Senior Writers are the mommas who have been on the St. Augustine Moms team for a minimum of 2 full years and have truly embraced the SAM Vision for the long haul. We can not thank them enough for their time, commitment, and voices!-
Writer since 2017Alexandra is a native Floridian, born and raised by the ocean in Daytona Beach. She graduated from Florida State University in 2011 with a Bachelors in English Literature and in 2013 with a Masters in Library Science. During her time in Tallahassee, she also met and fell in love with her husband, Paul. Soon after getting married, they settled down in St. Augustine and began a family as Alexandra pursued her dream job as a librarian with the St. Johns County Public Library System. When she’s not leading storytimes, checking out books, and running the library, you can find her hopping around town with her family. She’s a proud mama to three little boys, born in 2015, 2017, and 2019! Her husband is a phenomenal stay-at-home-dad, and can often be spotted babywearing all over St. Augustine.
Writer since 2018Karen was born in Ohio but spent most of her childhood in Florida. She attended the University of Florida, where she met her husband, and she got her Master’s in Elementary Education at the University of South Florida. She taught first grade in Tampa until her oldest son was born. Her plans to return to the classroom changed when her husband’s job brought them to Pennsylvania where they welcomed another son. The following years brought them to Raleigh and then St. Augustine. After spending two years substitute teaching in St. Johns County, Karen is now teaching VPK at a local preschool. She enjoys days on the water with her family, reading “chick lit” with a glass of wine, pretending to be Ina Garten in the kitchen, and cheering on her Gators. She embraces all things #boymom and has never met a doughnut/taco/pasta that she didn’t like.
Writer since 2018A St. Augustine native, Lauren and her husband relocated back to St. Augustine to start a family and be part of the laid-back vibe St. Augustine offers after graduating from Stetson University and living in Orlando. Mom to two boys, she balances a busy schedule of mommy-hood and personal training. Founder of Fit Mamas Tribe, her niche is working with pregnant and postpartum women, providing the knowledge and strategies to support a healthy pregnancy and help common pregnancy-related issues such as Diastasis Recti and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. This supportive group of mamas keep it real supporting one another through all of the ups and downs of “momming” both in and out of the gym. Lauren loves spending her free time doing yoga, boating, hanging at the beach and looks forward to connecting with the readers of SAMB!
Writer since 2016Leah was born in the Wild West of California and raised in the beautiful bluegrass of Kentucky. She fell in love with the magic of St Augustine and moved here as a newlywed. She lives with four untamable children, a menagerie of animals and a loving husband. Leah spends most of her time trying to wrangle small beasts as they explore the world, tell her they don’t want what’s for dinner and complain about wearing shoes. Her favorite things are seeing the spark of discovery in little eyes and being creative. Leah loves to help and has a tender heart. She rarely meets someone she doesn’t like. Don’t be afraid to say hello if you see her out and about.
Writer since 2016Megan moved to St. Augustine for college in 2007 and has called it home ever since. She has a bachelors degree in psychology that she doesn’t use, but pays for every month. Megan is a single mom to three amazing kids and runs her photography business Megan Soto Photography. Megan is an extrovert with social anxiety, which is almost as good of a match as her previous marriage.
These mommas are the voices behind most of the original content published on St. Augustine Moms. They are all local moms from the area with kids in various stages of life who enjoy sharing their thoughts, experiences, and parenting stories with the St. Augustine community!
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Rebecca is a Florida native. She was born and raised in Tampa, spent about 5 years in Tallahassee for college, and settled in St. Augustine fresh out of grad school in 2014 with her husband. She received Bachelor’s degrees in History and English from Florida State University (FSU) in 2012 as well as her Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from FSU in 2015. She currently works as a Transportation Planner with special interests in active transportation, sustainability, and healthy communities. She had her first baby in February of 2019, and is expecting baby #2 in the summer of 2020! In her free time, she enjoys spending as much time outside as possible via local hikes, kayaking, or generally being in the water. As far as indoor activities, Rebecca and her husband are avid tabletop gamers.
Eve was born and raised in Lancashire, England. She fell in love with Florida during her first Disney vacation at 8 years old and finally made the move across the pond to beautiful St. Augustine at age 16. She attended Lynchburg College in Virginia and graduated with a degree in psychology, before moving back to Florida for law school. She and her husband were married in a fairytale castle in Las Vegas and now have a sweet and sassy 2-year-old girl, Eden, and a fluffy little pup named Angie. Eve is a full-time attorney practicing in estate planning, probate administration, trust administration, and probate and trust litigation. She also has a serious Pinterest addiction and loves a good DIY or home décor project. Eve is a self-proclaimed mer-mom and can usually be found spending time with her family at the beach, pool, splash pad and on many play dates.
Growing up in central Florida, Ginger took annual vacations to St. Augustine throughout her childhood. She quickly learned to love the combination of historic charm and the beach, as well as a deep love for all things Florida—hot and humid summer days, thunderstorms, and the smell of orange blossoms. After meeting her husband in Gainesville, they relocated to St. Augustine where they have been living for the past twelve years. In 2013 she became a mother for the first time, as well as a stay-at-home mom. Her family has grown since then, which now consists of her shy school-aged son, feisty toddler daughter, two rambunctious dogs, and ten curious chickens. They are a homeschooling family who enjoys supplementing education with as many outdoor activities as possible. You can read more about her life in St. Augustine at journalofalocal.com, about life in general at steemit.com/@ginnyannette, or follow her at facebook.com/journalofalocal.
Jennifer was born in Deland, Florida and raised in Flagler Beach. She moved to Jacksonville to attend the University of North Florida where she earned her M.A. in English. It goes without saying that she loves to read. She is a former high school English teacher and is now a part-time adjunct professor at a local college. When she’s not teaching, she stays at home with her son (5), daughter (2), and two rescue dogs. She enjoys working out and going to the beach with her family. Football is a big deal in the Hewett house! She loves cheering on the Jaguars and rooting for her husband Chris’s alma mater, the Georgia Bulldogs.
Katee moved to Florida at three years old and was raised in Ponte Vedra Beach. She graduated from Nease High School and went on to the University of North Florida, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations. After graduating from UNF, she moved to the Midwest but longed to return to the sunshine state. In 2019, Katee returned to Florida with her son and settled in St. Augustine. She works fulltime in marketing for an electronics manufacturer based out of California. When she’s not at home working or writing, Katee and her son are usually out and about, exploring and enjoying fresh air and sunshine. She is excited to be a part of the St. Augustine Moms team, combining three of her favorite things: being a mom, writing and St. Augustine.
Kristi recently relocated to St. Augustine two years ago from Pennsylvania. She has been married for 14 years to her High School sweetheart, Andy. Together they have 3 kids, Eli (13), Liam (6) and Lacey (2). Kristi has a B.A. in Human Development and Family Studies and is currently working towards her Masters degree in Christian Counseling: Crisis Response and Trauma. She enjoys ALL the donuts and is a firm believer that cake should always be eaten for breakfast. She is a social butterfly and loves spending time with friends and family. She really loves baking and crafting and has recently found a love for running. She enjoys being the go-to friend when you’re having a bad day and needing to vent. Kristi also enjoys tasting different coffees at the local coffee shops, but the Kookaburra is her go to.
Kristy was born in Key West and spent her childhood moving all over the east coast courtesy of her Naval officer Mom, Maggi. Kristy lived in Jacksonville from high school until 2018 when she relocated to St. Augustine. A few years after graduating from college she met her husband Craig, affectionately known as many variations of Crugger. They married in 2005 and had daughter Madeline in 2006, son Baylor in 2009 and son Connor in 2012. A non-dog-lover, she is OBSESSED with the family Goldendoodle, Motley. She thinks glitter is the devil but loves everything DIY and has paint under her fingernails more often than not. Kristy and Craig enjoy an entrepreneurial spirit and run several small businesses, including her camper flipping side hustle, Sassy Campers. If she's not working you are sure to find her at a football/ baseball/ soccer field. She is excited to explore her new city!
Relocating to St Augustine by way of Alabama in 2012 proved to be the catalyst of change for this mama. Widowed in 2013, life brutally yanked the rug out from underneath Lauren and her three young children. “Not done” was her mantra as she bravely took steps to create a new life on her own terms. She unexpectedly found new love and received a sweet plot twist with a fourth bonus baby in 2015. Unbecoming all that she was to step into her happiest, most authentic version to date has been her favorite part of the journey. Leaning into curiosity she’s now lit up by all things woo-woo, neuroscience and personal development. Using energy and her intuitive gifts she now has the honor of guiding women to heal their past and create an empowered future as a Neuro-Transformational Results Coach.
Logan relocated to St Augustine in 2018 from the Atlanta area when her husband’s job transferred him to the Jax area. Logan and Randy have been married for ten years and have three amazing kiddos: Sarah (5), Charlotte (3), and Liam (1). Echo the dog (12) is still hanging around too despite losing his former position as a favorite dependent. Logan enjoys writing, kayaking, and all things birth! She used to enjoy hiking in the north Georgia mountains but has since replaced that hobby with exploring the unique places St Augustine has to offer. She does videography on the side and loves to film births more than anything. If she had to do all over again she probably would have become a midwife! In the spare time she doesn’t have, Logan enjoys NOT cleaning her house, which remains a disaster almost 24/7 despite her efforts.
St. Augustine Moms Blog would like to thank Angel of Angel Gray Photography and Megan of Megan Soto Photography for the beautiful headshots in front of the iconic Castillo de San Marcos.