I am a #MazdaMom and want you to join me! With twins we must double everything... even our vehicle. DOUBLE THE SIZE. DOUBLE THE SAFETY. Twinning can be for you too!
Join me this Thursday at the Mazda CX-5 Launch Party. Get behind the wheel of your next family vehicle. Details below.
Well it's official! This week I will be adding an additional title to my bio... TWIN MOM!
As a kid I always dreamed of being a talk show host, yet also had the desire to one day be a mother. I am so thankful we live in a time, where I can do both! Having started my show at 23 years old, I feel most of my viewers have grown up with me. You've seen me through going from online to prime time, getting married, our first Emmy Nomination and now twins! I could not be more thankful for my support group... YOU!
This blog is an exclusive look at my journey to motherhood and the questions I've been asked along the way.
Photo: Andrea Plecko, Chicago Andrea Creative/ Hair: Kristen LaMorte, Robert Jeffrey Salon Wicker Park/ Makeup: Lillian Toma, Starlight.
These last nine months have grown me immensely (In more ways than one LOL) and I look forward to what this week brings. Thank you again for all the encouragement and support. The best is truly yet to come.
To stay up to date with our journey follow us: TWITTER- @WhitneyReynolds/ INSTAGRAM- @Whitney_Reynolds/ FACEBOOK @Whitney Reynolds- The Whitney Reynolds Show on PBS.
Well I've held the title "Talk Show Host" for the last 7 years and in January I found out I'll be adding an addition title to my bio... TWIN MOM! Becoming a mother has been an amazing journey, the last 9 months have brought new challenges, joys and adventures to my days. Owning my talk show and pushing it to more markets, while carrying twins has made me the ultimate balanc(ER)ina! Creating a work/ life balance is something you hear entrepreneurs struggle with and in my case, I am constantly working on. Work is something that becomes routine and once we find our groove it is like second nature. For me life happens when I take time to slow down and appreciate all the blessings that surround us. So when choosing a babymoon destination (our last getaway before the twins come)... I wanted a place where we could unplug, be surrounded by beauty and enjoy each other.
WELCOME TO CATALINA ISLAND!!!!
Catalina Island (Avalon) is officially one of the most beautiful places I've seen. You can only get there by water or air. It's been the backdrop to many movies and a getaway spot for decades for celebrities. It's just over an hour boat ride from L.A., yet feels like you are in one of the most tropical places. This island has darling shops, delicious restaurants & beautiful beaches.
Catalina Express
We started our venture on a Thursday, taking The Catalina Express from Dana Point to the island. We spent a few days prior with family prior in San Diego and this was the closest port. It was fun boarding the boat, seeing all the sun dresses, fishing poles and smiles from visitors just like us. On the ride over we saw dolphins, enjoyed coffee and talked with other passengers about the island.
Pulling into the island was a scene I will remember forever. The landscape of Catalina Island is truly beautiful with the houses tucked away on the hills, surrounded by the ocean. Once we arrived we checked into our hotel and got ready for stop #1- The Glass Bottom Boat Tour.
Glass Bottom Boat Tour
This boat tour is exactly what it's name says... A glass bottom boat. We departed from the central pier and then went out to sea and saw everything below. This was such a nice tour because you didn't worry about dropping your phone in the water while trying to take pictures. It was around 45 minutes in total and midway through the Captain stopped and explained some history of the island and what we were seeing below.
Glass Bottom Boat Tour
After the tour we walked over to the Casino (the island's main historic theater building) and went to The Catalina Island Museum. This was actually the last weekend the museum was located in the Casino, because it is moving into a much bigger space. I'd recommend stopping by the museum on the first day like we did, because you will learn so much about the island. It was fun to see who's been there, how it was founded and special memories the island holds. I personally loved discovering that Catalina is owned by The Wrigley Family who formerly owned the Cubs. Being from Chicago, I love my Cubbies and felt extra at home.
Before dinner we went back to the hotel to relax. We had a fireplace in our room which was perfect because at night the temps dropped down to the mid 60's. For dinner we went to Blue Water Grill- Avalon, a newly constructed restaurant in the center of town and right on the water. This was my favorite night out because we saw the most amazing sunset, while eating local bites.
Blue Water Grill Avalon
I'd recommend the scallops and as you and can see from the picture above, we tried a little bit of everything (IT WAS TASTY)! That evening was so special because while we eating, we had a chance to talk about our twins and the adventure ahead, including choosing godparents. This setting really helped me unplug and enjoy the moment.
The next morning was every preggo's dream come true... The Taste of Catalina Food Tour. Six amazing stops around the island and all good food. This gave us a great sample of the cuisines Catalina had to offer. Our guide was perfect and not only knew a lot about food, but also the island's history. It was great because, you are walking in between the stops, so you don't feel guilty about all the outstanding food along the way.
Taste of Catalina Food Tour
My personal favorite was Steve's Steakhouse and the dish they served up (picture above) This tour gave us a blueprint of the reservations we needed to make for the rest of our trip.
The next day I kicked things off with my first prenatal massage. David and Puffy (our dog) wondered around the island and grabbed coffee, while I was being spoiled. After the massage we went to the Casino for The Island's Annual Silent Film Festival. This is a yearly fundraiser and fun time for all, we were glad to be there that weekend.
Later that afternoon we decided to hit Descanso Beach and just chill.
Descanso Beach- Catalina Island
Talk about a scene from a movie, this beach is a must see/do in Catalina! We sat out, watching the waves roll in and again dreaming about our future family.
The rest of the vaca was full of R&R and soaking in our last trip as a family two! This little island holds a very special place to my family. Now that I am back to the grind in Chicago, I understand the phrase... California Dreaming!
Downtown Avalon, Catalina Island
WE ARE ADDING TO THE TEAM - and this time it's internally. Being a Talk Show Host it's hard for me to keep my mouth shut. We have kept this news on lock down since mid December and I must say this has been a difficult task. Now that we are out of the first trimester we had to share the news - WE ARE PREGNANT.... WITH TWINS!
TWINS - Yes, we were just as shocked. Growing up I was surrounded by twins on both of my parent's sides (3 sets to be exact). We found out we were pregnant pretty early on and according to several blogs this could have been because the hormone level with twins is stronger. Going into our first ultrasound we were just hoping for a strong heartbeat and then we were told, "there's two!"
DUE DATE - My Twinspirations (follow us on Instagram) are due in early August and WE CAN'T WAIT! Coming up on April 30th we will be taping a live studio audience show on "Parenting." Tickets will be given out for the audience at our April 2nd Gala. We hope to see you at both!
PARENTING 101 - Please give us your parenting tips because trust us, we need your help! TWEET @WhitneyReynolds. Thanks in advance for all your love and support. The best truly is yet to come! Don't forget to hashtag #VolvoFamily.
OUTTAKES- Get the full story in video form HERE! (www.volvooakpark.com)
