I meant to do this post yesterday, but the day got away from me.  A few weeks ago my husband and I went on a little weekend getaway to Kohler, WI.   The hubs turned 30 this year and we also celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary in September, so we thought we’d get away to celebrate.   Let me tell you….it was awesome!   What a blessing to get away for a few days and reconnect.  The food was great, we were able to relax, and best of all, the fall colors were gorgeous.  I thought I’d share a few photos from our nature walk that we took on Saturday as well as a few things I enjoyed most about the weekend.

1.  Time alone with Jim.   If you have kids, you probably can appreciate that the moments you have alone with your spouse are few and far between.  Uninterrupted conversation, moments of silence shared together, and a leisurely meal all become luxuries.  These are a few of the little things I appreciated about our time together.

2. And, speaking of leisurely meals, did I mention the food was divine?  Maybe it was just that I didn’t have to cook for a whole weekend, but it seemed like everything I ate was delicious.  We had what Jim dubbed, “the best brunch he’s ever had,” on Sunday and an equally delicious meal on Sunday night.  This used to be one of our favorite things to do together and we loved reconnecting over wonderful meals.

3.  The fall colors.  Fall is my favorite season and the crisp weather and majestic yellows, oranges and reds combined to make for an idyllic fall day.

4.  On our nature walk, we got to watch the fly fisherman fishing for salmon.  We also came across a dam in the river where there must have been hundreds of salmon swimming against the current and jumping out of the water.  I was able to catch one on film and was awe struck by their strength and power.   Yet another reason why God’s creation is amazing!

5.  And last but not least, I’m thankful for my in-laws who watched my daughters so Jim and I could get away.   My kids probably had as much fun as we did!

This month, we have had the distinct pleasure of several mini vacations to the lake.  My parents have a place down South and I have several close friends with homes on Lake Michigan.  Here are a few of the highlights of things I loved and the memories I am thankful for:

1) There are few things more striking than sunsets and sunrises over the water.  It was fun to see this picture of a sunrise on my parents lake….

juxtaposed with this picture taken at my friend’s Lake Michigan abode.

I love that there can be such a different feel between two bodies of water and yet both are considered lakes.  Creation’s creativity, varied colors and landscapes are an endless source of awe for me.

2.  My oldest daughter LOVES the sand.  It thrills my heart to see her so contented and completely enthralled in her own little world.  And, I try not to get too uptight thinking about the gallons of sand we will be washing off while she makes “sand angels” or buries her whole lower half in a mountain of sand.

3.  Is there anything sweeter than seeing your child’s unprompted expressions of love?  I’m not sure that there is.

What are you thankful for today?

P.S.  In case you missed the last Thankfulness Thursday post