Punta Cana is a special place and after visiting twice in the last two years, I’m excited to finally share more details about our travels in hopes that it will help you plan your trip to the Dominican Republic!

Peter and I traveled to Punta Cana in 2019, which was our first time to the Dominican, and we loved it so much that we decided to take the kids to one of our favorite Caribbean spots this year for spring break. Of course they loved it as much as we do and they are already keeping their fingers crossed that we will go back one day! We certainly have a bucket list of Caribbean destinations that we want to visit and that we want to take the kids to as well.

I’ll be sharing where we stayed in today’s post and what we did during our stay. I’m also sharing a few tips that I hope you will find helpful as you plan your next Caribbean vacation!

Where did you stay in Punta Cana and what are your thoughts about the resort that you stayed at?!

• We stayed at the Westin Puntacana Resort & Club both times that we visited Punta Cana and we love it there. Call the Westin prior to your arrival and set up hotel transportation from the airport to the resort.
• The resort is within a gated community and only minutes away from the airport. It is safe and the grounds are beautiful.
• The staff is friendly, welcoming, and provides great service.
• The resort is situated right on a beautiful pristine beach, the water is a stunning turquoise blue, you can swim out to a sand bar in the middles which is so neat, and is within walking distance from Playa Blanca Beach Club.
• The resort is clean and the rooms are nice and spacious and there are nice room amenities as well. Our room was cleaned each day.
• There are two restaurants on property…the Anani Restaurant and the Brassa Grill and Bar, which is located beachside.
• There is a beautiful golf course within 1 mile of the resort and there are plenty of water activities that you can do on site.
• You are able to walk to Playa Blanca Beach Club from the resort (we ate lunch here several days) and you can also rent kayaks, paddle boards, kite surf, snorkel, etc…all within a short beach walk on Playa Blanca.
• There is a small gift shop on site that also has small snacks, etc.
• There is a small workout facility that offers plenty of equipment to get in a good workout and there is also a spa on site, which we have not personally experienced.
• The pool is large and very clean…a great place to hang and spend time.
• The beach has nice chairs, side tables, and umbrellas out each day and they offer great beverage service throughout the day.
• The staff at the Westin makes the best cocktails…be sure to try a Coconut Daiquiri, a Passionfruit Mojito, and a Banana Mama. They have happy hour from 5-6pm each evening as well.
• Anani Restaurant has a breakfast buffet, which is delicious…be sure to check the schedule as to when the buffet is offered.
• The resort fee includes a visit to Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve which we definitely recommend that you visit…you can swim in a few beautiful lagoons!
• There is a ping pong table, which we enjoyed, as well as a volleyball net and soccer nets should you wish to play a game while there with your family.
• The resort is also close to a private residential community called Tortuga Bay and there is a wonderful restaurant called Bamboo where you can have dinner.

Where did you eat while visiting Punta Cana?!

• BREAKFAST – we ate at Anani Restaurant at the Westin each morning for breakfast. During the week we ordered our meals off of the menu and beginning Thursday through the weekend they have a breakfast buffet, which is great as well.
• LUNCH – We ate most of our lunches at Brassa Grill and Bar or Playa Blanca Beach Club which are both right on the beach. Brassa is at the Westin and Playa Blanca Beach Club is a short beach walk away. You can just throw on your coverup and walk right up to both barefoot and sit down for a delicious lunch…there is a nice variety at both and the food is good.
• DINNER – We ventured off of the resort property a few times and went to some amazing restaurants still within the larger gated community of where we were staying. Our favorite was Bamboo, which is at Tortuga Bay. Bamboo will be your more expensive dinner but it was well worth it. We also ate at The Grill and La Yola…both beautiful and delicious restaurants with outdoor seating. All 3 of these are just a short drive from the Westin and you can get a hotel shuttle to and from. On the other days we would stay on the beach, watch the sunset, have a cocktails, and then head to Brassa Grill and Bar right at the hotel.

What activities did you do while visiting Punta Cana?!

• When Peter and I visited in 2019 we did a few different activities. We did an excursion with Adventure Boogies, which was a lot of fun. You drive dune boogies through the countryside, out to a beautiful beach, and then to a cenote to swim in. I definitely recommend this but not with small children. We also rented paddle boards and kayaks one day. You can rent these from a place a short beach walk away from the Westin and take them out right off of Playa Blanca beach.
• With the kids, we primarily stayed right on property with the exception of going to the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve where we hiked and swam in beautiful lagoons. The reserve is a short drive away from the resort and the hotel will provide a shuttle to and from.
• We took the kids snorkeling with SP Divers, which was also great. You can walk to their rental hut from the resort…again, another short beach walk away. We brought our own snorkel gear that we ordered from Amazon and they provided life vests and flippers. It’s best to do this on a day when the water is more calm and when it’s not as windy. One of their guides takes you out into the water and stays with you the entire time. There were a lot of fish and a nice variety of fish as well…it really was a great snorkel trip.
• We also spent a lot of time playing ping pong right at the resort property which was a lot of fun.
• We took lots of beach walks and enjoyed swinging on the swings in front of Playa Blanca Beach Club. The kids also enjoyed swimming in the pool a lot and of course lounging in the hot tub.

What other thoughts can you share or tips to help with planning a trip to Westin Puntacana Resort & Club?!

• make sure you schedule a shuttle from the airport to the Westin in advance and confirm confirm confirm before landing.
• when you arrive to the airport, there will be A LOT of people there trying to take your bags and assist you…we only had 4 bags and did not want their assistance but they are very persistent so be aware and understand that this will most certainly happen. There will also be a lot of people trying to get you into their car in order to take you to your resort…that is why we recommend scheduling your transportation well in advance and ensuring that you end up with the correct transportation company.
• take your own snorkel masks (we love these), take some smaller blow up floats to use at the pool and in the ocean, ensure you have a few pool toys like diving rings for the kiddos, take a nice size beach bag like this one to ensure you can fit all of your pool/beach gear, ensure that you take good goggles for your kiddos (we love these), sunglasses (we love these for the kids), and hats…the Caribbean sun is so strong!
• make sure you pack lots of sunscreen and after sun care including aloe, after sun lotion, cortisone, Benadryl, Tylenol, ear drying drops, and swimmers ear drops. We also recommend that you pack mosquito repellant…we didn’t have an issue with this but it’s better to be prepared.
• we love the Westin but a few things you should know include: there isn’t an easy place to just get a quick snack or breakfast. The restaurants are sit down restaurants so you have to plan for that. The resort is definitely missing a quick service option.
• there is seaweed but its only in certain spots and they do an excellent job of cleaning up the seaweed…often times you will see tractors on the beach plowing up the seaweed. The water is absolutely beautiful and there is plenty of crystal clear blue water to swim in…you may just have to scoot around or over some seaweed. You should also swim out to the sandbar…its amazing but please know that there are some deeper parts to swim over…not many but you cannot stand the entire way out to the sandbar.
• we found ourselves picking up some plastic off of the beach as we saw it…overall, it is a very clean beach and they do not allow plastic straws, which is great, but we would often times pick up plastic bottle lids, etc that was left behind.
• the Westin can definitely update some of their common area furniture, etc. but overall it is a nice Caribbean resort.
• although we feel that the service overall is wonderful, it can be slow at times…primarily when having our meals…everything is on island time so as long as you know that, your expectations won’t be too high. We would play a game of cards or Heads Up while waiting for our meals sometimes.
• when traveling home, make sure you allow at least 2 hours to get through the check in process. The Westin will shuttle you to the airport as well.

Overall, we absolutely loved both of our trips to Punta Cana and we certainly recommend traveling here and staying at the Westin Puntacana Resort & Club! We truly think you will make many incredible memories and leave feeling rested, relaxed, and ready for your next Caribbean adventure!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by…see you back here real soon!

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*Today’s post is in partnership with Walmart. All opinions are my own.

Valentine’s Day is near and it just so happens to be one of our favorite days to celebrate together as a family! Gift giving is my love language so I enjoy showering Peter, Reins, and Addison with EXTRA love and affection on this day and of course a few gifts too!

Thanks to Walmart’s Walmart+ membership, I’ve gotten a head start on my Valentine’s Day shopping! We have been using Walmart+ for several months now and we LOVE it!

Walmart introduced a new kind of membership with so many incredible benefits like free delivery from your store ($35 minimum, restrictions apply)…think Valentine’s gifts, groceries, household supplies, and even clothes.

You must order a minimum of $35 (some restrictions apply) but I never have trouble meeting this minimum! A few of the gifts that I ordered in my most recent Walmart+ order included this adorable Way to Celebrate Valentine’s Floppy Plush Dog, this L.O.L Surprise! Car-Pool Coupe with Exclusive Doll set, these Venum Classic Kids Boxing Gloves, and these Topeakmart Leather Boxing Mitt Training Targets. Addison adores stuffed animals and she also loves everything L.O.L and Reins has most recently taken up boxing! I also ordered Valentine’s Day gift wrap.

Walmart+ also offers member pricing on fuel…save 5 cents per gallon at Walmart and Murphy fuel stations and you can also use their mobile scan & go benefit when you do shop in your local Walmart store…talk about convenience!

Walmart+ has been such a time saver for us in so many different ways an dI love that I can quickly receive gifts for others so I can be ready for the upcoming holidays. Using this membership saves me a trip to the store, which saves me a lot of time!

I highly encourage you to sign up for a Walmart+ membership…you will love this membership as much as we do and I’m certain that you will use it as often as we do too! Join for $12.95/month or $98/year, which ends up being $2 per week (Annual plan only. Calculated based on 52 weeks). After the 15-day free trial, we signed up for the yearlong membership…a no brainer for us!

Walmart has such a great selection of Valentine’s Day gifts for all on your list! Treat those that you love to something special and sweet…don’t forget to shower them with lots of LOVE too!

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Today’s post is in partnership with Walmart. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Can you believe that Christmas is just a little over a month away?! The holidays are upon us and our Christmas countdown is on. We love this time of year so much and we were even talking today about when we will put up our Christmas tree. We usually put it up the weekend right before Thanksgiving and I think we will do the same this year…if not a smidgen sooner!

I’ve also already started checking family and friends off of my holiday shopping list! I want to finish my shopping earlier this year so I can truly enjoy the holidays and not get caught up in all of the hustle and bustle. I’ve found several thoughtful and affordable gifts on Walmart’s website. I love that Walmart has high quality gifts, a large assortment for every gifting need, and low prices which allows me to buy thoughtful gifts while still keeping our holiday shopping budget in mind. Not to mention, Walmart’s shipping times are excellent and I’m always confident that I will receive my orders quickly!

Today I’m excited to share a few of the gifts that I’ve already purchased…Walmart has a great selection of gifts for fitness, outdoor, sports, and DIY enthusiasts. I had a lot of fun browsing Walmart’s large online selection and then narrowing it down to gifts that I thought would be perfect for some of those on my list. p.s Santa’s secrets must be kept.

For the fitness enthusiast, I picked out this SPRI Ultimate Booty Sculpt Kit, this Everyday Essentials High Density Foam Exercise Yoga Mat, and this 30oz Motivational Fitness Water Bottle. All 3 of these items gifted together are sure to make any fitness enthusiast happy.

I fell in love with this beautiful charming Home Bazaar Nantucket Cottage birdhouse which is perfect for the outdoor enthusiast, especially for someone who loves nature and bird watching. I will be gifting some Ozark Trail Binoculars and some bird seed along with this birdhouse!

Games, including outdoor games, are some of my favorite gifts to give as they can be played together as a family or with friends. This Spikeball 3 Ball Set is great for taking on the go too…play at home, at the park, at the beach…wherever you decide to play it, it is sure to bring hours of fun. Plus it is such a great price! The sport enthusiast is sure to love this gift.

I also love this under $20 candle set, this coffee/cocoa mug set, and this camera set.

Whoever you may be shopping for this holiday season, Walmart is certain to have the perfect gifts for you to delight all of those on your list!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by…see you back here real soon!

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Captain Jack Sparrow is one of my all time favorite Disney villains and I’m a big fan of all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Peter introduced me to these movies when we first started dating and I’ve been a fan every since.

During quarantine, we showed the first 2 movies to Reins and Addison and they are now big fans too! Watching it with them brought me so much joy and we all just laughed and giggled at the character of Captain Jack Sparrow.

Not to mention, we absolutely LOVE going to Disney and one of our family favorites at Magic Kingdom is the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. We love everything about it and it allows us to escape to a bit of a fantasy world every time we ride the ride or watch the movies.

We will be showing the other movies to the kiddos as well…next up…Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End!

Regarding my costume…I sourced many of the pieces from Amazon, Etsy, and Medieval Collectibles. I ordered black contacts from Coloured Contacts and had fun creating the makeup look with lots of black eyeliner. The rings are my own…Jack can never have too much gold or gemstones so layer them up.

I’ve linked up all that I can below…if you ever dress as Captain Jack Sparrow…have fun with it and bring your personality along…ARGH, MATEY!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by! Whatever you may be doing this Halloween, I hope you have a wonderful time…stay safe!

See you back here real soon…ARGGGHHHH!

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Captain Jack Sparrow is a rum connoisseur and he has quite the sweet tooth too! Jack’s mug is filled to the brim with this Boozy Pirate Rum Milkshake and its sure to keep all Pirates singing a jolly song.

Gather up the ingredients (listed below) and make these delicious boozy milkshakes this Halloween weekend! These can be made without the rum so all can enjoy this rich, delicious, frothy concoction.

Be jolly and enjoy this season…Captain Jack Sparrow wouldn’t want it any other way! ARGH…cheers matey!

BOOZY PIRATE RUM MILKSHAKE

INGREDIENTS

• vanilla ice cream
• cherry soda (make sure the soda is red)
• chocolate syrup
• clear rum
• whipped cream

DIRECTIONS

First, drizzle chocolate syrup inside of your glass mugs. Put the mugs into the refrigerator or freezer for just a few minutes so the chocolate syrup can stiffen a bit. Scoop vanilla ice cream into your mugs. If you are opting in for the rum…pour 2 ounces (less or more depending on personal preference) over the ice cream.

Next, pour the red colored cherry flavored soda overtop of the ice cream leaving some space at the top of your mug for whipped cream. Finally, add the whipped cream to top off this milkshake and dress is up by misting some red sugar water on top or sprinkle some Halloween sprinkles on top.

Take a sip and enjoy this delicious, sweet, frothy Boozy Pirate Rum Milkshake. ARGH, MATEY!

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Special thank you to Walmart for partnering on today’s post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One of the silver linings of 2020 has been more spontaneous and impromptu social-distance gatherings with friends.  We’ve really enjoyed a slower paced life, one that frees up our schedules, allows us to do more of what we love, and congregate more frequently (and responsibly) around a delicious meal with friends.

Our casual hangs sometimes include drinks on the patio and other times, it means preparing a meal to enjoy together.  I love cooking for others…if that were a “love language”, preparing a delicious meal would certainly be one of mine.

The love and time that goes into preparing a meal and setting a beautiful table fuels me in so many ways and makes my heart happy!
Impromptu spontaneous hangs with friends are much easier to accomplish thanks to Walmart+!  Walmart recently introduced their new membership with so many incredible benefits like free unlimited delivery ($35 minimum, restrictions apply)…think groceries, household supplies, and even clothes.  After our friends said they were free to join us, I immediately used my Walmart+ membership to order all of the ingredients to make a delicious fall soup and apple cider beverage (recipes below)!

You must order a minimum of $35 (some restrictions apply) but I never have trouble meeting this minimum…in fact, not only did I order some groceries but I ordered some additional household items that we were running low on as well. These are the floral dishes, beverage glasses, glass pitcher, and salad serving bowl that I used for our gathering.

Walmart+ also offers member prices on fuel…save $.05 per gallon at Walmart and Murphy fuel stations and you can also use their mobile scan & go feature when you do shop in your local Walmart store…talk about convenience!   

Walmart+ has been such a time saver for us in so many different ways and I love that I can quickly receive the groceries that I need for family or friend gatherings.  Using this service saves me a trip to the store, which saves me a lot of time!

I highly encourage you to sign up for a Walmart+ membership…you will love this membership as much as we do and I’m certain that you will use it as often as we do too!  Join for $12.95/month or $98/year, which ends up being $2 per week (calculated based on 52 weeks).  After the 15 day free trial, we signed up for the yearlong membership…a no brainer for us!

SWEET POTATO WHITE BEAN SOUP

INGREDIENTS

• package of bacon of your choice
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1 sweet or white onion – diced
• 4 fresh garlic cloves – minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup of chopped carrots
• 3 cups of cubed sweet potatoes
• 1 can of white beans – drained
• 5 cups of chicken stock – reduced sodium preferred
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup of half and half
• 2 cups of fresh kale – roasted
• roasted pepitas/pumpkin seeds for topping

DIRECTIONS

Chop the onion, carrots, and sweet potatoes…set aside. Preheat oven to 350. Wash and dry your kale…remove all tough stems so you only have leaves left. In a large ziplock bag, toss the fresh kale leaves with some olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Spread kale leave out on a parchment lined nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and then lightly toss and bake for another 5-10 minutes. You want the majority of your kale to be crunchy but not burned so just keep an eye on it and bake more if necessary.

While the kale is baking, cook your bacon. I cook mine in the microwave but you can also cook it in the skillet or even bake it if preferred. Set aside.

In a large saucepan or stock pot (I use a stock pot), heated at medium-low heat, sauté the minced garlic, onion, salt and pepper, and sage. Stir and sauté until the onions are soft. Stir in the nutmeg, carrots, and sweet potatoes and stir until coated.

Pour in the chicken stock + white beans and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute and then reduce heat to a simmer…simmer for the next 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are nice and soft (you don’t want them to be mushy but you also don’t want them to be hard). Next you will gently stir in the half and half…I always add a little extra half in half for a more creamy base…use your best judgement and personal preference.

Finally you will spoon the soup into your serving bowls and top with the roasted kale, bacon pieces, and roasted pepitas. Serve hot and enjoy…it is a crowd pleaser!

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Staying at home has never been more cozy these days! Now that we are back to school and spending time learning from home, we decided to create a super cozy nook in Addison’s room with pieces from Walmart’s children’s furniture selection! We knew that we could find beautiful quality pieces from Walmart while at the same time staying within our budget.

When browsing children’s furniture pieces on Walmart.com, I was pleasantly surprised to discover what a broad high quality selection Walmart offers. Walmart truly has everything that you need to refresh, redo, or add to your child’s bedroom. Their pieces will stand the test of time and grow with your child and I love that Walmart offers such convenient ways to shop.

We did not need any larger furniture pieces and we needed something that would truly fit in a “nook” space in her room. I loved browsing all of the comfy cozy chair options and I was thrilled to come across this Your Zone Long Hair Faux Fur Flip Chair! Not only does this chair check all of the “cozy comfort” boxes but it also checks the “surprise” box because it also turns into a bed, which will be perfect for future sleepovers. It has a total of 3 convertible positions and comes in white and blush! Talk about a cozy nook for Addison to hang out, read and study!

I also found this UTEX Kids’ Book Caddy with a shelf which is perfect for Addison to put her books, notebooks, journals, etc in. It has a bottom shelf as well for extra storage!

To finish off Addison’s cozy nook, I picked out a pretty pink Home Soft Things tweed throw and these adorable pillows. The bright colored chevron pillow is by Better Homes and Gardens and the adorable La La Llama pillow is by Waverly Kids.

We are so pleased with how her cozy nook turned out and we were able to create this space for her at such an affordable price! Needless to say, she has LOVED spending more time in her room reading and doing homework She has even converted the chair to a bed and had a little sleepover as well!

Be sure to check out Walmart’s kid’s furniture…you’ll love the selection as much as we do and I’m certain you will find pieces that will make your child’s room extra special!

As always, thank you for stopping by! Special thanks to Walmart for sponsoring this post…all opinions are my own.

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Summer 2020 is a little different than we pictured but we have done everything possible to make it fun and keep Reins and Addison busy and most importantly…HAPPY!

We haven’t been able to travel as much as we had planned but we did get to enjoy a summer staycation at the Gaylord Opryland Resort which just so happens to be one of our absolute favorite places to visit!!! I’m sharing a recap of our stay PLUS a very special discount for Tennessee residents and non-residents!

We always feel such a warm welcome from the Gaylord Opryland Resort staff and each and every stay at the resort always feels like we are truly away on vacation…it was a wonderful weekend together as a family. I encourage you to plan a visit soon as I know you will enjoy your stay as much as we did.

Gaylord Opryland Resort is truly doing everything possible to ensure the safety of their guests during this time. They are ensuring that guests wear masks and social distance when necessary. Everything is sanitized and VERY clean. We were truly impressed with the additional measures that have been put in place at SoundWaves to keep everyone safe and to ensure everything stays sanitized and clean. We felt very safe while enjoying our staycation.

We enjoyed dinner at Cascades American Cafe which is in the Cascades atrium and we also enjoyed gelato each evening from Bravo. Delta Marketplace was open, which was a great spot for breakfast and snacks and the pizzeria, Paisano’s was also open. SoundWaves has a wide variety of delicious options and we really enjoyed the tacos, burgers, pizza, and salads!

While there, I also was able to enjoy a Swedish massage at the Relache spa! it was such a wonderful massage and I left our staycation feeling relaxed and well rested. I was required to wear a mask during my massage…guidelines around masks are updated regularly so be sure to ask about this when booking your spa treatment.

While there…don’t forget to enjoy a tour on the Delta Riverboat as well. This is a short cruise around the Delta atrium where you learn a lot about the resort. One of the most interesting facts is that the oldest tree at the resort is 106 years old!

For anyone thinking of planning a staycation or traveling in for a vacation at Gaylord Opryland Resort, I’m super excited to share a special SoundWaves Experience Package offer with you!

Details on SoundWaves Experience Package:

• Davidson County residents: receive 40% off select dates with code L9Z (check website for dates)
• All Tennessee residents may receive up to 25% off select dates with code M16 (check website for dates) *proof of residency required at checkin
• Out of state guests may receive up to 20% off select dates with code BQ7 (check website for dates *restrictions may apply)

***book online at www.SoundWavesGO.com

ALSO…for a very limited time this summer, SoundWaves is also currently offering day passes for Tennessee residents. Book your day passes online HERE while they last!

I hope you will be able to take advantage of these amazing offers and enjoy a family getaway as well. Memories made with family are so precious and even more so during a time of uncertainty. You will feel so refreshed after a visit to Gaylord Opryland Resort and a day or two spent soaking up some summer fun at SoundWaves.

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I’ve always heard that 40 is fabulous and I have to agree…it truly is…at least so far! As I write this, I’ve only been 40 for a hot minute but I knew before today even came that I was going to embrace my new age and look forward to a brand new decade ahead…a decade in my 40’s….WHOA, that just got real! Eeeekkk…I’m 40 y’all, WOW!

This year has been an eye opener in so many ways…life can change in a heart beat (as we all know), nothing is ever guaranteed, and life is so precious. I’m so very grateful for the life I have been blessed with, for the amazing family and friends that I have, and for my health and well being.

I cherish each and every day and I look forward to many more life experiences with family and friends in this brand new decade! I’m alive, well, happy, healthy and ready to take on this exciting new chapter of the book that God so lovingly wrote for me.

In celebration of this milestone birthday, I thought it would be fun to share 40 things about me that you may or may not know…so here goes!

• Carolina girl…born and raised
• 1 brother and 1 sister
• cheerleader from pee wee football through high school
• softball player from t-ball through high school
• pageant girl from the age of 13 through 21
• clogger – my Paw Paw taught me
• raised Presbyterian
• favorite show as a kid was Full House
• favorite show in my tween years was Saved by the Bell
• favorite country singer growing up was Tim McGraw
• favorite music genre growing up was hip hop – still is
• love to dance…dancing to hip hop music is my favorite
• 1st job was working at Things Remembered at the mall
• lifeguard through high school
• celebrity crush has always been Brad Pitt
• 1st flight ever was to New York City when in HS
• Clemson University honors graduate
• went to Clemson for the pre veterinarian program…I always wanted to be a Veterinarian
• Kappa Kappa Gamma
• Miss Clemson 2000
• first job out of college was as a Store Analyst for a women’s apparel company in Charlotte, NC
• skydived for my 21st birthday
• met Peter while on vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC
• have lived in Newport Beach, CA, Phoenix, AZ and now Nashville, TN
• got engaged in Palm Springs, CA…married in Charlotte, NC
• first dance at wedding was to It’s Your Love by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
• honeymooned in Tahiti
• favorite vacation spot is anywhere in the Caribbean
• favorite food…Mexican…guacamole is my JAM
• least favorite…mayonnaise and pimento cheese
• my nicknames are Sizzle, Bianca (after a few margaritas) and Beyonce
• favorite movies are Pretty Woman & Dirty Dancing
• have had 3 English Springer Spaniels…Clemson was our first baby and we now have our sweet girls Cali & Carolina
• favorite tv shows…Game of Thrones, The Office, This is Us
• have read all of the Harry Potter books and am a big fan
• have ran a half marathon and haven’t really ran since
• claustrophobic when anything is too close to or tight around my face
• daydream of living on a small farm and having lots of animals or having a retreat at the beach
• love to sing but can’t carry a tune
• loves of my life…Peter who I have been married to for 14 years and my babies Reins who is 10 and Addison who is 8

My best advice to you…embrace your age and be thankful for every day that you have! Surround yourself by those who love and cherish you for who you are. Stay focused on what’s truly important in life and your life will be so rich and so fullfilled.

Here’s to a great year ahead, here’s to being confident at 40, here’s to all of the 1980’s babies out there…CHEERS!

*Cake is from Copper Whisk Cakes and marquee letters are from Alpha Lit Nashville

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My Dearest Reins,

Today you are 10…a decade old! Today starts a new decade for you, a new chapter of life, and what I hope will be a decade of years filled with everything you could ever dream of.

My mind is flooded with so many incredible memories with you over the last ten years…memories that I store tightly locked into my mind, my heart, and my soul…memories that I will forever cherish and hold dear.

I’ll never forget welcoming you into the world on a Saturday morning, 2/6/2010, at 4:33am. Holding you for the first time was unlike any other moment in my life…my heart truly exploded in that moment…a moment that was intoxicating and will forever be etched in my mind. I was experiencing a miracle and that miracle was YOU. God chose ME to be your Mommy and I could not be more grateful for the miracle and the blessing that you truly are.

How lucky am I?! Lucky to be able to love you, to care for you, to guide you, to teach you, to hold your hand, to play with you, to laugh with you, to cry with you, and to cherish you every single day of your life.

You are one of God’s greatest gifts. You are mine and I am yours.

Reins, you have filled our lives with so much love and happiness and you have made us the parents that we are. You have taught us so much and we have discovered life even more through your touch, through your eyes, and through the love that you have shown us.

Every time I look at you, I am truly in awe. I’m in awe of the incredible little boy you have become and have always been. I sit and stare at you and thank God over and over for picking me to be a part of your life. I simply could not love you more. Often times we go back and forth…”I love you”, “I love you more”, “I love you most”, “I love you to infinity and beyond” and it’s true…you can’t possibly understand how much I love you. I know you feel the same because you continually show all of us how much you love us too.

Reins, you are loving, kind, caring, smart, funny, happy, and oh so handsome (I tell Daddy all of the time how “dreamy” you are)! You are thoughtful, generous, compassionate, respectful and you are a true leader. You are THE BEST son in the world and THE BEST big brother in the world! Daddy and I look at you with so much admiration and Addison idolizes you. When I talk about you to others, I beam with so much pride…you make us so so proud. You always put family first, thank you for loving your family the way that you do. Everyone who knows you, loves and adores you.

I thank God every single day for you and for all that he has blessed you and our family with. I ask God to walk with you and continue leading you in everything that you do. I truly believe that God has great plans for you…many more years to come filled with love, health, and happiness. I pray and pray that we will share so many more amazing memories with you as you grow into a young man and eventually into a man. I’m so so thankful that I’ll continue to be able to walk by your side in this journey of life and I’m excited to see what this next decade will bring you.

You are a STAR Reins Alexander Webb…continue to shine bright baby boy. Thank you for loving me the way you have and always remember to hold my hand and kiss me goodnight.

Happy 10th Birthday Reins…I love you so very much and I’m so very proud of you!

With all my heart,

Mommy

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