Tag: summer adventure

Things I love July 2023

Posted on by crazydreamsgirl

Hello, my bucket list, friends! I’m excited to finally be writing this post! July was a very busy month, and I can’t wait to share my highlights with you, so let’s get to it!

Things I love July 2023

Celebrating the 4th of July – This is one of my favorite holidays, and I had a great time celebrating it this year. I bought some great 4th of July items, and then I went to a local event that had fireworks. (You can read about it HERE.)

Shopping at the toy store on the first day of July – I started off the month by shopping at a local toy store! ( You can read about it HERE)

Having a sleepover with my friend – I got to have a super fun sleepover with my friend in July. ( You can read about it HERE)

Going swimming – I went swimming several times this month. Including while I was in Oxnard.

Going to Las Vegas- this was a huge highlight of July. I had a really great time in Las Vegas, and I would love to go back again. ( You can read about it HERE and HERE)

Crossing two items off of my bucket list – In July, I crossed off two items off my bucket list. One item was going to Las Vegas, and the other item was getting cake out of a vending machine.

Getting a massage and a Jamba Juice – I love getting massages at my favorite local mall. It was a great day when I got a massage and a Jamba Juice. ( You can read about it HERE )

Yogurtland – I got to go to Yogurtland with my friend! I love going there and it is one of my favorite summer places. ( You can read about it HERE)

Thrift shopping – I got to do a good amount of thrift shopping this month. ( You can read about some of it it HERE and HERE)

Going to the movies , I got to go to the movie theater this month! ( You can read about it HERE)

Road trip to Oxnard – I got to go on a road trip this month. That road trip included a stop at a zoo. ( You can read about it HERE)

Thanks for reading about the things I loved in July 2023. – Christina Epperly

Oxnard road trip 2023

Posted on by crazydreamsgirl

Hello, my bucket list friends in this blog post. I will talk about a fun road trip I took at the end of July. I didn’t cross off any bucket list items, but I did have a pretty good time, and I can not wait to tell you more, so let’s get to it.

July 28 – This was the day that our road trip began. The main goal of this road trip was to go to the Dallas Cowboys training camp in Oxnard. On the way to Oxnard, we stopped at a small but amazing zoo. While we were driving, we saw a sign for the Charles Paddock zoo, so we decided to check it out. One of my favorite things that I saw here was the flamingos, including a baby flamingo. I also really enjoyed seeing the tortoises and the tiger. I also went to the gift shop and I got some fun souvenirs. After we made it to the hotel we went swimming it was a pretty great day.

July 29- This was the opening day of the Dallas Cowboys training camp, and it was packed full of fans. It took a long time to park, and then it took a very long time to get into the event. I did enjoy the event, though it is always exciting to see people that you usually see on a screen in person. I also got a really good ice cream cone here. After taring camp we had lunch at Whole Foods. I love the Whole Foods hot bar. After lunch, we went to a Goodwill store. I did not get much here, but I did get a few things, including stickers and two Barbie nail files. At the hotel I went swimming again. I love being able to go swimming when I stay at hotels.

July 30- On this day we had plans to go parasailing but it candled due to weather. I was disappointed, but we decided to go on a trolley tour in Santa Barbra instead. We did a trolly tour and had fun exploring the city. I loved the dolphin fountain! There is a lot to see here, and I would love to come back sometime. Before going back to Oxnard, we ate at a really good Mexican restaurant. I also went swimming again!

July 31 – This was the day we went back home. We made a few stops on the way home, including a stop at another Mexican restaurant. I’m a big fan of veggie burritos!However, as I came back home, I had no idea that a major challenge would be coming my way. In my next blog post, I will tell you all about it.

Thanks for reading about my road trip adventure! – Christina Epperly

My fabulous Las Vegas vacation part 2

Posted on by crazydreamsgirl

Hello, my bucket list, friends! I’m excited to tell you about the second part of my Las Vegas vacation. In this post, I will talk about another bucket list item I crossed off. Our last full day in Las Vegas was packed full of adventure, and I can’t wait to tell you about it, so let’s get to it!

July 19th – On this day, we also had a lot of things planned. We started off the day by going to get tickets for the America’s Got Talent show later that night. Due to some confusion, it took longer than we thought it would. However, we ended up getting our tickets and getting on a tour bus. The tour bus dropped us off at the Mob Museum. It is an very interesting place, and I even bought the picture they took of us doing a line up. After the Mob museum, our next activity was the Madame Tussauds wax museum but of course on the way to the museum I had to stop and do some more souvenir shopping. I had been to the wax museum in New York years ago, but this was my first time at this location. I did enjoy taking pictures here, but honestly, I liked the selfie museum more. However I  was happy that we went and checked it out. After that we went had lunch before doing our next activity. Our lunch was really good. The pasta I had was wonderful.  Our next adventure was a very popular Las Vegas attraction, the gondola rides. We did the indoor ride because it was very hot outside but outdoor rides are also offered. I did enjoy this ride it was an relaxing experience. After that, I had a mission to cross use a cake vending machine off my bucket list. However, we did make a stop at this cute bath store where I got a soap that had a unicorn toy in it. Then, after that, we went back to where I had seen one of the vending machines the day before. I was so happy to cross another item off of my bucket list! When we went back to the hotel, my mom and I road the roller coaster that went around the outside of our hotel. It was a crazy ride prefect for thrill seekers. Then we all got ready for one last night in Las Vegas! The big highlight of our night was going to see the America’s got Talent show. The show was a lot of fun. It had a wide variety of acts, and I highly recommend going to see it. After the show, we went to the sky pod at the Strat, which is an amazing observation tower. The views from here were the best of the whole trip! I also got some amazing pictures from here. After the Sky Pod, we went to a store where I got some stickers and other items before we went back to our hotel.

July 20th – On this day, we woke up early to fly home. I did not want to go home. I was hoping our flight would get delayed, so we would have another day in Las Vegas. That did not happen, but at the airport while I was waiting for my Starbucks order, I went to a store nearby and got some more souvenirs to help me remember this wonderful Las Vegas vacation.  

Thanks for reading about the second part of my Las Vegas Vacation! – Christina Epperly

 

             

My summer adventures during the first week of July 2023!

Posted on by crazydreamsgirl

Hello, my bucket list, friends! I am still trying to get caught up with my blog posts! I’ve had some fun days in July, including celebrating July 4th. I can’t wait to tell you all about my adventures during the first 7 days of July, so let’s get to it.

July 1st – On this day, I worked the opening shift. before my shift, my dad and I went on some errands, including going to Trader Joes, where I got some cucumber melon mints. After that, my dad dropped me off near my work. My plan was to go to my favorite local thrift store before my shift. However, it turned out that the thrift store was closed for the July 4th weekend, so I decided to go to the toy store instead. At the toy store, I got some fun items, including a craft kit and stickers. I also got this fun wooden toy that looks like an ice-cream sundae. After the toy store, I walked to the coffee shop, and then I went to work. After work, I went to Starbucks, the park, and Safeway. At Safeway, I got a Hot Wheels car and two juice drinks that come with toys. At home that day, I did some of a word search that was in the American Girl book that I got at a Goodwill in Connecticut, and that was my first day of July 2023.

July 2nd – This day, I worked the closing shift. I started my day off by getting coffee and going to church. After church, I went home for a while, and I tried a new coke flavor. ( I will do post reviewing it) I left early for work, and I went to Starbucks, the park, and the candy store before starting my shift. At the candy store, I got some bubblegum cigarettes they have become my favorite kind of bubble gum, and those were my highlights for the day.

    July 3rd – Today was another work day, but I worked the morning shift. My biggest highlight of the day was getting a Pez dispenser at Walgreens.  

July 4th – I had this day off, and I was very excited to celebrate Independence Day. I dressed up for the day, but I wanted to get some more things, including necklaces. I went to a local party supply store where I got some fun things such as necklaces and buttons. I also got a new TY Beanie Baby. There was also a trip to Starbucks and the park before going back home and then leaving again. We went to a local baseball stadium to celebrate the 4th. We got some good food and watched a movie before watching the fireworks show. My favorite food I got there was a pretzel. The fireworks were awesome!! Plus, we were sitting in a really good spot . It was a really good show and a really good 4th of July.

July 5th – Today’s highlight was getting Starbucks oh and I also joined Threads!

July 6th – I will make this simple. Today’s highlights were getting Panera Bread and eating it in the park and then going to the candy store to get more bubble gum cigarettes. 

July 7th – After work, my friend picked me up, and we went to Walmart. I got some bath bombs and Barbie blind bag toys. It was the start of another great sleepover! 

Thanks for reading about some of my July fun! – Christina Epperly

Connecticut vacation June 2023 part 3

Posted on by crazydreamsgirl

Hello, my bucket list friends. This is the last part of my Connecticut vacation posts. However, I’m sure I will mention it again. I’m excited to tell you about the last part of this adventure. With that being said, let’s get to it. 

June 19th, 2023 – This was our last full day of vacation before going back home. Our main adventure of the day was going to the submarine force museum and exploring the USS Nautilus. The museum is free to go to and it is very interesting. There is also a gift shop inside the museum. Of course I enjoyed going shopping there. The main highlight was getting to go onto the submarine. My mom took a really good picture of me in the submarine. I liked being on the submarine, but I was happy to be back in the fresh air when we were done exploring. After our adventure, we went to Best Buy because I needed some new headphones. While I was there, I saw a Barbie doll that was on sale for a really good price, so I got her along with my new headphones. After that we went on a hike. It ended up being a pretty long hike, but it was beautiful. I got some truly amazing photos.  I especially love the ones I took where you can see the reflection of the clouds in the water.  It was a good last full day of vacation

June 20th – This was the day we went back home. Our flight was not early so we had some time before it was time to go to the airport. Before going to the airport we got coffee and we went to explore a park. The park had a cute playground and a bridge that had a little path. we did not go on the path, but we did stand on the bridge. Then we went to the airport and dropped off our rental car. We got on our first flight of the day that took us to Charlotte North Carolina. That flight went well, but our 2nd flight got delayed. This airport was probably the most crowded one that I have ever been in it was difficult to walk through, and to make matters worse, our flight got delayed. Also, our gate changed more than once. We went all over the place, trying to get to the right gate. It was very stressful, but we ended up getting on the plane and going home with no problems, and that is how my vacation ended.          

My Connecticut vacation June 2023 part 2

Posted on by crazydreamsgirl

Hello, my bucket list friends! It is time for the 2nd part of my Connecticut vacation! In this part I go to the zoo ,ride some boats and more! I’m excited to tell you more about my adventures in Connecticut! Here we go!

Friday, June 16th – On this day, we went to Connecticut’s Beardsley zoo. I like going to the zoo when I travel, so I am excited to explore another zoo. I loved this zoo for a few reasons, but I was very happy that it was not crowded on the day we went. I had fun exploring the greenhouse that they had. it was filled with many different kinds of plants there were also koi fish. I saw lots of fun animals her including prairie dogs, buffalo, an owl, and a tiger. Another highlight was ridding the carousel. It was affordable and a lot of fun. I love riding carousels, and I was very happy that I got to ride one on this day. Of course, I also made a stop at the giftshop. I got a few things there, including a hat. Another highlight of my day at the zoo was taking pictures in a photo booth. After our zoo adventure, we went to get pizza! The pizza was really good. I loved this day of vacation

Saturday, June 17th – On this day, we did two activities that involved boats! The first one was a tour of the Thimble Islands. All but one of the islands are privately owned. We didn’t get to explore that island since the tour we were on didn’t make any stops. However, I really enjoyed the tour. It was so cool to see all these houses on little islands. It was definitely a unique area, and it was worth the visit. We had some time before our next boat adventure, so we stopped at a Starbucks. The Starbucks was located in a truck stop. While we were there, I bought this bear shaped keychain that said Connecticut on it. We also went into Tj Maxx to pass the time. I had not planned on getting anything there, but I found a pack of hair bows for a great price. Our 2nd boat adventure of the day was a going to sheffield Island. We took a boat to the island. The island has a light house on it, and a tour was offered. We had some time before the tour began, so we explored the island. The island is beautiful and I liked being there. When it was time for the tour, we met at the door to the lighthouse. We had not been on the tour for very long when we were told that there was a storm coming and that we had to leave now. We quickly went back to the boat. On the way back, it began raining. We made it back safely, and I still enjoyed this adventure even though we had to end the tour early.

Sunday, June 18th – On this day, we went on another boat tour, but before the boat, we went on a steam train. We had some time at the train station before it was time to get on the train so we went to the giftshop. At the giftshop, I got a wooden bookmark, and my mom got a Christmas ornament. On the train, we were seated on the first class train car. The seats in there were very comfortable, and they spun around so you could face however you wanted to. On the train ride to the boat, I got a ginger ale. When we got to the boat, my mom found seats on the third floor after staying there a while we went up to the top deck. It was windy up there, but I got some great pictures. After our boat ride, we went back on the train and headed back to the station. After our first adventure of the day, we went to get some lunch. Later one we went to Mystic. Mystic in an area that is popular with tourists. We didn’t really have any plans there, but we ended up getting some really good softserve ice cream. We went on a walk, and there were some interesting things to see around the Mystic seaport museum. We didn’t go to the museum, but I did enjoy seeing the outside displays. I also got a pressed penny at a machine outside of a gift shop. That night we went swimming at our hotel it was a great way to end our busy day.

Thank you for reading about vacation fun! – Christina Epperly

My Connecticut Vacation June 2023 part 1

Posted on by crazydreamsgirl

Hello, my bucket list, friends! I went on a very fun vacation this month. I had a lot of fun exploring this beautiful state. I have a lot to tell you about, including the two bucket list items I crossed off, so here we go!

Tuesday, June 13th – This was the day that my mom and I flew to Connecticut. We stayed at a hotel near the airport the night before to help reduce the stress of travel. When we got through the check-in process and security. I was very excited to see that close to our gate was an Amy’s Drive thru restaurant. It was on my bucket list to eat here. Oh, and just to make things clear, drive thru is the name of the restaurant. Since it was inside of the airport, it was not an actual drive thru.  I had not planned on crossing off a bucket list item on this day, so it was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed eating here, and I’m really glad that I crossed off my first bucket list item of 2023. It took us two flights to get to Connecticut, and they both went well. When we arrived in Connecticut, I went to a store at the airport and bought some souvenirs. My favorite item that I got at that store was a magnet that said Connecticut in colorful letters. After that we got our luggage and our rental car. Then we headed to our hotel. after checking in to our hotel we went to get some food. The subway was closed, so we ended up getting food at a gas station store, and that was day one!

Wednesday, June 14th – This was our first full day in Connecticut. Our first activity of the day was going to the carousel museum.  This was something that I chose to do because I love carousels. When I walked into the main room of the museum, I was amazed. I was in a room full of beautiful carousel animals. There was so much to look at! Of course, there were plenty of horses, but there were also other animals such as a dog and a pig. I had a fun time taking pictures with the carousel animals. I truly loved exploring this museum. There was also a small gift shop by the entrance to the museum so on the way out I stopped there and bought a few things to help me remember my visit. If you ever get to the opportunity to visit the museum, I highly recommend it. Our second activity of the day was the day was going on a tour of Yale University. As part of the tour, we got stickers with a very cute bulldog on them. I learned that the bulldog’s name is Handsome Dan, and he lives on campus. I was hoping that we would get to see him, but we didn’t. The tour was very interesting and there was a lot to see. Our tour guide was great and I really enjoyed it. After the tour we went to the Yale book store and got some souvenirs. I did want a plush bulldog, but it was out of my price range but I did get a postcard with his picture on it. That evening we went to the beach. It was the perfect time to go to the beach because there was a beautiful sunset. I got some great pictures at the beach. It was the perfect activity to end the day with.

Thursday June 15th – On this day, I crossed another item off my bucket list with the first adventure we did that day. Our first adventure of the day was going to the Pez visitor’s center, and it was on my bucket list to go there. With your admission fee, you get a Pez lanyard and a discount at the store. The center is full of many different kinds of Pez dispensers. There are also activities you can do there like a bingo card scavenge hunt game. I started doing the game, but I decided not to. You can also see the Pez factory through a window in the visitor’s center. Another thing you can do there is to take a quiz on a computer and then you can print out a certificate. I did this, and as silly as it may sound, I’m proud of my certificate. I was excited to go shopping at the Pez visitor’s center store. I got several Pez dispensers, including one shaped like a truck that you can decorate. I also got an elephant and a bee Pez dispenser along with a Pez visitor center’s magnet and postcards. On the way out of the Pez visitor’s center, I used the pressed penny machine. I want to say thank you again to the person who gave me an extra quarter so I could get a PEZ visitor’s center pressed penny. Our second adventure of the day was going to Kent Falls State Park. At the park we went on a walk up to the waterfall. There are many places at the park where you can see the falls so you don’t have to walk very far if you are not able to. I took many pictures of the beautiful falls, including selfies. After the falls, we ended up stopping at a Goodwill store. I love going thrift shopping anytime but there is something special about going thrift shopping when you are traveling. At Goodwill, I got some fun things, including an American Girl travel games book and an art kit. However, my favorite thing that I got was a Hansom Dan plush! I was so happy when I found him because I had wanted to get one the day before. The last highlight of this day was going to the rooftop bar at our hotel. The views were truly beautiful it was a great way to end this day of our vacation.

Thank you for reading about part on of my Connecticut adventure! – Christina Epperly                               

A fun filled day in Monterey!

Posted on by crazydreamsgirl

Hello,my bucket list friends! On Saturday I went on a day trip to Monterey. My mom and I started our day by getting a tour of the Monterey state historic park. The tour started at the custom house that is located right next to old fishermen’s wharf. My mom and I were the the only people who showed up for the tour so it ended up being a private tour. The tour was very informative about the history of Monterey. My favorite part of the tour was the beautiful gardens we got to vist. One of gardens had Koi fish. I loved watching them swim around. The tour ended at the Pacific house. The thing I loved about this place the most was that it had a free museum. There were several interesting exhibits to see here. There is also a gift shop. I got some souvenires here. There is also a gift shop at the custom house. After exploring the museum we went back down to the wharf. There were a bunch of sea lions hanging out near the wharf. I got some really good pictures of them. I have visited the wharf before and I have a favorite gift shop and a favorite candy store there. I went to both. I got some great souvenires at the gift shop including a new snow globe for my collection! At the candy store I got a bunch of taffy! I love getting taffy at this candy store. The have barrels full of it and there are so many flavors to choose from. After shopping we walked a little bit on a path near the wharf. We did walk very far because we were in a two hour parking spot and we needed to move. After our adventures at the wharf we went to meet my dad for lunch. We went to a restaurant called Tarpy’s Roadhouse. The food was great and so was the location. There was a pond here that had lots of turtles in it. I had a great day in Monterey!

Thank you for reading!

Rock On – Christina Epperly

A summer weekend in Idaho

Posted on by crazydreamsgirl

Hello,my bucket list friends! Last weekend I went on a little getaway to Idaho. I have family that lives there. I try to go a few times a year. However, this weekend was the first time I was able to go this year. It was a short visit but I was able to do a good amount things before it was time to head back home. I can’t wait to tell you all about it so let’s get to it!

Friday- On Friday I worked a half day, then after a quick stop at Best Buy to get a headphone adapter,I went to the airport. After I got checked in and made it through security, I still had some time before my flight so I went to the store and got some souvenires from my home state. I know it’s far from perfect but I do love California! Anyways,after that it was time to head to Idaho. The flight was normal and uneventful. When I landed I stopped and got some Idaho souvenires. After that I got my luggage, met up with my mom and went to my grandparents house. It was great to see them and their dog again. After talking with them for a while. My mom drove me to get something to eat because I was hungry after a day of working and traveling. We ened up going to a restaurant that neither of us had been to before it was called smoky mountain Pizzeria grill. There was a bit of wait but the food was really good so it was worth it. There was also a vending machine that gave out random toys for a quarter each so that was pretty cool. After dinner we went to Walmart to get a few things. A few fun things I got were a squishy strawberry toy,Barbie stickers, and and Idaho button. It was a pretty good way to start off my weekend in Idaho.

Saturday- I was really looking forward to Saturday because I had bought tickets for a museum in Boise. We got Starbucks before going to the museum. I had been to this museum before but they host different exhibits so it was going to be different then it was before The main exhibit they had this time was Sue the T.rex. I  had seen Sue before but it had been a very long time ago. It was nice to see her again. There was also a small exhibit about the moon. My favorite part of that exhibit was the moon themed art work. The next part of the museum was a hands on area that was closed the last time I visited the museum. My favorite part of that area was this machine that made beautiful works of art. Also in the museum there is another T. rex named Tinker. It  was nice to see that T. Rex again too. After exploring the museum,we went to the gift shop on the way out. My favorite thing that I got was a Sue keychain. After the museum my mom and I went to a Idaho gift shop that we had visited once before. I was excited to go shopping for more fun Idaho souvenires. My favorite things that I got are two Idaho shaped Christmas ornaments that you paint. I can’t wait to paint one of them. I got two of them so my mom can paint one also. After our fun in Boise, we went to a restaurant to celebrate a faimly members birthday. It was great to see even more family and to celebrate together. Later on that day I went to Goodwill. The prices at this Goodwill are lower then at home. I was happy to find some Barbie dolls, a Lion King coloring/ tracing book, and two My Little Pony toys. I also got some books. I’m happy I managed to do so much in one day.

Sunday – This was my last full day in Idaho before flying home the next day. We went to lunch at a Mexican restaurant that is a favorite of my faimly that lives in Idaho. I got some very yummy vegetarian Mexican food. After lunch my mom and I went to visit another family member. This family member has a farm. I love going there and seeing all the animals. I got to see a very cute calf that I had not seen before. I also got to meet some super cute kittens! I loved taking pictures with the animals and I can’t wait to see them again. Later on that evening my mom and I went swimming! There is a community pool in my grandparents neighborhood. I’ve been swimming at this pool before and I love it. I love that it has a fountain. I’m very happy to say that I’ve gone swimming four times this summer.

Monday- This was the day we went back home. If I’m being honest I really didn’t want to leave. It had been a great trip but it was pretty short. I wasn’t ready to leave yet. However, it was time to go. Usually we get nonstop flights to and from Idaho However, this time we were not able to and we had to stop in Utah first. We didn’t have a lot of time before our second flight but we didn’t have any problems getting to the flight on time. It was a very quick but very fun trip to Idaho and I’m excited to go back!

Rock On – Christina Epperly

July 2022 pool party fun!

Posted on by crazydreamsgirl

Hello,my bucket list friends! Last month I went to a family pool party! I love going swimming. Since I don’t get to go swimming very often, I love it when I have an opportunity to go swimming. The water was a great temperature and it was a beautiful sunny day. I had a great time hanging out with my faimly and seeing people that I hadn’t seen in a long time and even meeting some new people! There was also amazing food as well. It was really a perfect pool party! Thanks for reading! I hope all of you are enjoying your summer!

Rock On- Christina Epperly