Bradykin's Blog: As a guilty working mother, I always made promises...

Bradykin's Blog: As a guilty working mother, I always made promises...: As a guilty working mother, I always made promises to my kids.   Sure I’ll take you to the park, yes we can go to the mall Wednesday night...

As a guilty working mother, I always made promises to my kids.  Sure I’ll take you to the park, yes we can go to the mall Wednesday night and definitely we can go to the amusement park this weekend. And the weeks would come and go and we were so busy playing living life and playing sports that I never fulfilled a lot of my promises.

 

But, this time it was different. I promised Megan I would get her a dog. Megan was sick at two months of age with viral meningitis and suffered developmental delays. Megan really never asked for anything but sneakers.  How do I say NO?  But then again how do I say YES?  We already are a crazy busy family and now we need to throw a dog into the mix.

 I started some research and we decided as a family we would purchase a Coton de Tulear. This is a small white hypoallergenic dog with cotton like hair originally breed in Madagascar. But, I found a breeder in New Jersey and they had a litter due in April.  Perfect! Megan will have a puppy just in time for her birthday.

 

 

Bradykin's Blog: Latte Macchiato, CaramelizedHoney Latte, Teavana C...

Bradykin's Blog: Latte Macchiato, CaramelizedHoney Latte, Teavana C...: Latte Macchiato, Caramelized Honey Latte, Teavana Chai Tea Latte. Yes! I’m at Starbucks. My favorite place to blog. But, enough of Starb...

Latte Macchiato, Caramelized Honey Latte, Teavana Chai Tea Latte. Yes! I’m at Starbucks. My favorite place to blog. But, enough of Starbucks. I wanted to share a story with you.

I’ll need to take you back to January 2012, my kiddos Matty (14) & Megan (11) were on Christmas break. Denis and I decided to visit my parents at Marco Island.  Perfect weather, sun was shining, beautiful white beaches, and sparkling blue water. The shopping on 5th Ave /Naples, leisurely dinners, and riding our bikes to Starbucks every morning.  The Christmas decorations were still up and the holiday lights shining, the spirit of Christmas was still alive. It was an amazing week.  Just what we needed to recharge due to our hectic schedules. 

But, I remember when I agreed to it…I can’t believe I did! We were at Quinn’s On the Beach located at the Marriot Island Beach Resort. Quinn’s is an open air restaurant and bar. I highly recommend the Marriot on Marco Island for those who haven’t visited.  It’s been my favorite place since 1984 when it was non-alcohol Pina Coladas.  I could never tire of the beautiful views.

We were at Quinn’s to have some refreshments and watch the spectacular sunset. Denis and I just finished out first drink and Megan said she wanted to go back to our room.  The music was playing and the atmosphere upbeat.  “Seriously go back to our room now?” We tried to convince Megan to sit for a bit longer.

Then comes the compromise…Megan stated: “We can stay longer if you buy me a dog?” That’s it! All we need to do is buy Megan a dog and she will sit quietly while we enjoy the sunset, music and maybe one more tropical drink.  I quickly answered, “Sure we can do that”! Megan sat quietly for the next hour while we ordered refreshments for the kids, appetizers and another round of adult drinks. The next morning, Megan bounced out of bed. “We’re getting a dog!” “We’re getting a dog!”

 To be continued…

#BradykinTweets 

#MarcoIsland

#QuinnsOnTheBeach 

#MarcoIslandMarriot

 

 

I Dreamed a Dream of Bradykin!

Bradykin's Blog: Grandparent's Top 3 Family Traditions to Share wit...

Bradykin's Blog: Grandparent's Top 3 Family Traditions to Share wit...: Grandparent’s Top 3  Family Traditions to Share with their Grandchildren!     Family traditions can help your connection with your gra...

Grandparent's Top 3 Family Traditions to Share with their Grandchildren!

Grandparent’s Top 3  Family Traditions to Share with their Grandchildren!

  Family traditions can help your connection with your grandchildren and provide structure and a framework for bonding. They also generate anticipation for this fun and meaningful time together. The following are the top three family traditions that are bonding grandchildren to grandparents. 

1.) Tour a new baseball park each summer with your grandchildren. 

This is a great time to spend with your grandchildren.  You can plan all year and select a new destination each summer.  If you would like to keep the cost down select a minor league game instead of a major league game.

2.) Complete your Family Tree in the book "Meet Bradykin’s Family!

Children tend to value a connection to family roots.  This is a great activity to start with school aged children.   The book can be purchased for $8.95 at www.bradykin.com. This family tree chart records the ancestors from whom you directly descend in a traditional family tree format, suitable for sharing and a wonderful book keepsake.

3.) Volunteer at local nonprofits or give back to your community. 

You can introduce volunteering at an early age.  Collecting items for a local food pantry or visiting local firehouse or police stations and dropping off cookies help the grandchild bond with their community.