Travel Diary: Seaside, FL (Video)

June 3, 2016

Coming out of unpacking hiding for a bit to share with you all the weekend adventure our family took to Seaside, FL. Our little ones had never seen the ocean despite being the water babies that they are! We gave Gabriel the choice of a beach day with the family or a birthday party with friends, and we were all secretly hoping he would choose this. If you remember, Gabe and I first made a visit to Rosemary Beach for an anniversary trip and fell in love with this bubble of a town on the pan handle of Florida. We were dreaming of taking our kids there ever since. We had to pry them away from the sandy scenery, and Gabriel claimed “it was the best day he ever had.” It made the long drive, potty accidents, and toddler meltdowns all worth it;)

(Swim trunks from Mini Boden, Shark Towel from SwimZip)

Can’t wait to get back to this place. We highly recommend it for young families. We rented bikes for 24 hrs. and rode them up and down 30A visiting Charlie’s Donut Shop, the water fountains, ice cream, beach, pools, etc. We booked a really affordable spot in the villages of Ft. Walton which is conveniently located between Alys and Rosemary (my two favorite spots!)

I’ve realized creating experiences for your family doesn’t have to be pricey but may require a good deal patience and flexibility to walk away with fists full of memories like these:) I’m always happy we went for it in the end to see the world through the eyes of my children, because they are so full of life and hope when the rest of the world seems grim.

Hope you all have a sun filled weekend!

*Made this little film using our GoPro🙂

P.S. Tips for more affordable family travel.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

May 27, 2016

Happy Memorial Day weekend!
We are celebrating a few life events this weekend such as a move into our first home and meeting our brand new niece (who was 10 days late!). There is so much to be thankful for including the men and women who fight daily for our country’s freedoms.

Here is a fun weekend to do list round up, as well as the sales you won’t want to miss. Hope you all get to shop for something more fun than a washer and dryer! (Cheers to adulthood.)

Memorial Day Weekend To- Do List:

Watch the movie Joy or Bridge of Spies (our recent rental picks!)

Tour one of Studio Diy Wall Crawl’s in a city nearest you.

Make: Trellis plant wall

Road Tripping? Ways to stay occupied in the car.

Try: A new hairstyle from the hairspray board.

On the grill: my sister’s 50 Stars BBQ Chicken (IHOD’s most pinned recipe!)

Where to Shop:

J.Crew 30% off your purchase with code: WEEKEND
ASOS 20% off with code: HISUMMER
Banana Republic 40% off your purchase with code BRTAKE 40
Shopbop 40% off select items
Nordstrom Spring Half Yearly Sale
Sole Society 50% off select styles

And last but not least, start a tradition with your family to observe Memorial Day! Loved reading through these ideas.

What will you all be up to this weekend? I’ll be sure to share a few peeks of the new digs over on snapchat (annaliesemeyer).

31 Dresses No. 9 – Blues

May 25, 2016

Dress // Sandals // Tote

We desperately needed a few hours to get out of the packing mayhem, so we went for a bike ride and burger date. Not your average combination, but highly recommended;)

This bike is incredibly well made from Simbi Bicycles, and I can say I’ve never had a finer glide! Not sure how long I’ll be able to balance on a bike with a baby bump steering the way, but for now, it’s my prenatal exercise of choice! You’ll have to check out their other color combinations.

Wish us luck on closing day tomorrow! All kinds of butterflies.

Witty Gifts for Grads

May 24, 2016

I am always completely stumped with grad gifts. The ones I remember receiving were the ones that had some thought behind them. I think it’s fun to give a little something along with that cash that makes it personal, changes up the norm, and maybe even makes them laugh. So here’s a round of items for the high school or college graduate that you can pair with cash and grab with a tagline below! Good news: they are all in the $9-$40 range:

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Did you find out baby’s gender?

May 23, 2016

A group of my girlfriends and I are all due around the same time this year. A hot topic of conversation among us recently is whether or not to find out the gender of the baby. There are so many ways to do gender reveals now, and I feel like there should be a whole TLC show dedicated to them. Can’t you see it? Say Yes to the Dress move over! I’d nominate this 7th baby cake reveal and this sister’s reaction to a twin reveal as first episodes.

Anyways, here are a few short stories of our own children, and then I’d totally love to hear yours. Humor me please, because you know, it’s Monday of moving week;)

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Closing Time. Committing to the right home.

May 19, 2016

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We close on our house one week from today. ONE WEEK! It feels so surreal to even type those words because for a long time, we never thought buying a home seemed within reach. We still wait with bated breath to truly celebrate with keys in hand, but as it’s looking, we are in good shape for closing date. This process of buying a home and waiting for closing has not been without it’s stressful days and sleepless nights, as we are about to commit our life’s savings to a piece of property. Although we have perpetual butterflies of anticipation of seeing this reality on the horizon; to grow some roots in a little place with our children and call it home is exciting! As we currently drown in packing tape and boxes, I thought it would be good to share a little back story and some factors that help us in committing to the right home… VIEW FULL POST

Rey Swimwear Giveaway

May 17, 2016

I have the hardest time finding good swimsuits. I want them sturdy enough to ride beach waves or swim with my little ones, but flattering to an ever changing figure;) It seems that most one pieces these days are designed to give you a wedgie or have your boobs fall out upwards or sideways. Am I right? Someone please explain this to me! I know not every girl desires to bare it all at the beach, so thank goodness for smart designers like Jessica of Rey Swimwear. She keeps the femininity of a woman in mind when she designs her swimwear, and the outcome is a stylish and timeless option. Also, please go check out the options for minis! Veronica has this suit and she asks to wear it even if it is rainy outside. Bless her.