This blog was actually started in 2004 and lived at http://tampamama.blogspot.com in 2004. I started it to keep my family in Chicago abreast of what life was like with my son, Jake. We soon after, added a baby girl, Mia to our mix and then a third child, Shelby, and now we have sweet Abby too. Crazy, busy life…just like many other parents out there.
A little about me: I am overly energetic, always busy, always moving, always “trying” to relax but rarely succeeding. I would love to have stayed a SAHM, but the truth is I work 24/7 just like the rest of the parents in the world- inside & outside of the home. I have the luxury of seeing my kids off the school and picking them up, but my days are long as I pull double duty with a full time job too. I am learning that the years are short. My blog is an online diary about having 4 kids, how I sometimes manage to keep it together and how I pick up the pieces after something breaks. I love sharing with others about deals we find, how we do life and how we manage it all. Sometime-it isn’t pretty. Life isn’t perfect. Smoke and mirrors is how I usually explain it. Instagram is my fun & creative outlet but life certainly isn’t always picture perfect.
I am also writing to help others explain what I have learned as a Mom raising 4 children, three of which have a rare condition: Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and one with Type 1 Diabetes. I couldn’t even pronounce these words, much less explain what we were living/dealing with when our first child was diagnosed. Now it is a part of our normal lives. No one is treated any different around here. Lots to do to keep these little ones healthy and lots to share as it IS such a rare condition that most people don’t ever hear about. Diabetes is new To is but she lives a normal life too with proper management and a supportive village. I have found strong support groups online and other parents who live my life each day. Life is different taking care of a child or children with special needs. I have found new friends who I learn from and have taught others a few things too. I am open to talking with parents that have children newly diagnosed with the condition. It’s alot to take in and I have been there first hand and can also offer support to those that might need it.
I love that our life is an adventure. Around every corner, near and far, one is dealt with a card and it is up to you to take it and make the most of it. We live a simple life in Tampa, raising our kids. I have meet so many great and amazing people on my journey so far, and I look forward to those who I will meet in the future.
Fine print… The writing, content and photos in this website are copyright protected and owned by Marisa Langford (unless otherwise credited) for Adventures of Tampa Mama. If you do feel like sharing (and by all means do so) but please give credit where credit is due. Thank you.
Obviously, I live in Tampa and love Tampa. I blog about what is going on in Tampa that might interest who live in Tampa. Follow me on Twitter at UCTAMPA (Urban Corridor Tampa) as I mainly tweet about what is happening in my neck of the woods that others might also want to know about. (I have a large network of friends in the community and they are the best and what they do here in Tampa. If I can be of assistance, let me know!) I write for a few Tampa print publications and you can catch me on Great Day Tampa Bay as their resident “Tampa Mama!”
The Kids
My crew consists on 4 kids, 15, 14, 10 & 8. Yup. That’s alot of kids. Enough said. You get the picture.
Travel
Love to travel. Who doesn’t?! We live in the best place to do this. So being that writing is a hobby of mine, you can read all about our travel adventures on here too! And if you are ever wondering about how to travel with 6 suitcases, feel free to ask…I definitely have that question covered!
CAH & Diabetes
Because I have gone through 4 pregnancies and have 3 children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia , I am now open to talk about my experiences from the beginning. I knew nothing about CAH or that this condition ever existed. I will share what life is like raising kids with CAH, the precautions we take, how we go about our normal life and how I strive to make sure my kids are living healthy with CAH. If you have any questions, I am more than willing to talk about CAH and our lives.
We are only 1 year into living with T1D, but it’s been amazing to be welcomed into such an awesome community. I’m still learning and can offer help when asked too!
Disney
We love a good Disney Day so you might find us over at Walt Disney World on the regular at some of our favorite places: Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios! You can also follow my new Instagram account that is dedicated to Disney Days! We’ve got lots of tips for families traveling to Disney World- where to stay, what to do, where to eat and how to save a buck too!
My thoughts on this blog are of my own. I would disclose any post that I being compensated for on this blog. All pictures are copyrighted by Marisa Langford and cannot be shared or used without written permission.