Our son visited Utah year before last when he went with his college roommate to visit his family over Spring Break.  They drove the whole way, from the north Texas area, through Colorado and the southern part of Wyoming, and then on into Salt Lake City.  Our son would take pictures with his iPhone and then we would get to see them via Facebook.  That area of Utah is absolutely beautiful.  It would be a nice place to have a vacation home.

Utah is west of Colorado, and although we visited Colorado many times while I was growing up and on into my adult years, we didn’t travel into Utah except for one brief time when I was little.  So I didn’t realize what breath-taking scenery is in that area.  I can see why people look for real estate there.   There are a lot of hiking and bike trails, ski resorts, water recreation, golf courses, and much more.  All of this is offered in the beautiful mountain surroundings. I can see why the Winter Olympics were held in Park City, Utah, back in 2002.

Just for fun this summer, we visited an RV sales lot and looked through some of the RV homes for sale. I was amazed at some of them! They were just like a miniature home, some of them with a full modern kitchen and stainless steel appliances. One even had a washer/dryer combo, and when I say combo that is exactly what I mean. It was one unit where you simply pushed a button for wash and then dry.  That one unit did it all. Very impressive!

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Now, if someone were traveling and had a breakdown, I guess they would have to get rv towing, but while they were waiting to be towed they could relax on their sofa and watch TV, cook a full meal in their full-size kitchen, take a shower in their full-size shower, wash their laundry, sleep in their queen-size bed, etc. They could do just about everything that they could do in a regular house…except maybe host a family reunion. And I guess that wouldn’t be hard if most people brought their lawn chairs and sat outside.

Great pizza place in Springfield, Missouri, called 417 Pizza.

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The Mansion at Elfindale, which looks like a charming European castle, is nestled in the trees.  Just a couple of blocks away are your normal everyday shopping and residential areas.  However, when you enter the property for this B&B, you feel like you’re out in the country,  yet you’re just a few minutes away from the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, the “Grandaddy of all Outdoor Stores”.  So, if you’re looking for a get-a-way from the hustle and bustle of the city for your corporate meeting or corporate travel, but yet you like some of the amenities a city has to offer, The Mansion is just for you! Fully restored and renovated a little over 20 years ago, The Mansion is like stepping back in time only with the modern conveniences of today such as an air conditioning system that leaves the air smelling fresh, never musty like I imagine a castle smelling!  Here are some of the amenities of this historic and captivating bed and breakfast:

• Highspeed Wireless Internet in all the rooms
• Breakfast included in the price (ask about breakfast)
• Higher level of privacy
• Relaxed environment which helps people to be more creative
• Competitive rates
• Comforts of home & comfortable and quiet sleeping environment
• Great place to focus on the work at hand without distractions
• Safe area with higher level of security
• Close to area attractions which fosters team building

  Whatever your corporate needs, whether you need small group space or a meeting room for a larger group, The Mansion at Elfindale can provide accommodations that will inspire creativity and planning sessions for your business.

We just got back from traveling a long way to see my mother-in-law. When I say long, I’m talking about approximately 1,700 miles of driving round-trip.  We didn’t have a vehicle maintenance log, but my husband made sure the oil was changed, new windshield wiper blades put on, tires checked, etc.,  before we left home.  Our vehicle was in great condition for the trip!

We didn’t have gps route planning software to use on our trip, but our son has an iPhone which has a GPS on it.  That was great because we relied on his GPS to route us a different way when three lanes converged into one due to construction on the highway we were traveling on.  Re-routing helped!  If we lived in this area, it might be nice to have an automated meter reading to help us figure out the best routes to take on a daily basis.  Whatever type of traveling, there are ways to make it  efficient.

*Note: I was compensated monetarily for this article. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Have any of y’all been to Branson?  We’ve been but only briefly while stopping over at Springfield.  We just wanted to see what the area looked like, and it was really pretty.  I imagine people who live in the surrounding areas such as Table Rock lake homes enjoy the scenery.  The area with all the shows wasn’t how I had pictured it.   Each show is in its own separate building, and the buildings are built close to each other throughout several blocks.  We didn’t take time to go see a show but did take time to walk along the riverwalk and the downtown area a little bit.  That was enjoyable!