It looks like Nate and I have another brand to shop together! I had no clue that AG Jeans made children’s clothes, but boy am I glad I do now. If you’re not already familiar with it, AG Jeans is a premium denim/lifestyle brand that really cares…cares about what? Just about everything. They care about the quality of their denim and that the design of their collection reflects the sensibility of the brand, and they care about being socially responsible for the blueprint they leave behind. They have partnered with Water, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations and have Ozone Technology. And, they also use eco-conscious fibers. I know most people probably don’t consider these things when they’re trying to shop for an outfit, but it’s always great to hear that there are companies that do care about these issues and help out where they can!
I am in love with The Axle Shop Jacket. I have been searching for the perfect buffalo plaid jacket and couldn’t be happier with the way this one fits. The length of this jacket falls perfectly and gives it just the right look. The Tellis jean has a stiff look to it, but it actually has some stretch, which means comfort! I love how these pants looks stiff, which is how I like all of my dark denims to appear, but secretly they are super comfortable. Score! I really like the way you can fold these jeans up with an extra large cuff. This style really goes well with the Axle Shop Jacket and gives this look an edgy Williamsburg Brooklyn type of vibe!
When Nate was younger we tried to force him into wearing jeans that weren’t comfortable on him and now whenever he sees jeans he wants to run the other way LOL. So, we either have to get him jeans that have some stretch to them so we can show him that they’ll fit comfortably, or get a colored denim to try and sneak one past him HaHa. Luckily, we didn’t have to do either because Nate was such a fan of the mustard color of the Ryker denim jeans he was excited to wear them. We also gave him the thick cuff to match my look. 🙂 My wife and I get such a kick out of hearing him get excited about wearing clothes…it’s too cute. Usually he’ll just wear what we tell him but when he likes something, he now makes a point to really voice it and he always has such great taste. Honestly, it’s to the point now where if my wife and I are undecided on something, we go to Nate to help make the decision…and he’s usually right! The kid’s got style! We all love denim, so we always make sure to have a denim jacket for Nate. It’s the perfect jacket that goes with any look, and The Drake Jacket also has that bit of stretch to it (that Nate loves for comfort) and has just the right amount of fade to it!
Most of the time when Nate and I get to coordinate our outfits mommy gets left out. So it’s always fun when the whole family can get in on the matchy-matchy! What better way to get to coordinate than to share your love for one of the most iconic characters ever…Mickey Mouse! It’s hard to believe that Mickey and the LACOSTE Croc have been around for 90 and 85 years, so it’s only fitting that these classic icons come together for a classically clean & fun capsule collection, available for the entire family!
Nate and I scored matching striped polo’s where Mickey Mouse showed off his tennis skills. Nate looked too cute in his polo! He’s always been a fan of Mickey, so this was definitely a fun outfit to coordinate with him on.
I liked the tennis Mickey Mouse so much, I had to go with the white hooded sweatshirt with the larger Mickey on the front. Nate went with the grey sweatshirt with the oversized Mickey head, and my wife went with the crew neck sweater with the oversized Minnie face. With all of the love for Mickey we couldn’t forget about Minnie, so it was fun to get wifey in on our coordinating looks & rep the Minnie! Of course hoodies and sweatshirts are going to be comfortable, but my wife, whose top was a sweater, couldn’t get over how comfortable it was. She said it was one of the nicest feeling sweaters she’d ever worn! I loved how all of these sweatshirts and sweaters had the detailed images on the front, but also had a blacked out version of the silhouette on the back. Seriously…too cute! We definitely got some “aww how cute’s” when we were out and about in our Mickey gear!
We all could not get enough of the LACOSTE Mickey trainers! Mine and wifey’s were white with just a touch of tennis Mickey on the right side of the shoe, but Nathan’s were Mickey’d out! Nate’s had the same silhouette but it completely covered his entire shoe. They’re seriously adorable! These clean, crisp low-top style trainers are very in right now, so the touch of Mickey really separates them from some of the other trainers on the market.
The LACOSTE x Disney Holiday Collector Print Leather Tote that my wife was rockin’ is one of the coolest pieces in the collection. It just screams Mickey and Minnie Mouse and has a pop art feel to it. It has an oversized print, lots of color, and if perfect for when Sarina (wifey) is holding all mine and Nate’s things LOL. My mother-in-law, whose a Mickey Mouse fanatic, was completely in awe of all of our pieces and is currently trying to take over the bag from my wife! Haha.
It was so fun walking down the street with all of us wearing matching pieces and hearing some of the reactions from people walking by and checking us out. I can’t think of another character that can capture the heart of so many generations and give you that same magical feeling throughout your whole life. The love for Mickey just never leaves you.
Check out the LACOSTE x Disney Collection that just launched in November! It’s classic & clean and allows the entire family to coordinate in a cool & timeless kind of way. Mickey, you definitely are the “True Original”!
This post is sponsored by Zappos, but all opinions and product selects & styling are my own!✌I’ve always been a fan of wearing basic style pieces. When I’m wearing basics, I try to find brands like 7 For All Mankind that make quality pieces. When it comes to basics, it’s all about the quality and fit! Their Long Sleeve Army Henley that I ordered from Zappos is soft and comfortable, with a thick quality that just feels good on due to the fabric used and the double-faced knit for that touch of texture. You can just tell if a piece has that quality feel to it when you put it on, and this Henley definitely does!
Known for their premium denim, the 7 For All Mankind Paxtyn Skinny Jeans fit perfect because of their really nice tapered fit. I’m not really into jeans that are too tight and look like I’m wearing leggings LOL so the fit on these, mixed with the knee rips is right up my alley! For this look I gave mine a slight cuff, because…well, I just like how a cropped jean looks sometimes!
I was able to pick up both of these pieces online at Zappos. They are one of the best online shopping sites and they literally have just about every brand you’re looking for. You can get everything you need for any occasion and the best part is that both shipping and returns are free! I shop online all the time. It’s actually where I do most of my shopping, so if you’re anything like me the one thing that makes me question making any purchase is the thought of losing out on money if I don’t like it or if it doesn’t fit. That’s why it’s a no brainer when shopping on Zappos! They honestly eliminate my hesitation of hitting that Complete Order button! 🙂
Check out all the 7 For All Mankind pieces on Zappos and try out a few different styles. This way you can try on, keep what fits and ship the rest back for free! 🙂
Is it me or does summer continue to get shorter every year? As soon as Labor Day ends the temps start dropping and the sun starts setting earlier and earlier. I always get a little bummed this time of year, but once the limbo of weather stops and it starts remaining cooler, I immediately start enjoying this cozy season.
This year I plan on starting to wear more sweaters. For some reason I went years without wearing sweaters. I think it’s probably because once the summer ends I tend to put on my winter weight LOL and sweaters have always just made me look bulkier than I would like. Luckily, the past year or so I have been doing a better job at staying leaner through the winter and not completely throwing my summer routine in the toilet. I’ve also been doing a better job at finding sweaters that fit me best and that are either loose enough for that oversized look or fit just right and still make me feel comfortable when wearing them.
I really love these graphic sweaters from Old Navy! They have a rugged cool vibe to them and were really fun to dress up and match with Nate (men’s | boys). I have yet to find another brand that does such a good job of coordinating the mens and boys lines. Nate and I layered our sweater with some sherpa-lined denim jackets and some comfy fitted jeans. Old Navy’s Sherpa Denim is great because it’s not too bulky or stiff, which makes it great for layering. Nate’s Sherpa-Lined trucker jacket is just too cool. We love that the arms are lined with a red flannel so we could roll up the sleeves a little to show it off. That added detail definitely made his jacket stand out from all the other sherpa’s I’ve come across and is perfect for both fall and winter.
If you’ve read some of my other Old Navy posts you know how much I like their flex denim. I think these might be my favorite pair to date. They are the perfect fit: not so skinny where they look painted on but they still look skinny enough and have just the right amount of taper. It can be really tough sometimes convincing Nate to wear jeans but I love seeing him in a skinny jean and how they fit his skinny little legs! Luckily he doesn’t mind wearing the Karate skinny jean. He’s also a fan of the comfort of the flex!
Both of us topped off our looks with Old Navy hats: my Graphic Felt Baseball Cap matching the color of Nate’s sweater and Nate’s Sweater Knit Beanie matching my sweater. I thought it was a cool way to add to the coordination of our outfits! We love these sweaters!
Since I bought my house 6 years ago I have done one to two projects every year around the house and little by little we’re finally making it our own. One of the first things we bought upon moving in were new appliances. The thought of using someone else’s appliances kind of skeeved us out…plus they were pretty beat up. We bought a base model stainless steel refrigerator, stove & dishwasher. The fridge we purchased didn’t have any features except a water/ice maker. Yeah, from the start it was definitely an upgrade from the pre-existing fridge, but I can’t tell you how bummed I am that we wasted our money on this basic unreliable fridge. The ice maker broke in the 3rd year and the drawers started falling apart shortly after. Plus, after we had finally gotten to redoing our kitchen, we wished we had went with a better looking model because our new kitchen looked amazing but the appliances just didn’t have that same wow factor!
So, when I got the opportunity to get my hands on the new Samsung Family Hub Smart Refrigerator I was ecstatic! The first thing you notice when you see this fridge is the 21.5″ touchscreen. It definitely has to be one my (and the rest of my family’s) favorite features…not just because of how cool it looks, but because of all the features it now brings into your home. When I walk into my kitchen, the Family Hub is one of the first things that grabs my attention. To be honest, even though this fridge has more cubic feet than my last fridge, when I first opened it I thought it was going to be too small for me. I think the fact that there is a separate drawer (called the Flex Zone) makes the size seem a little deceptive. However, I was completely wrong about the size. The way the fridge is set up allowing you to be able to customize the shelves and drawers really helps you keep everything inside the fridge organized and creates even more space! Honestly…it’s definitely helped to eliminate those “babe, where’s the mayo” moments LOL. Not only does my Samsung Family Hub have a water and ice dispenser, but it also comes with a built-in water pitcher that you can set to auto refill when you put it back in it’s spot! The pitcher also has a flavor infuser built in, which I love. Give me ice cold cucumber-flavored water any hot summer day!
So this might be a little weird and out of the ordinary, but what I use our Family Hub the most for (besides keeping my food cold & organized) is for my workouts. Yes, my workouts! I usually go to the gym for about a half hour and work on a specific body part while I’m there, but then when I get home, after I play with Nate for a little, I always do an at-home WOD (workout of the day). Using the Family Hub’s wifi enabled touchscreen, I go to the Pinterest app and search for workouts. I then create a to-do list with my workout. This way I’m able to save it for another day and I’m able to cross off the exercises as they’re completed. I used to have a drawer full of papers with all of my workout lists, but it’s safe to say I’ve since thrown those out. This is much more efficient for sure! I then go to one of the many music apps to stream some music to get me pumped, like iHeartRADIO.
One of my other favorite features is the Shopping List app. This is an all-around family favorite! I hate going to the supermarket and hate wasting an hour or two with the whole process in general, so anything that can help speed it up is a win. Once you download the hub’s shopping list app on your phone, it all gets synced up. This allows you to create a shopping list which will then show up on the hub, my phone, and my wife’s phone. When anyone edits the list it will update across all devices! Now when you’re doing your shopping, as you grab what you need, you can cross it off the list and it will cross off on everyone’s list. It’s amazing! This way we can split up the shopping and really cut our time in half. No more screaming across the store, “babe, grab bananas”, or “did you get the milk?!” LOL. If I’m at the supermarket alone, while my wife’s at home, she just adds new grocery items she remembers to the hub app and it will pop up on my phone. We really love it!
The app will also take things like strawberries and let you know that in 2 days they are going to go bad. These little reminders are super cool because in the past we’ve definitely wasted way too much fruit in this house, but since the hub have become a lot more aware of our fridge items. Did I mention I can also see inside my fridge from the outside? If I’m at the store and can’t remember if I’m low on mike, I can just view the inside of my fridge on my phone and check. My family hub has 3 interior cameras that takes a photo every-time I close the door and keeps me up to date!
There are seriously so many cool features to my Samsung Family Hub, that I could go on and on, but another one of my faves is the Memos app. I hate waking up so early to go to work and leaving my family without getting a chance to talk or say goodbye in the morning before I leave. So I love that I can quickly type them a cute note that will show right on the fridge’s screen. It might just say “I love you” or “Sorry, I’m busy, but I’ll call you later” or silly things, but just knowing I was able to drop them a line for them to know I’m thinking about them makes me feel better and they love getting my surprise notes throughout the day!
We seriously love our Samsung Family Hub and little by little are incorporating more and more features into our everyday routines. Besides keeping us all connected and making some of our tasks a lot easier, overall we just feel more organized. And in this house with all the running around we do, between work, blog projects, events, everyday commitments & activities and just life in general, feeling more organized and connected definitely helps keep you feeling on task and able to get things done a lot quicker!
These days I rarely carry cash on me. I use my debit card and credit cards for everything. So when using a card, I want to make sure I pick one that has the best incentives and rewards. When the wife and I are out shooting on the weekends we tend to eat out a lot, kind of as a reward for the work we’re doing, and to make it feel like more of a nice day out rather than just a work day. I recently came across the Uber Visa Card and saw that when dining out, you get 4% cash back*! Besides restaurants, it also includes takeout, bars, and even Uber Eats. That would make me feel a lot better about having ice cream (LOL).
With the Uber Visa Card you can also get 3% back on hotels and airfare*, 2% back on eligible online purchases*, and 1% back on everything else*. I love cards like this because if you pay your balance off on time every month, this is just like free money! Now you can take this card and then find other sites that also offer cash back and double your savings.
Cash back is just one of the perks. The Uber Visa Card also offers $600 phone protection if you pay your phone bill with the card*. Honestly, this alone is going to get me to apply for the card. I always have my phone bill on autopay with my credit card, and I also misplace my phone about 5 times a day. It’s a guarantee that eventually I’m going to lose my phone (LOL). This phone protection gives me a little piece of mind.
I also love that there are no foreign transaction fees*. I travel outside the U.S. at least 2 times every year and I’m always turned off when credit cards charge you these extra fees. They make me feel like I’m being taken advantage of and usually make me cancel the card and look for one without extra charges like these or annual fees. Guess this card is officially in the running for my new go-to credit card!
* Terms Apply. Please review the FAQS and Rewards Summary for important information about program benefits and features listed above and the Terms and Conditions for full details about the rewards benefits (such as how points are earned), interest rates and account fees and terms for this particular offer before applying.
Back to school season is here and it’s just as exciting as when Nate started kindergarten last year. He’s moved onto the first grade and is officially a pro at the back-to-school routine. It’s so crazy how fast time is flying! Summer coming to an end is always bitter-sweet. We’re all going to miss those long, hot days, but there is also so much to look forward to in the upcoming months. I’ve been trying to remind Nate that as he’s overcoming his first week back blues. He likes school, but everyone dreads the rigid routine!
One thing that always gets me excited is shopping for the new seasons. We partnered up with Old Navy to show you some cool fall colors and alternate denim options. We went all in for fall and opted for colors that remind us of the changing of the leaves. That is one of the prettiest things about fall! Our last coordinating outfit from Old Navy was somewhat collegiate and sporty, so we decided to switch things up a bit and go for a little grunge. Nate and I are all about that street style!
I really love how I was able to find almost the exact mini-me look for Nate, to coordinate with my outfit. I can’t express enough how cool I feel when we’re walking down the street and we hear the people complimenting us both on how cute we look together. No matter how good I think I look when I’m walking solo, I can’t buy a compliment LOL, but when we’re in our matching Old Navy outfits, they are just thrown our way. Haha.
We started our looks with matching black denim jackets. I wore the Built-In Flex Black Denim Jacket which has just the right amount of give in the denim, and Nate wore the 2-in-1 Hooded 24/7 Black Denim jacket. For me, I actually don’t like wearing denim jackets with built-in hoodies, but for Nathan I think they’re perfect! They give that little bit of grunge vibes that we like, but don’t add that bulkiness that will make him uncomfortable. I really like how Old Navy uses the exact color tones in both the Men’s and Boy’s collections. If you look at our outfits you would think that we’re wearing the exact same pieces, but really it’s just the exact same colors!
I love the tobacco leaf color of this Pullover Hoodie and Nate’s matching Color-Blocked Thermal-Knit Raglan Tee. The colors are described differently…Nate’s is Golden Brown, but they literally match to a Tee! Get it? LOL (corny dad joke alert) The one thing I love about Old Navy is that I always feel super comfortable in their clothes. You know when you have to go out, but are in no mood to get dressed up and just feel like wearing sweats? In these cases I always end up throwing on an Old Navy look instead. I get that same kind of comfort, without the sloppiness of sweats! I’m pretty sure it’s because a lot of their pieces have the built-in flex. Nate loves it and I can definitely see why. The Relaxed Slim Khakis are just what I’m talking about and with the Warm Bread color, this look can’t get any more fall! Now every time I see this color I think of warm banana bread, which is my favorite, and it always has me craving a piece LOL. Nate wore the Karate Built-In Flex Slim Jeans, that he calls his “comfy pants”. We have yet to tell him that they are actually brown jeans! haha We always have a hard time getting him to wear jeans because he associates denim as a stiff & uncomfortable material, so we’ll just stick with also calling these his “comfy pants”. I mean I love all kinds of denim, but I totally understand how an active little boy might hate wearing traditional denim, that’s why the built-in flex is perfect for him!
What do you think of our twinning Old Navy looks? Comment on our post if you’re a dad that likes matching your little man!
Going to different summer events like BBQ’s and parties are fun, but I’m always looking for new ways to make a statement and have a little more fun dressing up. Sometimes it’s even fun making weekend activities and adventures into an outing that feels event-like just by dressing up. Nate and I teamed up with OppoSuits to show you their bold and fun suits to make your next event a memorable one and show up making a statement. OppoSuits makes both long and short sleeve suits with fun patterns and colors with all types of themes. You can get an assortment of solid colors like pink, blue and yellow or fun patterns like pineapples and flamingos, or you can even get holiday specific suits. They have a suit for every occasion you can think of. Besides making mens and kids suits, they also make suits for woman as well…which I think is pretty rad!
I actually let Nate pic our matching suits and I thought for sure he was going to go with the super hero, but I think mommy rubbed off on him and he went with a colorful 90’s pattern suit. Even though I dug his choice, I could tell right away that no matter what suit we chose, when we threw on these matching outfits we were for sure going to turn some heads! (and we did) The first thing I thought of when I saw this suit was Saved by the Bell. I guess that would make Nate Zack. But does that make me Screech or A.C. Slater? LOL I’m hoping A.C.
This past weekend we wanted to head down to Coney Island for the day and take Nate on some rides at Luna Park, so I felt like it would be a fun opportunity to make going to an amusement park a little more fun by gettin’ dressed up in our Testival suits! I could not believe how many people came up to us saying how much they liked our outfits and how cute we looked. We looked like we knew how to party! LOL To be honest, at first, I was a little nervous on how Nate was going to react in his louder than normal attire. I feel like now that he’s getting older I notice he can tend to get embarrassed when he thinks he might garner some extra attention. However, he wasn’t phased at all! He was just strutting down the boardwalk like it was his runway!
I really like the fact that the suit I wore came with shorts, a short-sleeve jacket, and a tie…which makes it perfect for summer events. They also had the same suit in long sleeve as well. I really liked how the shorts fit and I can see myself wearing this shorts pattern with a solid top in more of my day-to-day fits as well. I’m not afraid of the bold colors from time to time!
We really had such a fun day in Coney Island last weekend, and I honestly think dressing up bold and colorful and twinning with my mini-me played a part. It just made the day feel a little more festive! Check out OppoSuits for more fun prints. I’m also diggin’ the pineapples and palm trees!
This time of year is always so confusing for me because I have so many mixed emotions. I’m bummed summer is almost over and the days are slowly starting to get shorter and darker, and I’m also kind of sad that Nate will be going back to school. I know a lot of parents are always ready for their kids to go back, but I like knowing he’s home. I like the fact that he can miss a day of sports camp if he feels like it, or if we take him somewhere fun, and it’s also nice for him to be able to just have a relaxing day at home with his Nanny. I think I just dread the rigid school routine for him! But, I’m also excited for fall. It’s always such a fun time of year together getting to go apple picking, pumpkin picking, and let’s not forget apple cider donuts LOL. But before fall, I guess the best part of the end of summer is getting to go back-to-school shopping and the start of football season!
Nate is now old enough where he actually gets into the back-to-school shopping spirit…and of course has become a football fanatic, so heading to Old Navy is the perfect place for us both to get some new looks and some sports tees! Old Navy’s 24/7 denim is the perfect jean to wear whenever I’m with Nate. They’re a great looking denim, and have that super-stretch technology to them, perfect for the random play sessions we always tend to have whenever we’re out. Nate is finally starting to appreciate clothes and definitely likes to pick out some unique pieces, but his favorite is usually anything that has to do with sports! And like any smart man, comfort is most important to him.
I have always been a sucker for varsity style shirts. It might be due to the fact that I know my wife thinks I look sexy in them. Her words, not mine! LOL But hey, if the misses likes it, I would be a fool not to wear something she likes me in. They are perfect for adding a little something to a super casual and comfortable outfit to help elevate the look. I went with the Coast to Coast Varsity Style Graphic Tee. I dig the graphics and love the blue color! To color-match with daddy, Nate went with the Carolina Tar Heels Graphic Tee. I might’ve pushed Nate towards this tee because I think the baby blue is one of my favorite colors and as long as it had to do with sports, Nate was in! Matching our blue sporty tees with our 24/7 denim was a cool way to coordinate together without going too matchy, matchy this time around. Don’t get me wrong, I love twinning with Nate, but sometimes I think he’d rather not LOL He’s getting too cool for school this kid!
I can never have enough denim in my closet. I might have at least 10 different kinds of denim jackets, and I’m all for adding in another! I wore the Old Navy Denim Trucker Jacket (in light wash) over my tee. The trucker style denim has just a slightly tougher, more vintage vibe, than a regular denim and is a good way to change things up from a regular denim if you’re a denim jacket lover like myself. Nate paired his NCAA tee with the Color-Block Raglan Track Jacket (in light heather grey). What sucked us in on the track jacket was really the blue stripes on the end of the sleeves. These little details give the jacket that little bit of a vintage touch that we both like! The Karate Built-In Flex jeans has the perfect fit for Nate’s style. Since his legs are so skinny, it’s always hard to find a jean that fits his legs, so the slimmer the better. This way when hes running around like a mad man his pants aren’t flapping around, and they just look cool. Plus, that bit of stretch keeps it comfy for him just the way he likes!
Whenever we’re out and about shooting or running errands, we always like to find something or somewhere to surprise Nate with to reward him for his good behavior. This time we popped into the high school to have a little one on one, 2 hand touch. He got a kick out of being able to run around on the turf, juking daddy, while trying to make a touchdown. I swear, this kid’s spiral is so much better than mine!
Aruba will always have a special place in my heart. It was here, 8 years ago, that I made the smartest decision of my life…I asked my wife Sarina to marry me. It was nice to finally be able to go back and this time, bring Nate along with us, to share our love of this beautiful island! For the accommodations, we partnered up with La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino. It’s a modern resort with some really great amenities, and right across from the famous Eagle Beach. The room we stayed in gave us an amazing view of the ocean, and even though the resort was technically across the street from the beach, it didn’t really feel like it was because it was still a super close walk to get to the beach. The room was very spacious with all the modern touches. It had a full kitchen, a bedroom with barn doors, a huge balcony with outdoor seating, a couch that opened up to a bed in the living room as well as another couch and plenty of closets. Which is also a plus for us because we definitely all pack on the heavy side LOL…especially me!
Eagle Beach is a public beach, but La Cabana guests were met at the beach by an employee and once you showed them your resort wristband they set you up with chairs & your own straw cabana. They also had a cute tiki bar right on the beach so we didn’t have to walk far for our pina coladas! The pool was really big, had a beautiful waterfall, a volleyball net and even a water slide, which we loved! One step away from the pool was the bar and literally another step away was their on site Islander Grill. Inside the hotel lobby I was pleasantly surprised to find there was an on-site Cinnabon! I couldn’t believe it. My family and I are obsessed with Cinnabon so we were kind of in heaven and actually ended up eating it every morning for breakfast LOL. There was also a gift shop/convenience store right in the lobby that had some tourist knick knacks, as well as drinks, snacks, and even some booze, which always comes in handy! There was also a jewelry store, a lotion shop, and though I’m not much of a Gambler, I know a lot of you will be happy to hear they have a casino right on-site as well!
The first day at La Cabana we did our usual and just hung around the resort. All of our vacations usually start with us waking up at 3am to get to the airport, so we’re all usually pretty wiped the first day, so we try and not go too crazy with exploring. We went straight to the ocean, grabbed a pina, got our little hut and just relaxed. It was great, because there were enough huts for everybody and also still enough empty beach that Nate and I could find room to throw the football and frisbee around without disturbing anybody, so it was perfect. Nate and I get antsy if we lay around for too long, so we like to stay active. The ocean was a beautiful turquoise…just as you would expect from the Caribbean. The one little bummer was that there was no snorkeling at the beach. That was the one disappointment I had with Aruba. Compared to other islands I’ve been to, the snorkeling just did not compare. Don’t get me wrong, the water is beautiful, but I’m kind of a snorkeling snob you might say HAHA and love when we can do it straight from the shore. After the beach we spent the rest of the day chillin’ at the pool, with happy hour & more pina coladas 🙂 and then got ready for dinner at their on-site restaurant, Las Ramblas. The food there was SPECTACULAR! We all really enjoyed not only our meals, but the whole experience. All the seating was outside on a cute patio with beautiful string lights above you, and a musician playing the guitar and singing while you ate. As weird as people might think it is, escargot is one of those dishes for me that if it’s on the menu, I have to order it! So, I was pretty excited to see it on there and even more excited that it was soooooo good. Nate was dying to eat lobster. He had tried it once before and ever since has fallen in love with it LOL. Even though they didn’t have lobster tail on the menu, they made it for him! I could not believe how fast he scarfed it down. The waitress was even shocked that his little body finished the entire dish! I had a perfectly cooked T-bone steak with chimichurri sauce, and my wife had the shrimp. For dessert, we had the creme brulee…which is one of my favorite desserts to order when I’m out to dinner. There’s just something about cracking the top of that custard that just gets me every time! This place was amazing. We had such an unforgettable dinner here! It’s always a plus when your resort had an incredible restaurant right on the property!
The second day we took our time getting out of the hotel and relaxed by the pool in the morning.But later in the day, we headed off to a snorkel trip with Red Sail Sports. They took us out on a really cool catamaran, the staff was amazing and the drinks were delicious…stiff LOL. Unfortanetly again, compared to the other islands we have been to, the snorkeling was a little disappointing. There weren’t as much fish or coral as we are used to seeing on. The second stop was at a shipwreck, which might have been cool to see but Aruba is very windy (which is great for battling the sun and cooling you off) but when in the ocean, it can make it pretty choppy. Nate couldn’t even get into the water to snorkel and the waves made the water a little foggy so you couldn’t really see the ship. I was able to dive down enough to see part of it so it was still pretty amazing to see, but again, not as visible as we had hoped for. We still ended up having a great time, but would have loved seeing some more fish. Our vacations never feel complete unless we take a boat out on a tour, so I’m still happy we went. We still had a blast!
The pool at La Cabana didn’t close until 10pm, so every night we made sure we went in for a late night dip. It’s starting to become a nightly tradition on all of our family trips, so we always make sure to find out the pool hours before deciding on a hotel. Once out of the pool, Nate always asked us if we could play checkers or chess on the oversized lawn sets. He loves these giant boards! I taught Nate how to play chess and was shocked at how quickly he picked it up! A lot quicker than my wife did! LOL
The next morning we made our way to De Palm Island. Normally you get picked up from your resort and brought to the ferry, but we decided to take our rental car so we could do some sight seeing after. While waiting for the ferry the wind decided it was going to take one of my favorite hats for a little ride, so I had to jump off the pier and into the water to find it. Luckily the water was so clear it was an easy find and was actually a really nice swim! Hang on to your hats in Aruba! De Palm Island has a really fun water park on the island, which is actually where we spent most of our time. Nate was a little hesitant at first but once he got warmed up to it, we could not get him off the water slides. He LOVED it! They had something for everyone. Little slides for Nate, medium slides for wifey and big slides for daddy LOL. Even my mother-in-law went down a few. The island is all-inclusive, so you can get all the adult beverages and non-alcoholic drinks you want, as well as food from the buffet and grill. We had burgers, hotdogs, and fries for lunch, and of course some pina coladas 🙂 After lunch we went to their snorkel section, which is where we saw the most fish during our trip. They had tons of blueish purple parrot fish and some of them were huge! Nate loved chasing them around. One of my favorite things on De Palm Island was the zip line. I had never tried it and had always wanted to, and it was everything I thought it would be…tons of fun! The island so fun. You could easily spend the whole day here, and I think Nate would’ve if we let him. He was obsessed with the little water park and still talks about it. It’s definitely a fun day with the kids if you head to Aruba!
After the island we did some site seeing. We stopped at Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant in Oranjestad. It was a really cool and fun spot and we loved the beachy atmosphere! Nate ordered a drink that came with a little story and a cool shark surprise. I don’t want to ruin it but if you have kids definitely stop in and order the Little Shark Attack! Even though we just stopped in for a pina colada, I couldn’t help but to order some fish tacos. The great thing about Aruba is that there is a ton to do and a lot of shops to walk around. I love checking out the watch/jewelry stores as well as the little local spots. I grabbed my Aruba dad hat and Nate grabbed his Aruba shirt, which is our new tradition whenever we visit a new destination.
On our last day of vacation, we usually always just stick around the hotel and relax. My wife Sarina and I got an amazing couples massage at the Citro Spa which is just past the pool and bar. I made sure to grab a drink on the way…hey I’m on vacation! Now I haven’t received a lot of massages in my life, so I’m no guru, but OMG this hit the spot. It was exactly what my wife and I needed to end our trip. It was so relaxing and was nice enjoying my first massage with her right next to me. We might have to make this another vacay tradition! We spent the rest of the day swimming and enjoying the water slide. We were pretty excited to have reservations at the Flying Fishbone for dinner on our last night. Even though it’s a 45 minute drive from La Cabana, it is well worth the trip! The food is out of this would and if you’re lucky enough to call in advance and get reservations, you can get a table where your feet are right in the water while you eat! That’s right, they offer beach dining at it’s best. Besides having a table right on the beach, they have a few that are right in the water. Watching the sunset and Nate feeding the fish along with some amazing food made this one of the most memorable dinners I have ever had. Back to the sunset though, it was absolutely gorgeous. I actually got engaged about 50ft from where we ate so it was a little nostalgic being back to this part of Aruba. Flying Fishbone is just incredible. You have to eat here if you visit Aruba!
It was such a great trip, and of course, as usual, went by way too fast. The staff at La Cabana were great, the location of the resort was perfect and Joe, their general manager, was the most accommodating to make sure my family and I had such memorable experiences on our short stay with them. Thank you Joe! Ahhh, as I’m writing this, I wish we were back there right now heading to the pool taking our late night family dip together. Make sure you watch our video above to check out all the fun we had. Wishing we were back there right now!
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