Fat Friday

The Tampa Bay area is home to many fabulous beaches. You must come and enjoy a swim in the beautiful Gulf of Mexico! We just love it here. The weather is especially fabulous in the late fall and early winter. One of our favorite family activities is exploring the areas around us. We love visiting new beaches and eating at different restaurants.
However, we keep coming back to FRENCHY'S in Clearwater. Their grouper sandwich just can't be beat!!! Frenchy's has 4 locations because it is just that good. They are famous for their grouper sandwiches which can be served grilled, blackened, or fried. Grouper is low in saturated fat and is a good source of vitamins B6 & B12, phosphorus, potassium, protein and selenium. Frenchy's four restaurants each serve about 1,40 pounds of grouper fillets per week! WOW!!!!!

Despite the oil spill, Frenchy's grouper has remained safe. They have had it tested several times and the oil has not affected our fish here. Our favorite location is the Frenchy's that is right on the beach.

What Every Beach Bag Needs!

Life's a beach, right? Well, it is here in Florida where the sun is always shining. Where we live it is common to jaunt on over to the beach for the morning or afternoon for a dip in the ocean or a walk on the sand or a grouper sandwich at Frenchy's.

Our family has even driven to Indian Rocks Beach just for a Lighthouse Doughnuts apple fritter on a sunny winter morning. In fact, I think it's time to do that again! In Florida, one spends a lot of time at the beach or by the pool. I can't wait to rent a cabana at the Don CeSar for the day.

Living so close to the beach, it's important to know HOW to pack your beach or pool bag!! I have become quite the expert as I pack the bag for all 7 of us. First of all, you need a durable beach bag. I love the traditional LL Bean boat and tote Bag. With a family our size, we need the extra large. Plus, I love having a monogrammed bag.

Inside the bag, I pack LOTS of sunscreen. We prefer the Neutrogena and Hawaiian Tropic 30 to 50 SPF sticks for faces as they are super easy to apply. I like the new Neutrogena Sport spray, but we have also enjoyed Coppertone and Banana Boat sprays. The sprays make the application much faster, but I am a firm believer in re-applying. Dermatologists often sell some other sunscreens that you may prefer.
I also pack goggles as our whole crew loves their goggles! Target sells nice ones from Speedo with the middle nose piece as part of the goggle itself and those are the ones we love. Be sure to pack those goggles!

Old burp cloths or cloth diapers make a great cloth for wiping sandy eyes and hands. You can read more about it on this Tuesday's Tip.
We also pack beach toys like buckets or shovels, dive sticks, or any other fun pool or beach toy the children may enjoy. The older children like to take their fins to the pool and our little one brings her princess diving sticks and princess dolls that can swim. Of course it is understood that one must pack a camera in a plastic bag, possibly a Flip video camera, some money, sunglasses, and beach towels!
You may also want to bring a cooler filled with LOTS of water, ice, lemonade or juice boxes, snacks like juicy strawberries or cheese sticks and a Diet Pepsi or two for mama. If it's later in the day, you may wish to pack some beverages with a little more punch! We also bring plenty of snacks to share like bags of pretzels or Goldfish. Each child has a pair of beach/pool shoes and a change of clothes, including underwear. The children also wear rash guards/swim shirts as often as possible! Happy Beach Days!

A Florida winter

This is one of the plusses to living in Florida...



Our pool is not heated, but the children didn't seem to mind!

Disney!!!

It's time for a trip to Disney! As Florida residents, it just feels like something we need to do! I have some quick tips & will write more soon!

-Don't try to do too much. This makes everyone miserable, including the children
-WEAR SUNSCREEN. EVERYONE. Even Mama & Daddy! You'll be so glad that you did. The Florida sun is hot.
-We like to have our children in matching clothes so that they are easy to find. This also makes pictures less distracting because you look at the people, not the clothes.
-If you want to experience Character Dining, call ASAP! They will let you schedule it 180 days in advance.
-Take naps. If you are staying on property, use the buses! They are great for a quick trip back to the hotel for a nap or a swim.
-Use a sharpie marker to write your cell phone number on the stomach of young children. This way, if they are lost, they can pull up their shirt (or you can do it at their wrist) and show someone who to call.
-Pack water and snacks in a book bag. This will save you from some whining and it will save you money! On a 4 day trip, we only bought 1 popsicle for our children!
-Plan ahead as much as possible.
-Then BE FLEXIBLE. If children are tired, don't push them to ride a ride. Give them a snack from your book bag or go back for a nap!
-Set a limit BEFORE YOU GO as to what (if anything) you will allow the children to buy in the stores.
-If possible, buy your autograph book in advance. It's fun for the children to have it in hand the minute they hit the park.
-Bring at least one pen per child!
-We buy our girls a silver charm when they go special places. Disney does have these. We buy our son something else.
-If you have young children, you will have to choose between going early & staying up late. Otherwise, everyone will be miserable.
-Bring a stroller. You can rent one there, but they are pricey if you have more than 2 children. I bought a double umbrella stroller for less than it would have cost to rent one. We will take it this time even though we have 3 seven year olds! We will use it for our 5 year old & 1 7 year old. Their little legs get tired and yours are faster!
-Bring your camera and video camera fully charged and ready to go!
-If your child has princess dresses or pirate costumes, bring them and let them wear them to a Character meal. It's fun for the children!
-Take lots of pictures. Come home & create a photo book on Apple, Snapfish or Shutterfly to remember your trip.
-One friend brings little cups so that the family can split one drink. This is smart. This way, you only buy what you need
-Drink lots of water.
-Bring a cell phone for mama & daddy in case you separate.
Enjoy the magic!
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We love you, Jerry!!

My DH is so sweet. He knew that by late February, we would be in great need of a fun night out. So... he bought tickets for Jerry Seinfeld!!! He bought these tickets in November for our date night last night. What wonderful foresight!! We had a perfect night! The show was in St. Petersburg, Fl which is the most beautiful city on the water. A delicious dinner was shared while overlooking the bay. Then, we walked to the Mahaffey Theatre where we joined Jerry's fans for an evening of laughter. He was great!! It was fun to enjoy some good laughs together!



We walked back to our car and then went to the Vinoy and sat on the front veranda! We shared the most delicious dessert and re-hydrated ourselves with Pelegrino and tap water! What a wonderful end to a perfect evening! It was nice to be home before 11pm too!