Whoops

I apologize for my absence. I have been very busy this week!

As most of you know, Tracee and I traveled to Minneapolis this past weekend to attend the MLT University and Trade Show. It was a blast! Tracee and I both partook in 6 classes a day, whew, for 3 whole days. We even got to attend some great "after parties" on Sunday. Vegas Resorts and the Hard Rock threw some pretty ballin' parties. There was even a Chippendale! Lot's of whistles going on at that party!

We returned on Monday to an exhausted Lori. She had the office to herself on Friday and Monday, and it was apparently a handful. Y'all are keeping us busy, and we love it!

I booked a wonderful honeymoon to Cabo San Lucas today. This lovely couple will be traveling to the RIU Santa Fe next month, and they couldn't be more excited. And I couldn't be more grateful to them for giving the opportunity to plan their trip! I'm so excited to see all the pictures when they return.

I'm becoming such a travel professional.  Go me.

Spring breakers are starting to roll in. So make sure to not be the last-minute planner! Flights book fast, and resorts are hard to find come March! Let us plan your perfect break from school.

Say "hello" to Prue Bear. It's a little fuzzy, but it was early morning! So my camera was apparently not awake yet. :)

She's so pretty.

Keep calm, and travel on. 

P.S. This is the cutest, sweetest thing ever:

In California, a tiger gave birth to 3 tiger cubs. Due to a difficult pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their small size, they died shortly after the birth. After recovering, the mother tiger suddenly started to lose health, although physically she was fine. Veterinarians believed that the loss of her litter had caused depression. Since tigers are endangered, every effort was ma

de to secure her health. So they decided to put cubs from another tiger, hoping that it would improve her condition. Unfortunately it turned out that it is impossible to obtain tiger cubs of the right age for a grieving mother.

Zoologists wrapped piglets up in tiger-print cloth, and presented them to the mother tiger. She now loves these piglets and treats them like her own. And needless to mention, her health is back on track.

Anniversary

Yesterday was the anniversary of my first three months here at Destinations!
I know you're applauding on the the other side of the screen right now, so "thank you, thank you, thank you!" :)

Princess has a new ship underway. Check out some sneak peeks here. It looks like she's going to be a real beauty. You could be one of her first passengers! Just give us a call.

I'm definitely gaining more confidence in the travel world. Friends are asking me about booking trips, and call-in questions are no longer a hassle. Bring it on, world!

I have pizza and pooches waiting at home for me for my lunch break today. I cannot wait! Those excited faces get me every time. And who can resist reheated pizza? We all know it's better the day after.

Minneapolis is this weekend. Tracee and I head out on Friday, and the office will be closed early due to our departure. I'm pretty excited, for two reasons. 1.) I've never been to Minnesota. 2.) I'm pumped to be all professional in my expert classes. I was pretty awesome in doing the whole college thing, so I'm glad that I'm not out of practice.

Feeling down?

 Enjoy!

Keep calm, and travel on. 

Gloomy

Charles says "Hello." :)

This drizzle today is making it very hard to stay motivated. This is perfect nap weather, and I think my inner child is trying very hard to take over. Why can't we embrace the concept of siestas?! I need a good mid-morning snooze. How about you?

Lori is out of the office today. It is so quiet with just Tracee and myself. So make sure to come on by and give us some company.

Speaking of, Tracee has just started on a new Hawaii honeymoon today! A lovely couple is getting ready to take the next step, and a beautiful honeymoon is the best way to start that journey through life together. So exciting to be a part of this wonderful experience!

Do we have any families traveling to Magic Kingdom in the near future? This might be refreshing news for some of age parents: Disney's Magic Kingdom is going to start selling beer and wine! Don't let the kiddos stress you out, just take a sip and relax when dining at the local french restaurant.

Keep calm, and travel on.

Fancy

The Destinations girls headed out to the grad opening of the new Chancellor Hotel in Fayetteville last night. the place was packed with North West Arkansas' most notable people. I felt pretty important. The tour was great and the rooms were so wonderful! Such a great spin on a modern look, with some classic trimmings.

Make sure and head that way they next time you're looking for a night out on the town! It's right off the square for some great convenience.

I hope all your Hog fans show your support tomorrow. Win or lose, our boys work hard. They have had a very rough year, and need our ongoing support more now than ever! Airways and Destinations will be tailgating before the game, and you can bet your bottom dollar that we will be callin' those hogs!

Charles LOVES the water.

So regal. :)

Check your emails now for the new eNewsletter! We've already gotten responses back about the featured cruise sailings, and compliments galore! We want to thank you so much for your unwavering support.

Keep calm, and travel on. 

End of the World?

100 days left until the end of the world. December 12th looms upon us. So, book your trip before it's too late! Take in all the sites that you can before that dreary day rolls upon us.

That is, if you think the Mayan's are really on to something.
Otherwise, just book because vacations are pretty much awesome, and you deserve one!

I was out of the office yesterday. Finally broke down and went to the doctor. One shot, and three prescriptions later, it appears that I will indeed survive. It was, although, apparently busy while I was away. A large number of calls and walk-in appointments kept Tracee and Lori on their toes!

Business is a boomin'.

The new iPhone 5 came out today. Are you all super pumped?! I'll have to wait another year for an upgrade, but I'm sure many Apple enthusiasts are jumping at the bit to get off work and pick up their new gadget! Don't be afraid to stop by the office and let us ladies play with your new phone!

The Destinations girls are only a week and a half away from traveling to Minneapolis MN for the yearly MTL University and trade show. We will be spending the weekend in expert destination classes, and networking with hundreds of tour and cruise operators. So make sure to check in before the end of the month for all the latest travel news! We keep ourselves informed and up-to-date as best as possible to suit our client's needs, so feel free to ask about all of our great experiences!

And don't worry, you know I'll blog my little heart out about it.

It's been real. ;)

Keep calm, travel on. 

Monday. Gross.

I AM A VACATION PLANNING MACHINE. Well, I actually only booked one trip. But let me tell you, it was magical.

So, now that I'm a veteran, I'm well on my way to making millions...right?

I am currently working on the September issue of the Vacation Therapy eNewsletter, so be checking your inbox this Friday for the newest issue!

I was hoping that by Monday Lori and I would be fully recovered. Lori seems to have taken the weekend to her advantage, and her sickness is barely noticeable. I, on the other hand, am only heading further downhill. I don't think any amount of vitamins and drugs can save me now. C'mon immune system, don't fail me now!

Luckily, Tracee has seemed to keep our germs far enough away to avoid the office plague.

I am so happy fall is here. Scarves, jackets, boots are the majority of my closet. Thank heavens for the changing of the seasons.

 Keep calm, travel on.

Under the Weather

This morning Pandora radio decided to remind me of my secret love of Dolly Parton. Her angel's voice gets me everytime!

This week Lori and I have been plagued with allergies and sickness. The office has been filled with sneezing, sore throats, and weak voices. Luckily, we seem to be steadily recovering and should be at full strength come Monday.

Why can't every work week be only 4 days? I say we call for a referendum.

TGIF, right? I think the best feeling in the world are the last 5 minutes of every Friday work day. Such a relaxing/anxious/wonderful feeling. I'm looking forward to that this evening.

I have to take the late lunch today. I'm debating on whether or not to chow down on my Styrofoam cup to hold me over. Breakfast this morning was limited. Send good thoughts my way. I'm pretty cranky when I'm hungry. So maybe send good thoughts to Tracee and Lori who have to deal with me till I eat as well.

The office is really bustling today. Lori and Tracee both have their chairs full with clients, and the phones are ringing off the hook! Vacation planning at it's finest! What a wonderful way to head into the weekend. Tracee just booked a gorgeous destination wedding at Sandals Royal Bahamian, and Lori has started today on a perfect honeymoon. Love is in the air, y'all!

There was a lighting issue earlier. Luckily, our wonderful co-worker Kevin came to help with the flickering light above my desk. Then, there was an incident with a shattering light bulb. That was a nice wake-up this morning! We spent a fair amount of time glass-proofing the office with the shop-vac. Teamwork at its finest!

I hope it stops raining for the day. I have an obnoxious Oldenburg who has a scheduled ride for today. Rain rain, go away! Come back on Monday. :)

Keep calm, travel on. 

Say It Ain't So

Oh no. I was spoiled by my relaxing weekend, and am now finding hard to readjust working life. Oh, the trials and tribulations of the working girl.

I just read an article about the decline of voice-mail due to the rise of texting (thank goodness). However, the comments left by readers at the bottom of the article, I find offensive. Many claim that modern day cell phones and text messaging are causing people of my generation to be less able to communicate in person, and cause bad grammar. I, however, love grammar and have absolutely no problem talking to people face to face. Y'all should take a gander at this article. Don't be scared to express your own opinion in the comment section of the article. ;)

Back to sunny days here in Arkansas. I'm sure glad we got that rain, but I'm happy to see the sun again!

Getting some calls today about Mexico and the Caribbean. Don't forget to book your holiday vacation. It's never too late! A Christmas cruise sure does sound good, right? Man, it's going to be hard to send all these people on these fabulous trips knowing that I can't go with them!

Note to self: learn how to fit into suitcase.

Y'all would take me, right? I'm a blast, I promise!

For future reference, I want to be stolen on my wedding day. Maybe I should move to Romania, who's with me? These weddings sound like a total blast. Perhaps I can help a soon-to-be-bride plan an inspirational "kidnapping" for her upcoming nuptials? If you're a brave bride to be, let me know. We could have some serious fun! I can hear the wedding bell now!

My cricket friend from last week appears to have moved on. Hopefully he is not making little cricket babies in my desk. My week would definitely be ruined.

Now, I know what you have all been waiting for. I call this one: Big Dog, Little Bed.

 

Charles hijacked Prue's little dog bed, and positioned himself like so. Adorable, I know. His daily acts of cuteness make up for his unforgivable howling.

Keep calm, travel on.