MOTHERHOOD: Mother's Day Tradition

Dear Sharelle,

On our Facebook Page you wrote a comment, "SOOOOOO GIRLS......What's up for Mother's Day?"
It is great that you asked because I happen to love my Mother's Day Tradition. I look forward to it every year. I came up with the idea on my own! I believe this is going to be my third or will it be my fourth year doing what I call to be an ingenious idea.

Are you ready to know what I do readers? Can you guess Sharelle?

You'll never guess. Can you tell how excited I am typing this blog?

Here we go....

On Mother's Day, I go to church with my family so I can stand and receive my obligatory Mother's Day Flower. Then my family and I drive over to Atlantis, but not for what you think. We drive over to Atlantis so I may check - in for the night.

YES! ME and me alone.



My view from my room during my first staycation

Every Mother's Day I have a staycation. I check in Sunday, we go to 7:00am Mass so I can have a full day. I spend the night, then the next morning, check out and drive to work.

Exhale.......



 Imagine laying here!

Oh how beautiful it is to have a day to myself! Oh how awesome it is to lay out by the pool with my Kindle and a cocktail! Oh how fantabulous it is to sleep the whole night through without Channing getting up to pee, without Chase wandering out of his crib, without hearing Eric snore.

Exhale even louder!

A surprise in the room upon my return!

Now, I know at least someone reading this thinks I am being selfish, how could I not spend time with my family on Mother's Day? What kind of mother am I who doesn't want to be with her children on Mother's Day? Don't get me wrong, to each her own but that simply is not how I want to be celebrated! On a day designated to celebrate my sacrifice, dedication and tireless effort to keep everything and everyone together, I want to be left alone and not have to do anything related to anyone else.

Now I must say that I am blessed to have a mother who doesn't like the hustle and bustle of Mother's Day. She is not one who has to go to a restaurant on Mother's Day. With that said, I am able to relish in my day because I do not have to make plans for her. THANK YOU MUMMY!!!!!!!!!!

If your mother is different, how about giving her a staycation. You and your mom can enjoy a spa date.  During my last stay I had a massage at Mandara Spa Atlantis. Heavenly!

My staycation is so ingenious because Eric and the kids can have a full day with his mother and participate in his extended family's Mother's Day plans. My husband does not have to balance me and his mother on this day. On this day, Eric's mother has him all to herself!!!!!!!!!!!!

And so Sharelle to answer your question, "What's up for Mother's Day?"...

...A Staycation.

If you like the idea, you should try it too. Try it alone or with a girlfriend!  There are so many hotels to choose from. It is totally worth it and truly a Mother's Day!

Until I blog again,
Tiffany

P.S. Sharelle what are you doing for Mother's Day?

MOTHERHOOD: My Big Little Girl

Yesterday was a big day!

Channing is officially enrolled in her first big school. 

I remember being pregnant with her. It was the easiest pregnancy ever! 

After her birth many advised me to take plenty pictures because she would grow up too quickly.



This is Channing the day she was born, May 19th 2009.

Look at her little finger.

She had acid reflux so she slept strapped to a pillow upright for a hot second.  Goddie Kaylus, remember getting these ears pierced?

Jeepers, creepers! Channing's first Christmas photo. 

This is the best Christmas photo she has ever taken.

Hooray! She celebrated the many gifts from her first birthday party.

Wow she reminds me of her baby brother here.

Her first pool date with Cousin Ayden.

Lord I miss this hat. Channing hated it!

Goddie Antja look at our bag in the background!

First day of school.This lil gal walked into the classroom like it was nothing!

You grew so fast Channing!

Channing is finally beginning to look like me!

This is Tiffany all over! This photo is still one of my favorites. It looks like she is running for class president. I will remember this when she becomes a prefect one day! JOKES!!!!!!!!!!

No I don't have these eyelashes. Channing's kept growing along with her!

Little Miss Photographer!

My boopie...now injury prone. You got it! She was running around the house like she was trying to lose some weight!!!!!!!!!

Last month after church on Easter Sunday. 

My Channing

You're such a good girl!

Mummy loves you boopie!

And so, yesterday was a big day. It was a big day because it was the beginning of  yet another chapter in her life. 

"She just reach!" She's only been on this earth for four quick years.

Where does the time go? My little big girl is growing up right before my eyes.

Ladies, the advice was absolutely correct. Take plenty pictures. The photos will always take you back to the very day it was captured. You won't live that day again, but the photos will live forever.

Until I blog again,

A tearful Tiffany... I think I am going to miss my little girl!

SAN DIEGO, CA TRIP: BY PHOTOS

I recently returned from a trip to San Diego, California.  My purpose of the trip was business related and while I was there I got to explore the city a bit.

My conference originally was scheduled to be in San Francisco and was uberly excited about it.  Then it was moved to San Diego and I wasn't that excited anymore...

I had no expectations of what my experience would be like in San Diego, and I must say how pleasantly surprised I was to meet such a beautiful city.  The weather was absolutely perfect and apparently is the case all year round. Did you know that one of San Diego's main economic engines is military and defense-related activities?  I am completely fascinated with navy stories, the ships, the jets, etc.  The US Navy is the largest employer in San Diego!  Who knew!  I'm a Top Gun kinda gal, which by the way I happened to see the place where they filmed the bar scenes in that movie. Oooh yea!  San Diego is incredibly rich in history and could talk about it for days if I had the memory to retain it all. :) Did I mention I could see Tijuana from the Coronado Bridge (a bridge that connects San Diego to Coronado Island, like Nassau and Paradise Island)!

Unfortunately, the closest I had to a camera was my nephew's iPod touch and they do not take very good distant pictures! (Tiffany and I are dying for iPhones) 

The pictures that follow are the only good pictures I could use. :( and do not truly capture EVERYTHING I saw [i.e. the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), the super carrier that on 2 May 2011, following the death of Osama bin Laden, his body was brought aboard Carl Vinson, which was operating in the Northern Arabian Sea, and buried at sea following religious rites].

Here is a brief look into San Diego thru my eyes....



Me, in my room about to get the day started



Me, getting my day started with an in hotel Starbucks! :)

Hilton San Diego Bayfront Sign ~ Hotel in which I stayed 

Hotel San Diego Bayfront ~ from a distance (standing next to the Convention Centre which was right next door)

I know we have these at home but I couldn't help take a picture of this beautiful Bird of Paradise

View of the Gaslamp Area and downtown San Diego

Entrance to the Gaslamp Quarter ~ 16 blocks of restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shops!

My view of Downtown San Diego at night

My $50 breakfast from room service, an egg white omelet, potatoes, a bowl of fruit and a pot of tea!

My view of San Diego Bay, in the distance I could see the Navy ships

San Diego transit system aka San Diego Trolley

Coronado Bridge, beautiful bridge with amazing views.  It had to be tall enough for the battle ships to pass underneath.  We could see Tijuana, Mexico from this bridge!

A little pool action at the hotel

San Diego Air and Space Museum & Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Apollo 9 Command Module

Space Suit? Sorry, didn't get the exact caption for this and from which mission!

Old Town Trolley City Tour ~ I thoroughly enjoyed this tour!

Inside the trolley, seats 35 on park like benches

San Diego Skyline from Coronado Island (which is an affluent resort city across the Bay)

House moved to Coronado in 1985. Yes, I said the house moved to this location by crane.

Can't remember this photo, shipping maybe?

The Luna, the owner of this amazing yacht is the owner of Smirnoff and the football (soccer) club Chelsea

USS Midway 

USS Midway, a Museum

Slipped in a little dinner pic from Cheesecake Factory ~ my favorite place :)

Just a random picture

Work of art

Another random picture

Another piece of Art 

OK, so there are many other places and attractions that I haven't been able to share, like Olde Town San Diego, Little Italy, The Coronado Hotel, The San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, and the PetCo Stadium where the San Diego Padres play baseball.

All in all, it was a great trip and I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to experience this beautiful city. I would definitely suggest visiting San Deigo :)

Signed,
A San Diego goin' Candilaria

MARRIAGE: 5 Reasons To Go To The Telegraph Bar

Photo courtesy of www.sheratonnassau.com

We did it! 
We conquered routine!
We went out on Date Night!

Can I confess and let you know it was a struggle?!!!!!




We went to The Telegraph Bar. The bar is in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel and Resorts. Now for those of you who go out all the time, this is not a new place for you. But for Eric and I who spent all of 2012 in the house, this was a breath of fresh air.

courtesy of www.sheratonnassau.com

Here are five reasons why I recommend The Telegraph Bar.

1. Safe Environment

    The Bar is located in the hotel lobby. Who doesn't feel safe in a hotel? If you 

    don't mind intermingling with a few tourists, there is no need to look over

    your shoulder or be concerned about where the nearest exit is located.

2. Entertainment

    On Friday night there was a live band. They played great Bahamian Music    

    mixed with some jazz. Not too loud, no excessive talking. The band was a 

    great addition to the bar's ambience.

    There are two televisions at the bar. As expected, one channel was on sports

    and the other a news station. This is clever. Men can watch sports and the 

    news happening all over the world can lead to a variety of conversations.

    It was refreshing to sway to the music and still hear our conversation.

3. Bar Menu

    

There's nothing like being out late and arriving at a bar to hear that the kitchen is closed. The Telegraph Bar has a menu available until 11:00pm. 

We did not eat but I was glad to know if I wanted, food, tasty food was available.

Let me mention the bar trail mix. I don't know about  all of you but I like to snack. We did not have any food from the menu, but we devoured the bowl of snacks that came with our drinks. 

The snacks were poured in a bowl as needed. They weren't peanuts sitting waiting for germ infested hands.

4. Bartenders

    Despite us being Bahamian, the bartenders were engaging providing great 

    service. We all know customer service creates an experience. 

5.  Cost

     It terms of cost. We had four drinks. I would rate it as $$. We spent 

     $37.00. Remember it is in a hotel lobby. We paid not only for drinks but 

     also for snacks, entertainment and safety. Not bad!

There you have it readers, my recommendation to visit The Telegraph Bar in The Sheraton Hotel and Resorts. 

Happy dating!

Until I blog again,

Tiffany