Jacksonville Mom

 

Allie has been with the Jacksonville Mom team since 2017 and is the author of Obviously: A Candid, Unapologetic Journey of Divorce, Dating, and Raising Tiny Humans. After a few life changes, she moved with her two daughters and dog down to Florida to start over again. Always up for a margarita and tacos, and some sarcastic humor, Allie likes to find the funny in her everyday life, share her thoughts on everyday topics, and give you some great recommendations on what and where to eat.

Allie never would have guessed that she’d be calling Jacksonville, Florida home, but here she is! A midwest native, she’s lived in Indiana, New York City, Jax, Chicago and has now returned to the First Coast with her family—husband Jonny, Adair & Fitz, and an ageless cockapoo. Her professional history and range of passions is as all over the map as her home bases. With degrees in musical theatre and journalism, Allie has worked both as a Jacksonville Jaguars cheerleader (go ROAR!) and, most recently, a senior content strategist. She loves being a mom more than anything in the world (even wine) and is excited to be sharing the ups and downs of her journey with you.

Born and raised in a small town in Central Florida, Allison Chance had the rare experience of living in the same home her entire life — that is, until she became a military spouse and experienced the excitement and uncertainty of relocating eight times in 10 years. Allison graduated from the University of Florida and it was a sorority/fraternity social that brought her and her husband, Kyle, together. Their daughter Charlotte, 7, was born in Hawaii and their son Hux, 3, was born in Monterey, CA. Allison is the founder of Anchored Real Estate Group, a boutique real estate firm with a reputation for providing clients the personalized, professional service they deserve. She is truly passionate about real estate and helping others and gets to merge both by offering a rebate program for those who serve the community when buying or selling a home. When she isn’t showing homes or negotiating real estate transactions, you can find her on her yoga mat!

Allison Lore is a California native who is thrilled to be back in the year-round sunshine after a decade of living in the Washington, DC metropolitan region. She has a background in journalism, technical writing and marketing, and currently works as a proposal manager for a civil engineering firm. She relocated to Jacksonville in 2017 with her husband and son. Her passions include baking, coffee, reading and socializing with friends. Her toddler has taught her more than she ever thought she would know about the nuances of construction vehicles.

Born and raised in Tallahassee, FL, Blair took a leap of faith in 2018 and moved her family to Jacksonville to pursue her dream job. She's been enjoying the change of scenery and beach proximity with her supportive husband, Kevin, and their two boys, Donovan and Emory, who they lovingly refer to as "Night and Day." An alum of Florida State University (Go Noles!), Blair started her college career in Music Education, ended it in English Literature and Communications, and eventually found herself in the world of marketing and design. She's now been immersed in agency life for over a decade, and can't imagine it any other way! A self-proclaimed extrovert, Blair loves meeting new people and is excited to find her "mom friends" in Jacksonville. She balances her love of food and drink with the occasional workout class, and is always planning the next "fun thing" for her family to enjoy.

Born and raised in Savannah, GA, Blakeley has been a Jacksonville resident for more than 12 years. She moved to Jax temporarily for an internship at The Jacksonville Landing, fell in love with the city and a boy (now her husband), and ended up sticking around. She is married to loud and crazy Chicago-native Jimmy Vinicky of 7 years, has two daughters, Daisy (5) and baby Poppy, and a yorki-poo named Lexie. In addition to writing for Jacksonville Mom, she works full-time in Public Relations, runs her own fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog This Blonde Life, and is a freelance makeup artist. She loves adventuring with her family, and you’ll rarely catch her sitting around home doing nothing. Her favorite local spots include Sipper’s and Breezy coffee houses, Wicked Barley Brewing, Cap’s on the Water, Hotel Palms, happy hour at One Ocean’s Azurea, and soaking up rays at the beach.

Brittany Hutto was born and raised in a small (but fast-growing) town in Florida. She married her high school sweetheart and is the mother to the most kindhearted and adventurous little boy named Mark. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of North Florida where she majored in Public Health and Health Education. She served her community during her time working with underserved populations. After a complex pregnancy, she and her husband welcomed Mark to the world at 27 weeks and 4 days. She stepped away from her career to become a stay-at-home mom so that she could take her son to his many specialist appointments, therapies, and surgeries. She works tirelessly to ensure her son is happy, thriving, and meeting every milestone. Brittany enjoys many activities with her family. In her free time, you may find her reading a good book, spending time with her family out on the boat, DIY projects, and giving back to the local NICU. She currently manages her own blog which invites you to come along on her and her son’s journey from complex pregnancy, to the NICU, and every diagnosis and surgery in between. Brittany also manages a program called Mark’s Mission which gives back to local NICUs. She is an advocate for NICU support and research and is a current student pursuing her Master of Public Administration with concentrations in Nonprofit Management and Health Care Administration at the University of North Florida. Her dream is to establish Make Your Mark as a non-profit organization to give back to more local NICUs and serve as a resource for local parents with children who have superpowers.

Bryana Dunn is a mom of two girls and a full-time blogger at webwithdunn.com. After a career in healthcare and marketing, she realized the corporate life wasn’t the way for her. She enjoys staying up late — and you can always find her where the food and sarcasm is! A hotel/travel enthusiast, Bryana loves to dance, laugh, and socially drink. She’s always down for new and fun adventures and the mom friend who will go, “Yaasss!”

Cassy Fiano-Chesser is a Jacksonville native and mom to six kids. Her husband is a Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient. She works from home as a blogger and a freelance writer, and they currently live in the Argyle area of Jacksonville. Benjamin is their oldest, born in 2011, and he loves being a big brother. Wyatt was born in 2012, and he has Down syndrome. Ivy came next, in 2013, followed by Clara, born in 2015, who is a diva-with-a-capital-D. Rounding out the brood is Felicity, born in 2017, and Lilly, born in 2007. They love discovering things to do on the First Coast and going on family adventures, as well as cheering on the Jumbo Shrimp and the Icemen.

Born and raised in the Aloha state and a traveling gypsy at heart, Chantel left the nest fresh out of high school and headed off for college in sunny Southern California. Almost a decade later she met and fell madly in love with her hubby who whisked her off to the great Midwest. After five brutal winters in Nebraska, Chantel realized that home will always be where the ocean is (and the snow isn’t), so off to Jacksonville they went, where this Hawaiian girl now spends her days as a stay-at-home wrangler to her two baby bears. Prior to becoming a household CEO, she joyfully spent her time as the Program Assistant Director of a preschool. Digging deep into wellness and health is her jam alongside spontaneous dance parties with her kiddos are what sing to her soul. Chantel is wildly passionate about advocating for her son, who lives with multiple severe food allergies. You can find her out and about on a daily basis as she is a self-proclaimed busy body and loves hitting up the beach or exploring new spots in town while homeschooling her kiddos. If you ever see this fast-paced mama on the go, be sure to say hi because she is always up for meeting new people and making new friends!

Christie Pettus is a full time working wife and mother living her suburban cul de sac dream in Orange Park, Fl. She is Mom to two awesome teenagers, McKenzie and Ethan, who have come to accept that certain parts of their lives will be blogged about, so they should act accordingly. As graduates of the University of Florida, her and her husband Ryan can be found rooting on their alma mater every chance they get including the more obscure sports. LaCrosse anyone? When she’s not judging her kids’ questionable teenage choices, she can be found hiding in a room buried in a good book or writing, editing, and dreaming about being a full-time author.

Jacksonville University alumna, Corinna Hoffman is a professional family and baby photographer working at her studio located in Riverside. She is a Yankees fan married to a Red Sox fan by choice. Corinna and her husband, Robert, are both passionate about their baseball teams just as much as they are with the Jacksonville Jaguars! They have been married for almost 13 years now and have two boys, Lincoln and Lochlan. When she is not photographing other people’s children, she is always taking photos of her kids as you can tell by her Instagram posts. They like to support all things local. Find them at a mom and pop's restaurant, brewery, or family events like the Jumbo Shrimp baseball games. They love the outdoors and camping so you might also find them hiking the nature trails in town!

Dominique Landry is a NASM certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and founder of Fit Enough LLC. She has been an athlete and a proponent of a healthy lifestyle for her entire life and created Fit Enough to change the current narrative of fitness to be more inclusive of all body types, fitness levels, and lifestyles. When she is not working to change the fitness industry, she can be found "doing this thing called life" with her husband and endlessly energetic children. If you enjoy a good laugh, straight talk, and lots of food, Dominique is your girl. Follow her on Instagram @fit_enough for a little food, a little fitness, a little fashion, and a lot of fun!

Jess Dinney is a Florida transplant who grew up in New York but has been living in Jacksonville for 8 years. After working as a corporate event planner and conference manager for 14 years, Jess is now a full-time stay-at-home mom to her 1-year-old twins. In her free time (wait, twin toddlers, what is free time?) Jess loves spending time outdoors with her wife and kids, going to Jags games, and trying out new restaurants around town. Follow her on Instagram @doublethedinneys for the low-down on twin mom life, LGBTQ advocacy, local food tours, and more!

Jessica is a North Carolina girl, who after living in New York City for eight years, is loving being back in the south since moving to Jacksonville in 2008. She is a stay at home mom to Linda Claire (3) and Liam (2). Prior to filling her days with parks and play-doh, Jessica worked in event planning and marketing for financial and media companies, including This Old House. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, she is a passionate Tarheel fan, and college basketball season is her favorite time of year. Jessica spends her free time on the tennis court, training for races with her running buddies, or drinking wine her husband, Trevor. Her favorite things include snuggling with her sweet dog at the end of the day, hearing her kids laugh together, and pink cupcakes with sprinkles.

Born and raised in St. Augustine, Johanna moved to Jacksonville to attend UNF and never left! Now this former elementary school teacher turned Stay at Home Mom to Hudson and Callie, and wife to Matt, enjoys life at the beach. Johanna enjoys being room mom and volunteering at the kid’s school as PTA President. She is also an avid runner, and loves working out at The Gym Jax!

Kacey Roache is a Jacksonville native who lives in Ponte Vedra with her husband, TJ, and her three kids, Lucy, Lucas, and Lola. Kacey graduated from Florida State University (Go Noles!) with a degree in interior design. She is passionate about the arts and arts education and has served on the board of Art with a Heart in Healthcare, Ponte Vedra Public Education Foundation for the Arts, Christ Church Creative Academy as well as the PTOs at her kids' school. In her spare time, you might find her channeling her inner Serena Williams on the tennis court, performing in community theater, or enjoying the beach with her friends and family. Follow her family's chaos on Instagram: @kaceyroachepvb

Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Kayla Trapp is a wife and a millennial mom of two littles. During the day, you can find her working hard as a corporate professional and by night she’s making memories with her family. As a believer of intentionally celebrating all life moments, Kayla’s blog, The Trapp Haus, was created. You can follow her journey over on Instagram @TheTrappHaus where she shares her imperfect life, DIY projects, crafts, and everything in between.

Kelsey is a Jacksonville, Florida, native, enjoying life with her wonderful husband, Matthew, and their adorable children, Noah, Sophia, and Lincoln. She is a nutritionist that completed her B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of North Florida. Prior to becoming a stay-home-mama, she worked as a community outreach coordinator, where she taught people about the benefits of holistic health. With all of the responsibilities that come with being a stay-home-mother, cooking with her children has become one of her favorites! Kelsey enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family, playing volleyball on the beach, browsing Pinterest, online shopping, and having date nights at local restaurants. She is notorious for snapping pictures of any dish that looks delicious, and she shares her food photography, fun recipes, and mom life posts on her blog, KelseyCassman.com.

Boy mom. Household CEO. Corporate leader. Outdoor lover. Social seeker. Sun worshipper. Curious traveler. Champagne enthusiast. These words describe me, Kerry Schicker, and contributor for Jacksonville Moms Blog. I first approached founders Vicky and Megan after a heartbreaking miscarriage a few years ago. I had a very unpleasant experience with my OB at the time and I needed to get it off my chest so I wrote an anonymous blog that resonated with some of our readers. I have since written dozens of blogs about mostly motherhood. I have a passion for writing. My 20-year career has grown through some form of writing including TV news reporting and producing, magazine publishing, public relations, advertising, marketing, blogging and my current day job doing HR and employee communications for a Fortune 300 FinTech company. I am thankful that Jacksonville has such a supportive community for moms like me, and I can't imagine raising my two boys anywhere else.

Krista is a wife and mom to four crazy kids and one rambunctious puppy. Originally from Ocala, Krista moved to Jacksonville in 2010 and quickly fell in love with her new home. She finished her degree online three weeks after giving birth to her 3rd sweet baby but is currently “employed” as a domestic engineer. Krista loves being a stay at home mom but tries to keep busy! In her spare time, she enjoys crafting and attempting Pinterest creations with wood, vinyl, and paint. She is also very involved with her kid's school and is that PTA president that’s always there, sometimes with an extra kid or two. You can usually find Krista with a messy bun, her ice water in a giant Yeti, awkward dancing, and using sarcasm to help coordinate all the chaos.

Mary-Lauren is a curly-haired Texan in the trenches of motherhood with two sassy and entertaining daughters. A busy body in the truest sense, she teaches fitness classes all week at Define Jacksonville. To stay sane, Mary-Lauren requires a daily dose of dark chocolate, unwinds with a page-turner and folds laundry watching just the kind of reality TV that she will forbid her girls from watching in the future. A wannabe foodie, she loves to learn about, prepare, experiment and indulge in all things food…well except the shopping part with kids in tow. She blogs about all things fitness from debunking the latest trends to goal setting, Mary-Lauren is passionate about being active, being real and being healthy!

Maya is a chef entrepreneur who squeezes in part-time work as a Local Childcare Consultant for an au pair agency. She was born in Ohio, but has spent most of her childhood and adult life in Florida. She is André's devoted wife and mother to Audrey, Mason, and her senior fur baby, Egyptian Mau cat named Midnight. Maya earned an A.S. in Culinary Dietetic Technician and a B.A.S in Supervision and Management from Florida State College at Jacksonville. Her professional background prior to having children was in management and she managed a skilled nursing facility food service department staff of 15. Maya has a long-time love affair with food and is happiest when she is in the kitchen preparing fresh, homemade meals for her family or her weekly meal prep clients. In her spare time, she loves hanging with friends, working out, listening to podcasts or audiobooks, and online shopping. You can follow her at 5spicechef.com

Meg is a working mom of four and an avid community volunteer. She has worked in corporate communications and media relations for more than 18 years, for a Fortune 500 company as well as a non-profit. She took some time off to enjoy life as a stay at home mom after the birth of her first child in 2008. Her sweet, introverted daughter, was excited to welcome her baby brother in 2013, and then boy/girl twins joined the family in 2016. Meg finds being an “office mama” a constant balancing act and never-ending challenge but enjoys the opportunities it offers her for personal growth. A Virginia girl at heart, she loves Florida’s warm weather, the great quality of life Jacksonville offers her family.

Born in Jacksonville and raised in New Orleans and Houston, Megan attended college in Knoxville, then worked in Nashville. From her nomadic lifestyle grew a love for the beach, as well as a fondness for Cajun food and jazz, Texas BBQ, Tennessee football, and everything Music City. She is a work-from-home mompreneur with a passion for business, fashion, fitness, community, and all things mom. Having fallen in love with her parents’ hot plumber Mike in 2007, she married him two years later in her parents’ backyard. After their spunky curly-haired charmer Kingsley was born in February 2010, Megan decided not to return to her job. While spending time as a stay-at-home mom, however, she realized that Jacksonville was lacking some important resources for moms–so in August 2012, she asked her friend Vicky to join her in starting Jacksonville Moms Blog, now Jacksonville Mom. Megan loves learning more about her city; connecting with other moms, as well as connecting moms with one another; and discovering new local businesses. As the blog has grown, so has her family: in May 2014, she and Mike welcomed a spirited baby boy named Britton. When she’s not working on Jacksonville Mom, you can find Megan sweating it out with other moms, shooting skeet with Mike, or running around on the beach with her energetic duo!

Meredith Fitts Loudenback is orginally from South Carolina who moved to Jacksonville in 1995 after graduating from Clemson University (class '94). She relocated to Jacksonville after accepting the first out-of-state job offer and does not shy away from adventure or new experiences. Meredith and her husband enjoyed living in London and Boston for several years before choosing to relocate back to Jacksonville in 2010 to raise their son. After working in commercial banking and medical sales, Meredith enjoyed being a SAHM for over 11 years. She recently returned to work and joined the team at CSR Interiors, Inc. as Manager of Boxwood & Birch. Meredith is passionate about travel, fitness, books, and design and her extensive work in the facial aesthetic industry ignited a passion for skincare. In her free time, Meredith is active on PTA and SAC, loves family bike rides that end with ice cream, a good cocktail shared with girlfriends and binge-watching obscure Netflix series. You can connect with Meredith on Instagram @amodernbelle and @boxwoodandbirchshop.

Mischelle Storm was born & raised in Texas but just can’t seem to stay away from the First Coast. She married her best friend, Allan, whom she has known since elementary school. Besides the major last name upgrade, Allan gave Mischelle two adorable and active boys. Mischelle is passionate about all things, mindfulness, holistic wellness, nutrition, & yoga. She is adventurous and loves to try new things – like the latest adventure of living in a 200 sq ft tiny home on 10 acres in the middle of the TX hill country! This diverse Mama can be found sipping either a green smoothie or a Tequila and soda (it's about balance, right?), being THAT soccer mom, lifting heavy things at the gym, practicing yoga, or riding her Peloton. #sobasic

Nicki Wiggins is a teacher turned stay-at-home mom to three kids, ages 7, 5, and 3 (a boy and two girls). She is a wife to her wonderful hubby, Jayme, who works hard to support her Disney obsession. They met at Stetson University in undergrad and have been married for 13 amazing years. When not planning her family’s next visit to Disney, Nicki enjoys time at the beach (with the occasional paddleboarding), volunteering in her kids’ classrooms, hanging with friends and family, and exploring Florida. You can find her writing her blog called Date Your State, which gives tips and ideas for having fun with your family in this amazing state of Florida. She hopes to be a Floridian for life!

Nikki Clowers is a self-proclaimed “Mama To All.” She is known to turn heads everywhere she goes as a mother of eight amazing humans between the ages of 1 and 16. Nikki was born and raised in East Texas where she met her high school sweetheart (Kelsey) in 2000, transplanted to Jacksonville in 2012, but not before moving to China for a year in 2011. Together, she and her husband have built their family through biology, adoption, and foster care. Nikki was an elementary teacher for 10 years, a social worker for 2, a birth doula since 2017, and is currently an office coordinator and social event planner for a local medical/cosmetic practice. On any day of the week, you can find her at a kid’s soccer practice, dropping off a kid at theatre rehearsals, coaching a kid’s softball game, or in a school pick-up line. Date nights often include tacos and margs, live music, and Netflix binging. Nikki is passionate about family preservation, foster care advocacy, holistic wellness, DIY home projects, suburban homesteading, travel, and women building up women.

Patricia Kozack is a professional makeup artist, wife, and mom to two kids (6 and 2). Her days are spent wrangling the kids, being a mom taxi, getting a workout in with Jax Stroller Strength. Her weekends are spent beautifying clients for their weddings and events.  She obsessed with all things beauty related and cannot wait to share her niche of the world with Jacksonville Mom. Check out her site Makeup by Tricia. You can also watch her every second Tuesday of the month for her Beauty segment on the WJXT Morning Show to hear more of her makeup tips and tricks.

Born and raised along the bayous of Louisiana, Rachel Owens is a lover of Creole Cuisine (Mom’s is always best!), a good crawfish boil with friends and family, the New Orleans Saints, and relaxing to the thunderous sounds of a southern downpour. A few years after receiving her degree in Fashion Merchandising and Business, Rachel married her “college sweetheart” Troy and became a Navy wife. After spending five years in sunny San Diego, their journey led them to Jacksonville, where they are raising their two boys, Troy Keith born in 2015, and Eli Hunter born in 2018, along with a fur baby, Shih Tzu Grover. As a Congenital Heart Defect Warrior and multiple heart surgery survivor, Rachel is passionate about research, activism, and her journey as a heart warrior and heart mom to her CHD Warrior baby boy Eli. As a family, lifestyle and beauty influencer over at @rachelamyowens and rachelamyowens.com, Rachel hopes to inspire her audience to triumph through their trials — and look good while doing it!

Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Sharnique Green is a stay-at-home mom of three and proud resident of Jacksonville. Mothering a son with autism, a gifted daughter, and a strong-willed toddler who is lovingly called the boss baby, things can get crazy. Through this beautiful chaos called motherhood, Sharnique’s personal mom blog, That Dope Mom Blog, was created. She enjoys photography, writing, good food, and exploring the beautiful city of Jacksonville. You can catch captures of all her family’s fun adventures over on Instagram @thatdopemom.

Stacy, a former health care program manager, came to the first coast by way of Charlotte, NC. “Passionate for community and creative arts. Stacy is Master Signing Time Instructor with Signing Time Academy and has worked with families and educators through Parent Education & Outreach Programs. Since welcoming the births of her and her husband’s two delightful, energetic sons, aged 6 and 4 she has worked from home, always seeking to find new ways to provide a joy-filled, creative environment, nurturing a love for people, learning, nature, and healthy, natural/organic foods. Stacy shares tidbits of her “life learnings” on her blog, Wasting Nothing.

Theresa is a recovering fake adult and is now proudly a child who refuses to grow up. She spent a decade developing and facilitating enrichment programs for at-risk youth. Through this work, she saw firsthand the power of play in the growth of emotionally, physically, and mentally healthy children. The pressure of pretending to be an adult finally became too much, so in 2014 she and her father Todd (also NOT a grown-up) opened Villa Villekulla Neighborhood Toy Store on Amelia Island. Her two children, Adrian and Francine, often exhibit more maturity than she does and are, therefore, the ones in charge both at home and at Villa Villekulla.

Originally from Kansas City, Tina relocated to Jacksonville, FL with her dear husband, feisty cat and sweet-natured corgi mix in 2016. After eight years working various gigs in New York City from magazine publishing to digital marketing, Tina joined the world of freelance, writing and reporting for a variety of publications and websites including MTV News, ET Online, Glamour, Us Weekly and more. Tina has also assisted with social media, editorial and content strategy for brands and personalities such as Britney Spears, Jordin Sparks, Beauty Brands, truTV and WE tv. When she’s not plugging away on her laptop, she can be found exploring the Jacksonville beaches, reading a good book or enjoying a local coffee shop with her cherub-cheeked little boys, Archer and Austin.

Vially Dorestant was born in Haiti but moved to South Florida at the tender age of 3. She currently resides in Jacksonville with her amazing husband, Nate, two beautiful boys, Mason and Corey, and her overly hyper Jack Russell, Stella. Vially has her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in communications from Florida Atlantic University. Aside from her being a dope wife and mom, you can catch her on Instagram @viallys_diary creating amazing home decor and relatable content with her family.

Vicky is a work-from-home mom who can best be described as a beach girl with a city vibe. She’s lived in Manhattan and Chicago but feels most comfortable with her toes in the sand. You can usually find her at a local yoga studio, on the tennis court, or in the kitchen (Vicky attended culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago, which she is reminded of by her husband every time she orders in). Vicky is also a Flagler College graduate. Her love for St. Augustine began upon setting foot in the Oldest City. After four years, she continued on and started her career in Higher Ed in the Flagler College Admissions Office. She then went on to finish her Master's Degree in Education at UNF in 2007 and worked in Enrollment Services for five years, two of those as University Registrar. Wife to adoring husband John, her love for all things “Mom” began in 2010 when their son Brendan was born. Vicky chose to put her full-time career in higher education on hold to spend time with her new baby, giving her a new respect for motherhood and parenting. In June 2012, John and Vicky welcomed sweet Audrey to the family. Living in North Florida for over 10 years, Vicky has created an amazing circle of Moms who are continuously seeking new ways to enrich their children’s lives in and around Jacksonville and is proud to be the co-founder of Jacksonville Mom.