The frozen forest

I'm always in "Awe" 

I can't believe how fast time is moving! It's the middle of January already! Recently I turned forty three. For my celebration I wanted to be outdoors. So my sister, a friend and I went hiking to Christie Falls in Ladysmith. It's amazing out there right now with all the ice. It's truly like a winter wonderland. A magical place. I love the great outdoors. I honestly believe if you're suffering mentally and or physically from something, outdoors is the answer. It rejuvenates the soul. I'm hoping our 2016 is sharing memories of just this. The beauty that surrounds us, and the experiences along the way. Not only for myself but for our children. Our family and for you. This day was on January 10th - my birthday. After having an amazing lunch at the Spice Hut we ventured off looking for Christie Falls. The funny part about this day was that us three wore funny toques. We would meet people along the path that always commented, smiled and or laughed. It was great. We might be woman in our forties but it's not the number what counts, it's what's inside of us. Fun. Adventure and thriving for more memories. The best part is living, experiencing and breathing in that fresh air we take for granted daily. It was a great day.  "Just living is not enough, one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower" - Hans Anderson. In this case a winter wonderland called, "Frozen" 

The picture below I snapped during a morning walk last week. I was thinking about our options in life. We can just live to breathe, work and pay bills or we can truly live. My motto always is to take the long road, experience and find new adventures around every new corner. A cute quote from one of Robert Frost's poems is, "And I, I took the road less traveled" and that my friends is a powerful statement. If you don't allow yourself to experience, to learn, and to challenge yourself with new directions, you don't grow into your fullest potential. I believe growth happens all throughout our lives. It's never too late to experience something new. I love teaching my children this. I am so proud of my oldest daughter who travels, who now is currently working in Toronto. She might like it or not when I say, she's exactly like her mother. A strong independent woman who works towards her goals and retrieves them. She challenges herself, and has life grasped in her hands. That's the strong road, a road worth traveling. To conclude with my thoughts....keep going. Leap at the chance with new adventures. Even if it's just a day in the frozen forest. We all owe it to ourselves to not just breathe, but to truly live and enjoy our life!