Have I seriously not recapped our 4th of July weekend yet? Whoops. I'm settled back into my new-old job, and am honestly happy. I left for multiple reasons a little over a year ago, and all roads led me back to where I was truly the happiest. When they asked me to come back earlier this year I was thrown off guard, but let it marinate for a while and realized it's where I belong career wise. With that said, things have been back to super crazy busy just as I remember hence my absence here on my little slice of the internet.
We kicked off the holiday weekend with dinner and margaritas at our favorite local spot and lots of pool time of course. I also did my best to make sure Lil' Miss and I were rocking red, white and/or blue all weekend. I paired this knotted tank with an oldie but a goodie white denim skirt for dinner, and it was super comfy.
We headed to a friend's house for 4th of July festivities, and ended up staying to watch the fireworks from their hot tub since it was raining at the park we were going to go to. Hot tub views > sitting at a park.
The following weekend, some of the girls went out to celebrate our two July birthday babes and experienced High T for the first time.
A beach day is also always a good idea. We headed to New Smyrna Beach for the day one Saturday before stopping off at our favorite Tiki Bar and Grill on the intracoastal for a late lunch/early dinner.
July of course included trips to Universal, and we are thoroughly enjoying our 2nd year as annual passholders. Lil' Miss gets upset on the weekends we don't end up going. Our little thrill seeker! We have our favorite rides and go-to bartenders at certain spots and know when the wait time is just not worth it. The Florida summer heat is no joke though, so I scooped up this romper which was light and airy paired with sneaks. We also started using these cooling towels which are a game changer! I have no shame walking around with one on my neck.
And who would I be if I didn't see the Barbie Movie opening weekend. I was hesitant to bring Lil' Miss due to the PG13 rating, but it was for suggestive language that would go right over her head which it totally did. So, we donned our pink and headed to the theater for a mommy-daughter date. I hadn't been to the theater in YEARS and was pleasantly surprised that they now have luxury recliners. YES please!
A selfie with a mouth full of popcorn and a stop for Barbie ice cream after was on the agenda. The perfect Sunday afternoon.
It's been almost a month since our staycation at Loews Sapphire Falls at Universal to celebrate our anniversary, and here I am finally pulling it together for a recap. We actually had a quick day date at Universal earlier that week before we drove back a few days later to check in as a family for the weekend. As much as I love popping in to the parks whenever we feel like it and heading home, it's also nice to play tourist every once in a while and stay at one of their resorts and take the water taxi to the parks.
Quick tip - if the line is long for the Hogwarts Express when changing parks we like to go through City Walk and stop for a margarita at Margaritaville and say hello to Joe the bartender. When Lil' Miss is with us he always gives her a cup of water with a watermelon slice which makes her day!
Day dates just the two of us = all the rollercoaster fun! Lil' Miss loves the coasters too, but she's not tall enough yet for Velocicoaster, The Hulk or Rip Ride Rockit. Although she asks all the time when she can join us - she is a thrill seeker and loves that she's big enough for Hagrid's Motorbike, Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey and The Mummy now.
We headed back that Friday after work and checked in to the resort. We lucked out with a pool view room that also had a view of Velocicoaster and Hogwarts Castle. Yes please! We headed down to the pool and ordered food from the pool bar for dinner which ended up working out perfectly instead of a big fancy dinner. The resort slide was everyone's favorite part of the pool and the cool beach entry to cut across to the other side.
Saturday morning we were up bright and early to head to Islands of Adventure for early access to the parks. If you're staying at a connected resort or are an annual passholder, you can access the most sought after rides an hour early before general admission and experience less crowds. I broke out my new romper to try and beat the head. Spoiler alert - I still needed to head to the water park to cool off. We rode a few rides then walked over to Volcano Bay to cool off at the water park before heading back to the resort to enjoy the pool some more. I have 0 pictures of the fun in the parks, and pick back up for dinner at the Portofino Resort.
A stop off the water taxi to pick up Voodoo Doughnuts for Sunday's breakfast was of course on the agenda. Always a must when staying at Universal - yum!
I love wedding season! We just celebrated our 13th anniversary, and a few of our friends also celebrate their anniversaries in the summer. Who doesn't love an outdoor wedding in the warmer months? Don't know what to wear? I've got you covered! No matter what the attire calls for on the invitation, all of my picks are versatile and can be worn again after attending a wedding on vacation. Elegant night on a cruise, dinner under swaying palms, date night, by the pool or all of the above.
Black Tie or Black Tie Optional
I wore this satin beauty to my cousin's black tie optional wedding in Cape Cod, and it was perfect for the weather and the beautiful waterfront backdrop. (Wedding weekend on the Cape recap found here).
We had the privilege of traveling to Punta Cana for our friends' wedding back in 2015. (Honestly feels like a couple years ago not 8!) So, it was fun to not only be at an all inclusive resort with friends for a few days, but dress up and attend a wedding on the beach. I went with a flowy number and sandals because sand. H went with a tropical button down, khaki shorts and sandals.
