Love, The Next Generation

As they grow, children look at their parents as an example of how balanced love is. 

Parents fight but they also make up.  Parents disagree but also respect each others opinions. Parents experience sadness and show how they comfort each other. Parents continue to have fun and laugh. Parents show their kids, that no matter how old they are, they can still be romantic. 

Being on vacation with our adult children has shown me that we've done a pretty good job setting an example of love for our boys. I've seen snippets of our romance in them.

My son and his wife of less than 2 weeks, enjoyed quiet time reading together. 

Son #2 and his love are the picture of silly romance, 

they have a lot of fun simply being together.

When you go on vacation with adult children, let the love flow. 

Cabin Comfort Food

A cold rainy day calls for some old fashion comfort food for the crew.

Trevor brought some summer squash from his garden. I diced it up and put it in a pan with some olive oil, a dash of cloves and cinnamon to give a little warmth to the dish. I added a couple ice cubes and a dash of garlic salt then covered the pan to let it simmer. 

Slow cooking a smoked ham in the oven warms to a kitchen. A cabin's open layout lets the wonderful scents to travel throughout. Cinnamon and smoky clove waif through the rooms. Waiting for dinner to be done, is a perfect opportunity for some cuddle time.

Three boxes of Mac-n-Cheese were needed to feed my gang. 

By the end of the  meal, everyone was warm, comforted, and full. At least for a few hours.

What comfort food do you make while on vacation?

Morning Meditation with Mother Nature

Vacation Day #2

Cool temperature with a breeze from the north.

Mood is "chillax".

Communing with nature is a great way to start the day.

Doing yoga next to water is an amazing experience. 

It good to break up your routine of being inside.  Breathing in clean air cleanses the body and opens the soul. Some may think practicing yoga outside not only develops your inner strength and stability, it aligns you with nature. Yoga outside can boost your self esteem and the dose of vitamin D from the sun will help fight depression. Even if you practice yoga in the shade like I do, you'll still get those "feel good" vibes.

Loons calling to each other  replace the sounds of the city. 

My only observers were seagulls.

The breeze caressed my skin like a lover's touch. 

If you get the chance, step outside.

Close your eyes and take a few slow, deep breaths.

Take a moment to listen; focus on nature sounds.

Hear the birds?

Feel the breeze?

Sunsets and Family Time

Vacation Day #1 part 2

Evening is calm, quality togetherness time.

Mood is relaxed.

Ending an evening surrounded by the beauty of nature reminds us of the romance humans have with wonder of the wild. Mother Nature provides us with beauty, comfort and joy. Little things we often take for granted in life or completely ignore. Looking at a sunset, our reflection in a lake, or closing our eyes while sitting next to a bonfire will quickly take us to a calm place and fill us with love.

The evening is spent fishing. 

Relaxing around the bonfire was interrupted when the sprinkler system turned on.  Laughing, we dried off and still enjoyed the fire after the water stopped.

All smiles, all night long.

Staying cozy with each other.

Being together outside with nature is great bonding time 

to strengthen family ties which is important when a family grows.

Rain Won't Ruin My Vacay

Vacation Day #1

Woke to cool temperature and rain.

Mood is relaxed.

No, I'm not at Martha's Vineyard, I just like the mug and I've adopted it for the week.

Rain doesn't ruin my vacation. I look at the fact that rain can be relaxing and enjoyable. The peace is rejuvenating. Yes, even in my noisy family, peace can be obtained.

My favorite part of vacation is preparing the morning meal with my honey. We have a lot of fun in the kitchen which usually creates moans, groans and complaints from our kids. Hubby took off his shirt because he didn't want bacon grease splatter ruin it. Yes, I know that's not a good idea; just goes to show our morning goofiness.

After breakfast, eldest son and his wife curled up with books for some quiet reading. 

A mated pair of loons floated across the middle of the lake. We had the opportunity to meet them closer when we visited the public boat launch. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me. I'll try to get pix later.

Hubby, I, son #2 and his GF went on a mission to find beach towels. Oops... it's a little late in the season so we ended up with large bath towels to take boating this week. Anyways... 

When we arrived back to the cottage, they decided to brave the misting rain and take the kayaks out. 

After I write this post, I believe a bit of reading and a nap are in order.

How to handle a rainy day on your vacation?

Daily Dose Of Hugs

I was watching CBS News Sunday Morning today and was moved by an featured story. Did you know a hug releases oxytocin,  a chemical in our brain that makes us feel happy? How cool is that?

However, in today's world theres a down side. Due to Covid restrictions people are not getting their normal daily dose of hugs. Not having oxytocin released is affecting humans. After all it's part of our self care routine. Its ingrained in us. Simply watch small children when grouped together, they touch and hug each other. Pure joy!

Virus restrictions are causing people to become creative when they are hungry for hugs. Masks, gloves, and  lots of plastic sheeting are involved.

Get your mind out of the gutter...this a sweet post.

Today's assignment: give a hug.

Hug whoever you live with, whoever you trust, or simply cuddle with your pet.

Oxytocin is a hormone secreted by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, a pea-sized structure at the base of the brain. It's sometimes known as the "cuddle hormone" or the "love hormone," because it is released when people snuggle up or bond socially.Jun 4, 2015

Oxytocin: Facts About the 'Cuddle Hormone' | Live Science

www.livescience.com › 42198-what-is-oxytocin

Housecleaning Before Vacay - Who Does That?

We are heading on vacation tomorrow so that means I'm cleaning the house today. My mom always hated coming home to a dirty house, so I must have inherited that trait from her. 

I don't go all Spring-Cleaning-Crazy, I just do the basics.

1. Vacuum. This is the most important and often the last thing I do. We have a dog, a cat and a guinea pig so hair and dander is abundant. When I enter the door a week after I left I don't want to be hit with an overwhelming smell of dog. 

2. Bathe the dog. If she doesn't go with us, I usually give Maggie a bath because she stays with Gram & Gramp. She's getting out of the spa treatment due to having it last week for the wedding. Gram & Gramp will be joining us theregore Maggie will have a pet sitter this week. I'm hoping all goes well since last time she had a sitter, she was a hellion.

Don't let her 13 year old face fool you. She's a lab. "Nuff said.

3. Clean the bathrooms. Guys are gross, plan and simple. Let the nastiness set for a week, even grosser. Is that a word? Must be, spellcheck didn't freak out.

4. Wash all the dirty dishes. If I have to, I'll run a load as I'm leaving.

5. Make sure laundry is done. I actually did laundry yesterday since the guys were running out of underwear and didn't have anything clean to wear. They can be such divas. Nonetheless, I'll be bringing home dirty laundry and who would want to come home to a pile of dirty laundry that has been sitting for a week.

6. Wipe down counters. Clorox wipes or my favorite scent of Meyers, leaves a nice fragrance in the air.

How can you find romance in cleaning the house? Have your honey help, you will appreciate it and make sure you show your appreciation later. Or... ask for a nice back or foot massage later. Remember what I said about touch? Check out my post Touch Me, Babe.

Okay...I'm ready. Time to pack.

Do you clean the house before leaving for vacation?