2016 in Review | Your Favorite Posts and More

It's that time of year again. The time we take a look back at the last 365 days and contemplate the accomplishments we made, the failures we'd rather forget, and the goals that lay ahead. I have to say that transitioning into a mother of two has been quite the adjustment. London turned one this year and with that celebration I took a few steps closer to freedom. We still have milestones yet to come, but I've gradually been able to grant Amy West Travel more and more of my time again this year. I love having the privilege of being both mom and business owner, and through it all, I appreciate you my amazing readers sticking with me through thick and thin. Here's a look back at the best of 2016, and a glimpse into what 2017 promises thus far. 

Top 5 Blogs of 2016

1. Houston Top 10 Family Travel

This spring we had the pleasure of partnering with Visit Houston and experiencing one of Texas' finest cities. Our kids got to taste Tex Mex, watch a Rodeo, blast off at the Johnson Space Center and get hands on at a Children's museum. We discovered how kid friendly this growing city truly is and really had a fantastic time. Catch the full story for the complete list of "must see" destinations. I learned from this post how much you, my readers, want to read about family travel. Because of the success of this post I have begun to adjust my travel planning to include more kid friendly destinations.

2. Tampa Top 10 Family Travel

With the success of Houston on my heels I was eager to accept Visit Tampa's invitation to visit. I specifically requested a kid friendly itenerary so we could bring you the best in family travel Tampa had to offer. We were not disappointed. So many great restaurants and attractions await. Get caught up on the entire post and find out what you have been missing from this bayside city. 

Photo by Agnes Lopez

3. 9 Must Taste Southern Dishes in Jax

In addition to family travel you guys, like me, love to eat. I was pleased to see how popular this post on Southern Dishes in Jax was. How many have you tasted? 

4. 5 Brand New Restaurants in Jax

Following suit with the Southern dishes post was this article and TV segment I posted on brand new restaurants in Jax. I also did a popular follow up of this post with 6 more restaurants. This will become a regular spot thanks to it's popularity. Thanks for choosing Amy West Travel as a trusted resource on where to eat. I'll keep doing that hard work of researching all these great new restaurants. 

5. How I lost the Baby Weight

Ironically, after eating all that tasty food, you all wanted to know how I lost the baby weight. Falling into the fifth most popular spot is this post on how I lost my baby weight, which really is just a big encouragement to moms to relax, and take as much time as you want to be you and enjoy your kid. There is enough pressure on us to be perfect these days. Love the skin you are in and be proud of your body, which gave you the ability to produce a child. That is my message to you all when it comes to baby weight. 

In other News.....

Here's what 2016 looked like for Amy West Travel by the numbers:

• Blog Posts = 62 Blog Posts Including This One
• TV Appearances = 22 Live TV Appearances including The Chat and River City Live (See all my on air segments on my Media page here.)

Freelance Contributions and Other advances: 

• Contributed to a group article for  Huffington Post
• Became an official on-air contributor for Wander Jacksonville, Jacksonville's official visitor information Network, launching in January 2017.
• Came on board as a contributor for Where Guidebook  
• Named a top 10 Travel Trolley Best Luxury Blogger
• 2nd Year Contributing to 10Best.com 
• Began partnering with World Market as an on air lifestyle contributor in North East Florida
• I'm pleased to report I'm now working with RewardStyle and LiketoKnow.It since July (if you notice my shopping widgets you can thank RewardStyle. More info to come soon on how to shop on my site.)

Looking Forward...

I don't want to give it all away but I will leak that we will be traveling to California in April of 2017 with our girls. This will be my first time to the West coast in two years, and we are super excited for our girls to experience this stunning part of the country.  Aside from that, look for more trips to Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky, and Georgia. We are looking at Chicago, New Orleans, New York, and a few destinations across the Atlantic as possible travel destinations. In the meantime I'll be bringing you more great insight on how to travel stress free with the family, where to find the best eats, and how to live life with style. 

Thank you for your faithful reading and support of my site. Without you, all this would be for naught. Here's to another great year, and more adventures than we can all imagine. 

Until then...

Enjoy the Journey!

xo- Amy West

www.amywesttravel.com 

Want to be featured on Amy West Travel? Contact us today at info@amywesttravel.com .
Copyright © Amy West Travel. All rights reserved. Photography by Journey Productions Media.

12 Holiday Traditions to Share with Your Family

We all have our Holiday traditions. You know, those never fail "To Dos" we check off our list between Thanksgiving and New Years Eve. As a young family we are still determining what our traditions will be. A mix of my family favs, his family favs, and our own individual family favorites. Here's a round up of our current never fail traditions we have checked off the list the last few years. *Spoiler Alert. There are no elves involved. 

1. Christmas Card Photos

We established our own photography business in 2006. Family photos were one of our main sources of business so it was important for us to have great photos to showcase our work. Because our holiday season was always full of photo shoots, we got our family photos in early. Even though our photo business has dissolved due to the popularity of this blog, that tradition still stands today. We shoot early in October or before in order to get ahead of the rush. So don't be surprised to get our photos right after Halloween.

2. Gingerbread Reveal at 

One Ocean Resort and Spa  

Several of the resorts in our region create stunning Gingerbread creations. The luxurious One Ocean Resort is right in our backyard, and always hosts a festive reveal of their epic Gingerbread creation each year. For the last three or four years we have made it a point to be at the One Ocean Resort Gingerbread reveal to partake in the Christmas Carols, cider, and of course the Gingerbread Cookies. We've seen the elves at play on the beach, Santa relaxing in his room, and a giant gingerbread bakery. Who knows what we'll discover next year? 

3. Jammy Ride

The jammy ride was established in my household when I was a kid. It goes like this. 

1. Dress up in your jammies

2. Hop in the car

3. Go enjoy the Christmas lights 

There are several great places to discover lights in my area, but wherever you are, I guarantee you'll find them much more enjoyable in your p.j.s. 

 4. Gingerbread House/ and Candy Making

I'm not exactly sure how this became important. I think I was just desperate one Christmas season to entertain my energetic toddler so I grabbed at a gingerbread kit at Publix and boom, instant tradition. Now every year the Publix gingerbread kit is a necessity for our Christmas season. I really enjoy seeing how creative my big kid has become in decking out her house. London is still in the "eating the house" phase, so we'll see how creative she can be maybe next year. In addition to making our yearly gingerbread house, we have an annual baking day my mom and I established years ago that to this day holds true. Buckeyes (an Ohio classic consisting of peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate), and Chex Caramel Corn top the list of items we bake and give away. 

 5. The 12 Days of Christmas Bedtime Singing

One year we got this "12 Days of Christmas Book" when Sienna was like 3, as a gift. Every year after that, singing the classic carol has become a Christmas eason "must have" for us. We start at the beginning of December and sing it literallyyyyy everryyyyy night. At first you are kinda sloppy and can't remember the words, but by the end of the month we are masters and can sing it forward, backward, and in and Operatic voice! Take a listen and watch for yourself. Even London got into it this year. 

6. Christmas Movies and Books 

We have collected a nice array of Christmas books throughout the years. "The Night Before Christmas" is a must of course, "The Christmas Story" about the Nativity is for sure in there, and this retro book about Rudolph from my childhood also found it's way into our list. Books and movies definitely help create a spirit of magic during our season and can't be missed.

7. Bedtime Christmas Dance Party 

One of our newer ways to get our fill of Christmas music is the bedtime Christmas Dance Party. We are big into bedtime dance parties at this house. Add a Star Shower Motion light projector and some Christmas music into the mix and you have an instant disco! This a tradition I have a feeling will be returning year after year.

 8. Pause and Reflect 

It can be challenging to do, but it's so important. Taking a moment to pause in the middle of the Holiday Season and reflect on all our gratitude, and the magic of it all is for us, an absolute priority. This year we were so grateful to get away to The Horse Stamp Inn where we were able to unplug for a little bit and just let the kids be kids. It was priceless!

9. Give Back 

I'm so grateful that both side of our family established in us the importance of giving back during the Holiday Season. We are so grateful that all our needs are met. In our gratitude we know that it's important to give to those less fortunate. Some of our favorite ways are to:

1. Adopt a family to get presents for

2. Donate to Compassion International

3. Purchase gifts through Rethreaded, one of our favorite non profits.

By purposefully giving through one of these venues we try to expose and educate our children to give back.

10. Enjoy the Romance 

Christmas and New Years are two of the most romantic holidays to look forward to. The candlelight, the magic, the warm fuzzy feelings. It can be challenging to find the time to embrace that magic amidst the hustle and bustle of seasonal events and Christmas shopping. For us that time finally comes on Christmas Eve when the kids scurry off to bed. Mom and Dad stock up the presents, then we sit down to a romantic dinner just for two and make the most of the candle light.  

11. Party 

For me the highlights of the season are all the fun get togethers and parties that are taking place before year end. Whether its a Holiday Open House, a preschool music special, or a corporate office party, I just think it's fun to get all dolled up and mingle with friends and family. This year we even have a masquerade to attend. We'll be ringing in the New Year in style!

12. Go to the Beach

For Floridians, it's a welcome tradition to seek out the sand on Christmas day. No, we may not be wearing our bikinis, but we'll soak up the sunshine just the same on December 25th. Sometimes we get a cold front and you'll see us decked out in our puffy jackets, but more likely than not the weather will take a turn for the warmer side and may just hit 80 degrees. I'm not going to lie. I don't hate it:)

These are just a few of our favorite traditions. I'd love to hear yours in the comments below. 

Make it a Magical Day!

Until then...

Enjoy the Journey!

xo- Amy West

www.amywesttravel.com

Want to be featured on Amy West Travel? Contact us today at info@amywesttravel.com .
Copyright © Amy West Travel. All rights reserved. Photography by Journey Productions Media.

Horse Stamp Inn | A Holiday Retreat

The Holidays can be stressful. Rushing to and fro trying to finish everything on your to do list, wrapping up the first half of the school year, and trying to do your normal work on top of it all. I find it difficult sometimes to relax and take in the magic of the season. That's why we were thrilled to escape the hustle for a little bit this year and getaway to one of our favorite retreats, the Horse Stamp Inn. 

We always enjoy a little wine at Happy Hour after checking in

Time. The Ultimate Luxury.

When you visit the Horse Stamp Inn, it's all about you. Relax, unwind and find a quiet space for you and your loved ones. Reflect on your priorities, quiet your mind, and discover serenity in this peaceful escape where time seems to slow down, if only for a moment.

Sienna and Belle Fleur regard each other

Letting our kids run free. 

Find peace when you getaway to the Horse Stamp Inn

Be Yourself. Everyone Else is Already Taken.

In a world of marketing, air brushing, and perfect online families (guilty), we all need a place we can go to and be our authentic selves. No digital filters, no need to compare or compete. This is a place you can just be.

The perfect event space!

Our kids love exploring the barn

Find yourself at Horse Stamp Inn

Find Magic in the Moment 

We all have good days and bad days. I've come to terms with the fact that it's not about the sum of our days being without flaw, we have to take the good with the bad. For me, the magic is found in the snapshots, the moments between where love and kindness abound. It's important to stop and remember to embrace these moments. Don't let them slip away. Horse Stamp Inn is a place that allows you the space to do just that. Pause, and reflect.

The Holidays feel magical at the Horse Stamp Inn

Southern French Toast and Sweet Georgia Peaches from Horse Stamp Inn

Every season is special at the Horse Stamp Inn, but for us, Christmas season is the perfect time to stop and take time for what's most important. Remember who you are, set goals, give yourself a break, and let your soul embrace the impossible.

Until then...

Enjoy the Journey!

xo- Amy West

www.amywesttravel.com 

Want to be featured on Amy West Travel? Contact us today at info@amywesttravel.com .
Copyright © Amy West Travel. All rights reserved. Photography by Journey Productions Media.

A Few of My Favorite Things 2016

2016 has been a full year between travel, keeping up with my two spirited girls, and a crazy election cycle. I'm celebrating by featuring a few things that brought a smile to my face this year. There are plenty of Holiday Gift Guides out on the world wide web to give you inspiration. However, if you are still seeking that perfect gift for that hard to shop for loved one or friend, then you have come to the right place. All of these products and stores have something special about them. Read on to discover more. 

1. Logan's Room Hooded Towels

Luxury Bamboo Baby- Oversized Hooded Towel & Washcloth- Fits Infant & Toddler- Excellent To Use For Bath or Beach Towel.

London stays dry and comfy at the beach in a hooded towel by Logan's Room

Logan's Room was created by a good friend of mine located right here in Jacksonville. Her luxury towels are now available on Amazon for the world to purchase. Made from the finest 100% Bamboo fabric, these towels are one foot larger than other hooded towels. Perfect for the beach or bathtime, these ultra absorbent towels will keep your little one dry and comfy. My kids fight over this towel at home. The 6 year old loves it as much as the toddler, and it's as coveted as a blankie. I guess that means it's time to get another!

2. Amelia Toffee
"Not Your Grandma's Toffee"

I fell in love with Amelia Toffee Co's creative Toffee combos. Bourbon, Coffee, Sea Salt, and Holiday flavors top the list! Each flavor was unique and complex. I enjoyed a tasting tour of all the available flavors and couldn't get enough. When I served them to my guests at a few parties we had, they disappeared almost instantaneously. Whether you are shopping for your favorite foodie, or looking for a tasty treat to serve for an upcoming get together, this Toffee is a win. Created locally on the First Coast, Amelia Toffee Co is a taste of North Florida!

3. Image Skincare
Image Skincare 2016 Holiday Collection Kit - Vit C Serum-Vit C Repair Creme...

I've been singing the praises of Image Skincare for years and I'm not quitting anytime soon. The most innovative skincare line out there, Image's motto is "Age Later." I can personally testify that these products work. Free of parabens, preservatives, and harsh chemicals this skincare line is both gentle and effective. Each year Image Skincare continues to lead the way in the industry creating products that leave skin nourished, glowing, and rejuvenated. This holiday collection is a great place to start if you are new to the line. 

4. An Unlikely Pear
Receive 10% off by using code AMYWESTTRAVEL at checkout.

Another locally created gem, An Unlikely Pear started right here in Jacksonville but is available to the world. This online shoe boutique has curated a fashionable array of affordably priced footwear. Update your wardrobe with some trendy booties, or dainty flats. Either way, you'll be walking in style. 

5. Le Tote
Get your first tote free here.

Between TV appearances, fashion blogs, and GNOs I have to keep my fashion fresh and on point. With my busy schedule it's tough to find time to shop. My favorite discovery this year has to be Le Tote, a subscription box of clothes you can rent or keep. For one flat rate a month you will receive 5 items in a box that you can wear as long as you like, or keep. Exchange boxes as many times as you like in a month and keep your look fresh. Your friends will wonder if you ever wear the same thing twice. One of my favorite things about Le Tote is that it gives you a chance to try out new trends you may not want to buy into, but are up to experimenting with. Also Le Tote will put together the looks for you, or you can customize each piece from their large selection of garments and accessories. This is a great gift idea and they do sell gift certificates. Also, use the link above for a free Le Tote or message me if that doesn't work.

6. Drybar Travel Kit

Let it Blow! It's Drybar to Go The Ultimate Travel Essentials Kit - Baby Buttercup Travel Hair Dryer, Lil' Lemon Drop Daily Detangler Hair Brush, and more

Traveling is not an excuse for bad hair days anymore. I'm loving Drybar's "Drybar to Go" travel kit. It has everything you need for the perfect blow out in a convenient travel sized package. Now you can look fabulous anywhere you go!

7. Sunuva UV Swimwear and Beachwear

Sienna and London wearing dresses by Sunuva UV Swimwear and Beachwear

I found my new favorite online children's boutique this year. Sunuva UV Swimwear and Beachwear has the most darling array of children's clothing. I love the bright colors, the boho inspired designs, and the playful patterns. The fact that the line also keeps our little ones safe with UV protection is the cherry on top. Whether you live at the beach like us, or are planning your next coastal escape, you are sure to find the perfect ensembles for your tiny humans. 

8. Stella & Dot Getaway Bag 

I recently purchased this Stella and Dot Getaway Bag and am completely smitten. As a travel writer, I admit I have more than a few bags to choose from in my collection. This however, was my first giant tote of it's kind. The fact that it expands makes it even more amazing! I was surprised how much I've actually used this one. Great for running daily errands, or for a weekend getaway. This one has so many uses and will now be a staple for my travels. Every female needs this bag, whether they travel or not. 

9. My Essential Accessories
Hat - Sunglasses - Statement Tote

We all need our stylish essentials. By that I mean, your go-to accessories you can wear with almost anything. These are the basics that turn a boring outfit into a stylish one. For me these also must be travel friendly. At the top of my list of fashionable "must haves" you will find my panama hat, my sunnies, and my bright yellow tote. I use these almost every day, almost year around. The panama hat is more of a spring and summer staple but the yellow bag goes straight into fall with no problem and the sunglasses barely ever leave my face. Easily switch the tote to a neutral and it will never leave your side. If you are looking for that "it" piece that you are missing, it's probably one of these. 

10. Essential Oils
Family Doctor (14) Essential Oil Set 100% Pure, Best Therapeutic Grade - 14/10mL

If you are a mom, you have likely already heard of all the benefits of Essential Oils. There are several different businesses that specialize in these, however I found mine on Amazon. Since I worked in the spa industry I have enjoyed the value of aromatherapy. However, not until I had kids did I realize just how healing these precious oils can be. I've used lavender for years to help my girls sleep, but lately my pediatrician has been pushing all different kinds of essential oils to aid with the many childhood ailments that run their course during the younger years. I made sure to do my research and found this terrific starter kit. It's 100% pure, organic, therapeutic grade essential oils and I really love the blends. We've been using these in the diffuser as well and the house smells so good. They are super strong so only a few drops needed. If you are new to the essential oil world, this is a great place to start. 

11. Rethreaded Products

Dog Chew Toy 

Rethreaded is another online store with Jacksonville roots. This boutique is not only selling fashionable and functional products, they are also changing a community. By working with the victims of sex trafficking, Rethreaded is helping change the lives of those marginalized by society. All products sold are either created by Rethreaded's employees, or businesses around the world who are working toward the same goal. This is a great chance to shop, and give back at the same time. Check out Rethreaded's stunning collection of bags, jewelry, journals, candles, home goods, and dog toys! They even have coffee. Change the world one purchase at a time with Rethreaded. 

I love sharing all my favorite finds. Any amazing products I need to put on my radar? Join the discussion and comment below!

Until then...

Enjoy the Journey!

xo- Amy West

www.amywesttravel.com 

Want to be featured on Amy West Travel? Contact us today at info@amywesttravel.com .
Copyright © Amy West Travel. All rights reserved. Photography by Journey Productions Media.