Having been to St. Thomas, other spots in the Caribbean, Niagara Falls, and the Outer Banks, among other places, Jillian most enjoys “really warm” weather and beautiful beaches, though she had fun jet boating and taking a boat tour at the famous Falls. She deemed St. Thomas her favorite spot, where she enjoyed staying at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and participating in the clubs and activities for those her age, such as tennis and searching for wild lizards. When asked if she preferred the beach or wilderness vacations, she chose the beach without a moment’s hesitation, adding matter-of-factly, “I’m not a dirt-loving person.”

Her craziest experience while on vacation? Once, while staying in the Outer Banks during a particularly rainy spring break, she went walking on the beach with her family and got caught in a violent storm. A bunch of them were blown over by gusts of sand and wind trying to get back to the house, and though Jillian giggled while recounting the experience, she declared it was one of the less pleasant moments of a family trip!

Jillian and Justine

Overall, however, she enjoys traveling with her family, give or take a few minor clashes with her siblings – we’ve all “been there” in that regard. While whitewater rafting with her sister and half-brother, she was unceremoniously pushed into rapids. A word to the wise — younger siblings aren’t incapable of revenge! She proudly notified me that she later pushed them both off the dock.

Some of Jillian’s favorites? Her favorite souvenirs are the fuzzy stuffed bears her dad brought her back from Alaska; her favorite pet is her 8-year-old fish that travels with her in a portable tank; and one of her favorite artists is Justin Bieber. She also has bought over 60 songs from the Glee soundtrack– “I am obsessed with Glee!” she exclaimed when asked about her musical tastes. Unlike most preteens, however, she’s not very into Miley Cyrus’s new image. “What she’s turning into isn’t really appealing to my age group,” she remarked, eliciting from me a strong urge to give her a high five.

If she could travel anywhere in the world she hadn’t been to yet, she commented that she would love to go overseas and visit European cities with lots of old monuments, and places that she’s learned the history of in school. She certainly has many years ahead of her to explore other places and cultures. Jillian’s biggest songwriting inspiration is simply “life.”

That bodes well for her future. The best way to experience life is on the go, and as she kicks off her singing career and continues to travel, she’ll be able to produce inspiring lyrics from a mélange of diverse experiences she picked up along the way.

The following is the link for the new website of Danielle Staub, Jillian’s mom: http://www.danielle-staub.com/

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