Road Trip with Riley to Tampa!

On the final day of mom's visit, we traveled down to Tampa to do some shopping, see my grandpa, and have lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. It was the perfect end to an amazing week!




Here are some photos from the day!

Riley trying to decide what to order...

Riley was mesmorized by there large portions and delicious food!

Riley with Grandma and Great-Grandpa.

Riley holding Great-Grandpa's hand. Too cute!

Grandma's Visit!!

"Where you lead, I will follow anywhere that you tell me to. If you need me to be with you, I will follow where you lead."

-Theme song from Gilmore Girls

What a great week it has been with grandma! While I cherish every moment my mom and I spend together, these past few days have been even more special with Riley here. Mom has been a huge help with her new granddaughter, even enjoying changing the really dirty diapers. How cool is that? The three of us have bonded over long walks; iced and hot Dunkin' Donuts coffee; shopping at the mall, Target, outlets, and online; lunch at the Olive Garden; afternoon tea in Starke; and, visiting Saint Augustine. Oh, and we have watched at least ten episodes of Gilmore Girls, and we still have two and a half days to go!



Some highlights...


Tea at the Strawberry Tea Room in Starke was wonderful! I treated my mom for her birthday (which was in January), and we had a marvelous time enjoying pineapple and cream cheese tea sandwiches, strawberry and pecan scones, and a delicious array of tasty desserts. Both of us enjoyed our tea so much that we bought some to take home. Riley was a perfect guest (She slept the whole time!). Out of all of the teas we have experienced together, the meal and atmosphere in Starke were among our favorites.



Then, we headed east to Saint Augustine. A big surprise awaited there for mom: the Atlantic Ocean! We enjoyed a very pleasant stroll through the downtown of the oldest city in America. For me, it was a cross between Savannah, Santa Fe, and Chautauqua. We will definitely have to return to explore the city more.:)



Tomorrow, we are taking Riley for her first portraits at JCPenny. Then, grandma gets to party with Riley while Shawn and I join our adult friends for an adult evening out! Our first alone date since Riley arrived.


On Friday, we are traveling down to Tampa to visit great grandpa and do some more shopping. Oh, and we are hitting the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. The perfect end to a perfect week.


Mom, I love you so much, and I am so glad we got to spend this week together. You are a terrific grandmother - and, an amazing mom. You are my role model. Thank you for such a memorable week. Even if Riley doesn't remember it, I know I certainly will.

My First Mother's Day!

Riley is gift enough everyday, reminding me how wonderful and fun being a mom is. Yet, Shawn put together a fantastic Mother's Day for me, and I was again reminded of how sweet Riley is - and, how thoughtful and amazing my husband is. The day will definitely be hard to top!

First, Shawn let me sleep a couple of extra hours while he took care of Riley and made me breakfast. When I woke up, he asked me to get Riley from her crib, and sitting next to her was a bag from Coach!! I did not have time to open it right then because Riley needed a diaper change and food. When I sat down with her, Shawn brought my breakfast in (banana and peanut butter english muffins) and hot tea.

Once Riley was settled, I discovered that inside the Coach bag was a beautiful wallet! I had tossed around the idea of wanting one for a while, but I never thought Shawn would splurge on one for me. Talk about being surprised. Now, I am going to be one stylish and hip mom! Shawn had also written me a letter that definitely made me cry. Good cry.

For the rest of the day, Shawn remained awesome. He went on a walk with me and Riley, and even made stuffed peppers for dinner. Oh, and took me to Dairy Queen for dessert. All in all, the day was fantastic! Mother's Day might just be my favorite holiday of the year...:)

Did I mention my husband is amazing!?! Not only as a husband and a father - but, as my best friend and the love of my life.

Girls' Night Out!

What truly great girls' night would be complete without ice cream, a chic flic, fabulous company and, of course, Patrick Dempsey?

Last night, I went to see Made of Honor with Irene, Caroline, Lacy, and Kira. We met up with Natasha first for some Cold Stone goodness before heading to the theatre. It was so wonderful to hang out with such an amazing group of friends. Thanks for a terrific night, ladies!

From the moment the movie started until it ended, Tom (Dempsey's character) was adorably handsome and irrestibly charming. Usually it is the male character with the accent that steals the show, but not in this movie. The Scot paled in comparison to the tall, dark, and handsome McDreamy. (sigh!)

In the movie, there is a reference to a psycho blogger who wrote two pages just on Tom's face. While I do not blame her, I think it is enough to say that he is one beautiful man. (long sigh!)

Now onto the movie itself: It was delightful, sweet, and just downright hysterical at times. The basic story is about a man whose finally realizes he has feelings for his best girl friend - but, too late. Tom then spends the rest of the movie trying to become the best Maid of Honor to show Hannah that he has matured and is ready for love. At the same time, he is working hard to steal the bride. Hannah is gorgeous and classy and has a great wardrobe. Her and Tom made a perfect couple. The random moments throughout the movie are priceless. Coffee collars, tiny shorts basketball player, the dunking scot, a kilt that is way too short for Tom, a beaded necklace for grandma, a ridiculous pre-nup for Tom's father, etc. And the swoon-worthy lines were classic: "You make make laugh more than anyone. You are my best friend. I just want to be with you."

This was a great movie to see on a Wednesday night. Not only because it brightens up your week, but also because you only have to wait one more day to see Patrick Dempsey as Dr. McDreamy on Grey's. (very long sigh!)

A Visit From Aunt Alli

This past week, my best friend and twin sister came to visit to spend time with me and her new niece, Riley. We had a wonderful time, taking Riley on her first mall shopping trip, laying out in the sun, reading, watching movies, searching for rehearsal dinner dresses, going for walks, and more. Overall, it was a fantastic week. I was continually amazed by how awesome Alli is - as a friend, an aunt, a medical school student, and a sister - during our time together. I am incredibly proud of all that she has accomplished in medical school and thrilled for her upcoming wedding this summer. In addition, I am so thankful for our great relationship. I have been missing her ever since I dropped her off at the airport four hours ago, and I am already looking forward to the next week we get to spend together in July in Tennessee.

While she was here, we hit Chopsticks with Irene and enjoyed a fab Thai meal, the nice atmosphere and lake view, and great company. If you haven't been to Chopsticks, it is worth a trip. Great menu, good prices, and delicious food. Good times for sure.

We also had pancake night and watched Survivor and Grey's with Caroline on Thursday. Shawn made us all HUGE chocolate chip pancakes that we topped with whipped cream, syrup, and strawberries. Then, we watched our shows and hung out with Riley. I think Alli got me hooked on Survivor. Oh, and I decided it is the one reality TV show I would LOVE to be on.

Now, I am keeping my fingers crossed that Alli gets into an away elective for anesthesia at UF and decides to complete her residency here. It would be amazing to live in the same city again.

Thanks for an incredible week. I love you, Alli!