FLorIdA GeTAwaY!

So I know it is going to be hard to believe, but this blog entry is not going to be about Nora, lol (well not entirely). I wanted to take a bit to tell y'all about Nick and I's latest getaway to Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida. Each year, Nick whisks me off to his annual New York Life Convention. Luckily this has been my third year that I have gotten to tag along with him and enjoy some much needed time to relax, while he spends the majority of his days learning about new tactics with his company. Although some think it would be too hard to leave a little one behind, we actually use this time to reconnect and refresh a bit :) (of course it is hard to leave her behind though because you all know how much we adore her)

I will have to say it once again but, Nick's company does an outstanding job of taking care of it's employees and their families. New York Life Insurance makes sure to choose a destination that is very appealing each year and wines and dines us with yummy food and fun! And probably my second favorite part is getting to socialize with the other wivies that now became some of my greatest friends!

When we found out the destination of this year's conference, we were also excited because Nick has a college rowing buddy that also happens to live in Tampa. It is always fun to reconnect with old friends and him and his fiance did such a wonderful job of playing host! From picking us up at the airport, showing us around downtown and lending us their car, we were ever so grateful to them :) We had a fabulous time spending time together and I always love hearing Nick reminisce about his old college memories, as we did not know each other yet then.

Since we decided to go down a couple days early (as we always do), we also got a chance to visit Busch Gardens. Although it was unseasonably cold there that day, we still managed to have a wonderful time. We know that our times are few and far between now when we can enjoy an amusement park without a stroller and little one in tow, haha. We enjoyed checking out all the animals and riding all the thrill rides. We were even able to catch a couple of shows.

Once we arrived in St. Pete's, the scenery (including our hotel) was just breath taking! We have actually been there before but heck, who is going to complain about a five star resort located on a sandy white beach?! We were about to enjoy 4 days of pure luxury!

My days were spent by sleeping in and then doing beach yoga with my posy of gals right along the water. The afternoons were spent lounging ocean-side or poolside with a cold drink in hand while we waited for our men to finish up with their meetings. Evenings were spent dining out and enjoying some more beverages and adult socialization. A couple highlights of the trip for me also included a spa day with an amazing aroma therapy massage and Nick and I taking a cab down to John's Pass and walking on the Boardwalk.

We were both able to come back with a nice golden tan/burn to show for it. While those back home were getting snow, we were able to enjoy a sunny, 80 degree climate. (Not to brag too much or anything, lol) Of course we were both so excited to get home though and see our precious little gal. Although we enjoyed skyping with her each day, there is nothing like getting a hug from her sweet little arms. She enjoyed a week of quality time with both her grandmas. They entertained her with daily walks, a trip to the mall, lunches at McDonalds and even showing them what she does at Gymboree class. She becomes very attached to her grandmas during this time and for that we are thankful, as she gets to bond more closely with them :)

I don't want to get too long winded so I think I will sum this up with some of my favorite pics of the week. You know me, always have my camera in hand and love to capture the moments! ENJOY!

Build A Puppy Adventure!

So for the past week, our little princess was one sick little gal :( After a trip to Urgent Care, a week of being pretty much home bound and 10 days of antibiotics, we were so glad that she woke up today feeling like her silly self :) She also let us sleep in until 7:50, so we knew it was bound to be a good day!

Following our new goal of doing a "family" bonding activity each weekend, we decided Build A Bear Workshop would be fun to do with Nora, now that she is a bit older. Not to mention, we woke up to a dust storm in the desert this morning, so no one wanted to be out in the elements....

After our little Beanie Head took a two hour nap, mama got her all dolled up to set out towards the mall....of course I had my camera in tow so that I could capture some sweet photos of her expressions and document this as another one of her firsts (I am sure this will not be the last, lol). In the car ride there, we sang songs and Nora entertained us with lots of clapping, signing "more" and also shouting her new favorite word, "yeah". Nick was driving of course, and I was sitting in back providing the side show, and I even caught him just beaming with a smile as he looked in the rear view mirror at his two favorite girls being so silly.

Once we arrived at the mall, we decided that everyone had the same idea as us. It was packed!! The line to build your bear was winding out clear outside of the store. It did not detour us at all though because we had set out to make this a special day for our sweet girl. Surprisingly enough, she enjoyed cuddling with daddy and looking at "bear clothes" with mom and the wait seemed to have flown by. When it was her turn to stuff her bear, I am not sure who was actually most excited...Nora, me or daddy, haha. She was such a big girl and did everything the store workers asked of her (once again the teacher in me, always beams with delight when Nora follows directions and acts mannerly). She even kissed (well tried to eat) the heart and helped sew him up. The little look on her face was just priceless as we handed her the stuffed puppy and she squeezed him oh so tightly. Right then and there, it didn't matter that this little bear just costs us about 30 bucks because it wasn't about the money, it was about the experience!

Following our puppy adventure, daddy treated us to a smoothie and also some play time at the mall. Nora loves all the activities that our mall has for littles, especially the carousel and the play area. I should also mention that neither Nick or I bought one single item, today's trip was all about Nora :)

After we came home, Nora and I also began making her Valentine's bags for her little friends. We are really looking forward to her first ever Valentine's party this Thursday! Be sure to stay tuned via facebook for more cuteness, I guarantee!

Below are some of my favorite pics of the day...remember, it's all about living in the "moment" and the memories that are made :)