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Beachside State of Mind

This moment right here? It's one of those moments when you know it's going to be one that you cherish forever while you are in the moment living it. This was our very first "big" family vacation as just us...our family of five. Every single moment of it felt like a dream. It was the day after school ended in 2021. We loaded up the hot mess express and drove until we reached the sand! It was quickly made evident that our kids needed this just as badly as we did.

Sometimes when I'm having a tough day or feeling emotionally drained, I remember this moment. My kids felt free...we felt free. They left behind their sibling conflicts, stresses and worries and ran for the salty water. At one point, they joined hands and just stared out at the horizon and my eyes filled with tears. You see, this wasn't just a family vacation. This was us overcoming tough times, not just from the pandemic, but there was a time when financially, this wasn't possible. There was a time when I stared with envy at social media photos of friends and family on trips like these and longed for the same.

 

We've worked incredibly hard to get to this point and now? We work hard, so that we can play harder! We're counting down to our 2022 escape to paradise! When we told our kids the news, they were so excited and shouted out a list of things that they can't wait to do. Not only are these the memories that I'll always carry with me as their mom, but also I want them to look back on these times when they reflect on their youth one day.


I'm saying all of this for a reason. I know that some of you need to hear this, because I sure did. Work hard and take that trip. You will always have other things that you need to spend money on, but experiences like these are priceless. Block out your calendar and make your family the main priority for that block of time. Say no to all other obligations and just go, because you deserve it. Our children are growing faster than I ever anticipated. While we have them under our roof, we want to show them as much as we can outside of our midwestern bubble. I want them to know that there are endless experiences and opportunities; that working hard makes them possible. 

You can find us beachside this summer again to reset, refresh and reconnect! 

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