So before I went on my nice long vacation to Greece, I came to an important decision – The Maddy Chronicles will be no more. I’ve decided to leave my home of almost two years for greener pastures: a new blog that will combine my love of photography, as well as all the other things I hold near and dear to my heart.  My new address is:

http://www.madheartsblog.com

I appreciate all the people that have visited The Maddy Chronicles at one point or another.  When I started this blog, I had no idea how this simple pastime would change my life  in so many wonderful ways and I’m excited to continue on this journey. So please join me in my new humble abode!

You’ve been a trip!  Besides your many challenges, you’ve provided me with some of the best moments of the year.

But the BEST is yet to come!!

xoxo ~Maddy

I’m leaving for Greece today and I won’t be back until July11th. I know I’ve been a horrible blogger lately (partly because of all the great things going on), but I promise things will be different when I return.  To all my blogger friends that have contacted me in one way or another during these crazy weeks…THANK YOU! You have no idea how much you all mean to me! The worst part about being so busy has been not keeping up with all the news in your neck of the woods, so I hope you’re well and I promise to visit each and everyone of you when I return. Until then…

Antío sas Ιούνιος !

(Goodbye June!)

Little Anandra decided to make her appearance a bit earlier than expected and we couldn’t be happier! We were afraid that we’d miss her arrival and those first precious moments with her, but luckily she arrived just in the nick of time!

We are so in ♥ with all 6lbs 7oz of this sweet little angel!

My sister-in-laws and I had the pleasure of hosting my OTHER sister-in-law Vanessa’s baby shower over the weekend! Phew…that was a mouthful! Vanessa had always dreamed of having an outdoors garden theme shower, but given the unpredictable weather this time of year, we decided to bring the garden-inspired theme indoors (and good thing we did because the weather was rainy  most of the day!). Even though the shower itself was not a surprise, she was completely amazed at how we brought her vision to life! Well let’s be honest: it was my sister-in-law Priscilla who was the mastermind behind this one-of-a-kind event, as well as the creator of the beautiful topsy turvy cake. I only contributed in the best way I know how: photos!  Take a look…

…the worst blogger in the world?

I’m still around.  By now, you probably know this happens to me every so often: I take on too many projects at once, I stress out and then I shut down (blog included). Well, it’s the same drill this time around.  But to add a curve ball to the mix, my boss quit on Friday: this is like the sixth one that quit too.  I know it’s not my fault when they leave (it’s just the nature of the industry I’m in), but the whole process is annoying and more work for me . It also means a new boss is on the way, which means learning a whole new set of pet peeves, nuances and quirks.  *sigh* At least Greece is in two more weeks! I can’t wait. I need a vacation… I REALLY need a vacation. So tell me: What have you been up to?

The Cape May sunset.

I have to say: we were a little ill-prepared for our trip to the shore.  The forecast predicted rainy and cloudy weather all weekend, so I didn’t bother packing anything appropriate for warm temperature. But boy was I wrong! When we woke up to a brilliant day the following morning, we had no choice but to take full advantage of the sunshine and head towards the beach a mere few blocks away. Luckily, our B&B provided towels and chairs and we made do with the clothes that we already had. Then again, one doesn’t need very much to enjoy a day at the beach.  A pair of shades, a chair, a good book and great company will do! Actually, sunblock  is pretty essential too. Both Kleber and I are still paying the price for going without SPF protection that day. So tell me…what are you beach essentials?

Please join us “Today” – wherever you are in the world – and link up with Communal Global!

Since Cape May is known for its abundance of bed and breakfast spots, we opted to go that route  instead of a standard hotel when choosing accommodations .  It was our first time visiting a B&B (and Cape May for that matter!) and we had no idea what to expect. We initially booked a Queen deluxe suite at The Southern Mansion that was nicely discounted due to a wedding being held on the ground floor.  But by a lucky (or creepy!) twist of fate, when our concierge showed us to our intended room, the light could be seen through the bottom crack of the door and she claims to have also heard voices coming from within. Assumming that our room was mistakenly given to another guest, we were upgraded to a two-floor King Premier suite at no extra charge.  The next day we learned that there was in-fact no one in our room…spooky!

But you will hear no complaints from me! Our stay at the Southern Mansion was fabulous and everything I envisioned a bed and breakfast experience to be. The entire property was beautifully decorated with vintage touches throughout. Everything from the common area to the ground and rooms exuded character and charm.  And breakfast….oh my! With an array of fresh fruits and pastries, as well as a delicious made-to-order breakfast menu, there’ was definitely something for everyone.  So for anyone that thinks that B&B are for the old and stuffy, trust me, if you pick the right one like we did, you’re in for a special treat!

A few weeks ago I was really down and out and when Kleber suggested that we skip town and go on a weekend getaway.  He didn’t have to tell me twice…I jumped right on board with the idea! The excuse was our anniversary, but the truth is that we were in desperate need of a vacation.  Or better said: “I” was in desperate need of a vacation.  Even though our big trip to Greece is only a few weeks away, this little break from the norm was exactly what the doctor ordered.  We took the 2 1/2 hour road trip and landed in what seemed like a completely different world – Cape May, New Jersey. We had so much fun and enjoyed two days of absolute bliss: eating, bike riding, beach bumming, drinking, shopping, etc… (I’ll share more details about our experience next week). But even if you can’t hop in your car and drive to a remote location, a break from the norm is always good for the soul.  So dust off that bike and go for a ride, stop to talk to a complete stranger and listen to their story or maybe do something you love instead of concentrating on all the things that need to get done for a change. Whatever you do, just make sure you give yourself a break this weekend!

*Circle overlays courtesy of Pugly Pixel.

I’m still playing catch up with all the things that took place during my blog break a few weeks ago. During that time, three important people in my life graduated.  The first was my sister-in-law Marcela who graduated from nursing school. The second was one of my best friends, Marie, who after years of  summer, evening and weekend classes finally graduated with her MBA. And last but not least, my mother who also completed her master’s degree. I’m so proud of  all three ladies and all the wonderful things they’ve accomplished. All these success stories got me thinking about what success means in my own life.  For me, it is not a prestigious degree, a fancy house, exotic vacations or a large bank account.  It’s doing the thing you love and being surrounded by the people that matter most.  It’s like mama Oprah says “The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.”