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Tag: mommyblogger

A hidden wellington gem

Tucked away all the way back in horse country in Wellington, Florida is a little slice of farmland home to some of the most exotic animals in the world. You’d never know it was there, unless you were looking for it and lucky for me and my family, I had my eye on the Wellington Conservation Center for quite some time now. I truly didn’t know what to expect and I can honestly say my family and I were blown away. It’s a place where rehabilitated animals go to get a second chance at life, a place where unwanted, abandoned and injured species find their second home and a sanctuary where each sweet soul has a truly unique story to be told. From orphaned birds, to mammals and everything in between their website says they “specialize in conservation of South American exotics who are endangered from habitat loss and poaching,” a truly commendable feat. 

If you ask my 4-year-old daughter Vera, her favorite animal on property was the unnamed little kitty, the horse we were able to feed apples to and the little bunnies she was able to snuggle up with. My son was thrilled by the lemur who grabbed bananas off a stick with his lefty hand and my husband thought the pot belly pigs were a sight to see. I especially loved getting up close and personal with the Brazilian Porcupines named Bonnie and Clyde and the 2-toed sloth family, especially the momma and baby duo. Feeding the sloths lettuce was an incredible experience, we won’t ever forget! I still have fomo that we never were able to get a front row seat to see the sloths while on our honeymoon to Costa Rica ten years ago and now I can finally say I was able to interact with them right in our very own backyard! How cool is that?!

 

From wallabys to foxes and even a crab-eating raccoon that bunks up with a Patagonian Cavy, the amount of animals we encountered exceeded our family’s expectations and I’m sure won’t leave you on the side of disappointment! Cole was an exceptional and knowledgeable host on the farm and we can’t wait to come back soon!

Sloths and lemurs are one of the primary focuses of the center due to the fact that these animals are an endangered species. The Wellington Conservation Center is a non-profit organization and they receive all of their funding through donations from their tours, grants, trusts and local sponsors. Tours are by appointment only taking place Wednesday through Monday and offered three times daily. Adults are $20 and kids 6-10 are $15. Those 5 and under are only $5. To book a tour call 954.448.1044. For more information visit their website at wellingtonconservationcenter.org.

-Briana D. 

January 27, 2021March 3, 2021

Briana D’Andrea2 Comments

The Silver Lining

So I wrote this article three months back for Aroundwellington.com, with every intention of posting it on my blog, but then of course “mom brain,” came in full force. What my old quarantine self didn’t know, is that if you doubled the amount of time we were “safe at home,” we would still be here. So much has changed since then. Our entire nation saw an immense tragedy of racial injustice and a social divide to boot, our family would embark on the road trip of a lifetime with stories to tell forever, Florida would open up just to close again, forcing us to going into fall learning digitally and I would lose my best friend of 17 years, my little pup sushi who first made me a momma. I’m not saying when I wrote this that I took anything for granted, but if I could go back and tell myself to hang on for the wild ride and that things were just getting started, it might have made things a little easier. The only thing that comes to mind is that the comeback is greater than the setback and here’s to our little silver linings.

There’s always a silver lining, you just have to look for it. We have been in quarantine for 72 days and counting. There have been some major wins and some major losses that’s for sure. Families torn apart, lives taken and lessons learned. We’ve stretched ourselves in ways we never thought possible. We took on roles we could never envision stepping in to. My heart truly goes out to all of the people greatly affected by Covid-19, but I’m here to share some of the positive perspectives, I for one have experienced, because if nothing else, it’s a therapeutic practice you should give a try.

The other day, I had a flashback about the time my son graduated from preschool and was off to grade school. I remember literally sitting in my bed crying and eating ice cream, thinking how fast time flew and that my first born baby was all grown up. How he won’t need his mama anymore. Of course looking back, it was probably a tad mellowdramatic and I did get past that phase. Fast-forward to present day, where I’ve had to put on a new hat of being his teacher among other things. The opportunity has given me a couple of moments I never thought I would be so fortunate to receive. When he has a math problem he comes to me, when he has a wifi problem…who does he go to? Me. When he simply wants to sneak in a hug? You betcha…me! While at times the idea of being all the things to my children has been nothing short of overwhelming, it also has been a time that I will forever cherish. The time I will look back on and say I got to sneak in those extra hours just us, when they could’ve been in school and I was out and about working and running errands.

I’ve learned who my true friends and people are in the midst of all this. Who is checking in on me and who is there for me no matter what. It almost helps to keep the good and weed out the bad in a more timely fashion, if you will. My marriage has stood the test of time, because god knows being stuck at home with anyone much less your significant other all day long, is a true test of your love. I’ve started a podcast called momgirlpod, dedicated to helping other moms become the best versions of themselves alongside my first passion project momgirlblog.com. I’ve binged watched shows (which I never used have the time to do), started a cookbook and have read and listened to countless books too. We’ve gone fishing, took beach had picnics, gone on bike rides, made tie dye t-shirts, baked, cooked, crafts, built forts, played video games and board games and drove countless hours exploring new areas we never knew about. My team has grown, my business has grown and my wallet has too (thanks to not eating out as much) and I’ve been able to take on more self-care than I really care to. Can anyone say at home mani/pedi? 

Now don’t get me wrong, this time has been stressful, I’ve eaten more than I like to admit, but I’ve been working out way more than I had before. It does suck to not get dressed up and go out with friends, but we’ve been able to get creative with ways to stay in touch virtually. Date night could’ve been a thing of the past, but now my husband and I have a standing date every Tuesday night, which we never had! I’ve become a pro at charcuterie board making and have taken on a new hobby as bartender thanks to that! I’ve learned that going forward, I’m going to say no to more things and yes to only the things that really bring me pure joy! Plus, I’ve been able to watch my children learn right before my very eyes! I almost liken it to being there for their first word or their first step, much less their ability to read their first book! Motherhood is most definitely a blur of sorts, but if you step back and put on your glasses (lol), you most definitely will see that there is always a silver lining…what’s yours?

-Briana D’Andrea

@brianadandrea

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June 15, 2020August 19, 2020

Briana D’AndreaLeave a comment

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A hidden wellington gem

Tucked away all the way back in horse country in Wellington, Florida is a little slice of farmland home to some of the most exotic animals in the world. You’d never know it was there, unless you were looking for it and lucky for me and my family, I had my eye on the Wellington… Continue reading →

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