Ever wonder where we stayed while visiting the "happy island" last month? 

We found this tiny, boutique resort on TripAdvisor that was budget friendly and close to everything!

Here's what we loved about it:

• safe- it's in a residential neighborhood, however, you're not alone, like you would be if you rented a stand alone house. With a few other residents around, you have the best of both worlds: privacy without solitude.
• budget friendly - everything we found in Aruba for a month's stay was $3,000+. This was significantly less expensive and for the space it offered, it was an amazing deal.
• a safe - was provided in each room, a great place to keep passports and cash while out on the town.
• close to beaches - Malmok and Arashi beach, known for it's pristine snorkeling waters, were three minutes away.
• full kitchen - as any traveling family knows, the more you eat in, the more you save. The only thing this kitchen was missing was an oven. No frozen pizzas for us that month, but everything else from microwave to coffee pot to toaster was provided.
• cleaning service six days each week - this service was outstanding! It provided us the luxury of a hotel, at a fraction of the cost.
• the manager of the resort owns a rental car business. He can assist you with car rentals, jeep rentals, as well as recommend the best day excursions.
• the pool - see the picture below for explanation. Right? Enough said.

I often get asked if I miss having a place to call home, a place of our own to return to after each adventure.

Some days I do.

The romance of traveling gets lost a bit when the mattress is slightly firmer than you would like and a good night's sleep eludes you, or when you can't soak in a bathtub because you're not fully sure it was scrubbed clean before you checked in. 

Yes, the comforts of home are missed, occasionally.

You see, we've decided to use our money to build memories and experiences, instead of a physical homestead; and that seems to override those infrequent pangs of homesickness. 

You don't HAVE to have a house in order to feel safe at night and be happy. You don't HAVE to own a house, contribute to a 401K, and mow a lawn every weekend in order to feel established. There are a wide array of ways to live this life.

And for now, I love scribbling outside those lines.