OVERNIGHT IN FLAGSTAFF WITH A BABY AND A DOG

We survived our first overnight with baby A! We patiently waited 7 months to venture out and Atlas, Winter, Joe and I are so glad we did. A night in Flagstaff was the perfect family outing for us. We found great places to eat, drink and rest our heads. Here’s our quick guide and reccs especially during the new pandemic normal with a baby and a dog.

Where to stay?

That’s was top priority. The birthday queen in me was temped with a bougie glamping tent off the Grand Canyon, but the mom in me thought smarter. AirBnB to the rescue. We found a 100 year old A-frame home in the heart of downtown Flagstaff. It had original wood floors, a claw foot tub and antique fridge. But plenty of space for a a pack-n-play, a dog bed and all off Britt’s luggage. Side note: packing with a baby requires a lot of things! Stroller, seat, bed, bath, Breza, mat, toys, all the clothes, etc. We just did one night; it’s a 2.5 hour drive from Phoenix and great practice for car trips and overnights with Atlas. (& mom to practice pacting).

Where to eat?

Breakfast?

Biff’s-Bagel sandwiches. Get there early and take to go. Walk to a near by park or coffee at …

Late for the Train- Order the Coconino Mocha, thank me later.

Lunch?

Toasted Owl Cafe- Outside dining bring baby and dog. Order the Turkey Pesto on Ciabatta. Order dranks or water, the drinks taste like soda fountain.

Dinner?

Historic Brewing Barrel + Bottle House- Love at first flight. Sip some sours, IPA, rose, ciders and more. Nine brewed locally. Plus the food is delish: burgers, wings, fried pickles, chicken fingers, etc. you can eat inside or out and everyone is sooo friendly. The smallest of world moment happened when our waiter walked out with our food it was the same guy from lunch!

Desert?

Yet to find! Leave your reccs. We did the gelato at a pizza joint but i won’t not recommend, sorry.

Where to go?

Parks:

Wheeler Park- grass and beautiful trees.

Heritage Square- live music and great shops. Be sure to check out P.J. Chilcottage!

Shop:

P.J. Chilcottage- everything from littles to moms. Great tourist gifts and home decor. and homemade soap. Literally wanted everything in the store, EVERYTHING. Check out their IG.

Babbitts- outdoor gear, dog swag and souvenirs. Love the historical building too!

What a trip for the memory books. We even signed the AirBnB guestbook. Reading some of the entries on the travelers and their stays in the past were entertaining. Let us know if you recommend anything in Flag so the next time we head up north we can be sure to check out. Be well and continue to stay safe out there.

XoXO

Mama Britt

THANKSGIVING IN SAN DIEGO

Okay, before you go judging my Thanksgiving travel plans, know that I tested negative before and after, practiced social distancing, wore a mask in public and packed tons of hand sanitizer. Now we can get to sharing the love- which is much needed in this pandemic. I had not been home since January of 2020, my baby bump and puppy needed vitamin SEA, and I had to check on my 90 year old grandpa’s sharpness. All of it, plus seeing my new baby second cousin was well worth it. We ate good, looked good and relaxed good- it was a much needed recharge before heading into December.

First, lets talk food. Thanksgiving was delicious. I can almost guarantee my turkey was better than yours. My parents used this recipe which included brining and smoking. The sides were simple and perfect and the deserts were decadent. I brought green olive cheese balls and dark chocolate peppermint cremes. Very few leftovers of turkey which meant not as many after Thanksgiving turkey sammies, but I was the fullest I had ever been- a baby + stuffing = stuffed.

We brought our adorable puppy with us- Winter and took her to 3 different beaches. She loves the beach. She chases the birds, loves the sand in her paws and wades in the water. It was our first time going to OB Dog Beach and the combo of the bay and ocean was breath taking. There were plenty of other dogs for her to interact with and the mini tide pools were so fun for her to jump around. Next, Coronado Dog Beach brought a large stretch of ocean and plenty of birds to chase. Finally, our backyard, Imperial Beach, made us keep her on a leash, but with it being so close we had to take her there.

Finally, there was plenty of relaxing. We got our matching Christmas PJ’s early and stayed lounging all day in them. We watched a few movies- Free Birds (didn’t finish because stream was having issues), Doolittle (the new one with RDJ was so good) and Get Santa (British Christmas movie wouldn’t recommend). We also binged holiday baking shows and put us in the mood for baking sweets back home. In San Diego it feels like time slows down- no clock watching and no where to be, but with the ones you love.

Before we hit the road we wanted to take our holiday card photos on the beach. Each year we send out holiday cards sharing our highlights from the year- from adding a puppy, tying the knot to now expecting a little one. We saved a few fave photos on social media and had my dad play photog. We showed him angle, subject, frame and said we will stand here you point and click. They turned out amazing and I cant wait to get them in the mail and on the fridges our our loved ones to see.

Now that we are back home, more restrictions are in place, and I approach the 9th month of pregnancy, Christmas will be spent in Phoenix. We have started decorating for Santa and discussing the traditions we hope to start with our little one in the future. I hope you all had a safe and happy Thanksgiving and plan for your Christmas to be the same. Happy Holidays and I will chat with you all soon.

XoXo

Britt

RED, WHITE & DUE

Coming in with the big news! Eleven weeks and three days pregnant: it’s official! Well we can talk about it now because it’s been official on social media and we are overjoyed with all the love we are receiving. This is been one of the hardest secrets to keep and I can’t wait to tell you the story and continue to share throughout the journey of becoming a mother.

How did I find out?

I knew because I had a feeling when I was getting sick in the afternoon consistently and I missed my period- I know I knew it was time to take an official test. When I saw the + it didn’t seem real almost like a dream but I knew I had to share the news in an exciting way to Jose. I was overjoyed with the news that our life was about to change- we are about to be parents.

How did Jose find out?

Four days after I received the news, jose and I both had the same day off and I booked us an appointment to confirm the news. That morning I woke up early and went and got donuts, threw up on my way to the donut place, came back home told Jose what a great cat dad he is what an amazing dog that he is and that he’s going to even make an even better human. He was in shock, of course, like most first time dad’s reactions. From there we went to the doctors to confirm the news

Working in healthcare I am mediately had to tell my boss, my director of nursing and my HR director, but they couldn’t have been more supportive. The hardest thing, though, has been or was keeping it from our families.

How did the family find out?

I’m an only child so I knew that I had to tell my parents in person and during this quarantine I didn’t make things any easier. We tried to get them to come out but Fourth of July ended up being the big weekend. Keeping it from the local parents, Jose’s parents, was even harder especially when you want to go over for Sunday dinner or celebrate Father’s Day. Finally we had everyone over on the Fourth- and shared- were Red, White and Due, January 2021.

So how is my first trimester?

The morning sickness turned in the afternoon sickness turned in the evening sickness. I remember getting my blood drawn and the phlebotomist said the only time she wasn’t sick was when she was sleeping and I feel that girl. The cravings were more like things I enjoyed over things I didn’t enjoy like citrus sour salty things. I really had to change up how I was eating meals and making sure I was snacking throughout the day to not only keep up my nutritional intake, but make sure that I was eating enough. But, even as I write this I’m trying to figure out if I want to go throw up or not. So, first trimester we are a week away from being over and I’m hoping that’s true with the nausea as well. Now that the cats out of the bag I can start asking for tips tricks and any advice that will help me along the way to the second and third trimester. 

Boy or Girl?

That’s the million dollar question. As long as the baby is healthy I am happy and to make sure the baby stays healthy I need to make sure I’m taken care of myself. This is hard for me because I want to do everything obviously cleaning the cat box and heavy lifting is out, but I definitely need to be more vocal in expressing my needs and allowing those around me to lend their hands. Being pregnant during the Corona Virus is not any easier, not that I have anything to compare to, but imagine being sick and having to wear a mask all day- feeling nauseous and the smell makes you sicker and you have to continue to either smell your mask or smell whats is in your mask. I also work in healthcare so I see the pandemic every- new cases or asymptomatic patients and I know that I need to put myself first, my health and my baby.

 I can’t wait to share everything about this journey. It’s a long road ahead, but baby when you read this when you’re older, know that I love you so much already and I don’t even know you. Cheers to 2021! I know we’re all looking forward to it for so many reasons and here’s another one! Thank you for the love and support and we can’t wait to debut our new Finding Arizona Podcast Co-host in January 2021.

XoXo

Britt