SOCIAL MEDIA

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Things to do Tampa Bay | Monster Jam

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

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Thank you to Feld Entertainment for gifting us tickets to Monster Jam!  As always, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.
 
Did you miss the Monster Jam show earlier this month?  If you did and are super sad about it (like I am), then you have another chance to go!  Monster Jam is coming back this weekend, Saturday, February 3rd, to Tampa and will be providing the adrenaline charged family fun we all love at the Raymond James Stadium!


If you are a fan of Grave Digger, El Toro Loco, Soldier Fortune, Cleatus and Hot Wheels, you are not going to want to miss this special show!  You will seriously be on the edge of your seat the entire time!  It's not too late to get tickets and your kids will definitely thank you for it.  If you have little ones, like I do, then you can easily turn this into a fun date night too.  Tailgating, pit parties and more truly does makes for a great night for all ages!


For more information on Monster Jam, check out their social media!

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Last Week with the Funk's

Monday, January 22, 2018

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This post contains affiliate links.  

Welcome to my (new) weekly post of what we did for the week!  I'll share things I'm loving, things I'm working on and everything in between. Some weeks will be exciting, but some will probably be boring #keepingitreal  
If the week before taught me anything, it's that slowing down and taking a break is okay.  My husband was off work on Monday for the holiday, so we basically just hung around the house.  We had plans to go honey-bell picking (something we've been trying to do for weeks now), but it was really cold out again and I wasn't feeling great, so that didn't happen.  I even had plans to meet a friend for lunch and had to cancel that too.

 I started a new Bible study session last week and it felt so good to be back since before Christmas.  The study we are working on is called The Quest and it's going to be a good one.  I can't wait to share more with you as the weeks go on.  We had a play date in the afternoon and the girls had a blast, as always.  

 We even had our first MOPs meeting for the year and it's always so much fun to have all the wonderful women and moms I've met over the last year or so all in one room.  We talked about the importance of YOU and ended with yoga that was both entertaining and relaxing!

 There is a nearby library that hosts a music and free play class on Thursdays and we decided to meet up with some friends, run off some energy and have a lunch date at Chik-fil-a.  Did you happen to read my last blog post and the only blog post I managed to write last week?  I promise we don't go to Chik-fil-a as much as it sounds. 


My husband and I even started a Bible study together last week, called Love and Respect, that is going to be pretty amazing too.  I'm excited to see where it takes us in our marriage and how it helps us grow as a couple.  My in-laws kept our girls that night, so we got to go on a date after our class and decided chips and queso at Tijuana Flats was the right way to do that.

I got a much needed morning with a good friend Friday morning since my girls were still with their grandparents and got to enjoy my coffee hot!

Since this weekly post is about real life and how our week went, I have to admit that we spent most of our Friday evening cleaning and making sure none of us had lice after a text from a friend who's kids had it.  Thankfully we came out in the clear, but I know with Emma starting school soon, this is only the beginning of notes like that and even though it's a pain, it's not a big deal.


We did have an amazing weekend.  The weather was perfect both Saturday and Sunday.  We went shopping, put together and bounced on the girls new trampoline, had friends over and a movie night, grilled out and watched the football games!

Actually, even though this week seemed slow, it was eventful.  I'm excited to share some big things that are happening in the Funk house soon!

How was your week?


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To the guy who cut me off at Chik-fil-A...

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

6 comments
Thank you.

 Thank you for giving me the opportunity to teach my oldest daughter who is almost 4 years old a life lesson. 

 Thank you for cutting me off after we had just attended Bible study and not another time of the day where I might not have been as pleasant.  Because of this, I was able to teach my daughter the appropriate way to respond in a situation like this.  A situation where you were not so patient or polite.

 Your impatience meant that I could teach my daughter how to be patient and how to wait our turn.  Thank you for giving me the chance to teach her that sometimes having patience means waiting a little longer than we want and that some things are worth waiting for...like the delicious milkshake we enjoyed afterward.

It's is because of you that I was able to teach my daughter respect and how to be kind to others.  That it is okay to get frustrated, but it not okay to act on that frustration.  That sometimes in life, you just have to take a deep breath and be thankful for where we are, thankful that the other car (you) didn't hit our car in the process and thankful for the extra bonding time and conversations we got to have in the car together.

Now, this all may sound silly to you, but to an almost 4 year old who had already been waiting for 10 cars ahead of us, it isn't silly.  If you were a mom, during lunch on a weekday at Chik-fil-a, you would understand and know what I'm talking about and if you had just waited, then you would have known our order of one small chocolate milkshake literally only took less than 30 seconds to order and pay for. 

 So again, thank you.  Thank you for giving me more time with my daughter and the chance to teach to her in the moment.

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A Peek Into Our Lives Last Week

Monday, January 15, 2018

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This past week was a week of learning that not everything goes as planned. That motherhood is staying on your toes and being able to adapt quickly.


We started our week on a good note and attended the Pygmy Hippo Name Reveal Party at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo.  The weather was perfect and we had such a great day.

 Of course, that quickly changed when a few hours after we got home, my youngest got sick and threw up.  What was supposed to be a night off for my husband and I turned into another routine night with our girls.  They were going to stay the night at my in-laws, but thought it was best we try another night since Charlotte had gotten sick.

 They did take the girls on Tuesday, so I was able to run some errands and enjoy my coffee while hot.  They had such a good day, that they ended up staying the night this week after all!

 I attended our MOPs (Mother's of Preschoolers) leadership meeting and it was nice to see all of the moms I love.  Most of us hadn't seen each other since Christmas.  We caught up and planned our upcoming meetings and mom's nights, which we all know we need!

 My father-in-law celebrated a birthday and Emma even got to help make the cake!  We got home from my in-laws and a day of fun, to a night of sickness.  Em woke me up around 11pm saying that she didn't feel well.  As soon as she got comfortable in our bed, she threw up all over me.

This continued until 430am and we decided to miss the Lowry Park Zoo and a first look at their new baby orangutan that we were invited to attend.  We were all sad to miss, but sometimes you just need to slow down.  We cuddled and watch movies all day and I prayed that Charlotte wouldn't get sick again.

January 11, 2018
{Motherhood is being flexible and sometimes not being able to do the things you planned (like getting a first look at the new baby orangutan at @lowryparkzoo this morning)

It sometimes means getting woken up in the middle of the night with a little one who has a upset tummy and then getting thrown up on 🤢#thathappened
 
Motherhood sometimes means staying up to hold your baby and lack of sleep in order for them to feel better. 

I may not always know the curve balls that motherhood is going to throw at me, but what I do know is motherhood is ALWAYS worth it. 

Thank you @ashleysolbergblog for taking this photo and reminding me how much I love being a mom. That the little hand holding, the adventure down a "secret" hallway to see our favorite superheroes, the extra cuddles I'm getting in and the "thanks for taking care of me, Mommy" makes the late night and long day we are having so #worthit ❤️}


Thankfully, a couple of days of rest was just what we all needed because we are back to feeling better for the weekend! We celebrated another birthday of the sweetest two year old and Michael and I decided not to brave the cold, skipped Monster Jam and had a date night out instead!


We ended with a trip to Shark Days at the Florida Aquarium and I got to meet up with some of my favorite blogger friends! 


I'd love to hear how you week was! Leave a comment below :)
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2017 Recap and 2018 Goals

Friday, January 12, 2018

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It's crazy to think we are almost through the first half of January.  I'm not sure how that happened, but it did and here I am finally posting about my major events in 2017, top 2017 blog posts and my goals for 2018.  Better late than never, right?

 First, I want to say thank you to everyone who supported me in 2017 and who continues to support my blog.  I love when you can relate to something I've written or when something I write is helpful.  Thank you again for sticking around and reading, commenting and following me and my family! 
 

Top 10 2017 Blog Posts:

 #10 Emma Grace's Birth Story

 # 9  It's Date Night! with Kona Grill

 #8   How My Miscarriage Made Me A Better Mom

 #7   A Magical Unicorn Birthday Party   

 #6   How I Save at Publix + Creamy Alfredo Garlic Chicken Pizza

 #5   Coffee is My Love Language + Our Coffee Bar

 #4   Beach Bag Essentials | Toddler Edition

 #3   Baby Shower Brunch {On A Budget}

 #2   The Perfect Snack for Holiday Gatherings

 #1   Excuse the Mess, I have Toddlers | 3 Tips for a Tidy Home with Toddlers (most viewed for 2017)

 Big Life Events in 2017

 I made friends!  Ha! This may sound silly, but I was still new to my MOPs group and made some really incredible friends throughout the year.

 My oldest was on the cover of the 2017 Florida Strawberry Festival Guide! This will be so much fun to go back and show her one day.



My husband and I celebrated our 5 year "date-iversary" and one year of marriage.  We even celebrated my 30th birthday in Washington, D.C.. And followed that trip with a New Kids on the Block concert!

 We went to Disney on Ice...twice! Blogging brought a lot fun things to do in 2017 and I am so thankful.  This also included Sesame Street and Marvel Universe Live!


 We traveled! Three trips to Texas, one to Kentucky, one to Washington, D.C.  One of those trips, was my first kid-free trip to Dallas with a good friend.  

 My Abuela visited us for a month and it was the best time.  She was even around for my oldest 3rd birthday in May.  My youngest turned 2 in November and we celebrated with a carnival themed birthday party.

 We went to Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium several times.  We had more play dates and outings then I can count and loved every single one.

 Charlotte was dedicated at our church and Emma went to Vacation Bible School for the first time.



 We had a miscarriage late Summer, which resulted in a D&C.  Shortly after, we evacuated Florida for Hurricane Irma.  While I was out of state, I got to meet up with fellow blogger, Kelly, from OohBother.  She's amazing, so be sure to check her out! 

 Emma started soccer for the first time and I started taking photos for friends, which was outside my comfort level.  Taking blog photos is one thing, but actual mini sessions is another.


 My girls dressed up as Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck for Halloween, we spent Thanksgiving in Texas and had the best Christmas to date!



There is so much more we did here and there in 2017, but I would be writing all day!  It was a good year!

2018 Goals 

 I gained a lot of weight last year, for different reasons and big goal of mine is to live a healthier lifestyle.  I want to lose weight, but do it in a way that I keep it off and I want to include my family in this journey.

I want to dedicate more time to my blog during my free time.  I don't want to take away from any time I have with my girls.  This will be my last year at home with my oldest full-time since she will start school in August.

 While dedicating more time to my blog, I want to write more about our life, things we do daily/weekly/monthly, things to do in our area and more.  I absolutely love when I get sponsored posts, but I don't want that to be my main focus this year.  I want to grow my blog.

 I want to travel more in Florida.  There are so many neat things to do and see in Florida that is an easy car ride away.

 I'm sure I will add to my goals throughout the year, but this is what I have for now. Thank you again for following along!

What are some of your 2018 goals?  What would you like to see more of on my blog?


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The new baby Pygmy Hippo's name is....

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

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I'm just going to jump right into it, the moment you've been waiting for...the Pygmy Hippo's name is

 HOLLY BERRY!

 Such a cute and perfect name for the sweet baby hippo that was born before Christmas
to Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo.  The Pygmy Hippo is rare and endangered (with less than 40 pygmy hippos in the program), so this has been very exciting for the zoo! Holly Berry currently weighs in at 35 lbs and is adorable!


My girls and I were invited to attend the zoo and their Name Reveal Party yesterday.  We had fun counting down and finding out the winning name.  Lowry Park Zoo held a social media contest to help pick the name, so it's been fun all around leading up to this event.  We even enjoyed Honeydew melon popsicles from The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops afterwards, which were flavored after mama hippo's (Zsa Zsa) favorite food, melons!

Right now, you can see Holly Berry in her habitat in Ituri Forest located in Safari Africa at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. The Zoo also just launched three special offers for guests to see Holly Berry including offers for active military, first responders and Florida residents.

Here are some more photos and a video from the party and the rest of our trip at the zoo! 


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Marvel fans assemble! Marvel Universe Live! Age of Heroes is here!

Sunday, January 7, 2018

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Thank you to Feld Entertainment for gifting us tickets to Marvel Universe Live!  As always, all opinions are 100% honest and my own.

If you haven't purchased your tickets to go see Marvel Universe Live! Age of Heroes, I'm totally okay with you stopping at this point and heading to their site now.  You can come back and finish reading about how much fun we had over the weekend at their opening show in Tampa, FL and getting a glimpse at some photos we took.  It was that great!

I never thought as a mom of two girls that I would be living in a house where my daughters would be chasing each other around, pretending to be Spider-Man and fighting off the bad guys.  Now, let's be honest...they do this all while wearing princess shoes, so it truly is the best of both worlds and I know my husband isn't complaining.

 I think he was as excited if not more than the girls about going to see Marvel Universe Live!  With over 25 Marvel Superheroes and Villains from Captain America to Loki to my personal favorite, Groot!  The show was packed full of "high-energy stunts, world-class motorcycle tricks and monumental aerial maneuvers in an original adventure"


There was not a dull moment throughout the entire show and my oldest didn't move!  She was so intrigued by it all.  Her favorite part being Spider-Man, of course.  My youngest, who just turned two in November was up and down, but none the less, loved it.  There were moments she didn't move either, but I would recommend this show for 3 years and up.  The show was less than two hours long, which was perfect for them. 


Be sure to check out Marvel Universe Live! on Facebook to find out when the show will be in your area!  You aren't going to want to miss it! Here are some of our favorite moments :)


 
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The Carnvial Came to Town | Charlotte's 2nd Birthday

Friday, January 5, 2018

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Huge shout-out to Amanda Noelle Photography for capturing the amazing photos of Charlotte's birthday and to the small shops who helped bring the party together! (This post contains affiliate links)


I still can't believe that my littlest one is two!  This last year with her went by faster than the first one.  Since her birthday is a few days before Thanksgiving, we usually celebrate a few weeks before and lucky for us we chose the weekend that the actual carnival was in town and just down the street!  Charlotte's Carnival themed birthday party was a huge success and it was so much fun to continue birthday celebrations at the real carnival.


We had a great time making attempting balloon animals with the kids and face painting!  I had planned some fun carnival games for the kids to play (like a guessing booth and ring toss), but the kids ended up spending most of the time in the bounce house and having potato sack races.  Seriously, so much fun.  We topped it off with a game of Pie Face, which was a big hit! 

 

We had all the basic carnival food you could think of and it was delicious!  Corn dogs, pretzels, hot dogs, cotton candy,  a popcorn bar, caramel apples and much more. We washed it all down with lemonade to drink!  Cracker Jacks were a great party favor and an easy one that you can't go wrong with!


For dessert, we added frosted animal cookies  to her carnival cupcakes and they were the perfect addition.  I had planned on making Charlotte's birthday cake this year, but ran out of time.  Walmart for the win!  I surrounded her birthday cake with gumballs for an added touch and it came out better than it would have if I had made it myself.  After we sang Happy Birthday, all the kids grabbed a fork (totally on their own) and dug right in!




I had so much fun planning this birthday party for my TWO  year old.  It's such a great theme for any time of the year!

party details: 
Face Painting
Potato Sacks
Carnival Sign
Striped Table Skirt
Carnival Printable Tags by SIMONE made it
Striped Table Runner by Sew Many Linens
Headband by Birdie Baby Boutique
Circus Themed Tutu and Shirt by Little Keiki Bou-Tiki



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