I’m a world-traveler this week! Ok, not really since I’m primarily staying in the Midwest, but I’m still getting out and about this week.
This weekend Adam and I went camping in Indiana at the Duneswood Campground and it was awesome! I liked our first camping trip but the weather this time around was amazing. Pleasantly warm during the day and nice and cool at night.
We got there Friday afternoon and promptly set up camp and bought enough food to feed a small army for a week. What can I say? I don’t want to run out of food! I didn’t take into account the time of year when I started cooking because by 6:15 it was dark and I was prepping food by lantern.
Food NOT made in the dark
Oh well, it was still delicious.
Saturday we went hiking and while this trail was not as difficult as the Palisades, most of the trail was also a horse trail and it was covered in sand. Hiking in sand is a little tiring after about oh…. five minutes. But we did see some fun things on our hike.
Like this sea bug (which I think is a crawfish?): 
This adorable frog who held still long enough for me to get his picture: 
Neon orange fungus that I’m SURE isn’t poisonous: 
We also stopped at the beach really quick but were pretty tired after hiking almost 10 miles. We came back to camp and I proceeded to make a delicious dinner (I’ll share a recipe soon) while it was still light out and we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the great outdoors.
Exhausted but we made it to the beach!
This week I’m headed out to Rolla, Missouri to spend some time with my roomies/besties. I’m super excited because we haven’t all been in the same place since my wedding almost four years ago. Good times are sure to follow.
I won’t be posting any new recipes this week, but I promise there will be some new ones coming your way soon. I hope you have a great week! 
No matter what it is you’re facing, you can do it. I don’t care if it has to do with your health, your job, school, life, food, unicorns, or finally defeating that last level in that video game you pretend you know nothing about when it comes up in conversation because you’ve wasted so many hours playing, you can do it. It might take some hard work, a few tears, and some less than classy phrases, but know that you can do it.
On the other hand, there are times when it’s ok to not do the thing. In a world of social media, we are constantly getting the message that we need to do something great, something big, something more, something better and while that is awesome it can also be a little paralyzing. Maybe everyone you know is traveling the world but you hate traveling. Don’t feel like to be worthy you need to suddenly pack your bags and head to the Sahara Desert. Are all your friends getting married or having babies and that’s just not where you’re at in your life? Totally fine. You don’t HAVE to do the thing. It’s ok to be you and do what gives you joy.
I took a walk yesterday because it was absolutely gorgeous out and it would have been a crime not to take a walk along the lake. As I was walking, I started thinking about all the things that I needed to do for the week and all the things I wanted to do which of course led to thinking about where my life is going and what I want from the future and getting excited/nervous for things to come or that might not come… and then I paused. I was completely ignoring the beauty around me at that moment. There was a wonderful breeze, the lake was a beautiful blue-green, families were laughing and playing and eating picnics, the sun was warm on my skin but I wasn’t sweating buckets (a small miracle), and life at that moment was good. By constantly focusing on the future we often forget to enjoy the ride. You will get to where you need to be, I promise, but in the meantime don’t forget enjoy each moment because you don’t get them back in the end.
Life Healthfully Lived 