-
Three Full Days in Outer Banks, North Carolina
We just got back from our beach vacation for the summer. It was so nice to be back in Pine Knoll Shores visiting Drew’s aunt and uncle again. It truly is one of my favorite places and their view from their dock is breathtaking. We have experimented with leaving at different times to tackle the 9 hour road trip, ultimately we decided that leaving first thing in the morning works best for our family. We hit the road right at 7am to miss Atlanta traffic and after making a few rest stops and giving the kids incentive bags; we arrived with smiles on our faces around 4 in the afternoon.…
-
Road Trip to Virginia and North Carolina with Little Ones
I just got back from a solo road trip with my 4 and 6 year old boys. While I was super nervous to go on an alone road trip with my boys, I am happy to report it was AMAZING and we made some lasting memories! Here, I will share some of the tips I learned from solo traveling along with some of our adventures to Virginia and North Carolina. Tips for Road Trips with Young Kids: 1. “Incentive Travel Bags” If you follow me on Instagram, then you know my researched hack about preparing bags for kids. I simply placed a small toy, a healthy snack and a treat…
-
Fun-Filled Long Weekend Staycation in Atlanta
Happy Summer!! Memorial Day Weekend is always a fun time as it kicks off the start of summer. Our anniversary sometimes falls on the weekend making it even an even more special time. This year, we had original plans to head to a parents getaway in Helen, GA but plans changed and we ended up having a wonderful weekend at home exploring our town! Friday evening, we went to the Atlanta Braves game. Y’all I cannot tell you how much fun it is to enjoy watching your kids watch America’s sport. The boys loved running in the play area, snacking on hotdogs, chips, popcorn and ice cream! Pretty sure their…
-
Family Fun Vacation to Fort Lauderdale with Young Children
Recently, we went on our first trip of the summer to visit friends in Fort Lauderdale. It has become a tradition to visit our close friends following Drew’s big budget meeting and the end of the school year. We spent 4 wonderful days playing in the water, chatting, eating and drinking and having the best time spending time catching up. It truly is wonderful how close friends’ children become close friends with each other (maybe there is something to that?!) On Saturday morning, we arrived at the airport after dropping Scout off at the dog sitters. Side note: if you are in the Atlanta area, I highly recommend Rover.com for…
-
Myths and Insight on Holding Back Kindergartener
It has been a year since we made the much debated decision to hold back or “redshirt” our 5 year old. I had so many concerns regarding his age and him feeling like he was held back and not advancing like his peers…but you know what? NONE of my concerns came true. Y’all holding Reid back for one extra year to gain maturity was the best parenting decision we have made. Take this with a grain of salt, as we haven’t entered kindergarten yet, but seeing the amount that he has grown and matured this year, I feel confident that he will succeed in kindergarten in the fall. I posted…
-
Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Budget Friendly and Last Minute!
Mother’s Day is right around the corner which means it is time to order or send your mama the perfect gift! I am making things simple by sharing 5 super simple and budget friendly gift ideas for those moms who have done so much for us! Keep it simple with a gift card to a spa or nail salon. My mom loves either of these options, who doesn’t love to pamper themselves?! You can call a local salon or order gift cards online, perfect for a last minute gift. Flowers. It is such a simple way to say I love you! Beware: Amazon has great deals but their flowers are…
-
Spring Break in Atlanta: Adventures with Preschoolers
The past week, we stayed in Atlanta for spring break and had mini adventures around town. Since the boys were out of school, we got to go on mini adventures around town that we generally don’t get to do since Reid is in school 5 days a week. My mom was in town which made our adventures even more special. The Thursday before break, I took Reid out of school (perks of preschool!), and we ventured to the Children’s Museum in Downtown Atlanta. We have not been to the Children’s Museum as Covid made me very wary of going to a hands on museum, so it was very special being…
-
Healthy and Simple School Lunches for Young Children
Making school lunches can be stressful. We specifically choose our boys’ classes based on being able to have lunch at home to avoid packing school lunches. I honestly love eating lunch with my boys and it is a lot simpler to just make them a meal at home than to pack a lunch within the allergy parameters at school. I am pretty sure the whole “you make a plan, and God laughs” applies to this year’s school lunch situation. Our school only had one option for Reid’s age group, which meant he had to eat lunch at school. I was stressed about packing a school lunch for the first time…
-
Big Changes From 5 Year Old to 6 Year Old
Birthdays are always hard for this mama, it is the objective sign of getting older and signifies a completely different age and stage. Reid is going to be 6 in just a few days and while he is super excited to have another finger to hold up to signify his age, his mama is reflecting over the years very bittersweetly. Five has been a year of physical and emotional growth for Reid. While I feel like the other ages were more focused on milestones, the fifth year has been a huge leap in emotional status for my little guy. He is definitely growing up and realizing the social norms and…
-
Romantic Weekend Getaway to Highlands and Old Edwards Inn
Drew and I just got back from a 48 hour trip to beautiful Highlands, North Carolina. Originally, I planned a surprise trip for his 35th birthday to New Orleans. His parents honeymooned there many years ago and he always mentioned that he wanted to visit, so I thought it would be the perfect place. However, our family got covid so we had to reschedule and then the weather was calling for rain and temps in the 30s/40s which was not ideal for traveling to New Orleans—so we pivoted and booked a super last minute trip to Highlands which is about 2.5 hours from Atlanta. They say “everything happens for a…
