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An open letter to my mother & to my childhood

An open letter to my mother & to my childhood

I thought I would start out this year with a better, clearer mind. For that I wanted to write an open letter to my mother. It’s been almost three years since we’ve talked and I thought I would clear my chest of what has been burdening me throughout my life and relationship with her.

I grew up in the slums of St. Petersburg, Florida right on the coast of the Gulf. We had a small shanty house on…

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A letter to our readers!

A letter to our readers!

I cannot believe this is my first time writing in almost four months! I feel like I focused my blog on trips, DIY craft projects and so much that I didn’t really take the time to write was on my mind. I was so concentrated on getting articles up and out, that I never really took the time to genuinely write what has been bogging me down.

Two months ago I started my own businesses, working with…

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Explore Your City: This weekends free day trip idea takes us to the Milk District

Explore Your City: This weekends free day trip idea takes us to the Milk District

Hello Orlandoians! Friday is finally upon us! Thank you for joining me here on The Tangled Tinsel for another Explore Your City adventure! This weekend we are exploring the famed Orlando Milk District!

This adorable little Florida gem is just minutes away from downtown Orlando. Filled with small town charm, this district gets its unique name from residing in the same neighborhood as the T.G. Lee…

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Best Free Weekend Adventure That You Need To Have This Weekend!

Best Free Weekend Adventure That You Need To Have This Weekend!

What’s honestly better than going on a cute date with your husband or meeting up with your friend group over the weekend? MAKING IT A FREE ADVENTURE!

If you are in the Orlando area (or anywhere else in the USA) and if you currently are a Bank of America card holder: YOU NEED to check this out! The first weekend of EVERY month Bank of America sponsors all of the local art, science and history…

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Things to do this weekend: Wondermade Cafe

Check out this fresh date night idea! We visited the Wondermade Cafe in Sanford Florida! 🍫

Happy Friday 👋🏻 let’s jump right into this weekends fresh date night inspiration!

Last weekend the hubs and I decided to take a day trip up to Sanford, Florida. About 30 minutes from downtown this quaint little city is the absolutely adorable. Cobble streets, cafes and old brick buildings > I was in heaven.

Utilize their free parking along the main road through their historic downtown. About…

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5 Thing You Absolutely Need To Beat The Summer Heat ☀️

5 Thing You Absolutely Need To Beat The Summer Heat ☀️

Summer is fast approaching and if you live in Florida (like me) it’s already in full swing. Here in Florida, I can pretty much say we are experts in beating the summer heat waves; ranging from high 90s and 100% humidity. So here it’s, my secrets to beating the summer heat ☀️☀️

Be sure to pin the image below to save it for later 😘

First on my list: Find a sunscreen that can protect the sensitive…

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Six Things To Carry in Your Purse - That You Will Thank Me For Later

Six Things To Carry in Your Purse – That You Will Thank Me For Later

6 Things I Always Carry In My Purse & You Should Too

I sound like a broken record, but I am SWAMPED. A full time job, on top of all of the volunteering committees I run, on top off blogging > I’m out of breath just thinking about it.

I live that #stresslife

What keeps me going? Always being prepared. I’m prepared that meeting is going to last another hour through lunch. I’m prepared for sticky…

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5 Must Have Amazon Pet Products That I Can’t Live Without

Tinsel (my pup) and I are bit of adventurers. We love the outdoors; swimming, kayaking, hiking and traveling to new cities all over the U.S. With all of our travels in the books, there are some pet products on Amazon that I could not live without and have really saved us.

The best step-in harness! I always put Tinsel in a full body harness when we are out hiking or kayaking. I cannot tell you honestly how many times she has gotten stuck in the mud or needed help getting over a log. Having a harness with a handle on the back has been an incredible investment

A pop up bowl. I actually have two of these! I keep one in my purse for traveling and the second is always clipped to my daypack for hiking. No extra weight or equipment needed to give Tinsel a drink. When we stop for water breaks I just unclip and we can share a bottle of water. 

This pad healer. Because I’m an over protective dog Mom, I always keep this dog balm in my purse. There have been so many times when we are exploring a new city and Tinsel cracks a pad on her paw. I know it’s a bit expensive ($19 for one stick), but trust me this has saved us. This pad healer is great because it basically comes in a deodorant stick, with a nice neat cap. Pop the cap off, rub it on her feet and POOF perfectly healed and ready for our next adventure.

Treats!! This product is Tinsel’s pick. She can get exhausted, so a good nutritious pick-me-up is always good to carry. Check out my favorite treats here. These treats are high in protein, so they give her a good boost of energy!

I love this cooling vest! We live in Florida, our weather is HOT all year so we are always careful with hiking during the summer. Keeping Tinsel in this cooling vest gives us less worry of her overheating. 

What are your must haves for your dogs when travling or hiking? I would love to hear about them below in the comments or any of our social media sties! Hit us up on Instagram @TheTangledTinsel or on our Facebook Community Page

If you loved this article! Check out some of Tinsel and my adventures on our travel page 👩🏻‍💻♥️🐶

5 Must Have Amazon Dog Products That I Can’t Live Without 5 Must Have Amazon Pet Products That I Can’t Live Without Tinsel (my pup) and I are bit of adventurers.

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5 Cheap Things Off Of Amazon Make Your Home Look Like a Million Bucks

5 Cheap Things Off Of Amazon Make Your Home Look Like a Million Bucks

5 Cheap Things Off Of Amazon Make Your Home Look Like a Million Bucks

These are the top 5 things that make my home look like a million bucks, but I spent VERY little on. Of course these are all items that I already have in my home but they do include affiliate links!

 (I get a little compensation for writing these articles, if you purchase the items listed) 

Oversized throw pillows with bright…

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This weekend I was blessed with a three day weekend!! #BLESSED. So my husband and I decided to spend the weekend in Gainsville, Florida. (About a two hour drive from our home city in Orlando).

Kind of a random city to stop in if you are visiting Florida, but believe me it’s worth the time. Especially those who are into more outdoor activities like hiking, like our family!

We arrived in Gainsville around 8:30AM and landed in the Devil’s Millhoper Geolgical State Park. The trail head is unmanned by park staff, you will need to leave your $4 for parking/entrance fees in the “trailhead” evenvelope box at the entrance to the parking lot.

Walk towards the restrooms/state park ranger booth; the trailhead is directly behind the building. This is a very very short trail, just under a mile loop. Perfectly shaded and pretty cool even in these “summer” like temperatures. This trail is completely dog friendly too. The worst part though? Because of hurricane damage and lack of funding, the staircases down into the sinkhole were closed. But it still an absolutely breath taking trail.

This trail completely transports you to Tennessee hiking; with hills, bluffs and even waterfalls. If you are stopping near Gainsville, put this site on your bucket list! Check out their website here. Be sure to pack plenty of water and bug spray!

Just a PSA: Even on short trails like this (AND EVEN with cell phone signal), I ALWAYS carry my pack. I carry a small first aid kit, a water bladder, a pop-up bowl for Tinsel and plenty of sunscreen and bug spray. It’s better to be prepared, then not be prepared at all 😘😘

Our next stop was the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens (a 15 minute drive from Milhopper). We arrived around 9:45AM and the parking lot was virtually empty (ON A SATURDAY TOO).  Another completely dog friendly activity! Check out their website here. Admission will cost you $8 for adults and $4 for children.

Pull into their shaded parking lot and walk right into the lobby. The State Park staff was so welcoming and SUPER dog friendly (they even had dog biscuits on their counter!). Walk right into the lobby to check in, pay admission and be sure to grab a map!

We started off wandering through a bamboo forest. Then walking our way into their exapansive herb garden. If you are bring your pup, be sure to stop in the herb garden. Tinsel was overwhelmed by all of the smells, textures and tastes. We wandered into the kids garden, a butterfly garden and even a cactus greenhouse. We spent about 3 hours in this park, we were so captivated by all of the different areas and gardens.

There are so many wonderful things to do in Gainsville, Florida > be sure to add this small town in Florida to your next trip. We fell in love with all of this town had to offer; from bamboo forests to captivating waterfalls.

Loved this article? Be sure to check out my other travel articles here! Thank you for reading! I would love to hear about your Gainsville adventures in the comments below or on our Facebook Community Page.

👩🏻‍💻♥️🐶

Absolutly Must See Things In Gainsville, Florida This weekend I was blessed with a three day weekend!! #BLESSED. So my husband and I decided to spend the weekend in Gainsville, Florida.

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Habits of Hight Effective Homemakers

Habits of Hight Effective Homemakers

If I am being honest, I’m a bit uptight about my home. I force people to take their shoes off when they come into my house and always use coasters 🤷🏻‍♀️. I even go too far and have “inside” and “outside” clothes. (Does anyone else do this???)

I’ve probably said this before, but I’m BUSY. Like BUSY BUSY. Family, two jobs and still trying to find time for myself? But there’s one thing that I…

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Woman Crush Wednesday Interview: Diving into the life of the woman behind “Modern Dating 101”

Woman Crush Wednesday Interview: Diving into the life of the woman behind “Modern Dating 101”

Is this crazy or what > this is my very first time interviewing another blogger! Not only just a blogger, but the creator of Modern Dating 101! I am so incredibly honored to get to interview this blogger and share her story with you!

So let’s jump right into the interview!

If you want to skip ahead to the good stuff 👉🏻 Check out her website here!

Surprisingly this is my first time interviewing…

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25 Things to Add to Your Summer Bucket List

25 Things to Add to Your Summer Bucket List

My Favorite Things to Do For Summer! You NEED to add some of these to your summer bucket list too! 

  I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE SUMMER! My husband and I live in Florida, so it’s summer all year round; but there are a few traditions we keep just for the actual summer months and here they are! 

Picnics! Find a local park and pack-in a lunch. If you are in the Orlando area > check out Kissimmee Lake…

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10 Ways To Get Your Best Nights Sleep Tonight! 😴

10 Ways To Get Your Best Nights Sleep Tonight! 😴

10 Ways To Get Your Best Nights Sleep Tonight

With two full time jobs and a family to take care of, life can get in the ways of a good nights sleep. I don’t know about you, but at night I can never seem to shut it off. Remember that time I scared off that poor girl over chicken sandwiches? My mind just spins through stories, interactions ETC. Does this happen to anyone else??

ANYWAYS. Meanless…

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The Lazy Woman’s Guide To Eating Healthy with Zero Effort 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️

The Lazy Woman’s Guide To Eating Healthy with Zero Effort 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️

Healthy eating habits you can start today with absolutly zero effort 

(Stay with me this week, I’m on a “Healthy Living” kick 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻)

I’m BUSY BUSY. Two full time jobs, a husband, a house, a dog….. I’m up to my ears in stress. But I always eat healthy and not to toot my own horn, but I’m REALLY good at it (TOOT TOOT).

I meal prep. But not in the “spend seven hours cooking on Sundays” way. I let��

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This week I had the incredible pleasure of interviewing my dear friend Cara. There’s no words to truly describe how big this woman’s heart is. We met about five years ago working together part time in an administrative office and I have been captivated by her warmth and compassion ever since. Cara just has this really strange ability to put everyone and everything before herself no matter what and she always does it with a smile.

I’m really even honored to even know her, so let me tell you a little more about her ♥️

Tell me and the readers a little bit about yourself! 

I’ve been married to my husband Anthony for a year and a half.  We have two little munchkins, Liam who is 21 months and Catherine (Cate) who is 8 weeks.

I work part-time as an ICU nurse at a Level One Trauma Center and love what I do; much like parenthood, even on the most challenging days it’s still rewarding.

When I am not working I spend time exploring the great parks and activities around Orlando with the kiddos. My son Liam is very curious and loves to go on adventures, so this is something we really enjoy doing and thankfully Cate is still small enough to go along with it.

Where are you currently working or what projects are your working on?

Currently I am on maternity leave so I’m lucky enough to be able to focus my time on finding great toddler actives for my son. I often post about our adventures on my Instagram account. If you everwant to see where our adventures take us you can follow along @ Caraboo213

Where do you see yourself in the future? What would be you love to be doing if you had no limits? 

I would really like to go back to school and get my master’s degree to become a Nurse Practitioner. I have been told now is the time to do it before the kids are involved in school activities. That’s going to be my next focus for the future. 

However, if I had no limits or responsibilities I’d spend my time doing nonprofit or volunteer work for a cause that l believe in (probably something baby related) and when not doing that I’d like to spend time at the beach or on the water. 

Who inspired you in your life to choose your career path?

I became a nurse because of my mom. She was a nurse too and it made such a big impact on me. I was always so proud of her. 

I think watching her example made the biggest impact on me. I’ll never forget when I was around 4 we came upon a car accident while out one day and the ambulance had not gotten there yet. A little girl (who was maybe a year or two older than myself at the time) had been thrown through the front window of her parent’s car.This was before the days of booster seats. My mom pulled over and got out to make sure the little girl was okay until help arrived. 

Another time I remember, when I was around 6 we were at a local skating rink (you know back in the dark ages before rollerblades). Someone fell and injured their ankle and my mom again was there to help before the ambulance arrived. 

Seeing my mom helping people made me want to help others too. She was a super hero in my eyes. It was the drive to help others that she taught me at such a young age that made me want to become a nurse too. 

Tell us a funny childhood memory!

It’s funny, but looking back I’m having a hard time coming up with a specific memory. Instead, I keep thinking of all the funny people I’ve known. I have always been really lucky to have amazingly funny friends in my life throughout the years. They made every day funny.

Tell the readers a fun fact about yourself!

The most random fun fact about me is that I can touch my tongue to my nose. I’m probably too proud of this. 

What woman do you look up to the most and why?

I have always looked up to my mom. She’s one of those people who will always be there for you no matter what. The kind that will give you everything even if they have nothing just to make sure you are okay. The kind that will drop anything and everything for someone she loves if they need her. She gives without taking and loves without expecting. I wish more people in the world were like her. I think the world would be a much better, much happier, and a lot kinder place. 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given and why?

The best advice I’ve ever been given is to let go of the mom guilt and learn to forgive yourself. I think any mom will tell you that mom guilt is real.  There isn’t a mom out there that I know of, who hasn’t experienced it. Some days as parents are better than others and sometimes we just need to cut ourselves some slack. It’s hard for me at times to take this advice to heart, but it’s sanity saving. 

What’s one piece of advice you’d give other women? 

Find your tribe. Whether it’s people at work or other moms, you need to find that tribe. I would not be the woman I am today withouta tribe of amazing women loving and supporting me and picking me up when I need it the most along the way. Having a tribe no matter how big or small means that you have someone in your corner at all times. It’s life changing. 

You recently had your second baby. How excited were you to be expanding your family again? What’s it like to be a mom of two under the age of two?

 So Much Wine!!! I’m kidding. 

I am so excited that Cate is here, but it’s a huge adjustment to go from one to two kids, especially when the first one is still pretty much a baby himself. It’s a balancing act for sure. There’s never a time when someone doesn’t need you or your toddler isn’t trying to climb on top of the sleeping baby chanting, “Baby. Baby. Baby.” over and over again. You need support and an outlet (other than wine). This is where my tribe comes in and I have found that expectations of yourself go out the window.  Dynamics change, stress levels change, but your love for your children never changes. 

(Some pictures of her ADORABLE babies 👶)

Lastly share with me your favortie qoute! 

“Turns out, not where, but who you’re with that really matters.”

Okay, so technically it’s a Dave Matthews band song lyric, but it’s probably one of the truest things I’ve ever heard. It’s making memories with people I love that means the most to me, it doesn’t matter where we are as long as we are together. 

Be sure to follow Cara on all of her adventures on Instagram @ Caraboo213

If you liked this article be sure to check out more inspiraing women by clicking here 😘😘 Thank you all for reading!

A Woman Crush Wednesday Interview with an ICU Nurse & A Full Time Mom This week I had the incredible pleasure of interviewing my dear friend Cara. There’s no words to truly describe how big this woman’s heart is.

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5 Incredible Things You Can Buy On Amazon to Make Your Day 100X Easier

5 Incredible Things You Can Buy On Amazon to Make Your Day 100X Easier

I’m a bit of a juggler and I put a BIT too much pressure on myself to get the most of out my day. Either I’m at work, working my 9-5 OR I’m at home working on my blog. I try to get the most out of every single moment I have, that said I’m always on the hunt for the best multitasking tools out there to make my life so much easier. Working 8-5 at my desk WHILE working on my core? SIGN ME UP…