The Memory Filled Beaches of New Smyrna, FL

Obviously striking my diva pose.

If you know me, you know that I am not a fan of change. I like familiarity, stability, routine. I come by it honestly- my dad is the exact same way. As a kid growing up, the one family vacation my siblings and I could count on was going to the beach condo for the week of July 4^th. Every year. Same week. And even though we’ve all grown up, my parents still go. Every year. Same week. One of more of us usually crash there for a few days with them, but since I’ve got three kids now, it gets crowded.

And it’s the one week during the year my dad gets to do everything his way. He fries fish for almost every dinner (mom made him give that up at home years ago.) He goes down to the ocean in the morning and late afternoon, announces the tide schedule to the room at large as if that will make a difference in his routine, and puts up the same beach umbrella he’s had since before I was born. And I love it all. There’s something to comforting in routine and in knowing that no matter what has been going in in life, that week at the beach remains unchanged. My family will always be there. They will always have pizza the first night, and they will always watch from the balcony as the sky fills with fireworks on the 4^th of July.

Johnny may kill me for this picture.

The condo building they rent from every year is filled with people of the same mindset as dad. They’ve been coming for years and it’s rare to have a vacancy- especially on a holiday week. I’ve been on a waiting list for three years and finally this summer, we’ll have our own condo. A one bedroom condo for five people, but it’s still a victory. I know mom and dad are glad they’ll have a place to send the boys when they’ve had enough chaos. So this summer, we’ll begin to establish our own summer beach memories with the boys. We’ll stay up late playing in the pool when the lifeguard is gone and won’t take away our pool noodles. We’ll get up early to comb the beach for shells then walk to Mon Delice for a French pastry. We’ll play tennis….well, my sister will attempt to teach us the finer points while I hit balls over the fence and the boys use the racquets as swords. And it will be wonderful!

With Love,

Susanne

Money or Memories?

When you think of Naples, FL, you immediately envision beautiful beaches, warm weather, and gorgeous homes. There's money here. Lots of money. Mansions on the beach are bought and torn down because the style isn't to the new owner's liking. I work in real estate and see houses rented for season (typically Christmas through Easter), that go for $20-40k Per. Month.

Yesterday, my office took a field trip to a newer fancy-schmancy neighborhood so we could check out the model homes. These developers know what they're doing. They start with nicely designed regular sized models, and then build up to the masterpieces. Some of these homes are so big I would probably lose a child in them...which, at times, wouldn't devastate me. I kid, I kid. My favorite house had a room just for wine. Let that sink in. Your wine has its own glassed in, showpiece, room. And here I've just been keeping mine in the kitchen like a barbarian!

I went home thinking about the money that goes into the home and the lifestyle. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't turn down a big, fat check, but I think about all these material things, and I realized I'd rather make a memory with my family than have a gift that will just get broken by the puppy or kids anyway. 

 

In light of this, my siblings and I started a tradition about four years ago. Instead of buying each other gifts, we take the kids and go to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Disney. We're all together watching the parade, screaming on the roller coasters, standing in line over and over for the Buzz Lightyear ride...and I love it! We're going this weekend so I'll have a post next week with the lowdown on what to do and see.   

So hug your loved ones tightly and make memories cooler than a glass wine room!

With Love,
Susanne

Unique Holidays to Celebrate This Weekend

 

Ahhh December. The month of Hanukah, Festivus and Christmas. But did you know how many more days there are to celebrate before the end of the year? Just in case you have nothing going on this week, here is a great list of things to get your holiday spirit going!

Thursday, December 14^th- World Monkey Day

What a great idea! This holiday was begun to raise awareness about primates and their role in our world. Take a trip to the zoo and put ideas in your kid’s heads about asking daddy for an adorable pet monkey! Or is that just me? The Naples Zoo has a                 Primate Expedition Cruise that visits the various monkeys, with each type of primate having their own unique little island. Fun side note, the terrifying 2005 movie, King Kong, was released on the fifth anniversary of Monkey Day.

Friday, December 15^th- National Cupcake Day

Ever had an English Fairy Cake? That’s what cupcakes were called in the 1700’s. And those beautiful little cakes are now popular enough to have their own holiday. So if you’re in Naples and want to experience the most delicious cupcake of your life, try Grace & Shelly’s Cupcakes. You’re welcome.

My wedding cupcakes- complete with Lego topper for my geeky husband and son

Saturday, December 16^th- Chocolate Covered Anything Day AND Free Shipping Day

Double whammy here. Coating things in chocolate is never a bad idea- ask any food vendor at any fair ever! Here’s a simple recipe for Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites that will ruin your diet, but make you the most popular person at the party. 

Now Free Shipping Day is a relatively new holiday; it was established in 2008. And since I can’t be alone in trying to avoid people in stores who are focused on their lists and not their Christmas spirit, I kind of like this idea. Click HERE for the complete list of over 800 retailers participating. For you last minute shoppers, this includes Target, Toys R Us, Best Buy, Bass Pro, Macy’s, Godiva, Ray Ban, Mattel Shop, HP, and many many more.  And most importantly, Love You 5 has FREE SHIPPING on all items right now. Who doesn't want to be a Florida Mermaid while wearing the softest shirt in the world?

Sunday, December 17^th- Wright Brother’s Day

Wrapping up the weekend is the holiday President Eisenhower declared in 1959. It memorializes the first successful flight Orville and Wilbur Wright took on December 17, 1903. We’ve all been on an airplane- we owe a lot to these daring brothers. I think the best way to celebrate is to get on a flight and go visit your family! Or take a vacation, whichever is less stressful. 

Happy Celebrating!

With Love,

Susanne

Memories of Thanksgivings Past

Springfield, Missouri in the year 2001. I was still figuring out how to navigate myself in the entirely alien world of the Midwest. I’d lived in Florida since I was six, so having to wear a coat on a daily basis and use boots for anything other than fashion was still a new concept to me. Having to celebrate Thanksgiving somewhere other than home was an even bigger challenge.

The picture may show a smiling face, but that’s just because I was surrounded by actual, real snow. At that point, it was still a fun novelty. I hadn’t gone to a laundromat in a snowstorm yet and been stuck there for nearly a whole day. I was living in the college dorms and my pastor’s family was kind enough to take me in for the holiday. I don’t remember a lot about the day itself, except for the random fact that it was my first time watching Shrek, and the laughter it brought helped me bond with my new family and survive the first holiday away from my real family. So, thank you, Eddie Murphy!

Ignore the date, gotta love old cameras

Fast forward five years and it’s back to Florida. My first baby, Micah, was exactly six months old on Thanksgiving, and I was so excited to feed him his first real food! That is, until my mother-in-law burst my bubble by telling me she’d been sneak feeding him tidbits for months (insert angry emoji and lots of hand gestures I only used in my head).

The next year, my mom was just as excited for Micah to try her famous green bean casserole. He took a huge bite, made a terrible face, then politely spit it out into his hand and gave it back to mom.

And yes, this picture was definitely taken on the holiday of turkeys, and no, I have no clue why I thought dressing my kid up in a dragon costume on said holiday was a clever idea, but there you go. Micah the Dragon-Slayer.

This picture was taken outside my parent’s house, under the 200 year old oak tree that has watched over all of us growing up. If you look on the left side of the tree, the bat box my brother built when he was about ten is still holding on. I am pretty sure no bats ever used it, but Johnny built it, so there it will stay until it rots off.

This Thanksgiving was in 2008 and I was quite proud that my Mudd jeans, purchased in 2002, still fit and were actually rather loose. Remember Mudd jeans? They were super popular in the early 2000s and I could never find a pair that fit right until that memorable day at a mall in Alabama. I was killing time waiting for my brother’s basketball tournament to start, and there they were. Waiting for me. Flared legs and all. I still have those jeans and I’m going to pass them on to my children.

Okay, back to the subject at hand. Well, actually, that’s all I’ve got about that particular Thanksgiving. Doesn’t my sister, Mary, look beautiful?

This last picture was taken in the not so distant past of 2010. Micah man was four years old, and already a convert of old-man sandals. He actually owns an identical pair today. Pumpkin patching is a favorite past-time of ours, and so is eating the kettle corn usually sold alongside the weird looking gourds and squash. That’s the main reason he’s smiling- I told him this was the last picture before we got our treat. I loved these times with Micah; it was just him and I exploring our little town, ruining our appetite for dinner by eating our weight in kettle corn.

There you have it. Four Thanksgivings and each one full of things for which I am grateful. Have a wonderful holiday weekend and check out these amazingly delicious recipes for Apple Stuffing and Chocolate Pecan Pie.