If you’ve ever fallen down a Christmas market rabbit hole on Pinterest or Instagram, you already know: France in December looks like something straight out of a snow globe. Twinkling lights, garlands wrapped around half-timbered buildings, mulled wine steaming in ceramic mugs, and enough ornaments to convince you that yes, you absolutely do need another one.

Before Bryan and I ever had kids, we started collecting ornaments from every destination we visited. We even picked up ornaments for big milestones — our wedding anniversary, our first home, the birth of each baby. (Nothing says “new parents” like a tiny glass onesie dangling from a branch.)

But once the kids came along? The ornament collection became a full-blown scavenger hunt in every new city. The kids got to help choose something that embraced the spirit of that trip — which is how we once came home with a London phone booth, a Venetian mask, and a tiny moose wearing sunglasses.

Now that our kids are teenagers and young adults, we have so many ornaments and so many stories — and Christmas decorating has turned into a full-on storytelling event. Here’s how it works: We each grab an ornament, one at a time, and share a memory from that trip before hanging it on the tree. It’s like speed-dating our own travel history.

And the stories? They do not disappoint.

Well, it finally happened. After years of friends and family saying, “You really should start a travel blog!”… I caved.

So here we are — a brand-new adventure in storytelling, snacks, and family travel!

For nearly two decades, our crew of five has explored the world together — from those early years of diaper bags and strollers to the current teen-travel era of eye rolls and endless playlists. Every trip brings new lessons, laughs, and (let’s be honest) at least one forgotten charger.

This blog was born out of years of requests for our itineraries, travel hacks, and kid-tested survival tips. My goal? To share everything we’ve learned about making travel with kids fun, affordable, and actually doable.

There’s something magical about Hawaii. Maybe it’s the soft strum of a ukulele in the distance, the scent of plumeria in the air, or the way the ocean seems to whisper, “Relax, you’re on island time now.”

But here’s the thing: paradise works best when everyone plays nice.

As visitors, we’re not just tourists — we’re guests in someone’s home. And just like you’d teach your kids to wipe their feet before coming inside, there are a few ways we can all show respect to the land, the people, and the culture that make Hawaii so special.