by eviehodge1549 | Mar 22, 2022 | Italy |
Italy!
The land of art and culture, pasta and pizza, gladiators and gondoliers.
The land of leaning towers, archaeological ruins, and scenic coastlines.
The land of fashion and faith; grapes, lemons, and olives.
After dreaming for more than ten years and then being denied the chance to visit for more than two and a half years, my wife and I returned from our two-week journey through Italy.
For some years, we saved money while searching for the tour right package. With so many tour options available, we looked for the one that offered the most of our must-have experiences at the best value. After an intense search, we selected the BEST OF ITALY from Trafalgar to celebrate our 20th anniversary. We decided November 2019 would be the time to go since it was the off-season, and the price was better. However, Trafalgar canceled when not enough people signed up for it. Bummer! But thankfully, we could reschedule for any time without worry. We decided March 2020 would be a great time to go because it was still the off-season, and the spring weather would be ideal. Yet again, our tour was canceled when the COVID-19 pandemic unleashed its ugly head on the world. The world shut down, people were forced to stay home, and traveling anywhere was forbidden. We rescheduled for March 2021, thinking everything would be back normal by then and we would not have to be concerned with any COVID-19 travel restrictions. Sadly, the pandemic was still in full effect and Italy had not opened its borders to foreign travelers. We waited a few months before deciding to reschedule our trip for March 2022. As the pandemic still had its hold on the world, we didn’t know if we would be denied once again. But thankfully, travel restrictions were lifted, Italy opened its borders and enough people had signed up for the tour. So finally, the wait was over and our vacation of a lifetime would soon become a reality.
It is hard to describe the two weeks we spent in Italy with adequate words. Each city offered a unique opportunity to learn something new. Bucket-list experiences or I like to say “God manifested dreams” were checked off the list. Visualizing places that had previously only been seen through a television lens. One post on the blog would not be sufficient to talk about everything we want to share. We will address the individual experiences and other topics in more specific posts. I will share the daily itinerary for this post, with the details to follow in the forthcoming posts.
JT at the Leaning Tower of Pisa Photo by J
Andiamo (Let’s Go!)
We leave home and our journey to Rome begins.
Day One
We arrive in Rome and check-in at our hotel. After meeting our travel director and our fellow travelers, we head out for a bus tour of Rome, followed by dinner at a local restaurant.
Day Two
We tour the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum, and conclude with a walking tour around Rome with stops at the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon.
Day Three
We leave Rome to visit the Pompeii ruins and a drive along the Amalfi Coast.
Day Four
We arrive by ferry to the Island of Capri for a walking tour. We head back to Sorrento for free time in town, concluding with a dinner at a local farmhouse.
Day Five
Our journey continues to Assisi to view the Basilica of St. Francis and free time in the peaceful town.
Day Six
We arrive in Venice and view the islands by private water taxi, and experience a gondola ride through the canals.
Day Seven
We take a walking tour of Venice and go inside St. Mark’s Basilica, followed by a glass-blowing demonstration on the island of Murano, and stroll around the island of Burano, followed by dinner.
Day Eight
We leave Venice and have a free morning in Verona, a walking tour of Milan with a tour of the Duomo in the afternoon, and arriving in Como for the evening.
Day Nine
The day begins with a bus tour of Lake Como, then a boat ride to Bellagio and free time back in Como.
Day Ten
After leaving Como, we see the Leaning Tour of Pisa before heading to Florence with dinner at Villa Machiavelli.
Day Eleven
The day begins with a chance to see David at the Academia Gallery and continues with a walking tour around Florence to see the Duomo, gold and leather demonstrations, free time for shopping, walking over the Ponte Vecchi,o and concluding with dinner at Castello del Trebbio.
Day Twelve
After leaving Florence, we stop at a World War II cemetery before heading to the medieval town of San Gimignano and then returning to Rome for our farewell dinner.
Day Thirteen
Returning back Home
Stay tuned for more details about each day, the individual experience, and other things we learned about traveling aboard during the time of COVID.
by | Mar 21, 2022 | Beauty |
Hello, Elegant Lovelies,
Have you ever thought about what ingredients are in your makeup? We often go by a name brand that we know and how pretty the eyeshadow colors look. However, we need to do more research to determine what we are putting on our children’s skin. Just because a product has on its packaging that it is organic or clean doesn’t mean that it’s good for you.
Photo by Raphael Lovaski on Unsplash
The Mesothelioma Center (asbestos.com) created a guide on asbestos use in makeup. This free resource helps consumers understand why it is essential to look for daily asbestos-free cosmetics.
https://www.asbestos.com/products/makeup/
The website features the most comprehensive guide to mesothelioma, including general information about the disease, treatment, and symptoms, and it is entirely free to view. The site is medically reviewed by doctors and lists other resources for seeing how healthy your makeup is. Certain cosmetic products and brands make talc-free makeup and cosmetics, according to the site. Online resources are available to find these brands and products. You can use the websites skin Deep and Made Safe to find talc-free cosmetics.
I knew that talc was not good in cosmetics but did not know how much it was being used and contained traces of asbestos. The use of asbestos in makeup is shocking to me because makeup is described as making you look and feel good.
“Because talc and asbestos are minerals found close together, when talc is mined, it may contain traces of asbestos. Talcum powder is still an ingredient in several cosmetics brands. As recently as November 2020, a study found 14% of the talc-containing makeup tested also contained asbestos.”
Two products that I use regularly are talc-free, and they are Shea Moisture and Smashbox. I used BareMinerals foundation and checked on the EWG site, which does not contain talc. Don’t be fooled by a beauty brand that says organic or clean; you still need to check to make sure it is good.
I first started looking at ingredients in hair and makeup when I realized that some of my hair products contained mineral oil. And a colleague happened to share a nail polish article with me, and I read this article; OPI 3-Free made me think about what ingredients are in the products I’m using on my skin. Hence, I did a completely 360 turn-around and checked everything I was using on my skin.
Do you look at the ingredients of your makeup products that you use every day?
Bubblingwitheleganceandgrace.com would like to thank Asbestos.com for creating this guide, so we have the opportunity to make our readers aware of what all the medical jargon means and what talc-free means.
by | Mar 19, 2022 | Lifestyle |
When visiting a healthcare center, it is essential to ensure you get the correct diagnosis. This can be done by following some simple steps. The following blog will discuss what you can do to ensure you receive the proper diagnosis from your doctor.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
Take All Relevant Medical Information With You
Make sure to take all relevant medical information with you when visiting the doctor. This includes a list of all medications you are currently taking and any medical conditions you have. If you have seen another healthcare provider recently, bring along their contact information and any test results they may have ordered.
Doing this will give your doctor a complete picture of your health and help them make a more accurate diagnosis. It is also essential, to be honest with your doctor about your symptoms and how long you have been experiencing them. This will allow them to rule out any potential causes that might not be related to your current complaint.
Get A Second Opinion
If you are unsure about your diagnosis or feel like something is being overlooked, it is always a good idea to get a second opinion at a different healthcare center. This can be done by seeing another doctor or requesting a specialist referral.
Getting a second opinion is especially important if you are told that you need surgery or other invasive treatment. These procedures should only be performed when there is a clear medical need, so it is essential to ensure that all other potential causes have been ruled out first.
Asking for a second opinion can also help put your mind at ease if you feel anxious about your health. It is important to remember that doctors are not perfect and sometimes make mistakes. If you have any doubts about your diagnosis, it is always better to err on the side of caution and get a second opinion.
Keep A Record Of Your Symptoms
If you are concerned about your health, it can be helpful to keep a record of your symptoms. This can be done in a notebook, on your computer, or even on your phone.
Keeping track of your symptoms can help you notice patterns that might otherwise be missed. For example, you may see that your headaches only occur when you eat certain foods or that you always feel nauseous after taking a specific medication. This information can be extremely helpful in getting an accurate diagnosis.
It can also be helpful to keep track of how well your treatments are working. If you feel like your symptoms are not improving, or if they are getting worse, make sure to mention this to your doctor. They may need to adjust your treatment plan accordingly.
By following these simple steps, you can help to ensure that you receive the correct diagnosis when visiting a healthcare center. Remember, your health is essential, so don’t hesitate to ask for a second opinion if you have any doubts about your diagnosis.
by | Mar 19, 2022 | Giveaway |
Hello, Elegant Ones!
I pray that your week has been a wonderful one. Spring is in the air, but we did get a little snow this week! As we inch closer to spring, I start thinking about getting outside and working in the flower garden. I may try a vegetable garden this year with tomatoes and peppers. I look at my garden supplies each year to see what needs to be replaced. I have found that Amazon offers many great options, from gloves to hummingbird feeders, from hanging pot hooks to flower pots. So here is your chance to get an Amazon gift card for your spring-time necessities. What is on your Amazon shopping list?
75 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway
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Laura — Everyday Edits
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Have fun and Good Luck with the Giveaway!
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by | Mar 17, 2022 | Lifestyle |
People of all ages need to have good oral hygiene if they generally have good health. Of course, this is not always easy to make sure of or keep on top of, and it’s something that you will need to put some effort into if you hope to make some improvements here. One way to ensure that is to look into it as a family unit, as this way, you are much more likely to find that everyone in your family has the appropriate oral hygiene going on. Let’s look at some of how you can hope to achieve this.
Pic – CCO License
Teach Your Kids How To Brush
One of the simplest things you can do here is to teach your kids how to brush to do it themselves as soon as possible. This is a life skill and an important one, so it’s something that you will want to ensure you are doing right for them. If you brush with them and make a habit out of it, you will find that they are much more likely to keep up that habit themselves – and teaching them the best ways to brush is always going to be beneficial.
Remember Flossing
Brushing alone is not always going to be enough, however. You also need to make sure that you are flossing, and most people are pretty bad at forgetting to do this one. If you are someone who often forgets to floss, again, it is just a matter of making it into a habit, which you should be able to do pretty quickly as long as you remind yourself of why it is so important. Plus, your kids are much more likely to floss too, which is suitable for their oral hygiene now and in the future.
Find A Good Family Dentist
Every six months, everyone in your family will need to go to the dentist, of course, and that means you will want to find the best dentist you can. If you are struggling to find one that you are happy with, you might want to expand your sights to improve your chances. Leesburg Family Dental is an excellent example of the kind of family dentist that will help you out, so make sure that you are considering them if you are in the area.
Be Strict
Finally, remember that this is an area where you can use your position as a parent to help your kids. In particular, you can do this by being strict, telling them that there will be consequences if they do not brush and floss their teeth, and ensuring that you follow through on that if possible. All in all, that will help ensure that your family is much healthier when it comes to their oral hygiene and health.
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