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August 2018

What To Do With Six Hours In San Francisco

What To Do With 6 Hours In San Francisco

by Nellie August 31, 2018

My first and only trip to San Francisco was unforgettable, we had exactly six hours to take in as much as we could. I’d heard so much about this beautiful city that I was SO excited to jump right in and do as much as I could! The first this we did was take a quick cab to the famous Pier 39.

It was a bit more crowded than usual because 30,000 people had competed in the San Francisco Half Marathon just a few hours before but it was still manageable. Since I am completely used to dealing with the New York crowds I didn’t feel out of place in the least!

The first thing I noticed was how much colder it was. It was at least 10-15 degrees colder than San Jose–so much so that I bought a touristy San Francisco sweatshirt to cover my thin summery blouse. Pro Tip: Don’t get caught out there! Bring a jacket! That hoodie cost me $43!

One of the most interesting things we saw on our walk on the pier was the SEALS! They were all hanging out getting a tan.

We got lunch at a Mexican restaurant called Mango’s Cantina. The food was wonderful! I love Mexican food so much and this was probably one of the best Mexican restaurants I’ve ever been to, plus we ate outside and that was fun!

Next we walked back down the pier to find a boat tour that would allow us to see the famous Golden Gate Bridge. When we arrived we realized that the Alcatraz boat tours had been sold out for months but the basic one hour loop tours were still available. Pro Tip: if you want to do a foot tour of Alcatraz book your tickets months in advance!

The tour was pretty standard with plenty of time to take pictures of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a bit foggy that day but it is truly beautiful.

With about 2 hours left before we had to get back to San Jose we walked down to Fisherman’s Wharf. There were plenty of people over here and the most popular place was Ghiradelli’s and this was for good reason. They were making chocolate right there In the store which smelled heavenly. I have also never seen so many sundae combinations. It was so crowded that we couldn’t sit and enjoy but I did grab a bag of chocolates for my sweets loving husband.

Finally, it was almost time to go–so we decided to go to the In and Out Burger just a few steps away from Fisherman’s Wharf. I had always heard about these famous In and Out burgers on TV and on Social Media but…I didn’t enjoy it. Before you start throwing blunt objects at me I completely understand that this is supposed to be one of the best burgers ever but for me it just wasn’t. #sorrynotsorry?

San Francisco has a very chill laid back vibe and I wouldn’t mind going back to visit the various towns, ride the trolley and visit Alcatraz on foot. If you have a short amount of time I recommend everything I did! Maybe except the burger! 🙂

Have a short time to visit San Francisco? Check out this fun itinerary and get the most out of your trip! #sanfrancisco #travel #traveltips

Have you been to San Francisco? Do you love In and Out burger?

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running

3 Easy Running Recovery Tips To Get You Back On The Pavement Faster

by Nellie August 22, 2018

Running can be super hard on the body, especially when you are just starting out. I remember around 5 years ago I was completely spent and sore for days after running a simple 5k in the park. Things are way different now that I have trained my body to run marathons, but I’ll never forget where I started. As I pushed past my former limits, recovery was key to being able to move to that next level, that longer distance. Here are a couple of ways that I was able to continue training by waking up with the freshest legs possible.

Get a Roller: I used to think that rolling your body on a large item that reminds me of a pool noodle was ridiculous. It actually made no sense to me, until I started training. My roller has become my best friend. Using the roller within a couple of hours of running especially on my quads and my calves has made running the next day a bit easier vs. not rolling. It became a very faithful part of my recovery routine once I realized the stark difference of how much muscles felt the next day.
Strength Training: This one was a game changer for me when training for my second marathon. While training for my first, I became burnt out with a run heavy training plan. The second time around I incorporated strength training 3x a week and usually the day before I run. It almost sounds crazy to run a long distance after doing leg presses and squats but for me, I am way more looser for a run the day after!
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate: Drinking a ton of water after a training run helps a LOT. Especially in the warm summer months. You body and muscles need water to aid in your recovery. So hydration is super key before AND after a long run in order to continue pushing hard in your training.

I’m teaming up with some of my favorite running bloggers to share recovery tips! Check them out!

Angela @ Happy Fit Mama

Allie @ VITA Train 4 Life

Laura @ This Runner’s Recipes

Improve your run recovery time with these tried and true tips from myself, @HappyFitMama, @VITATrain4Life & @ThisRunRecipes! #recovery #running

What are your running recovery tips?

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5 Tips You Need to Help Secure Your Child’s Financial Future

by Nellie August 20, 2018

This post about securing your child’s financial future is sponsored by Northwestern Mutual

A little while after learning that I was expecting and it settled in that we would be adding a new family member to our household, I started to think about the cost of it all. Both times I had been pregnant before I was secure and stable in a full-time job with excellent insurance and consistent cash.

This time is quite different; I won’t be rushing back to work when baby turns 3 months because I am now an entrepreneur–but I need to really analyze my financial situation to make sure that baby is well taken care of.

I’ve partnered with Northwestern Mutual to gain some insight as to what I should be doing financially to prepare for my upcoming addition. I was able to meet with a super experienced Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Advisor Francis Clement to learn some really great tips to help ensure the financial future for your children. I hope you learn something because I learned a LOT!

Given the ups and downs of entrepreneur finances, what is the most important step to take once the baby is born?

One of the best things to do for a baby or young child is to open up an ESA account. As an ESA account is a tax-advantaged investment account in the United States designed to encourage savings to cover future education expenses (elementary, secondary, or college), such as tuition, books, and uniforms (for the same year as the distribution). The ESA account is fantastic because if you decide to enroll your child in private school, you already have the funds ready to go in the ESA.

Life Insurance Policy: Consider a whole life insurance policy starting around $100K, not because you expect anything to happen to your children–but instead it gives them permanent insurance. Insurance will last for their life and will have a accumulated cash value they could use use iwhen they are older. You can set up a plan that would be meaningful long term with an additional purchase benefit, that would guarantee their right to buy more insurance at certain ages.

Should I set up a new 529 for the baby right away, or should I add her on to her brothers’ plan?

Since 529 plans are designed for a specific beneficiary, if the children are in college at the same time it could be challenging. You would only get the tax-free benefit for one child. A plan for each child could give more benefits.

When should you get any of these plans?

If you have the cash flow, do it now. Do something. The minimal for a monthly contribution is $50 a month. Start as soon as possible and create the habit. The sooner the better.

Should I have a separate budget for the needs of the baby?

You should do what works. If you find that it helps, then do it. If there is a separate income source for the child, or you can add it to your regular budget.

Should I open a savings account, or any other account for baby once she is born?

I’m not a big fan of assets in a child’s name. A checking account or mutual funds account could negatively impact the kids eligibilty when it comes to financial aid. A 529 is considered a parental asset and not an asset for children, which is super helpful.

Once your child gets to high school, you can roll the ESA account over to the 529 account if needed!

Wow, that was a lot! Now I’m looking at my finances sideways and making changes immediately! Stay tuned for part 2 in this series where I share tips about teaching children about finances!

Did you learn anything new? Do you have an investment set up for your kids?

For more information about planning your financial future visit NorthwesternMutual.com

and find your local financial advisor here to schedule a consultation.

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newborn Parenting

3 Important Things To Remember When Handling Newborn Skin

by Nellie August 13, 2018

I was first introduced to Dove Baby at the Mom 2.0 Conference in Orlando last year. Even though I didn’t have any babies at the time, I was excited because we only use Dove Body Wash in our household so I LOVE that there was a new option for babies!

Last week I attended a fun Muffins and Mom-osas breakfast at one of the famous SaraBeth’s in NYC. When I arrived, the decor was draped in beautiful blue and white flower centerpieces, balloons and menus. I was excited to learn about the products more in depth because of upcoming baby–but I ended up getting way more than I could have ever imagined.

A Diverse Gathering

The room was filled with women of all nationalities and backgrounds. Not going to lie, it was incredibly refreshing. I felt at ease because we were able to have open dialogue about having ethnically mixed children like I do with my Jamaican/Puerto Rican blend, to chatting about everyday things like how we discipline our children, to finding your mom tribe, to figuring out how to incorporate our culture into parenting. It was a SUPER refreshing conversation because as we know, parenting can be isolating especially in a world of social media perfection.

When I wrote my post about being honest about how parenting was kicking my butt, I got so many responses in my inbox of help and other moms that could relate. It was in that moment I knew that I absolutely was not alone and that I had support. This breakfast was an awesome reminder that we are ALL out here trying to figure things out in our own special way.

3 Important Things To Remember When Handling Newborn Skin

When you have a baby, there is so much to consider when taking care of their skin. They have been inside of a belly for months and now, we have to make sure that their skin doesn’t lose the moisture and nutrients that they need.

I had a chance to sit down with Baby Dove’s Pediatric Dermatologist Dr. Mercedes Gonzalez to chat about the best ways to handle newborn skin. Let’s be real, those first couple of months go by like a blur and it’s best to be as prepared as possible!

What is the most important thing you can do for a newborn’s skin?

MG: Try to maintain the skin the same way as it was when they were born. When babies are born they have a protective covering called the vernix which has a very importantn fuction of creating a barrier and protecting the baby from any kind of pollutants or bacteria any in it’s environment. To do as much as possible to maintain that and not take it away. They asked me if I wanted to delay the bath with my newborn and I thought that was awesome because usually they sweep the baby away and give them a bath. Delaying the bath helps to maintain the vernix for as long as possible.

During the first bath try to use gentle products and not be so agressive with the way you are doing it. Use your fingertips and products like the baby Dove line that uses mild sufectants that are made differently from the original Dove brand. They have a quarter moisturizing lotion in them and the moisture that they use have the same oils that is found in the newborn skin, so you are replenishing the oils that are often stripped away. Even plain water can strip away the oils from the newborn’s skin.

How many baths should a newborn have?

Sometime in the first week when everyone is settled. Make sure it is short and you have a second person there to help. There isn’t a strict day of when babies should take a bath but when babies are being handled so much, so often it’s good to fit one in in the first week. If the baby is traveling a lot, definitely give more baths–but KEEP IT SHORT. Less than 5 minutes, warm water, mild baby specific cleansers and putting a lotion on right after.

Is putting lotion on everyday necessary?

I recommend putting it on after a bath. The lotion is needed to restore the skin after the water has stripped away some of the nutrients in the bathtub. Make it a part of a routine where you give baby a bath, pat them dry with the towel, when they are still slightly moist, trap that moisture in with a baby specific moisturizer head to so with a gentle massage. Build this routine around the bath.

A Diverse @Dove Conversation On Motherhood and Social Media + 3 #newborn skin care tips that every mom should know! #dovebaby #dovebabycare

To learn more about the Dove Baby brand check out their website!

Did you know these skin care tips? Have you ever met with other moms to discuss daily wins and struggles?

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disney

5 Must Know Things About The Minnie Van Service At Walt Disney World

by Nellie August 6, 2018

Last year when I heard about the new Minnie Van Service at Walt Disney World, I immediately fell in love because what could be more fun than riding in a pretty red van with decorated all over with Minnie Mouse decor?

Right before the we got ready to explore the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex, our hosts were gracious enough to provide us with the full Minnie Van Service experience to get over to the Sports facility. I was extra excited because I was going to get a first hand experience of what this Minnie Van service was all about! I learned a few things I didn’t know before and I’m sharing them with you today:

Works directly with your LYFT app: You don’t need to download any extra apps, or enter in any information additional information. When you are on the Walt Disney World property, the LYFT application automatically gives you a the Minnie Van option!

Minnie Van now goes to MCO: This one is clutch, I can’t think of a more magical way to start and/or finish your Disney vacation! The Minnie Van has now extended it’s service to the airport! So if you are looking for a more individualized experience rather than get on the Magical Express bus, you have more options!

Car seats are available: The Minnie Vans all come with two car seats for your use. The best part is that the drivers are all equipped to use and install them properly so you don’t have to worry about fitting them in properly. This is a lifesaver (and a time and stress saver) for those of us with small children!

Easiest Way To Magic Kingdom: If you have ever taken a cab to Magic Kingdom, you know how hard it can be to get to the front of the park. You usually have to take an entire different form of transportation just to get there! The Minnie Van is the only car service that will bring you right to the front of every park. They have that exclusive access! So if you are staying on property and the bus service isn’t cutting it and you need to be at MK right now (for a restaurant reservation!), you have this service in your back pocket.

Drivers are flexible: Need to stop and get some food right before a long day in the park? Need to get some groceries? Some items to keep you cool? Drivers are super flexible and can stop and get whatever you need as long as you are on the Disney property. All you have to do is ask!

Drive around the @DisneyParks in Style! --> 5 Must Know Things About The #MinnieVan Service At @WaltDisneyWorld #disney #espnwwos #espnatdisney

For more information on the Minnie Van Service check out the Walt Disney World Website!

Headed to Disney World soon? Don’t forget to download your free Disney Luggage Tags & Your free Disney World Budget Planner download!

For more tips, tricks and Disney fun check out Disney World Travel Tips, Tricks & News!

What is your favorite mode of transportation at Walt Disney World? Monorail? Bus? Boat?

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