Pastor Kant in Vallejo of northern California graciously opened up his church for our use while we were there. And we mean totally opened up his church! There was a huge fellowship hall and a …
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Nice, Safe Little Beach

What do The Travel Bags do on their day off? Have a picnic at the beach! Portuguese Beach just north of Bodega Bay, to be precise. It came highly recommended by the members of the …
Continue readingHoneybees and Lasagna in Petaluma

The best business card we have ever seen was for Pastor Jeff Smith in Petaluma. It reads: Jeff Smith: pastor, honeybee keeper, police chaplain I think it should also say “married to an amazing cook …
Continue readingOvernight in an Orange Grove

We were ecstatic to be camping in an orange grove in California not too far out from Bakersfield. Doesn’t Miss Jazz Hands on the right look ecstatic?! The camp host said we could pick as …
Continue readingHe Provides

This is the perfect song for our leap of faith as The Travel Bags prepare to hit the road again for the Stephen Bautista Music mega-tour.
Continue readingHappy Birthday, Emily!

Happy birthday, Emily! Every year I insist that she is three, but, can you believe it, she’s nine! She won’t even let me pretend she’s three, the stinker. She was a great sport and spent …
Continue readingHow to Shave 30 Minutes off Your Morning Routine

How to shave 30 minutes or more off your morning and evening routines: Before After
Continue readingThe Best Part of a Military Fighter Jet Museum

Steve grew up in the Air Force. There’s just something about a plane that gives him that little boy on Christmas morning feeling. So a stop at the military fighter jet museum was not altogether …
Continue readingBoys!

There are six girls and only one boy among The Travel Bags children. Told ya! Six girls and one boy. And sometimes our boy does boy things, like climbing high. Very, very high. And then …
Continue readingLessons in Crepe Making and a Fresh Egg Breakfast

The Dirings had us back for breakfast. It consisted of an egg hunt–the real kind–with Pastor. There is no photo documentation of their failed attempts at finding eggs, because they prefer to remember their triumphs. …
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