Vacation To Hawaii

My wife and I just booked flights to Hawaii in September using my Delta SkyMiles. This is my first trip to Hawaii (my wife's 2nd) and we're both looking forward to some time off.

It was 52,000 SkyMiles per ticket, plus $10 per ticket in taxes. If we would have had to pay for the tickets, they would have cost $610.64 each.

It's nice to score two free tickets from miles I earned on business travel. Using the 104,000 miles knocked my SkyMiles balance down to 29,233 miles. I will be adding more miles when I go on my next business trip in a couple of weeks.

Have A Great Labor Day!

It's nice to have a break from work. Labor Day marks the end of summer and I've got to say that I'm ready for winter. It's been stiflingly hot lately. To beat the heat, we're joining some friends for a relaxing day by the pool. Have a safe Labor Day.

Let Freedom Ring

Happy (early) Independence Day! My wife and I are spending tomorrow on the lake with her father and step-mother. We'll be enjoying lots of sunshine, boating, and BBQ.

As I get older, I realize more and more how blessed I am to live in America. This country offers priceless freedoms, amazing opportunities, and unending inspiration.

Have a safe 4th of July.

Memorial Day

My Wife and I just returned from spending some time with her dad and mother-in-law on the lake. Lots of sun, food, and fun.

It's important to remember that today is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. Please take a moment to remember our fallen soldiers.

Northern California Coast Trip

We just returned last night from a friend’s wedding in Northern California. It was a great time, but we spent almost $400 for the 2-1/2 day trip. Our portion of the cabin was $160, our share of the gasoline (we drove) was $115, and meals totaled roughly $100.

The Northern California coast is absolutely beautiful – lush green countryside, quaint cabins, and dramatic ocean views. The small town they had the wedding in was so remote that our cell phones did not work, internet access was via dial-up, and our cabin did not have a TV. Not having these distractions really helped us better enjoy the beautiful scenery. Of course, the first thing I did when I got home was turn on my computer and check on our financial accounts. Old habits die hard. . .