A few months ago, I decided alcohol was no longer serving me. Tired of seeing the way booze affected my relationships and left me feeling anxious and exhausted, I chose an alcohol-free lifestyle, and I haven't back. Recently, I took my first vacation since choosing a life of sobriety.

Our choice wasn’t completely about the way the school handled a bullying issue or the excessive amount of homework my kids were coming home with (although those were part of it). One of the biggest motivators for the change was our desire to teach our kids through travel.

When my husband and I started toying with the idea of taking my teenagers on a whale-watching expedition cruise, we had no idea what to expect. While we’d cruised on several major cruise lines in the past, hopping on a 100-passenger ship run by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions felt far different than anything we’d done before.

A little over a year ago, a Costco warehouse opened about 40 minutes from my home. I canceled both my BJ's and Sam's Club memberships without hesitation and gladly embraced weekly drives to our new Costco. I can honestly say I've never looked back.

We've tried various chains including Ruth's Chris and Olive Garden, and have found some impressive dishes while making our rounds.

But our recent visit to the upscale steak-house chain The Capital Grille blew us away. It may just be our best chain-restaurant experience to date.

As an annual passholder and a journalist who covers theme parks, I spend a lot of time at Disney World.

My whole family used to have annual passes as well, but as my two teens have gotten older, they're not as excited about long days in theme parks.

Still, my husband and I love going together. I recently paid over $1,000 for us to spend a full day (from park-open to park-close) at Disney World.

My family has never cared much for chain restaurants, but in the past year, my husband and I have visited more with our teenagers.

By dining at steak houses such as Ruth's Chris and iconic breakfast spots including IHOP, we've learned to appreciate what chains have to offer, from reasonable prices to a consistent experience.

But we'd yet to try a Brazilian churrasco meal like the one offered at Fogo de Chão.

There are lots of ways for families to enjoy time at Walt Disney World Resort (WDW), from a day of splashing at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park to leaving the theme parks for character dining at a Disney resort hotel. We especially love the restaurants at Disney Springs for a memorable meal.

The key to any good family outing to Mickey’s house, however, is knowing the best way to park and get from point A to point B at WDW. And that’s why this guide to transportation at Walt Disney World is here for you!

If you view salads as rabbit food—just raw veggies tossed in a bowl with dressing as the only good thing about the mix—we have good news for you. A recipe trending on social media takes salad to the next level, it's full of flavor, has a warming element to slightly wilt tough greens, and it's so good you might actually start to crave it.

It’s an Appalachian staple that’s made its way to social media feeds everywhere: Killed lettuce videos have garnered more than two million views on TikTok and a recipe for the dish has been in the Allrecipes archives since 2011.

I love shopping at Aldi and Trader Joe's for my family's groceries.

Both chains carry unique specialty items, and the holidays always bring seasonal items that everyone in my house looks forward to.

Recently, I went to Aldi and Trader Joe's to compare each grocery store's seasonal and holiday offerings. I was surprised by which of the two felt more festive in early/mid-November.

Green-bean casserole is a nonnegotiable Thanksgiving side for me.

My go-to is the standard recipe made with canned green beans, condensed cream-of-mushroom soup, and French's fried onions.

But to make sure I'm not missing out on something better, I followed recipes from three celebrity chefs: Alton Brown, Ree Drummond, and Alex Guarnaschelli.

Like most food writers, I get really excited about discovering new food products that my family loves. And when those tasty treats also work in a variety of recipes in my kitchen, I consider that to be a major win. So when I started seeing all of the things people were using Great Value freeze-dried strawberry fruit crisps for on social media, I knew I had to pick up a bag on my next shopping trip to Walmart.

Missing the thrill of scoring those Amazon Prime Day deals? Luckily for us, the mega retailer has announced a new set of deals exclusive to Prime members just ahead of the holiday season. Amazon Prime Big Deal Days will run on October 10 and 11, and the event is perfect for Amazon lovers who need a savings fix between Prime Day and Black Friday. On these two days, expect deals on everything from electronics to clothing—and even hair growth products.

I'm a busy mom who tries to stick to a grocery budget, but I'm also a food writer who loves cooking with quality ingredients. Years ago, Walmart wasn't my go-to grocery shopping destination, but it's safe to say the mega-chain has really upped its grocery game as of late. From surprisingly high-quality, affordable items made for its Great Value brand to fresh meat and produce, the offerings in Walmart's grocery section have become my top pick for grocery shopping for my family of four.

My family visits theme parks all the time, and it’s no secret that standing in line for rides all day can be a sweltering summertime activity. And while we’re nearing the official start of fall, it’s still quite hot out in many parts of the country.

I’ll admit, I’ve always thought people who wore portable fans around their necks to beat the heat looked a little funny, but recently, one of my most trusted theme park friends arrived at our Walt Disney World dinner table wearing a HandFan portable fan. She raved that it had made her entire day at the park so much better, so I figured I’d give it a try.

For the third year in a row, the Ocala Food and Wine Festival is returning to the World Equestrian Center (WEC). The event, which features celebrity chefs, food, wine, and more, will be held from November 3 through 5, 2023, with options available to attend the entirety of the weekend or to visit only on Saturday for the “Taste of Ocala” expo.

And, since the WEC is home to the Equestrian Hotel as well, guests can make a weekend out of being immersed in the beautiful hotel and grounds while sipping and tasting their way through the festival.

Legoland Florida is always a creatively good time for families, but during spooky season, the theme park throws the ultimate Halloween party complete with Lego monsters, holiday Lego builds, shows, and more.

The Brick-or-Treat Presents Monster Party has a hard to say official name, but the Halloween fun is easy as can be!

Since it was founded in 2012, grocery delivery service Instacart has grown to provide shopping services to customers across the U.S. and Canada, employing more than 500,000 personal shoppers who scour stores to bring the products consumers need right to their door.

I’ve been using Instacart for more than five years, depending on its shoppers to bring me everything from my weekly groceries to Gatorade and cold medicine when I’m sick to printer toner when my printer has run out during the middle of a deadline. Instacart is fast and easy to use, albeit a little pricier than services like Walmart Plus. Still, there have been plenty of times I’ve found the service invaluable and more than a little worth it.

Everyone loves a good tumbler, but TikTok’s obsession with the 40-ounce Stanley Quencher just may be the greatest water bottle romance around. To date, more than 134 million users have viewed videos about the Quencher on TikTok, and hydration queens who rely on the cup to meet their water goals swear by its ability to keep water cold for more than 10 hours at a time.

It's been seven years since my husband and I chose to relocate our family from Maryland to Florida. It's a decision I've never regretted once, but living in the Sunshine State is very different from life in the Northeast.

Aside from the obvious things like no snow and exponentially more humidity, there's a different political vibe down South and a lot more Southern hospitality. Plus, Disney World is here, which makes me — a journalist who covers theme parks — very happy.