40th Birthday Weekend

I have turned the BIG 4-0! And you know what? It wasn't as bad as everyone made it out to be.

I really enjoyed myself and I feel no older!

Me and my family, my parents, and my bestfriend from Kentucky, spent 3 days at my favorite spot- Flagler Beach (Florida East Coast Beach). We rented the 2 bedroom "apartment" (as I call it) at Flagler Beach Motel . It was the bomb!! 2 nice sie rooms, a full kitchen (complete with dishes and pots and pans), a nice size livingroom, and a pretty big bathroom. I have been going to that motel since the re-opened (3 summers ago) and I have always wanted to rent that "room" (trust me, it's not 'just' a room) and I figured with so many of us going we could split the cost and it being my 40th birthday now was the perfect time. We had 11 people camped out that room and honestly it wasn't too crowded. You have a full size bed in both rooms, a futon in the livingroom, and a small couch that makes out in to a bed in the livingroom also. 

The room overlooks the pool area.....oh yeah it has a nice balcony- the perfect place to sit at night to listen to the ocean!!

I love this place but am very honest when I write about the things I love......this room is a little pricey (especially during season) BUT if you go in with another family or 2 (we had 3 families paying) it's not bad at all. I'd suggest looking at their website and checking out the prices. I'm not gonna put the prices here since they do change.

Here's a few pictures of the inside and outside.

Looking into the kitchen area from the livingroom

Looking into the livingroom area from kitchen

 From the outside.....the room upstairs

The smaller of the 2 rooms

The larger of the 2 rooms

The nice size bathroom

NICE, HUH??

Sooooooooo, we arrived at the motel around 10:30am and once everything was unloaded, we all headed to the beach for the day. The water was pretty calm and beautiful. The kids enjoyed every minute of it!!

By the afternoon a few clouds and some rain moved in so we ran back across the street to the room.
The kids headed straight to the pool and played a few hours before we headed out for a walk to the pier.

Once the kids finished in the pool, we laid the granddaughter down for a nap (she stayed with Nana) and the hubby and I and 4 of the kids took a LOOOOONG walk to the pier. Hubby and I walked the beach while the kids walked the sidewalk....they're just not old enough to understand the beauty of the beach!! 

We walked around the pier, checked out the outside of the new restaurant (that I WILL be trying out on our next trip)- FUNKY PELICAN. It is right at the pier and ON the pier.

Once we left the pier we crossed the street and headed up the block and made a stop at Sally's Ice Cream (sorry they don't have a website or FB page). After a 2+ mile walk- the cold icecream was a much welcomed treat!! Sally's has delicious icecream and should be visited if you're in the area.
Here's my son eating his Cookie Monster.....

We headed back to the motel to get ready for supper at our favorite restaurant- High Tides at Snack Jacks. I wouldn't of wanted to eat any other place for my 40th birthday dinner!! My brother, his girlfriend, and their daughter joined us. We all ate, ate some more, and had good conversation.

Of course dinner was super good!! It was well worth the 45 minute to get an outside table. Snack Jack's overlooks the beach and I LOVE sitting on the porch!!

The staff sang Happy Birthday and gave me a little treat.

Once we left the restaurant, we all went back to the room, sat around and talked some more.

We sat outside on the balcony until it was bed time. It was good sitting around and chatting with family and friends that I LOVE!!

The next morning I got up and cooked everyone breakfast- why no one cooked ME breakfast is beyond me....considering it was MY birthday weekend. Anywho, nothing special happened that day other than spending the day on the beach. Our friends and their daughter came up (we took their son with us) and spend the rest of the afternoon with us. Then we cooked out on the grill, ate, ate some more, and just visited while the kids and some adults enjoyed the pool. They ended up heading back home late that night and I just sat outside on the balcony enjoying the peace and quiet......it is so surreal being at the beach!!

Sunday morning, we got up packed everything in the truck and spent time at the beach before heading home from a wonderful weekend!! I guess we left around 7pm or so. Everyone was wore out and slept most of the way home.

This was the best 40th birthday I could of asked for.....well unless I was on a deserted island with crystal blue water ;)

So to me, turning 40 wasn't 1/2 bad. I feel good about my self, I have lost 34 pounds, my health is good, I am married to the most amazing man, have 3 healthy kids, and a beautiful granddaughter that I get the pleasure of raising.....so who can complain about that!

**PLEASE take a second and check out the links to the businesses I have written about. I am not from Flagler Beach but I do LOVE the little beach town!! You will also love the places I write about and the people who run them!! I PROMISE!!!**

If you love the beach as much as I do and you love beach themed products......unique beach gift ideas, please visit my online beach shop. I offer beach themed t-shirts and MANY products featuring beach graphics and sayings. THANKS!!

The Beach Shop

Great beach gifts for the whole family.

Stolen Moments Beach Photography

Beach photography products- all photos are taken by yours truly ;)

Flagler Beach Photo Sold

One of my favorite pictures I took on the fishing pier at Flagler Beach sold on a shower curtain from

my Cafe Press store- We Tees You.

I absolutely love this picture. My husband, youngest son, and myself were there for a weekend and we went walking on the pier and I just thought this made an interesting subject to photograph. It's nothing special just a life preserver hanging on a bench with the beach in the background. I ran it through my photo editor and turned it black and white for a unique effect.

This photo has sold on several of my products I put on line to sell but I love when my pictures sell on shower curtains. It means it will not only be seen by the customer but anyone who comes in to their homes......that makes me HAPPY :D

If you like this photo and want to purchase it on a shower curtain, you can follow the link below and purchase one. And I'll thank you in advance!!

http://www.cafepress.com/stolenmomentsph.690959229

Beach Bound In 3 Days

Well, it is about time to hit the beach for my BIG 4-0 birthday bash!!

I have had this trip planned for months and months and the time is almost here.
I am so flipping excited to be spending 3 days at my favorite beach at my favorite motel with my favorite people.

My bestfriend, Anna Lee, came down from Kentucky to spend 5 weeks, my parents are going, and of course my beautiful children and granddaughter......oh and can't forget my #1 person- my hubby!! It is going to be so fun and relaxing. We're getting down there early Friday, gonna check in the motel, then hit the beach wide open. Friday night, we're gonna eat my favorite place- High Tides @ Snack Jacks. Saturday we'll spend the day at the beach then have a cookout that night. Our friends Steven and Jo are suppose to come and have fun with us on Saturday.

We rented the big 2 bedroom apart at Flagler Beach Vacation Rentals and I can't wait to experience that. We're gonna have a room full of people so it should be FUN!

Well, that's about it for now. I'll start packing our stuff tomorrow and sit and wait patiently!!

Granddaughters FIRST Beach Trip

I can't believe I forgot to write about this!

On January 6th we (me, husband, and som) drove over to Flagler Beach to take my 2 year old granddaughter to the beach for the first time. We got custody of her in October 2012 and she lived in NY for a year so she had never been. It was a nice day so we wanted to show her our favorite spot to vacation.

She did NOT like the beach at first. She was scared :( I think it was mainly the sound of the waves and there's just soooooooo much water for a 2 year old to take. After a little while we got her to get down and walk the beach and she even played in the sand. If that child had been living with me, she'd of been at the beach a long time ago! We LOVE the beach and I am sure she will too.....eventually. We walked her to the pier, to the surf shop, and then took her to eat at our favorite place- Snack Jacks. She ate chicken strips and fries. And she LOVED looking out at the beach. She started thinking it was funny.

It was amazing seeing it through her eyes. Hopefully there will be many more beach trips for her.

Here's a few pictures of her.....I love this little girl soooooooo much!!

She was scared at first and clung to uncle Breydon.

 Playing in the sand with PopPop

Eating at Snack Jacks

 

With PopPop and Uncle Breydon

40th Birthday Party Planned!!

Woo-Hoo!! I just got off the phone booking our room at Flagler Beach Motel  for my 40th birthday bash in June!! This time we rented the 2 bedroom apartment!! YAY!!! I've always wanted to stay in it but it's always been booked......so I reserved it 4 1/2 months early and it is MINE.....all mine!! 

I am so dang excited!! Can ya tell?? hehe Ya know it's my favorite place!! I spend every birthday in Flagler Beach but this will be my first birthday at the motel. I am hoping a lot of friends and family will gather with us and help me celebrate this BIG DAY!! Turning 40 isn't making me sad.....I am going with the flow.

We'll arrive in Flagler Beach on Friday and stay until Sunday. Of course I'll visit my favorite place to eat- High Tides at Snack Jacks Friday night. M M M Want good food? Check them out!! Saturday we'll spend the day at the beach and then that afternoon we'll grill out at the motel. They have a great little pavilion next to the pool with a grill. Even though all rooms have a full kitchen.....I'd much rather be outside cooking and have a few good drinks.

Well that's about it for now.....even though I could write about this place all day long!

NOW IF JUST THE NEXT 4 1/2 MONTHS WOULD FLY BY! I know we'll be down there several times before my birthday.....we're planning on spending spring break there too. I need to book a room.....hopefully they'll be one available. Dang, I need to do that NOW!! I already booked my room for the 4th of July. Watching the fireworks from the pier is the BEST!!

Here's a picture I took back in August 2012- Under the pier.

Ok, now I am done!! See y'all soon with an update!

Check Out My Squidoo Lens

FLAGLER BEACH SQUIDOO LENS

You may not know what a Squidoo Lens is but I'll try and explain.............

Squidoo is a website that hosts hundreds of thousands hand built webpages. Lenses are one person's views on a subject whether it be sports, crafts, vacation places, etc. You can write a Squidoo lens on ANYTHING like recipes, how-tos, businesses, etc. Lenses pay royalties to hundreds of charities each year. 

Ok, I am so good at desfcribing so you can Google it. ha

Anywho, I built a lens about Flagler Beach, Florida and on it I give my opinion on local motels, restaurants, bars, and I also give ideas on what to do while in Flagler Beach.

So if you are planning a vacation to Florida, I'd highly recommend visiting Flagler Beach but start off visiting my lens. You will find a LOT of helpful information. ENJOY!!

http://www.squidoo.com/flaglerbeachflorida

We're back home :(

But before we left the beach we had a pleasant and peaceful walk around the pier and visited a few shops I've been wanting to visit. A cute little surf shop that is stocked to the ceilings with everything from surfboards to bathing suits. I LOVED that shop!! While in there I bought myself an anklet.....very rare for me because I never buy myself anything! The name of the shop is Z Wave Surf Shop and if you visit Flagler Beach, I'd recommend stopping in.

My brother brought us lunch to the motel (Flagler Beach Motel)- good ol' Mickey D's. We sat at the picnic table eating and chatting until the rain started. We sat in the room for a minutes then they left and me, the husband, and son went sight-seeing. People probably think we're real tourists because even though I have been there too many times to count and I was born and raised in Florida, I still act like a tourist with my camera hanging around my neck. hehehe

We took Breydon on the pier- he's never walked the pier and we enjoyed the wind, the crashing of the waves and watching a young man surfing. The waves were crazy and crashing against the pier and you could actually feel the pier sway.....not a good feeling when you're at the very end of it.

Once we spent an hour there we headed to our favorite pizza shop (Rocky's) and had some grub. 

We've been thinking of opening a little shop on the beach ( a dream of mine) and we rode around and found a few spaces for rent that would be perfect for me!! Now I just need to win the lotto and my dream will come true! But ONE DAY I will own a beachside gift store called Stolen Moments Beach Gifts............

Now we're home and I am wishing I was back, laid up in the wonderful motel- Flagler Beach Vacation Rentals- and doing nothing!

Here's a few more pictures from this trip..........Hope you enjoy as much as I do!!
Happy Beaches To You!

Taken on the Flagler Beach Pier

Here's the young man we enjoyed watching

Me and my son enjoying the pool