Way back when we left Los Angeles, the plan was to drive from Seattle until we hit The Keys but (as you all know) we had to stop down when Hurricane Ian was sweeping through Florida. Since then, one thing after another has prevented us from reaching the paradise that exists right at the very tip of the continental U.S.

Well, we ran FINALLY out of obstacles and excuses... and at last we were able to head out on a weekend getaway to Key West. Our friends Carly and Mike from the West Coast also made the trip and we were amped to pick them up outside of Miami along the way.

From the anti-corporate vibe of Islamorada to the unwinding views from Seven Mile Bridge, our 4 days in the gateway to the Caribbean were as epic as they were expensive. Denise found a pirate hideaway and James found a way not to tip the sea kayak. Grab yourself a colada and kick back while we lay out the ups and downs of our journey to the Florida Keys!

We're so excited to have Ellie, our youngest child, back with us for another episode!

If you remember, the last time we heard from her was WAY back in Episode 3: OreGONE. Emotions were raw back then, and she was dealing with something neither of our other two children had to face--she'd never come back to her childhood home, because her parents were leaving Los Angeles, too.

Fortunately, Ellie had an action-packed Fall and she's here to update us on all of the adjustments she had to make in college, what it's like being a D1 athlete and, most of all, how she's feeling now about our decision to travel and find a new hometown.

Our travels are finally catching up to us... the waistline and the scale are both predicting heartache if our current eating patterns continue unabated. Between fried chicken in Savannah, holiday food in Los Angeles and not one but TWO rounds of resort food in Mexico over the last several months, we are a long way from the good habits we started back in Sedona last year. James is back to snacking and Denise's fried pound cake (from way back in Episode 34) is still a life decision for which she wishes she had a do-over.

Never fear, though, summer is coming and your favorite middle-agers are beginning to formulate their promises to themselves, each other--and to you our esteemed listeners--to do better starting NOW! From veggies to daily weigh-ins to James dragging a kettlebell everywhere we go, get ready to get trim and sexy with your favorite town-skippers!

We've been ready to focus on our own future hometown, but had not even considered that maybe we weren't the only ones in our family who could take the plunge on a new home. Denise recently found a real estate agent to talk to us about Savannah. So we joined Isia Orr and her team at Fox Hollow Realty and got an education on everything that's happening in a city that's now on our Top 5 list. Isia gives us strategies for first-time buyers, the current state of the Savannah real estate market and post-pandemic buying and selling trends in cities across the country.
The result? We took Isia's advice and our daughter is now scouring Corpus Christi for her first home. Our "new favorite real estate agent" will give you tips and hacks as she reveals the truth about just how attainable your first home can be. People waste so much money on rent and cars thinking they can't afford a house of their own--and couldn't be more wrong!

Alright, we admit it. We've been holding out on you all this time. Turns out we have a secret weapon with over 25+ years of experience as a bona fide travel agent. Meet Cousin Judy!We took a quick trip from Savannah down to see her in Jacksonville where she revealed top travel spots in the United States for both families and couples. Ranging from budget getaways to luxury stays, we guarantee Cousin Judy has some destinations you've never considered--Kohler Spa, anyone?She also talks to us about how companies like TripAdvisor, Air BnB and other booking sites have changed the game for aspiring travel agents. So settle in and get acquainted with your new favorite cousin! We're starting with her in America the Beautiful but with her ability to create global expriences--from cruise ships to African safaris--she's going to be a recurring character in our own traveling circus.