Trip Report: Exploring Tampa, Clearwater & St. Pete

Love St. Pete posts? Check out my other trip reports here & here!

My love affair with FL stems from my childhood and the numerous summers spent visiting family down there (Miami, Delray & Ft. Lauderdale just to name a few), as well as the obligatory trip to Disney any time we even set foot in the state. I love the beaches, the theme parks, the crystal springs, the palm trees (kind of obsessed with them), and yes, the heat (I will gladly take 365 days of boob sweat if it means I don't have to suffer through 4-5 months of cold weather). So naturally, FL is without a doubt, always my #1 destination of choice. There are lots of wonderful towns to explore, pristine sugar sand beaches to visit, and old cities steeped in rich history (I see you, St. Augustine)! But somehow, St. Pete has become one of our favorite places to vacation (this was our 3rd summer in a row) so a few weeks ago, my family & I roadtripped it down for a weeklong stay, which got rescheduled 3 times & almost didn't happen, due to the-virus-that-shall-not-be-named.

We love this area of FL because it has some of the best beaches and is pretty centrally located to lots of other fun cities & beach towns. Downtown St. Pete has a really cool & funky vibe, with a small town feel, and I could 100% see myself moving there one day (soon...if I get my way! But those who know me also know that I've been trying to make this my reality for years now).

Lavender Fields Forever: An Evening at Lookout Lavender Farm

You know those stunning wanderlust photos on Instagram of girls in white dresses, looking wistfully off into the distance in the middle of a lavender field that goes on for miles & miles? I've always wanted to experience that. Well, majority of those are in Provence, France, and unfortunately, a luxurious trip to France just isn't in the cards for me anytime soon (I can only imagine the insanity that would ensue on a transcontinental flight with my two year old. Hard pass).

Lucky for me, I stumbled upon a little farm just outside of Chattanooga where I could live out my travel bug dreams & experience a little taste of the lavender fields for myself.

Everyday Pixiedust: 10 Ways to Live the Disney Magic on the Daily

Buckle up and por favor, mantenganse alejado de las puertas, guys, because this is going to be one long ride! I mean post...(if you're reading this, you're probably at least a little bit into Disney. If you make it all the way to the end, congratulations, you're officially a Disney junkie).

So we're stuck in quarantine, the world feels like it's falling apart at the seams, and the Disney parks are closed (insert exaggerated 3 minute long gasp here). For some of us addicts, this is absolutely soul crushing. Ok, I'm being dramatic here because in the grand scheme of things, there are more pressing matters. BUT we still need a little pixiedust in our lives, now more than ever. So what's a Disney fan to do when you can't go to Disney? You bring Disney to you. 

No, I'm not talking about those epic overchieving people that have gone viral with their videos about how they made a Jungle Cruise ride in their backyard or completely transformed their living room into Cinderella's Castle (I'm a working mom stuck at home with a 2 year old. I do not have time for that - kudos if you do). This post is all about simple & easy ways how you can bring home that Disney magic that we all know & love. Whether it's muddling through quarantine, a long gap between Disney trips, or getting over a Disney vacation hangover, there are plenty of ways to keep the Disney spirit alive & well at home.

Staying Sane in Quarantine

It's been a minute since I last posted. You'd think with all this quarantining and being stuck at home it would be just the opposite and I should be killing it right now at the blogging game, but I'm trying to work from home and at the same time care for my 2 year old & attempt to keep her entertained (Disney+ has become our version of Mary Poppins: it makes for a great nanny when I'm busy with work - more on this later)!

These days we're all stuck inside a lot more than we'd like, but it doesn't have to be all doom & gloom! I wanted to throw a quick post together to share some of the things I've been doing here at home to stay sane during these uncertain & unprecedented times, and offer up a list of some things you guys could try too!

Dealing with Anxiety in the Age of Corona

Looking for more self care articles? Be sure to check out this post on self care here!

Y'all know I love fun, colorful, whimsical content. But in today's ever changing environment, I would be doing you guys a disservice if I wasn't churning out some content that might help deal with what is going on in the world these days. Even if only one person reads this, if they can take something away from it that is helpful in any way at all, that matters to me.

So by now, we're all probably sick of hearing about COVID-19, but unfortunately it is unavoidable: it's everywhere! It's absolutely terrifying, and for someone who already stresses out on a regular basis about normal everyday issues like cleaning the house & being on time for appointments, layering a debilitating, life threatening, incredibly contagious disease on top of that is a recipe for a panic attack (or 5).

The New Normal: Tips for Working from Home

With the pandemic comes a whole slew of new vocabulary words and practices which have all become the "new normal": social distancing, self-isolating, quarantine, flatten the curve. In an effort to do all of these things, many businesses and places of work are now either closed completely or have adopted a policy of working remotely. With that comes many challenges, depending on your situation. Got kids? Hah, it just got 10x harder (I speak from experience), but it's 100% manageable. 

In Full Bloom: Spring Look Book Ft. Ann Taylor

Disclaimer: this post is sponsored by Ann Taylor with clothing gifted by the brand in exchange for posts. All thoughts & opinions are my own..

Me in winter: long sleeve shirt under a muted toned sweater, fleece lined black leggings, and 8 blankets on top of that.

Me in spring: HELLO COLOR & PRINTS!

It's almost spring! The warm temps are finally here and my bold & bright wardrobe is slowly emerging from the depths of the rubbermaid containers where it has been living for the past 6 months (the struggle of sharing 1 tiny barely walk-in closet with your hubs). I love spring for so many reasons, but a big part of what really gets me excited for the season is just the fashion! Since I don't live in sunny vacationland (Florida) 24/7, I can't really put my Lilly Pulitzer outfits on repeat year round, and while I do have some bright & fun sweaters for fall/winter, I mostly just opt for whatever is going to keep me the warmest from October - February. But come March, I emerge out of my little fleece cocoon, because it's finally warm enough outside to not need puffy jackets, Uggs, and quadruple layers of clothing (really though, you guys would think I lived in Antarctica with the way I talk about "winter" in Tennessee. My beachgirl blood just can't take it).

Shop With Me: In-Store Event with Ann Taylor

It's almost the first day of spring, and I'm so beyond excited for the new season! Winter has felt like it's lasted for forever + a day, and it's basically been monsooning off & on since the middle of February. I don't know about y'all but I'm burnt out on wearing oversized sweaters, muted colors, and opting for warmth over fashion. My spring & summer looks are 1,000x more fun to put together than winter, so March couldn't come soon enough!

To kick off spring, I partnered with Ann Taylor for a fun event. They have so many great pieces right now that you can snag from their spring collection (give me all the bold colors and florals, please)!

Brunch Like A Local: Ruby Sunshine Restaurant Review

You know that sinking, defeated feeling you get when you slink into a fast-food breakfast joint at 10:35 AM, only to be greeted by a smug-looking cashier who says (in the most condescending way possible), “Sorry. We just stopped serving breakfast” (yet you can clearly see a stack of chicken biscuits basking in the warm glow of the heat lamps behind her)? OK, thanks for nothing, KAREN.

This is why all-day brunch joints are my new best friend. What’s not to love about stuffing your face with (stuffed) French toast at 1:30 on a lazy Sunday afternoon, while gossiping over grits with your besties? Lucky for me, Ruby Sunshine just opened up here in Chattanooga, and I am 110% here for it! (Because Karen isn’t going to dictate what time I can eat pancakes, thankyouverymuch).

Good Hair Days: R+Co Product Review

Ever since I had my daughter, I feel like my hair has taken a turn for the worse. I suffered some postpartum hair loss and when that finally subsided, I was left with some seriously strange texture to my hair. It felt so different, tangled easily, and trying to run a comb through it was like brushing with a cactus. I pulled so hard one night that the handle of my brush literally broke, and that scene from Princess Diaries started playing in a loop in my head ("You broke my glasses!" "You broke my brush.")

My hair has finally returned to somewhat normal status, but now more than ever, I am always on the lookout for great hair products to help manage my new mane. I am so glad I discovered R+Co hair products because they are truly outstanding! All of their products are cruelty-free and created without parabens, sulfates, or any of that other yucky stuff you just don't want in your hair products. One thing that instantly caught my eye when I was browsing their product line was how they "theme" each product. "R+Co is about an experience," so all of their packaging & fragrances are designed to "enhance that experience and evoke a feeling, place, style or attitude." So I took this idea & ran with it. 

They sent me a few products to test out, and I loved them so much that I just had to put together a whole post about them. When I find great products that I truly love & believe in, I just have to share with y'all. But full disclaimer here, while I was gifted these products, I was under no obligation to do an entire post about them (& all thoughts & opinions are my own). I just love them that much. So here we go!