Are You Taking Advantage Of Your Vacation Time?

I lived in town called Surrey, England which is a 20 min train ride into the London. I truly enjoyed living in the UK. My son was born there, my husband proposed to me there, and I learned a lot about myself there. I wasn't much of a traveler before I meet my husband but I am now a wee be more traveled and culturally aware.

When I lived in England I noticed that everyone was taking vacation a few time a years which ranged from about 3 days up to 1-2 months. I had never seen that in America. They seemed happier too. In America people felt more obligated to their jobs instead of being more obligated to themselves and their families.

I live by the motto "You Only Live Once" and it wasn't meant to be lived in just one place. I have the tattoo on my arm that says - YOLO - just to remind myself sometimes.

Take more vacations, travel, take week off and explore your home town, spend more time with your kids and leave your laptop at home so no one will distract you. Sometimes you have to shut the world out to find your place in this world.

I strive to introduce my children many cultures and to travel within America and other countries and at 8 and 5 years old.

Fill those passport up with new stamps from new countries. Take your vacation without hesitation. Don't just live for work but work to live.

Have fun traveling everybody!!!

Here are some pictures of our vacation to Mexico......

Play Hard with Pretty Hair

I don't know about anyone else but when I'm out and about going to the pool, beach, amusement parks, etc. I need to tame my daughter's hair. To keep her hair in Pretty Bowtique fashion I have to have something cute of course.

I have a "go to play time" hair style. Four ponytails!!!

I comb her hair straight down the middle and another one across for 4 boxes. I then use elastic hair ties or elastic headbands to tie the hair together. Sometimes I will put bows or clips in the hair before we go out or on our way back from somewhere just in case we have to make a pit stop or decide to grab a bite to eat.

I always have a few pretty bows, headbands, or hair clips with me in different colors or style to fit the mood.

Here is an example of her hair in four ponytails. I also have a few pics of her in her swim suit. We get really strong sun rays in Florida so overall coverage is a must. She does have her shoes on the wrong feet but she always likes to take pictures with them like that and afterwards she switches them. What can I say? She has her own crazy personality and I love it!!!

My little silly monkey Ava with her shoes on the wrong feet :-)

Dress up your doll - oops.....I mean daughter

I just love, love, love dressing up my daughter in pretty clothes and pretty Pretty Bowtique Bows! Here are some pictures to prove it.

Pretty Bowtqiue Shabby Chic Headband

Classic Hair Bow

3x Denim Fabric Headband

She's not my daughter but she's as cute as a button and she is wearing a Pretty Bowtique Hair Clip

Shabby Chic Hair Clips

Swimming and Safety

Everyone has certain things they are passionate about and for me one of those is swimming, swimming pool, and safety.

I live in Florida and all to often we have children brought into the hospital from drowning.

Now, I am going to share something that changed me for the rest of my life....

One day at work I was called into a Code Blue in the PICU and because a parent had a seizure, passed out and stopped breathing. I worked in the CVICU at the time which in right next to the PICU. CVICU is the cardiovascular inattentive care unit. When I got to the room there was a two year old boy who had just passed away as a result of an accidental drowning at his grandparents home. His mother was so heart broken she coded herself. We were able to revise her but I still pray for her and think about her all the time.

I have been with children and their parents when the children have passed on but I had never seen anything like this. His mother had no history of seizures yet her broken heart cause her to have one. I don't know what is like to lose a child and I pray I never do but I can sympathize 100%.

If you have a pool in your home or close to it please take every precautions to keep your children and others safe.

We do have a pool at our home and we take get caution to prevent any accidents.

We have......

• Swim gate
• A lock on the gate
• An alarm that goes off whenever my patio door is opened.
• Life jackets by the pool
• All locks are out of reach of children

Here is video of my daughters swimming lesson and pictures of our pool, floatation device, and gate.

Ava's going to Kindergarten!!!!

OMG!!!!!!

My baby girl is off to kindergarten already and I don't know what to do with myself, I've had a wee one in my house since I was 21 and now at 30 I have both of my children is school.

I know I should be excited about this time in my life - starting a new journey and all - but I'm not, I am scared. I am scared that I won't know how to let go a wee bit or that I will be too clingy.

With my son it was different because he has a learning disability so I have had to stay on him for a while and now that is has grown and is improving everyday I look forward to him learning his way because he has struggled for so long.

With Ava it's different because I know she is my last one. My husband and I are in agreement that will not have any more children.

This is my internal struggle but I love watching her grow and I can only hope we guide each other in the next stage of both of our lives.

Check out some pictures on her open house down below. She is also wearing a Shabby Chic Headband from www.prettybowtique.com - Make you way over there for Shabby Chic Headband and more.