I believe in surrounding myself in travel even when I’m home.

I started this post with one simple intention: to show you how pretty the walls of our new home are getting with travel photos encased in cheap, but of course lovely, frames from the Christmas Tree Shop.

I was going to refer back to the beautiful map that Mike made me before we even moved into our apartment together – the one where I place pins of each and every trip. You know, to show you another example of how I like to surround myself with travel reminders, especially at home. As I searched for that link my nrelate plugin pointed me to the other times I captured my efforts to make my home seem more transient. But then I got a little emotional.

These discoveries didn’t just make me realize that I clearly obsess over taking photos of photos just to blog them. The post that was just meant to show you pretty pictures in my dining room took me back to the time Mike and I first moved into our new apartment and started decorating. It took me to the first time we printed and posted our travel photos and hung them on the wall, also thanks to the cheap, but lovely frames from The Christmas Tree Shop. It took me to the time our friends gifted us with more memories of places we loved and lived before then. It took me back to the times that Mike and I both reached milestones and then put a stamp on them in the form of memories that hung above our heads when we watched TV or overlooked us as we ate dinner at the dining room table.

So this post was a little more than pretty pictures, I’m coming to realize…

…it’s us preserving memories the same way we always have, just in a new place.

On April 19th, Taste of the Nation Boston will raise the critical funds necessary to support Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, which is dedicated to ending childhood hunger by making sure kids get the healthy food they need every day.

One hundred percent of ticket sales goes to this cause. Do you know of any other culinary event that does that? I don’t.

To celebrate the Boston Marathon next week – good luck to all of the runners, including Meghan of Travel, Wine, and Dine – can’t wait to hear how it goes next week! – we’re having a fun little promotion, which runs through Marathon Monday.

Get…. 26.2% off all tickets using the code:  RUN2012 (case sensitive)

You can buy your tickets here.

Okay, I’m done. Have a great weekend everyone, good luck runners and I hope to see you next Thursday!

I’ve always said that I try not to create travel goals because my personality will push me to pursue those goals to a point where they become pressure, and when not achieved, disappointment. Instead of looking back on my life, wishing I went to that one last place, I want to look back and know that I made a concerted effort to see more, to learn by experiencing and by doing, to not lean on what’s easy or comfortable, and to break out of my comfort zone whenever possible.

But I wasn’t just asked where I’d go if I only had a year, I was also asked how I’d spend my time and who I’d spend it with. Without any struggle the answer was always with my family and friends – no matter where.

For fun, here’s a look at what me and other travel enthusiasts would do…

The 2012 Bucket List was created by First Choice – The Home of All Inclusiv

So, what would you do if you only had a year?

Right now we’re offering 20% off all tickets until February 14th with the following promotion code code: VDAY2012.

Did I mention that one hundred percent of ticket sales goes to ending childhood hunger? They do.  Here’s a snapshot from last year’s event. You can buy tickets here.

This year we have another amazing lineup of some of the best chefs in the city. Our roster already includes Honorary Chef Chairs who year after year have gone above and beyond to support Share Our Strength’s mission: Gordon Hamersley of Hamersley’s Bistro, Andy Husbands of Tremont 647 and Jody Adams of Rialto and Trade; Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery and Myers + Chang.

For updates and more information, follow us on Twitter @ShareStrengthMA #TONBoston and find us on Facebook, Share Our Strength Boston.

I hope to see you there!

Why yes, Willy Wonka, I do go on many adventures. In fact, this weekend I’m headed to New York for another girls weekend trip. Can’t wait to tell you how it goes.

Happy weekend everyone! What are your plans? Isn’t there a football game or something?

Winter in New England can be dreary, even when you come across some unexpected spring-like days like we had this week. While I’ve always been one to love having all four seasons, this time around, I’m already ready for Spring. Who knows, maybe if we had more snow I’d appreciate just how pretty a winter in New England can really be.

Until then…

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Also, it’s time to announce the winner of my giveaway for an Easy Canvas print. Did you think I’d forget?

Congratulations to Katelin of Pretty Sandy Feet! And thanks to everyone who commented and shared your travel photo memories with me.

To me, purchasing a plane ticket will always take precedence over a designer whatever. I’ll continue to try and find a balance between work and travel, while always being open to uncovering special opportunities that will take me anywhere.

We’re on the brink of 2012, but I’m not making a list of resolutions. Instead, among all the commitments I’ve made over the last few years, I’ll simply add one more to the list. From here on out, I’ll commit myself to always being open to new experiences and adventures (no matter where), to relish the times that I can get away, and also value them as life-changing, as integral to my growth as a human and an important way to connect with the world.

To what will you commit next year?

Mike and I bought a house. We spent last weekend painting, cleaning and lugging boxes – with the help of family and friends – hence my lack of activity here.

We’re not quite settled, but we’ve made a good effort. We got a Christmas Tree, which is something that I’ve been dying to have for weeks! And thanks to my favorite blog buddies - Becca, Susie, Kristen, Chelsee and Julie - we have a glitterized ornament already.

I’m also very late in announcing the winner of my On Location Tours giveaway!

Congrats to Hope of  A Handful of Dreams! I hope you enjoy your Boston Movie Mile!

The Blue Hills Reservation stretches through the towns of Quincy, Dedham, Milton and Randolph, MA just south of Boston. In the Winter it provides a short getaway for skiers, and during the rest of the year, it’s a great place to hike. Mike and I had been meaning to try out the trails for a while, so we were excited when our friends came up with the idea.

We followed the Skyline Trail, which brought is to the very top, where you can see beautiful views of the Boston skyline. It wasn’t too strenuous, but for a group still full from a whole day of eating, it definitely did the trick.

And the view was worth more than the hike up and back down the mountain.

How was your Thanksgiving weekend?

As much as I like to chronicle my adventures here on my blog, in a more tangible sense, I’m just not a scrapbooker. The last time I actually documented my travels beyond my blog was in 2004 when I returned home from studying abroad in Ireland. I purchased a white  binder – with the intention of making it pretty on the outside – and stuck my little memories between thin films of plastic and cardboard. Today, on the outside, it’s still blank canvass.

And the inside is sort of withering away – partly due to me peeling back the plastic to occasionally scan old memories for my blog, but mostly due to time and unfortunate neglect.

I’m not one to make concrete resolutions, but as we get closer to the New Year, one promise I’d like to make to myself is to be more organized, especially when it comes to documenting my travels.

How do you preserve your travel memories?