When I started this blog a little over a year ago, I always wanted to have a respectful blog where you wouldn't have to shield people away from it. I rarely if ever use swear words, I don't attack people or post controversial topics, and I always get permission before writing about anyone when it comes to using their full names, ages, or photos.

This is a space where I write about my life, my journey, and tips and tricks along the way. I enjoy sharing the things I've learned and experienced with all of you. Sometimes that is going to include a small glimpse into those not so great moments. While I rarely write about negative topics on this blog, as a human being there will be days when I just want to vent about something in my life.

I have never intentionally sat down and wrote a blog that would hurt or upset someone. That is not what this space is all about. I also understand that putting yourself out there for the world to read may cause some unwanted attention at times. Not everyone is going to like you or the things you choose to write about. I am okay with that. You should be too.

Have enough respect to walk away from something you do not like or take a moment to send an e-mail to discuss the issue you have with something I have posted here. Lashing out and and being cruel is never the answer. Almost all conflict in given time can be resolved in an adult manner without trying to hurt the other party. 

Lessons are learned, people move on, and content is created.

The weekend before our move into the new house, I surprised R with a weekend getaway. It was also his Birthday so that was part of the inspiration to where we went. I knew the next few weeks would be crazy (and they are!), so getting away for a few days was just what the doctor ordered. I searched the internet high and low for cabin rentals that wouldn't break the bank. I never took into consideration that R's birthday fell over Father's Day weekend. That made it a bit more tricky.

I searched places like Groupon and Livingsocial hoping to find a deal. All I really knew about what I was looking for was, R wanted to go camping and I wanted to go glamping so we had to meet somewhere in the middle. This is when I came across a cute little property 2 hours north of us called Wellnes:ste (Pronounced wellness stay). It was located on a river with 4 cabins. It looked perfect for what I was envisioning for our weekend away.

I immediately inquired about the Leopold Cabin, which I received a response from Jessica that it was booked for the weekend already.. booo. She also suggested another cabin, Thoreau that was available. I accepted and we were booked for 2 nights! I was so excited I could barely keep it a secret from R. One thing I had to plan for was food. Shopping secretly here and there was fun. The cabin did not have running water, so I didn't want to make anything that was to messy.

2 days before check in, I received an email that Leopold Cabin was now available, and wondered if we wanted to move in that cabin. I decided to stick with Thoreau and I was glad I did. We arrived on the property just before 8pm on a Friday night. It was beautiful and really set back from the road. The cabin was super cute and Jessica and her family were really welcoming. We enjoyed some lounging outside by the river before we settled in for the night in our loft bed.

We explored the property and did some hiking. We also explored the neighboring towns and visited a fort in Rome. We had a really amazing time and I would go back again in a heartbeat. The property is pet friendly and has so much to offer. 2 of the 4 cabins do not have bathrooms. We stayed in one of those. The bathroom is a full bathroom with shower that is attached to the main house. You share it with the other cabin without the bathroom. We lucked out, as no one was in the other cabin, so we had it all to ourselves.

All in all it was a great trip, and I see myself going back in the future!

Our Cabin

Guard chicken?

I don't know about all of you, but I had a pretty amazing 4th of July weekend. We caught a bunch of sweet spots to watch fireworks and went to the most American place we could think of to celebrate Independence Day: A winery called Americana Vineyards! We have been to the winery in the past so we knew we would love the wine. The winery was hosting an all day bash complete with live music, BBQ, beer, fireworks, and of course wine. It was a win-win.

I couldn't wait to celebrate, and when we celebrate we have to play the part. I wanted to be patriotic so I was even more stoked to debut my beautiful custom dress from eShakti. With its bright red with navy accents and a white cardigan, I was all set to go. The dress fit like a glove, and I felt confident and comfortable my whole night out. Being a shorty, it can sometimes be hard to find the perfect clothing, especially when it comes to dresses.

Nothing can beat being patriotic like the good ol red, white, and blue, good friends, wine, and fireworks! I hope you all had a fantastic one too!

Gorgeous fireworks at Americana Vineyards

eShakti custom dress

My eyes are closed but this is my favorite photo from the shoot

No night is complete without that grainy cellphone picture!

Whew we made it! Summer is into full swing and with 4th of July this weekend we can sure look forward to more cookouts, fireworks, bonfires, and drinks on the patio with good friends and family. July is also the month I am getting my butt back into gear. I am finally at a place where I can sit down again and plan out my ideas and plans for the summer both on this blog and in my everyday life.


You may recall my June goals/Happiness Project theme was balance and getting back on track. I revisited things I worked on earlier in the year to touch up some of those skills and practices. It is so important to check in from time to time, and I felt the mid-year point was best for me. I am happy to report that I am working out more, spending more time with friends, and taking some moments for me. These these were so essential for me to feel like a person again, rather than a crazed work horse.

Because a lot of the hard stuff seems to have settled down, I am setting July's theme as Fun. I am going to reconnect with all the things I enjoy. One of those things will certainly be this blog. I enjoy coming here and writing for all of you. I am also attending lots of events with friends this month. All happy things like weddings and parties.

So here are the goals I want to really hit:

• Laugh often. Whether it be with friends, family, coworkers, or to myself. I am going to keep the good times rolling.

• Read more. I am pulling out that summer reading list and getting to work. I have about 5 books I absolutely want to get done this month, so cheers to that! What are you reading?

• Photography: I got a fancy new camera to play with for Christmas and have hardly pulled it out. I love capturing beautiful moments in life, so it's time. No more excuses! Bonus for the blog because the photos will look SO much better!

• Hiking: Getting my fitness on while seeing some beautiful scenery can never go wrong. I am going to get out there, clear my head, burn some calories, and take photos. Sounds like a dream for me!

•  Blogging: This month I am going to my first blogging conference. BlogHer15. I am so excited for this. I can't wait to learn new ways to grow this space and connect with new bloggers. Anyone else planning on going? If you are lets plan a get together!

•  Get involved: I have been wanting to get more involved with my local community. I was on my way to getting there back in May when all kinds of crazy happened and I kind of backed off. July is going to be the month I start getting more involved with local events, hoping to build new relationships!

So there you have it. July may be busy, but it's going to be a fun busy! I cannot wait to see what kind of doors open this month. I am putting myself out there and that alone is huge for me. I want to collaborate. I want to start new projects. I want to grow both on this blog and in my personal life. Who's with me? We can do this together!

Have an amazing 4th of July weekend if you are on holiday! If you aren't I hope it goes great for you anyway!