If there are two things that have been generally constant in my life, they are my love of Christmas and my love of baking. Growing up in The Christmas City certainly has something to do with why I love Christmas - lighted evergreen trees mounted on lightpoles, pop-up Christmas markets and larger than life advent candles are just a way of life come the month of December in the city where I'm from. 

Last month, Kurt and I took a quick weekend trip to Vancouver, British Columbia! During our time in the Pacific Northwest we enjoyed breath-taking scenery, ate some delicious meals, and enjoyed a quick respite from the heat - yes, even at this time of year! - in Florida. It was a wonderful weekend of unplugging from our normal day-to-day lives. 

This isn't the post I had planned for today. You'll see it next week (I'll be sharing what Kurt and I gave to one another to celebrate our first anniversary last month), because it just didn't feel right to post today. Yesterday was a hard day for me, and I know it was possibly a hard day for many of you. I went to bed early on election night because I had traveled to Indiana that morning for work. I was tired, both physically and mentally, and knew that staying up to watch the results was not going to be productive for me. I went to bed nervous, but still hopeful that on November 9th I would celebrate the election of our first female president.

Over the past six years, I've developed into a very organized traveler. I've largely built these skills as a result of my professional choices - they have both moved me away from the rest of my family, and often require me to travel for conferences and programs located all around the country. I wasn't always an organized traveler. I've had my share of frustrations and mishaps, but with these ten tips below, I've moved from unorganized to organized with confidence!