Live Accordingly: Getting Granola

Sunday, June 16, 2013

I have always loved the outdoors. It has always amazed me how naturally serene and beautiful it all is without any man-made help. From the first blossoms of spring, through the last snowfall of winter, Mother Nature has a way of bringing me to awe any time of the year. While I have always enjoyed doing things outdoors, this year Wyet and I decided to take things up a notch.

Being lucky enough to live in an incredible state that offers an array of options for outdoor adventures, we decided that we had better start taking advantage of it. With that in mind, we did a little splurge shopping at REI to get us prepared for one the most memorable summers of our life.

We were lucky enough to catch REI on their huge Memorial Day sale and decided to just go for it. We went in on a new tent and sleeping bags together, and Wyet was sweet enough to get us two incredible hiking backpacks for my birthday. Once all of our gear arrived, I finally felt like we were ready to go on a much anticipated adventure. We did just that.

We spent my birthday weekend camping, hiking and fishing at a beautiful spot in Soldier Summit. There wasn't another soul in sight, and I felt like Mother Nature had arranged this incredible retreat just for us. We spent the night under a star-filled sky talking about life, love and our future. In the morning, Wyet woke me up just in time to catch the sunrise {the first one I have seen since my Starbucks days}. We spent the morning on a 2 hour hike that felt like it flew by in 20 minutes. Spending time doing nothing other than observing was a much needed break. Everything around us was so beautiful. The kind of beauty that ends up in a travel magazine. It was breathtaking, and it was all in my own backyard {if only I would take more time to look}. We topped off the day by fishing in a nearby creek, and I got to break in my new {pink} fishing pole.

Our outdoor adventure was just the beginning. I am excited to see what other amazing views I will be able to spy from the top of a hiking trail and what other experiences I will get to be a part of. Taking a moment to realize what the world was offering us set us up for a summer of adventure. We are ready to face each one head on.