Finley’s First Birthday!

Surprised to see a new post from me so soon? Yeah, you and me both! I just happen to have a bunch of seriously adorable photos of our niece Finley celebrating her first birthday!

Brandon’s brother, sister-in-law and little niece moved back to Orlando a couple months ago (in fact, they live right down the street from us). It has been a blast being so close to them, especially because Finley is at an age where she changes pretty much daily – and we are lucky enough to be nearby to watch her grow!

Finley’s first birthday party had a fun pink and green theme. She turned 1 on December 20, but we celebrated a couple days early on the 17th. Brandon’s dad, Rowland, and step mom, Cheryl, drove down from Raleigh for the celebration!

Finley’s mom, Ann, really wanted to bake a cake for the party but gave in and got a cute little smash cake from Publix so that Finley could properly celebrate by destroying her first birthday cake. The adults ate the cake Ann made, it was yummy.

At first I don’t think Finley knew what to do with her pretty little cake. We all sang her “Happy Birthday” and had two iPads set up with FaceTime so that Ann’s family in Dallas and Brandon’s sister in Raleigh could all sing to her as well!

After she figured out what the bright green thing in front of her was, Finley started making a mess all over the table, her dress and her face! When her mom and dad joined her for some photos, she made sure they got plenty of cake on them also!

One of Finley’s presents was a Radio Flyer red wagon from Grandpa Rowland and Grandma Cheryl. Uncle Brandon decided to take it out for a test drive … I don’t think it was made for big kids like Brandon though.

One of Finley’s friends, Lily Kate (a.k.a. LK), was there to celebrate with her. LK is the daughter of one of Wesley’s (Finley’s dad’s) high school friends. The two girls are only a couple months apart and live just a couple doors down from each other.

Finally it was time for Finley to open her present from Uncle Brandon and Auntie Anna! She was very excited (as you can see from the photo). Can you guess from the box what we got her?

That’s right, we got her a tiny pair of Toms! If you aren’t familiar with the brand, whenever you buy a pair of Toms, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need. So, not only did Finley get a cute pair of shoes, she gave back!

The shoes complemented her purple and orange ensemble (can you tell her parents are Clemson fans?) perfectly. They are still a little big, but that only means she has plenty of time to grow into and wear them!

I’m pretty sure Finley had a great time at her first birthday party. I know we enjoyed it! After all the sugar she consumed and  the playing with new toys, the birthday girl took a little nap and the adults continued on with the celebration. Can’t wait to see what her second birthday party will bring! 😉

It’s That Time of Year

The busy fray of the Christmas season is definitely here! I have been overloaded and overwhelmed with everything from work, wrapping presents and attending holiday get-togethers, leaving me little time to post new content on my poor lonely blog.

No worries though, I have some free time coming up and plenty of ideas to keep you busy through the New Year. Let’s start with getting in the spirit of the season – one of my favorite things about the holidays is going to all the events and parties. Here’s a few of the ways I got into the Christmas spirit this year …

Lina and I started off the Christmas season by taking Rory and Millie to Pet-a-palooza in early December. The two doggies were very excited to get out of the house and spend some time together!

Pet-a-palooza was great. There were tons of dogs, free treats and even pictures with Santa! After walking around for a while we found a spot on the lawn and settled in for a live performance by Hanson!

A couple weeks ago I had a jam-packed week with three different holiday parties back to back! It all started with my Chi Omega advisor gift exchange which was held at a fellow advisor’s, Suzanne’s, house.

My “Secret Santa” was Monica – the same girl who got me last year, go figure – and she did a great job! I got lotion in my favorite scent and dark chocolate covered strawberries! The super cuter owl purse was from Shanna.

The next day I had a holiday get-together at a small bar in the Dr. Phillips area. This one was for RCI, a company we work closely with at Wyndham. A few of the other Corporate Communications girls were there, too!

I was invited to the RCI party by the same people that took us out to dinner at the Space Needle in Seattle. But, the best part of this party was seeing my good friend, Teresa, who used to work with me at my last job!

The culmination of my holiday festivities week was the Wyndham Vacation Ownership holiday party which was held at the Amway Center. And guess who was there to greet us during cocktail hour … my favorite mascot, Stuff!

The majority of the Communications team made it out to the party and a good time was had by all! The food was great, we all hit the dance floor and I won a $50 American Express card … which has already been used up.

We really enjoyed the Christmas festivities that we’ve participated in so far! We got a late start on decorating at home as well as finishing up our Christmas shopping (I still have  one or two more things I need to run out and get) but it was well worth it. I hope all of you have a fabulous holiday season, too!

Happy Hanksgiving!

We have so much to be thankful for this year! We’re thankful for new additions to our family – our new niece Finley and of course our furry little Millie. I’m also thankful for my new job and a new set of wonderful work friends. But probably most of all we are thankful for being so close to family and friends!

This Thanksgiving we spent the day at my mom’s house. Lina had to work but was able to hang with the fam for a few hours.

The Reinerts enjoyed the day and especially the food! And of course Millie had a great time hanging out with her “aunt,” Rory.

A couple days after Thanksgiving we celebrated my aunt’s birthday and got to hang out with the Graefes: Noe, Elena and Maxi!

My youngest niece, Elena, is such a ham! She kept asking to have her picture taken – and then smiled so hard that her eyes closed.

Brandon got to spend some time with my brother-in-law Nicolas, who’s apparently joining in on the beard craze that’s going on.

Elena always comes out of her shell when Uncle Brandon is around – and she was happy to give him a quick bump before we left.

Later on in the day we headed to our friends Brianna and Jimmy’s (Brimmy’s) house to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families.

For both of our Thanksgiving celebrations we made macaroni and cheese muffins (get the recipe here), they were pretty good!

We had a jam-packed, but very fun Thanksgiving this year, I can’t believe the holidays are here already! I was hoping the season would slow things down a bit but it seems it has only given us more to add to our December calendar. Hoping you all had a great Thanksgiving and are gearing up for a fabulous holiday season!

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Book Report: “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins

If you loved the Twilight Saga, get ready for your newest obsession: “The Hunger Games” series. We decided to read this in my book club, even though the books are geared mainly at young adults – but hey, so was “Twilight,” right?

Right from the beginning, I couldn’t put it down and I read the entire first book in just a couple of days (I broke down and bought the other two books and am currently reading the third). It is suspenseful and full of surprises with a sweet love story woven in.

The end of the first book leaves a lot of questions unanswered – which I why I needed to get my hands on the others pronto. I recommend just going ahead and buying (or borrowing) the whole series at the get-go, because you won’t want to wait once you’ve finished this one.

The Hunger Games has already been made into a movie which comes out this March, here’s hoping they make the other two books into movies as well! Watch the trailer … I’m so excited!

7 Reasons You Should Get a Dog

Photo by Brianna Forster Photography

On Nov. 12, my little Millie celebrated her first birthday! Although we’ve only had her since January, she has grown and changed so much in what feels like a very short amount of time.

For her birthday, we took Millie to her favorite place (PetSmart) and picked up a few special treats including a new polo shirt and a pair of yummy dog biscuits – which she shared with her cousin Tyler.

Celebrating my first child’s first birthday made me realize how much I truly enjoy having a dog. So here are seven reasons I think YOU should bring home a new best friend:

1. You always receive a warm welcome home. Every day when I walk in the door from work I am greeted with loads of licks and tail wagging, it’s so sweet.
2. Even a small dog can provide protection. A dog doesn’t have to be big to make you feel safe. I feel much better being home alone when Millie’s with me.
3. Dogs are entertaining. I love to laugh at things Millie does, from the way she barks at lizards while looking out the window to the crazy places she falls asleep.
4. You have a reason to be responsible. Dogs give you responsibility, but not too much. They’re a great first step to caring for someone other than yourself.
5. You’re more healthy with a canine companion. Dogs not only make you happy but their companionship lowers your blood pressure and cholesterol, too.
6. A dog instantly makes you feel better. Dogs can sense when you need a little extra love and are more than happy to snuggle up to you when you’re down.
7. Dogs love you unconditionally. They don’t judge and don’t notice (or care about) your mistakes. They just love and cuddle and give kisses – it’s awesome.

I didn’t realize when Brandon surprised me with a puppy for Christmas last year that I would get so attached to and be so grateful for something so small. But Millie really does add something special to each and every one of my days – and she has turned BrandAnna into a family!

Happy Birthday Millie girl!

Photo by Brianna Forster Photography

Along for the Ride

Last weekend we went on yet another fall trip, this time to Raleigh, N.C. for a wedding. We took a long weekend and drove up there with Millie – it was her longest and farthest trip so far. We ended up having a really great weekend spending time with family, shopping, laughing around a bonfire and of course drinking … Brandon works in the beer business so we always have to try new brews when we are out of town!

Millie usually gets a little bit of anxiety when we start packing bags which has been happening a whole lot lately. This time around she jumped into the suitcase as usual, little did she know that she was coming along for the ride, too!

It was a long nine-hour drive to Raleigh and by far the longest trip Millie had ever taken in the car. On the way there she was very anxious and confused but spent most of the trip in her favorite spot behind her daddy’s head.

We arrived in North Carolina right around 11 a.m. and settled into our room at Brandon’s dad’s house. They live in a gorgeous home on a little more than an acre, it’s the perfect place for family get-togethers!

One place we always go when we are in town is Gigi’s Boutique – owned by Brandon’s dad and step mom. They have two stores in the area and have a number of super cute styles for women, so we did a little bit of shopping.

One of my purchases at Gigi’s Boutique was this black cut-out dress, which I love. Brandon’s sister, Casey, and I ended up wearing very similar outfits on the night of the rehearsal dinner, so of course I had to take a picture with my sister-in-law!

One of my favorite things about our trip up there was getting to spend a whole lot of quality time with Brandon’s fabulous sister-in-law, Ann, and step mom, Cheryl. I absolutely love this picture of the three of us Reinert wives!

One of my best friends (and my favorite photographer!), Brianna, has a pocket obsession. She had pockets sewn into her dress and was very excited about it so we decided to take a pocket picture together while hanging out at the hotel bar.

My favorite thing about the holidays and special occasions is that I get to spend time with Brandon’s side of the family. Rowland, Cheryl, Ann, Wes, Finley, Casey, Brandon and I had a blast hanging out throughout the weekend!

As always, the trip went by way too fast, but Brandon and I decided that next time we are flying! Millie had a blast and got to meet her “aunt,” Rowland and Cheryl’s dog, Abby. It was really great gathering the Reinerts together, we all enjoyed it!

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Book Report: “Heart of the Matter” by Emily Giffin

I loved this book! Now that I got that out the way … Emily Giffin has become one of my favorite authors. She creates some compelling stories – like “Something Borrowed” – where you end up siding with (or at least getting a better understanding of) the “other woman.”

This is another one of her books that deals with the dirty “a word” (adultery). I really had a hard time putting the book down and it kept me guessing until the very end. One of the main characters, Tessa, turns out to be the sister of Dex (and the sister-in-law of Rachel) from “Something Borrowed.”

I literally cried while reading this book, but I’ve recommended it to a ton of my friends, especially those who are Giffin fans. It makes you feel a little bit uncomfortable because of the unthinkable content but there is something tough but truthful about it.

This book isn’t for the naive at heart, it will make you think, especially if you are married. But I thought it was really good and continue to be a faithful Emily Giffin follower!

Having a Ball

One of my favorite things about fall is sports. While college and professional football are in full swing by October, it’s the year-round league sports that get me really excited! I don’t actually participate … I am more of a cheerleader. But I am fully supportive of Brandon whether he’s playing soccer, softball or his newest obsession: kickball.

Brandon has been playing softball for a few years but this season is the first that he has managed the team. He plays with a group of friends from high school and for once I’m not the only one in the cheering section!

Brandon started the season playing first base but has recently started pitching (which can be scary). So far the team has only lost two games and sits in second place in the league. Not bad for a first-time manager!

A knee injury during a league soccer game a couple years ago meant Brandon had to switch to a sport where he didn’t have to run as much. He’s still pretty quick on his feet, but his hitting has gotten a whole lot better!

This team is totally different than the last few Brandon has played with. All the guys are around our age and their girlfriends, fiancees, wives and even parents come out in full force to cheer on the boys!

Our friends Ben and Alli started a coed kickball league this year and although they tried very hard to get me to join the team I just show up to support my sister Lina (and their newest team member: Brandon!)

The first game we went to was against a team that hasn’t lost a game … in the last couple of seasons. Even though they dominated us, we were able to make it on the board. And Lina was the one who scored the run!

Because this league is more about having fun than actually winning games, it pretty much turns into a night of drinking with our buddies. It’s a little bit different than our Tuesday-night softball games!

Brandon plays first base on the kickball team, but I think sometimes he forgets to have a good time and can get pretty competitive! It’s in his nature because he likes to win, but overall I can tell he has a really good time!

For now I’m going to stick to the sidelines and remain supportive of Brandon, Lina and all my other friends who play. I’m not completely ruling out the possibility of joining in some day … but every team needs fans, too!

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Book Report: “Harry Potter” by J.K. Rowling

This time around I’m writing about one of my favorite book series: Harry Potter! The movies are awesome but they don’t hold a candle to the books.

You may think the series was written for kids but it is so complex and complete that it appeals to and draws in readers of all ages. The first couple of books are a little bit juvenile but they are really fun.

Once you get into the middle of the set it starts to get a bit dark and almost scary. And by the end, if you haven’t been keeping track you could easily get lost in the numerous characters and storylines.

I’m really not sure how Rowling kept everything straight, herself. Every single piece of the story is developed throughout the seven books and completely wrapped up by the end. Even the small details that you didn’t think mattered turn out to be a major factor in the story.

If you haven’t tried these books out, give them a chance. Once you start you won’t be able to stop! My favorite way to go through the whole series is to read each book and then watch the movie.

Wiggle It

We’ve got a lot going on this week (what else is new?) so this is a mini-post to hold you over! This past weekend we attended the Wiggle Waggle Walk in Altamonte Springs to support the SPCA. It was a very casual walk around the lake at Crane’s Roost Park for hundreds of local pups.

Millie did a great job! We completed the walk and stayed to watch the costume contest (and got some good ideas for next year!). She was pretty much passed out the rest of the day, but we look forward to participating in more SPCA events in 2012!

Not So Sleepless in Seattle

I was super excited when I heard I would be attending the WorldMark by Wyndham Annual Owners Meeting in Bellevue, Wash. It’s a trade show and business meeting for WorldMark (one of the Wyndham Vacation Ownership clubs) that features representatives from all over the company – including the Destinations magazine team, a.k.a. me!

As I’ve never been to the West Coast (I’ve never made it past the Mississippi River before) I was pumped for the trip to Bellevue, which is just outside of Seattle. And I also crossed the first item off my 30 Before 30 list!

We arrived in Washington on Wednesday afternoon after changing planes in Phoenix and leaving Orlando at 7:30 a.m. After setting up for our Thursday meeting we headed to the city, and I was kind of surprised at how hilly it was!

My boss Merav and I found a parking spot downtown and headed out to explore Seattle. It’s a great walking city and we got really lucky with the weather – it wasn’t the rainy, dreary place I thought it would be, at least not while we were there!

You can’t go to Seattle without stopping by the fish market! We went to Pike Place Market and although we didn’t buy any fish – or see them throw any either – it was still an experience. All of the seafood in the city was awesome, I wish I could have brought some home!

We walked through the main market, although most of the stores were closing up when we got there around 5 p.m. on a Wednesday. The three-hour time change was definitely noticeable, making me sleepy pretty much the entire trip.

I was so excited to see the Space Needle – I felt just like I was in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy! I am not a fan of heights, but I braved 520 feet up to the observation deck in a see through elevator (I just didn’t look down).

We had dinner reservations at the Sky City restaurant at the top of the Space Needle, but we stopped off at the observation deck beforehand. My legs were a little shaky, both from the height and from the chilly weather, but the view was worth it!

The restaurant was fabulous! All of the tables are right along the windows, so every seat has a great view. The restaurant spins, making a full rotation every 47 minutes, so you are always seeing something different. And the food wasn’t bad either!

The reason I was in Washington – the Annual Owners Meeting – took up the day on Thursday. Merav and I had a booth where we asked owners to vote in our annual photo contest and shot some short videos about why owners love their timeshare so much!

It was a very short trip, but it doesn’t take much to fall in love with the Emerald City. Seattle is a big craft beer center, so of course Brandon had me keep track of all the local brews I tried. Hopefully we will be able to make it out there together sometime soon for the Tacoma Craft Beer Festival.

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Book Report: “Don’t Breathe a Word” by Jennifer McMahon

When my friend Jamie first told me about “Twilight,” I was a little skeptical. A vampire love story? I didn’t think I could get into that. Well, I felt the same way when a member of my book club offered up this novel as the next read for the group.

She said it was a story about fairies. And while it is about fairies, it is so much more. I gave it  a try and was pleasantly surprised. It’s not the fantasy fiction book that you’d expect – it is complex, suspenseful and even a little bit spooky.

It’s more about the idea of fairies than an actual fairy tale and it is a bit scary. I actually had to be sure to read it with the lights on and watch a little TV before I went to bed so as not to keep myself up all night worrying over it!

I definitely recommend this book – it’s the perfect read leading up to the spooky Halloween season!

Adult Alphabet

This week I have something a little fun – an adult alphabet to help you get to know me … and if you play along, something to help me get to know you, too!

We all know our ABCs but this little survey is a way to really get you thinking about some of your favorite things and quirky characteristics. Some of the letters took me longer than others, but in the end I’m happy with my answers!

I encourage you all to give it a try and fill it out, even if you don’t feel like sharing. I promise, it’s fun!

Ambition: To leave a legacy

Bad Habit: Procrastination

City: Orlando

Drink: Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager

Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism

Food: Bread

Guilty Pleasure: A good book

Hometown: Mount Prospect, Ill. (and Orlando, I guess)

Ice Cream: Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food

Jonesing for: Chocolate (dark, yum!)

Kryptonite: Puppies! Especially MY puppy

Look-a-like: Vanessa Lengies from “American Dreams” and “Waiting”

Movie: “Pretty in Pink”

Nickname: Anna Banana

Obsession: Owls

Perfume: Can’t go wrong with a classic like Chanel No. 5

Quirk: When I eat M&Ms I like to line them up by color and eat them in order

Regret: Not trying to get more scholarships so I wasn’t paying off student loans until 2030

Starbucks: When I was in school they had a bananas and crème Frappuccino, I got one every single day!

Thrift Find of the Year: Dress pants from Sears

University: University of South Florida (but of course, I also root for Clemson)

Vacation: Anywhere Wyndham has a timeshare resort 😉

Wine: White Zinfandel

X: XL 106.7, I’ve been listening to it for years!

Years: 27 and change

Zen: Being on the beach

Now it’s your turn. I want to know what your adult alphabet looks like!

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Blog Report: A Toast (WhitTheHeck.blogspot.com)

I first found this alphabet activity on the blog A Toast. I am absolutely in love with the concept of this blog, it’s basically a toast to whatever the blogger, Whitney Heckathorne, wants to talk about.

She covers everything from “The Bachelor” recaps to travel tips and of course all things owls – did I mention Whitney is the national director of communications for Chi Omega? 😉 I love checking back in to see what Whit is up to.

She is also a great resource for finding new, interesting blogs that cover several feel-good, girly topics. If you’re into blogging or simply reading blogs this one is not to be missed!

The Millie Diaries

I wanted to send a quick mid-week post (in an effort to make up for missing a few postings here and there the past couple of months) and hopefully it will help get you through the rest of your week!

I went searching on Brandon’s phone for a picture he took a while ago and I found a couple of super cute Millie videos that I just had to share!

This first one warms my heart … Brandon took it when we brought Millie home.

I didn’t even know about this video, apparently Brandon used to slide Millie across our wood floors!

After she tore apart her soft, squeaky toys we bought Millie her first bone – which confused her.

It’s the funniest thing when Millie hears a new sound and turns her head trying to figure out what it is.

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2011 Wiggle Waggle Walk

Speaking of Millie … she will be participating in this year’s Wiggle Waggle Walk, a fabulous fundraiser benefiting the SPCA of Central Florida. She has set a fundraising goal of $100 to help support, and eventually, find permanent homes for the homeless animals.

The walk takes place on Oct. 22 at Crane’s Roost Park in Uptown Altamonte – come out and support Millie (she will be wearing a Halloween costume!) and help make a difference in the lives of animals right here in Central Florida.

Visit Millie’s fundraising page today to make a pledge (and be sure to read her special message). Everyone who donates at least $5 will get a 2012 poster calendar featuring Millie herself! And the best thing about this event is that due to all of the generous sponsors, ALL pledges will directly benefit the animals in our community.

We hope to see you in Uptown Altamonte later this month!