#103 Belize it or Not

Yeah yeah, we've got a bounce back sunshine day. The other day, last Monday, it snowed about maybe an inch in like an hour and they were the biggest blizzardy. Oh yeah, they were the biggest snowflakes you've ever seen. They were like half dollar size snowflakes and blowing and then it was gone within a couple hours, right and I knew it would happen.

Speaker 2: 0:49

So I'm like, okay, just enjoy it. And I do love when it's the big snowflakes like a hallmark movie. It was kind of like somebody had dumped soap, like in the old hollywood thing sets that you picture.

Speaker 1: 1:00

They're just dumping down the detergent flakes oh, that was super nice, yeah, but but I knew it was going to be gone soon.

Speaker 2: 1:06

Weirdest year ever, year ever. I wonder how many. I haven't even looked. I should look it up how many sunny days we've actually had, because it has to be a record.

Speaker 1: 1:13

Oh, it's a record for lack of moisture, so it must just lead into there being more and more sunshine than you'd ever see in the winter.

Speaker 2: 1:20

Like that part, I can handle having all the sunshine.

Speaker 1: 1:24

It's beautiful it's getting to that season we talk about mud season up here, which is when a lot of people leave on getaways and, whether you call it a spring break, or your kids are off school or you're just ready to get out of town and do something a little bit different, it's always fun and I've been doing a lot of internet research, whether it's for work or for the cabin cast, and things are getting worse online for, like, sharing ideas.

Speaker 1: 1:53

Yeah, everything seems to be like baseline hitting seo, and for those of you that don't know seo, it's search engine optimization. So if you put it in certain keywords that people are searching for in your website is has a reasonable amount of them. There's like all these. They talk about the algorithms and social media and on Google all the time, and the problem with optimizing the entire online world for an algorithm is you're not providing people results based on the quality of the article and the information that's in it. You're basing it on the amount of keywords that hit and match the search that people are doing, and I know google has entire teams of super geniuses that understand all this stuff, but a lot of it's just based upon advertising revenue and getting people to go on your website and then filling the website up with ads that people will click on or on accident, and there's all these crazy tricks. But it's getting harder and harder to find quality articles.

Speaker 2: 2:56

So I was just thinking no creativity, no, it's just the basics, yeah, the basics, over and over again.

Speaker 1: 3:01

Right, because you're not rewarded anymore for putting out quality Cause if you spend a ton of time in a quality article and I'm sure there's examples in the opposite of this but for me when we do these searches, it is so just baseline. So here's a perfect example. I was looking for ideas for the cabin cast of like okay, what are some great weekend getaway ideas that would be fun for people to do, just to get out of town and go?

Speaker 2: 3:23

and maybe things we hadn't thought of on our own.

Speaker 1: 3:25

Exactly, and that's what you're looking for. It's like the obvious no brainer. Things aren't super helpful and I'll get to another article that really reiterates that.

Speaker 2: 3:34

That's really not helpful.

Speaker 1: 3:35

Yeah, just like duh things. I mean people are looking for creativity and things like that make you tilt your head and go oh, I'd never thought of doing that.

Speaker 1: 3:43

That sounds like a blast, Like, surprise me a little, a little bit yeah and maybe the internet is just so full of information that it's hard to surprise anyone anymore and a lot of these weekend getaways are regional. But even then, here's an example. So I I type in like weekend getaway ideas and it pulls up a website, fto ftlo, travelcom. Again, we'll link, link it in show notes. This is 10 easy weekend getaway ideas.

Speaker 2: 4:09

Right, yeah, that's what we want, easy.

Speaker 1: 4:11

Just easy weekend getaway ideas.

Speaker 2: 4:14

And just the short weekend.

Speaker 1: 4:15

Just the short weekend. So here's how the article starts. We're in a bit of a lull before the next major set of holidays in the US, but we're definitely not waiting around to take our next and already much-needed vacation. Sometimes we all need a getaway to feel like a million bucks. Here are 10 easy weekend getaways that require minimal planning just a little bit of spontaneity. If you want even more ideas, join their community for some insight. Ideas for a weekend getaway. Number one Belize for beach fun.

Speaker 2: 4:48

Isn't that top on your list?

Speaker 1: 4:49

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 4:53

Just gather the children right after school and go to Belize. I'm like, okay, no packing needed, no, just easy.

Speaker 1: 5:00

First you have to find your passport, oh my gosh, there's a lot that goes into like okay, tell me everything you know about Belize.

Speaker 2: 5:08

It starts with a, b.

Speaker 1: 5:09

Yeah right, so is it a safe country? I mean, there's a million things. This is not a spontaneous weekend getaway. I'm sure it's beautiful, belize is probably amazing, but it's not like a spontaneous, easy weekend getaway. And it's number one on the list. It's just like let's get to Belize. Let, that's number one.

Speaker 2: 5:25

It's just like let's get to Belize, let's go, and by the time you get there for a weekend, you've got to come home. Yeah, it's over, the weekend's over.

Speaker 1: 5:31

Yeah, your travel time is to Belize an entire day and a day Not going to work, okay. Number two, mexico City for foodies.

Speaker 3: 5:41

Oh.

Speaker 1: 5:41

So just hop in the plane. Apparently, these are for private jet setters, as Apparently these are for private jet setters, as we all are and do a food, a restaurant tour of Mexico City. Like name one restaurant in Mexico City? That's not. You can't do that. And where would you go? What would you do? You could Google it Again. I'm sure it'll have a list like this so it'd take a weekend to plan it.

Speaker 1: 6:01

Yeah, a weekend to plan your trip. So not spontaneous at all, not easy your trip. So not spontaneous at all, not easy. Okay, number four. I'm skipping a few. Number four the American West for a desert escape. So go see the entire American West.

Speaker 2: 6:16

In a weekend.

Speaker 1: 6:17

In a weekend. If your idea for a weekend getaway revolve around something calmer and more refreshing, consider the desert landscape of the US. They offer a perfect weekend getaway for city dwellers who need a little break from the fast life. Spend a weekend under the stars shining bright against the night sky and wrapped up in crisp air of the desert. And I'm reading this correctly?

Speaker 2: 6:39

this is has to be written by ai well, because when have you ever heard refreshing and crisp in the desert Right?

Speaker 1: 6:46

You're just a sweaty mess.

Speaker 2: 6:48

Dry.

Speaker 1: 6:49

But this sentence, let's break this. Spend a weekend under the stars shining bright against the night sky and wrapped up in crisp air of the desert. Breathtaking sunsets and inspiring sunrises make a weekend in the desert feel like a beautiful eternity.

Speaker 2: 7:17

Wow, all in one weekend, in one weekend.

Speaker 1: 7:18

Okay. Next Havana for art museums. Go to Cuba Like this is. Do you remember the movie Miami Vice?

Speaker 2: 7:26

Oh yeah, back in the day? Well, the TV show. But do you remember the movie Miami Vice? Oh yeah, back in the day.

Speaker 1: 7:28

Well, the TV show. But do you remember the movie?

Speaker 2: 7:31

Miami Vice with.

Speaker 3: 7:32

Colin.

Speaker 1: 7:32

Farrell.

Speaker 2: 7:33

No.

Speaker 1: 7:33

Okay, so Colin Farrell, jamie Foxx are like these ultra hip cool cops in Miami. So it's based on the TV show with Don what's his name.

Speaker 2: 7:42

Johnson.

Speaker 1: 7:43

Yeah, don Johnson. In this movie Colin Farrell meets. He meets some beautiful woman and she's like I want a mojito. So they're in Miami and he's she's like I know just the place. So they go to Cuba for mojitos and they leave in a go fast boat, like one of the boats that they use to like smuggle drugs that go like a hundred miles an hour that try to outrun the Coast Guard, like a hundred miles an hour that try to outrun the coast guard. But then they go to Cuba quick for mojitos and then they drink and dance the night away and it's this romantic thing. But it's like a six hour boat thing and crazy weather, like they'd just be flopping around in the boat, like it'd be awful.

Speaker 1: 8:18

Not an easy weekend getaway, but Havana for art and museums. Take a weekend to visit colorful art spots, galleries and museums and you'll likely find yourself inspired to live more vibrantly and expressively. Be it old school or modern, art has the power to challenge and inspire those who see it or experience it. In fact, studies have shown that those who are exposed to art tend to be more intelligent, develop more social emotional skills, have reduced anxiety and depression, have improved memory skills and live even longer. Our trip to Havana is a perfect opportunity to get up close and personal with Cuban arts and culture for the weekend.

Speaker 2: 8:53

One weekend in Havana, and we could be intelligent.

Speaker 1: 8:57

The best people ever. No anxiety, your depression's gone, your memory's perfect. You will live long. You will even live longer if you go to Havana on this trip.

Speaker 2: 9:07

For just a weekend.

Speaker 1: 9:08

For the weekend.

Speaker 2: 9:10

With Colin.

Speaker 1: 9:11

With Colin Farrell.

Speaker 2: 9:12

It's go fast boat.

Speaker 1: 9:14

Okay, let's find another one, number seven road trip for music festival vibes. Now, this one actually sounds like a weekend getaway, like go to a music fest in your area for the weekend. That one I get. The US is known for having some of the largest and best music festivals in the world, and the artists from all over the world constantly run tours through the country. There are music festivals of all kinds, of all genres, no matter what type of music you're into. Did you know that?

Speaker 2: 9:41

Gosh, I'm learning so much.

Speaker 1: 9:44

You're just likely a short drive or flight away from a lively music festival where you'll meet new people with the same type of music taste and music.

Speaker 2: 9:52

How many friends are you still connected with Eric, from people you've met at concerts?

Speaker 1: 9:56

At music festivals. All my friends are people that I met at weekend music festivals.

Speaker 2: 10:00

Eric's off again to make friends. Yep, I just got friends all over the country.

Speaker 1: 10:04

Yoga retreat for peace. So that's a weekend one. Some of these at the end are getting a little more weekend. If the goal of your weekend vacay is to feel rejuvenated, look no further than a yoga retreat weekend. Yoga retreats are perfect for cleansing your body and mind, clearing away any stress you might be experiencing from work and life. You'll find it inspiring to take time for yourself alongside others. You'll find take time for yourself alongside others. You'll fight. Take time for yourself alongside others. Krista. After a weekend of strength exercises and self care, you'll feel recharged and ready to take on the world. So far that that one in the music festival are the most legit.

Speaker 2: 10:38

Yeah, you don't have to cover the whole West.

Speaker 1: 10:42

Yes, this is number 10. Just to end this thing, spontaneous road trips for adventure. Okay, that makes sense. If you really want to make your weekend feel like a mini vacation, jump on a round trip flight to another city you've always wanted to visit. Seattle, portland, miami, austin, palm spring, san francisco, chicago, new orleans are all excellent weekend destinations. Tame a few. The last three make sense. The first one that they led with to go to Belize, it just really doesn't make a ton of sense.

Speaker 2: 11:10

It doesn't make it, and when you hear the descriptions of why you should go, it's like okay.

Speaker 1: 11:17

Yeah, I would love it If anyone out there that's listening has decided to pull up a weekend trip. Click on a link and go to somewhere like Belize for the weekend.

Speaker 2: 11:28

I'd love to hear that story or Havana. Well, last weekend I did do a quick trip. I did my husband and my two youngest. They're 15 and 17. So they're not little bitties. But we went to Denver for a quick weekend.

Speaker 1: 11:40

Oh fun.

Speaker 2: 11:41

But what made it able to be a quicker weekend is because my parents live there now.

Speaker 1: 11:45

Yes.

Speaker 2: 11:46

And it was a okay place. I we knew where we were going to stay for the night and we knew we were going to hit a nuggets game and I have a niece in college there. We're going to go to her basketball game Like there were a few things that we were doing, but the rest of it I was okay to just explore and find great restaurants and see what happened and what the shopping was and walk around in the beautiful weather. So if you have some space to explore and you don't have to have everything plugged in, you can do a little bit more. But Denver is a lot easier than Belize.

Speaker 1: 12:18

Oh yeah, way easier than Belize, it's a quick flight. That's a good bumper sticker. Denver is a lot easier than Belize.

Speaker 2: 12:25

Which I do for everybody listening recommend Denver as a quick weekend getaway because we flew in. You take the train right downtown to beautiful Union Station and then everything is so walkable.

Speaker 1: 12:40

Yes.

Speaker 2: 12:40

You can hit the sporting events. You can hit the museums. You don't have to go to Havana. They have great museums there Yep and great food for foodies. You don't have to go to Havana. They have great museums there and great food for foodies. You don't have to go to Mexico City. Yep, but you could, you could.

Speaker 1: 12:53

You could For the weekend.

Speaker 2: 12:54

But this made a really easy one. We didn't have to rent a car or do anything. Jump back on the train, end up at the airport and come home.

Speaker 1: 13:02

Yeah, denver's great. That's a perfect city for a quick weekend, for sure, and there's a lot out there. So if anybody out there has really great weekend ideas again, I'm envisioning more regional things, but if anyone has a story or something that they've decided to do for a weekend that ended up being like crazy extravagant, on accident, like they ended up further, or if it's something that you guys do spontaneously that you'd love to share, we'd we'd be happy to share it on one of the next episodes.

Speaker 2: 13:32

Well, I do have a little segue story on that, because we we have said in our lives, my husband and I, you can have a lot of fun in 48 hours. And I don't remember if I've ever told the story but a few gosh, it's probably been over 15 years ago. We were going to Chicago for the Bears-Packers game and we were leaving on a three-hour drive to get there and it was blizzarding and I am like I do not care if we get to this game.

Speaker 2: 14:01

This is ridiculous and he is like found and determined that we're going to go down to.

Speaker 2: 14:05

Chicago for this game and driving through a blizzard and I'm like let's just stay in Milwaukee. When, when we got to Milwaukee, we can still have a beautiful weekend here. No, we're going to Chicago. So then we we were staying at the Palmer house Hilton that time downtown. We're in line. It's just before the holidays, it's beautiful. We made it safely there. I'm standing in line to check in and I turn around and my sister standing there and at this point my sister lived in Texas and you know when you see something and then you can't really process it.

Speaker 2: 14:33

So I turned around, I saw her standing behind me in line, and then I turned back around like I hadn't even seen her, and then I look across the way and my brother-in-law is sitting by the Christmas tree. I'm like what in the world? So my husband had flown them to Chicago to surprise me and then the boys went to the game, my sister and I went shopping and out to eat and we had so much fun in that quick trip it was the coldest we'd ever been in our lives, but it was so much fun and such a surprise, so I mean that was one of those quick that's fun.

Speaker 1: 15:06

I also understand why he was like nope, we're going to the game regardless of safety.

Speaker 2: 15:11

Your sister they came all the way from Texas to the cold Chicago.

Speaker 1: 15:16

Can't leave them stranded.

Speaker 2: 15:17

But there is, yeah, like you said, everybody share your best 48-hour getaway that you've had.

Speaker 1: 15:21

Just that quick thing. No, that would be great yeah.

Speaker 2: 15:26

That would be great up was these articles now that are coming up on the internet that are obviously not written by a human, by a human or someone that even looks at it after it's written yeah, or it's just, and I and I've been starting to get you know what it's kind of as a, as a content creator, because I'm a content creator, I write a blog, you know, I write social posts and I can see the point of some of the AI things and it being helpful, but when you're on the other end, it really helps you to see how taking the person out of it is not fun, because I'll give a comment to someone on their post on their story, I'll give a comment to someone on their post on their story and it automatically I get back a thank you so much for sharing this or thank you so much for your comment and I'm like, oh, how sweet they. They messaged me back and then I say something. I get the exact same message and then the exact same message and it's. It actually almost hurts your feelings.

Speaker 1: 16:28

It's just automated.

Speaker 2: 16:29

And yeah, and so it's helped me as a content creator. Now I'm not mega big, though, too, I still have the time. It shows how important it is that when, like our listeners I actually we care about if you give us a message, an email, any of those things we do treasure that we take it to heart. We love to look into the things you send us to look at and we do our best to get responses back to people and make it personal. Yeah, I don't like the impersonal parts of it that come along with some of the AI things.

Speaker 1: 17:03

Right, it's making. It's making it harder for us to find quality things to share too, because it's out there Like here's one. I was looking for unique ideas to do at the cabin that maybe people hadn't thought of yet, and you're hoping that someone put a little bit of thought into them. To be a little bit surprising, because the bar is kind of high. Like everybody's thought of a lot of fun things to do at the cabin. There's all the obvious things, there's books and ideas. So this is an article from colonial properties and sometimes we're just pulling these from obvious clickbait things, but it's just, it's an example of what's popping up high on the Google list. Nine wonderful things to do while staying in a cabin. Number one play games like okay, duh. Well, it's just like yeah, get a cabin with a game room and play pool, foosball, air hockey, arcade games and more. Challenge your family to a tournament. You're on vacation and can play as long as you want. Did you know that?

Speaker 2: 17:59

No, I thought it was like you only get 10 minutes. It's just a certain time.

Speaker 1: 18:03

Number two relax on the deck. Beautiful outdoor spaces are a smoky specialty. Melt cares away in your deck's hot tub. Sit back on an Adirondack chair with a glass of moonshine. Finally, start the book you've been too busy to read. Hold a film festival. This one I like. I like the idea of a film festival. Don't let Cabin's rustic outsides fool you. Inside, you'll find plenty of modern entertainment with Wi-Fi, cable, satellite and streaming. Curate your own movie nights. Who gets to pick the movie first? Watch wildlife Spy speedy chipmunks, busy squirrels and maybe even a raccoon family from your cabin. The Smokies are home to more than 120 species of birds, from black-capped chickadees to red-breasted nuthatches. Listen for the hoot of owls at night, and then the other ones are like. Gather around a fire. Make cooking fun. Visit festivals. Soak up attractions. Thrill to outdoor adventures. So that's the list. Those are nine things. So did anyone learn anything? Were any of those wonderful?

Speaker 1: 19:08

I mean, they might be wonderful to do, but that you know these are, and then there are things you could think of on your own, though, rather than like oh, that's a fun idea to try that game that you've never done before maybe the public wouldn't be like super well-known to do, and just, I don't know, give me something to chew on any idea, cause you come around reading an article about like, okay, that's exactly all the things I've already thought of that aren't going to make it special. When your family arrives, you're like, hey, let's do this extra special thing.

Speaker 2: 19:46

Well and like nowadays. So we always have every summer certain movies we watch. What About Bob and Cheaper by the Dozen 2, where they go to the lake? There's all these movies that we love to make tradition so when it's talking about movie night, but nowadays do it outside on an outdoor screen while you float in the lake on an inner tube. Let's get a little creative. It's not like everything you have to do when you go to the cabin needs to be planned and right scheduled out and like huge activity.

Speaker 1: 20:17

Yeah, and we just, we have an outdoor projector at our um right. I mean it's a portable one, they're not crazy expensive anymore and you can use your indoor one and move it outside. This one we just put on the stand and like our whole family kind of chipped in for the whole thing and does it at parties. So this is what we do for a movie, outdoor movie night set up the outdoor projector. We my wife bought a bunch of kiddie pools, like the really cheap rubber kiddie pools on amazon or something. They're really fairly inexpensive, like 10 bucks a pool or 15 dollars a pool and they hold up, so we filled them all up.

Speaker 1: 20:51

so we have like 10 bucks a pool or $15 a pool and they hold up. So we filled them all up.

Speaker 1: 20:56

So we have like 10 kiddie pools and then they drive me crazy in my garage Cause they're hard to deflate but you keep them inflated so they take up a ton of room. Maybe don't need 10, but we have a giant. My wife has a giant Irish family. So then the kids all get their sleeping bags and pillows and they all pile into these kiddie pools around. So you don't have to set up chairs, you don't have to just lay in the grass. The kiddie pools hold the kids in, it holds the mess in, and then we do popcorn and you can buy movie theater candy style for much cheaper than the movie theater. But like that's a fun idea of a family cabin night.

Speaker 2: 21:24

That's not that hard to do, right and cause. I think everything there's that balance between those kinds of activities A big impact, like we got to do that next year, that was, that's got to become tradition. And then the things that are just go outside and explore and find your own fun. Yep, you need the balance between the two of those. I mean, even that in an article is cool about give suggestions on how to just go outside. One of my favorite things when I was a kid and then I did for my kids was my mom would give us a brown, a little lunch bag and a list of scavenger hunt things to go find. Yes, find one blue thing, find a feather, find an acorn. You know like, oh my gosh, did that fill hours of our day? That was so fun and it was so simple.

Speaker 1: 22:09

Nine wonderful things to do while staying in a cabin. Like have a scavenger hunt and give that exact short example of a thing from your life that you've enjoyed scavenger hunt and give that exact short example of a thing from your life that you've enjoyed. Like we used to play kick the can with an old Folgers coffee can constantly when we would go visit cabins and not the kids had a blast, and I even think kids that are addicted to their iPad or iPhone would put that down to go play kick the can under street light, you know, out at the cabin or have the light where you're. It's just a lot of fun. There's so many good things.

Speaker 1: 22:37

It's just a matter of finding them online and getting those good ideas. Because I mean, even when I'm looking at the side of this post, it's like recent posts or recommended posts top six cabins for Pigeon Forge baseball tournaments. So, like you know already, there's a lot of baseball tournaments in Pigeon Forge. They're trying to hit the SEO of where to stay for my baseball tournament and then are there really six top cabins for baseball tournaments or is it just? They're just trying to pop up at the top of a search?

Speaker 2: 23:06

Exactly so it helps everybody think about being discriminating as they read something Like are they trying to sell me something or is this really a great thing? Yeah, and I know the flip side of that too, like this is something that we. That is a business too, so there is that part of it that we can understand that you have to play the game on a little of it to to help bring in some income to keep the fun things going.

Speaker 1: 24:28

Oh, and I don't blame I don't actually blame the sites or the people, it's just the way the technology is laid out.

Speaker 2: 24:33

that makes it yeah, we have to learn to live with with with it in a way that still lets us be authentic yeah, and I think that it goes back to like more organic ideas.

Speaker 1: 24:42

like you got to go out and talk to people, call someone that's been there, uh, you know, look, look in different areas, pull up a book, you know, or you just have to dig deeper than what the top results are on google and go a little bit deeper and try to be more creative or just connect with people that actually put out thoughtful, well-reasoned, interesting content, and the less you engage with the junky stuff, the less that will be out there on those things.

Speaker 2: 25:08

Well, it's so encouraging. As I said, I'm a content creator creator and we are with the Cabin Cast, and when you get compliments on something we have spent time putting together, it really encourages us. So I say that to everybody too. If you find an article that you really feel like is helpful or you hear something, then pass on some encouragement to the people that are putting the time into it. And as you speak about, you know, getting ideas from other people going out and talking to people, I would love to hear what our listeners would recommend for cabin fun.

Speaker 1: 25:39

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 25:40

And we could pull that together in our own top nine.

Speaker 1: 25:43

Yeah, that would be a good idea, or top 50 or whatever we get back.

Speaker 2: 25:46

But I would love to hear their ideas for special things.

Speaker 1: 25:49

Yeah, we should actually add that to our website of just start collecting ideas and make it like an organic, growing list of ideas to do at the cabin.

Speaker 2: 25:57

I think that would be fun yeah, because that's where we get some of our best ideas. For you know, I can remember we've had times where people have shared ways they decorate with something if they've I think it was at the shag carpet, like when they remodeled a cabin and things they've kept and integrated in. There's so many fun ideas that we can get from our listeners to share with others, so guys, send those in. That would be awesome. This is another thing that people could share. You guys, I found an article, and this is from chewoutloudcom. It's a blog written by a gal named Amy and I. Just same thing went on Pinterest, which I use Pinterest as a Google so often.

Speaker 1: 26:36

Yeah, that's probably a better idea.

Speaker 2: 26:39

And this is I'm like oh, what would be some good cabin recipes and this food for the cabin easy recipes to make ahead came up. So when you need quick ideas for what food to take to the cabin, I know when I was growing up we would drive from Texas to Crested Butte, colorado, to go skiing and my mom would bring a cooler with frozen casseroles in it, made ahead. There's there's fun of cooking while you're at the cabin, either to get some alone time in the kitchen or to have everybody come in and help you. But there's also like make-ahead things that are so helpful and sometimes you're feeding a crowd so you really need to think ahead about what to do. Or maybe every family that's sharing the cabin brings a day's worth of food or something. But here's just a couple of these ideas. So let me know if it's something that you have as well, and then anybody can send us more ideas for good cabin recipes Crack breakfast, potato casserole.

Speaker 3: 27:42

So I think usually people put that on like something.

Speaker 2: 27:43

When they're it's like you can't get enough of it, they call it a crack something. So uh, breakfast casseroles any egg bake french toast bake any of those that are just one pan. Put it in the fridge the night before and then put it up ready to go, yeah and anything that smells good right in the morning getting people out of bed.

Speaker 2: 27:59

So those casseroles, quiches um, obviously, buttermilk pancakes. Pancakes are one of the easiest things because you can have the mix already put together in a jar, ready to go quickly and you can add any mix onto it. And I've done a lot of times, too, where I haven't done just pancakes on the griddle but baked them in a casserole dish oh really and then you just cut them into squares oh, like pancake bars almost yeah, it's, it works the same way, but then you don't have to stand over it and flip it, and I've done them in muffin tins too.

Speaker 2: 28:32

You can do like many, many pancakes so like put the pancake mix them in muffin tins too. You can do like many, many pancakes so like put the pancake mix in in muffin tins yeah and then you can do it. So there's lots of ways to make pancakes seem different every day by still serving them um anything you do like in the slow cooker.

Speaker 1: 28:47

Right smoky pulled pork on buns any of that kind of gross crock pot's a great way to do it yeah, the pork, the pulled barbecue chicken meatballs.

Speaker 2: 28:58

I've done it. We have one of those. Um, it's, I don't. It's not really a crock pot, but like a warmer thing.

Speaker 2: 29:07

That's three individual oh sure together, almost like they used to have in restaurants. Right now you can have them at home and done three different flavors of meatballs. That's so easy. Do an Asian one, do a barbecue one, do a hot wings one. It's really crowd pleaser of making a meatball sandwich or just having them on a toothpick. Grilled wings, chili, sloppy joes any of those kind of things are so, so crowd friendly. They freeze easily, they save easy, they make great leftovers. A leftover night is super fun, like your last night at the cabin. Yeah, pull out all the leftovers. Everybody finished stuff off and it'd be kind of smart too to bring along extra Tupperware or foil pans for people to take stuff home. If they're you know what's worth saving and taking along for the road trip.

Speaker 1: 30:02

Yeah, I will note. I've noticed when you go and visit a cabin they have such the most basic utensils and cooking things.

Speaker 2: 30:09

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 30:09

So that is one tip. We were at the Dells, at the Wilderness for my nephew's birthday and you try to cook in their little kitchenettes and they just have the electric stove with the stainless steel pan with the cheap plastic spatula that's way too thick and you're just struggling. It's like, well, I can really cook pretty well at home, but when I get into this space it's just really a little more challenging. And then you, you know they have one cookie pan so you cook a bacon and then you want to make something else. So if you do go on those trips and you have like these, it was like, oh, we're going to cook in, save a little bit of money and cook and it's got a kitchenette you probably want to bring your own utensils and specialty cooking items to make sure that you know like I would have died for a cast iron pan when I was there. But it's also, you know, it's a little more challenging to cook on for me on electric stoves where you can't see the heat, the fire underneath.

Speaker 2: 31:04

Right and I think to also have some kind of signature thing that you bring along, whether it's just for your family or families coming together. If you have your snack mix that you bring in your big Tupperware or big bag that everybody can't wait to have, if it's a Chex mix or whatever it is, that's a huge thing and some kind of dessert that you bring. I have a friend that always brings the most amazing monster cookies. I don't know how she does it, but if she did not bring them, probably everyone would leave.

Speaker 1: 31:38

Yeah, like it's.

Speaker 2: 31:41

it becomes that big of a thing when somebody has a signature treat that they bring along a snack mix, a dip Like my, one of my cousins has a dip that they bring that same thing. It's like if we don't have that when we're all together, it will not be the same. It's kind of a fun thing to think about what could be special that you bring just for those gatherings, just for that vacation, just for that time at the cabin, make it there or bring it ahead. To make it easy and finding these articles, we'll put this one on the link in our show notes. So if people are looking for some quick pasta salads and make-aheads for breakfast and main dishes, you can just go right to this one or head to Pinterest and look for more ideas.

Speaker 1: 32:23

Yeah, that's great. We have a music recommendation. I've spoken about Josiah and the Bonnevilles on multiple podcasts. We've featured him before, but he just recently came out with a new album called Endurance, where he releases a lot of singles and Josiah and the Bonnevilles we've talked about this before too, but the Bonnevilles are like his fans, so it's him traveling. I was reading his biography on Wikipedia and it's actually really interesting, so I wanted to share that first too, and it talks a little bit about his background and how he got into music, and I always love those stories.

Speaker 1: 32:58

Josiah Lemming was born in Morristown, tennessee. He was raised by his mother and stepfather alongside four brothers and four sisters, six of whom are adopted. Lemming first learned the piano when he was eight years old, after his mother purchased a Casio keyboard for almost nothing. He also played his grandmother's piano during visits to her house and participated in school musicals and choirs. Described as self-taught, he also credits an elderly piano instructor for his early musical education. By 13, lemming was writing his own music. When he was 16, lemming began to perform locally. He dropped out of high school and left Morristown at 17 in an attempt to make as both a musician and find a way to support his large and struggling family. Lemming played in clubs and coffee houses throughout the Southeast, while working in restaurants and temp agencies to pay for food and gas.

Speaker 1: 33:43

He traveled to Atlanta, georgia, in late 2007 when he heard American Idol would hold auditions there. So he ended up getting on American Idol season four. The producers were interested in his life as a traveling musician out of his car. In an interview with MTV News, lemming said he was disappointed with how they portrayed his life as a sob story. I wanted to stand on my voice and on my own two feet, he explained. But they wanted to know more about the story and they wanted to use it. I definitely wasn't going for the sympathy vote.

Speaker 1: 34:10

So he became a popular contestant but he did not make it to the top 24 for his performance. He kind of had this thing like his first batch, like through american idol didn't work out and then, like later he created this amazing career now and he's traveling and like playing with all kinds of amazing artists when he got into folk music instead of just kind of staying in pop. So his his new album, endurance, is really fantastic. There's a mix of some covers of different music and some brand new songs and this. This one is called basic channels. I just like the vibe of it and I like the message too.

Speaker 3: 34:56

When I think of you, I think of growing old easy, settling down real early in the evening, hot twin size mattress in the middle of a snowstorm, out of twin size mattress in the middle of a snowstorm, stealing them covers and keeping each other warm, loving on you till we both go six feet. Ain't got much, but we're living that big dream. It's you and me, and the basic channels Got full of weeds and some beat up flannels. Little house out of town looking down a thousand lows. When the sky comes down, baby, I'm going to hold you close. It's you and me and the basic channels.

Speaker 1: 36:07

When I think of you, I think of letting go of misery. You don't have to remember as many subscription passwords. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 36:13

Well, I love that you shared that bio on him too. It really plays into when you hear somebody's music, you know what they've had in their past and how hard they've worked and they've believed in their dream, and that he wanted to be authentic Like no, that's not my story.

Speaker 1: 36:29

Right, yeah, a lot of the reality TV shows are just about how tough these people's backgrounds have, which is, I'm sure, very true, but they really lean into it to build up some sympathy and create a story. And like a rags to riches is something that Hollywood loves and then they love when you go riches to rags and then climb back up. It's like if you just are one way or the other, that's not interesting. It needs to be complete roller coaster. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 36:58

Well, and I love his music because you can fully listen to the lyrics.

Speaker 1: 37:01

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 37:02

And I was just giggling inside about the twin bed.

Speaker 1: 37:06

Oh right.

Speaker 3: 37:06

Oh my gosh, the twin bed.

Speaker 2: 37:08

When Brian and I were first married, we had this little tent and we would go camping. I mean, this tent was so small and he's like six, five and oh. Every time we would roll over the dew on the tent that was.

Speaker 2: 37:23

It wasn't waterproofed, we didn't have enough money for that. It would just fall on us and we would just laugh, oh my gosh, because we would stuff ourselves in this tiny tent just to go camping. And yeah, the memories of those basic moments, right, like when you just are at the bare minimum, it makes a great memory.

Speaker 1: 37:43

Oh, that's what it's all about.

Speaker 2: 37:45

Yeah, oh, what a great conversation today, and we threw out a lot of things, a lot of feedback. We want back from our listeners. So you guys send those in, send in the recipes, send in the great things to do on the weekends and at the cabin, and about your trip to Belize.

Speaker 1: 38:00

Yep, that's where I'm going after this this weekend. Have a great trip Surprise we're heading to Belize.

Speaker 2: 38:07

All right, have fun.

The Cabincast

#103 Belize it or Not

Listen to this podcast on