So many of my readers thing I’m from Florida and with mostly Lilly Pulitzer and Disney content I can understand why. However Preppy.in.mouseears calls Lexington, KY home.
I adore working with small businesses and I’m so excited to share my hosted experience with y’all.
Getting my relax on- I felt so warm and cozy, and definitely needed an hour of quiet.
Wanderlust is a one woman shop and I LOVED this. I didn’t have to worry about other noises or running into a ton of people. It made my facial so much more relaxing that ones I’ve had a spa bars or other places.
First getting my face all cleaned up.
Y’all know I’m super into my skin care routine and try to do right by my skin at home, but there is just no substitute for a professional touch. I loved that all the products made my skin feel fresh, without being overly smelly or painful.
It’s so satisfying to see gunk come off your face.
This was my first time doing Dermaplaning, but I loved it! My face feels so smooth and soft. I definitely want to do it again.
Feeling all fresh and smooth. I even left with a goody bag. I love trying new skincare.
If you’re local to Lexington mention my name for $10 off your first service. She offers waxing, lash, and body services in addition to facials!
Lexington to Orlando is a 13 hour drive. It can be so hard to keep a toddler occupied. Here’s what’s in our car bag.
This Vera Bradley bag is amazing. Holds so much. We use it in the parks as well. Pack a car bag with me Sharkie’s must haves for the car trip.
I recommend packing snacks that are healthy, but less messy. We take goldfish and fruit veggie pouches. I pack snacks for myself too. It’s hard to eat well on the road. I pack dried apple chips and water flavoring for my water.
My road trip entertainment
My husband does almost 100% of the driving. So I have time to read or play games. But I try to talk to him a lot; nobody wants to be bored while driving that far.
Our favorite car game? Naming a Disney character let’s say you name Yzma, then the next place has to name one that starts with an A. Aurora->Alice-> Eugene. You get the idea. When you’re stumped your out. Last one standing wins!
Another travel tip I highly recommend. Everyone potty’s every time you stop. It’s non negotiable in our family. In the end it really cuts down on travel time. With Sharkie being 2.5 we do still travel with a car potty and if need be, Chase pulls off on the side for her to use it.
Definitely bring plastic grocery bags in case of a poop. Potty cleans up well with wipes.A few other toddler park must haves
Traveling with a toddler can be difficult, especially at Disney. But it doesn’t have to be. These items help us a ton!
My daughter is 2.5 and sometimes it feels like they need so much stuff you’ll never get packed. Our family travels frequently and we go by the rule of one bag per family member plus a backpack.
Sharkie does travel a lot, so we are able to manage without some things. For instance she sleeps in a bed now so we don’t need a pack and play and I don’t pack a pillow.
She gets 2 outfits a day, and while she’s potty trained during the day she still wears a pull-up at night. I pack one for each day plus 2 spares.
Pack with me
Even though we try to be minimal, there are two things we can leave at home. Sharkie is afraid of the dark and we always travel with her light up elephant and her hatch.
My toddler must haves
Sometimes it feels like you can’t get everything in the bag, but packing cubes help us a ton!
With multiple trips to Disney per year we’re packing experts.
As a girl who loves outfits I’m a huge over packer. I typically have 2 outfits planned for every day we’re at Disney. I like to keep things organized and easy to find. Over the years I’ve developed a packing system. Packing cubes are key.
I can’t pack for anywhere without these 4 items.
I find that keeping everything in an organizer or contained space keeps my bag from over flowing while making it easy to find stuff.
I lay out everything I want to pack before I get started.
Once my clothes, shoes, and jewelry are packed. I move onto makeup and hygiene items. Since you need these items until the day you leave it’s easy to forget them. I hang my travel organizer in my bathroom and as I’m done with items I put them in the bag. Then roll it up and pack it the day we leave. I highly recommend the travel organizer from Vera Bradley. Linked above.
One last tip. I’m an anxious person by nature. We get on the road and I worry…did I lock my back door? Is the oven on? Is the garage door closed? To keep those nagging thoughts at bay on vacation I take pictures of anything I worry about while I’m gone so my mind is settled.
Typically I take “worry pictures” of…
Garage door
Door locks
Garage door
Candles
Area where I use my curling iron
If you’re anxious like me this is a huge weight off.
In case you missed it or are new here I had a breast reduction and lift on 1/27. If you’re curious what lead me to plastic surgery I’m happy to tag you in that post.
Recovery… was not what I expected. My surgeon told me 6 weeks and I’m like sweet I’m a super healer so I’ll be back to normal by like 4 weeks.
Oh was I wrong. For 6 weeks I couldn’t lift anything but Sharkie, the only exercise I got was walking. It’s amazing how quickly your body can become weak. I have no muscle right now. But I’m slowly building back up.
I highly recommend having someone come to help if you have a small child. Chase took amazing care of me, but we honestly needed my mom here to get through the first week. I slept a lot and couldn’t do much.
Y’all know I can’t sit still so once mom left I really worked to do all my usual chores and side hustles, but I did have to take breaks in the afternoon. Listen to your body. I binge watched Criminal Minds.
The most painful part wasn’t the surgery itself, but the liposuction on my ribs. My breasts had very little pain. But my ribs are still sore at 7 weeks out.
This was the bruising the day I came home. Lipo is a really violent procedure.About a week out
Waiting on the scars to heal is like watching paint dry. I have one that hasn’t closed completely yet, so another 4 weeks in the surgical bra and no weightlifting for me. I feel fortunate that that was my only complication. Otherwise things have gone really well.
If you’re thinking about this surgery you decide how much you want to reduce with your surgeon. I am down 2 cups sizes and 1 band size and the change from the lift is AMAZING.
That being said I really wanted to go down 3 cups sizes but surgeon didn’t recommend it for my body type.
Looking back he was totally correct, but when you’ve hated something about your body as long as I’ve hated my breasts it’s easy to just want them gone.
The confidence gained from this surgery is amazing. I feel so happy with the way my shirts fit and I don’t feel like I have to hide.
This was 100% the right choice for me and 10/10 would do it again.
My number one tip to help skin heal faster from any time of surgery? Collagen. I’m taking collagen powder and gummies plus a traditional hair vitamin. I started this regimen when part of my scar wouldn’t pull together and it cut the healing time in half! My skin and hair also look better than they ever have!
The current supplements I’m using. Plus one I give Sharkie. I couldn’t recommend this line more.
If you have any questions about my plastic surgery journey drop them below.
Mask? Check. Sanitizer? Check. This mini makeup bag featuring Minnie Mouse is perfect to hold all the necessities you need for a 2021 day in Disney, while keeping them together in one place.
Lined on the inside it’s easy to keep clean and wipe down with sanitizer when you get back home.
This adorable spring bag is a must have in my Disney backpack.
Perfect for Flower and Garden
Let’s hear it for the girls!
Vera Bradley has a brand new Disney print this spring. The first ever only featuring my heroine Minnie Mouse.
This playful cotton wallet doubles as an adorable spring clutch, perfect for morning brunch or holding all your necessities while strolling Disney Parks.
Whatever your style, Girl power is so 2021 and @verabradley and Minnie Mouse are here for it.
Disney Springs is always a must do. I love shopping at World of Disney.
“How do you afford to go to Disney so much? You don’t live in Florida.”
I hear this often, the short answer is I have a side hustle that funds our Disney obsession. We’re a debt free family, & I want to share some of the long answer with you. Disney on a budget is totally possible.
1. Seasonal discounts! Never back the rack rate. Disney discounts come out 3 months ahead of time & you can apply them to an already booked trip. A travel agent is amazing at this. I use @momonthemonorail. But I know tons of great agents. Many packages can be booked with just $200 down & and you can make payments. I’ve done this before to make sure I’m using cash, not credit.
2. Book in off peak times. Summer is expensive, we love January/February.
3. Disney Visa- Only use this option if you trust yourself with a credit card. I use mine for every single purchase and save the dollars for spending money. It really adds up quickly. I have $500 saved for our next trip without doing anything. (I do pay this off every month)
4. Set a budget for each day’s food and spending. Buy gift cards in that amount. I buy mine at Target with my red card to save an extra 5%. I especially use this option when we go back to back months and I haven’t earned as much on my Visa.
5. Disney Movie Insiders- Join this if you buy a lot of DVDs. You can redeem those and ticket stubs for points and turn the points into Disney gift cards.
6. Disney serves huge portions. I often order off the kids menu, order without sides, or split my meal with Sharkie. This also leaves room for churros later. 😂
7. Don’t pay for water! Bottles of water are $4 at Disney which is obscene. Carry a water bottle or get free cups of water at restaurants.
I never considered myself artistic in school. But my daughter loves crafting at just 2.5. So I began a journey to find activities we can do together and found so many things that I enjoy too.
Marie Button Art
I’ve always loved silhouette art. I’ve been looking to add more artwork to Sharkie’s room. This looks like it took longer than it did.
You’ll need: card stock, buttons, hot glue and tracing paper, and felt. I printed off the image I wanted, traced it, then cut it out. I use the tracing image so I knew the right place to put my felt ears and buttons. It looks amazing on my daughter’s wall. One of my favorite things I’ve done.
Mickey Rainbow Ornament
If you know me well, I’m always adding a touch of Disney to whatever we do. Sharkie is a rainbow baby so we love doing rainbows.
You’ll need cardboard, paint, glue, glitter foam, and ribbons. This one is great for kids of all ages.
Dipped pretzel rods
We made these for Valentine’s Day. But they are so easy to turn into Easter treats. You’ll need white melting chocolate, pretzel rods, and sprinkles.
I love sharing crafts and treats. Usually with a magical or seasonal theme. Subscribe to see more!
Whether you’re new here or follow me on another social, I’m so happy you’re here.
I was born a Carolinian, but I consider myself to be a Carolinian, Minnesotan, Kentuckian, and a Floridian by marriage. Ironically I spend more time in Florida than any other state. If you’re new here you’ll soon learn that a certain mouse inspired destination has our heart.
I’m married to my best friend, a lover of animals, and a mama to a sweet, albeit temperamental 2.5 year old.
I truly am a lifestyle blogger, but I mainly blog about Fashion, toddler activities, and Disney life.
That’s all for now, can’t wait to share so much with ya’ll.
Preppy in Mouse Ears 