Avocado or Pear

In the Bahamas I have had some of the most amazing local food I could imagine.  The freshness and quality of the seafood is unmatched as well as much of the local produce.  Since it is a group of islands, things take time to get here (produce and meat not grown locally), but you can find some wonderful food right on the islands!

Having Endometriosis and a special diet because of it, I try to eat organic, hormone/pesticide free fresh food as much as I can.  I also try to feed my daughter and family this way. I am in luck because there is a great deal available.  One major difference here from the USA is my favorite (and my daughters’s) – avocados 🥑.  They are incredibly good for you (rich in nutrients, and are known to be a superfood) and quite popular, especially lately.  Locally in the Bahamas, they can be known as “Pears” instead.

Being from California, I was confused at first, but when I was told by friends what they were, I was excited to try them.  The local “pears” are roughly three times the size of American or Mexican Hass avocados naturally (much easier to make guacamole with! 😜). They are beautiful and smooth with a buttery creamy texture inside.  The flavor is a little more mild than Hass or Bacon but they can be used the same way (guacamole, on toast, with salad dressing, eaten alone, made into ice-cream or milkshakes, etc).

It is a good lesson for us all to give something new a chance (what I try to teach my daughter) – even with a different name – because you never know just how good different things can be, especially while somewhere new!

❤️

Jaimarie

Encanto

Have you seen Encanto on Disney+ yet? If not you need to. It is fantastic and fun for the whole family!

If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch it now at home on Disney+!

Here are some very cute Encanto themed Girl’s Swimsuits based on the female characters from the movie. Who would you choose?

Tru Tru Bahamian Festival

Since moving to the Bahamas we have been trying to see more than the normal tourist things you might see on a day in Nassau from a cruise stop. It has been really fun because it’s forced me to think outside of what Trip Advisor (although great) offers and find other events and places you may only hear about from locals.

Our family recently went to the Tru Tru Bahamian Festival at the John Watlings Distillery  in Nassau.  It is an annual event put on by the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association in Partnership with the Ministry of Tourism.

Tru Tru
Tru Tru Bahamian Festival – Nassau Bahamas

It was a great event with something for the whole family! Food, music, crafts, games for kids, information about local events and museums and even a “History of the Bahamas Runway Show” featuring some of the local pirates who once lived here. We purchased both conch and cod fritters, local Bahamian Limeade and candied nuts from The Nutty Bavarian (they were really wonderful!).

It is an annual event so if you are lucky enough to be visiting Nassau when it is going on make sure to check it out and learn about real Bahamian culture and local fun!

xoxo

Jaimarie

Adventures With Bob

One thing that has been a constant since my daughter was born was her BOB Stroller.  We have actually had a couple because of moves and have traveled with them to multiple countries.  They hold everything and are perfect for all kinds of weather.  They were originally a jogging stroller, but trust me, nothing is better for a long day at Disney or walking on cobblestone road.  You feel secure that your child is safe.  They are very stable.  The tires are like bicycles and the amount of storage and accessories leaves your child riding in style and comfortable through kind of weather.  The Revolution single jogging stroller has been our choice but there are duallie strollers (for two children) as well. Our favorite accessories have been the travel bag (especially if you intend to fly with it), handlebar console, and rain cover.  

Here she is on one of our adventures. She chose her own outfit for our walk. 💕  
Do your kids have any items they have to take with them when you travel or go out for the day? Let us know their favorites in the comments!

xoxo

Jaimarie

The Minnie Van

Before I had a baby I wasn’t too excited about a Minivan. Recently at Walt Disney World that all changed.  Together with Lyft Disney has created a very fun ride called the “Minnie Van”. It is a collaboration with the ride share service and available for guests of the resorts around the parks. You can arrange a ride in a private Disney car right from your phone. A Disney cast member drives you, so you know you’re in good hands, and they can take you anywhere around Walt Disney World Resort. The service holds up to 6 guest with two available car seats (versatile car seats that can be either forward or rear facing or even a booster seat) for little guests.

Minnie Van
The Minnie Van on our most recent WDW trip

On our last two trips to Walt Disney World we have had the opportunity to try the Minnie Van. One time from the Caribbean Beach Resort and once from the Polynesian. If you currently use Lyft you probably know how it works but additionally we had to ask for an activation code at the front desk to use the Minnie Van service.

WDW Minnie Van
Gianna loving the Minnie Van at WDW

On both trips the Disney cast member drivers were wonderful and so helpful and accompanying. The ride is $25 flat for a one way trip. Although this seems a bit high compared to normal ride sharing apps or the free transportation options WDW offers, when you are pressed for time or don’t want to deal with the bus service or other options it is a great time saver! Also being provided by Disney there is a feeling of additional safety and the provided car seats make it great for families.

The Minnie Van drops you off right where you need to be at the parks!

For us, we had a half day after travel to spend at the park so the time saved was well worth it. Disney music was playing during the trip which my daughter loved and it was so much fun to see her light up as she recognized a song. Both of our drivers have been so helpful and knew answers to any questions we have had.

On each trip, our Minnie Van was equipped with Graco 4ever car seats and Gianna loved them so much that we ended up getting one ourselves as her new “big girl” car seat!

Graco 4ever
Her new “Big Girl” car seat at home

If you are staying at a WDW property and are looking for a way to add a little special touch to shorten your trip to the park or ease to your day, make sure you try a Minnie Van. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks from our adventures at Walt Disney World in upcoming posts and follow us on Instagram @ATinySuitcase!

xoxo

Jaimarie

 

A Model Baby

When my daughter was just over one year old she shot her first product packaging and print job as a model for the company Lulyboo. She had a great time doing it and enjoyed her first day in front of the camera at a professional photo studio.

I have worked as a model since I was a teenager and it was amazing to see her so comfortable on her first photo shoot (I know I wasn’t!). The whole team was so wonderful and knew just how to work with a baby and make her feel at ease. We shot at a studio in San Diego, California and she had a great day.

Here is her ad for their Shopping Cart & Highchair cover. It is perfect for travel, has a zippered pocket and even has a place for a tablet or phone to keep kids busy while you shop or dine if you choose to. You can purchase it on the Lulyboo website, at Amazon, ToysRus, Target, Walmart, BuyBuyBaby, Bed Bath and Beyond and many more retailers.

(Photos from Lulyboo’s website)

 Since then she has done more shoots and enjoys playing to the cameras (and all of the attention) but this was her first professional modeling job and we will never forget it and the wonderful crew she worked with at Lulyboo.

❤️

Jaimarie

Island Life

Our family recently relocated to The Bahamas for my husband’s work. Although our extended family lives here and we have visited often, nothing compares to the new adventure we are on. Traveling (and moving) with a toddler is always challenging.

Being based in California, London and Las Vegas previously, the island life is something you see in movies and photos on social media or are lucky enough to experience on a vacation or cruise (my previous experiences).  Although we will be back and forth, we will be spending quite a bit of time here and it is truly like a dream.  Spending the Winter in a tropical location adds a very fun twist to the normal cold holiday season.

Within a day of arriving, my daughter found a coconut that had fallen from a tree, cracked it open and we drank the water.  One of her favorite movies is Moana so you can imagine how excited she was!

If you want to escape the cold Winter this is the place to do it!  Check back often for more about our adventures in The Bahamas here or on our social media InstagramTwitterFacebook, & Pinterest

🇧🇸❤️

Jaimarie

Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids

Valentine’s Day is a fun day for all ages. Here are some great crafts to keep the kids busy and having fun in the theme of Love, Hearts and Valentine’s Day. Watch the video to see all the fun and then below I’ve included the links so click on the photo to see how to make everything.

xoxo

Jaimarie

The Belle Dress

For my daughter’s 3rd birthday and trip to Walt Disney World (our favorite) she asked me to make the two different dresses Belle wears in Beauty and The Beast. I love to sew but this is a major project for any seamstress. I try to make her something for every trip to Disney but this was a bit extreme. Through Etsy I found two different pattern makers to make (what I call) Belle’s Blue Dress and Belle’s Yellow Dress.

Gianna & Mama
Model & Dressmaker

The Blue Dress I purchased was just the pattern with written instructions which was somewhat difficult. It’s a wonderful pattern with good instructions. The dress is finely tailored and absolutely beautiful. It was designed by PaperScissorsFrocks who makes amazing costumes and turned out exactly like the film.

 

The Yellow Dress (a lifetime sewing goal for me) was designed by Marina at Frocks And Frolics who has not only a great pattern and written instructions but an academy as well online with broken down instructional videos for each section. It was so much fun to watch and make. I honestly can’t wait to make my next one with her.  Even the Epcot Akershus Princesses and everyone at the Be Our Guest restaurant at Magic Kingdom complimented her dress and she was so proud. The finished product was exactly what she dreamed of and we couldn’t be happier!

 

I even ended up making a matching bib from another pattern (Yuzu & Pear that I altered) so we didn’t ruin her beautiful dress while eating all her birthday treats at Walt Disney World for our Be Our Guest dinner at Beast’s Castle & our Akershus Royal Banquet Hall Princess lunch at Epcot.

Birthday Cake
Birthday Princess Bib

Both dresses and bib were made on a Brother SE625 and many of the items I made them with were bought locally in The Bahamas or on Amazon. See the photos and video of our trip to Walt Disney World and her beautiful dream dresses and let me know in the comments if you decide to make either of these. I would love to see them! Send me your ideas of what we should make next. 💖

xoxo

Jaimarie

 

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

Up ↑