Photo Diary: A Countryside Getaway

...and a chat on slowing down.

Dear Reader,

I must confess, a slow paced lifestyle is my absolute favorite. It is when I feel my most controlled, centered, and clear minded. Let’s just say that me and my adrenaline rarely interact unless absolutely necessary and I work very hard to keep it that way. Some enjoy an adrenaline rush...I do not!

“Slow down in your pursuit of happiness and it's more likely to catch up with you.”

Ernie J. Zelinski

Now being the committed homebound introverted lady that I am who barely seeks outside of my comfy boundaries (unless otherwise necessary) does on occasion enjoy a change of scenery. And a little weekend getaway tends to usually do the trick for me. Especially when meadows, porches with swings, and friendly furry friends are part of the package.

Now I do realize that everybody’s idea of slowing down can be quite different. I know it is in our family. Our family of five includes: two that enjoy the slower things in life and require more down time than not, two that enjoy and seek non-stop high and fast paced action, and one that appreciates and relishes on both sides of the spectrum. So as you can imagine vacations together can be quite tricky sometimes.

So in order to accommodate everyone’s needs for their idea of a vacation we do require some coordination and planning. And in some cases some warning or adjustments for any required mental or emotional preparation. And on top of that our oldest son has special needs; therefore even more preparation and adjustment goes without saying. In other words, team work and flexibility is essential! By the way, needing a vacation to recover from vacation is very real...just saying!

All the sudden this song came to mind...so let’s take a moment, shall we?

deep breathe in, deep breath out...

...ok, so back to slowing down...

Recently our family kicked off our summer with my idea of a vacation. :) A slower paced getaway to the countryside at a cozy Airbnb on a farm in Waller, Texas. Everyone was informed ahead of time that our only intentions during this time away together was to unwind, relax, swim, and simply enjoy each other’s company all within the property where we were staying. So we did just that...we swam, we lounged, we ate, we read, we explored, we played, we even managed a little night time hide and seek around the farm. Well I say ‘we’ as in everyone, but me. Hide and seek freaks me out in general (remember the whole adrenaline thing?), so the idea of playing hide and seek in the dark on foreign grounds amongst all the spiders, snakes, and whatever other night critters was a no-go for me. I read my book inside on my bed and prayed the whole time for the safety of my family.

Well I’m happy to report that our time together was wonderful! Everyone survived and dare I say even thrived. Understanding our intention going into the vacation really helped pave the way for such a successful getaway. We all came back refueled with a refreshed outlook and appreciation for the many blessings we share together as well as a clarity for what truly matters most in life. James and I are already talking about going back again when another dose of simplicity is in order.

I did manage to capture some special moments during our stay on camera. Some were taken on my film point and shoot, some on my digital Sony A6000, and some on my phone. Please enjoy my photo diary from our family mini getaway to the countryside.

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Our temporary home away from home.

The homeowners on the property owned three country dogs that paid us lovely visits throughout our stay. Callie, the hound dog quickly became a favorite with the kids. Slobber and all!

We enjoyed lots of swing time overlooking the farm.

This little fury friend loved attention, but was also snippy at the same time, lol. I was so worried he was going to get his head stuck in the gate from trying to force my affection.

The boys spent lots of time in the pool house/game room. So much so that we have since purchased a ping pong table for our own home.

We vacationed here a few days after our 26th Wedding Anniversary in June so thankfully we managed to capture a photo of us together to document the milestone.

Nothing like enjoying a morning cup of coffee on a porch with a doggie.

Peanut was a sweetie and randomly chewed on “things” or bugs she discovered around the yard.

All the animals on the farm were so friendly to everyone, but we did notice some of them (Callie and one of the horses) had an extra gentle and kindred connection with Dominic. I find it so special how animals can sense individuals with special needs and accommodate accordingly. Animals are so amazing like that! I decided to spare you the picture of the very slobbery french kiss Callie gave Dominic seconds after this picture was taken! It was disgusting!

This little pool was perfect for what we needed.

What I read during my stay. This genre is not my norm, but it just felt like the right occasion to give an Emily Henry novel a try.

Me reading Happy Place in my happy place on the porch.

I love it how they will never care if this was their best angle, pose, or a good resting face for a snap shot. ;)

I love this shot of the horse’s mane. There is something so beautiful and peaceful of about it,

My beautiful Tatum. She is growing up so fast! She is one of the fast paced and high action members of our family with little to no desire to slow down. However she did express that she enjoyed the little break in the country, but may have died if it lasted longer than it did. ;)

August is our gamer so this game room became his kingdom.

I take a book everywhere I go and my husband takes Ohio State everywhere he goes.

More swing time taking in the beauty of our surroundings.

Normally I’m the one taking all the photos so it made me so happy to learn that James captured this special moment of me and my two oldest visiting on the swing.

My persons.

My first born and last born.

My heart. xo

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Thank you so much for your visit here. Until next time.

Love,