My partner and I lived the stages of life out of order. We married and raised our children while our friends traveled, explored, and experienced life without responsibilities. While many of our friends are now raising young children, we are free to roam the earth.
As a military family for nearly 20 years, we naturally seek out new places to discover and cultures to experience. Now in our 40s, we have a mostly empty nest and explore the locations we once never dreamed possible.
I earned a Bachelor of Science and Secondary Education Teaching Certification from UNT and worked as a public high school chemistry teacher. I am now a freelance writer who tutors a little chemistry on the side.
Jay (my partner, best friend, and traveling companion) served in the US Army until being injured while on deployment. After retiring, He attained a Bachelor of Arts in History at UNT. In addition to taking care of the rest of the family, he works as a Softball Umpire, Substitute Teacher, and all-around Badass.
Together for more than 25 years, we raised three incredible children. Our oldest son is married and father to our first grandchild. He serves in the Air Force. Our daughter is in college studying sociology and criminal justice. Tragically, we lost our middle son in 2019.
The Birth of Bathtubs and Pancakes
The entire world changed for us in 2019. After the loss of our son, we attempted to keep going and return to our same old lives. Then Covid19 hit the US. The pandemic further cemented the fact that, for us, everything in our lives had changed.
Following nearly 2 years stuck at home while grieving, we needed to get out. Caring for ourselves and mindful of our traumas and anxieties, we decided to change the way we traveled. We now approach each step of the travel experience from a completely different perspective. The POV of one seeking honest relaxation, self-care, and fun without stress or anxiety. We continue searching for new ways to heal and repeatedly seek them out.
Bathtubs and Pancakes blossomed as the world reopened. We focused on healing. We learned to care for ourselves and each other. This created a new normal. By 2022, I decided to return to writing and we officially launched the blog.
In Bathtubs and Pancakes, I tell the story of our travels, adventures, bucket lists, and newfound Happy Places as we roam the earth and chase our children. I also share reviews and tips, including how we reduce stress and cultivate relaxation, self-care, and healing throughout the trip.
Ideally, we discover luxury on the cheap or the perfect hidden gem. In reality, every trip is a unique adventure. We follow no ‘master plan’ We have no single ethos behind where we choose to visit. Each excursion creates an opportunity to find or explore something new. We check for our individual preferences and adapt to what feels right at the moment.
Why the silly name? When we plan our trips, SD looks for opportunities for Self-Care and Relaxation (*Bathtubs*); — Jay seeks out all the tasty eats (*Pancakes*)!
SD Maynard is a freelance writer and wandering blogger who shares stories, tips, and reviews of relaxing trips, self-care tourism, and stress-free travel.