Spring Break
This past week has been full of love, laughter, and sweet memories. I owe this to my youngest sister (Mary), spending her Spring break from college here in California. She came at a time when my husband was away for work so I didn't have to be alone. We love simply being together. We talked so much about wellness.. how travel, food and exercise play into this lifestyle. Family members always seem to ground me and this time with Mary brought out some pretty special memories. What would I do without siblings??
Yosemite was our first stop, we hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls, the tallest in North America! The higher we got the more snow there was. It was slushy and melting so we fell.. a lot. I have blisters from that day that are finally healing, and I have some pretty funny memories of Mary actually sliding down the trail.
On the way home we had to pull over to admire these beauties, I have way too many pictures but can you blame me? I have always loved saying "beauty is so simple." This is a perfect example.
A day at the beach. We packed a picnic, found a secluded area, and listened to the waves. There were moments of silence, when my only option is to clear my mind and feel completely grateful. Is there anything more calming than the white noise of waves?
Pure Bliss, or as Mary would say, "blissed out."
Mary is a foodie, always has been. I remember when we were younger she would make me something and then just sit and watch me eat it, waiting for my critique. Her joy comes from serving others food. Yes I know, I'm lucky. This was definitely a splurge meal, since this picture was taken I have cut out dairy and processed sugar from my diet. Like I said in my "about me," I want you on this journey with me. This is for all of the people who say "I want to be healthier" but haven't known where to begin. Begin with me :)
We spent a day riding a cable car in San Francisco, eating clam chowder, walking around Fisherman's wharf, the makings of a good travel experience. I love having this city so close to bring my visitors up for the day, we used the train to get to and from SF and accidentally came home during rush hour. We were packed and standing with so many people and poor Mary was crushed up against someone's grocery bag that had a whole, unwrapped fish in it. Oops..
I made this fruit platter for Mary on her last day, and we ate it so fast out in the hot sun, it was delicious! I am a sucker for anything pretty so I spend time on arranging and plating food. This was how I decided I actually liked cooking, when I started putting effort into the appearance of the meal. Before figuring that out I thought of cooking as a chore, and I hated it. Now it is a beautiful challenge to find new recipes, pack the meals with nutrients, and make it look beyond appetizing. I love it! There is so much more that I didn't capture from the past week, because as much as I love photos, I also see the value in living in the moment. Being together with Mary was like being home, coffee time in the mornings is my favorite time with my sisters. We sit, and sip, and talk about all of our ideas, loves, and goals. There is nothing better than quality time together! I'll just wrap it up with a couple more pictures from our last day together, this pool day party for two.
P.S. I am so proud, this was my first attempt at cracking open a coconut and I was able to drain all of the water out first to save for later...success. After a week of good food, beautiful company, and so much to be grateful for, my heart is full. I wish you wellness.
P.S.S. here is a link to a short video that I made from the trip. It was so fun making this and I hope my video skills improve with time. I actually enjoy taking video more than pictures, and I just discovered that!