modern mommy

Maggie is Three!

Sun, 12 May 2013 16:52:11 -0400

Today, our sweet Maggie turned three. We decided to combine her birthday with our Mother’s Day celebration, and had a family picnic at a beautiful local park. I made spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting,( a family favorite), and we feasted on hotdogs fresh from the grill, pasta salad, potato salad, baked beans, and deviled eggs. All of the perfect picnic foods. It was a lovely warm day, and the girls had a blast playing on the playground, tossing water balloons around, feeding squirrels, and getting candy from the gnome piñata. After three plus hours of outdoor fun, Maggie promptly told us that she was ready to go home. Ha! She had her fill of fun. Happy Birthday, Maggie!

This lovely necklace was a birthday gift from my sweet husband...

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:15:20 -0400

This lovely necklace was a birthday gift from my sweet husband and girls. I love it so much. It is the perfect accessory for spring & summer.

Available from BlueBirdLab.

Currently.

Sat, 04 May 2013 20:25:36 -0400

Currently.

Sandpearl Resort, A Love Letter

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:57:00 -0400

I’ve just returned home from three days at the Sandpearl Resort on Clearwater Beach. We take a beach staycation every year around this time to celebrate the warmer weather, and my birthday. Yesterday, I turned thirty-six. I have spent the last few days eating gelato, drinking Blue Hawaiians, dining on seafood, swimming in the warm Gulf of Mexico, and not having a care in the world.

I have been very fortunate to have traveled quite a bit in my life, and I can easily put the Sandpearl Resort at the top of my favorite hotels ever list. This resort just takes care of you, and no detail goes unnoticed. The hotel itself is beautifully appointed, with large hotel rooms, super comfortable beds, the deepest bathtubs I’ve ever seen in a hotel, an awesome zero entry pool, and wonderful restaurants. You receive complimentary champagne upon check in, and the girls received buckets and shovels for the beach. At sunset, the resort comes alive with music, a fire pit to sit around, and they ring a bell when the sun goes down, which was one of Amelia’s favorite things. The hotel staff is very helpful and friendly, and you receive turn down service at night, complete with chocolates and bottled water left by your bedside. The Sandpearl has set the tone for you to feel pampered and relaxed. I arrived at the resort wound tight, and left feeling like a wet noodle. I am very lucky to live just 10 minutes from Clearwater Beach, but I have never experienced it like this. We will definitely be back, and may stop in just for a meal, or drinks and a sunset viewing in the very near future.

I love you, Sandpearl Resort.

If you go: We had two meals at the resort. The first was breakfast at Caretta on the Gulf. We had the breakfast buffet, and it was spectacular. We requested a table outside, and it was the perfect way to start our day. The buffet price is $21 per adult, including your beverages, and children 9 and under are free. This meal was well worth the price. The second meal we had at our resort was at Tate Island Grill. We sat outside and enjoyed the view of the beach from our table. I had the pulled pork nachos, and they were yummy.

Next door to the hotel is Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill and the Palm Pavilion. Both restaurants are favorite spots for locals, and have amazing food. Buffalo shrimp & she crab soup are two of my favorite dishes at Frenchy’s.

Now, let’s talk gelato. I had the best homemade gelato of my life at Gelato Bello, which is also located next door to the resort. Try the pistachio, it is heavenly. In the same plaza as the gelato is a small restaurant called Clear Sky Beachside Cafe. This is a great casual spot for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

*This is not a paid post. The opinions are 100 percent mine.

A Little Disney Magic

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:46:00 -0400

We’ve just returned from a short 24-hour trip to Orlando. We decided to squeeze in another quick visit before the heat & summer tourists arrive. I am so glad we did. We had short waits, comfortable weather, good food, and lots of fun.

one- a ham & mozzarella quiche. We have had an abundance of eggs from our sweet hens...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:06:00 -0400

one- a ham & mozzarella quiche. We have had an abundance of eggs from our sweet hens lately.

two- pretty roses Maggie insisted I buy when when we went grocery shopping this week.

three- baby mugging, my new favorite internet thing. That’s Maggie in my favorite tea cup.

What a weird week it’s been. With all the craziness on the news, I must admit, I have felt out of sorts. We are headed to Orlando to soak up some of that Disney magic this weekend, and I couldn’t be happier to get out of town, and away from the television.

My thoughts are with all the families affected by the Boston tragedy, and the Waco accident. Let’s hope we all will have a little goodness in the weeks to come.

Sunken Gardens

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 15:03:00 -0400

We took the girls to Sunken Gardens this morning to explore my favorite not-so-secret garden. Sunken Gardens is a 100+ year old, 6 acre botanical garden in the middle of St. Petersburg, Florida. This beautiful garden was established in 1906 by a single man with a love of gardening, George Turner. Sunken Gardens became a roadside attraction, and was run by his family for generations. The gardens were recently purchased by the city, and they have maintained Mr. Turner’s original vision.

This place is just magical. Filled with ponds full of fish, flamingos, parrots, and waterfalls, there are surprises around every corner. Our girls enjoyed all of the natural beauty of the gardens, and feeding the fish. It was a great way to get outside and enjoy the warmer weather.

It took a little time, but these two are best friends. Just like...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:07:00 -0400

It took a little time, but these two are best friends. Just like I hoped they would be. Amelia is 5 & 1/2 years old and Maggie is one month shy of three. It seems to be the perfect age where they are enjoying each others company the most. Don’t get me wrong, they fight and argue with each other. Alot. They also paint together, watch movies together, pretend to bake sand pies in the backyard, and play dress up. It is so nice to see, and I am thankful everyday for my two little ladies.

La Dolce Vita

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:58:00 -0400

This morning while scrolling though my Facebook feed, I was reminded of how uncertain life can be sometimes. A second cousin of mine passed away recently, and today would have been her 36th birthday. I will be 36 in three weeks. It inspired me to blow off my to-do list, keep Amelia home from preschool, and head out to the beach.

I didn’t know this family member really well, but I like to think today was a little tribute to her. My girls and I celebrated life & love today, and I although I can’t thank her for the inspiration, I hope she is smiling down on us in heaven.

Sunday, I Like You Best.

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 17:50:58 -0400

Our Easter in Pictures

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 19:03:00 -0400

Strawberry Fields Forever

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:20:00 -0400

The weather was a bit too cold for our usual trip to the beach for spring break, so when one of Amelia’s friends mother asked if we’d like to go pick strawberries, I thought it was a fun idea.

We live about an hour away from several strawberry farms, and this time of the year, some of those farms open up for “you pick”. You pick the strawberries for 50 cents a pint, put them in your own containers, and enjoy! They are just the prettiest berries I’ve ever seen!

Amelia and Maggie had a blast picking and tasting the strawberries, and it was a good excuse for them to get real dirty.

Now, what to do with all the strawberries?

Safety Harbor Chalk Festival

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 12:31:00 -0400

You can see last year’s chalk festival here, and the year before that here.

The annual chalk festival has become a spring family tradition for us. This is the third year we’ve attended, and we always have a great time. The artists are so talented, and I am so inspired by their work. The girls and I always start at Starbucks, and walk down the entire festival and back. We also stopped by the produce stand, where the kiddos picked out some honey crisp apples, an asian pear, and a pineapple. The highlight for me, however, was finding this beautiful vintage Catherine Holm plate for only $10 dollars. It is the prettiest color, and now that I have two pieces, I officially have a collection.

Happy Weekend to you!

A Sure Sign of Spring

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:37:54 -0400

New sand for the sandbox is a sure sign of spring at our house. The girls were more than happy to plant their feet in the sand and spend an hour building sandcastles, and shooing our Italian Greyhound out of the box.

Maggie had to chase a chicken or two out of her playhouse, too.

A Thrifty DIY

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:19:06 -0400

thriftyisnifty:

I recently found this mid-century magazine rack at a yard sale for 75 cents. I gave it a fresh coat of enamel paint, and now it’s the perfect place for my children’s spring books.

I am trying to be better at updating this neglected Tumblr blog of mine. I love the way this magazine rack turned out!

Happy Chickens

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:36:21 -0400

If you want happy chickens, you feed them live crickets. I’m not brave enough to touch them, so the kids and chickens rely on my mom to bring over this cherished snack. The girls squeal as the bugs jump around, and the chickens can’t gobble them up fast enough.

Good Morning.

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 10:23:00 -0400

Sundays are my favorite. A day to sleep in, a day when no one has to work or go to school, a day for relaxing or getting stuff done. Today will be a little bit of both for us. I made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, and served them on my favorite green vintage dishes in honor of Saint Patrick, and in a bit we will head to the mall to meet the Easter Bunny. Later, we will be working in the yard spreading mulch, and then I hope going out for a family dinner at our favorite pizza place.

Happy Sunday!

Maggie + Amelia

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:49:24 -0400

I took the girls to a portrait studio today. It has been a while since we’ve done that. I think there are some pretty cute shots of the little ladies.

Spring-a-Ding-Ding

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:58:00 -0400

We have finally had a string of warm weather days, and it’s got me singing like a bird. I am just so happy to see the spring like temperatures return. The chickens are, too, because we’ve had handfuls of eggs every day. The mister and I have been working in the yard, getting ready to plant our garden, and I’ve been working on some cleaning projects indoors, as well as decorating for Easter. The girls and I baked the bunny cookies today.

I hope warmer weather is on it’s way to you soon, too.

Port Orleans Disney Weekend

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 10:20:00 -0500

We spent three chilly days at Walt Disney World last weekend. We stayed at the lovely Port Orleans Riverside Resort in their new Royal Guest Room. We spent time at Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and the Magic Kingdom. It was a fun weekend filled with roasting marshmallows, horse-drawn carriage rides, Disney movies on the lawn, Ghiradelli hot chocolate, and good quality family time. (Amelia was sprinkled with fairy dust. You can see the sparkle in the up close photo of her in the red jacket. It was a highlight for her)

I was given a cold as a parting gift from Disney, so I am resting today so I can enjoy the eighty degree weather we will see this Sunday.

Spring break is right around the corner for Amelia, and I am dreaming of a trip to the beach.

What are your spring break plans?