making memories

We just returned from a 5 day family camping trip to Cape Breton, and I am still basking in the memories of our time there. 

This trip was so much more than just a get away. It was a trip to spend time together. To see and explore a place we had never been to before. It was an adventure. An invitation to play. An opportunity to reconnect. 

For 5 days, we played, hiked, swam, built sandcastles, ate delicious food, had campfires, explored and hung out. We flew kites, told stories, read Harry Potter, played at the many Parks Canada playgrounds, had ice cream and picnics. We fished for minnows in a lake, drank coffee around the campfire, ate a simple breakfast down by the beach, drove along the beautiful Cabot Trail, took in amazing scenery, and visited little shops along the way. It was just what we needed, and I know these memories will be ones that we all hold onto for years to come. 

Cape Breton (just as everyone told me), was a beautiful place, where the views are phenomenal and the people are kind and gracious. We have plans to return to this lovely part of Nova Scotia again. It's one of those places that draws you back. 

And for anyone interested, the big hike that we did was called the Skyline Trail. It is close to the Cheticamp entrance to the park. The portion of the hike that we did was just under 7 km. It is an easy trail (flat), and the reward for the hike, is to get to the board walk stairs that take you to a point overlooking the Gulf of the St. Laurence. It's amazing. We didn't get to see any wildlife, but most people do, mayeb if we had gone early or later in the day. 

A few tips, bring snacks (some chocolate helps) for the kids and lots of water. Wear good shoes and a hat. It started off cool, but as we walked, it got hot. 

And so, I leave with just a few of the many photos that I took on our trip. It's amazing to see the life that comes to my photos when I get inspired from travelling. It was also noteworthy, that this trip, although it was still work (camping, cooking, dishwashing .... it's not exactly a break), it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. We all took our turns, helped out, worked together and just sort of let go of any big expectations. I passed a few stops that I had hoped to see, because Wes was sleeping and the kids were tired, but that's ok. We can return next time. The point of the trip was to explore, make memories and have fun. And that's exactly what we did. 

halls harbour in black and white

This week, my dear friend Tania and I made a little trip to Hall's Harbour together (with Ryder and Wesley too). 

With our drive-thru Tim's coffees, homemade pumpkin muffins and cameras in hand, we went for a lovely little walk along the rocky beach at low tide. We had the whole beach to ourselves and really just took our time talking and observing our surroundings. It was a lovely day, hardly any wind. 

One of the prettiest parts of the walk were the icicles and little waterfall along the cliff. It was just so gorgeous, and Tania and I kept saying how our children would love to see this. 

centered again

The news had been getting me down. 

Everytime I signed onto Facebook, there were new stories, opinion pieces, blog posts, memes, ect that were bringing me down in my mood and outlook. I knew that I should just tune out, unplug and try to connect with my immediate surroundings... but I couldn't. I was agitated, irritated, and felt sucked in. 

How do I unplug I asked my dear friend Sarah one day. How do I consciously turn away from all this negativity? I am a tender hearted soul, who feels all the feels. It's so hard. 

I started by picking up my camera. It had been raining for days straight, which made it hard for me with the kids, but was such a blessing to the garden. Our beautiful poppies had bursts open, so on the first sunny day, I went out to photograph, their striking blooms. 

The next step, was booking a spontaneous camping trip for Father's Day weekend. 

Rissers PP, a beautiful spot just under 1.5 hours from us, books up fast for the whole summer, but because school is still in, this past weekend had a few open spots. The weather was promising, so we went for it, and booked 2 nights there. 

Almost 3 days on the South Shore (opens out into the Atlantic) at the beach and campground. We brought the camper, the kids bikes, tons of art supplies, organized a yummy menu of delicious food and ventured off. The only rule? No ipads, no Facebook, no movies, no emails. 

On our first night we made friends with an RCMP family a few spots down, and were told that another RCMP family we knew from the Yukon would be coming down too. The kids had a blast playing with their kids, tearing around on their bikes, going to the playground and playing on the beach. 

3 days of family connecting, of being by the ocean, of not rushing anywhere, of eating icecream and chips (oh yes we did!) and a special Sunday of treating Winslow extra special for Father's Day. 

We all came home exhausted, sun tanned and with a sense of ease. It was exactly what I needed to re-boot. 

Now, with myself centered again, I am vowing to make some small changes for myself. 

I am going to make a conscious effort to take breaks from social media this summer, and to work on making better connection with myself and my family. 

I'm going to make more spontaneous trips to the beach, and to get icecream. Pick my camera up when I am feeling down, and search for the beauty that is right under my nose. I'm going to practice more self care and work on practicing my New Year's word, which was, adventure. 

xox

on an adventure

My "word" for 2016 was adventure, and while I made a commitment to treat everyday as an adventure, that hasn't exactly been possible. 

There are days where it feels like we are just getting through it. I feel proud that the kids got to school on time, the house wasn't completely trashed, and there is a healthy dinner on the table. Some days, bedtime can't come soon enough. But then there are the days, where from some unknown reserve, Winslow and I find the energy and momentum to go the extra mile and make our day into an adventure. 

I'm not sure if anyone else does this, but I get this strange kind of satisfaction, when I find "hidden gems", nearby to where we live. Maybe it's the "adventure" seeker in me, but I love to discover new spots, but especially if they are right under my nose. 

I remember once hearing about a beach in Ottawa, that was on the Rideau River. It turned out to be very close to my sister and had a cool ice cream boat that you can swim to and buy ice cream. The geek in me was proud for finding this gem, my sister had never heard of it! 

So one night while I was searching for nearby places to explore, I became excited to find out that we had a light house less than 40 minutes from our house. I started to google search it and decided that we would head off to check it out when Winslow had a day off. 

Before leaving, we checked the tide times (low tide is better), packed our snacks, extra mitts and hats and hit the road. Once there, we explored the beach, the waterfall (which will be so much fun in the summer!), and talked to some locals about the area. One woman we talked to got Noah so excited when she mentioned there are legends of pirates having buried treasure nearby! 

Margretsville as it is called will definitely be a place we visit often in the summertime. It had some cute picnic areas, that I know will be a lovely spot to have lunch on a sunny day! 

Oh and while the rest of the family was too tired to check out the light house, I went over with Wesley to see it. It's a sweet smaller working lighthouse, painted white and black. It sheds light out into the Bay of Fundy, and I just loved the weathered, no fuss look to it. A beautiful spot ... so close to us! 

xox