Over Christmas break, we took the kids to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Winter is a great time to go to the Boardwalk because there are less crowds, significantly lower lines, and you can really maximize your day; since you are not spending it in long lines!
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in winter has reduced hours, and not all of the rides are open. On the day we went, the Boardwalk was open from 12pm-5pm. We arrived at noon and stayed until about 5:15pm. It was a full day, and loads of fun! There were about twelve rides open, so in addition to going on rides, we played mini golf, and a few carnival games.
The food at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is always fun too. Can you believe the potato on a stick my daughter is holding in the photo above?! It was like potato chips on a stick, but fresh! They make the potato on a stick right there in front of you, so you can see it is fresh; and I would like to think it is healthier than potato chips from a bag at the super market. The kids also ate french fries; and I enjoyed a delicious hot cocoa made from Ghirardelli Chocolate, yum!
The favorite ride of the day for my kids were the bumper cars. I think they went back on the ride close to ten times! There were a lot of people riding the bumper cars, yet there wasn’t a line, so it was easy to keep going back on the same ride. It was the perfect amount of people!
If you are interested in heading down to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in winter, be sure to call first and see how many rides are open. You will also want to check the hours. They do offer a reduced daily rate during the winter, which is nice.
What are some places you like to go to in the winter because there is less of crowd than in the summer?
New Years Eve for me, over the years, has gone from full blown formal party, to casual New Years Eve for me. When I was in my 20’s and single, my friends and I used to wear sparkling dresses, and attend parties or events to ring in the New Year. Now, as a Mother of three, I keep New Years low key by either spending it with family, or attending a casual house party.
It can be hard to navigate that fine line between over dressed party attire, and too casual, daytime attire; when putting together a casual New Years Eve outfit. I was thrilled when I found this sparkling sweater at H & M, Santana Row. It is a basic v-neck sweater with side slits that can be worn with jeans, leggings, or a slim black skirt. I decided it was perfect for the holiday season!
In addition to being perfect for casual holiday gatherings, I plan to wear this sweater on Christmas, and also as my casual New Years Eve outfit to celebrate 2016! It is a thin sweater, so it is easy to wear in a heated home with a simple tank top underneath. Love that!
As we head into 2016, I want to share with you my New Years Resolution! Now this may sound cliche, and I guess it kind of is, but my New Years Resolution is to lose fifteen pounds.
I never shared this struggle on the blog when it happened because this blog was still a hybrid online magazine slash blog. Now that I have transitioned it to my personal fashion, style, beauty, and runway report blog, I want to share with you more personal aspects of my life.
In 2012, I was sick and placed on bed-rest following a miscarriage, for three months. I was depressed sitting on the sofa over the beautiful, warm summer months. While my children played in the pool, I sat on the sofa inside watching them. The only time I got up from bed, or the sofa, was to sit at my desk and write a blog post.
Bed rest was difficult for me. I am used to working out at the gym five days per week, playing tennis with my friends, swimming for fitness and fun, and running around with my children. So, to ease the pain, I ate ice cream. A LOT of ice cream. Well, thirty pounds in three months later, I was on a mission to regain myself.
I counted calories, and worked out diligently. I lost the thirty pounds and was back into a size four. It was fabulous! Then, in the fall of 2013 I started homeschooling my middle child. She has ADHD, DMDD, Dyslexia, and a 170+ IQ. Needless to say, a traditional public school is not the right environment for her.
There are schools out there for kids like my daughter, but they all start at sixth grade. So, I decided to homeschool her until sixth grade, at which time, we will decide where to send her for school, or if we should continue homeschooling her.
She is extremely artistic and would like to be a fashion designer when she grows up. She already has a sketch book, and a business plan!
Since I started homeschooling my daughter, I have not been a regular visitor to the gym. Instead of five to six workouts per week, plus tennis and swimming, I am down to three workouts; if I am lucky. Due to this change in my activity, I have gained fifteen pounds, and gone up to a size six. I believe most of this weight is in my thighs. Ugh!
In my quest to get back to my normal weight, I will be talking about fitness routines, and fitness gear here on the blog in 2016. This will not reduce the amount of fashion, style, and beauty posts I publish each month. The fitness articles will be in addition to my current content; and an added bonus!
If you are working on losing weight, or you are a fitness guru, I would love to connect with you! Please let me know in the comments below or on social media. Thank you so much for all your support over these past few years, and I look forward to bringing you the trends from the runways, beauty reviews, and Silicon Valley style, in 2016!
When I was in New York for fashion week back in September, I was thrilled to see so many shades of blue on the runways! Since blue is my favorite color, this is definitely a color trend I don’t mind jumping on as quickly as possible!
This short coat caught my eye right away at Banana Republic. Not only is it a great casual style, perfect for wearing with jeans, it is a fabulous shade of blue! I love the bright, pale turquoise color which brightens up a dreary winter day. In addition to being bright, this coat is extremely cozy! I love staying warm in it. If you need a perfect, cozy, casual coat for right now, this is the coat to check out! You will love it.
The blanket scarf pictured above is also my favorite blanket scarf this season. It is soft, smooth, and very cozy. It adds additional warmth to any outfit I wear; and I love the color mix! The soft grey combined with green, and two shades of blue, makes this blanket scarf so pretty! It also comes in purple, which I am tempted to pick up since both colors are on sale! I may pick up a couple to give as gifts for Christmas too. It can easily roll up and fit inside a stocking! Can we say best. stocking. stuffer, ever! Yes! Maybe Santa will fill my stocking with the purple one. . .hmmmm
I find myself reaching for this coat and scarf combination often. I love how the two pieces look together. Do you have a particular scarf you reach for when you wear a certain jacket or coat? Please share in the comments below!
The earrings I am wearing in these photos is a favorite pair of mine. You may have noticed in previous outfit posts, I wear them often! They come in a dozen colors, so if you are looking for a last minute stocking stuffer, these are a great option! Or, a little somthin’ somthin’ for yourself 😉
I hope you are staying warm this season. If you need a casual coat, I highly recommend this one! It is really warm, comfortable, and cozy! Have a great holiday season and thanks for stopping by!
XOXO
Cathy
Outfit details and alternatives in shades of blue:
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