Why Blog?

It's been awhile since I've wrote.  I can blame it on motherhood, my job, etc. But the fact of the matter is, I think it's been a combination of two things.  First one: I'm busy.  So therefore, I disregard anything that is more of a want, not a need.  I have a tendency to turn my back on things that require some type of motivation.  Whether it's working out, eating right, or in this case: writing.

Second reason: to be quite honest, the world of blogging has changed for me.  The blogs that I follow seem to all want to achieve the same goal. And that goal is: to create a crowd.  I run over the photographs that they post and the words pin me pops up.  People want to be followed, and if that's their thing, I'm not here to criticize. To each their own, right? These bloggers are doing what they love, but truthfully, this recent shift has left me questioning my blog.   Should I follow the trend?  Is my blog looking ancient to others?  But then I realized what I still love about blogs and what I still enjoy about mine. 

I created this tiny little space, a mere glimpse into my life, and that's what I still adore about other blogs.  I love that I can read about personal experiences, simple musings, and comment on topics that have some kind of substance. That's life. It's what I can relate to.  

My favorite writer has held on to the "old way" of blogging. The old way, to me, is sort of like an open diary.  Only with this "diary"- you don't mind if someone else reads it.  And you're doing it for yourself and you're not seeking any type of gain.  So, I've decided, I'm forever sticking to the old way as well.

Because let's face it.  Despite the fact I have created this, I am a pretty private person.  I only tell a select few everything/anything about me.  I never wanted 1,000+ followers on Facebook or my current obsession which is Instagram.  I'm a fan of lower numbers and don't care how many likes a photo receives. I post things for me, for my family, and for my closest friends to see. And that's the sole purpose of this blog.  I write here for myself and when I created this space, I shared it and continue to share it with a very small number of individuals.  To me, blogs are a personal space, and that space should be personal, right?!  So I'm keeping things the way they are. 

Well, not exactly.
I won't wait another seven months to write again. :)

On Movement

"Downtown. Lights on buildings and everything that makes you wonder."

-Stephen Chbosky, "Perks of Being a Wallflower"

For some, clarity can occur when your mind and body feel somewhat of a disconnect from the everyday grind.  Whether you're on vacation or somewhere local, in that moment--answers to your questions begin to flood your mind and everything seems to fit together so easily...... Like pieces of a puzzle.  Clarity.  For me, I've recently discovered it occurs the most during motion.  

Whether I'm in a car, plane, or train--most of my thoughts occur during some form of movement.    During my drive to work, or on my way home, multiple images are flying through my mind when I hear a favorite song. But what I find myself doing the most during this time is creating.  Creating ideas that I want to happen.  Some ideas are big, others are small.  Heck, I have this horrible habit of changing my lesson plans on my way to work because I think of something different.  Is this normal?  Maybe it's just the writer in me....  

Either way, one thing is for sure: it's the brief break from the everyday that brings me to an entirely different level of thinking.  

I'm curious, what gets your wheel spinning?

Back to Reality

Sad to report, but all good times must come to an end.  On our last day, Tom and I spent the morning alongside the pool.  A pool day wouldn't be complete without acting like a child...We started a swimming competition against one another-like we were part of the Olympics or something.
Yep. True story.
(I beat him in the backstroke for the record!)  :)

After checking out of the hotel, we drove to a nearby Pier and ate at a cute little "shack" called the Yardarm Restaurant:

Tom and I frequently discussed if we should bring Jake or not.  We decided last minute to go by ourselves.  In my opinion, it is crucial to do this whenever the opportunity arises.  It was hands down a much needed vacation that left me feeling like a new individual.  Memories were created and there were times I laughed until my stomach ached.  We had our moments of feeling like a kid without a kid.  

Moral: Explore different destinations-even the unpopular ones!  

Vacation Part III

Day three:

Buffet again! Then Tom departed for a round of golf and I took this opportunity for some quality all about me time.  My relaxing day began with a massage and thoroughly enjoying all of the amenities the spa had to offer.  Afterward, I walked around the resort with a pina colada in hand, and captured the scenery:

I couldn't get over the massive trees:

Then I wrote in my journal (pictured below) because being around peace and harmony all day long can really put things into a different perspective:

After a brief entry and a vast array of photos, I became intrigued about the hotel and wanted to learn about the history.  To my surprise, part of the hotel was used as a hospital during the Civil War and as a training base during World War II-read all about it here.  The hotel magazine and this PDF stated people with political power, famous singers, and athletes have stayed at the hotel.  Looks like our destination isn't so mundane after all!

For lunch, we went to the Oyster House for some more (yes, you guessed it!) oysters and scrumptious seafood. Then it was off for a quick shopping trip in downtown Fairhope-which reminded me so much of Santa Rosa, California.

The remainder of our day was spent at the pool and beach and then it was off to the Wash House Restaurant for one seriously amazing steak dinner.  The place was deceiving from the outside, but the interior was so cute:

Oh, how I love vacations.........and food!!

XO

Vacation Part II

Good morning to me!  

Without a doubt, I would love to wake up to a view like this one every morning:

I'm officially WIDE awake because Tom suggested a short run along the bay and a quick workout at the gym.   So much for the word vacation....

However, running along the bay, looking at the morning horizon, and listening to Ray LaMontagne's song, "Within You" made my workout feel like anything but a workout.  If I had this motionless view to anticipate every morning, running would be much more likable:

Apparently, a quick run and climbing a few steps, can make anyone feel like Rocky:

:)

After one of the most amazing breakfast buffets, we hopped into our super "rad" car (yes, I'm laughing), and headed to the Gulf Shores beach:

During lunch, I ordered oysters again and forced Tom to break (not one, but all of) my crab legs.  In that moment, we reminisced about our younger years and the experiences we had on family trips.  I couldn't help but think, since we now have a foundation (a family of three), we will be building our own countless memories on different vacations for Jake to recollect. 

We drove into downtown Fairhope, had dinner at a little pizza joint that played Frank Sinatra and other songs like Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World".

Absolute perfection!

Some scheduled me time tomorrow!