The Chance Family

WeeTRADE is THIS WEEK!

2019-09-16T11:08:00.001-07:00

All outfits pictured above were purchased from Wee Trade in years past from $10-20 each!

WeeTRADE is one of my most FAVORITE events in Jacksonville. I missed the sale while I was in California, but thankfully a fellow Jacksonville Mom writer shopped for me and mailed out some adorable clothing items to me! Thanks, Jessica!

The sale is open to the public starting on Thursday 9/19 at 9am. Admission is FREE and if you are a military, first responder or first time parent or grandparent, you can actually get a FREE ticket to shop the sale early on Wednesday.

Register here for Military/First Responder

Register here for First Time Parent/Grandparent

Location:

Shoppes of San Jose

2777 University Blvd W

Jacksonville, FL 32216

Some of my most favorite outfits for my kids have come from the WeeTRADE Sale! The sale happens once in the Spring and once in the Fall and this year they are celebrating 15 YEARS! Pam and Jennifer are the gracious women who put on this sale every year. They could have never dreamed the sale would grow this large as it started right in Jennifer's living room with about 30 friends and 600 items of clothing. This year the sale has over 500 consigners and over 50,000 items!

What does that mean for you? You get access to adorable clothing, like new toys and every piece of baby equipment that you could ever imagine needing at a fraction of the price. Every item that goes into the sale is hand inspected by a WeeTRADE Team member ensuring the item meets criteria and quality.

Here are just a few photos of the current inventory that you will get to shop.

Every shopper is different, but my plan of attack is to go through the clothing racks first! Now I have two kids to shop for so this should be interesting! Then I go to costumes and dancewear, then toys. Even better, on Saturday from 9am-5pm you can bring your kids to shop the 1/2 off sale.

I am literally giddy about the sale. I dropped off my items on Saturday and did a quick peek-around and saw some ADORABLE things for $10, 12, $15. You literally cannot beat the prices! I'll go live from the sale and I look forward to showing you all the goodies! Happy Shopping!

Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale

2019-09-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

Lilly Fans look forward to this day every year! The After Party Sale is an amazing one and here are some inside tips and fit guides to help you with your online purchases. The sale goes LIVE at 8am EST (approximately) and will go through Wednesday, 9/11. If you haven't already, be sure to create an account to update your shipping and credit card info for easy checkout. You can also shop on Nordstrom, Amazon and Zappos (for my military friends, don't forget to verify so you get 10% off)! If you are absolutely hoping for that one dress or top, checkout immediately. Having something in your cart does not mean it is yours! And remember, all sales are final, but you can easily resell on buy, sell, trade groups if need be!

I was able to shop the sale in stores on Saturday morning. My friend Tina and I arrived around 8:30 with coffee and breakfast in tow to wait for the store to open. Our store in Jacksonville is relatively small, but the line moved quickly and we were greeted with waters, mini Coronas and snacks from the lovely Lilly staff members.

Tina and I with our try-ons!

When shopping these sales, I always look for Minnie items first. I'm not sure why, but I buy for my daughter first, then I try to find matching items for me. The Minnie section at our store was pretty limited, but I did get an amazing dress and matching mommy dress for my daughter.

My biggest advice for this sale is to read reviews and fit guidelines as all sales are final. When sizes are XS, S, M, etc. I can guess pretty well, but on numbered sizes, fits can be weird and trying things on can be important.

Here are some items I purchased during the early release in stores this weekend.

The Kristen dress is a perfect "thrown on" dress that you can dress up or dress down. I love the detail in the back and that you can wear a regular bra! Huge points!

Retail: $98 Sale: $39

The Steffi Stretch dress has been on my list for a while and love that it has a matching Minnie. This style runs small, so size up! I love the ruffles on this dress. Also wearing a regular bra here. I tried on a 6 and 8 in this dress and the size 6 fit better/more generous than the 8.

Retail: $178 Sale: $54

Minnie is $34

The Alessa Romper was a total sleeper. I probably would have never ordered this online. I found it in a bin during the sale and just loved it. Best part, it has built-in shorts so perfect for chasing the kids around or just mammon' and running errands! I'm wearing a size small here.

Retail:$138 Sale:$54

The Shelli Stretch Shift dress was a maybe for me, but I ultimately decided to get it because I love the keyhole back and there is a matching Minnie. I don't loves spaghetti straps, but this has built-in cups, so no bra needed. This dress if perfect for a date night! I'm wearing a size 6 here.

Retail: $168 Sale: $64

I did try on a few other things including this dress, but I was too cheap to purchase! You're welcome, Kyle. It was gorgeous, but I had to have it hemmed and I felt like I wouldn't get a ton of wear. It was $119 in store.

I also loved the fit and feel of the Dani Dress in Navy, but at $54, I couldn't justify spending the money since I have a dress from Gap that is similar. The material was really nice and easy to dress up or down.

I'm excited to see what items are included online tomorrow. I do have one dress I am hoping to find. It's the Adalee Dress in Pink!

What are you hoping to find in the sale?

P.S- Big thanks to my husband who helped snap my photos in the 100 degree heat!!

Hux: 18 Months

2019-08-27T06:56:00.001-07:00

Look at those teeth

Our sweet Hux was 18 MONTHS last week. We don't know where the last year and a half went, but we are loving all of our time with our little guy. He is so special to our family and we love watching the bond he has with Charlotte. He gives her the best kisses.

I didn't know what a Momma's Boy truly was til I had Hux. To say he is obsessed with me is an understatement. He rarely isn't attached to my hip and is always saying, "Maammaaa, Maamma". The moments are sometimes frustrating, but I know I will miss it when he doesn't want me as much.

We had his 18 month check up with his new pediatrician and he did great! I hadn't mentioned it much before, but Huxie has been in the 2% percentile for height for most of his life. We had blood work done to rule out any issues and I guess he is just a late bloomer, because he grew ALOT since his 15 month appt. and is now 27% percentile for height!

People mostly say that Huxie and Charlotte are Kyle's twins, but I think Huxie looks a little like me too.

Allison in '91 (around 18 months)

Kyle in '87 (closer to 15 months)

Stats
Weight: 24lbs 15oz. (62%)
Height: 31.75 inches (27%)
Head: 50.5 inches (99%)

Weight: 24lbs. 15 oz.
Diaper Size: size 5
Teeth: His bottom two teeth have been in for a while now and he has about six other teeth that are working their way in. His top two front teeth just broke through. He has been teething HARD!
Favorite Toy: A PJ Mask scooter that I got for FREE at MOPS Swap earlier this year. By far their favorite thing to ride around the house and act crazy!
Looking forward to: Taking him to his first Gator game!
Clothing Size: 18-24 months/ 2T
Nickname: Huxie, Huxie Boy, Buddy
Sleeping Habits: 99% of the time he does really good. Both of my kids love to wake up early most days.
Adventures this Month: Getting settled in our new house.
Visitors: Papa, Gaga and Ashley and Kate have come to see our new house and our friends the Crowells visited last weekend.
Milestones: Running everywhere, saying SO many words (including "ohh no", "cheese", "nigh nigh" and he knows all of his animal sounds, he still loves to sign for "more" and "please" (and it is the cutest thing ever when he does it)

24 Hours in Solvang, CA

2019-08-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

While Kyle was training in Port Hueneme, CA, and I was still in Monterey, we met up halfway in the adorable Danish town of Solvang. USA Today named Solvang one of "The Best Historic Small Towns in America" and it definitely met the mark of being amazing! It was recommended to me by several friends and like anything, we kind of just ran out of time to make a trip to visit.

I texted Kyle on a Thursday and said, "Hey do you want to meet up this weekend?". The answer was, "of course", but that meant either of us would be driving two hours each and we really couldn't meet until Saturday because of his school schedule. The easy option was to go to on our favorites, Paso Robles, but Kyle pushed me to "try something new". I searched online for hotels and was honestly a little scared! The town is so small that there aren't a ton of hotels or chains. Kyle found a nice Marriott about 10 minutes away, but I really wanted to be in the downtown.

So, I left out of Monterey on Saturday morning with no idea of where we would stay. We agreed to meet up at the Cracker Barrel in Santa Maria and then we would go from there. We took the plunge and decided to go to Solvang (with no hotel reservation). We drove the main downtown and found some cute hotels. They were either booked or $1,000 night (I'm not joking). We found one little roadside motel called Solvang Inn and Cottages. I googled it and the pictures that I saw were a little interesting, but I decided to walk in and see if they had a room we could check out. Thankfully they did and it looked WAY better than the photos. It was clean and plenty of space for us and the kids and a little corner to tuck Huxie into. And it was right outside of the pool, which was perfect for Char! I think the room was around $200, which seemed to be the going rate for the hotels in the area. It also included a breakfast at the danish bakery next door, called Olsen's , which we learned was owned by the same owner as our hotel!

Our cottage

We immediately took a dip in the pool. Charlotte has missed swimming so much, so any chance that we can go, we do. After a nice swim, we loaded up the double stroller to walk around Solvang. We were surprised at how hot it was! The area was experiencing a heat wave and that definitely prepared us for the FL heat. Our first stop was at a beautiful tasting room, Sanger Wines, right of off the main road. The kids played on the patio and turf while we tasted. The atmosphere was beautiful. We continued to walk around the area and visited another tasting room called, Casa Cassara, which was absolutely amazing for our kids. The owners greeted us with crayons, markers, coloring books and fresh strawberries and pretzels for them to snack on. They also had an old piano that played itself and the kids loved it! I highly recommend this room if you are looking for a family-friendly tasting room.

Sanger Tasting Room

Exploring

Casa Cassara Tasting Room

We were getting hungry at this point, so we ventured over to Toscana, which was recommended to us by multiple people. We were so sad that they were completely full and unable to accommodate us, so we headed to Succulent Cafe. Hux was asleep at this point, so we enjoyed a semi-quiet meal while he napped. We had the brussel sprouts and scallops and they were amazing! Everything was farm to table and the atmosphere was amazing.

After dinner we headed back to get ready for bed. Everyone was really tired and I am not even joking when I say that we were all laying down by 7:45pm. We closed all the blinds, turned on the sound machine and tried to be as quiet as possible to get Huxie down for bed. Of course, Charlotte had to go to the bathroom, which required her to walk past the crib, so he woke up and cried for a bit. Never a dull moment when traveling with kids.

We were up early and headed across the street to Paula's Pancake House, which is about the CUTEST breakfast place I've ever been too. Charlotte got to watch the oranges be squeezed and we enjoyed a yummy pancake breakfast. Next we venturned to the Hans Christian Anderson Park. The entire town pays homage to Hans Christian Anderson, who wrote over 160 fairytales including The Little Mermaid, the Ugly Duckling and The Snow Queen (Frozen). We enjoyed playing at the park and then headed back to our room for a swim! It was time to pack up, check out and head out. First, we needed to get a picture with the Little Mermaid Statue!

Little Mermaid Statue

On our way out, we stopped at Shoestring Winery for a tasting. This vineyard was absolutely beautiful and the wine was yummy too. The owners of the vineyard recently passed away, so it was very interesting and sad to hear about their story and legacy. Their son now runs the winery and they even had goats that we were able to feed and pet.

On our drive in, we saw Ostrichland and I knew we had to make a stop there. Talk about a CASH COW business. They have over 200 ostriches on property that you can feed and take photos with. The kids loved it! Be sure to wash your hands after!

We were starving, so before Kyle and I split and went our separate ways, we had lunch at an amazing place, Industrial Eats, right at the interstate. Their menu changes daily and the food was incredible! We were sad to say good-bye to Daddy, but it was an amazing 24 hours in a beautiful place.

Glass Bottle Cokes at Industrial Eats.. Then my phone died.

Two other notable places that we didn't make it to:

Pea Soup Anderson's (you'll see signs on the interstate on your way to Solvang). They are famous for their Pea Soup and serve over 2 million/bowls year.

Quicksilver Ranch - miniature horse farm. We didn't end up going because Google said it was closed on Sunday, but another family told us that wasn't true, so I would definitely call ahead. You cannot feed or pet them, but you can look at them! :)

Ode to Monterey

2019-07-20T20:37:00.001-07:00

Photo by Christine B Photography

Two years has passed by in the blink of an eye. I arrived to Monterey June 22, 2017 kicking and screaming. Leaving our home and my business in Florida was so hard for me! Little did I know that our life would be turned upside and I would find out I was pregnant a few days later while we were still living in a hotel!

Oh Monterey, where do I even start?! We've seriously had a love-hate relationship since day one. If the sun is out and it is remotely warm (60s), I will love you all day. But, the fog, mist, gloom all day, everyday (especially in the summer months) was just miserable!

I quickly realized that we weren't in the south anymore when Kyle and I unsuccessfully tried multiple BBQ restaurants throughout California and not one delivered. Their version of BBQ is tri-tip and it just isn't good! Or when I tried California's version of "shrimp and grits" only to be horribly disappointed. Monterey did bring some amazing food into our lives including Monterey Donuts, Dametra Mediterranean, Mission Ranch, Baldemiro's Taco Shop (hole in the wall taco shop and amazing carne asada fries), Tarpy's, Michael's Tacqueria, Crystalfish Sushi, Krua Thai, Il Vecchio, Saltwood Kitchen (thank you for having fried chicken and cheddar biscuits!!) just to name a few.

We traveled to some amazing places including Disneyland, Paso Robles, Lake Tahoe, San Diego, Napa/Sonoma, San Francisco/Sausalito, Solvang, Yosemite and L.A. I am so grateful that we were able to fully embrace our time on the west coast and see SO many places. I can't wait to show our kids all of the adventures and all the places they went!

We met some incredible people and lifelong friends. As I write this, many of our friends have moved on to their next duty station. I am constantly picking up my phone ready to text friends to make plans only to remind myself that they aren't here anymore. Our friends became family here and they definitely MADE our time in Monterey what it was. I truly think I wouldn't love this place so much if it wasn't for the wonderful people that we got to experience Monterey with.

I joined an amazing brokerage and opened the cutest real estate office you have ever seen. I grew a client base and started receiving referrals from friends and locals and my business took off. There is nothing more amazing than when you have friends referring you.

We attended an amazing church, Shoreline, and hosted a growth group. I also led a MOPS group with a fellow military spouse. Some weeks I was at church every day of the week, but it was such a joy and I am SO incredibly blessed by all the people I met through Shoreline.

Charlotte started formal education with Pre-K at Santa Catalina and we spent the last 7 months living on campus at her school. I honestly don't know if we will ever experience a more beautiful place or more lovely, kind people. The school was such a blessing for our family.

Huxie attend La Mesa CDC and we were so blessed by his teachers in the Bubblefish and Shrimps class. He loved going to "school" and has so much fun with his little friends.

When I try to think of what I will miss most, I can't even begin, but here is a snapshot. I hope this will remind me in years to come of this sweet, but tiring, season of life with two small kids.

Walks on the Monterey Rec Trail.
Afternoons after school/daycare at MyMuseum (we shut the place down on multiple occasions).
Weekends at Folktale Winery with friends (thank you for having pimento cheese).
Usually followed by dinner at Baja Cantina.
Finding Monty, the sea otter, at Trader Joe's. Although Charlotte preferred the Pacific Grove TJ's which included mini carts for the kids.
Impromptu dinners at the Trident Room on campus at NPS.
Tacos at church during Night of Worship.
Working in a beautiful office in the heart of Pacific Grove.
Driving through McDonald's for my daily Diet Coke (complete with a paper straw...AHH)
Dinners with visitors at Mission Ranch, one of our favorite places.
Giving birth to Huxie at CHOMP and all that followed with that. My faith is stronger because of those circumstances for sure.
Spa escapades with friends. We visited over six local spas and became experts of mommy relaxation. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Bernardus.
Kyle's weekly workouts (and every Saturday at 7am) with the men of F3 and forged amazing relationships!
Escaping to beautiful Carmel Valley for the sunshine and beautiful wineries.
Kyle's weekly trip to Poke Time, which I also went kicking and screaming!
Monterey Farmer's Market on Tuesday nights.
Getting to attend the AT&T Pro-Am and the US Open.
Amazing shows through PacRep at the Golden Bough and Forest Theater. I am so BUMMED we are missing Beauty and the Beast next month
Trips to the outlets in Gilroy because the shopping in Monterey was severely lacking!

And I'll leave you with this - an article I wrote six months into our time in Monterey. Who would have ever thought I would have been sad to leave! The truth is, I am, but I am so grateful for our time here and all that I learned from this special place.

Charlotte's 5th Birthday Party at MY Museum

2019-07-16T07:38:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Charlotte's 5th birthday a few weekends back. Her actual birthday is on the 19th, in a couple of days. I think I planned her party in all of one week, which is the opposite of how I normally plan things, but with a big move in the immediate future, Kyle in a different city and her party falling on a holiday weekend, we did our best and it turned out fantastic.

The ease of the party was in large part to MY Museum (who just won Monterey Bay Parent's awards for "Best Indoor Birthday Party" and "Best Place to Play Inside"). From booking the party with their staff to them helping us out to our car with all of the gifts, leftover food, etc. after the party they could not have been more helpful and accommodating.

I dropped off some tablecloths and balloons on the Friday before our party and when we arrived on Sunday, they were all set and ready to go. They include red tablecloths and coordinating balloons in the package, but you are able to bring in your own if you prefer.

Speaking of theme, we didn't really have one because Charlotte kept changing her mind, but we ultimately ended up with unicorns and dress up. All of the party supplies were purchased locally from Target and Dollar Tree!

Yummy Monterey Donuts!

The only slot available when I booked was a Sunday morning from 9-11am, before the museum opens for the day. A few positives, the whole space is yours and you can invite up to 75 people and you can have adult beverages (hello, bloody marys and mimosas). I looked into having some breakfast quiches/casseroles, fruit, pastries catered, but then asked Kyle if we would whip up some casseroles and he did an excellent job! We had a tater tot casserole, oatmeal bake, egg casserole and fresh fruit with lime-honey vinaigrette. Instead of a traditional cake, we had DONUTS!

Amazing Daddy, Chef and Bartender!

MY Museum allows you in 15 minutes before your start time to set up and decorate, but it was all hands on deck and we had everything in place before the first guest arrived. One of the staff members even chased after Huxie for me!

Charlotte had an absolute blast being the birthday princess for the day! She is going to REALLY miss going to MY Museum. If you are local and don't have a membership, it is the best $100 you will spend. Sometimes we go for 30 minutes and sometimes we stay for 2 hours.

MY Museum offers a few different packages for birthday parties. Check our their website for more information! I give them 5 stars and more for the easiest birthday party, ever!!

Yosemite

2019-02-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

The view of the Valley from Tunnel View

Yosemite has been on my bucket list since we arrived in California, but we kept delaying. I booked this trip back in December and scored a great deal of "buy 2 nights, get 1 free". After researching, I knew that we wanted to stay inside of the park, which limited our options. I really wanted to stay at the Majestic, but couldn't justify spending the money, so we opted for the Yosemite Valley Lodge and it was really perfect. I highly recommend staying within the park if you are able to get a reservation.

Our room!

To make the most of our time, we decided to make the almost 4 hour drive at night after work and school on a Wednesday. The kids slept for most of the trip and it was a fairly easy drive despite the darkness. We couldn't see anything, which made it for an amazing experience to wake up to such beauty.

We woke up Thursday morning and immediately started adventuring. On site, the lodge had a cafeteria called "Base Camp". The food was pricy, but very good and easy to access. We ate breakfast then started our journey to Mirror Lake. This was a 2 mile round trip hike on a paved trail. We took the double stroller and it was very easy. As we were getting out the car to get ready to make the hike, we saw two coyotes! Mirror Lake was beautiful and Charlotte had fun exploring.

After Mirror Lake, we headed to the Majestic Hotel (formerly the Ahwahnee) which was built in 1927 and visited by JFK, Queen Elizabeth and Lucille Ball just to name a few! We hung out in the Grand Hall and let the kids play, caught up on emails and relaxed. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the Majestic Bar and then set out to Badger Pass to play in the snow. The kids took a nice nap on the drive up.

Badger Pass is about an hour away and is a ski area offering mountain skiing, cross country skiing and snow tubing. Tubing is offered at specific times, so be sure to check their website or call ahead to confirm. The cost is $17/tube. We arrived a little early and enjoyed some hot chocolate in the little restaurant before we tubed. The snow wasn't very fresh, so the tubes didn't slide as well, but we had so much fun!

We headed back to our hotel to attempt naps, but the kids had other plans. I took them up to the "Kid's Corner" in the lobby while Kyle rested. We had an early dinner in the Mountain Room (the sit down restaurant at Yosemite Valley Lodge) I told Kyle that being at Yosemite is like being on cruise in the sense that you literally see the same people everywhere you go. There are only so many places to eat! Dinner was yummy. Kyle and I shared a salad and steak.

It was early to bed for us as Huxie isn't the best when it comes to sleeping in a hotel.

On Friday it was back to Base Camp to fuel up for the day! After breakfast we let the kids play in the Kid's Corner and Huxie took a nap. We were scheduled for the 10am Valley Floor Tour, which in the summer time, is an open air tour, but because of the cooler weather, it is inside of a tour bus. Both Charlotte and Hux were free and they also gave a military discount, which made our tickets about $20/each. The tour was super interesting and informative and the bus made several stops for us to get out and take pictures. It was a great way to see the sights and I highly recommend it!

After the tour, we ate lunch at the Base Camp and headed out for Yosemite Lower Falls. This is a super easy trail that is completely paved as well and offers beautiful views of the Falls. The trail is about 1 mile round trip. After the Falls, we continued on a dirt trail to get to the museum and visitor center. We attempted to watch the 25 minute film about Yosemite, but the kids had other plans. The visitor center had some neat exhibits and history and Charlotte got her National Park Passport where she will get stamps at all of the parks we visit. I had one growing up, too!

Next stop was at the beautiful park located at the Yosemite Valley School. I had no idea there was a school in Yosemite, but this is where the children of park rangers and other staff attend. We played on the playground and had a beautiful view of Yosemite Falls. We walked back to the hotel and got ready for dinner at the Majestic!

The park offers a free shuttle to get you around, so we decided to be adventurous and take it. Charlotte loved the adventure! It's a great way to get around when the park is busy and there isn't parking available.

Dinner at the Majestic was nothing short of fabulous! Hux ended up sleeping through the entire dinner, but Charlotte really enjoyed the piano music and danced her way through dinner. Kyle and I had prime rib and it was fabulous! We ended dinner with their signature boysenberry pie. Although the experience was pricy, the ambiance is incredible and I highly recommend it. We waited for the shuttle (and saw a coyote) and it was back to our room for bed.

We woke up on Saturday to a downpour! We couldn't see any of the sites and the park was starting to close some of the roads. We decided we better get on the road after breakfast. We had to take a different road out, through the south gate. As we were going up towards Badger Pass, the snow started falling! It was truly incredible! We made a quick stop and played in the snow! Charlotte's dream came true. We passed Mariposa Grove, which is currently closed due to trash/human waste from the shut down. It was a bummer to not see the sequoias, but hopefully we will get another opportunity.

We made a lunch stop in Oakhurst at South Gate Brewing Company! Lunch was super yummy! Then it was off to the Children's Museum of the Sierra right around the corner to let the kids burn off some energy before we finished the drive home. They had a blast. The museum was very interesting, but super affordable ($6/person) and Charlotte had fun in their hands-on exhibits. After the children's museum, we made a quick stop at Idle Hour Winery for a quick tasting before heading home.

Such a wonderful trip! I would highly recommend Yosemite this time of year. Although we weren't able to see all of the sites due to road closures (Glacier Point/Tioga Rd/Tuolomne) the park was empty and we were really able to enjoy our time without a million other visitors around!

Hux: 11 Months

2019-02-03T21:57:00.000-08:00

I missed last month's update, but managed to sneak a picture of him at 10 months ( a few days late). I can't believe that we are days away from celebrating his 1st birthday. It's so bittersweet, but I am so proud of the little boy that he has become. We are having a small football-themed 1st birthday. He loves balls, so we thought it was fitting!

Weight: 22lbs.
Diaper Size: size 4
Teeth: Finally cut a tooth and has a 2nd one coming through!
Favorite Toy: Any of Charlotte's toys, things that make noises and things he isn't supposed to have!
Looking forward to: His first birthday!
Clothing Size: 9 months and 12/18 months
Nickname: Huxie and Huxie Boy
Sleeping Habits: He does great in crib. Traveling, not so much!
Adventures this Month: We went to Sausalito and to Yosemite!
Visitors: Papa visited us!
Milestones: Babbling and saying several words including "mama", "dada", "ball", waving "hi" and "bye", standing unassisted, crawling VERY fast and just being the sweetest ever. He doesn't like when Mama leaves the room.

Weekend Getaway to Cavallo Point

2019-01-22T21:09:00.000-08:00

With our time in Monterey quickly coming to an end, I am determined to complete our bucket list! You all have heard me RAVE about the benefits of the American Express Platinum card and this trip did not disappoint. The best part? We used points for this trip!

I originally learned about Cavallo Point when we visited San Francisco and Sausalito back in June of 2017. We had just arrived in Monterey and we were meeting my mom and Charlotte in San Francisco. We took the traditional tour bus to explore the city and the Golden Gate Bridge. When we arrived into Sausalito, I saw the absolutely charming resort, Cavallo Point. Cavallo Point was previously Fort Baker, an Army base dating back to 1866. In 2002, it was transformed into the resort. The history is amazing and the views are absolutely incredible. From our front porch, we could see all of San Francisco and part of the bridge. So beautiful!

Through FINE Hotels and Resorts with American Express Platinum, we were able to take advantage of the following extras:

Early check in at 12noon
Late check out at 4pm
Breakfast for 2 (a $70 value)
Room Upgrade
Free WIFI
$100 Resort Credit

We called before we left Monterey to check to see if our room was ready and it was, so we headed out! We stopped for lunch in Saratoga and arrived in Sausalito around 2pm and the sun was shining! We were upgraded to an amazing suite (thanks to our benefits) and got settled in our room. The resort provided a pack and play and they also have golf carts and Lexus vehicles to transport you throughout the resort. You can also test drive these vehicles for 3 hours at a time.

We pretty much set up on our front porch for the rest of the afternoon. We drank some wine and let the kids play. Charlotte had a blast running in the field and we also walked down to see the bridge and snap a few pics! Our friends stopped by for a visit and we headed to the happy hour in the lobby, which included complimentary wine from 4-6pm. We sat by the fire pit while the kids played in the "Kid's Corner". We ate dinner at the hotel restaurant, Murray Circle. It was an amazing experience and the food, drinks and dessert were incredible. I took the kids home for bath and bedtime was not far after!

We woke up on Sunday to RAIN! We had planned to go to the Bay Area Discovery Museum so the rain wasn't a huge dealbreaker, but it was definitely a bummer as some parts are outside. We enjoyed some coffee in our room, then headed up to breakfast at the restaurant. The buffet was huge, but so yummy! Charlotte loved the belgian waffles with fresh whipped cream. After breakfast, Daddy and Hux went back for a nap and Char and I headed over to the museum. It is literally across the field, a 5 minute walk, but thankfully we were able to catch a ride because it was a literal downpour!

We loved the museum and after showing our military ID, our visit was free! So nice! After the museum, we caught the shuttle down to Sausalito to grab lunch and walk around. We ended up at Barrel House Tavern and it was great! Kyle and I shared Tuna Tacos, Kale Salad and a Steak Sandwich and all were fabulous! We walked around and stumbled upon an ice cream shop that offered free ice cream to active duty military. It was so sweet!

We caught the shuttle back and all got ready for nap. This was SO nice because were were able to rest before our drive home thanks to late check out!

We snapped a few more pics with the bridge and went back to the children's museum for the last hour before it closed to show all the fun stuff to Daddy and Hux, too! We capped our trip with a stop at the Smoking Pig in San Jose. It is the best BBQ we have found on the west coast so far!

Next up for us... Yosemite, but only if the government re-opens by then! If you would like a referral link for the American Express Platinum, let me know! You get an additional 60,000 points for signing up!

Hux: 9 Months

2018-12-13T20:29:00.000-08:00

With daylight savings time it has become incredibly challenging to find a time in the evening when it is still light enough to take a photo of Hux for his monthly picture. It is pitch black at 5pm. I finally was able to snap a few photos on December 7th, making this his 9.75 month post.

Weight: We go on Monday for his 9 month appt. and shots. I'm guessing he is around 20lbs.
Diaper Size: size 4 now and a Luvs baby! More on that later. Teeth: You guys, still no teeth. What is going on?! Favorite Toy: Anything that makes noise and this little play water bottle from Charlotte's kitchen. I think the ridges feel good on his teeth. Looking forward to: His first Christmas!Clothing Size: 9 months and 12 months!Nickname: Huxie is the most commonly used. Sleeping Habits: He has definitely forgotten how to sleep through the night. We are surving, but boy do I miss the 7p-7a nights! Adventures this Month: Gaga is visiting and we have several trips during daddy's winter break!Visitors: Gaga is here! Milestones: He has grown up so much in the last month. He has quite the personality and has learned to clap and loves to smile and make us laugh. He still loves Charlotte oh so much and we are so blessed to have him as part of our family!

Elf on the Shelf: Your Favorite Time of Year!

2018-11-29T08:08:00.000-08:00

For most parents, you either love or strongly dislike the tradition of Elf on the Shelf. This time of year, your social media feeds become flooded with Elf ideas. I have to admit, it can be a little overwhelming. I mean, some of us have to set reminders and alarms just to remind us to move the elf each night. The holiday season is busy, but don't fret, my friend over at Cassia Leigh Designs has you covered and not just for your Elf on the Shelf needs. She has a full Etsy shop full of amazing party printables, invitations and everything you need to throw an amazing party (Charlotte's Mermaid Party came from her shop). I love printables because they are SO easy. You download, customize and print. The best part? You can do it last minute! Great for all of the procrastinators out there!

In our house, our elf makes his first appearance on December 1st! So, head over to the shop to get started on ideas for your family! There is even a printable calendar to help you plan the month and your Elf's activities!

A small sampling of Cassia Leigh Designs printables!

Cassia Leigh Designs offers "The Ginormous Printable Elf" package that includes 35 pages of Elf Fun! This is great for anyone who wants to be one and done! She also offers a la carte packages if you are just looking for a few different ideas. Some of my favorites include, "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" , Good Deed Cards and Rudolph Lollipop Holder. The Elf Arrival Set is perfect for your Elf's debut on December 1st!

I know the Elf on the Shelf tradition can be overwhelming, but all of the guesswork is taken away with these fun printables and the kids really love waking up to something fun! We all know Jesus is the reason for the season and there is no judgement if you decide to have an Elf of the Shelf or not, but if you do, I hope this simplifies the process for you!

Merry Christmas!

Hux: 8 Months

2018-10-25T20:12:00.002-07:00

Sweet boy! Love his baby blues!

Our sweet Hux got sick for the first time while we were in Florida! We left on his 8 month birthday, Saturday the 15th, and flew overnight to Miami to my sister's house. The flight went very well and he did great, but once we arrived we noticed he was running a fever and congested. We took him to the doctor and he was diagnosed with RSV. The nights were VERY long and he was very uncomfortable. He is finally on the mend and I am so glad. It broke my heart seeing him sick, but I am SO proud that he made it over 8 months before getting sick!

Hux has changed so much in the last month. He is eating a ton and really prefers pick ups and little pieces of food over baby food. He loves to be held and just to look around and see everything that is going on. He recently started HATING his carseat and throws a tantrum whenever I put him in, unless I majorly distract him with a toy.

He had so much fun with his cousins and grandparents and loved splashing around in the pool and soaking up the Florida sun. We were definitely HOT though. It's amazing how you forget how hot it is in Florida!

Charlotte's Update at 8 Months

Weight: 17lbs 13oz. (Only up a bit since we have been battling sickness)
Diaper Size: size 3!
Teeth: No teeth! I seriously can't believe. I will say his gums are pretty hard though... He bit me with his gums and it didn't feel good!
Favorite Toy: Aunt Shannon brought him a little video game remote and he loves that. Honestly anything that makes nose. He loves to be on the go and on my hip. It's his favorite place!
Looking forward to: staying home and getting back on a routine! We have a fun family costume planned for Halloween, but the next couple of weeks will be low key for sure! We all need it!

Clothing Size: Anything from 6-12 months.
Nickname: Huxie, Huxie Boy, Mr. Monkey
Sleeping Habits: He was sleeping 7p-7a before our trip, then the sickness hit and things have been a little rough. Slowly get back on our routine.
Adventures this Month: We traveled to Florida to see Aunt Ashley's new house and also go to Aunt Courtney's wedding. Mommy and Daddy both solo-parented and we survived!
Visitors: Aunt Shannon visited us and Papa comes next week
Milestones: So many amazing things happening this month, including saying "Dada" and "Ma", full on crawling and really developing a personality. He is the sweetest little babe, but he knows what he likes and if he doesn't get it, he lets you know.

Hux: 7 Months

2018-09-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

Cutie!

Another month FLEW by with sweet Hux! I've seen so many changes in him this month. He can sit up on his own very well now, he's gotten longer and is filling out his 6/9 month PJs and he is really interacting with us. He still smiles the biggest for big sister! Here is Charlotte's 7 month update!

Poor Guy! She definitely is rough with him, but he loves it!

This picture is too funny! Happy 7 Months, Hux!

Weight: 17lbs 8 oz. (the same as Charlotte at 7 months)
Diaper Size: size 3!Clothing Size: He is really fitting well into his 6-9 month clothing! Boy clothes aren't as cute as girlNickname: Huxie is the most common one.Sleeping Habits: It is crazy how similar he is to his sister. If you read her 7 month update, Kyle went out of town and she started sleeping. Well, Kyle is out of town and he has been sleeping. I don't want to talk about it for fear of cursing it. But fingers crossed this sticks!Adventures this Month: Kyle was super Dad and cared for both kids while I was away for 4 nights! Hux went to his first play, the Little Mermaid, and had a blast!
Visitors: No visitors this month!
Milestones: Rolling, scooting, sitting up without assistance, shaking his head when we ask him to. He loves to eat at daycare, but HATES when I try to feed him food. He literally purses his lips together and will not eat!
Teeth: Still no teeth! His pediatrician couldn't feel anything at his last appointment either, but he is drooling up a storm!
Favorite Toy: anything that shakes or makes noises!
Looking forward to: going to Florida next month to spend time with my sister and see her new home and also go to Aunt Courtney's wedding!

Hux: 6 Months

2018-08-22T22:09:00.001-07:00

Sweet boy!

Hux is 6 months old! I am a few days late as it was on the 15th, but that's life these days. We celebrated his 1/2 year birthday last Wednesday. Charlotte had just returned from Florida with Gaga and we had a chocolate cake to celebrate.

Hux was very happy to have Charlotte come back home from Florida. He truly looks up to her and really loves her. He has a special smile and laugh just for Charlotte! Here is Char at 6 months!

Their love for each other is so special!

Weight: 17lbs 6oz.
Diaper Size: size 3!
Clothing Size: 3 - 6 months. I'm so sad to be packing stuff away. He still fits in a few 3 month PJs, but they are tight. I just bought him some new PJs this weekend. The zipper style is my favorite.
Nickname: Huxie, buddy
Sleeping Habits: In the last month, he slept one night in his crib (THE ENTIRE NIGHT) Since then we haven't been so lucky!
Adventures this Month: This month flew by and honestly we didn't do much. No weekend trips, just stayed at home. We did some house projects while Charlotte was in Florida for 2 weeks and Huxie just watched! :) Visitors: Papa visited for Charlotte's birthday and Gaga and Doug visited last week!
Milestones: Rolling around and babbling like crazy. We are trying to teach him "Mama" and "Dada" But right now, he just says, "Baba". Continuing to eat solids, but not really loving them when mommy feeds him. Still nursing like a champ!
Teeth: He is teething and drooling like crazy and I know his bottom teeth will pop through soon, but nothing yet! :)
Favorite Toy: Teething toy and his new O'ball bouncer.
Looking forward to: trying more foods and learning to sleep better! :)

Hux: 5 Months

2018-07-22T20:03:00.002-07:00

We've been quite busy and Hux actually turned 5 months last Sunday! He is such a happy guy, but still has FOMO and doesn't sleep the best which equates to a tired mama over here. Regardless, we love him and his sweet smiles! He is such a happy boy and really loves rough housing with his sister! I missed Charlotte's 5 month update, so nothing to compare it to!

Weight: 15lbs 9 oz. at his last doctor's appt.
Diaper Size: size 3!
Clothing Size: 3 and 6 months. I'm so sad to be packing stuff away.
Nickname: Huxie and Huxie boy for sure!
Sleeping Habits: AH, my kids don't love sleep. He is doing ok, but still has some work here! Of course he slept much better for our sitter while we were in Mexico!
Adventures this Month: This past month, Hux went on his first flight and also went to Lake Tahoe! Visitors: My nephew Chris visited us and Papa comes at the end of the week!
Milestones: He can roll over now! So fun! He also is super chatty (sometimes downright LOUD), smily and happy!
Favorite Toy: He loves his satin square lovie that he can hold an snuggle. It is so sweet! :)
Looking forward to: Spending some 1:1 time with Mom & Dad when Char goes to Florida and turning 1/2 a year old! Time is flying!

4 year old and 5 month old!

The BIG 3-0 at Carmel Valley Ranch

2018-06-28T09:55:00.001-07:00

This is 3-0!

My 30th birthday has come and gone and I have to admit, I don't feel much different! I was completely spoiled for my birthday and couldn't have asked for a better way to ring in the next decade!

Kyle threw me a surprise birthday at SUR! in the Barnyard the day before my actual birthday. I was completely surprised and so shocked to see all of my friends. Many who were leaving the next morning for international trips! I'm such a lucky girl! We had a great evening! I literally told Kyle, "The only thing that would make this better is going to a hotel and getting sleep"!

On the 14th, I woke up to a sweet voice saying, "Happy Birthday, Mommy". We had donuts, eggs and bacon and sang Happy Birthday. I opened all of my gifts and thought I was starting my day by going to run with Stroller Warriors. Kyle handed me a card and said that he didn't get me anything since we are going on a trip next month. I didn't think anything of it and opened the card. Inside were some sweet words and "We are going to Carmel Valley Ranch. Massage at 4pm and Dinner at 7:45pm" Seriously, this man knows the way to my heart.

I've talked about the American Express Platinum card in my previous post on our Babymoon. It is SERIOUSLY such a great deal. Annual fee is waived for military and the benefits are amazing. When you book at one of the FINE Hotels on their Travel Rewards site, you get the following perks:

Early check in at 12noon
Late check out at 4pm
Breakfast for 2 (a $60 value)
Room Upgrade
Free WIFI
$100 Resort Credit (for spa or golf)

The rates are sometimes a little bit higher, but the benefits totally outweigh the extra cost.

We arrived to Carmel Valley Ranch and it was warm, sunny and so perfect! We checked in and were upgraded to an amazing suite with a bathtub on the patio. While we waited for our room to be available, we had lunch by the pool. I had salmon tacos and Kyle had a salmon salad.

We checked into our room and lounged a bit before heading to the pool and spa. CVR does everything well. They have golf carts that transport you all around the property. They are super service-oriented. We lounged by the pool and I had my massage, too. It was excellent and a great way to spend my birthday. I was even greeted with a mini cupcake with a candle after my service was over. After soaking up the sun for a bit longer, we headed back to get ready for dinner. We had dinner on property at The Valley Kitchen. Dinner was delicious! Kyle ordered a steak and I had the pork. Both were delicious and wonderfully presented. They also served us their yummy "Carmel Valley Road" Ice Cream for my birthday and it was some of the yummiest ice cream I have EVER had!

My entree! So yummy!

We couldn't pass up the daily offering of S'mores out by the pool, so we stopped there on our way home as well to have another sweet treat! So yummy.

I think I was out to the world before 10pm. I was abruptly woken up at 4am when I realized I needed to pump and I was also freezing! CVR has A/C where our house does not, so needless to say, I was cold! We slept in till about 7am and the ordered a yummy breakfast from room service.

After breakfast, Kyle headed back home to check on the kids and I headed down to the "River Ranch" to do a workout class. It was so great! After the class, I had a coffee and did some work while I enjoyed the fire pits. CVR is truly such a beautiful place.

We headed to the pool to soak up every last minute of our time at CVR! My friend Jessica joined me for the afternoon and we dubbed it our new favorite place and are already scheming a way to get back!

Can't beat this view!

If you have a chance to celebrate a special occasion at Carmel Valley Ranch, I would HIGHLY recommend it!

Hux: 4 Months

2018-06-19T23:02:00.003-07:00

She loves him!

We are on vacation and I am already late posting Hux's 4 month update! So I wanted to hop on and document 4 months! He is growing so quickly and is such a happy boy. Here is Char's 4 month update! Do you think they look alike?!

Weight: I weighed him the other day on our scale and he was 15 lbs!
Diaper Size: upgraded to size 3!
Clothing Size: All NB have been packed away and 3 month outfits are getting tight. We wear mostly 3 or 6 month outfits now.
Nickname: Huxie is sticking. We also call him "Buddy".
Sleeping Habits: Sleep is meh, but I'm not complaining too much. I'm enjoying the sweet snuggles. With lots of trips on our horizon in the coming month, I have delayed sleep training for now.
Adventures this Month: We went on our first trip as a family of four to Paso Robles. We also celebrated Mommy's 30th birthday!
Visitors: No visitors this month, but looking forward to some next month.
Milestones: Still so close to rolling over, but hasn't yet. He gets to his side so far. He had his first plane ride, too!
Favorite Toy: He is starting to play with his rattles and is able to grab things, is enjoying tummy time and of course his playmat, too!
Looking forward to: Big Sister's 4th Birthday next month and his 4 month checkup is scheduled for July.

Hux: 3 Months

2018-05-16T07:53:00.001-07:00

Daddy took this picture, but you can see he is smiling at mommy! :)

Hux is 3 months old! He is getting so big and is so happy and smily! He loves baths and Charlotte loves taking them with him and helping me bathe him. Just about every time we take a bath, he pees and we get a good laugh!

First day in Bubblefish

Hux is happiest when Charlotte is right in front of him. He is very easily entertained by her and loves her so much! They already have a very special relationship. Here is Charlotte at 3 months! She had already been on her first plane ride at 3 months! Poor Hux, second child problems!

Still not quite sure who he looks like.

Weight: about 14 lbs according to our scale at home. We go back to the doctor next month!
Diaper Size: still size 2!Clothing Size: 3-6 months. He is definitely filling out.
Nickname: I've been calling him Huxie and bud or buddySleeping Habits: Some nights/days are better than others. He is a very low-key baby. He loves little cat naps of 20-30 minutes during the day. He is still getting up 2-3 times per night, but hopefully those stretches will become longer soon!Adventures this Month: Hux started in his Bubblefish classroom! He has done great so far! We also visited the strawberry patch for u-pick strawberries! Visitors: Papa visited during his work trip! Hoping for more visitors soon.Milestones: Smiling, cooing, tracking us as we walk around, close to rolling over, but not quite yet. He loves his sister and is always looking for attention from her. I am also able to "brush" his hair and do a little part! Favorite Toy: Still loves his playmate and the activity bar on his carseat. He loves just staring and talking to us. He also likes stroller walks/runs! Looking forward to: Our summer trips to San Diego and Lake Tahoe! Should be lots of fun! Mommy also turns 30 next month! Yikes!

My Monterey Favorites

2018-04-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

It is April 2018 and we are almost one full year into our tour in Monterey. It has been a big adjustment for our family, but we have done well with embracing a new place (for the most part) and have found some amazing places on our journey! Here is a list of some of my favorite things in Monterey, with special tips, too! I've been working on this post for a while and this list will continue to evolve as we discover new things!

I updated this post again in December 2018 to include more of my local favorites!

Mission Ranch
This is by far one of our favorite places for dinner and is an awesome place for special occasions and to show visitors the beauty of Carmel. Owned by Clint Eastwood, Mission Ranch doesn't take reservations, but that's ok, because you can sit outside (when we have good weather) and enjoy the sunset and a cocktail while you wait! If you prefer not to wait, get there right at 5pm. There will likely be a line already forming. I've heard there is a locals list that skips the wait, but we aren't that special yet! They also do a Sunday brunch which is really nice! $40 per person and includes a glass of champagne. They also have a piano bar that turns into a "sing along" every night at 9pm.

Monterey Bay Aquarium
When most people think of Monterey, they think of the aquarium. It truly is an amazing place and there is so much to see and do! We don't currently have a membership, but if you plan to go more than once, I highly suggest it as it will pay for itself on the first visit. We've been fortunate to borrow our friend's guest passes and also took advantage of the free passes from the library. All you need is proof of residency and you will get a pass for up to 6 guests. You will be required to show your library card and the form for admittance. Blackout dates apply including spring break and summer.

Parking can be tight near the aquarium, but I suggest having lunch at the c restaurant + bar and they will validate your valet parking for up to 3 hours, which is the perfect amount of time to have a yummy lunch and browse the aquarium! Many of the restaurants around the aquarium are tourist traps, so be advised! Expensive and not the best food! I also like Lalla Grill and Johnny Rockets (for a quick and casual meal)

Lunch with a view at c restaurant + bar

My Museum
My Museum is a great spot for toddlers and small children! We first went for a birthday party and loved it so much that we decided to get a membership. They offer many classes and activities, including Kinderjam. They also offer a reduced admission of just $2 on the first Tuesday of every month for Monterey County residents. The membership is $100 for the year and a great value!

Shoreline Community Church
We've been blessed to find an amazing church here in Monterey! Shoreline offers so many wonderful programs including Awana, MOPS, VBS, Growth Groups in addition to regular Sunday services with childcare at all services (8:30, 10 and 11:30).

Monterey Bay Recreational Trail
Spanning 18 miles from Castroville to Pacific Grove, this is my favorite place to run or walk. You will never get bored of these gorgeous views and you are bound to see some type of wildlife while you are on your walk or run! You can also rent bikes from NPS or Adventures by the Sea. They offer a military discount and have surrey bikes as well!We just did the surrey bike in December and it was a hit! We stopped at Wave Street Cafe for a yummy lunch!

Surrey Rentals are $25/hour

Breakfast at First Awakenings
Arrive early and check it out on a weekday! Yummy breakfast and right near the aquarium and rec trail! The California Crepe Egg is my favorite!

Il Vecchio
My friend Tina recommended this restaurant and it has become Kyle's favorite! Their Italian is authentic Northern Italian food and so good! Our favorites are the Gnocchi and Chicken Marsala, but honestly, you cannot go wrong with anything on their menu. They also offer an early bird special on pasta dishes if you order before 5:30pm.

Biscuits and Gravy at From Scratch
Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, their biscuits and gravy help fill the void of the lack of Southern food in California. They serve their biscuits with the most delicious homemade jelly (that you can also purchase) and a side of fried cheese grits! Yum! Best part? They serve breakfast all day!

Salt Wood Kitchen & Oysterette
My fav is the JC (bacon jam and grilled brie?! yes please) the Fried "Full Tilt" Chicken with a cheddar biscuit and polenta! It is the south on a plate and so yummy. Totally big enough to share! Kyle loves their oysters. The atmosphere here is so amazing and is right down the road from Fort Ord housing. Truly a hidden gem!

Wine Tasting and Charcuterie at Folktale
When you walk into the garden area at Folktale, you will be greeted with a delicious glass of bubbles, to start out your tasting experience! I love Folktale because of the atmosphere and the sun. Located in Carmel Valley, it is usually a little warmer and sunnier, which is a huge plus for me. Enjoy yummy farm-to-table appetizers while you have a wine flight. Folktale also has corn hole and other lawn games. We bring our kids and pets are allowed too! Don't forget to ask for a military discount!

Brunch at Crema
This is an adorable spot in Pacific Grove. Downstairs they have a sweet little coffee shop and upstairs, they have a full service coffee shop! Military discount is 15%. We loved the chicken and waffles.

Refuge
Refuge is an amazing get-away! I've been several times, but I was pregnant, so could not fully enjoy! I don't recommend going with friends, because it is very hard to resist the urge to talk, as it is a silent facility. Enjoy time in the hot and cold pools and relax around the fire pit. Active and Retired Military receive 20% admission M-Th!

Bernardus Spa
My favorite spa experience so far on the Peninsula! Bernardus itself is truly a dream. It is secluded and sits on 28 acre of vineyards, oh and did I mention it is warmer and sunnier there?! I would spend every day here if I could. I highly recommend their organic facial and they also do a 10% locals discount! Stay all day and enjoy the amenities!

Bernardus Lucia Restaurant
Great for date night or a GNO! Bernardus is gorgeous and the service is impeccable.
Monday and Tuesday - $8 till 8 on cocktails
Wednesday- $15 Brick Oven Pizzas, $2 Oysters and Drink Specials (5-7pm)

Stroller Warriors Monterey
I've been a part of Stroller Warriors in Hawaii and in Jacksonville and it is truly an amazing organization. The members are SO welcoming and instant friendships are created! Workouts are on Tuesday and Thursday morning at 9:15am at various locations.

Ventana/ The Sur House
A more upscale Big Sur experience with the best view by far! Food is more eclectic and expensive, but they do have a burger on the menu. The view and ambiance cannot be beat! Even better, you can make a reservation on Opentable!

Big Sur River Inn
Great for lunch, ice cream and relaxing in the river on the Adirondack chairs. Don't forget your rain boots to walk in the river!

Nepenthe
We've only been once and it was a little foggy, but the views were still amazing. Get there early. It is a very popular restaurant! On their site they have a live weather cam, so check it out before you make the trip down.

Bixby Bridge
Completed in 1932 and recently made more popular by the show Big Little Lies, this is a must stop photo-op on your way down to Big Sur! It is absolutely breathtaking! We stop every time we drive down to snap a photo!

Asilomar Beach
Asilomar is one of my favorite places for pictures and a wonderful place to watch the sunset. You will want to bundle because it can be rather chilly and windy here, but it is so beautiful! Parking is free and fairly easy, but be sure to park inside the lines on the side of the road or you will get ticketed!

Pebble Beach and 17 Mile Drive
This a great excursion for guests who come to visit! You can drive on 17 Mile Drive and then have lunch at Roy's at Spanish Bay, Sticks or Bench at the Lodge overlooking the 18th hole. Be sure to stop for a photo with the Lone Cypress. It's also fun to pull up Zillow and guess the home prices as you drive through. You will need $10.25 to access 17 Mile Drive (or say you are going to an open house and provide the address), but you will be reimbursed for that fee when you spend $35 at a restaurant and provide your entrance receipt!

The Lone Cypress

18th Hole at Pebble Beach

Bento Box at Roy's at Spanish Bay

Don't miss the bagpipers that play nightly at Spanish Bay at 5:45 p.m. during Daylight Savings, and a half hour before sunset during the winter months

If you are looking to buy Pebble Beach souvenirs, check out the Outlet on Cannery Row. They have huge sale racks and more affordable items. They also offer a 10% military discount.

The Farm in Salinas
This was one of our first adventures when we moved here! We went to the farm for one of their weekend events and had a blast. They have pony rides, hay rides, a small petting farm with rabbits, bunnies and goats. They also have u-pick flowers that are super fun to cut and make a fresh bouquet. On Tuesdays and Wednesday, they also do a story-time at 10:30! Its a great place to visit!

Peter B's Brewpub
We love going here for happy hour and dinner! They have great food and it is family-friendly. Some of our favorites include the sweet potato tots (Charlotte's favorite), wings, hot pretzel and their burgers. They also have complimentary popcorn that you can get from an old-fashioned popcorn machine! So fun. They will also validate your parking for you as it is located in the Portola Hotel. Happy Hour is 4-6:30pm daily and was voted "Monterey County's Best Happy Hour"

Baldemiro's Taco Shop

I was craving Mexican one night and honestly, we eat a lot of Chipotle and I have been a little scared to try some of the local places. I'm so glad I took the plunge because it is SO good and super affordable. I love their carne asada tacos and their carne asada fries! Yum! They are closed on Sunday.

Burrito and Carne Asada Fries

Gusto's Pizzeria and Pasta

Also located in Seaside. It's an adorable spot! We enjoy takeout from here and also eating at the restaurant. They offer a happy hour and delicious authentic Italian. Their pastas are homemade. We love their Margherita pizza, lasagna and butternut squash ravioli.

Heirloom Pizza

My friends went out to dinner here the night that Hux was born. We were in the hospital, so we weren't there. This place is SO good. We didn't go until August and I so wish we would have found it sooner. They feature deep dish pizza and my goodness is it yummy! I love the "Heirloom Pizza" which is their signature with gorgonzola cheese. So yummy! The "PB&G" is another good one that has pear, bacon and gorgonzola. If you go to their website you can get added to the waitlist or visit their website as it is a small restaurant. They do offer delivery through toasttab.com and they do a military discount!

Paris Bakery

This is a great spot for a quick bite before or after a visit to My Museum as it is right across the street! The food is so good and super affordable. I love their quiches, french onion soup and pastries! So yummy!

Charlotte loves their "Princess Cake"

Hux: 2 Months

2018-04-18T21:31:00.000-07:00

My handsome boy!

April has been a much better month for us! Hux celebrated his first Easter and went to church for the first time and I got my PICC line out the day before! The ladies in the nursery love him! My mom went home the day before Easter and that was bittersweet! I miss her and wish we lived closer, to all of our family for that matter.

An outtake! So happy!

These two! :)

Hux continues to be a great eater and sweet little baby. He rarely fusses. I just had my first uncontrollable moment with him the other day. It was a first at 2 months old!

My handsome boy!

Weight: 12lbs. 1.5 oz.
Diaper Size: Size 2
Clothing Size: Still squeezing into some NB things, but going all the way up to 6 months!
Sleeping Habits: His longest stretch has been about 4 hours. He usually does a long stretch in the morning. We are surviving for now!
Adventures this Month: He had his first day at school. Just for 3 hours, but he did great. He went to the church nursery for the first time and slept his way through several dinners, too!
Visitors: No visitors this month, but looking forward to more coming soon!
Milestones: He started smiling and loves to coo. He follows things with his eyes and can hold his head up very well!
Favorite Toy: He loves his playmat and looking up at the lights and animals. He also loves his Rocky and Play and sitting propped up on his Boppy and watching me put on my makeup and do my hair! :)
Looking forward to: Summer vacation! We have some fun trips planned with our friends!

Masters Sunday & Homemade Pimento Cheese

2018-04-09T08:18:00.002-07:00

Every year, we have a tradition to make homemade pimento cheese and watch the Masters Golf Tournament! If you have had the privilege of attending this exclusive tournament, you will know that the pimento cheese sandwiches are still just $1.50! What a deal!

We use a recipe that was given to us by Kyle's great uncle and his wife. It's super yummy! Yesterday the weather was amazing! So while Kyle watched the Masters, Charlotte and I played in the backyard in our bathing suits and got some sun! It was heavenly!

Here is the recipe:

2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (this makes all the difference)
3 tbsp. chopped pimento
1/2 cup mayo (we prefer Duke's, but when you are in California sometimes this isn't an option)
2 tbsp. grated onion
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1/8 cayenne pepper
Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with crackers or on a sandwich (good ole' white bread is the best)

My lovely chef of a husband whipped this up while I put away groceries and it seriously hit the spot! I can't remember the last time I've had pimento cheese!

If you can't make it homemade, I highly suggest Palmetto Cheese. It's the best! You can get it at Costco (of course ours in California doesn't have it) or at Publix.

I know what I am having for lunch today! Always double the recipe for leftovers!

My Top 10 Baby Must-Haves

2018-04-03T14:21:00.000-07:00

Baby Hux, 5 days new! Look at that tush!
Photo Credit: Mint Portrait Studio

I had Charlotte in 2014 and ALOT has changed in the baby world in 4 years. You can read an endless amount of blogs and articles about what you need for baby, but I am big believer that every parent and child is different and what works for you, may not work for others. I've narrowed it down to my top 10 and have linked up the items on Amazon! Be sure to price compare on other sites and on your registry

1. Fisher- Price Rock and Play - This is a lifesaver! Charlotte loved this and so does Hux. Because we have a 2 story home, we registered for another one of these and got the plug-in one that actually rocks. I would highly suggest it! It has a timer and perfect to help soothe baby and fall asleep!

Taking a snooze in the Rock and Play!

2. Wipes Warmer - I know some moms who laugh at the thought of this, but I absolutely love it! We just have one upstairs, but it makes middle of the night changes so much better!

3. Nose Frieda - Hux has already been a little stuffy and this really helps with getting the gunk out. The concept is a little weird, but there is a filter, I promise!

4. Dr. Brown's Bottles - We used these with Charlotte and although the parts are a pain to clean, I really think they help with gas! Hux became a champ at bottle feeding while I was in the hospital and pumping!

5. Ergo Carrier - I love my Ergo! Sadly I haven't had the chance to use it with Hux, yet, but it is great for trips to Target when they get tired of the carseat! Don't forget the infant insert, too!

Rockin the Ergo at the Beach in Hawaii with Charlotte!

6. Boppy - this pillow makes breastfeeding practically hands free! I would highly suggest one for your living room and one for your bedroom or nursery. Amazon has tons of cover options, too!

The Boppy also makes for a perfect prop for big sister to hold baby!

7. Spectra S1 (S2) Breast Pump- This is an amazing pump and was literally my best friend in the hospital. I had a Medela hospital grade pump in the room too and both pumps produced the same. I don't know how I messed this up, but make sure you get the S1 as it is portable/battery is chargeable. The S2 is not! I was super bummed I didn't read the descriptions properly! I also highly recommend using The Breastfeeding Shop to order your pump. Look for a post later this year on Military Moms Blog about this service! I keep my pump upstairs in my bathroom and use this awesome hands free nursing bra to pump while I get ready!

8. Carseat/ Nursing Cover - I love this new style! It's more of a t-shirt material and doubles as a nursing cover. The material is lightweight and easy to throw in the wash. It is also super affordable at $9! You can buy multiple!

9. Boon Lawn/Grass Drying Rack - I upgraded to the lawn since we have more bottles and items with Charlotte's cups too. This is great for drying everything. Don't forget the Twig and Stem attachments to hang the parts on!

10. Infant Play Gym - Charlotte used this as a baby and Hux is loving it now, too. He will lay under it for 20-30 minutes and it really buys me some time to be hands free!

Playing together!

If you had to pick a favorite baby item, what would it be?

Hux Ashton Chance

2018-03-17T06:20:00.001-07:00

The morning after he was born, we finally took a decent photo. Boy do we look exhausted!

Wow, it is almost 2 weeks after Hux was born and I am just opening my laptop to attempt to write this post. I don't even know where to start, but I will and hopefully it won't be too long, but you may want to grab some drinks or snacks. :) Edit: it has now been over a month and I FINALLY finishing this post! Oh and here is Charlotte's birth story, which is a drastically different story!

We had a regular OB check on Tuesday, February 13th. I went to MOPS that morning, got my car washed, did a little work and then met Kyle at my doctor's office. I had plans to meet my broker to grab a check and then drive to Toro Park to show a house, but Hux and my doctor had other plans. They took my blood pressure and it was a little high and within the range of pre-eclampsia range (140/90-- I don't think I'll ever forget these numbers). I also was having weekly ultrasounds to monitor my amniotic fluid. Normal range is 5-25, and mine was reading at 26, which is considered polyhydramnios. I was super relived when I had the ultrasound to know that my fluid level had gone done to 22. Awesome! I was in the clear! I went into the exam room and my doctor drops the bomb that I need to go to the hospital for blood work and for a NST. Um, what? No, I have a house to show and I have bunco tonight. This can't be happening. I really was in shock. He assured me it was just for monitoring and if all checked out, I could go home.

So, Kyle and I drove together to the hospital. On the way there, I couldn't believe that this may be IT! When we arrived to the hospital, I was a little panicky. The nurses were slow to react to us because we weren't an emergency. They got us settled into a room and started monitoring my blood pressure every 10 minutes. Of course, I was super nervous so it was super high. The nurse covered up the monitor so I couldn't see the numbers and I just tried to relax. They took a urine sample and also drew blood (my favorite). Little did I know that I would have blood draws EVERY 6 hours for the next week. Hence the bruises ALL OVER my arms. My labs came back with protein in my urine and my blood pressure continued to be high. Kyle went home to gather our bags (which were not packed) and pick Charlotte up from school. Meanwhile my doctor came to the hospital and gave me the news, I would not be leaving and it was time to induce. I cried. This is not how I had thought this would go at all. Especially after my birth experience with Charlotte. I fought hard and one of my nurses played mediator between my doctor and I while Kyle was on speakerphone. At this point, it was a safety concern for my health and for the baby's. So, with that, we started the Cervadil to start to induce labor, which before that even started, I was having some mild contractions.

Kyle got back to the hospital after dropping Charlotte off at her friend's house. Our friends the Crowells were seriously lifesavers in helping us with Charlotte. We are forever grateful of their help with her. Kyle brought back dinner and we just waited. My doctor had mentioned that the induction could take up to 3 days. Wow! Again, not what I planned. It got pretty late and it was just hard for me to sleep. I was so anxious and didn't know what was to come and then of course, in the back of my head I was just praying I wouldn't have to have a c-section. I was woken up all night by nurses and labs, but finally got a longer stretch of sleep around 2am.

Morning came and I couldn't wait to see my progress from the Cervadil. The contractions had continued, but nothing too painful. At 9am, the Cervadil had been in for 12 hours. It was time to check my progress. Well, I was completely disappointed to find out that the nurse couldn't even reach my cervix. So, we awaited my doctor to see what was next. While we waited, we watched Titanic from beginning to end (5 hours with commercials on TV). My lunch arrived and we were still awaiting my doctor and the next thing I knew, in walked my mom and sister! Wow, I was so surprised. They booked tickets the night before and flew out first thing in the morning. It was so great to see them and totally lifted my spirits. My doctor came and checked me and I was 1-2cm. So excited! Now, when I got to the hospital with Charlotte I was already 5cm, so you can see how different this labor was going.

Laboring and get ready for the big day!

At this point, we also got to switch rooms, which was also a wonderful thing. The room we were in didn't have a window and was super tiny. So we were very happy with the upgrade! We got all of our stuff moved over and realized it was probably time to get Charlotte from school. My mom, sister and Kyle left to go surprise her at school and I tried to get some rest. The Parkland School shooting was unfolding and all over the news. So sad. I had started feeling stronger contractions and the monitor was showing them between 2-5 minutes apart. I texted our doula, Krista, that maybe it was time for her to come up to the hospital. Shortly after that, my contractions literally stopped. It was so frustrating. She came and brought me a birth ball and hung out for a bit, then headed back home so we could both get some rest. Kyle returned to the hospital, we ate dinner, Facetime'd Char and just waited... I got checked again at 9pm, after another 12 hour round of Cervadil. I was just 2 cm dilated. I was so frustrated. I decided to get in the shower to refresh and relieve some of the pain. Then I bounced on the ball and Kyle and I walked the halls. Kyle was a great coach and helped with the contractions. We would stop at this world map on one of the walls and talk about places we've been to try and take my mind off of the contractions. Around 10:30pm, we decided to call Krista back up to the hospital. This allowed Kyle to get a short break while Krista kept me company and walked the halls with me. Once I would stop walking, the contractions would subside or get further apart. I was really tired at this point and something had to give. I was going on over 24 hours of not really sleeping. I don't recall the time, but I think it was 1am or 2am where I had a breakdown and my nurse, doctor and I decided it was time to start Pitocin, which for me, meant it was time to get an epidural. I hadn't had Pitocin before and really didn't want to have to experience it without some type of pain meds. At this point, my labor literally felt like a bad dream that just wouldn't end. The birth of our son just seemed SO far away.

The anesthesiologist came in and began to prep for my epidural. I was so nervous and just began to cry. He asked me if I wanted to get the epidural and of course I did, I was just a wreck. After prepping my back and placing the plastic wrap on my back, it was time. Thankfully, it was not as bad as I thought it would be and similar to my experience with Charlotte, except this time, it worked and my pain was relieved! I got a catheter and then the nurse and Kyle moved me onto my back and I tried to get comfortable and get some rest. This was challenging as the nurses and lab techs were constantly coming in to draw blood and check vitals. Kyle, Krista and I all got some rest and the next thing we knew it was morning and I was 5.5cm! Finally some progress!

My mom and sister came back up to the hospital and we just hung out and waited for progress, especially for my water to break. I was diagnosed with polyhdramnios ( high amniotic fluid) towards the end of my pregnancy which also meant weekly ultrasounds to look at the fluid. At my appt. on Tuesday, the AFI was finally down within normal range, but I was warned that when my water broke, it would be a lot! Around 11am, I started to prep for delivery! I freshened up, put on some makeup and brushed my hair. I was going on almost 12 hours of being in the bed and was getting a little bored. At this point, I also couldn't eat, but was able to have water. I was checked again and at 7cm. We talked about breaking my water, but needed my doctor so waited for him to get to the hospital. But, that wouldn't be necessary because it broke on its own! My belly practically went flat! Yes, there was alot of fluid. My doctor arrived shortly after and this is where my labor started to take a turn. At this point I was 8-9 and almost ready to push, but Baby Hux had other plans. His heart started to decelerate with every contraction. Electrodes were placed inside of me and on his head to get a better reading of his heart. Then they put an oxygen max on me. I started to cry. I was so nervous. My doctor placed another set of electrodes on his head and after more decelerations determined that the cord must be wrapped around the baby's neck. He said let's wait for one more contraction, but I declined, I didn't want to wait any longer. The next thing I knew, they were wheeling me out for an emergency c-section.

Oxygen mask on, not sure what was happening at this point, but Hux's heart was beginning to drop.

The next few hours are such a blur. Kyle got suited up and I was taken into the OR. It was cold and bright and there were at least 20 people rushing around. They moved me to the table and put my arms out like a T. At this point, Hux's heart rate was down to 60. The same anesthesiologist came in who did my epidural. My OB pinched my stomach and asked if I could feel him doing that and I could. At this point, I'm pretty sure I was lifting my back/butt off the table because I was so scared and didn't want to feel them slicing me open. The anesthesiologist gave me more pain meds and my OB called for Kyle to come in. The next 3 minutes are some that I don't ever want to have to re-live and I will spare the details of what it felt like to get the baby out. One thing I will say is that his head was already engaged into the birth canal, which meant one of the nurses had to go inside to push his head back up the other way! I didn't feel it, but she told me that later. All was made better when we heard Hux crying. I could see absolutely nothing, but Kyle saw him being taken over to the warmer. He was OK! Kyle went over to check on him and the process of sewing me back up started.

7lbs 2oz, the same weight as big sister Charlotte!

After a quick check, Kyle and a nurse brought the baby over to me. The blue drape was so far in my face there wasn't even a spot to put the baby on my chest. I saw his face and tried to kiss him and then they left and went into the nursery. We didn't even get a picture. Kyle said goodbye to me and planned to see me in about 20 minutes...but, my body had other plans.

As I laid on the table and felt them sewing me up, I remember asking one of the anesthesiologists how much longer it would be. He said about 15 minutes. He asked if I wanted something to relax. Yes, that would be great! He put a nose cannula on me and gave me what I think was fentanyl. But, right before that, I threw up. Throwing up bile while on your back is really not fun. Thankfully I was able to turn my head and get it into a basin. I remember hearing the doctors and nurses ask if they got all of the placenta out and that is really the last thing I remember.

Hux was born at 3:29pm. Once I got the fentanyl, I don't remember anything until I woke up at 7:00pm in the PACU. The first thing I asked Kyle was, "Do I still have my uterus?".

So, what exactly happened? Well here is a recap of what happened during those 3.5 hours once I fell asleep. As they were stitching me back up, my uterus continued to bleed and would not contract, which is a condition known as uterine atony, which is likely related to the preeclampsia. At this point, my platelets were also running low so my blood was not clotting. I was re-opened and a D&C performed as a precaution to ensure there were no placenta parts left. Once you see my placenta, you will understand why. It was mangled and the cord was barely hanging on. Had I had a vaginal delivery, things could have gone very differently. I really believe that God intervened.

My placenta. Not anything how it is supposed to look, with the cord barely attached.

I continued to bleed and lost 2000cc of blood volume, about half of my total blood volume. After two blood transfusions, things started to turn a corner. At this point I was intubated and under general anesthesia. I remember nothing. My uterus was still floppy and so a Bakri balloon was inserted into my uterus to stop the bleeding and I was finally closed back up.

Waking up in PACU, I was super groggy and delirious. During the time I was in surgery, my family cared for Hux. His first meal was a bottle of formula, I would have never guessed that would be how it went, but it did and he did great! They also weren't given much information about me at all. It was a very hard and difficult couple of hours for them. I really feel so lucky to still have my uterus and to be alive. My doctor and the team of nurses really saved my life. Once the surgery got complicated, there were 4 OBs and 2 anesthesiologists caring for me. I owe them everything.

Finally at 7:05pm, I got to hold my sweet baby Hux! My body could barely move, but he melted right into my body. Holding him instantly restored me. Kyle and I finally took our first picture with him. We were all ok.

I will continue the recovery in another post. I am truly so grateful for all of the prayers and support from friends and family from all over the world. In this huge mess of a situation, I am so grateful for everyone and everything.

Hux: 1 Month

2018-03-15T21:06:00.001-07:00

Wow, what a month it has been! I am STILL working on the birth story and now have my lovely recovery story to share, too. Hux's first month has been quite uneventful for him. We have barely left the house because I have been so sick. Charlotte had been all over by the time she was a month old. You can read her 1 month post here.

Hux is such a sweet and chill baby! He is quite content and really only cries during his diaper changes and if he is hungry! He's been in his carseat several times and doesn't complain too much! It took three different sessions get his newborn photos done! He did not want to fall asleep! We got some really amazing photos of him (and Char too) and I can't wait to share them.

Weight: Last Friday, March 9th, he weighed in at 8lbs 6.9oz.
Diaper Size: While I was in the hospital, he graduated to size 1 diapers!
Clothing Size: NB and some 0-3 outfits. It's crazy how things that were huge on him are now getting tight!
Eye Color: Blue so far!
Sleeping Habits: He is sleeping pretty well. He sometimes will even put himself to sleep all by himself. He will be awake and then the next thing I know, he has closed his eyes and called asleep.
Adventures this Month: Poor Hux. Due to my health, we haven't done much! He hasn't even been to Target yet. His adventures include going to his doctor's appt, newborn photos, hanging in the parking garage while I was in the ER and going to Mission Ranch for brunch. He's definitely a homebody!
Visitors: So far Gaga has been here twice, Aunt Ashley and Papa and Grammy visited too!
Milestones: Taking a bottle like a champ! We switched to Dr. Brown's from the Haberman's nipple, he can lift his head up off of our chest, he follows voices and even made eye contact when I Facetime'd with him. He also smiles in his sleep or when you rub his cheek!
Favorite Toy: He is taking a paci (same one as Char) and loves snuggling soft blankies.
Looking forward to: Aunt Ashley, Uncle Bob and our cousins come next week to visit! We can't wait!

Baby Boy's Nautical Nursery

2018-02-13T13:23:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to share our Baby Boy's nursery! I think Charlotte's room was done before I was even 20 weeks pregnant with her. Baby's room is the smallest in our home, so it definitely took some creative thinking to get everything to fit! It's cozy, but super cute!

We finally put the finishing touches on the room yesterday (after I had to ask Kyle to move some things on the wall around) Whoops! Hanging projects are one of his least favorite things, but I am so happy with how it all turned out and he did a great job. We just need to get some of his newborn photos printed when he does arrive and we will be good to go!

We moved Charlotte's daybed into his room and I'm so glad we did! Its a great extra spot and this IKEA Hemnes daybed has 3 large storage doors underneath that are amazing for keeping toys, blankets, etc. One of us ends up in here between midnight to 3am when we can't sleep because of snoring!

The shelf above his table is holding his tiny diapers!

His dresser is on the smaller size, but it really all that the room allowed. Thankfully boys don't have quite as many accessories as girls, so I think we will be ok. I also got this over the door shoe organizer and it has been an awesome addition to store shoes, bowties, hats, swaddles, etc.

I was able to repurpose Charlotte's chair from her nursery! My mom cleaned it up while she was out visiting and it looks brand new! This custom nautical pillow from Etsy is one of my favorites in his room!

I've linked up all the items I purchased for his room below:

Crib in Rustic White -Target

Dresser in Rustic White - Target

Crib Bedding (Bumper and Crib Skirt) - Pottery Barn Kids

Anchor Crib Sheet - Amazon

Daybed Bedding - PB Teen

Daybed Accent Pillows- Home Goods

Custom Nautical Flag Pillow - Etsy

Anchor Monogram - Etsy

Wooden Shelves with Rope Accents - Michaels (these were BOGO Free, when I purchased)

Rug - Amazon/ Safavieh

Anchor Lamp - Hobby Lobby

Vintage Map Wood Wall Decor- Hobby Lobby