She’s Back Baby!

 It’s been far too long since I’ve even logged into this blog. Life has been quite a wild ride over the last nearly two years!  I I’ve advanced my career after having one of the busiest years of my life. I made a whole human….and that DEFINITELY wasn’t an easy go. I won’t get into it but I’m certainly grateful for us both to have made it out the other side. All of that along with the hustle and bustle of working raising a family and just trying to be a person led to this little pet project being left on the back burner; heck it wasn’t even on the stove at all! 

A quick picture of me growing that new human in a campsite bathroom at Holland State Park.

Needless to say, the fog is clearing, and I’m catching my breath. Now that that is happening, it has me thinking about all of the fun I’m planning as the weather warms and a Michigan summer, I’m able to fully embrace and enjoy this year approaches. Summer is when I tend to feel the most myself, the most alive. Winter while it has its own beauty feels both rushed and never ending simultaneously. Where summer feels like endless possibility. Maybe that’s a carry-over from summer break as a child? I’m not certain but I am truly glad the warm days are enroute and I don’t feel sidelined any longer. 

My son enjoying a campfire at our family cottage.

Summer in this place is truly special. Michigan summers make you forget how hard the other seasons can be. We have a couple of camping trips in different parts of the state already on the books, one on Lake Michigan and the other on Lake Huron. Hoping to sneak in some others before the leaves drop and the snow flies once again. I’m thinking about berry picking, hiking trails, firefly catching, and days on the lake. I want my kids to appreciate where they live. I want them to be able slow down and appreciate the little things along with the magnificent. The little flower should get as much wonder as a National Lakeshore in my mind.

My little guy enjoying some beach time last summer.

As I reflect on this new season approaching, and finally revisit this creative space, I can’t help but to reconsider my approach here. Before, I won’t lie, was attempting some sort of side hustle. Hoping to supplement income and “make it” in the creative space. But now that I’ve expanded my family, I cannot be part of that sort of rampant overconsumption. Everyone I the social media and blogging space is trying to sell you something. Often time it’s something unnecessary that someone is desperately trying to paint as necessity. The endless Amazon must have lists, the sales pitches, the affiliate links abound. I cannot in good conscience be part of that any longer. 

Exploring Grand Traverse Light House in Leelanau State Park with my husband on one of the few trips I was able to take last year.

From now on, I promise to always encourage to use what you have. If you do need something, please shop second hand or from small and ethical businesses creating products that are meant to last and be sustainable. Will I be perfect? No, but it’s worth trying because there being outdoor spaces to enjoy for my children and beyond if far more important than a couple bucks in my pocket and way too much money in the pockets of billionaires dead set on sucking our natural resources dry. I am truly excited to be in this space for myself instead of how I approached it in the past. 

I won’t make any commitments on how frequently I will utilize this, I have two small children, a career and countless other responsibilities that take priority. I tried weekly and then monthly posting and even that felt like too much all too often. But I will do more to document travels, share recipes, and bring more joy about nature to the world as I share it with my children. 

Welcome to all just finding me here and welcome back to those who have been here before. She’s back baby!  

A lovely cup of coffee I enjoyed on a 2024 camping trip in Interlochen Sate Park.

Cheers!