vacation

5 Reasons to take the Girl’s Trip

Filed under: Mom Life · January 27, 2020

Let’s face it, most moms do not even think of taking a trip without the hubby or the kids. But did you know that recent studies show that regular vacations with your girlfriends, mom or sisters are a form of self-care? Yes, you read that right. Taking a girl’s trip is good for your well-being, mental health, and productivity.

The latest trip that I went on was to Scottsdale, Arizona. A group of friends planned a trip for our girl’s 40th birthday party. When I first received the invite I immediately had twenty questions pop up into my head. Will the kids be ok? Is it too much money? Will the hubby get upset? What if something happens while I am gone? After about an hour I hit the link to confirm my reservation. Once I got over the initial mom guilt, I began browsing Instagram to learn more about the resort and spa treatments. I knew down deep inside that I really needed this.

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The Stew Crew’s Disney Cruise

Filed under: Mom Life · March 31, 2019

My kids must have watched over 100 YouTube videos reviewing the Disney Cruise. I would walk into our office and find my 8 year old watching the kids go on the slides, eating treats and searching for the perfect room. They started begging us to go last year but I was very hesitant. You see I have been on a few day cruises to gamble and catamarans hanging out with the girls but never slept on a ship. I didn’t know if I could survive with my nerves. In January, I started searching for the best itinerary that fit our Spring Break schedule. I decided on the 3 night Bahamian cruise on the Disney Dream leaving out of Port Canaveral because it left right when the kids got out of school and we could enjoy a few days in Orlando when we returned. When I told the kids they were beyond excited and started counting down right away.

I had anxiety for weeks leading up to the cruise. Crazy dreams that one of the kids went missing lol. Or dreams about missing the ship at the port of entry and being stuck on an island. Yes, I was a bit paranoid. But after talking to a few friends they reassured me that the Disney Cruise was the best cruise to book and I would have a great time. I am so glad that I calmed down enough to really enjoy this trip. We really had a blast. I have had so many people ask me for tips and what not since posting pictures on Facebook and Instagram so I wanted to do a quick review of our amazing Disney Cruise. This is part one because there’s so much to share.

We packed up the truck on Thursday afternoon and jumped on the Turnpike around 4 p.m. heading to Orlando. My hubby and I decided that it was easier to already be in the area then jump up at 6 a.m. rushing to the Port and something crazy come up like the SUV breaking down or unbearable traffic. The truck had been giving us some problems and even though we picked it up from service the day before we didn’t want to take any chances. We arrived to Orlando with way too many bags. Anyone else over pack like me? After checking into the Hilton Lake Buena Vista Palace we headed over to have dinner at Paddlefish in Disney Springs. It was delicious!

On Friday morning we checked out of the hotel, grabbed breakfast from Panera and headed to the Port around 11 a.m. I was already freaking out and driving my husband crazy. We left a little later than I planned and I was starting to worry. Well we got to the port around 1 p.m. which was an hour before our boarding time. First tip: Drop your bags off at the drop off before parking the car lol. We didn’t do it and had to roll the bags quite a distance. After clearing security and check in we had our picture taken in our matching shirts and our cruise adventure began. Tip 2: Get cute themed shirts from Etsy or Amazon.

Everyone was so nice and helpful as soon as we walked on the ship. It was like being at Magic Kingdom but on water. We immediately went to our rooms to decorate our doors. Tip 3: Order a fun door magnet to help identify your room from the others cause they all look alike. I ordered ours from Etsy. I was super impressed with the rooms. I originally booked the Veranda ocean view that slept 5, but my husband decided to add another connecting room because we are used to the extra space. (I/m so glad that he did) The kids had their room and we had ours. I must say the beds and showers were amazing considering we were on a ship. I need to find out what kind of mattress they had.

Each night had a theme so you want to pay attention to the itinerary. There was a Sail Away party, Pirate night and Fancy attire on our ship. Most people dressed up each night but you don’t have to. I got tons of compliments on our t-shirts and pirate costumes. After the sail away party my kids rushed to put on their swimsuits to hit the slides. We enjoyed dinner at Animation Palate where we had an interactive meal with Crush from Turtle Talk. It was super yummy and fun. The kids went to the Oceanaire Kids Club after dinner while the adults explored the ship. The ship was so big by the way that we did not make it to the front of the ship. There are over 1250 room on the Disney Dream! Crazy right? Stay tuned for Part 2 later on this week.

Here’s what my eight year old said about the cruise. “My favorite thing on the Disney Cruise was the Kid’s Club, Goofy’s Sports Simulator and the Aqua Duck!” She must have gone on this slide 20 times.

XO,

Sharonda

One HAPPY Island

Filed under: Mom Life · August 21, 2018

Boy did this summer fly by!!! We had our usual family trips to Orlando and Nassau. A few play dates and outings scheduled here and there but the main event of the summer was turning 40. I was super anxious about turning 40 last month. I survived and turning 40 wasn’t as bad as I thought. I got some really nice birthday gifts too. My kids made me three beaded bracelets with a little bling bling. My hubby got me the red Prada bag that I was watching for months at SAKS and I got a surprise trip to Aruba!!!!!

I had about three weeks to plan my outfits and itineraries. I spent hours on Pinterest looking at pictures, reviews, suggestions and outfit options. I even asked my Facebook peeps for travel advice. I shopped and shopped and shopped some more. New swimsuits, coverups, shoes you name it, I bought it. When August 2nd arrived I was ready!!!!

Aruba was amazing!!!! We spent 4 nights and 5 days at the beautiful Ritz Carlton Aruba. As soon as we arrived at the hotel we were greeted with Champagne. Everyone was smiling and so friendly and I loved all of the different accents. At check in I always ask if there were any upgrades available and sure enough there was an Executive Suite. The room was amazing. The best part was the breathtaking views of the sunsets. The room was so nice that I didn’t want to leave but we had a whole happy island to explore.

Most of the time we hopped in cabs to see the area. There were so many restaurants and bars to choose from. One night we ate at the on site steak house BLT. It was good soooo good. The mini doughnuts were to die for. The next night we got out and headed to the Palm Beach shopping area. We had dinner at a place called Azia. The ambiance was so nice kinda South Beach like and the food was delicious too. I loved the vibes and the big Buddha statues that were all over the restaurant. We hit up the casino every night after dinner. The casino was a lot smaller than Atlantis but it was cool. Almost every hotel on the island has its own casino.

Everyday we spent time on the beach. The water was so beautiful. It was very windy though. Nobody warned me about the wind and how the sand blows really hard. Like it hurts so you have to be real or stay in the water lol! We rode the paddle boat and tried paddle boarding for the first time. I was so proud of myself for trying something new. They had these super cool floats too. We felt like young kids out there on the water.

On day 3, we rented a car and headed to the downtown area and Baby Beach. I really wanted to do the jeep excursion but my back can’t handle those terrains. Downtown had a strip called the Renaissance mall. It was adjacent to the Renaissance Hotel. They had a lot of the high end stores like Gucci, Dolce, Prada, LV and Michael Kors to name a few. We stopped at the famous Dutch Pancake House and had delicious berry pancakes. The line was wrapped around the front of the building so we had to wait like 30 minutes but it was so worth it. Everyone wanted those famous pancakes! They are kinda like big crepes and come in like 50 combinations.

It took about 45 minutes to get to Baby Beach. It was so peaceful and serene. There were cool rocks everywhere. We got there to late to enjoy the water but it was nice to sit and take it all in. We took pictures and actually played in the sand. It was just what we needed!!! On the last night we did the sunset cruise. It started off really nice and everyone was having a ball. We met some really cool people from Maryland and Texas. The further we sailed out, the more the waves started crashing harder and harder and I got a little paranoid. I thought that I was going to get sea sick. Thank God we survived, but I told my hubby that I won’t be going on another catamaran for a few years.

I was really impressed that this little island had so much to offer. We could have stayed a few more days because there were so many other sights that we wanted to see. I am so thankful that the grandmas cheerfully agreed to watch the kids for us. And I am so grateful for such a loving, thoughtful, handsome hubby that spoils me rotten. Aruba is definitely one happy island and we can’t wait to go back!!! We agreed that the next time we would definitely take the kids. Hope you enjoyed the pics and had an amazing summer too!!!

XO,

Sharonda

Summer Fun at Dolphin Mall

Filed under: Mom Life · July 2, 2018

Happy July!!!!! Summer is officially in full swing and if your kids are going stir crazy in the house like mine, you should consider heading to Dolphin Mall. Dolphin Mall is Miami’s largest indoor outlet center featuring over 240 stores and theme entertainment. Dolphin Mall is celebrating summer with tons of great promotions and activities for kids. The Stew Crew was super excited when I told them that we were heading to the Dolphin Mall Mommy Blogger event. This event gave us a preview of all of the amazing things that Dolphin Mall has to offer.

Our first stop was Dave and Busters! This summer they are open early at 10 a.m. This was their absolute favorite part of the day. What kid doesn’t love to play video games, like 벳위즈, all day?

There is an exciting new Jurassic Park 3D ride that came out just in time for the movie release. They also added new basketball games similar to those on Ladbrokes Near Me, food items and more ways to win those prizes!!!! We played skee ball, table hockey, Mario Brothers, and shot lots of hoops. On Wednesdays, Dave and Busters will offer half price games all day long. Sounds like the perfect place for a play date, right?

Next we had about an hour to shop. I really wanted to go to IKEA but everyone knows that you need more than an hour at IKEA. We strolled through the mall and almost every store had some kind of huge sale going on. It was a shopaholics dream come true. Some of my favorite stores there are True Religion, Neiman Marcus and the Saks outlets. It is not easy shopping with 3 kids so I just window shopped that day. We grabbed a little snack from Starbucks and headed to Cinebistro.

Have you ever been to Cinebistro? It is where dinner and a movie really mean just that. They have an amazing menu full of gourmet dishes and delicious desserts. You can get your traditional movie snacks like candy, popcorn and nachos but you can also have fettuccini Alfredo, cheesecake and a martini. The comfy plush seats and extra room made my kids feel right at home. We enjoyed watching the Incredibles 2 with all of the other families. Cinebistro is kid friendly until 6 p.m.

The next time we go back I promised to take them to Bowlero. On Mondays they have $14.19 unlimited bowling and shoe rental. Bowlero is really cool too because they have laser tag. Cobb theaters will offer free admission to kids every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. so you definitely should check that out. The Stew Crew had a blast and can’t wait till we plan our next Dolphin Mall outing. For more information you can visit www.shopdolphinmall.com!!!

XO,

Sharonda

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Summer Self Care

Filed under: Mom Life · June 1, 2018

Yayyy! Summer is like really here! Well not officially according to the calendar but most of our kids will be out of school soon and that means that we don’t have to wake up as early to rush to school but we do have to find ways to keep them busy. For SAHM summer can be really challenging. You don’t get your usual free time to workout, or time to clean and do chores without yelling “stop that” every ten minutes. Between camps, vacations, play dates and all of the down time, we moms will probably work harder in the summer than during the school year. It is still extremely important that we make some time for ourselves to de-stress and stay sane over the next 10 weeks. As June approaches, I wanted to share a few self care tips for the summer. And for the record I am not just preaching to the choir, I have to remind myself of this too.

Top 5 Tips

Power walking: It helps release stress and burns calories
Meditation a few minutes a day preferably in the morning to set the tone for the day. Evenings are great too. I find that it helps me settle down before bedtime. There are some great guided meditations on YOUTube. I personally like Gabby Bernstein or Headspace
Take a yoga class or self practice with Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube! She has a lot of 21 day challenges and you pick your level.
Mom’s Night Out. Call up your mom squad and schedule a happy hour. Town and House have great ladies night specials on Monday and Tuesday nights.
Stay-Cation!!! Squeeze in a quick overnight trip to your favorite hotel in your city and just enjoy the quiet time. If you can’t stay the night, just spend the day and enjoy the spa and relax by the pool. Trust me you will feel refreshed. I highly recommend the Mandarin Oriental. The spa is amazing!!!!!

I hope that these tips help you to keep calm and have a magical summer. The most important thing is to remember it is okay to take a break, you deserve it!!!!

XO,

Sharonda

Almost 40

Filed under: Mom Life · January 25, 2018

So I am about six months away from the BIG 40. (I know you can’t believe it either) Seems like just yesterday I was a sophomore in college trying to figure out what to do next. Talking on the phone with my best friend making plans. We knew where we would live, how many kids we wanted and what our dream car would be. Ok, that was like 20 years ago and yes time truly does fly. In 20 years I have gone from a college student, elementary school teacher, to wife, to SAHM of 3, to an entrepreneur and it has been pretty damn good ride. I am actually pretty excited about my 40th birthday. I guess it’s kinda like one of those milestones that you hear about and can’t wait to see what life is really like when you are in your forties!

For about two years now I have been telling my husband my idea of this huge 40th birthday bash. You know like the ones you see on television or in the movies. I pictured everyone all dressed up in white cruising on this amazing yacht. Maybe about 40 people on board with us and we would sip champagne all night long. It would be so fancy and dream like. I have already told my hubby’s friend who use to sell yachts to help him find a great deal. I even put the guilt trip on my hubby since he has never given me a party in 13 years. (I know what you are thinking, it’s about time)

But last week I had an epiphany. Why spend all of this money on a yacht party for everyone else to have fun and I run around like a chicken with my head cut off? You know somehow we always end up doing all of the work. Besides my birthday is in July. It is going to be hot as hell in Miami and most of my friends will be out of town. What if I could go on the trip of my dreams?

What if we went to Paris for my 40th birthday? That would be so amazing. I have been wanting to go for years now but the kids were a little to young to leave for a week. I could finally see the Eiffel Tower and smell the beautiful flowers and drink wine for days. Not to forget all of the delicious food. So I am putting it out into the Universe I want to go to Paris. I am cutting up pictures and putting them on my vision board. I am going to tell everyone and speak it into existence. Any recommendations? I guess I better renew my expired passport lol!

#almost40

XO,

Sharonda

Turks and Caicos

Filed under: Mom Life · August 4, 2017

This summer has been super busy, but in a good way. Over the past 8 weeks we have been to Orlando, Atlanta, Atlantis and on Monday the hubby and I headed to Turks and Caicos. It was amazing!!!! Well…. it didn’t start off like that. The night before I was super anxious because my son started getting an upset stomach. I wasn’t sure if it was nerves or something he ate but since he’s on a strict diet, I started freaking out. Yes, the mom guilt started to kick in. What if he gets sick while we are gone? Are they going to stick to his diet (cause you know nobody does it like momma)? Does he have enough snacks and supplements to last for four days? Will the girls miss us too much? Yes, I was starting to drive myself crazy.

The Gansevoort

On Monday morning we woke them up to say goodbye and dropped the dogs off to the boarding house. I kept checking my phone because I was waiting for a package to come in. (I ordered a few last minute outfits from Neimans) At 10:30 we headed to the airport. Everything was moving pretty smoothly and we boarded the plane at 12:30. After pushing back from the gate the plane just sat there for about 20 minutes before the engine shut down. The pilot notified us that due to Tropical Storm Emily we would be delayed a while. I was like Tropical Storm, what Tropical storm, WTH is going on? Apparently a storm hit north of us around Bradenton, FL and all flights heading south are being held. We sat on the tarmac for 2 hours before finally flying out. CRAZY!!!!

Strolling on the beach

After arriving 2 hours later we cleared customs, grabbed our bags and headed to the Gansevoort. Hello Paradise! It was love at first sight. This hotel was the perfect setting for a few days for #justus. No interruptions at dinner or quick 2 minute showers because you had an audience waiting for you. Time alone to reconnect, enjoy the beach and just chill. The greeters met us with Rum Punch and our room keys. We didn’t have to do anything but sip and head to our ocean view studio.

First night sunset

Over the next three days we enjoyed spending time together. We had dinner on the beach while watching the sunset. We got to play on the beach like kids. (I actually drew in the sand) One evening we took a sunset cruise of the island and saw all of the amazing houses and gorgeous clear water. The spa treatments at Exhale Spa were right on time. (I think it was the first time I took an outdoor shower) We met some pretty amazing couples from all over the states. Some were celebrating their birthdays, on their honeymoon or just on a quick getaway from the kiddos like us.

Drinks with our new Cali friends

Turks and Caicos is a beautiful place. The beaches are crystal clear and the people are very kind and happy. It is a great place to go and just chill. Although we didn’t get to kayak or paddle board this time, I had an amazing time with my husband. We are already planning our next trip. Three years is way too long for a #justus trip. Every husband and wife needs time alone to just be together. So if you are in desperate need of some couples only time, I definitely recommend Turks and Caicos. It is perfect!

#justus

XO,

Sharonda

P.S.

The kids had a great time with their grandmas!

Summer Fun at Dolphin Mall

Filed under: Blog, Mom Life · June 15, 2016

Yesterday my kids and I took part in the Dolphin Mall loves Mommies event! This was a day full of food, fun, and yes my favorite…shopping! We met up at Brio for light bites and I must add that Brio is absolutely beautiful. They have an amazing private room for meetings and parties. After a few words from our Dolphin Mall hosts, we were off to enjoy the day.

We used the open shopping time to shop for Father’s Day gifts. The kids wanted to get Dad something really cool. First stop the Samsung store! They all took turns trying on the new virtual headset! Next we hit up the Miami Heat store. We are huge fans and had to check out the latest gear. You know that I had to go into my favorite stores Bloomingdales and Neiman Marcus outlets. This is when shopping with 3 kids got a little cray cray. I tried to smile and keep my cool as the sales lady glanced over at my 3 dancing in the aisles. Yes #momlife! After purchasing a few things we met up with the group at the next stop.

Lunchtime was a hit! We love going to Dave and Busters. My husband and I actually had our wedding rehearsal dinner there back in 2005. (Time flies) Yes we loved it before we even had kids. The kids enjoyed mini cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, salad and pigs in a blanket. They were so excited to get to the arcade that they didn’t even want dessert. Dave and Busters has lots of new games, menu items and entertainment for all ages. I know that we will go back before summer is over.

By 3:00 I was beat and we had an hour to drive home and prepare for swimming lessons. It was a full day but I am so blessed to be able to spend time with my kiddos. If you are looking for something to do with your crew head to Dolphin Mall. There really is something for everyone. There’s the Imax movie theater, Strike bowling alley, Cool de Sac, Brother Jimmy’s, Cinebistro and so many great stores and restaurants. You will definitely get the cool mom award!

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