It's amazing how certain things can take you back to a moment in your life as though it were yesterday. Songs, places, even old t-shirts have memories that can instantly transport me to a moment in time. When I was a child, my great-grandmother had a cottage on a lake. I would spend summers there with my grandparents. I would swim, watch fireworks, go into town with my grandma each morning, go fishing with grandpa, among many other things. That lake, that cottage contain so many happy memories, it's hard to put into words.
When I was in middle school we sold her property, and my family stopped going. It was heartbreaking, but the kids were growing up and no one wanted to take on another property so far from home. Two years ago I took my husband there for the first time, and he fell in love like I had so many years prior.
I didn't end my birthday month quite the way I had anticipated. I had lofty goals for the last week in August, but it turned out to be a week of catching up. I repeated a couple of things I had done earlier in the month (buying coffee for the car behind me in the drivethru....I honestly could do this once a week, it gives me such a high!). I also hired a cleaning service to come in and give my house a good deep clean once a week. Those of you who know me, know this is huge for me since I loathe cleaning my house. Once a month was all I could get the hubs to agree to, but I'll take it. We also picked up my 3 1/2 year old nephew and took him up north with us, giving my sister and parents a week off! Then I treated myself to a week of nothing. Nada. Zilch.
We rented the cottage right next door to where my great-grandparents once owned (the cottage we stayed in happens to still be in our family, which was neat). We rented a pontoon boat and had no schedule at all. It was lovely.
See for yourself:
When I was in middle school we sold her property, and my family stopped going. It was heartbreaking, but the kids were growing up and no one wanted to take on another property so far from home. Two years ago I took my husband there for the first time, and he fell in love like I had so many years prior.
I didn't end my birthday month quite the way I had anticipated. I had lofty goals for the last week in August, but it turned out to be a week of catching up. I repeated a couple of things I had done earlier in the month (buying coffee for the car behind me in the drivethru....I honestly could do this once a week, it gives me such a high!). I also hired a cleaning service to come in and give my house a good deep clean once a week. Those of you who know me, know this is huge for me since I loathe cleaning my house. Once a month was all I could get the hubs to agree to, but I'll take it. We also picked up my 3 1/2 year old nephew and took him up north with us, giving my sister and parents a week off! Then I treated myself to a week of nothing. Nada. Zilch.
We rented the cottage right next door to where my great-grandparents once owned (the cottage we stayed in happens to still be in our family, which was neat). We rented a pontoon boat and had no schedule at all. It was lovely.
See for yourself:
Not a bad view to wake up to every morning! We did so many things, and took so many pictures, it's hard to pick which ones to share with you. Here are some of my favorites!
What a month it was! I was able to donate to charity, make a stranger's day, try out some new adventures like paddleboarding and accupuncture, treated myself to a massage, began some new workout classes, got a food dehydrator and started experimenting with raw foods, spent some time camping with my husband, among many other things.
It's inspired me to continue with this (although, not every day....more like a new thing a month). On the list: take a photography class, continue to expand my knowledge of new foods and alternative medicine, finally take my scuba diving class, go rock climbing, and much more!
Relaxing at the lake for a week was the perfect way to recharge my batteries and begin to drum up some new creativity.
I hope you enjoyed my birthday month challenge, and that it inspired you to try new things as well!
XoXo,
Nicole
It's inspired me to continue with this (although, not every day....more like a new thing a month). On the list: take a photography class, continue to expand my knowledge of new foods and alternative medicine, finally take my scuba diving class, go rock climbing, and much more!
Relaxing at the lake for a week was the perfect way to recharge my batteries and begin to drum up some new creativity.
I hope you enjoyed my birthday month challenge, and that it inspired you to try new things as well!
XoXo,
Nicole
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