Here’s to a Strong 2018

January 11, 2018

Happy 2018! This year I have decided to take my advice from last year and instead of making a list of resolutions, I am going to apply a general theme to my year and life. This year my theme is STRENGTH.

2017 was an interesting year. I feel like I was pretty good with my presence mantra throughout the year, but I did fall short a bit. Emotionally, 2017 was trying and I will be honest I’m not too sad to see it go. Bring on the bright and shiny new 2018.

Strong isn’t necessarily a word I would use do describe myself. I have moments when I help my husband lift something heavy and feel like I can hold my own. Otherwise, when it comes to things like will power, pressure and the fear of disappointing someone, strength isn’t my strong suit.

With that being said, I am ready to embrace this whole strength thing because I’m going to need it this year. There are some big things on the horizon. This is the year my son turns double digits (cry face) and at the end of the year will start his last year in elementary school (ugly cry face). We hope to travel some more over the summer. I’m hoping for some new career opportunities as well as growing our current business and last but not least I turn 40 this year (monkey covering his eyes emoji). See what I mean about the needing it part? I’ll jump right in with my intentions for strength this year. Since I can’t get rid of lists completely, I will at least outline how I want to apply this theme to the important parts of my life.

FAMILY

I want our little foursome (fivesome if you include the pup) to connect this year. We tend to break off in pairs, my husband with my son and me with my daughter and then meet up all four together. I really want to make it a point for both my husband and I to spend one-on-one time with each kiddo and find something we really enjoy doing together to strengthen our little family. I also want my marriage to be stronger than ever and have quite a few ideas for this, one being making sure we hug and kiss in front of the kids more often. I want them to understand how important it is to show affection to the ones you love.

CAREER

This one is very important as well. I am going to work very hard to build our little business. I want this year to be full of new and exciting things. I also want to move forward with some of my own career ideas. That also includes making time for this little blog.

FRIENDSHIPS

I want to make sure I put in great effort to have real purpose in all the relationships in my life. I want the dialogue to be open and meaningful. So many times we get lost in the day-to-day and really don’t connect with the friends and people in our life. The only real time with one another is when we are involved with our child’s activities. I would like to work on really setting time aside to enjoy my friends and fellow moms. These relationships are such an integral part of this chapter in my life, and I feel they deserve more of my time and attention. I also want to be strong when it comes to sometimes having to say “no”. This can be difficult, especially when you are a people-pleaser, and I am horrible at it, but in order for my kids to know how to be strong in their own convictions, they have to see it and I want to be the one to show them.

FITNESS

I am so ready for strength in this portion of my life. During the holiday’s and well 2017 in general, I really fell short when it came to exercise and healthy eating. Maybe it was emotional, maybe it was just laziness, either way, I am SO ready to be back in the gym at least 5 days a week. My goal is to be the strongest I’ve been by my birthday (I have 9 months). I will document some of the journey here, to hold myself accountable. I’m back to meal prepping and gym classes and it feels great.

I’m ready for you 2018 and all the things you have in store for us. Let’s hope I’ve got the muscle to handle it!

Back to School Goals

August 17, 2017

We reached the end of yet another wonderful and memorable summer. I feel so lucky that we are able to spend the summer with our family making amazing memories. This summer was no different. We were able to take a trip to the Keys, a trip to the beach and one last stop at the river. To say we have had a great summer is an understatement. Now with our hair lighter, our skin tanner and our hearts much fuller we find ourselves diving head-first into the new school year.

Since I was in school myself, I have always looked forward to the start of a new school year. I get the same fresh-start feeling I do in January. I have decided to take the idea of a fresh-start and turn it into a New School Year-New Resolutions tradition. I tend to internally set new goals at the start of the school year but this time I will put them here to keep me accountable.

With two kids now in elementary school, it is important to set up routines and schedules so that the school year goes smoothly. With that in mind, reading and homework are going to be really crucial this year. Establishing great study habits early will help now and in the long run to create great learners. Here are some of our goals for school and homework.

Set minimum reading times. Both of my kids are required to read for at least 20 minutes each night. We are going to go ahead and set this at 30 for everyone. My fourth grader will read his books to himself and I will help read to and have my first-grader read to me each school night.

Set a specific time for just homework. When the kids get home from the bus, after their snack, homework is the first thing we work on. Once it is complete, they can play outside/watch tv, etc until dinner.

Set ourselves up for stress-free mornings. This is a big one. I am not a night person at all but one of my main goals is to get as much done the night before as possible, to make sure our mornings are somewhat seamless. That means I will make sure lunches are done the night before. This really helps get us out the door more quickly in the morning.

I also, put the kids clothes in a hanging closet organizer for the week so all they have to do is grab them and put them on in the morning.

Dinner. Another thing that over the summer we have really gone away from is eating dinner together as a family. During the summer when we weren’t in our own space we would tend to eat in shifts. I would cook for the kids then eat later with the adults. During the school year the rule is we all sit down and eat dinner TOGETHER with NO ELECTRONICS. I’m hoping we can all discuss our day with one another and just really connect.

Meal Plan. This helps us save money and really eat healthier. I’m going to start a Pinterest board for new recipes the whole family will like.

On the health front I have certainly imbibed this summer and need to get back on track. I am going to get back into the gym and my classes each day during the week before work. It makes such a difference and I’ve been missing the routine.

So those are a few of our goals. The summer definitely lacked routine so getting back on a schedule will be great for the whole family. The kids may complain about certain things but I know they thrive when they are part of a structured environment.

It is hard to believe the summer is already over. Before we know it, we will be in the thick of the holiday season. It is certainly true what they say, the days may be long but the years are short.

-xo

New Year New Mantra

January 17, 2017

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This year I don’t have a list of resolutions. Each year I check each one off much to my satisfaction, but again it is usually a long list and I feel the normal guilt, disappointment when there are things left unchecked. I’ve decided this year I am only going to try to take one idea and put it to work in all aspects of my life.

PRESENCE

I am really going to push myself to be present in every aspect of my life. Present as a mother, wife, business owner, friend and family member. I am putting my phone down and watching the cartwheels, the skateboard tricks and the looks on my kids faces when they are happy, sad, excited or mad. The way their shoulders shrug when I ask them to sit down and do their homework, the way their eyes light up when I say we can have breakfast for dinner and especially the way they look at me when they know I’m proud of them. These moments are fleeting and I don’t want to miss a thing. I want to play with them, let them know they are important and really work hard at getting them ready for the crazy world in front of them.

I understand that being able to do this means that I am going to have to say “no” sometimes. Saying “no” is not easy for a person who says “yes” A LOT. But being present with my family means I may be absent from other areas in my life, and I’m not upset one bit. I know that saying “yes” so much means trying to do lots and lots of things none of which are done at 100%. I want to be at least close to 100% at just a few things- being a wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend and business owner. I am totally good with that. Because that is what matters to me right now.

This might mean that you will hear me say “no” to you, but please know it isn’t because I don’t love you, it is because I have got to say “yes” to family time, “yes” to the watching the cartwheels and skateboard tricks and “yes” to putting my family first.

Happy New Year!

-xo

Summer Vacation 2016: Where We Stayed

August 17, 2016

We just returned from a wonderful month-long vacation in Big Pine Key, Florida. We had a truly unforgettable time. We were so fortunate to be able to take this trip and we really made the most of the time we had together. I’m going to devote a few posts to our vacation. I’ll share where we stayed, what we did, what we ate and what we brought. I am by no means an expert only using this as a way to share our experience.

We used HomeAway Vacation Rentals to book our house. We stayed here and we couldn’t ask for a better place. Our family of four stayed the whole month, and we split the weeks of the month up with friends and family who shared the house with us one to two weeks at a time. This house was perfect for 8 people. We didn’t feel cramped and everyone had their own space. You can see the inside from the listing. What made this house though was the backyard. The pool was perfect to entertain the kids when we weren’t out on the boat (and perfect to hop in after a long day out). The tiki hut was a great place to relax and be outside without being too hot and miserable. The dock and sea wall provided the perfect amount of space for the two boats we had and the landscaping was just beautiful.

Outdoor Shower

Big Pine Key is located in the Lower Keys about 30 miles north of Key West. You can see from the map where it is in relationship to the other Keys and South Florida. Big Pine definitely has a very laid back vibe. You don’t go for the nightlife and restaurants like in the Upper Keys or Key West. You are definitely there to enjoy being out on the water each day and resting each night to do it all over again.

We took our boat out almost every day and it was incredible. We brought our masks, fins, snorkels and fishing poles then each day we set out on adventure. There are so many things to explore by boat. Where we stayed is the “Start” and each day we would head out and try new things. We would go to the patch reefs that were very close. The water wasn’t as clear but there were so many fish to see while snorkeling.

Our favorite by far was Looe Key. It took us about 35 minutes to get there each time but it was worth the trip. The water is so beautiful and there are so many different types of fish, coral and sea life. It is part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

The sandbar was also a favorite. The kids swam and explored and the grown-ups floated and relaxed.

We really enjoyed staying in Big Pine. It was perfect for what we wanted do to. I really enjoy staying in the Upper Keys too though. But if we are going to stay for longer than a week we will definitely head south and stay here.

Tomorrow I will share what we did while we were there.

Summer 2016 Bucket List

August 11, 2016

I cannot believe the summer is almost over. Our kiddos go back to school on Monday and man it feels like we just celebrated the end of the year. We have had an amazing fun-filled summer.

We knew our Keys trip would take up the bulk of our summer but that didn’t mean we weren’t going to get in as much summer fun as possible.

Here is our Summer Bucket List chalkboard.

And here it is now that we have reached the end of a really memorable summer.

We did almost everything on the list!

Library 1x a week – Before we left for our vacation we made sure to go to the library at least once a week. I really wanted to keep their reading going so they keep sharp for the new school year.

Movies – We saw 2 movies. One before we left “Finding Dory” and one when we got back “The Secret Life of Pets”. The kids love movies and when it is brutally hot outside, it is definitely nice to have a cool place to escape for a couple of hours.

Bowl – This was a fun one! The bowling alley here had a program where the kids could bowl for free during the summer! You pay for the shoe rental ($4) and you get two free games. Parents pay $2 for games and $3 shoe rental. It was such a great deal! It was also great to change it up and do something different and be indoors (see brutally hot above).

Splash Pad – One of the YMCA’s in our area has a Fun Pool that includes a waterfall, water canons and all kinds of fun splashing. The kids took a quick swim test then they were able to swim around. This was perfect. I went to my kickboxing class then after we changed into our suits and played in the water for a bit.

Eat popsicles – No brainer. This happened quite a bit. I even think they were breakfast a couple of times #norulessummer.

Golf – This is one we didn’t get to. Boo. This is one of my New Year’s Resolutions too!! I have got to get to the course soon.

Paddle Board – I got to do this in the Keys. I LOVE paddle boarding. Not only is the scenery beautiful but it is a great workout too!

Fish – We did this in the Keys too!

Go Tubing – Sadly we didn’t get to this one either. We will have to save it for next summer.

Beach – Yes! We only had a couple of actual days at the beach. But the time we spent there was fun.

Zoo – We didn’t make it to the zoo this year. We just ran out of time! I tell you this summer seemed super short!!

Picnic – We actually did this unintentionally. The park we planned on going to was closed so we just threw down a towel and had an impromptu picnic outside the gates.

Keys – Yes! I will have a few posts on this.

Ride Bikes – Absolutely! Think we are close to having two kids without training wheels over here. Lookout neighborhood, these kiddos are coming!

Make lemonade – We did this too. Although the kids think I don’t make it sweet enough. #sugaraddicts

Make s’mores – We made these and took them on a sunset cruise in the Keys. So fun.

Get ice cream – We did this plenty of times too!

I would say we have had a very successful and exciting summer. We have made so many amazing memories and I can only hope my kids look back on these times and remember how much fun we had being together.

I’m sad to see summer go but I will be honest, I am really looking forward to getting back into routines, schedules and activities that come with the school year.

Hoping you had a fun and memorable summer too!

#orlandostrong

June 21, 2016

We’ve had a rough couple of weeks over here but I have never been more proud of the city we call home. I was broken-hearted glued to the TV that Sunday as all the gruesome details unfolded. But by the end of the day I was just amazed with the resilience and support this community showed with lines upon lines at all the local blood banks. We are strong and hate will not win.

I grew up in Central Florida and have always been happy to call this place my home. Now more than ever though, I am proud of my city, proud of my neighbors, and proud of everyone that has shown that humanity is alive and well here. We do and will continue take care of each other.

I’ve been holding my loved ones a little closer and a little longer lately. I want them to know that love is stronger than hate.

Stand With Orlando

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A Day In The Life

May 17, 2016

I really love reading these types of posts because I’m a blog-stalker. I thought I would give it a try too for my own selfish reasons. I want to document one random Tuesday at this point in my life so I can look back and remember how fun and busy these days are. I might be pulling my hair out now, but one day (too soon I’m sure) I will really miss these crazy days. I took all of these pictures with my phone and my house is dark, so not winning any photography awards I know.

6:34 Wake Up. This is really a little late for me. I normally try to get up at 6:00 to have some peace and quiet before the craziness of the day begins but some days I need the extra z’s.

6:38 First things first. Coffee. We just recently got this Nespresso machine and I am in love. I was really happy with our Keurig but we were visiting my girlfriend who had a Nespresso and my husband decided it was a must-have. We found one on clearance at Target and haven’t looked back since. The coffee is really delicious.

The foam is super pretty too.

7:00 I wake up the munchkins. Sometimes they will creep out around 6:45 but normally I have to wake them up on school days (weekends of course they are up at 6:30). They grab blankets and watch TV on the sofa while I make their breakfast. This usually consists of waffles or pancakes with bacon, eggs and fruit. Milk to drink.

7:27 Pack lunches. Little Man will eat at school most days but I have to pack a lunch for The Princess as her school only provides lunch one day a week. Here are what her lunches normally look like. There is also ham hiding in there somewhere.

Between 7:30 and 7:45 the kids finish eating and get themselves ready to go (not without being asked multiple times). Mornings are tough.

8:07 Out the door. Here is my first breakfast. Looks gross but will hold me over until after my exercise class. Half of a banana with almond butter.

8:15 Leave to take the kids to school. Cuties.

8:55 Once the kids are dropped off I stop by the post office to get some stamps and send a certified letter.

10:00 Bootcamp at the gym. This is such a tough class but I always feel great once I’m done. It is a 45 minute class with a mix of cardio and strength training.

10:48 Not bad for 45 minutes.

11:08 Second breakfast. This is a smoothie with almond milk, spinach, frozen bananas, strawberries, protein powder and almond butter.

11:25 I put a pork shoulder in the crock pot. This is going to be a long day with ballet and baseball so dinner being ready when we get home is crucial. I just used a boneless pork shoulder, seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon pepper. I added about 1/2 cup chicken broth and called it a day.

12:30 Hair appointment. Love the chandelier at the salon I go to.

2:30 Lunch is on the go. I packed a cooler (I use this one) because I needed to include snacks for the after-school activities for the kiddos too. I ate this in the car after my appointment on the way to pick up Little Miss. This is romaine lettuce, broccoli slaw, cucumber, avocado, carrots tomatoes and deli turkey.

3:56 On our way to ballet. This normally happens on the drive. Sleepy girl 😉

4:30 Ballet and tap time. I usually take this time to check emails and make phone calls while I wait. On this particular day I didn’t go into my physical office so I had a little bit of housekeeping to take care of while our little ballerina twirled away. Other times I bring my 5:30 Leave ballet and head to a baseball game. Little Man ate pizza and rode with one of his teammates (it takes a village) so he could be there on time and with a full belly. My husband was out of town this day so it was just me and I needed a little help from my village.

6:15 Baseball time. Unfortunately, we didn’t win this game but the boys played hard and I am always super proud of my little guy. Luckily there are several sisters that stick together during the games so Little Princess stays occupied and because of my little cooler she has a full belly too 😉

The games normally last an hour and a half which I think is pretty late for 8 year-old-boys on a school night but we survive. After the game we head home.

8:47 Dinner. Pork roast, rice, lima beans and avocado. I also cut up Wickles Pickles in mine. Wine is definitely a must after this day. The kids have pork and rice too.

9:00 The kids are beat and I put them to bed. I am right behind them.

9:15 Watch “Fixer Upper” for about 5 minutes before falling asleep. Night.

Not every day is this full. Tuesday’s seem to be our really busy days with after school activities. Some days of the week are super boring because I am in the office all day, others may include field trips, marketing for business and errands. I’m so lucky that what we do allows some flexibility so that I am able to really enjoy this time with the kids. I love seeing them grow and learn new things even if it means I put 100 miles on the car in a day 😉

Hoping your days include at least one thing that makes you happy too.

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?