Spring Break 2016

March 31, 2016

We definitely made the most of our Spring Break this year. We decided to take a last-minute trip to Treasure Island for the first part of the break. There, we rode on a beautiful boat, took a day trip to Tarpon Springs, watched Zootopia, hit the beach and explored Downtown St. Pete.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Lunch at Mykonos by the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs.

Grilled octopus. So delicious!

Greek salad- there was potato salad hidden at the bottom. My favorite!

Gyro of course. Open-faced so we could share

Wine and apps at Locale Market

Beach day fun!

We explored Downtown St. Pete.

Lunch at Moon Under Water

Their curry is amazing.

These Banyan Trees were amazing.

Gelato at Paciugo

The second part of the week was spent at an amazing resort not too far from home and celebrating Easter.

The kids had a blast riding the Lazy River and swimming in the pool at The Omni near Disney.

Trying to give herself bunny ears.

We celebrated Easter Saturday and Sunday. It was a weekend filled with food, laughs and plenty of egg hunting.

This Spring Break was definitely one to remember. We stayed up too late, slept-in, ate a ton and just enjoyed each other. Can’t wait to plan for next year.

2016 Goals

February 1, 2016

Since it is February I’ve think it is about time to post about resolutions.

I have decided have goals this year instead of resolutions. I really enjoyed making a list of things to work on last year so I decided to go ahead and do it again this year. I feel like the word “resolution” tends to make me feel a little pressure and I really don’t want to set myself up to be disappointed if something doesn’t go exactly as planned. The word “goal” feels a little more forgiving and reaching goals might be a little easier to achieve rather than sticking to resolutions.

Anyhoo here goes the list for this year (I think it will resemble last year’s quite a bit.)

Fitness

This one should be pretty easy. I have really found an exercise schedule that works for me and has made a huge difference in my strength and endurance. I think it is important for me to make my health a priority so I don’t think I will have any issues with this one. I do want to try to incorporate different elements. I want to play golf and more paddle-boarding. I enjoy both of these things very much and look forward to getting them into the rotation.

Food

I really want to branch out with my recipes this year. I want to try new things and get a little out of my comfort zone. I am also on a mission to get my kids to try new foods as well. We have got to get away from the chicken nugget/mac and cheese cycle. I will also let them help me more in the kitchen. When they are part of the process they are much more likely to try new foods.

Family

Schoolwork and family time are going to be really big this year. Little Man is to the point where homework is really important and making time to do this every day is crucial. I want to make this time fun and enjoyable, not tedious. In order to do this I am going to create a new homework station for the kids. I hope this will make homework and study time fun.

Photography

I need to work on this. Most of the time I walk off and forget my big camera and only use my phone. The pictures are good but I really want to play with my camera more to really use it to get some good shots.

Travel

This was one area we really excelled in last year. We have several trips already in the works for this year and we are super excited. Spending time as a family in fun places is definitely something to look forward to.

Personal

“Keep Improving” will be my motto this year. I want to be a better mom, wife, friend, daughter, sister, boss, co-worker, you name it. If I can keep improving.

These goals are pretty basic and I tend to have monthly goals as well so hopefully I can keep up with them!

Here’s to your goals this year as well! May we all have a great 2016!!

2015 Year in Review

January 7, 2016

2015 was definitely one for the record books. I know, I know I haven’t posted since February of last year (really??!!)-eek. 2015 was filled with fun and adventure but at the same time I felt like my inspiration for this little blog moved to the back burner. Not because it wasn’t important anymore but because I wasn’t quite sure where I wanted it to go or what I had to say. I was feeling lack of inspiration and really that is it. When the inspiration isn’t there it shows and I didn’t want to post just to post.

I’ve realized now that although I have nothing groundbreaking going on over here, this space is important to me. I love having a place to look back and see how my life was going at that particular moment. I love seeing my kids grow and I love having a place to share with others. So with that being said, I will post my resolutions for the year soon, and needless to say blogging regularly is definitely on the list.

Before that though, here is the year that was 2015. Be ready for tons of photos.

January

January

Last years resolutions were definitely in effect. I really worked hard on getting strong and healthy. Exercise has always been an important part of my life but now even more so. January started off with a bang.

We also celebrated a 4th birthday.

February

Another special birthday.

Baseball also started.

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I started a membership at the YMCA. I was able to start trying out new classes.

Spin was a new one for me.

I also dabbled again with eating Paleo-ish.

March

We stayed in a hotel that reminded me of “The Shining”

We went to a hockey game.

April

More baseball.

We celebrated my Mom’s Birthday with a shrimp boil.

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We had a ballet recital.

Easter

May

This month had celebrations.

Memorial Day

And someone special’s birthday

June

This month marked our first trip to the Keys for the year.

This little fishy learned to swim.

We made a Summer Bucket List and were able to check off almost everything!

We visited a beautiful beach and found hundreds of shark teeth.

July

This month was filled with travel and fun.

We spent the majority of the month in the Keys.

We had a great Fourth of July.

Midway through the month the grown-ups flew to the Windy City.

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Then back down to the Keys to finish of the month and catch some lobsters.

August

Back to school and back to soccer.

September

This month was quiet except for some school events and a pretty epic wine and cheese party.

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October

This month we were busy with birthday celebrations and yummy food.

November

I hosted Thanksgiving for the very first time!

We took a quick trip to Savannah.

December

This month was filled with Christmas celebrations and tons of family time.

Parades

Parties

I loved our tree this year.

The kids LOVED our Advent calendar.

A much needed girl’s night out.

Waiting patiently to open presents.

We cooked a Christmas duck and it was amazing.

Aren’t these the prettiest Yorkshire Pudding’s you have ever seen? My mom made them and the were the fluffiest most delicious things ever.

After Christmas we took one last quick trip to South Carolina.

We had such a great year. I was able to really stick to my resolutions and I am definitely proud of that.

While all the photos look like tons of fun I definitely still deal with the craziness that goes along with having two children, owning a business and trying to stay healthy and stress-free. We worked hard and played hard and made so many wonderful memories.

2016 has a lot to live up to.

Year Seven

March 13, 2015

Little Man,

About two weeks ago we celebrated your seventh birthday.

Wow. It is hard to believe it has been seven years since you changed our lives (for the better) forever.

You amaze me every day. You are so smart and sweet. Everyone loves to be around you especially me. My favorite time of day is when you snuggle with me on the sofa at night right before you fall asleep.

Here are some of the things you really like right now.

Sports (all the sports) Hockey-you love to watch the Lightning play on T.V. When you fall asleep before the end the first thing you do the next morning is ask Siri who won. Baseball- you are really doing well playing and listening to the coaches. I know you have fun out there and it makes me so proud to watch you play. Soccer- you love to watch Orlando City on T.V. and played really well this past season.

Xbox- you got this for Christmas and would play every day if we let you. I know it is fun, I just don’t want you to grow up too fast.

Shrimp- you LOVE shrimp. It is really cute and I like that you are branching out even if just a little.

Reading-you are really good at reading and I hope you keep it up. There are so many exciting adventures out there in so many amazing books. I hope you find a love for reading. It is so fun.

Things that you really DON’T like right now.

Being patient with your sister-we are really working on this. She just wants to do everything you do. You are her hero. Cut her a break every once in a while 😉

Being a graceful winner-you like to win. You REALLY like to win and when you do everyone knows about it. I’m hoping this will calm down a little bit.

You are becoming such a neat little man and I love you so much.

I’m looking forward to what this year has to offer.

Year Four

February 5, 2015

My Beautiful Princess,

It is hard to believe you turned four last week. I am constantly amazed with the little person you have become. You are determined, kind, imaginative and funny.

Here is a little peek into what you LOVE right now.

Skirts and Tutu’s – You will not wear any sort of pants without the addition of a skirt. It is adorable and also a little frustrating (searching for the last clean skirt as we are running out the door).

Cheese – You are your mother’s child. You can’t get enough of this stuff.

Being Pushed on the Swing – You could do this for hours. You ask me to push you when I drop you off at school and when I pick you up. You are getting really good at doing it yourself. You go super-high!!

Taking Showers – I can’t even bribe you to take a bath right now (although I try). You love taking showers and you giggle and sing the whole time. It is super-adorable.

Walking next to the cart a the grocery store – You no longer want to ride in the cart (sniff). You are actually very helpful and you never run off (if it is just the two of us). If your brother is with us all bets are off and you have to ride (for sure).

Strawberry Milk – Who doesn’t?

Now to a few things you do NOT LOVE right now.

Hearing the word “No” – It is getting better but we definitely need to work on this one.

The dark – This is a big one right now. You are very fearful when the lights are out. That is why we have not one but 4 night lights strategically placed throughout the house to guide your way 😉

Leaving any party/visit/playdate, etc – Even when we prep hours before any event and let you know that we have to leave at a certain time, you seem to always melt down when it is time to go. I really can’t blame you, I don’t want the fun to end either.

Only being 4 – You wish you were as big as your brother. Trust me love bug, you will be there before we know it and I won’t know what to do.

Happy Birthday My Little Princess. Your Mommy and Daddy love you more than the sun, the moon and the universe.

To Resolve or Not to Resolve…

January 7, 2015

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Happy 2015!

Long time no see! I take complete responsibility. I just realized that my last post was October 1st. Seriously? I would like to blame the lack of inspiration for my absence but to be honest once October hit, we were non-stop until January 2nd. I always say that once Halloween arrives, time passes in a blur and the next thing you know it is a new year. Well this time, it started on my birthday in mid-October and has been a complete time-warp to where we are today. Not to bore you with too many details but between Halloween, Thanksgiving, several birthdays, school parties and programs, not to mention all the social events of December our plate has been full. Work and life took over and my little blog suffered because of it. All is well now though and I want to hit the ground running in 2015 (even though it is already the 7th…)

I looked at my post from this time last year and it seemed a little vague in the way of resolutions for the new year. I know the jury is out for some people on the idea of New Year’s resolutions. I’ve seen annoyed Facebook posts by people who are already tired of resolutions in their feed. I’ve read articles on how setting resolutions in the New Year is a recipe for disappointment. I think I fall into a sort of middle ground on this (go figure). I think that the New Year is the perfect time to reflect on what has worked the past 12 months, what hasn’t and tweak things accordingly. It is also a perfect time to try to get to a healthy pace after a month (in my case 3) of overindulgence and a lax schedule. I also think being able to give yourself a chance to re-start every so often is good and gives you a little perspective.

I am all about supporting those who have resolved to better themselves in the upcoming year. I also understand that it is important for us to set reachable goals so that we aren’t disappointed come mid-February when we aren’t 3 sizes smaller, our houses completely organized and our kids reading 3 grades ahead. Baby steps party people.

So with that in mind I have decided to jump on the train and make some resolutions. Here are some of mine for the New Year. I am putting these here as a way for me to look back and see how well I have done and but not beat myself up in case things don’t go exactly as planned.

Get Healthy/Strong

When I mentioned having a full plate in December, I really meant it. My plate was full of everything all the time and I ate every.single.bit. That mixed with the constant change in schedule throughout the month (read: no gym) has left me feeling sluggish and all of my clothes feeling a bit too snug. No bueno. So I am back at the gym each day and using the My Fitness Pal app again to keep an eye on things. I also got a Fitbit for my birthday which I am really enjoying. Little Man asks me each day when I pick him up if I have reached my 10,000 steps. If I haven’t I try to take him and the Princess both on a walk to get to my goal.

I also want to go with Little Man to more of his Running Club meetings. These are fun for both of us. (Since this falls under the Healthy/Strong item I’m including it here).

I want to work on strength training again. It feels great to be able to lift my kids (and other heavy things). Seeing a little definition doesn’t hurt either. We will see how it goes.

Read More Books

I want to set a reading list and stick to it. I miss reading new books and need this back in my life. Do you have any book suggestions?

Be Patient

I talked about this before here. I am really working hard on this one. I want my kids to learn patience and I think the best way is through observing. I feel like the more patient I can be, the happier everyone will be. Everyone else happy=happy Mommy.

Travel

I want to take a couple of trips this year. Even if it is somewhere close, I just want the kids to be able to see and experience new locations. I enjoyed this when I was young and I know they will too.

Our Keys trip last year.

Work Hard on Growing our Business

Without really going into it too much this one is pretty self-explanatory. My husband and I own a business and I want 2015 to be a great year for us. I think with hard work and focus we can make it happen.

Blog Regularly

This goes without saying. October 1st? Sheesh.

Really Enjoy My People

This one is the most important to me. I want to focus on every little moment I have with the ones I love. Whether it be my husband, my kids, our families or friends, I want to make an effort to live in the moment. Be present with them and give them all of my attention when we are together. I run at about 100mph all the time and my mind is constantly multi-tasking. I want to turn that part off and just listen a little more. I am excited about this one.

So there they are, my resolutions. I am looking forward to what 2015 has in store for us.

How do you feel about New Year’s resolutions?

2014 Summer Recap & Bucket List Check-In

September 4, 2014

So it has been a while no? Needless to say our summer was very full and fun and sadly, has come to a screeching halt. School is back in session and work is busy so the carefree feel of summer is behind us. Fortunately, we were able to leave summer on an amazing note with a wonderful trip to the Keys. I will re-cap that in another (terribly long) post. I thought I would touch base and see how we did with our Summer Bucket List. I think we covered quite a few things, although not all-boo.

Here are some thing we were able to check off.

Grill out once a week- We grilled out while maybe not quite once a week, definitely a lot more than usual. While in the Keys we grilled out quite a bit. It is just an easier way to feed a crowd and enjoy the scenery at the same time. My favorite meal highlighted lobsters that we caught that day! So good.

Steak in the Keys is better than steak anywhere else.

Eat Outside- We did a lot of this! One weekend in June we joined my Mom and Dad and had lunch at The Taproom at Dubsdread. It is actually where my husband and I were married!

Hummus Plate, burgers and beer al fresco. It was a perfect Saturday afternoon.

While in the Keys we ate outside quite a bit.

This salad was made with leftover steak, tomatoes, olives and grilled veggies. So yum!

Hot dogs, watermelon and a pickle. His favorites!

Lunchtime in Key Largo wouldn’t be complete without popsicles!

“Tater” Chip Fondue at the Island Grill in Key Largo (we went to the Mandalay location this time). If you go, you MUST try the Tuna Nachos.

Make homemade Ice Cream-I did this and the kids hated it. Whomp whomp. They said it tasted like frozen milk. I will need to see about a better recipe next year.

Go to the Pool- We definitely hit the pool pretty regularly. Whether it was our community pool, while visiting family or the Keys house we stayed in, the kids definitely were little fish this summer.

The Princess doesn’t swim yet and normally will just sit and play on the pool steps. We found a couple small swim rings for her and all of a sudden she had all sorts of confidence. Similar one here. She even swam while the others were looking for lobsters-in the ocean! With that ring she feels like she can conquer the world!

This Little Man also made strides with his swimming this summer. He became GREAT with the mask and snorkel and was able to dive down almost 9 feet in the pool. Little fish I tell you.

Some of the things we didn’t check off our list.

Food Trucks-We didn’t get to any food trucks but I think we may do that when it is cooler out. It is just miserably hot now so we may need to wait for some relief.

Family Game Night-This didn’t happen but we did have a few Family Movie Nights. They were just as fun. One of our favorites was Walking With Dinosaurs.

All in all we had a really great summer. I know I keep saying it but the Keys trip was the highlight and we managed to knock off a bunch of our list items while there.

Now I am looking forward to cooler weather and a very busy fall/winter. I am going to have a new niece in October! My wonderful friends are getting married in November and Thanksgiving is shaping up to be a great family event. Christmas will be here before we know it. I cannot even believe it.

How did you guys do with your Summer Bucket Lists? Can you believe the summer is over??

Product Review: Coolerwebs

July 22, 2014

So summer is in full swing and we have been enjoying lots and lots of time outside. We have been to the beach a few times and we hit the pool as often as possible.

I don’t know about you but whenever we head to the beach or pool we like to load up on drinks and snacks and our cooler is our best friend. Normally, we will keep drinks, sandwiches, fruit, etc., all in the main part of the cooler. I was the queen of Ziplocs and Rubbermaid containers, hoping to keep the sandwiches from getting soggy and the bags of fruit from getting water-logged. Well, my brother-in-law has created a product that eliminates the need for all the extra bags/containers. The Coolerweb is a mesh bag that attaches to the inside top (or outside) part of the cooler so you can keep things cold but also dry at the same time.

Here is the product description from the Amazon listing:

“Don’t get soggy or water logged! CoolerWebsTM is designed to fit on the inside of the cooler lids or on the outside. Keeps those cooler items you don’t want sitting in ice water getting soggy. It easily installs with a peel and stick Velcro type tape.”

When my brother-in-law asked me to give one a try I jumped at the chance. We took ours to the beach to test it out. They are easy to apply. You just place the adhesive side on the cooler and the web attaches with Velcro.

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We had some sub sandwiches and a bag of grapes and it worked perfectly-no Ziplocs needed!!

We also found that it is great for holding bottle openers and koozies, so they are easy to grab when you get your drink from the cooler.

As a Mom to two busy kiddos, I am always looking for ways to make our lives a little easier. These fit the bill. The kids no longer have to dig around the cooler looking for fruit, sandwiches, etc. The items they need are right in sight and they can grab them easily (the top stays open) and head back to the pool or ocean.

Now I just need to convince him to make them in super-girlie colors too. Tee hee!

Get yourself one or two to enjoy this summer!

*Disclaimer: I was given a Coolerweb to try for this review. All opinions are my own.

Happy Friday

June 27, 2014

Sorry for the radio silence over here. I’ve been busy splitting my time between summer fun with the family and work. It’s all about the balance right?

Some random things for a Friday.

We are trying to check things off our bucket list and have been pretty successful but we still have quite a few left.

We finally have a Trader Joe’s!! The store opened today. I can’t believe it has taken so long for us to get one. I am very excited and might even go this weekend to be part of what I’m sure will be a very busy opening!

I am trying to think of some fun recipes for July 4th! I have a pasta salad in mind that I might just try.

The kids are having such a great time so far this summer. Here is basically a photo dump of what we’ve been up to.

Some beachin’.

Some poolin’.

Some grillin’.

~~Tons of~~ Some restaurant eatin’.

Some ice cream makin’.

And lots of family funnin’.

Hope you are having a great summer too!

2014 Summer Bucket List

June 5, 2014

Today was the official last day of school for Little Man. I cannot believe he is done with kindergarten. I have been very emotional today so to take my mind off things I decided to jump on the Summer Bucket List bandwagon.

I keep seeing so many great ideas on Pinterest and all over the internet so I thought we would join in on the fun. Since I will still be working full-time, Little Man will be in camp for most of the summer, and The Princess will continue with daycare, our list will have things that can be done in the afternoons/evenings and on the weekends. I found this great printable.

I printed it out as a full-size photo on 8 1/2 x 11 paper and trimmed it a bit on the edges to fit in an 8×10 frame. I just used a dry erase marker right on the glass to write out our boxes and list.

Here are some highlights:

Make homemade ice cream

Go to the pool

Fish in the lake

Family Game Night

Eat outside

Clean rooms/playroom and donate toys

Dollar Movie

Little Man to read 6 Junie B Jones books

The Princess to practice writing her letters

Sidewalk chalk

Food Trucks for dinner

Beach

Breakfast for dinner

Mini golf

Feed ducks

Batting Cages

Ice skating

Outdoor movie or concert

Attend baseball game

Whew. This seems like a lot but I think we can do it! Little Man will be going on quite a few field trips during camp and The Princess has water day every Friday so there will be no shortage of fun things going on. Not to mention our family vacation to the Keys.

I look forward to a busy and exciting summer. Mainly to keep my mind off the fact that my oldest will be in first grade come August. Ugh.

What things are on your Summer Bucket List?