taking it in

Patrick taking in the smell of the mountains. He got to run through meadows, roll around in the tall grass, trample through streams, see lots of fish, and explore everything. I've never seen him so happy.

We're back from our camping trip. Intentional or not, you have a lot of time to relax and unwind when you're out in the wilderness with not much to do. As far as reflecting goes, I wasn't very intentional when prepping for this trip. I normally bring a journal or a thought provoking book and anticipate the time I'll have for silence and meditation. This time, I packed a half read book (one that was not thought provoking whatsoever) and totally forgot to pack my journal. I didn't realize until I got home that I actually did a lot of reflecting anyway. When I'm in my normal setting/ routine, my mind is always racing with to do lists and unfinished projects. The night that we got home, I had a clear mind, was extremely motivated, and felt well rested. I had our suitcases unpacked within 10 minutes of walking in the door, started the laundry, and still enjoyed a good night's sleep. I'm grateful for the time we got to spend up in the mountains and am looking forward to this pattern of getting things done in a less chaotic sort of way. Sometimes we just need to spend more time outdoors and away from the everyday mayhem that is life.

camping.

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This evening, we are driving up to the Sierras to do a little camping. Philip has gone just about every year with his dad for a fishing trip. As soon as we were married, I was invited to join and it was lots of fun! We don't get to go for as long as we would have hoped, but it's better than nothing. I'm excited to get away. I don't do a lot of fishing, but I still enjoy tagging a long to read, relax, and take photos. I also really enjoy the challenge of making good food while we are out in the woods. (I guess when I'm not there, they eat a lot of canned foods and hot dogs.) Enjoy your weekend!

Gone camping.

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Good morning. I'm know I didn't post my giveaway yesterday. I was busy getting ready for our weekend. Philips birthday is on Monday, so we decided to go camping. That just means that when I do post the giveaway, the prize will be even bigger :) I hope you all enjoy your holiday weekend! See you on Monday.

Camping.

Philip's dad has a trailer at a campground out in Julian. It's far enough for a get away, but close enough for a weekend trip. It was our first time visiting, so we had no idea what to expect and were really excited. The campground was cute with little vintage trailers at every campsite.

The neighbors have an airstream :)

The fire was perfect because it was really really cold this weekend. It was in the 40's and VERY windy. A little glass of wine and a bonfire made it all better :)

It was a 10 minute drive to the lake where Philip went fishing [one of his favorite things in the world]. I wanted to craft while he fished but the wind was too cold, my fingers couldn't sew. I sat in the car with Patrick while Philip built us a fort. It was the perfect wind blocker! [He's a keeper]

Patrick absolutely hated the cold! I guess I would too if I were his size and practically naked. He had this sad look on his face the whole weekend unless he was in bed with us. He whined and cried and shivered like a nervous chihuahua. I felt so bad. When we were sitting, we always had him wrapped up in blankets or jackets.

We met someone who has a boston and he said she wouldn't even walk with them because she was so cold. They got her a coat and a shirt and she was happy. We don't have any puppy clothes, except for this adorable shirt that this aunty Diane got for him [Thanks, Diane!] It says "Caution: Can't handle my licker" HA! We love it and so did everyone who met Patrick this weekend :)

I could watch Philip fishing from the fort. It was a fun weekend and I'm excited to go back [when it's warmer] ;)