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All Aboard: Cruising on the Yacht StarShip in Tampa

3 Apr

If you leave anywhere near the Bay area, you have probably heard about the Yacht StarShip cruises that leave out of Tampa and Clearwater. You have probably put it on your wish list of places to visit around the area, and month after month, you never take part.

I was the exact same way. Every time I would see a commercial or someone talking about Yacht StarShip, I burst out, “Oh my gosh, I want to do that so bad!” But, then I would forget about it until the next commercial aired. Well, I decided to make a change, and I purchased two tickets through LivingSocial. I mean, who can pass it up when it’s at such a discount on LivingSocial. I no longer had an excuse not to try it.

So, in honor of our two-year anniversary, PoppaNut and I boarded the Channelside yacht for an unforgettable evening. Yacht StarShip, America’s First 3-diamond rated Dining Yacht by AAA, ranks in the top 28% of all restaurants, and the food was amazing. Our exquisite dinner cruise offered tableside service with exceptional dishes. The calamari was so fresh and tasty, we ate it in about two second flat. With cocktails in hand, we chatted about everything under the sun, while watching the sun set in the distance. With our meal finished and dessert wrapped up to-go, we headed to the top floor to take in the spectacular views from the deck.

Wow! The views of some of the houses nearby were amazing. I couldn’t help but imagine what each person inside those houses were doing and what their lives were like. I could have sat up there for hours, but the dancing had begun inside. After some foot tapping and another few cocktails, PoppaNut and I deboarded the beautiful yacht to look at some of those amazing houses a bit closer.

And there, in the shadows of the night, stood Derek Jeter’s humble (or not so humble) abode. With the faint glimmer of a TV on inside, we knew the Yankee legend was just a few yards away. So, I’m just going to say we celebrated our two-year anniversary with Jeter. And for PoppaNut, that was a dream come true!

And that’s life in a nutshell … explore the amazing things this area has to offer. Make a new wish list, and make a point to actually partake in each one. You’ll lead a richer life because of it.

MommaNut

 

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A Unique Present: Handmade Yankees Quilt

17 Feb

Quilts are part of my family’s DNA. My Grandma Tam made the most beautiful quilts in the whole world, and I have two that I get to call my own. When my grandma passed away, she left behind several unfinished quilts, and I can’t wait to have them finished so I have more to enjoy.

My Grandma Densmore also makes amazing quilts, and I use several of the ones she made me every week. I have one made of my cheerleading T-shirts from Penn High School and other that represents my time at Indiana University. I also have a flowery quilt, a design that both myself and my cousin Ashley have.

There is just nothing like snuggling with a quilt on the couch. So, when I was on Pinterest a few month back and ran across this profile, I was immediate struck by the Yankees quilt. I commented on the image of the quilt and Jill Motsinger at jillmots@live.com wrote me right back. She makes custom sports-themed quilts for people, and she was happy to make one for me.

Well, instantly I thought this would be a great idea for PoppaNut. First of all, he is obsessed with the Yankees, and this would let him have a quilt just for him. It could be something I give him that would be with us the rest of our lives. I immediately wrote back to Jill, and she got to work.

The amazing thing about Jill is that she emailed me photos and communicated with me about the quilt all along the way. She sent updates after she got the fabric and as she put the blocks together. It only took her about a month and a half to complete everything.

 

When the completed quilt arrived at the house, I was bursting with excitement. I placed it inside PoppaNut’s Valentine’s gift bag and waiting for the big surprise. When he opened it up, he was shocked. He absolutely loved it, and wanted to use it right away. He even said that it will be something we keep in our family for the rest of our lives. Jill, thank you for making something so special for our family.

And that’s life in a nutshell … finding the perfect gift can be as easy as looking around Pinterest!

MommaNut

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Gobble Gobble: Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

24 Nov

It’s Turkey Day, and I wanted to wish all of you a very special Thanksgiving with your family and friends. Thanksgiving is that time to reflect on your life and take pleasure in the little things that are so wonderful. It’s also an important time to test your tummy capacity and your napping skills. And I hope to accomplish all of these things today.

I’ll start with the warm, fuzzy sentiments with my “MommaNut Is Grateful For” list. So, put the apple pie in the oven, place the gravy on the warmer and sit on down to enjoy!

MommaNut Is Grateful For

  • Having the most amazing husband in the whole world who can’t wait to spend the rest of his life right by my side, even when I’m not the easiest person to live with
  • The sweet kisses I get from Peanut and Cashew after a long day at work
  • Our thoughtful, supportive family and friends who love PoppaNut and I very much
  • Having a job that I love, where I feel rewarded by my work and respected
  • Documenting my life through this blog, which always me to walk down memory lane any time I feel like it
  • Living in Oldsmar, a town I have grown to love where everyone seems to know your name
  • My Way Fitness, because I have been able to watch PoppaNut achieve some of his greatest dreams, and I can’t wait to be along to watch the rest come true
  • All the recipes my family has shared with me, because it has ignited a new passion for in cooking and baking
  • Turning 30 this year, because I know the best is yet to come
  • Scrabble, a game that PoppaNut and I like to play a few times a week
  • Sunday runs near the water, where PoppaNut and I talk about your future
  • Delicious homemade sauce that I could literally drink by the jar (I know that sounds disgusting, but you can’t judge until you try the sauce. I count down every week for it!)
  • Being able to find time to read again, even if it is while I’m on the treadmill
  • Working out, because I’m feeling better than I have in a long time
  • Long naps in the afternoon with just the hum of the dryer in the background
  • Visiting our neighbor vendor for our Halloween pumpkins and Christmas tree, which we will be picking up tomorrow
  • That the Yankees Spring Training will be here soon, because PoppaNut will be so happy
  • Having a walk-in closet filled with more shoes than my little heart could have ever dreamed of

And the best part is that this list could go on and on and on because I have so many things to be thankful for. I’m the luckiest girl in the world, and I never want to take that for granted. I hope you won’t either, so make a list for yourself. What are you really thankful for? Think of that list today as you see your family and friends. Hug each of them a little tighter and say “I love you” more often.

And that’s life in a nutshell … Thanksgiving is really about recognizing what you have in your life and being thankful for it. The food is just a bonus.

MommaNut

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Take Me Out to the Ball Game

20 Jul

The Yankees are in town, so PoppaNut and I headed to Tropicana Field to get in on the action. One of PoppaNut’s clients gave us these amazing seats right behind home plate. We were so close that you could practically smell the sweat coming off each coachs’ foreheads. It was incredible. And yes, I was wearing my Victoria’s Secret Yankees shirt that I blogged about last week … and it was also incredible.

Me and PoppaNut at the game

But as we nestled into our front-and-center seats, it wasn’t the actual game that got my attention. In fact, the actual game has never been what draws me to the ball park. It’s the smells and the sounds that remind me of my childhood that keep me coming back for more.

When I was little, my family used to drive up to Chicago to watch the Cubs (who would usually lose) play at Wrigley Field. I’m always telling PoppaNut about my love for Wrigley Field. Besides Disney, it’s the most magical place on Earth. The history of Harry Caray singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” with a big ice-cream cone in my hand just can’t be beat. And my memories don’t hold any record … I can’t tell you how many games I went to when the Cubs won and how many games I went to when they lost … I just remember being with my family and having a great time.

I have a special memory of heading to Wrigley Field with my Grandma Tam. Our whole family was there, and she wore a royal-blue bucket hat with a big Cubs logo on it. My Grandma Tam has since passed away, but I still have that hat tucked away in the Yankees room of all places. It’s dusty and a bit tattered, but that memory is still clear as day for me.

Jeter at the plate

My dad got very sick when I was in high school, and I remember when he started feeling better. He asked me to go with him to a Cubs game. I was suppose to work at the KOA Kampground (my summer job), but I couldn’t wait to call in sick, climb into the van and make my way up to Chicago. We didn’t have tickets, but we bought some at the gate … standing-room only. But once again, it didn’t matter. It was a special moment I’ll always cherish where a daughter got to enjoy the game with her wonderful dad!

And PoppaNut and I have had some wonderful moments in the ball park. We have celebrated every one of his birthdays at a spring-training game. We have gone to Yankees games with friends and family … but my favorites are when it’s just us. We may be surrounded by tons of people, but it still feels like we are sharing such a special moment as just the two of us.

And I saw those types of moments happening at the game last night. An older couple shared an ice-cream cone, a group of friends bonded over crazy calls, a dad explained the game to his son, a husband and wife shared a drink and took in the game.

A couple sharing an ice-cream cone

And that’s life in a nutshell … to me, it’s not the players who win … it’s the fans in the stand.

MommaNut

 

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Yankees Pride

12 May

It is quite possible that when PoppaNut reads this post, he will want to change our phone provider to AT&T. Turns out that AT&T has a partnership with PoppaNut’s favorite friend in the whole world: The Yankees.

AT&T is asking Yankees fans to “Join the Team” by texting YANKS to 4663, and winners of the promotion can receive a slue of Yankees prizes. You can always register to win at www.att.yankees.com (PoppaNut, don’t worry; I already registered us for the prizes but you can register as well for extra luck!).

Now, I call the Yankees PoppaNut’s best friend because, well, they are. He sees them a few times a week, follows up on what they have going on, can’t wait to see them again and even has pictures of them up in our home. For all intents and purposes, you could say that the Yankees are like family to us.

MommaNut, PoppaNut

Our First Game Together

When we first began dating, I took PoppaNut to a Yankees spring training game for his birthday. You would have thought I gave him a million dollars the way his eyes lit up when he saw the tickets. We had a great time, and we keep going back for more. I can’t even tell you how many games we have been to together, but he probably could. You’ll see some photos of the games we have been to over the years in this post.

Just eight days after we tied the knot,

PoppaNut, MommaNut

Go Yankees!

we went to our first Yankees spring training game as husband and wife for PoppaNut’s 29th birthday. And I had a special surprise in store … the marquee lit up with “Happy Birthday, Steve. Love, Your Wife” during the seventh inning. It was such a blast seeing PoppaNut’s face during that moment. Now, I wish I had a photo of that.

Even more than visiting stadiums to enjoy the Yankees, we have a spare bedroom in our home dedicated to the team. You’ll find framed photos, an autogr

MommaNut, PoppaNut

Almost Saw a No-Hitter at This One

aphed ball, a M&Ms machine and a ton more lining the walls: all themed Yankees. We live in a townhouse so this is PoppaNut’s mancave in leu of a garage. He loves it, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

So, that’s life in a nutshell … truly loving what your PoppaNut loves because it makes him happy. Now, I’m going back to texting AT&T … I want that grand prize!

MommaNut

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