Our Pre-Irma Update

Hurricane Irma is heading our way....we live in Central Florida about an hour north of Orlando, so YES we are in the path. As you know, the projected path changes with each update, but at this point we do know for certain that we are going to be experiencing the effects in one way or another. Here are some of the specifics on our plan at the moment.....

1. Yes, we are "sticking it out"....there are no mandatory evacuations in our area, we live inland and we're about 96 feet (Boy Scout Hubs checked into this) above sea level. 

2. We have LOTS of water, and food and we have followed many of the guidelines for hurricane preparedness....did I mention Hubs was a Boy Scout...Eagle Scout actually!

3. Our family from South Florida drove up here so we're ALL going to be together. They left at 11 last night and arrived at 11 this morning. Ordinarily this trip shouldn't take more than 3.5 - 4 hours. 

4. Stephen's job announced earlier this week that they would be closed Friday (today) and Monday. My job initially closed for Monday but then Gov. Rick Scott closed all K-12 public schools and late last night I found out that the charter school I work for (and that the girls go to) was closed for today. At first this was a bummer because I have so much work to take care of in case we are out more than one day next week and we needed the girls to be in school while Hubby prepped the house. Luckily my cousin Nikki was here so she helped take care of the girls and Hubby got to do his thing! He even topped my car off with gas! WIN! I had to go to work to prep paperwork for a TON of meetings I have scheduled for next week. It was so eerie, hiding my computers and important files in my offices (yes, I have two...story for another post), and all of my favorite office supplies "just in case"!

5. My house is a wood frame home, and Mom and Dad's is a concrete block home so we just feel like it's smarter to be with everyone over there.  

6. There are FIFTEEN OF US....plus 2 dogs that will ride out the storm at my parent's house. Outside of that (before and after Irma) we also have a house we rented out nearby for spare bedrooms and showers for the So-Flo crew. We aren't sure really how long it will be before they are able to make the journey back home, so at least there's a plan in place for a possible longer-term stay. (Thanks Mal-Smiles for having a super cool family!)

7. Even with all the changes in the forecast, we feel comfortable all being together! Using the term hurricane "party" in this situation feels a little strange, being that we aren't sure what to expect...especially the family from down south is unsure of what they will be going home to....and when! However, we will certainly try to make the best of it. Tonight we kicked off our gathering with 3 rotisserie chickens and two fried chickens. It's always about the food. Starting off on a good note before we resort to eating peanut butter and crackers.
8. Dear El, you know there's a big storm coming and you're so excited about a BIG sleepover with so many people! Dear Em, you will surely be the life of the hurricane "gathering"!

Emmy braved the crowds at Publix, and she is all set for the storm! Bring it on, Irma! 

So far, it seems like the worst in our area will be Sunday night to Monday-ish. Things are changing constantly though so who knows what the impact will actually be. Waiting on the 11:00 update....hoping this turns out to be not as bad as expected. Praying for everyone in Irma's path!

X-Mas in NY

I'm psyched! The Babes, Hubs and I are New York bound for Christmas. Last year we didn't go so we're long overdue for a holiday visit! They say there's "no place like home for the holidays" and although I believe this to be true AND I'm super excited about this visit...Florida is feeling more and more like home so I'm not sure how much longer the saying will apply for (It's been over 5 years)! Besides that...there's no denying that I'm a New Yorker at heart! I'm truly excited for Ella to have a NY Christmas this year and to be with ALL of our family! It's going to be a jam-packed, fun-filled visit and I know she will have a blast with all of her grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles and cousins! I counted 16 little(ish) cousins! Whoa baby, she's going to be in her glory! 

First we need to get there. You know me, I'm slightly nervous about the plane ride. This time I'm not equipped with goodie bags for our flight neighbors in case she freaks out the whole way there. Ain't nobody got time for that! Something had to give and that was it! Wish us luck! Ella isn't the best at sitting on laps but she will just have to deal. I've got stickers, crayons, movies, books and the iPad...so we should be okay! 

I'm not sure how much blogging I'll do while I'm there. I'll take it day by day and see how it goes but not counting on it just in case it's craziness! We will be home on the 30th and then we have a special visit with Mal, DLW and Collins! So much to look forward to! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and cherish every moment spent with loved ones because that's exactly what we're doing! YaY! Be back soon! 

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Santa's First Visit

There's an awesome holiday weekend in progress over here. It's almost perfect too....who knew that losing your voice would be so frustrating? It's not like I imagined it would be a walk in the park but this has been a whole level of annoying that I never thought possible. My family is up from South Florida for Christmas (Part 1) and not being able to communicate with everyone has definitely put a bit of damper on our celebration for me. On Friday night when they arrived my voice was ridiculously raspy. Saturday morning I woke up and it was completely gone. So far this morning it doesn't seem to be much better so who knows how long this will last. Thankfully I took the day off tomorrow to take Ella to her 15 month checkup. Isn't it funny how sometimes things like that work out. I can't even imagine how much work I would be able to get accomplished without a voice. Now let's hope it's back by Tuesday!

Yesterday morning we woke up to see what Santa brought our little lady. Boy, was he good to her!?! Look at her go!

It was a nice day of staying home and playing with all Ella's new toys. A dollhouse, shopping cart, rocker, mega blocks, baby crib and more..she's totally overwhelmed, in a good way of course! I'm pretty sure we were all into it more than or at least as much as she was. My cousin Kristen made fake breakfast for everyone (quite the spread) before we all had real breakfast. Obviously the kitchen set is a BIG hit! Hubs and I did extensive research on kitchen sets and play food before making final decisions. Worth it!

How adorable is this "Owl-ivia" rocker?! Hey Aunt Donna....I think she likes it! 

A video posted by Stephanie Skoblicki (@stephcial) on Dec 12, 2014 at 7:25am PST

Stephen took a ride to Home Depot with Uncle John and picked up our new BBQ (house/X-mas gift from Uncle John and Aunt Laura, OMG). Expect some grilling to be in the upcoming meal plans! Tis' the season still down here! After nap time for both Ella and I, we went out to dinner at one of my favorite Italian restaurants. I communicated via text, but there was SO much I wanted to say and express...like how thankful I am for our family, and what a beautiful day it was. Love them all so much! In 10 days we will be doing it all over again in New York! In the meantime, let's hope my voice comes back soon because I can hardly wait to ask my baby girl how she likes her kitchen set!!! From the looks of it though, I'd say she is very grateful. 

Stephen and I are pretty adamant about establishing our own traditions here in our new home. This was a great way to start! We're so thankful that Aunt Laura, Uncle John, Kristen and Nikki were able to be a part of Santa's very first visit! There will also be a lot of thanking to do when we see everyone in NY soon! There were quite a few large boxes under the tree yesterday morning we obviously wouldn't be able to travel back with! You're all so good to our sweet girl! Now back to Christmas Part 1 and a big cup of tea! 

*Sunday meal planning fail....expect that tomorrow instead!

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Good Thing I Wore My Thanksgiving Pants

This is a random assortment of photos to recap our Thanksgiving trip. Maybe it's because my main mission was to capture a non-blurry picture of Ella in her pretty dress? No joke, I sat down for a good ten minutes last night and just deleted tons of photos which were complete duds. As I was putting this collage together I couldn't help but notice how much I didn't capture! Note to self...next time be the girl who is constantly making people stop to say "cheese"! Good thing my cousin got this fun group shot of all the "kids" (quotes because Stephen and I are old). I love this picture because half of us were serious, and the rest of us still thought we were supposed to be making funny faces. 

We just got home last night. It was a quick but fun trip full of new memories. All kinds of "Thanksgiving-y" yuminess was consumed. Ella had a blast eating up all the extra attention (the video won't embed in this post...so you can watch it here). Can't you tell she was in her element? Hopefully you all had a great holiday as well! Now on to the next one...it's beginning to look a lot like you know what around here!

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Thankful in So-Flo

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I hope you're all having a cozy morning, watching the parade and getting ready to spend this day with all your loved ones. We are doing just that right now...down in South Florida visiting family, prepping lots of yummy food while chasing after our sweet little toddler. 

Is it possible for my heart get extra full each year? Somehow that's what it feels like. Last year Thanksgiving took on a whole new meaning with the newest addition to our family. Here I am a year later and it seems as though my gratitude has doubled if that was even possible. A lot has happened in just one year. There have been many changes, lots of growth and much to be grateful for. 

This is my favorite time of year! From Thanksgiving to Christmas and everything in between. Enjoy every moment!  Happiest Thanksgiving!

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Let's Be Halloweeny!

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I love Fall and getting into the Halloween spirit. On Saturday we went to a local farm to do a little pumpkin picking with some friends. Turns out the patch wasn't "ready" (oh New York how I miss your real pumpkin patches) so we will take a raincheck on that. My fingers are crossed that we can find something around here that resembles a patch, otherwise we'll be "picking" a pumpkin out of a bin at Publix. There was still lots of animals to see and a hayride where we got up close and personal with lots and lots of moo-cows. We ended the day by taking a walk to the park up the street. Ella had a blast...as you can see, so did Hubs and I! 

Savannah 2014

As you probably know (because I haven't stopped talking about it), our little family just came back from a trip to Savannah, Georgia. We stayed in a hundred year old home in the historic district along with my parents, brother, aunt, uncle, and cousins. (Fun Fact: John Cusak stayed there during the filming of Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil.) How could it not be an incredible time?!? The house was facing Washington Square, and was just a short walk to Bay Street, River Street, TONS of shops and restaurants! 

My brother signed up for an open mic at a classy place called "The Wormhole" on our first night there. He was phenomenal (click here for a video) and it was such a perfect way to kick off our trip. On Thursday we set out to explore the city and check out some of the shops on River Street. Friday we spent doing a trolley tour and wandering around Forsyth Park. Hubs and I missed out on the 4th of July fireworks but it was quite alright because our little angel was at the house snoozing so peacefully (I don't know how with all the noise). Saturday we had a delicious lunch at the Olde Pink House, and we went out that night with the crew while my mom stayed home with the babes. We had a little impromptu ghost hunt by using an EMF detector app on my phone. Does anyone know if that thing actually works...if so, my apartment is definitely haunted! Sunday we did some more exploring and shopping...and of course eating. My yummy Bolognese Sauce was a big hit, and by that point it was nice to stay in and have a nice home cooked meal in the house.

That's the house in the back

The city was so charming and full of history, we loved it. We found so many quaint little spots in just the short time we were there. So many wonderful memories were created in such a short span of time. We've all decided to make renting a house somewhere a yearly family tradition...there are a few ideas on the table for next year. Any recommendations? 

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Happy 4th From Savannah

Happy Fourth of July! I'm in Savannah having a LOVELY time with my family (this is the assumption....I scheduled this post in advance)! My parents and brother drove down, and my Aunt Laura, Uncle John, cousins and us drove up. Here's a glimpse of the insanely gorgeous house we're renting for the week in the historic district... 

That kitchen!!! I scoured Pinterest for festive Fourth of July themed recipes before we left. I may have to try a few out depending on how adventurous I'm feeling. Here's one that is most likely to come to fruition....

The Sparkler

I hope you all have a safe & Happy Fourth!!!

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Barely cooking this week...

....but I'm going to post about it anyway! We're leaving on Wednesday afternoon for Savannah, so I'm only squeezing in two days of cooking this week. I hope tonight's dinner doesn't let me down, I'm pretty excited about it!

Tonight: Cool Ranch Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Tuesday: Italian Sausage and Peppers

This weekend was a lot of fun! Saturday we went and bought that doorknob we've been eyeballing (YOLO), and blinds. Okay, the exciting part didn't happen until yesterday when we met up with family at their hotel in Orlando for the day. Another successful vacation crash! They were staying at a Marriott that had two awesome pools for kids. Ella LOVED the splash pad, we couldn't keep up with her. She was fearlessly crawling under all of the sprayers, and happily splashing around all day. This is one very excited little girl!

 

There's a good chance we may be having another pool day today. I'm also going to attempt to make granola bars (random)...I'll let you know if they come out any good!
Happy Monday!

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What's cooking this week?

"Fabulous" doesn't even begin to describe these last few days. Just as I expected, my parent's visit flew by in the blink on a eye...but it was perfect. Ella was able to spend some quality time with both Grandma and Grandpa, we took them to show off our new house, and they bought us a comfy new couch (for the millionth time - THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH)! Yesterday we went out for a delicious dinner at a new Italian restaurant, and we ended the night with them meeting Baby Chloe. We had such good times! It was not fun saying "goodbye" early this morning, but it was much easier knowing we'll be seeing them again in 10 days when we meet up in Savannah, Georgia!!!

This is my idea of keeping the menu "light" (besides tonight)...I'm trying to drop a few pounds before Savannah. Surely, the trip will revolve around eating. We're also trying to clear out the freezer/fridge/pantry before the big move next month. It may be difficult to accomplish that while keeping the meals on the lighter side, but "challenge accepted"!

Tonight: Sunday Sauce
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: White Bean Basil Hummus Chicken Wraps
Thursday: Apple Turkey Picadillo
Friday: Cucumber Avocado Subs
Saturday: Perfect Oven Baked Chicken Wings and Mal's Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes

Have a great Sunday!

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My Parents Have My Undivided Attention

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Hey there! I just wanted to pop on for a quick update. Today was my last day at work, I'm back on summer vacay until the end of July. The first two weeks just felt like practice, but now this time it's for realsies! Hubs and I have some fun things planned over the course of the next few weeks...including a family vacation to Savannah and then moving into our very first house shortly after that!

Once again, the goal is to disconnect from work as much as possible. Okay, so I might just peek at my e-mail from time to time JUST to see what's piling up...and maybe ward off a few things. Other than that, it will be nothing but fun in the sun, family time, days home with my peanut, catching up on some reading, trying out new recipes and of course blogging!

Right now, my parents are in town for a hot second. I'm ecstatic that they planned this last minute little trip down here. My mom has been here a few days already, and my dad is on his way from the airport as we speak as I type!

They leave on Sunday morning...moral of the story = my parents will have my undivided attention over these next few days! I'll just be busy eating up moments like these...

Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!!!

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Beach Weekend + What's cooking this week?

Here is a peek at our incredibly amazing little weekend getaway...

These pics are barely the tip of the iceberg. We drove down to South Florida on Friday night (as usual) and arrived to a house FULL of the Orlando/LaRusso gang. Ella slept the whole way down so she was ready to play even though it was 10:00 at night! Luckily they all exhausted her and she still slept well that night. 
Saturday and Sunday was spent crashing my parents "end of tax season" Ft. Lauderdale vacation. There was lots of food, lots of laughs and so much love for our little girl. Ella loved having her little toesies in the sand and getting extra hugs and kisses from Grams and Gramps Sco! It all worked out perfectly. What a fantastic weekend!
We got home a little late tonight which is obviously why I'm just now getting around to thinking about what I should cook this week. Let's just keep it simple, shall we?

Monday: Grandpa's Marinara
Tuesday: Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos
Wednesday: Crockpot Brown Sugar Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Thursday: Not cooking - Wet N' Wild Field Trip
Friday: Mediterranean Chicken Pizza

I'm seriously looking forward to chaperoning the field trip on Thursday. It will be a much needed little break from the usual chaos at work! Hope you all have a great week ahead!

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Our Easter

We usually drive down to South Florida to spend Easter with family, but this year they all came up to us to celebrate. I've got to admit, there's something special about having a holiday at home! It makes me feel like such a grown up! 

Of course this year was EXTRA special being that it was Ella's first Easter. We don't have any pictures with the Easter Bunny since he is seriously creepy.  My apologies! I took a little flack for that one. Apparently it's some rite of passage that I deprived my child of. Regardless of the "creepy factor"...that bunny seriously spoiled her! Maybe he's not such a bad guy? 

I tried to get a good picture of Ella in this adorable dress from my cousin Jeannie. She moves too much - it's impossible! This is the best I could do! I guess I'll have to get used to blurry pictures from now on!

We had dinner on the deck at one of my favorite restaurants. The food was insane! Baked feta, stuffed artichoke hearts, shrimp bisque....ohhhh man! We all had a great time, especially the little lady! This just might be our newest tradition!

Speaking of tradition, our eggs came out adorable. Check out the "Dapper Dozen"...

Hope you all had a lovely Easter Sunday too!

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Down By The Pool

Another first for my girl! We finally took her for her first trip down to the pool. It's crazy to me that it's taken us this long to put this cutie in her suit and stick her little toes in the water. The pool has beach entry (that's a thing, I think). It was perfect because she was able to sit and splash right at the edge! The water was a little chilly so we didn't go all the way in this time. Ella seemed to enjoy her first of MANY pool-time experiences! I thought the watermelon teether was very appropriate...and refreshing! 

We are looking into buying her a float...let me know if you have any recommendations (preferably one with a shade). 

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First Family Vacay

Short and incredibly sweet! That's the best way I could describe our first official vacation as a family of three. Hubs and I have done this many times before (traveling to NY to visit the fam). We know the drill. You never get to do everything you want to do and see everyone that you want to see. Add a baby to the mix and it's even more difficult to squeeze everything in! We sure did try!

After our flight landed on Friday, Stephens parents picked us up and spent the rest of the day with us at my parents house - my brother was there too. It was a nice laid back and relaxing day after our hectic adventure at the airport earlier that morning. Lots of family came by that night to see us meet the baby.

On Saturday we spent a lovely day at Stephens parents house on the North Fork. Up until a few months ago it was a Bed & Breakfast. They have since retired - but the house still has that charming and quaint feel. Lots more family came by to spend the day with us. Ella had a chance to meet some of her cousins too.

Sunday morning the Sergi's (the kids that I used to babysit) came over. They are so big now, and still adorable of course. Ella loved meeting "Aunt Kaci and Uncle Joseph"! Afterwards we went to my adorable little cousin Gianna's first birthday party. More family, more cousins and of course more good times!

Monday was a chance to relax. Stephen and I probably needed it more than Ella. My dad has been SO busy this tax season...but he was able to get a little extra quality time in before heading back to the office. The Sergi's came over later that night again to play!

Tuesday we were able to spend time with my mom, Stephen's parents, and my brother before our flight home that afternoon. As usual, it wasn't easy to say "goodbye" so instead we said "see you soon". We miss everyone already! This was the first of many trips Ella will be taking up to NY...it was certainly memorable at least for Hubs and I!

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Ella Flies The Friendly Skies

After all of the anticipation, it's over...and we survived! What was I so nervous about? Honestly, I thought she would scream the entire flight. Thankfully, that was not the case at all. She wasn't great, but she was good. I'll take it! Overall she was better on the way there. She took two short 20 minute naps on my shoulder. Towards the end of the flight she was fidgety and got a little whiney, but nothing major. At least we got this cute photo sesh in!

Not going to lie, on the way home there was some screaming.  Our only saving grace was the fact that the plane was barely half full. Stephen had to stand with her a few times. One of the flight attendants walked her up and down the aisle. Obviously everyone loved her. Between her cute face and our "I'm sorry" bags....how could you be annoyed?! 

I'd still say our first time flying as a family of three was a success. Next time I won't be nearly as anxious. Although I'm not exactly chomping at the bit to do it again in the immediate future, I'm happy to know next time will be more relaxed. 

Leading up to the trip I did a ton of research on flying with babies. Here are a few tips that I found most useful...

1. Give baby a bottle (or nurse) on take off and landing. It helps with the ear popping (and kills some time if you use a slower nipple). 

2. Be careful not to overpack! Keep the load light...necessities only in the carry on! This made it easier to grab the things we needed. I HATE digging around and searching for stuff (especially when time is of the essence). 

3. Bring one favorite toy, one new toy and a book. 

4. Try to time your flight around nap time if possible. This could be why the flight home was almost a disaster. 

More details on our trip coming soon! 

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Four Years & A Weekend Full of Crazy

Can you even believe that it has been FOUR years since we have made that huge leap of faith?!?  In yesterday's post I was talking about how these weeks have been flying by.  Forget weeks!  I said it has been four YEARS!  Look at these two wacky kids - who decided to pack up a U-Haul and make a move down to Florida without jobs.  We had no idea what we were in store for!  Four years later...and we don't regret a single thing!  This life we have created down here has been amazing!

Stephen and I are so incredibly lucky that we have some family down here in Florida!  In fact, the risky move we made wouldn't have even been possible if it weren't for them!  Turns out we only had to live with them for two days, because once we got down here things escalated VERY quickly.  By the second week in August, we were settled in our new apartment, I had started my job as a Guidance Counselor, and Stephen was in the interview process for the job that he ended up getting two weeks later!  It was a whirlwind!   My Aunt, Uncle, and cousins live over three hours away from where we happened to end up, but we get to see them often.  I thank my lucky stars every day.  We love it down here, but it makes it even better to have them so close (close enough).  It is always a great time whether they are coming up her to visit us, or if we are taking a ride down to see them!  I'm excited about spending this weekend with this particular group of crazies.  This print cracks me up, because it is very fitting.  I need something like this to hang up fo' sho'!  

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I always hear people describe their family as "crazy"...I definitely believe this is true of mine! Obviously I mean it in the most loving way!  There is a very high entertainment factor when we are all together.  I love it!  That is what family is all about isn't it?!  I'm not really sure what is on the agenda, but I'm sure it will all revolve around food! Hopefully you all have a fun weekend as well with your own set of crazies!  I'll be back later tomorrow with the weekly meal plan! XO Check out my lovely 'Savory' Sponsor: