12 Years

January 6, 2019 by

Back when I was a newlywed, I remember hearing about people who had been married for over ten years, and I thought “man, that’s a long time!” Here we are, 12 years in, and it’s been the blink of an eye. As I went through my wedding photos again to decide what to put in this post, I was reminded that 1.) I am definitely aging (ha) and 2.) I would do it all over again.

Adulting is hard, and 2018 was definitely the most tough year we have had together as a married couple, but here we are still standing. It hasn’t always been easy by any means, but as we strive to set a good and healthy example of a marriage for our daughter, we hope to encourage others who may feel like it’s too overwhelming. We took our vows very seriously on January 6, 2007, and they still hold true today.

I will admit, when you are 21 years old and saying “for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, till death do us part,” you aren’t THINKING about the bad times that may actually come and how you will respond. I haven’t always responded in the right way, but thankfully I have a husband who gives me grace every day and helps me learn and grow. We may be in a crazy season of life right now, but we are in it together.

While I definitely hope this next year brings about some hopeful and happy things for us, I know that even if it doesn’t, we can get through it because at least we have each other.

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Christmas 2018 Recap

December 28, 2018 by

Christmas is officially over, and like every year, I am officially sad. It seems to go by faster and faster every year, no matter how much I vow to “soak it all in this time” or “slow down and enjoy.” That being said, we had a wonderful 4 day weekend with family, and I have nothing to complain about (except for how quickly it went by!) I thought I would share a little recap with you all today as we prepare to close out 2018.

We kicked off the holiday weekend on Saturday with some wine and cheese outside with my parents. Christmas music played non stop every day, and we had great weather.

On Sunday, we had lunch with Bobby’s family. All of his siblings were in town which never happens (there are 5 of them total) so lots of photos were taken.

That night we went to dinner for my moms birthday and I didn’t think to take photos. The Saints almost gave us a heart attack, but managed to clinch a #1 seed for the playoffs!
Christmas eve was laid back, we went to the store (again) and hung out at the house doing some cooking and watching Christmas movies. Emma Kate and I also made and decorated sugar cookies for santa. She LOVED it and it kept her busy for almost two hours, which if you know my child, is a long time for her to stay focused on one thing.

That afternoon, we all got dressed and went to the 4:00 candlelight Christmas Eve church service.

The service was great, I love closing it out singing Silent Night with all the beautiful candles. (It wa slightly terrifying seeing my clild with fire, but she insisted on having ehr own.)

We went back home and ate Bobby’s delicious chicken and dumplings, watched more movies, and read the Christmas story from the Bible and Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Then it was time to set out the cookies and milk and head to bed.

The next morning, Emma Kate was up at 6:00 on the dot, so it was most definitely still dark when we opened gifts.

We had a very happy little girl, and took our time enjoying opening gifts, drinking coffee, and listening to Christmas music.


I made a special tequila sunrise mimosa for breakfast to go along with the sausage casserole I make every year.

We spent the rest of the morning playing and cooking preparing for lunch.

Emma Kate was super pumped about her new bike. After a new death experience (I forgot to explain the brakes to her), she got the hang of it and had a blast.

We had a delicious lunch, and sang happy birthday to my mom (she is a Christmas baby!)

That evening we hung out with more family and ate…again. (so. much. food.)

After we left, we drove around and looked at Christmas lights. There were two houses that had music and lights flashing together via a radio station! We got home and I realized we had not taken any family photos that day in front of the tree, so we did that before Emma Kate’s bedtime.

We were all pretty exhausted and went to bed early. The next three days we ate nothing but leftovers, and I enjoyed every bite! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and made wonderful memories with those you love.

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Holiday Traditions Revisited

December 20, 2018 by

This post was sponsored by Amazon as part of an Ambassador Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I am really big on traditions, especially around the holidays. So big, that one year at Christmas I cried hysterically because my family decided to “change things up” and go somewhere else for Christmas instead of my grandparent’s house per usual. I was devastated. Now that I have a child of my own, we have started some of our own traditions, as well as continuing a few from when I was a girl.

One thing that is different from…well I won’t say what year, let’s just say “way back when”, is the technology. Technology has made connecting, learning, and entertaining that much easier (and more fun!) and I love that there are options for Emma Kate. One of our favorites is the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablet. This tablet is the #1 kids’ tablets in the U.S. and comes with a kid-proof case. (My child is quite the dropper!) It also includes a two-year worry-free guarantee—meaning if it breaks, just send it back and Amazon will send you a new one without asking you a bunch of questions.

How do we incorporate this device into our holiday traditions? Easy! For example, we love to read to Emma Kate, especially Christmas books. It’s been fun to read titles right from her Fire HD 8 Kids Edition like Winter, Cold and Snow, and also listen to books audibly like The First Christmas Tree and the Great Sled Race.

For a lot of people (and usually for us, except for this year,) Christmas means traveling, which also equals bored kids in the car. Emma Kate loves it when we pre-download books, games and videos for her ahead of time to enjoy in the car.

There are even kid-friendly cookbooks available in Amazon FreeTime on the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition. What is Amazon FreeTime? Each tablet comes with a one-year subscription to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, giving you access to over 20,000 books, videos, Audible books, educational apps, and games. There are also over 1,000 Spanish language books, videos, educational apps, Audible books, and more.

Another thing I love about this device is the Parent Dashboard. By using the Parental Control settings in FreeTime, parents can set time limits, adjust age filters, change web browser access, and turn on or off in-app purchasing. (That one is huge. Emma Kate is always trying to buy stuff!) You can also review the things your kiddos are using and seeing in FreeTime, and even remotely adjust your child’s FreeTime settings.

fire hd 8

We are all about education and learning games, so I love how the technology of the device allows Emma Kate to have fun and learn at the same time. (ssshhh don’t tell her she is learning!) It’s also something we can do together as I guide her, read with her, and watch alongside her. It has been such a great and fun addition to our holiday traditions this year, and I can’t wait to see how they evolve next year!

Filed Under: blogging, family, holidays, technology, Uncategorized Tagged: , , , ,

5 Ways to Tame Your Kid Clutter, While Teaching Them Valuable Lessons

November 9, 2018 by

Update: this post was updated November 2018.

I don’t know about you, but one of the hardest areas of clutter to tame in my house has to do with the tiny dictator that runs our house. Our four year old somehow has more stuff than my husband and I combined! She just had a birthday, which brought even more stuff. I decided to do a major overhaul of her things recently, and here are some tips that not only helped me, but I’m hoping are teaching her some valuable life lessons as well.

kid clutter

1.) Get rid of a toy before bringing a new one in: We have a rule where if we buy our daughter a bigger toy (not talking about Happy Meal toys here), that she has to get rid of something before the new toy comes in the house. She is finally getting to the age where she grasps this, and I can usually get her to get rid of a toy by saying it’s a “baby toy” because, hello, she is a BIG KID and doesn’t want baby toys. Ha. Luckily since she is changing so quickly right now, she “outgrows” a lot of her toys so it’s easy to choose something that needs to go.

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Back when things were much more simple…and she was in a crib. ha.

2.) Don’t buy toys every time you go in the store: I know a lot of parents use toys as a reward for good behavior while shopping, or to keep a kid quiet in the cart for a few minutes. However, in my opinion, this is a bad habit that leads to an expectation every time you go into a store. Sure, there are times Emma Kate gets a special toy or treat, but certainly not every time. We avoid the toy aisle, and I make sure she has things that she already owns to keep her occupied while I shop. Not only does this teach a good lesson, but it keeps random toys you weren’t expecting on having from popping up all over your house from impulse buys. Try to give incentives for good behavior that don’t revolve around toys…Like ice cream or a movie date or extra time at the playground.

3.) Find a cause and donate: There are some great organizations out there that will take gently used toys, furniture, books, etc. There may be a family in need in your community that would love to have your child’s toys. Check with a local church or daycare, they may be able to point you in the right direction. Again, this is a great way to teach your kids about families less fortunate than yours, and also get rid of some of the toys they no longer play with. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure! I have definitely learned we don’t need “new” toys to have fun!

4.) Have a home for everything: This applies for everything in my house and I discuss it in my book, but I have found when I don’t have a specific “home” for something, I end up just throwing it wherever and that leads to clutter. We use lots of bins and baskets as well as shelves for Emma Kate’s toys. If something doesn’t fit or have a home, we either get rid of things to make room or create another bin/basket so the toy doesn’t just get lumped in with random things.

Related: 7 Amazon Finds to Organize Your Kid’s Room. 

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5.) Teach you kids to enjoy experiences and not things: Emma Kate is still a little young to understand this concept, but we would much rather do something fun with her than buy her things. She loves simple things like the splash pad, zoo, and the playground at Chick-fil-A. These things are entertaining for hours and don’t clutter up your house. Our kids really just want our time and attention anyway, so save yourself some money as well as space in your home, and expose your kids to new experiences. Those memories will last forever!

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QOTD: What is your best tip for taming kid clutter?

Filed Under: baby, family, tips Tagged: , , ,

Weekend Happenings November 2018

November 6, 2018 by

Good morning! I haven’t really done a weekend wrap up in a while, so I thought it would be fun to do for a post. I don’t have a ton of photos, but will still tell you all about it!

Friday afternoon, Emma Kate was watching TV and I was in the other room working. I hear a BOOM and then crying. She had walked into the corner of a wall watching TV and walking at the same time. Bless it. It turned into a bruise and of course, I had to document it.

But seriously, how does my just turned 4-year-old look about 7 here? I got her this adorable unicorn football outfit from Snotty Tots (facebook group) they have the cutest cheap kids clothes, be sure to check them out! She was obsessed with the scarf.

Saturday morning was a gorgeous cool day, so we watched College Gameday since they were in Baton Rouge for the LSU/Bama game, then we headed to lunch at McAlister’s. It was national sandwich day so they have $4 clubs plus a free 32 oz drink. Score! (anyone who knows me well knows that the way to my heart is through McAlister’s.)

How cute is my little cheerleader?

Bella, on the other hand, did not appreciate the cold weather. I also managed to pull the right side of my back picking up my 42 pound four-year-old. So no workout for me. We came back home and watched football all day. (Sadly, LSU decided not to show up for the game and got spanked.)

The next day I could hardly move my back hurt so bad, and I slept horribly, thanks so much daylight savings time! Emma Kate was with Bobby’s mom for the day, so Bobby and I hung out and made chili for lunch. It was cold and rainy so perfect chili weather!

The Saints played the late afternoon game and beat the undefeated Rams in a nail-biter. At least one of my teams showed up to play this weekend. We had more chili for dinner and watched more football (anyone seeing a weekend trend here?)

It was great to have a weekend with nothing we HAD to do, I just wish I hadn’t hurt my back! Two days of no exercise made me stir crazy, and I was only able to walk Monday. Hopefully today I can run again.

Now to get used to it looking like midnight at 5:20 in the afternoon. Who else is ready to get rid of this stupid time change? (EK was up at 4:40 Sunday morning). Happy Tuesday all! Drink lots of coffee!

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Halloween 2018 Recap

November 2, 2018 by

Happy November my friends!

I can’t believe there are only 2 months left in 2018. Weren’t we just taking down the tree and setting goals? Not that I’m complaining, because these next two months are my favorite time of year. But before we start singing Jingle Bells and trimming the tree (do people actually trim trees? IDK. Ours is fake) let’s look back at our Halloween with Emma Kate:

We attended a trunk or treat at a local park on Monday night. Some people were really creative with their setup which made it fun! EK decided to go as Rapunzel for this one.

She was just a tad excited.

The line moved pretty fast, but a few people did start running out of candy!

This was my favorite one of the night. She had to “walk the plank” to get her candy.

The poor fireman ran out of candy, I think Emma Kate got the last piece!

We are visiting family in Mississippi, so my parents sent Emma Kate a card and stickers.

We let her watch Hocus Pocus this year, and she literally watched it every day, multiple times a day, for 3 weeks. So, of course, she was pumped to wear her Hocus Pocus dress all month. She also painted a pumpkin (see below) and she chose this “pose” all on her own haha.

Halloween night was a bit confusing. It was supposed to rain, so some neighborhoods decided to trick-or-treat the night before. We didn’t know this, so on Halloween night we kept an eye on the street as it got dark…there were no trick-or-treaters. It was 6:45, so I panicked and we threw EK in the car and started driving. We went to two neighborhoods…no kids. FINALLY, we made it to a 3rd one that had tons of lights on and tons of trick or treaters and ended up meeting some of the sweetest people. I’m so glad it worked out this way, it was a great, low key night and we only got rained on a little bit for a few minutes.

At every house, Emma Kate asked to pet the owner’s dog…and we were even invited in a couple times. I love the south! She was more excited about the dogs than the candy!

That night well really the next morning at 3:00, the rain DID come, int he form of tornado warnings. Sirens going off, etc. We got up and watched the weather for over an hour until we felt it was safe to go to bed (after it was downgraded to a watch). Not my favorite way to wake up at 3:00 am, but we are safe and still had a wonderful holiday!

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7 Ways to Celebrate Your Birthday in Walt Disney World

November 1, 2018 by

When my mom was about to turn 60, her one wish was to have a fun girls trip in Walt Disney World. Since her birthday falls on Christmas day, she has NEVER gotten a lot of ”hoopla” for her birthday. Sure we know better than to wrap her birthday gifts in Christmas paper, and not get her a red and green cake, but let’s face it, everyone is so busy with the holidays it’s hard to focus on a birthday other than that of baby Jesus!

Celebrate Your Birthday in Walt Disney World

When she told me she really wanted a quick girls trip to Disney to celebrate her birthday, I sprang into action to plan for the most FUN birthday bash ever. After all, she totally deserves it as the most selfless giving person ever. When I started making our October plans and doing some research, I got frustrated trying to think of things and having to hop all over the internet to find different things, so I thought I would come up with a list of fun birthday things to do in Walt Disney World for adults (kids at heart, right?) Hopefully this list will be helpful to some people looking for fun ways to celebrate!

 

7 Ways to Celebrate Your Birthday in Walt Disney World:

1.) Mark your reservations: Be sure when you book your vacation that you mention there is a celebration going on. That way, it can be marked on your resort reservation and your dining reservations. There is no guarantee, but resorts and restaurants have been known to sprinkle a little pixie dust for birthday guests. When I check in I also make sure it was noted properly on the reservation. We have gotten balloons and cards in our room, chocolate, cupcakes at lunch, free dessert at dinner, and more. (Please please remember this is NOT something Disney has to do, it’s just “extra” so try not to expect it so you won’t be disappointed if it doesn’t happen.)

grand floridian birthday

2.) Birthday button (and hat, shirt, etc): Grab a birthday button at your resort or at the theme parks. Wear it with pride and watch the magic happen! Cast members and guests alike will tell you happy birthday and make you feel extra special. The button is a freebie, but if you want to pay for a little something extra, you can purchase a birthday ear hat or have a shirt made at Downtown Disney letting everyone know it is your birthday.

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3.) Cake: Let me tell you, Disney makes some AMAZING cakes. You can call the cake hotline and have a customized cake made and delivered to your resort or at certain restaurants around the property. I have been lucky enough to be the recipient of several cakes throughout the years. Thanks to my fellow cake fiend Jen, and they are so worth it, and such a fun surprise!

 

4.) Spa treatment: There is a spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian resort, and also at Saratoga Springs resort. Jen and I actually had pedicures done on my birthday one year, and it was so fun! They have a full spa menu if you are looking for some extra pampering with friends or family.

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5.) Fireworks dessert party: Disney knows how to light up the night sky, and they have been wise enough to pair their amazing fireworks with dessert parties, fireworks cruises, and the most recent addition, the Ferrytale Fireworks dessert cruise during the nightly fireworks. So many fun things to choose from (book well in advance for these events!)

6.) Guided Tour: There are a plethora of tours around Disney property, ranging from a behind the scenes Magic Kingdom tour, to a wild Africa Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. I think most people would be plenty excited to get to take part in a special tour on their special day.

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7.) Recreation: A lot of people don’t realize there is so much more to do at Walt Disney World than go to the parks. A birthday is a perfect occasion to do something special. Some examples are: play a round of golf, rent a boat at one of the many marinas, parasail, rent a surrey bike, or take a horse-drawn carriage ride.

Thanks for reading my tips on how to celebrate your birthday in Walt Disney World

QOTD: Have you ever celebrated your birthday in Walt Disney World? What did you do?

Filed Under: blogging, Disney, family, tips, vacation Tagged: , , , , , ,

7 Amazon Finds to Organize Your Kid’s Room

October 22, 2018 by

Emma Kate just had a birthday, and she obtained a lot more, well…stuff. We also got rid of some things, but it just seems to keep growing, yall! I was on the hunt for some great ways to organize her things, and I thought since I was having this issue, some other people may be having it as well, so I thought I would turn it into a post and share.

7 amazon finds to organize your kids room

Here are 7 Amazon finds to organize your kid’s room:

1.) Delta Children Deluxe Multi-Bin Toy Organizer with Storage Bins

Little things. Little people. Little Pieces. Little parts. They are everywhere and drive me bonkers. The idea of having bins we can take out and put back in is super appealing, and we can organize them in each bin. Plus it’s pretty compact and Emma Kate can help clean up with this one.
7 Amazon Finds to Organize Your Kid's Room


2.) ClosetMaid 1499 KidSpace Open Storage Locker, 49-Inch Height
I wish I had known about this in our first house that didn’t have a mud room! This would be perfect for a hallway, or even inside the closet for your kids to hang up their coats and bookbags when they come home. Plus, it’s super cute!


3.) Goldenvalueable Hanging Mesh Space Saver Bags Organizer 3 Compartments Toy Storage Basket for Kids Room organization mesh hanging bag 2 Pcs Set , Pink and Purple

How fun are these? I like that you can see through them so you don’t have to try and remember what you put in each one! Would be fun for stuffed animals or dolls.

4.) Naomi Home Kids Toy Sling Book Rack, Primary Colors/Natural
I don’t know about you, but we are drowning in books. Emma Kate has a ton, and then I saved a bunch of mine from my childhood and we add them into the mix. I feel like when they are in stacks we end up reading the same ones over and over, but this would help us to see more of them at once.

5.) Bath Toy Organizer -The Original Tub Cubby – Large 14×20” Quick Dry Bathtub Mesh Net

EK is at this stage where she wants to put all her toys in the bathtub and have a “pool party” with them. Which is fine until it’s time to get out and then they are just all over the tub, some with sitting water in them, and that’s just not super sanitary. I love the idea of this net so they toys can drain, and also it’s a place to store soap and shampoo bottles.



6.) Weekly Dry Erase Board Calendar Stain Resistant Technology Magnetic Whiteboard Planner for Refrigerator
My child thrives on a schedule, so knowing what is going on the next day is important to her. She can’t read yet, but I think creating picture magnets and putting them on the days of the week would be a great way for us to all stay organized.


7.) Bean Bag Stuffed Animal Storage
Yall. I wish these were around when I was a kid. I had a million stuffed animals and it would have been great! Instead, we had real bean bag chairs, and they would get a hole in them and little white balls would spill all over the room, and then we had to patch them up repeatedly with duct tape. Ah, the good ole days. This is a great way to have a cute place to sit and keep all the furry friends out of sight. Love!

7 Amazon Finds to Organize Your Kid's Room

As a part of the Amazon affiliate program, if you purchase a product through one of my links, I receive a small commission. Thanks for checking out these 7 Amazon Finds to Organize Your Kid’s Room!

Related: How to tame your kid clutter while teaching them valuable lessons.

 

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8 Dave Ramsey Approved Tips to Save Money This Month

October 16, 2018 by

The Christmas season is rapidly approaching, which can leave many of us panicking about where that “extra” money is going to come from for buying decorations, gifts, attending dinners, and the like. October is the perfect time to plan because believe it or not, there are a lot of ways you can save money in the next 30 days that can help you breathe a little easier knowing the holidays are coming.

8 Dave Ramsey Approved Tips to Save Money This Month

Dave Ramsey, the king of getting out of debt and saving money, has LOADS of tips and tricks that are great ideas for life in general, but I decided to compile eight of them because not only do we want to save money, but we still want to be able to shop and have fun right? You can indeed have both! Here’s 8 Dave Ramsey Approved Tips to Save Money This Month

1.) Visit the library: Did you know that part of your tax money goes to fund your local library? When my mom recently found out that FOUR HUNDRED dollars a year of her taxes were going to the library, she decided it was high time to make some use of it. She rents books, DVD’s, CD’s, and more. Emma Kate loves going to the children’s story time and we get lots of books and DVD’s. Her interests change so quickly it’s way better than buying all of that stuff anyway!

2.) Consignment shops: Not only do I sell Emma Kate’s olf clothes and toys at the local consignment shop, but I buy from there, too! I also am a huge fan of thredUP* and have gotten some amazing deals on brand new clothing!

3.) Cut cable: This one took me a while to consider because I was worried about my beloved football games, but now there are SO MANY other options for watching TV! netflix! Amazon Prime! Sling TV! Hulu! Cable has gotten so outrageous and cutting the cord can save you a ton. If you go to the Hulu website through this link, you can get a free trial, so be sure to check it out!*

4.) Check the sale papers: I feel like this is something people don’t do a lot anymore, but a lot of stores and grocery stores have weekly or monthly sale papers with the hottest deals. We use this for BOGO’s and certain days of the week that more expensive items like chicken or meats are on sale. I also use Cartwheel for Target and digital coupons for other stores. You don’t even have to go extreme couponing to save money. It adds up fast!

5.) Be electricity mindful: I was raised that when you leave a room, you turn off a light. I feel like more and more kids are not being taught to conserve these days, and it does drive me a little batty. Simple things like turning off lights, closing curtains and blinds and raising the air conditioning when you leave the house can save you a few dollars every month, which can really add up over the course of a year.

6.) Search for free activities: I know not all towns have a lot of free activities, but do some digging and you may be surprised. In Tampa, I’m subscribed to a weekly email for fun things for kids to do over the weekend in my city. Some have small costs, but most are free and there is never a shortage of things to do especially if we are willing to drive a little bit. Your kids don’t have to have the most expensive toys to have fun and make memories!

7.) Pack your lunch: The amount that this one adds up to is truly shocking. I know people who eat out for lunch at work every. single. day. That’s on average $50 a week, or $200+ A MONTH! Add on those who go to Starbucks daily and we are talking a pretty penny my friends. Sure I love a special treat or lunch on occasionally just like everyone else, but I have learned that not only is it better for my wallet to pack a lunch, but it’s better for my waistline, too! This one can be a hard habit to break especially for those who do this socially. Maybe try to go to just once a week, or when there is a special celebration. You could even try to get your coworkers to help hold you accountable and you all pack a lunch and go eat at a park one day together.

8.) Ask for discounts: There are so many places that offer discounts that just don’t advertise them (think AAA, senior discounts, kids eat free, etc.) My rule of thumb is always to ask! The worst they can say is no. You can also do an internet search, there are a lot of websites that list out stores and restaurants that offer discounts, free birthday rewards, or nights of the week for kids to eat free.

I hope you enjoyed these 8 Dave Ramsey Approved Tips to Save Money This Month!

*If you sign up for Hulu or purchase form ThredUP with my link, I receive a small affiliate commission.

Related: Top 10 tips for saving money on your Disney World vacation

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Filed Under: blogging, family, money Tagged: , , , ,

Walt Disney World Recap Video September 2018

October 15, 2018 by

Hola friends! Some of you may have seen the video recap of our media event with Disney. After the event was over, we extended our trip by a few days. I had a friend in town that let us stay with her for a bit, then we got a room at Port Orleans Riverside for a couple of days to make it an almost week-long trip. We ate at some of our favorites and really enjoyed just being together and taking our time. Check out some of the fun in the video below.

Don’t forget to hit “subscribe” so you don’t miss any future videos!

Thanks for watching y’all!

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