Week 7 Goals

  I struggled with making new goals this week. It's not like you run out of them but, it's more that it's a chore to make them and write them down.  If I didn't though, what would I do?  A little or maybe a lot less, that's for sure!

This weeks goals:
1. Finish the book!!!!
2. Pitch to 3 more brands and update resume.
3. Download pictures.  The memory is getting full on my phone again and things start to slow down.
4. Have some Valentines Day fun with my kids! Because sadly, I may not if I don't write it down.  I may have just gave a box of chocolates to them and called it a day.

5. Try a new recipe!

  Ok, there it is! I feel complete!  I'm going to skip a cleaning chore this week.  Although now that I'm writing this I guess I will put freezer down for next week.

  Good luck on your goals for the week!

Wordless Wednesday Look Up

  It's summer time here which allows things to slow down a bit or vice versa depending on the day but I still try to capture and appreciate natures beauty when it's made available to me.

  Sunrise or sunset is the highlight or the finale to my night.  I love catching sight of a good show in the sky.  I have missed a few sunrises in the summer but will make up for that soon.  However I am catching all the colors and rays in the evening.

I leave you with these images and hopefully some inspiration to get outside and look up! You never know what color it's going to be which is half the excitement!  When's the last time you looked up?

Weekly Goals

  August is here!  What does that mean?  4 months until Christmas, fall is almost here, colder weather is in the future and life goes on.

  Listing my goals for the month are too broad I want to focus on the here and now.  Small attainable goals for the week.

1. Finish 1 book. I have 2.5 I'm chugging through.

2.  I need to download my pictures which is such a process but the more I put it off the slower my phone goes.

3.  Plan out next weeks meal plan.

4.  Declutter some clothes!

  Ok that's all I have without overwhelming myself or putting items on that I know are as good as done (which would be cheating).

  What are your goals this week?  Or do you have some big monthly ones?

Water Wonderland Reflection

  I don't remember like it was yesterday because it wasn't.  It was two weeks ago.  The first snowfall of the season and even 2017 hit Virginia and gave us a beautiful blanket of white of which we laid down under stuck in our house for a couple days.

I took a walk through the neighborhood because after a few days inside it really didn't matter how cold it was outside.

I found my favorite little purple berry bush with the berries still slightly pretty in a new way.

Decorations left the holiday looked even better with snow.

Child' play.  It made me smile to see this angel.

The remnants of a past holiday.

A full moon and a beautiful blue sky.

Finally the cavalry arrived to clean the streets and make them acceptable for travel again!

I'm not placing any bets that this will be our one and only snowfall but if there's another I look forward to getting a few more pictures.

5 benefits to a Snow Day

  With the weather being so crazy this week I feel like my whole month is off.  How can a few days of roads closed down throw off my life? My life isn't really thrown off I just have to adjust things, make minor adjustments and accommodate differently.  There are some benefits to closed roads though during a snowfall.

1.  Saved money.
I can't leave my house because the roads are not clear and the stores are not open anyways.

Well now that you mention it there is always delivery. Pizza and Chinese anyone?

2.  Focused playtime.
This playtime with the kids is different because it's not planned.  Somehow when there's no school kids are bored but, in the summer they run a muck.  So the kids are constantly asking to be played with.

I have colored more, had my makeup applied by the children, done nails and more.  I didn't know bored could last so long.  I know they are enjoying themselves and appreciating it.

3.  Snow pictures.

  Its not that snow is rare in Virginia.  If it was, it isn't any more because while I have lived here it has snowed every year.  Each year it snows more than the previous year.  

The roads are in desperate need of some sand, salt and a plow.  I am a secondary road so the roads will get clean when they get clean unless the sun gets to them first. The problem is they try to thaw during the day then refreeze overnight.

4.  Fitness is flexible.

  While I can take a break from working out due to the lack of ability to get to the gym (if they are even open).  I get to walk the neighborhood for fresh cold air.  I do not run in the winter when it's too cold but, if your trapped in a house for too long a nice brisk stroll is a welcoming activity.   

  This is reason number I don't even know of why I need a Fitbit.  I hadn't been using the map I run app on my walks because I thought they would be short and sweet but usually my phone logs the steps/miles/distance.  As you can see I got credit for yesterday but not for today.  So I can't count on it that's for sure.

5.  I notice more colors.

  There are so many beautiful colors.  The different hues in the sky.  The shine of the ice.  Everything has a different beauty to it in the winter.

This was a stroll I took at sunset.  When I walk I look everywhere. Up, down in front of me and behind me.  You never know what is happening behind you if you don't look.  Of course I have to look down because of all the ice but, still you never know what you'll see.

Did you gain anything from a snowday?  How many days off did you get with the latest storm?  What did you do to pass the time?

Nature Walk

  We got out yesterday and visited a local park.  To say I was amazed is an understatement about the park.  I had been here previously to rent a boat, went fishing here and even visited the visitor center.  I have taken note of the playground but never of the actual history of the park nor the plentiful abundance of trails.

We set out to explore this park and to walk the trail.  My kids first started walking trails last year and thoroughly understand what is involved in a hike. The good bad and ugly.  Good being new sights and catching a glimpse of wildlife and some interesting sounds.  The bad being catching a glimpse of wildlife.  The ugly being slipping on mud.

 

I love the initial enthusiasm on their faces before we get started.  They know I have their water and maybe a snack in my bag.  They trust me in every way possible.  They look at me for fun, adventure and as their tour guide.  I prep them. Encourage them even when we are driving to a location.  I know you will do good and I know you can make the whole walk.  They always agree and are eager to get moving.

Time frames and miles mean nothing to them but they still lead the way or walk beside me happy to be together and ready to explore!  I laugh at the maps we pick up as it seems when I walk I seem to add on miles along the way my sense of direction is not always 100 percent but then again I think the map may be a little off.

  Regardless as long as I keep my kids engaged with what's around us they have truly become my favorite partners in crime.  They point out things I may have missed and get the imagination going as they tell me what they think happened to the crooked tree of why theres mysterious mud on our path.

Take your kids out and explore with them.  Getting them acquainted and comfortable with nature.  Explore a short .5 mile trail or a longer 2.5 mile one.  Tell them about the birds you see, a specific tree or talk about the current season.  I do have my phone out taking pictures but this is one time I do spend with them devoted to their attention.

There is an app on my phone that keeps track of my steps an I aim to keep it busy this year as well as regain control of my fitness.  I have started giving myself a weekly mileage goal and plan to increase it every week.  It will be nice to see new places, get in better shape and make new memories with my family.  

NJ Adventures in Lighthouses Part 1

  A couple of months ago I had come across a flier in my truck about a challenge.  A lighthouse challenge.  Actually my son was playing with it and when he was done he gave it to me.  Right then and there I had decided I was going on this trip!  My family was welcome to come with me but I was definitely going.

  You have no idea how excited I got the closer the date got.  I looked at different hotels in different locations, plotted point of entry into the state, contacted area bloggers, used social media for current local activities and even daydreamed a little.
 The day before finally arrived and I had been tossing around times to leave and when I would arrive and finally decided 2 am it was.  2 am would get me there at 8 am after a 6+ hour trip. Perfect for seeing plenty of lighthouses on day one! Well after going to bed late, I did wake up at 2 and left at about 3 by the time everyone else was dressed, dog walked, rabbit fed, car packed, windows and door locked and breakfast and lunch packed.  Funny how an hour passed with all that.

  It was a nice trip there even better when the daylight appeared.  We were able to see an array of fall leaves in full color.  The closer we got to NJ we were impressed with various bridges and crossed the Delaware river (my oldest is a history buff).

We crossed into New Jersey and after a quick pit stop We decided to go to the two lighthouse stations on the southern west side.  These were a couple off the beaten track compared to the coast where a majority of them were.

First stop was Finns Point Lighthouse. This is not your vision of a lighthouse.

steps: 119

We travel to its location inland.  It was used to guide ships from the Delaware Bay into the Delaware River.  This lighthouse is made of iron!

Second stop down the street also located fairly inland is Tinicum Lighthouse.

steps:112

  Another unique lighthouse.  Which is great because it shows the variety and style compared to what we are used to.  This lighthouse has a fixed red light!

  After these lighthouse it was nice to see the true traditional lighthouse as well.  My eyes were opened on this trip of the style, shape, color and height of lighthouses.

  Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse still operating in the U.S. today.

steps:104

Sandy Hook in itself provided an interesting drive to its location.  To get to this lighthouse we went through the gates of a national park and drove onto historic Fort Hancock!

    This is just a taste of our trip.  Follow along for more lighthouse pictures as we spent the weekend in NJ and stopped at 13 various places along the way!

Virginia Gorge

Do you know several times a year the national parks waive their entrance fee?  They have the dates and parks listed on there website.  Most of the states have a park some states have several to choose from.  You are able to select on parks you are interested in to gain more information about that particular park.  This information will give you their normal entrance fees, daily programs offered,  hours, directions and even if they have camp sites at that location.  I figured out in August that the next free national park day in September was going to be to visit Great Falls National Park.

  The picture at the top of this page was what peaked my interest.  It was a picture of a gorge.  I am from the land of gorges.  Originally from upstate NY I have made the trip to Niagara Falls multiple times as well as visit a very close Letchworth State Park (Grand Canyon of the East).  I guess I was having a case of homesickness.  It was such a magnificent looking park I had to check this out.

  As with any park there are plenty of walking trails.  Your map/guide will help you decide the distance you want to trek as well as the ease of the trail.  (We were not there to hike as I have the "boot".)  However when I do go hiking I weigh my options.  How many more places am I going that day or what did I do before I got there?  How will the children hold up?

Sadly you don't necessarily know the terrain of a trail until you get going on it so I never assume I can take my stroller.  Even if I took the stroller it's just a cheap one and not a rugged jogger.  (That has had a flat for years).  I also have never acquired one of those fancy backpacks so my youngest walks, whines, cries and chugs along slowly. My little man is getting better we are sitting at 1 mile almost comfortably.

  This park is a no trash park.  Which I thought was neat and wondered how that really works out.  This means don't bring anything in or just take it all back out with you.  There are no garbage cans in the whole park.  I did see posts with plastic bags for your personal use but for you to put your trash in and take the bag with you.

  In the park there is a visitor center and two areas of parking fairly close to the gorge area.  We were not able to park closest so that gave us a small walk.  The trail was nice.  It was smooth somewhat even.  I could have maneuvered the stroller through it.  We even crossed over a little bridge!  My kids enjoyed walking and looking at the stream alongside us.

I tried to share some pictures with you an not give you the whole view.  This is one of the best parks I have been too.  We all enjoyed ourselves and I would like to go back.  These pictures give no justice to the beauty of this park.  You really must go experience this for yourself.  Make sure you have your camera and batteries because you will need them.