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Happy Wednesday friends! Today I thought it would be fun to share some quirks and random facts! I wrote a post similar to this back in 2017 (you can read it here!) and a sweet blog reader messaged me recently and suggested I do this again. I laughed and then thought it would be fun! Many things are the same as seven years ago but there are some new fun ones that I am giggling about!
I am also giggling because I am wondering why I think this will be fun to share the things that make me strange. *hahaha* But seriously - we all have quirks and over the years it has been fun in bloggy world to read others posts that are similar so I know this is going to be so fun to realize what makes all a bit special. *smiles* Please share with me in the comments some of your favorite random quirks because I would love to read them!
PHOBIAS
spiders
I have a serious fear and phobia of big spiders. It is huge. Several years ago when I was living in Georgia I came home from a day of teaching and saw THE hugest brown recluse that I have ever seen in front of the stairs to get to my apartment. I literally called my mom sobbing and wouldn't go up the stairs.
Y'all I waited an hour for someone to come and help and by someone I meant my next door neighbor.... okay his 9 year old son. *hahaha* When he got off the bus and started walking towards the stairs, I got out of the car literally screaming "Be careful of the huge Brown Recluse" to which he calmly looked at me like I was insane and went and picked up his TOY. Y'all. He looked at me like I was crazy and I proceeded to cry tears as I shouted- "Oh I am so glad you are safe!"
Now before you judge- why in the world do people give children toy and pet spiders. Just say no to the spiders. For all of us. *hahahaha*
I once had a group of students that would hide "baby plastic spiders" in different parts of my room. Y'all I would scream every single time. They said it was in love and I am half giggling and half cowering as I frantically look around the room as I write and remember those pranks.
But not as much as I am giggling remembering being put in a soccer net. *hahahaha*
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Or a hilarious day of April Fools jokes that started with taking Brett's parking spot and ended in post it notes and Proey being "stolen" to another parking spot. HAHA.
high heights
I sound all brave about heights until I start climbing up high and the thought of jumping out of a plane or off of something high scares the life out of me. SO you may be surprised to learn that I did do bungee jumping off a high bridge while I was living and studying abroad in France. Let us blame that on a cute boy. I screamed the entire time and unsurprisingly he did not find it cute when I threw up. *hahahaha*
RANDOM FACTS
random things about me
1. I have several food allergies, but the one that always surprises people is that I am allergic to chicken.
2. I love wearing skirts and dresses more than anything. I love purses. I love jewelry. I am definitely a girly girl to the fullest even though I love being out in nature and don't mind working at the cabin and getting all dirty... haha as long as I can clean up later.
3. I love to dance. Literally love it. It may even be a requirement for the future hubby. *hahaha* I joke... sort of. Hahaha.
4. I love to travel and explore- even if it is just to a different road that I have never been on.
5. I love developing community and deep relationships. My motto is that if you are a friend you are part of my family...I don't really see people as acquaintences. I want them to feel loved and welcomed into the haven. Some people think that it is a little over the top... I believe in loving big.
6. When I am done eating I cover my plate with a napkin. I honestly don't want to see it anymore.
7. I have never liked carbonated drinks. Ever. And so I have never had an entire soda/coke in my entire life.
8. I drink almost 300 ounces of water every single day.
9. My favorite place in the world, the place I call camp is where I most love to be with family and friends.
10. I have been the recipient of such extreme grace that I truly believe in extending grace to others freely and fully. I truly believe that we are all just trying our best.
11. I carry the biggest purse. Haha. Some of have said it looks like a suitcase. I am giggling as I write this!
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random things about my tribe and those that I love dearly
1. My mom is my absolute bestest friend. She has seen me at my worst and loved me unconditionally. I absolutely love living life with her.
2. My sister is "hoopster" and I am "pom pom". Let us blame this on a very bad break up in 2008 that resulted in a marathon watching of Alias and thinking that the way they had code names was "cool". Hahaha- somehow this has stuck and it continues on to this day.
3. My grandmother, who was also a best friend I called "Ba". The name stuck so much that our entire family called her that and was so fun! Before he passed away I called my grandfather "Pa".
4. I miss my dad more than words could ever express. Over the decade of being sick my dad started calling me "Becky". I am not sure when it started or why, but I really loved it and I miss hearing that each day. No one else calls me that and it was definitely one of those "secondary griefs" that hits hard.
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random things about living with me
1. I really love a clean car but I also love a well loved car that has been lived in and people feel comfortable in for long road trips. Haha many times these things are the opposite of each other.
2. Grief hit me very hard over the last seven years after suddenly loosing my dad and I am so grateful for my mom extending a LOT of grace that the important things were first and if that meant that we spent time just processing, relaxing, resting, and leaning in instead of vacuuming and dusting it was more than okay. It allowed me time to process and it allowed both of us to start to heal in deep ways.
3. #2 was hard to learn to be okay with because I love things neat and organized and even at one point before I got sick had my clothes color-coordinated. (Don't judge until you try it. *smiles*) But life has taught me in deep ways to pick what is most important in life.
4. Because of the December Caravan Shop, it is very common to find craft supplies in various rooms if I walk around with those items throughout the day. Haha.
5. I can literally have a bottle of water in almost every room in the house and a book that I am in the middle of at any given time leaving people to see lots of 1/2 bottles of water that I am finishing and lots of random books I am in the middle of from all different genres.
6. I am known to be a scissor stealer. Haha. I can literally lose a pair of scissors all the time.
7. I can eat dozens of black raspberries each day. They are my favorite food ever. And are SO good for you! (Read this post HERE for all the health benefits!)
random things about my business with Caravan Sonnet
1. More than twelve years later of writing here on Caravan Sonnet and I still don't edit my pictures on the blog (except to add a watermark) or on my Instagram. I will literally take hundreds of pictures for the couple to use. I know, I know. Crazy but true.
2. Every month I write and write and write. In this month alone I will write, edit, and re-write over 300 pages of writing for articles, books, media requests, and the blog. (And of course it needs to be edited in colored pens because as y'all know I love colored pens. *smiles*)
3. Working on Caravan Sonnet Brand (and the offsets) takes a lot of time and discipline behind the scenes that people do not realize. Most mornings I am up at 3:30 or 4am for work long before my full-time job starts and work after hours too.
4. Creating resources for the Caravan Sonnet Classroom has been such a blessing and is SO humbling to see these items making their way into classrooms around the world. My teacher loving heart, which deeply loves being in the classroom as adjunct professor in this season, is speechless.
random annoyances
1. When people say "wow, you are so tall" I literally want to roll my eyes. I mean, honestly people.
random major things that make me upset
1. People being cruel to other people or animals is absolutely unacceptable.
2. Rudeness is the biggest turn off for me and is my biggest pet peeve.
3. When people give "helpful" (notice the sarcasm) single/dating advice. Please do not ever tell an older single gal (anyone over the age of 30) how to handle being a single or how it was hard for you in the waiting process (when you met your spouse at age 12). Absolutely unhelpful on one of the most tender areas of a persons life.
4. It bothers me when medical professionals (including those in the medical community, insurance companies, and government officials, etc.) refer to Lyme Disease as "Lymes". The reason is that there is already so much confusion and mis-information about Lyme that exists that saying the name wrong feels slightly like an insult. (Or calling it a completely different name all together like when I was asked how my fight with "Lame Disease" was going!) (If you don't know what Lyme Disease is that is okay! I really didn't either before I got sick so that I why I wrote the post, "What is Lyme Disease?" to make it simple!)
5. Ghosting. I walked through this in a shocking way late last summer.... and it was extreely painful, but the beautiful thing was learning that healing can happen friends - if you are hurting it is not the end of the story. I absolutely promise from someone who walked through this and it is 9 months later. It is important how you heal though... so if you have encountered this check out this post HERE to help encourage you as you heal from this extremely hurtful and disrespectful situation.
6. People who speak death words over me or situations in my life (and those that I love) are not allowed in. The code exists for a reason. (You can read about the Code HERE). I love how Kristian Anderson in his book Days Like These, (found HERE) states his "code":
"When you come to me or my family, there is now a dress code in effect. Come to us wearing Faith and Hope, you will be warmly welcomed. Come to us wearing Fear and Doubt, and you will be politely asked to leave. This dress code will be strictly enforced."
Going along with this is one of my favorite quotes is from Paul Tripp:
"Everyday you preach to yourself a gospel of your loneliness, inability, and lack of resources or you faithfully preach to yourself the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ."
-Paul David Tripp-
random favorites
1. Going to the hairdresser is my favorite thing ever. I love people playing with my hair and the washing/massage of the scalp is amazing.
2. I had a love affair with all things being pretty and colorful even when I was teaching which meant students were stuck in a classroom with tons of pretty flowers and current students encounter happy colored powerpoint presentations even when learning about wars and terrorism.
3. I am a words of affirmation person and a quality time and touch all rolled into one. I will cry at a genuine compliment, the greatest gift is spending time with my loved ones and a hug from my loved ones is the perfect answer for everything. *smiles*
Okay friends, there are just a few of my random things. What are some of your strange quirks and random facts? I would love to know!
Happy Tuesday friends! I hope you had an incredible day!
It is hard to believe that it has been a full year today since our beautiful Rhône River Cruise with Viking Cruise Line began! I am excited to share some special memories from our trip and today excited to share all about our travel from Newark to Marseille!
Tonight on IG I shared a reel all about our travel from Newark to Marseille! for part two of how I paid off $260,000 in medical debt. Before you read anymore here, I would be honored if you would please head on over to watch, comment, and like this very important reel by clicking HERE!
I understand that in the world we live in and the constant reels and pictures it may not seem like a lot, but to me this means so much more than you realize. Every view, like, comment, and share on a reel truly matters more than most people realize. Instagram quietly uses those small signals to decide whether a post should be shown to more people. When you watch, tap the heart, or leave a thoughtful comment, you’re helping the story reach someone else who might need to hear it too. For a small content creator like me, those simple moments of encouragement from this community make a real difference and help Caravan Sonnet continue to grow in the Instagram space. So please take just a quick moment to click HERE to do this! .
Thank you.
Happy Tuesday! I hope you have the most wonderful day!
Happy Monday friends! I hope you had an incredible weekend!
Last night on IG I shared a reel for part two of how I paid off $260,000 in medical debt. Before you read anymore here, I would be honored if you would please head on over to watch, comment, and like this very important reel by clicking HERE!
I understand that in the world we live in and the constant reels and pictures it may not seem like a lot, but to me this means so much more than you realize. Every view, like, comment, and share on a reel truly matters more than most people realize. Instagram quietly uses those small signals to decide whether a post should be shown to more people. When you watch, tap the heart, or leave a thoughtful comment, you’re helping the story reach someone else who might need to hear it too. For a small content creator like me, those simple moments of encouragement from this community make a real difference and help Caravan Sonnet continue to grow in the Instagram space. So please take just a quick moment to click HERE to do this! .
Thank you.
If you missed Part 1 you can find that HERE!
Happy Monday! I hope you have the most wonderful day and start to your week!
financial freedom/ personal finance powerpoint and activity / caravan sonnet classroom
April 18, 2026
Happy Saturday friends! I am so excited to share with y'all a newly updated resource in the caravan sonnet classroom at teachers pay teachers! This is a resource for personal finance teachers at the high school or college level.
If you would like to go directly to this resource you can click HERE!
Help your students build a strong foundation in personal finance, financial independence, and smart money decision-making with this engaging, college-level lesson on financial freedom.
This resource is designed specifically for high school and college students and introduces essential concepts such as saving habits, investing basics, avoiding debt, and financial responsibility—all through a clear, structured, and meaningful approach.
Perfect for personal finance units, economics courses, life skills classes, or first-year college seminars, this lesson goes beyond surface-level budgeting and helps students think critically about their financial future.
What’s Included in this NO PREP Resource:
✔ Engaging Financial Freedom PowerPoint Lesson
✔ Student Guided Notes (structured and easy to follow)
✔ Teacher Answer Key for guided notes
✔ Reflection & Application Assignment (college-level thinking)
✔ Teacher Answer Key for Application Assignment
Topics Covered:
✔ What financial freedom means for college students
✔ Financial independence and goal setting
✔ Building saving habits
✔ Introduction to investing options
✔ Avoiding debt and living within your means
✔ Making intentional financial decisions
Why Teachers Love This NO PREP Resource:
✔ No prep — ready to use immediately
✔ Encourages real-world application and critical thinking
✔ Designed for older students (high school + college level)
✔ Moves beyond basic definitions into meaningful financial literacy
✔ Includes both instruction + student application
This lesson emphasizes that financial freedom is not about having more money—but about having control over financial choices, helping students develop a mindset that supports long-term success.
This is the perfect prequel to The Value of a College Degree Resource (available in the shop HERE) and The Cose of a College Education Resource (available in the shop HERE) or it could be used alone!
Thank you so much for all of your support of the shop! If you would like to check out the shop you can find it HERE!
TWO HUGE ASKS
(1)- If you are not already following the shoppe could you please do so? Even if you are not a teacher or don't plan to purchase things the number of followers does influence potential buyers and this would show incredible support! Simply click HERE!
(2)- If you have purchased something would you please take a moment and leave a review? It doesn't have to be long, but reviews are SO helpful to TPT owners like myself! Simply click HERE!
THANK YOU!
This has been an incredible blessing and you are making this possible!! Thank you again friends!
Happy Saturday!
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This is a girl so excited about some Spring weather that has arrived in the North Country... *smiles*
Happy Friday friends! I hope that you have had a lovely week! It has been a busy and full week and I am looking forward to the weekend.
Here are some of my favorite things from this past week! First of all....
Thank you so much for all of the behind-the-scenes emails and messages about this post. For a long time I debated sharing about this very painful experience. If you have been around the blog for any amount of time you know that I am very protective of those in my private life- and have been for a very long time. There are lots of things that I do not share- and yet this one was something that I hoped and prayed would be an encouragement to someone.
While I won't share more details beyond what I did in this post, I hope that this is an encouragement on how to heal from something extremely painful and disrespectful like this. From the thousands of reads so far since posting this less than a week ago, it is sad to see that this defintely is something that many people have experienced. My heart goes out to you... you can and will heal from this. Take comfort friends. You can read the post HERE!
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Thank you so much for all of the likes, comments, and views on this IG reel (click HERE to watch, comment and like!). You can read the blog post HERE! The entire mission and the people have been absolutely incredible.
3. This Stanley
Y'all, I mentioned this specific stanley several months ago and I am still loving this size. My sister had gifted me my first Stanley two summers ago, and I loved it. At the end of this past summer I needed another one and when I saw the 40 ounce size I was excited to try it and it has NOT disappointed. I love the cream color and you can find it on Amazon by clicking HERE!
And y'all... I just saw this one...
The flowers on this are SO pretty!! You can find it HERE!
I am so excited to share with y'all a newly updated resource in the caravan sonnet classroom at teachers pay teachers! This is a resource for personal finance teachers at the high school or college level.
If you would like to go directly to this resource you can click HERE! College is one of the largest financial decisions students will make—and most walk into it without a clear strategy for reducing the cost. This lesson shifts that narrative.
Instead of focusing only on how to pay for college, this resource teaches students how to make college more affordable from the start. Through 18 practical, real-world strategies, students begin to understand that the cost of college is not fixed—and that their decisions before and during college can significantly impact their long-term financial future. In a landscape where students are often overwhelmed by tuition, loans, and financial aid options , this lesson provides a clear, structured, and empowering approach to lowering college costs before debt becomes the default.
I am SO grateful for ALL of your support of this shop. Y'all... THANK YOU. This is something that I work so hard on behind the scenes and your support, reviews, and encouragement are HUGE. Thank you so much for all of your support of the shop! If you would like to check out the shop you can find it HERE!
Can I ask 2 HUGE favors?
(1)- If you are not already following the shoppe could you please do so? Even if you are not a teacher or don't plan to purchase things the number of followers does influence potential buyers and this would show incredible support! Simply click HERE!
(2)- If you have purchased something would you please take a moment and leave a review? It doesn't have to be long, but reviews are SO helpful to TPT owners like myself! Simply click HERE!
THANK YOU!
On Wednesday I shared more about the upcoming Lake Placid Half-Marathon that I am officially signed up for! You can read the post HERE!
As y'all know back at the end of the summer, I had signed up for and planned a trip to Hawaii for this month - and part of that stay was going to be doing a half-marathon. It felt like a stretch goal, something both adventurous and symbolic. But life, as it so often does, shifted. With my mom’s diagnosis, everything changed. Priorities realigned. Travel paused. And the idea of that race quietly slipped away.
But the dream didn’t.
As mom has been healing and with the beautiful news that no more surgery is needed (ABSOLUTELY GRATEFUL AND SPEECHLESS) - the opportunity to explore a half marathon was back in the picture. So today, I’m sharing something a little different—something that feels both tender and strong at the same time. I am officially registered for the Lake Placid Marathon and Half Marathon this June! Read more about this HERE and send along ANY and ALL tips please in the comments below!!
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When I was a teenager I tried to attempt a "stunt" (like I was a cheerleader- which in my defense I was so it made sense haha- please don't ask *smiles*) while I was water skiing. Suffice it to say the "stunt" went horribly wrong and I took a bad fall that hurt my back. About 7 years ago I was skiing (winter this time) and I took a very bad fall and between the two things- I can unfortunately end up in extreme pain if my back goes out... so one of the things that I have always been grateful for, has been the suggestion of THIS heating pad by one of my doctors about 12 years ago. I can't say enough good things about it and can't recommend it enough! If you have been around the blog the last decade then I also have to say that this was a huge help while I was extremely sick fighting Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease and Cancer (and other things). The heating pads of this brand come in a variety of sizes (I use the medium size while my mom loves the small size).
For after my mom's knee surgery we also purchased the knee version and this was a huge help also. (You can find that HERE). There are tons of options of sizes, but if you are looking for a new heating pad definitely try these out. It definitely is an investment, but worth every single penny. Each one we have owned has lasted for about 5 years - so they last a LONG time! I just checked and on Amazon they are having a MAJOR sale today so definitely check that out!
If you are curious, the brand that I have found to be the best after lots of research is the Carlson's brand (you can find it on Amazon by clicking HERE!.jpg "Top 10 Must Pack Items for a New England and Canadian Cruise")
.jpg "Top 10 Must Pack Items for a New England and Canadian Cruise")
With Caravan Sonnet turning 13 years old this year I love sharing on Fridays some of the older but most popular posts on the blog! One of the things that Caravan Sonnet developed into in the early years was a a resource for those looking for cozy luxury travel around the United States and World.
I am so delighted to start sharing about an upcoming adventure that we are going to have in the second half of the summer and look forward to sharing all of the details!!!
In the meantime, you can check out all of the travel and cruising adventures HERE!
I hope that you have a wonderful Friday friends! Thank you for making this such an incredible space to come to and connect with every single day. I am so blessed!!
Accessorizing in the summer is very different to trying to accessorize in the fall or winter. After all, those are seasons when you need to focus on staying warm and dry. You may even need to have something to keep your hair wrapped up against strong winds too!
But in the summer, you’ve got hot weather, humidity, and a light breeze to contend with. You can’t be wearing accessories that are too heavy, like a beloved watch you’re rarely seen without. That band is a bit too thick, and you’re just going to sweat right through it!
Instead, you need to think about uplifting your outfits in a more easy, breezy way. Indeed, if you can match your accessories to the vibe of the season, you’ll do just fine! As such, here’s a few pointers on the kind of accessories you’ll want to wear over the sunny season.
A Good Set of Shades
And not just because they look good! Your eyes are going to need the protection as well. And seeing as we’re not quite experiencing permanent blue skies and sunshine right now, you’ve still got plenty of time to go shopping for a new sets of suitable sunglasses.
If you don’t really have any shades you like to wear, and you just have glasses you turn to when it’s too sunny and you just need the protection, now is also the time to find your perfect style.Do you like thin rimmed, subtle sunglasses? Or are you more of an oversized shades person, because of the drama and color they tend to bring?
And even if you need to get some prescription sunglasses, you’ll be able to find plenty of different frame types to set the lenses in!
Sparkly Jewelry
They catch the sun a lot better! And with lab grown diamond bracelets perfectly suited to add a bit more bling to your jewelry box during the summertime, you don’t have to break the bank for your glimmer either.
And when you’re wearing a gemstone like a diamond, the focus is on the diamond itself. That usually means the setting it’s put in, as well as the bracelet wrap or the attached chain, are more on the subtle side. That makes them a perfectly light piece to wear at a time like this.
Sandals (that you can walk in!)
They’re no good to you if they just flop off your feet or make you feel like you’re constantly traversing over a shingle beach. You need sandals you can rely on; it just helps if they’re also the kind of cute style that you enjoy too.
When you go shoe shopping, make sure you try the sandals on and do a bit of walking around in them. Don’t just grab the first pair that looks good. Make sure you know how they feel on your feet!
Accessorizing for the summer sun is all about staying cool, so make sure your wardrobe has plenty of options!
*contributed post*
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