Spend Some Time at Dadeland Mall This Summer!

I came across a post recently that said that we only get 18 delicious summers with our kids and this is one of our 18. This really hit home for me because, while I know I’m not alone in getting driven crazy by the kids throughout the summer and the pressure us moms face attempting to come up with different types of daily entertainment to fill our summer days, I realized this post was so true and it just absolutely broke my heart. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m older, wiser, more confident now that I’m being the best version of myself as a mother, or the mere fact that it’s the simple truth, my children are getting older. The summer days they’ll choose to spend with me over their friends are short lived. The days of us planning family summer vacations and our children willingly going will one day come to a halt. So, with this being said, I made the decision and vow to enjoy these short lived summer days and embrace every moment with them – yes, even the moments they can’t seem to get along, the moments when the house is in complete disarray with their toys and belongings spread out everywhere and even the moments they rummage through the fridge and pantry because they seem to be starving every two minutes.
To kickoff our summer break, we enjoyed a full day at Dadeland Mall in Miami. We shopped, got our manicures done, enjoyed a delicious lunch and spent some QT together. It was a much needed girls day and we were in heaven. I wanted to share our experience with my readers for you to get some ideas on how you too can spend your day at Dadeland Mall — think perfect activity for a rainy day.
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Calling all mini book lovers! Mommies, join me for I Love You Stinky Face Storytime at Aventura Mall

…I’m taking a little break here from the fitness related topics because we all know that our mental health is just as important as our physical health  — and reading is exercise for the brain. While there are tons of health benefits to reading, I read because I actually enjoy learning about new topics, or escaping to magical places I can only imagine in my brain. Once I became a mother, it was only natural for me to share my love for reading with my own girls.

They say children are made readers on the laps of their parents and I couldn’t agree more. I read stories aloud to my girls since they were infants and now they’ve each developed their own love for reading and books. Some of my most cherished memories are from the time they would snuggle up on my lap for stortytime and also, from when they were just learning to read. Oh how I miss these days but I’m also a proud mom for the exceptional readers they’ve become.

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I like to say I’m raising bookworms. They get excited over new books, library trips and their own quiet reading time. The key is to make reading fun for them!

Miami-based mommies with little ones, this Valentine’s Day, Aventura Mall, in partnership with Miami-Dade Family Learning Partnership, is presenting I Love You Stinky Face Storytime, where award-winning author Lisa McCourt will be visiting to present her children’s book “I Love You, Stinky Face”. At the reading, children will get to make their own photo frame, enjoy treats by Shake Shack and Peppermint Park and will receive a special autographed copy of the book. The fun starts at 10 a.m. on the Upper Level of the New Wing, by Zara. I hope to see some of you there!

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And mommies, I hope you too cultivate reading habits in your kids from an early start and open up their imaginations to a wild world of fiction. I hope you too get to experience the joy of hearing “just one more chapter”. These girls of mine have even gotten in trouble for reading past their bedtime and I (secretly) love that!