Baby Bonnets and Swimming Pools

From the archives...of drafts. This post was started last year, about this time exactly, and never posted. So, I give you a post that has never seen the light of day, but isn't half bad. It's filled with photos of a beautiful baby, after all. 

Last week was my kid's Spring Break. We had no plans. Heck, because of having no plans, it completely snuck up on us! Come Monday morning of said Spring Break I was wondering what we would do all week to get the sillies out and not drive each other crazy {read not drive momma crazy}. 

We are blessed to have family that have a condo in Amelia Island Plantation and that allow us to visit and take over the pool. I totally said take over, because when a family with five kids comes to the pool, we kinda take over. Add to that, my sister-in-law and the cousins and Ganny {my husband's mom}, we are a force to be reckoned with! But, we have a really great time and a LOT of energy is burned off!

[Love Mabry's bonnet? It's from Urban Baby Bonnets on etsy. Click here to find one like it.
This post is in no way sponsored by the seller. I've been buying her bonnets since McKinley was a baby. I genuinely LOVE them!]

We are currently one day into Spring Break 2016, let's see if we can get a repeat of this gorgeousness!

The Shores Resort and Spa in Daytona Beach , FL {a Room Tour}

Are you headed to Daytona Beach, Florida in the near future? Looking for a place to stay that is both beautiful and comfortable? Have I got the place for you...I present to you The Shores Resort and Spa.

As soon as I found out that my stay in Daytona Beach would be at The Shores Resort and Spa I turned to the internet to show me photos. It didn't disappoint. The Shores is the ONLY resort in Daytona Beach that has a AAA Diamond rating, and it isn't hard to see why.

{photo credit: The Shores Resort and Spa}

The Shores Resort and Spa is home to Azure, the only fine-dining oceanfront restaurant in Daytona Beach Shores. My first night at The Shores I experienced Azure's delicious menu. I started with an Azure-tini, a beautiful cocktail in the most beautiful shade of blue. Next, my table shared a multitude of appetizers. We had Crispy Calamari, Warm Goat Cheese Dip, Lump Crab Cocktail, and more. Each dish was so beautifully plated, and were absolutely delicious.

Upon check-in, Florida residents that book the Florida Resident Package are given tickets for S'Mores kits. That's right, there are fire pits out back that are lit when the sun goes down. Sit back, listen to the waves crash and enjoy an ooey-gooey graham cracker, {burnt} marshmallow, and chocolate concoction for your taste buds. Don't worry, if you aren't a Florida resident, you can purchase S'Mores kits that feed 4-5 people at the front desk for $10.

{photo credit: The Shores Resort and Spa}

Now, let's take a look inside the room. My room was spacious, with a king sized canopy bed and seating area perfect for watching the waves crash outside. 

{This cute little love seat opens up to create additional sleeping space.}

The bathroom was large enough to wriggle out of a wet swimsuit and get showered after a big day at the beach.

Would you like to see more of the inside of the room at The Shores Resort and Spa? Watch my video below. 

Have you been to The Shores Resort and Spa in Daytona Beach, FL? I'd love to hear all about your stay! What was your favorite attraction outside of the resort? Tell me about it in the comments below.

I received complimentary accommodations in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own. 

10 Things To Do in Daytona Beach, FL

I was given complimentary accommodations, meals, and entry tickets to the following locations in exchange for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

As a native Floridian, I have always felt like I have a pretty good handle on all-things-beach. I mean, I grew up and now live about 30 minutes from 5-6 beaches. I could go to the beach at the drop of a hat on any day. But, I don't. Maybe it's because the novelty has worn off? I mean, growing up I went to the beach every weekend with my mom. As a teenager I spent a lot of weekends at the beach with my friends. When our kids were little we took them to the beach every now and again. These days we rarely go. Sad, huh? You guys who have to drive HOURS to the nearest beach probably think I'm nuts for not going as often as I possibly could. I just feel like there's nothing new to see. Until now. That is, until I went on a short trip to Daytona Beach, FL a couple of weeks ago. I was able to truly spend the weekend at the beach like a true tourist would. And I enjoyed EVERY MINUTE.

I'm here today to share with you 10 Things To Do in Daytona Beach, FL. These are just a handful of the activities we were able to take part in and enjoy to the fullest. So, here we go, in no particular order. At the end, tell me which are your favorites, or which you will surely go to on your next trip to Daytona Beach.

1. Go shelling on the beach. The ocean is FILLED with beautiful treasures that will wash up on shore. Put on a hat, lather on some sunscreen, grab your sand bucket, and go walk along the shoreline. You never know what beautiful sea shells or beach treasures you may find!

2. Are you a NASCAR fan? I'll be honest, I'm not. Or, I wasn't. BUT, after visiting Daytona International Speedway, and seeing the race track and hearing cars woosh by with such speed, I LOVED the atmosphere! When you take a guided tour you are told stories and history about many racing legends like, Dale Earnhart, Richard Petty and Jett Gordan. The Daytona International Speedway truly is a Daytona Beach must-see!

3. Visit a museum or two. Daytona Beach has quite a few museums. This museum pictured is the Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art. Cici and Hyatt started their collection of fine art back in 1997 with two 19th century watercolors of the old St. Augustine gate. Over time, their love for fine art grew and grew...and grew into what is now a collection of more than 2800 works of art. That tidbit of information sheds light on why they had a need to build their own museum. While not every piece is on display at one time, you can view an exquisite collection of Florida art and more. So, while in Daytona Beach, go to a museum!

4. Wake up early enough to catch the sunrise. I know, I know, you're on vacation, you don't want to get up early. But, trust me, Florida sunrises are the best. You'll want to watch the sun rise over the ocean. If you're staying at beach front property, simply open the window and curl back up in bed. Or, if you aren't able to see the ocean from your bedroom window, take a blanket and go down to the shore. Either way, you'll be glad you woke up early. 

5. Be a kid again! Ride the roller coaster and play in the arcade at the Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier. There's so much to do at the boardwalk and pier. Ride go-carts, grab some World's Most Famous saltwater taffy from Zeno's Boardwalk Sweet Shop, have a slice of pizza at Pizza King, or dine at Joe's Crab Shack. You can also get paddle board lessons from the folks at Oceanside Paddle Sports. You can truly spend an entire day at Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier.

6. Check the calendar for a list of festivals going on during your stay. Listen to local musicians, buy local art or handmade goods, and spend the day with the locals. Festivals are a great way to take a break from beach activities and still enjoy the day with your family.

7. Drive to nearby DeLand to shop along historic and beautiful Woodland Boulevard or New Smyrna Beach’s fun and beachy Canal St. and Flagler Avenue. There are so many quaint shops and eateries in DeLand. Stop into Pat and Toni's Sweet Things for a slice of pecan pie. Oh my yum, it is so delicious. There's also a super hip art gallery, The Hub on Canal, that you won't want to miss. Local artist set-up their easels {or whatever their medium is} and create works of art right there where you can watch them. It's a real treat to see an artist at work. New Smyrna Beach is a short drive from Daytona Beach, you won't want to miss it. 

8. Tickle your tastebuds. There are SO MANY amazing restaurants and eateries in Daytona Beach. Visit DaytonaBeach.com to look up nearby restaurants that feature cuisine you're craving. May I recommend Aunt Catfish's on the River for more seafood choices than you can catch with even your largest shrimping net or Racing's North Turn for, not only good food and great service, but racing history from right where racing got its start! 

9. Need to add a little fun competition to your days? Are you going to Daytona Beach with your children? Well, you could even do this with an all adult crowd. Create a scavenger hunt for you ALL to participate in. Go on a hunt for the beach, a sea turtles nest {remember not to disturb it, it's against the law}, sea shells, a crab, a sand dollar, a seagull, the pier, bits of sea glass, and anything else one might find at the beach. You could even make a more detailed list with things like, "a girl in a polka dot bikini" or "a man wearing jeans on the beach." Let the prize be a trip to get ice cream cones together or. {we didn't do this on our last trip, but doesn't it sound like tons of fun??? I think I'll suggest it for the next time!}

10. After you've had quite possibly the best day ever, but before you hit the sack, watch the sunset. And then, dream of all of the fun you'll have tomorrow. 

Daytona Beach is such a beautiful destination in Florida. There's SO MUCH to see and do. Have you ever been? Did you do any of the activities I mentioned? Is there a place that I've not mentioned that should be visited? Let us know about it in the comments. 

A Newbie Guide to Cruising Carnival Cruise Lines: the Food

I have an entire series of posts planned for our recent Carnival Fascination Cruise trip, but first FOOD. It just seems like the very best place to start. I mean, you want to know how well you'll be nourished while on board your vessel. After all, if not properly nourished, you may not have the energy to partake in all of those fun shore excursions and beach time. I digress.

The food on board any Carnival Cruise Line ship is sure to be FANTASTIC! However, I can only speak for the Fascination. My husband and I recently took our two oldest boys right out of JaxPort, the local Carnival Cruise Line port here in Jacksonville, FL. For years, we've seen the ship in port, as we cross over the Dames Point Bridge, and said, "Hey, look! The cruise ship is in town." Yet, we've never boarded the vessel and set sail ourselves.

To say we were well-fed while aboard the ship is an understatement. We ate like kings and queens for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between. Eggs, bacon, and fresh fruit. Chili cheese fries, cheeseburgers, and more fresh fruit. Steak, lobster, and shrimp cocktail. These are only a few of the foods we enjoyed while sailing with Carnival. Allow me to show you a few of our favorites, in pictures.

{breakfast looked like this just about every morning. yum.}

{the shrimp cocktail appetizer was so delicious.}

{the Caprese Salad was amazing! I could've eaten this morning, noon, and night.}

{Penne Mariscos. sauteed shrimp, calamari, and scallops on top of italian pasta, tossed with a tomato cream sauce. yum.}

{on Elegant Night we feasted on steak, lobster and shrimp. don't be afraid to ask for seconds.}

{i highly recommend getting this cake for dessert each night. you can get a different dessert, in addition to this. but, trust me, you'll be missing this Molten Chocolate Cake when you are back at home.}

{endless froyo and soft serve. need i say more?}

"DIDJA" Menu

Let me tell you about a special menu that is featured on the dinner menu each night. It's called the "didja" menu, as in "did you ever." Each night there's a different food item that you may not have ever tried, or ever thought of trying. I urge you to try it. We did, and each night we either enjoyed it or were glad we could at least say we've tried it. Again, in pictures, here were our "didja" menu options.

{we enjoyed these Alligator Bites. they were more like hushpuppies with bits of alligator in them.}

{this was the Escargot. my boys and I each tried it, and we all agree...it doesn't have much of a flavor and it has the texture of a mushroom.}

{the sushi was delicious. i would definitely get it again!}

We ALL enjoyed every morsel of food while on the Carnival Fascination. My son Jonah's favorite part about the food? The endless FroYo. Yep, that's right, you can get frozen yogurt or soft serve ice cream, in a variety of flavors, 24 hours a day! Jonah would eat his meal {breakfast, lunch, or dinner} and then head straight to the froyo machine. If he was on his way to the Kid's Club, he would first stop for froyo. You rarely saw him without a cone in his hand. 

Shhh...I enjoyed the chili cheese fries a LOT. I might have gone and gotten them two or three times in the 3 days they were offered. Calories don't count on vacation. True story. 

My husband and I equally LOVED steak and lobster night. We asked for seconds on lobster, devoured our steaks and enjoyed a quiet meal, just the two of us. {We ditched the kids on Elegant Night. LOL Don't worry, they had pizza.}

A Few Helpful Tips from a Newbie Cruiser:

1. When packing for your cruise, pack at least one elegant {or Sunday's Best} outfit.
2. Check your Sign and Sail card for your dining time and location.
3. On Embarkation day, check-in early and have lunch on the ship. The buffet will be open on Lido Deck.
4. If you have special dietary restrictions, be sure to tell your waiter or maitre d'. They're there to help, and will do so with a smile. 
5. Don't feel like dining in the dining room tonight? Feel like staying in your stateroom for the evening? Order room service. There's a menu in your room and you can order from it 24 hours a day.
6. Each adult, aged 21 or older, may bring one 750 ml bottle of wine on board in their carry-on luggage. {up to two bottles per room, a $15 corking fee will apply to bottles with corks}
7. Each person may bring up to 12 unopened cans/cartons of soda, water or juice in their carry-on luggage. {as of July 9, 2015, NO bottles of soda or water will be allowed to be brought on board. See Carnival's Liquor and Beverage Policy for all of the rules and restrictions.}
8. Water, lemonade, and tea are available, at no additional cost, while on board. If you're a soda drinker, I recommend pre-purchasing Bottomless Bubbles. For a nominal fee, you can have unlimited soda and juice for the duration of your cruise. Bottomless Bubbles can be purchased at the Lobby, Casino, or Pool Bars. 
9. To piggy back on Bottomless Bubbles, Carnival Cruise Lines also offers a plan for those who enjoy a cocktail or two. Cheers!, a prepaid bar package, allows you to order drinks and not get billed. Whether you're lounging by the pool or enjoying a show in one of the many theaters, you can do so with a cocktail in hand. {Some exclusion apply. Must be purchased for the full length of cruise.}
10. The frozen yogurt and soft serve station, as well as the pizza bar, are open 24 hours a day!
11. Check your cruise ship for special dining locations. For example, some of Carnival's ships have Guy's Burger Joint. {Yeah, that Guy, Guy Fieri from Food Network.}
12. Try new things! While on vacation is the PERFECT time to try something that you've never tasted before.

Have you been a Carnival cruise? All this talk about food has my mouth watering. What dining/food tips would you add? 

Disclaimer: My family and I received a Carnival Cruise on the Fascination in exchange for social media sharing and articles on jonahbonah.com. No script was given, all opinions are my own. All photos used in this article are property of jonahbonah.com.