Big Time Blogging Challenge Day 6: Sweet Summer

This Summer = SAVE MONEY

So Instead I will talk about...

Previous Summers: 

In the last two summers, I have taken two amazing "dream-level" vacations. Last year we traversed Europe seeing London, Paris, Marseilles, Cannes, Nice, and Champagne France, Monaco, Milan, Italy, and Switzerland. The year before we saw the best of Southern California, starting in San Francisco, driving down the coast to Santa Barbra and then up to Yosemite National Park where we hiked Half Dome. My reward for the hike was a night in Napa Valley before returning home. Yes. I'm very spoiled, but maybe Gordon had a plan, woo me early with the dream vacations...Love him either way!

Overlooking Yosemite Valley. I had hiked that big thing lurking in the background the previous day and climbing the few steps up to where this picture is taken took me five minutes of groaning about how I can't bend my legs! 

How to keep me happy? Hike an hour, then stop for snacks! Then hike another hour and more snacks! Switzerland is really good for that! There is even a train to take you down the mountain, unlike the other picture above! 

Each past summer I have also stopped in Maine and worked as a camp counselor teaching swim lessons for a week to a few weeks to the whole summer! This is the first summer since 2006 I won't be there! I really miss camp and hope I can find something a little bit closer to home where I can still make an impact, perhaps with kids with special needs, AND play outside all day! Let me know if you have any leads near the western suburbs of Chicago!

So, in a way, this summer has been hard. Poor me, I know. Ha! Saving money is hard! But on the bright side, slowing down a bit  this summer has allowed me many opportunities. First to do this challenge, read some books and blogs, and just investigate and try new things that I would otherwise be too busy to even think about. Fiddling takes time! So this summer has been full of Professional development at it's finest with School work, cleaning work, and becoming an excellent chef!

In the meantime while Gordon and I are busy making small plans for the present and big plans for the future, we are trying to enjoy our weekends and extend them if possible! We spent time with family at a lake house for the 4th,  and there are plenty of wedding weekends past and present!

 I signed Gordon up for his first ever 5K on July 19th so we've been working on running! WEEEEE!!! Hopefully, I'll have a success picture to post!

 Lastly, if we find the time this summer, we hope to spend some time driving and camping around lake Michigan. Gordon did it as a kid and wants to show me how awesome it is. Too cute!

Just like life, summer is fleeting! I am trying to remind myself to look to the future but live in the moment and enjoy and remember how very lucky and blessed I am to be living my life each day.