Celebrating 33 with a Staycation

Posted on August 24, 2016 by mhayes24

When Craig asked what I wanted for my birthday this year, I asked for an experience instead of tangible gifts. He happily agreed to my idea of doing an overnight staycation in Atlanta, so he booked a room at the Intercontinental Buckhead, and I got to planning. (Of course I wanted to plan my own birthday outing, right?)

My amazing mom kept Leighton for the day and night so we could have a fun little mid-week getaway all to ourselves. We started the staycation off with a walk on the Beltline and took a break for lunch at Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall — somewhere that we’d yet to make it to, but that has been on my list for quite a while. It did not disappoint! We shared the fried pickles (the basket included fried red peppers, which were our favorite) and a couple beers along with our sandwiches. He had the Torta Cubano and I had the Spatchock Chicken Melt – both were super filling and tasty. The decor inside is like a campfire mixed with a lodge with a big screened porch and tons of outdoor seating to enjoy the Beltline. I can’t wait to go back!

We wandered around Krog St Market (and may have made a stop by Little Tart Bakeshop) and then walked the Beltline back to Ponce City Market to kill some time until Skyline Park (the Coney Island-style rooftop park) opened for the afternoon.

Skee-ball is one of my favorite games ever — it totally makes me feel like a kid again! So we of course got a few rounds in, and it was so nice being there on a weekday because we practically had the place to ourselves. We won a little plush duckie for Leighton, which was so fitting, as she just started saying “dut” (for her rubber ducks) this week!

We also rode the Heege Tower, which is so not scary like it looks, and it gives an even better, 360 degree view of the Atlanta skyline.

Another perk of being there on a rather empty day… we beat the bartender there, so the manager treated us to samples of a few of their most popular drinks! They included 2 frozen options, which were yummy and so refreshing on such a hot day.

We finished up with a friendly game of putt putt… I can’t even remember the last time I played this game. It was a little tricky, so that’s what I’ll blame my loss on…. 🙂

Ah…. so nice to check into a hotel (or house/wherever we’re staying) and not have to haul half of our house in with us! Our room had the prettiest view of so, so many trees and Stone Mountain in the distance! We spent a little late afternoon time at the pool, helped ourselves to the complimentary lounge bar and snacks, and came back to the room to find a birthday cake and balloons from the hotel! Nicely done.

We capped off the most amazing day with a wonderful birthday dinner at Aria in Buckhead. The atmosphere is dark and romantic, and the food was delightful. I loved my beef short ribs, and Craig loved his scallop dish. Even though I’d already had the best peanut butter cookie at the hotel earlier (and a couple bites of that birthday cake), I couldn’t resist the warm caramel and chocolate cake for dessert.

Despite originally wanting to sleep in on this staycation, I ended up booking a tour with Bicycle Tours of Atlanta for the next morning, and I am so glad I did! Waking up early was not welcomed, but once we got going on our bike tour with the owner, Robyn, I think we were both happy we decided not to be totally lazy instead. 🙂 We rode for 3 hours and covered about 8 miles on part of the Beltline and through the neighborhoods of Inman Park, Candler Park, Old Fourth Ward, Little 5 Points, and more. It was such a cool way to see the city!

Robyn was kind enough to offer a discount code for my blog readers! Use code: MELISSA to receive 15% off any future tour booked by Labor Day (9/5/16). I’m going to share more photos and tidbits we learned in a dedicated post, so check that out soon!

We had the best 24 hour staycation. It was just what I wanted and just what we needed. A little relaxation, a lot of fun adventures, and some solid time for just the two of us. Best of all, we didn’t even have to go far to do that! Our city is filled with so much to do, and I have a new appreciation for the greatness that is the “staycation.” Before it was even over, we decided this needs to become a regular thing. A big thank you to Craig for treating me to an amazing birthday gift of adventure, great food, and time together!

Chattanooga Getaway

Posted on July 12, 2016 by mhayes24

Last weekend, we took a little family getaway to Chattanooga, TN. Believe it or not, I’ve never been there, despite the hundreds of times we’ve driven through there on our way to and from Nashville over the years. Craig’s little sister had a softball tournament scheduled for the weekend, and we surprisingly had some free time, so we decided to make a trip up.

First off – why have we never made a point to go there before now?! It’s so easy to get to from Atlanta… it took us an hour and 45 minutes door to (Airbnb) door. And it’s such a pretty place once you get away from the interstate!

We got in town Thursday afternoon, and after checking out our adorable cottage-like rental house, we headed over to the Coolidge Park area. The park area is beautiful and pristine, and the location by the river couldn’t be nicer… but it was SO.SO.HOT. We almost immediately regretted the decision to put Leighton in the stroller to walk around, but we quickly found the antique carousel, and she and I thoroughly enjoyed our ride. We joked that she looked a little seasick when we got off, but I think she had fun.

I got a ton of great restaurant recommendations before going on our trip, and one of the most popular suggestions was Taco Mamacita. Since it was near the park, we continued our walk and sweated our way to dinner. It’s located in a funny little shopping center that is obviously quite old (in a sort of cool, retro way), but there are a few great places sprinkled throughout. Dinner was delicious and super fast, which is greatly appreciated when dining with an impatient infant. I loved their California Club taco, and Craig raved about the Sloppy Jose (which included Fritos in the taco!). We wandered over to Milk & Honey for gelato, and Leighton was a HUGE fan of the couple tastes she got! I think we’ve created a monster.

We spent Friday morning feeling like locals… early breakfast at Aretha Frankenstein’s for the thickest pancakes we’ve ever seen and then a long walk through the neighborhood while Leighton snoozed. Thank goodness we planned to spend the main part of the day at the aquarium so we could get out of the heat. The aquarium consists of two big buildings, one for “river journey” and one for “ocean journey.” It was a long outing for the little lady, but she was a pretty good (quite vocal) sport as we walked through the exhibits. I think our favorites were the butterfly room, stingray touch tank, funny penguins, and the multitude of jellyfish tanks.

After leaving downtown, we took a little detour up to Lookout Mountain and walked/drove through some of the neighborhood streets admiring the view and the incredible mountaintop homes. I had no idea that an actual neighborhood would be that far up the mountain, and so many of the homes were absolutely amazing!

We headed back downtown for a quick dinner at Lupi’s Pizza, which we really liked, and then drove straight back to Milk & Honey for more dessert. (So bad!) We also picked up some pastries for Saturday’s breakfast, including a homemade Nutella pop tart with sprinkles… talk about being right up my alley.

Saturday was spent going back and forth to the softball fields for Craig’s sister’s 3 games. Despite the heat, Leighton was a trooper, and we got to see Cassie’s team win 2 of their games for the day. Go Music City Mustangs!

Due to baby’s bedtime (which we pushed back a decent bit for vacation purposes), we spent each night hanging out on the front porch swing or the back patio drinking wine, talking about how much were obsessed with our baby, and trying not to be eaten alive by killer mosquitos. Aside from those pests, it was the perfect way to wind down and relax after being on the go all day.

By the way, this was our first experience with renting through Airbnb, and we were very pleased with the process and the home we chose! It was so nice to have a whole home (especially a kitchen!), porch, and yard to utilize while traveling with a baby. We took advantage of the walkable location and enjoyed exploring the neighborhood and picking out our favorite homes. A big plus was that the house was just a couple minutes’ drive from pretty much everything we wanted to do, and it felt like we were locals for the weekend. Never would have had that experience by staying at a downtown hotel! Whenever possible going forward, I think we’ll try to rent a home when we take Leighton with us on vacation. If you haven’t tried it yet, get $30 off your first booking!

We had a lovely time in Chattanooga. We’ll just plan to come back next time in the fall so it’s not 100 degrees outside. 🙂

Leighton’s 1st Easter

Posted on March 28, 2016 by mhayes24

We went up to Nashville (well, really to Franklin) to spend Easter weekend with Craig’s family, and it was egg-cellent! 😉 That was our first time back to visit since Christmas, so Leighton had changed quite a bit and had a lot of fun playing with all of her TN family.

Thankfully, since we didn’t have to worry about time off from work, we were able to make a long weekend out of it, which was so nice. We celebrated Craig’s brother’s 23rd birthday with a cookout, had a delicious brunch with a bunch of friends at Tupelo Honey, and ate a lot of good home-cooked meals with his family.

On Sunday, we went to church with Craig’s family — Leighton made it about halfway through the service before being over it, which was all sorts of fun. 😉 She woke up at 5 that morning, so needless to say, she was not too happy to have been awake for over 4 hours at that point (and neither was I!). But aside from wrangling what felt like a tiny baby alligator while standing in the back, it was a lovely Easter service. Afterward, we ate a massive lunch feast at Craig’s aunt and uncle’s house with about 50 family members. The kids had an egg hunt in the backyard, and I can’t wait for Leighton to be big enough to participate next year!

Leighton got three more Easter baskets (she already got one from my parents, which included a flamingo beach towel and an adorable pink bunny, both with her name embroidered on them). Craig’s parents gave her a pink swing to keep up there for our visits and a cute spring outfit… and we’re going to keep all of her candy for ourselves. Sorry, baby! Craig’s grandparents also had a basket of goodies for her, including some yummy baby food, board books about animals, and a silver bank and cup/fork/spoon set from when Craig was a baby. His grandmother made the sweet little macrame basket years ago, which she gave to Leighton to keep.

I had so much fun putting together Leighton’s first Easter basket. In true “planner” fashion, I’d started thinking about it a couple months ago. We got her a cute white basket and pink gingham liner with her name embroidered on it, and I just love it! She got two swimsuits, a sweet pink and white embroidered bib, a Winkel toy, and a couple springy cotton headbands. I love buying her books, so we included one with illustrated Bible stories and a board book about a funny dog named George — and of course a chocolate bunny, which I’ll eat for her. 😉

It was so nice celebrating this special holiday weekend with Craig’s family and having a few relaxing days to visit with everyone. With each visit, Leighton is able to interact with everyone more, and it’s been so fun seeing her laugh and play with each of them. We can’t wait to come back next month – this time, for Craig’s 15 year high school reunion! Eek!

Ringing in 2016

Posted on January 5, 2016 by mhayes24

Welcome to 2016, friends! To ring in the new year, we actually headed back out of town (for the 3rd weekend in a row) to the mountains in Helen, GA. We rented an amazing little cabin with 4 of our friends and their 3 kids, so we had a total of 6 adults and 4 kids… total insanity, but so much fun. Despite being exhausted, we managed to make it well past midnight on NYE! Leighton celebrated early with her sparkly gold top hat and a party blower, which she preferred to eat and slobber on.

We took a quick trip into downtown Helen for lunch one day. I really wanted a funnel cake, but we settled for giant pretzels and beer cheese sauce at the Troll Tavern instead. 🙂

We each took turns cooking dinner for everyone and ate like kings all weekend. We spent our nights by the fire roasting marshmallows for s’mores after the kids were asleep, playing “Fibbage” (a fun trivia game using the tv and our iphones), and telling stories and laughing for hours until we all snuck quietly back into our rooms so we wouldn’t wake the sleeping babies.

The cabin was on top of a hill with the prettiest view of the mountains, especially at sunset.

This is the best dessert ever. Leftover s’mores ingredients used to make a dip. So good and so bad at the same time. A perfect treat to end our weekend away!

I love how vacations seem to make us more tired than we were before going, but they’re still always worth it. We laughed and commiserated about non-sleeping babies with our friends, and we made another batch of memories to add to the ever-growing list. It’s certainly an adventure to travel with so many little ones in the same house for several days, but we wouldn’t have had it any other way. I’m so thankful to have incredible friends to share in this crazy, busy, exciting season of life. Here’s looking forward to another year filled with love, laughter, joy, travel, and many adventures!

Leighton’s First Christmas

Posted on December 29, 2015 by mhayes24

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and this one was no exception, as it was Leighton’s first Christmas! Even though she doesn’t have a clue what fun we’ve been having this season, it’s amazing how much more exciting and special every holiday gathering, party, and activity becomes once you have a child to share them with.

Coco has also enjoyed Christmas — she got some new toys and treats, and she loved having my family and Lauren’s family over for our annual dinner, which we did a couple nights before Christmas this year. We had fried turkey, popovers, and lots of delicious sides and desserts. I made a butter pecan cake (I got the recipe from Craig’s grandmother over Thanksgiving), and it was a big hit. On Christmas Eve, we headed to Lauren’s parents’ home for a big group dinner with lots of their family and friends. Andrew and Lauren cooked an Italian feast, and we stayed for hours visiting with everyone. These two nights have become some of my favorite yearly traditions. Also, Leighton turned over a new leaf this week and decided she’d let lots of new people hold her, which was a very welcomed surprise!

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On Christmas morning, we got up with Leighton to see what Santa brought her, which was fun for us, even though she doesn’t yet understand just how exciting this is. For her gifts, we went with the “want, need, wear, read” gift guideline, and she got a couple things from each category. Her “want” was a colorful Bla Bla Kid travel play mat, which is so cute and soft! For her “need,” she received a pink suitcase with her name embroidered on it (and the cutest little matching travel case) for all of our upcoming trips. She also got a silicone bib, a Wonderwoman bib/cape, and a set of baby spoons because she’ll soon be starting on rice cereal (how is that possible?!). She got several new colorful headbands and a tiny pair of gold moccasins for “wear.” And finally, for “read,” she got 2 board books to add to her collection — Noah’s Ark and Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type.

She had her 2nd Christmas at my parents’ new house in Marietta. They cooked a big breakfast, and we all opened gifts — Leighton was thrilled to get the pony she wanted! (Don’t tell her it’s not real.) I can’t get over the adorable clothes she received, as well as a really cute personalized book, The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name, and a sweet wooden name puzzle that my dad had made for her.

To continue our celebrations, we headed to Nashville to spend the rest of the weekend with Craig’s family. Leighton surprised us even more by letting several people hold her at the big family dinner…a Christmas miracle! She was spoiled with more generous gifts, including additions to her growing wardrobe, some learning toys and a pink swing, and THE CUTEST baby bathrobe with her nickname, LL Cool Hayes, embroidered on the back. It totally looks like a boxing robe, which is pretty hilarious to envision.

We had a fairly low key couple days with Craig’s family, but we did manage to coordinate a big lunch with several of our friends who went to high school with Craig. It was great to catch up and introduce LL to those who hadn’t yet met her.

It’s hard to believe that Leighton’s first Christmas has already come and gone, but what a memorable week it was! I can only imagine the holiday fun we’ll experience with her as she gets older!

Leighton’s 1st Thanksgiving

Posted on November 20, 2015 by mhayes24

Last week we celebrated Leighton’s first Thanksgiving, and oh how much we have to be thankful for this year!! The addition of our little girl to our family is of course the biggest blessing we’ve received not just this year, but ever.

Our first trip to Nashville with baby in tow was definitely different than last trips, but we had so much fun trekking around the city introducing her to family and friends. We spent 4 nights there with Craig’s family, but we managed to pack about a month’s worth of visits in while we were there. And along the same lines, we packed half our house to make the trip! Here are a few of our favorite moments from the trip (not pictured are visits with several other friends — somehow, I forgot to snap any photos!).

The perfect baby traveller is a sleeping one::

Cheering on Aunt Cassie at her basketball game::

4 generations with Craig’s grandparents and a portrait of his mom, Karen::

I think it’s now confirmed that L looks just like her daddy::

Thanks for my Gobble onesie, Addison!

Thanksgiving #2::
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Craig’s family surprised us with a mini shower and sent us home with all sorts of goodies!
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A fun afternoon at Arrington Vineyards::

Quality time with some of my best girls::

L didn’t quite cooperate for a photo with Craig’s parents, but we’ll take it!

The holidays have always been something I look forward to — spending time with loved ones, eating delicious food, doing nice things for others, and taking time to really appreciate our many blessings. Having a baby has made these occasions so much more special and memorable, and I know that feeling will only multiply as she gets older. We can’t wait to get back to Nashville next month for Christmas!

celebrating 90

Posted on October 8, 2015 by mhayes24

My grandmother Nana turned 90 this month — what an incredible milestone in life! We packed up what seemed like everything in our house to travel with the bebe down to Jacksonville, FL last weekend for her big celebration.

To be honest, I’d been stressed about this trip for weeks. Taking a barely one month old baby on a 5 hour drive out of state did not seem like the most fun idea, especially considering she’d never spent more than an hour in her car seat. But we were pleasantly surprised at how well she traveled! She slept almost the entire trip down, and she was pretty easy the entire weekend. Maybe everyone was right by saying this really is a good age to travel with. 🙂 My cousin Alli and her family were gracious enough to host us at their home so we didn’t have to be cooped up in a hotel room with a newborn, and it made our trip so much better. She even had mints on our pillows… Hotel Vogt is the 5 star!

We had the best time visiting with all of my mom’s family, and I’m so happy that all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and other extended relatives got to meet Leighton so early in her little life. Most importantly, our grandmother Nana got to hold and love on her newest great granddaughter! It was a sweet, lovely sight.

Aside from visiting with family, we spent some time down in Avondale, which is the cutest area of boutiques and restaurants. We had a fantastic brunch at Brick Restaurant, and mama got a long-awaited mimosa! After helping with some birthday party setup, we headed back to Avondale for some football watching, beer drinking, and hot pretzel eating at the nicest Mellow Mushroom I’ve ever seen.

Saturday night, we celebrated Nana’s 90th birthday with a big party at my aunt and uncle’s home, which used to belong to my grandparents. I love going back to this house because it brings back so many great childhood memories – and it’s a fantastic place for parties! Nana was surrounded by not only all of her family, but many of her lifelong friends, which was really neat to see. We dined on Cuban food outside under strings of lights and colorful lanterns, watched college football (not happy about that Georgia game), and watched a sweet slideshow documenting Nana’s wonderful life. It was a perfect celebration for our favorite Nana!

travel:: a charleston affair

Posted on July 13, 2015 by mhayes24

Last weekend, we traveled to Charleston, SC to celebrate our friends Casey and Connor at their wedding, and what a fun weekend it was! We and about 25 of our friends stayed on Folly Beach and made a long weekend vacation out of it. I don’t know if it could have possibly been any hotter and more humid, but at least we had a beach to spend our days at. 🙂

While we were out on Folly or at wedding festivities most of the time, I just love visiting the Charleston area — it’s such a beautiful, fun city with so much to do. We had the best time celebrating our friends, and it also served as our “last hoorah” before baby Hayes makes her debut in less than 2 months. I may be tired with slightly swollen feet, but it was one for the books! Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Warfield!

[lunch on Folly Beach]

[welcome party in Mt. Pleasant – such a fitting name for the setting]

[kicking off the wedding weekend with the bride]

[beach day with the groom]

[rehearsal dinner at the Country Club of Charleston – such a beautiful view!]

[out and about in Charleston]
[wedding reception at the Carolina Yacht Club]

[Mr. and Mrs. Warfield]

[our last wedding and big outing before baby H arrives!]

travel:: Puerto Rican babymoon, part 2

Posted on May 21, 2015 by mhayes24

Although we didn’t venture too far away from our hotel during this quick trip to Puerto Rico, I did enjoy being able to explore the Condado Beach area. On one morning walk, we crossed the bridge heading over to Old San Juan and found part of this old fort, which is now closed to the public. We also saw a cute little public beach right off the street, and it included an outdoor gym, which we thought was a playground – haha. Maybe I’d be more inclined to work out if I got to do it on the actual beach?

Panoramic view from our balcony::

23 weeks and a few days — loving our Stella & Dot beach tunic for an expanding belly this season!

Before dinner one night, we headed into Old San Juan to wander the streets and see the historic part of the city. I’d heard about these blue cobblestone streets, and they were so pretty in person! From what I found online, they were cast from iron slag, which is the waste from iron smelting, and were brought over in the 1700s. There’s your historical fun fact for the day.

Old San Juan is apparently known for its feral cat population, which we noticed as soon as we started walking the streets of the historic area. They are not at all phased by people walking past them as they lie on the sidewalks or in doorways. We joke about the neighborhood stray cat at home being a “street cat,” but these guys are serious. Coco would be terrified.

No better way to bid ourselves adieu than with a final meal at Ola — and a giant breakfast buffet, at that. I would love to have my yogurt and granola served in those adorable, chilled glasses every morning. Craig, can you help me out with that?

We had the most wonderful visit to Puerto Rico, and I can’t recommend our hotel enough. Everyone we met was so friendly and hospitable, the food we had throughout our stay was delicious, and the views of the ocean were beautiful. It was the perfect way to unwind for a few days and enjoy each others’ company on our last real vacation as a couple before baby girl arrives this fall. Eeek!

travel:: Puerto Rican babymoon, part 1

Posted on May 19, 2015 by mhayes24

We’re back from our babymoon/anniversary trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico and feeling rested and happy! We haven’t been on a trip by ourselves that pretty much only consisted of relaxing by the pool and being lazy since our honeymoon 6 years ago, and it was much-appreciated. I’d heard such great things about PR, and I can see why. The weather was perfect (cooler than Atlanta, if you can believe that), the locals are so incredibly friendly, and the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel was incredible — top notch service… probably the best we’ve ever received while traveling.

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The historic property just re-opened in December after a very large renovation, and every aspect of the hotel is really nicely done. The view of the ocean from the lobby and lounge area is so inviting, and the moment we arrived, we were handed glasses of champagne to enjoy while we waited on our room to be ready. (Don’t worry — I only had a little.)

We ended up eating lunch at Ola, the casual onsite restaurant, every day. We tried something new each time; the fancy wood fired pizzas, Cuban sandwich, and brisket quesadilla were among our faves. And I loved their slate plates. 😉

This was our view for 3 days. There didn’t appear to be a lot of open beach along the coast, and our hotel was situated right against the rocks. We had a beautiful, unobstructed view of the ocean crashing against the rocks from our beach chairs, as well as from the infinity pool. (Craig wouldn’t let me near the pool with my phone, so no photos…)

Our oceanview room, while not directly facing the ocean, did still have a great view of the water — and about a 15′ balcony along one side. The other side of the room had a view of the harbor and bridge leading over to Old San Juan. I loved that all the windows in the room (and bathroom!) opened up… something I don’t think we’ve seen in most other hotels.

Dinner our first night was at a trendy oceanside restaurant, aptly named Oceano. We got a great seat on the deck right off the beach, and we loved our meal. I really enjoyed the grilled pineapple starter I had, and Craig’s pork and corn dish was one of our favorite meals of the trip.

We may or may not have then gone back to Ola at the hotel solely for the purpose of eating this amazing Chocolate Bread Pudding dessert (complete with coconut sorbet, salted caramel sauce, nuts, and caramel corn). And we went back again the next night, too. I’m a bad influence.