & Recharge Printable Download

We added our favorite Stanley tumblers and our favorite Rorry chargers paired with a Starbucks gift card! This is a gift that teachers actually want!

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Gift Guides for Spring

Candace — Sat, 02 May 2026 01:15:02 +0000

With the business for spring comes a time for so many gifts for so many wonderful people! From moms and teachers to grads and more – so many fun occasions to give a great gift!

Shop my Mother’s Day guide here

Flower necklace // Earrings // Necklace // Shoulder Bag // Perfume // Crossbody bag

Bow earrings // Hoop earrings // Handbag // Bracelet // Perfume // Cosmetic bag

This is what we did for teachers this year as an end of the year gift! Love how they turned out! Shop what we used and download the free printable tag here!

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Cheers to the Sun Free Printable Gift Tag

Candace — Fri, 01 May 2026 13:59:59 +0000

Need an end of the year teacher gift idea? Use my free printable tag that says, “Cheers to the sun, the sand and no lesson plans!” Pick up a few of their favorite items, or attach it to a gift card! Check out some fun end of the year gift ideas HERE to attach the card to!

Download the free printable tag here!

See everything pictured above HERE!

I have made LOTS and LOTS of free printables for gift cards and teacher gifts over the years, and these make simple teacher gifts! Just print out and attach a printable to the gift. Some of these work well for gifts for co-workers, family members, neighbors or anyone else you may need a gift for this Holiday season.

Sip Sip Hooray Printable
Thanks a Latte
Dunkin Donuts Printable
Target Printable
Thank you Snow Much – Attach any gift card
Amazon Gift Card Printable
A Great Teacher is Always in Fashion – Attach any gift card
Merry Christmas Earring Tree – Decorate the tree with Stud earrings
Tea-riffic Printable
Stanley Free Printable Tag
Thanks for Helping me Grow – Attach to a plant
Thanks for Making me 1 Smart Cookie Printable
Thanks for Hanging in There All Year
Fleece Navidad Printable – Include some Cozy Socks or Blanket
So Lucky to Have You
Thanks for Wrapping Our Kids in Love – Include a Cozy Throw
For Your Mistletoes – Include some Cozy Socks
You’re One in a Melon – Attach some Watermelon Candy
Hands Down You are the Best – Attach your favorite Soap, Gloves or Hand Warmer!
Sparkle Printable – Perfect for a pair of Sparkle Studs
Merry Kissmas and a Chappy New Year

Check out all of my free printables here, and if you are looking for free printables for Gift Cards, check out my entire section of them here! These are perfect for so many different Holidays, Teacher Appreciation, Teacher gifts, Mother’s Day, etc. Check out the Amazon, Starbucks, I love you a Latte, Any Gift Card Printable, Target Gift Card and so much more here!

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Easter Basket Stuffer Gift Guides

Candace — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 03:11:21 +0000

Looking for some new ideas for Easter Basket Stuffers? I love making these Easter guides, and if you need ideas this year, I’ve got you covered with 10 different guides full of ideas for Easter Basket fillers for Kids, Toddlers, Tweens and Teens! One guide is full of ideas all under $10!

Do you love this kind of Gift Guide post? Check out all of my gift guides here! Include Gift Guides for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for Teens & Tweens, Gifts for Kids, and Gifts on Amazon!

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Mom-on-the-go Look from adidas

Candace — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0000

This post was sponsored by adidas.

From carpooling to working from home, you can find me living in my comfy-cozies all winter long! I am loving this matching set from adidas!

My sweatshirt is a great length to wear with leggings and also looks cute paired with these joggers! It is available in several colors too! Both pieces are soft and comfortable on the inside and outside as well! And I have loved these sneakers for awhile now! They are great for all my walks with the dogs!

Fit Tip: Size down if in between in the sweatshirt. Everything else is true to size. Wearing a small in each piece.

Shop it all here:

adidas has so many comfortable items that are great to check off everyone on your holiday list!

All photographs by the talented April Hoff Photography.

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Holiday Gift Guides for Him & Her

Candace — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:42:54 +0000

The 2025 Gift Guides for him and her are here! I am SO excited to be sharing this year gift guides for him, for her, stocking stuffers ideas, grandparents/parents gifts, cozy gift ideas, beauty gifts, gift guides under $30 for him and her, and teacher gift ideas! If you missed them, I already shared the 9 Teen & Tween gift guides here and my 10 Kids Gift Guides here! Hopefully all of these gift guides will help you find the perfect gift for everyone on your list!

You can also check out all of my gift guides over the years here, and my free printables for gift cards here.

Sip Sip Hooray Printable
Thanks a Latte
Dunkin Donuts Printable
Target Printable
Thank you Snow Much – Attach any gift card
Amazon Gift Card Printable
A Great Teacher is Always in Fashion – Attach any gift card
Merry Christmas Earring Tree – Decorate the tree with Stud earrings
Tea-riffic Printable
Stanley Free Printable Tag
Thanks for Helping me Grow – Attach to a plant
Thanks for Making me 1 Smart Cookie Printable
Thanks for Hanging in There All Year
Fleece Navidad Printable – Include some Cozy Socks or Blanket
So Lucky to Have You
Thanks for Wrapping Our Kids in Love – Include a Cozy Throw
For Your Mistletoes – Include some Cozy Socks
You’re One in a Melon – Attach some Watermelon Candy
Hands Down You are the Best – Attach your favorite Soap, Gloves or Hand Warmer!
Sparkle Printable – Perfect for a pair of Sparkle Studs
Merry Kissmas and a Chappy New Year

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